RTHK: Secret UK defence documents found at bus stop

Britain's government said on Sunday it was investigating how secret defence documents, outlining the movements of a warship that led to Russia firing warning shots off the Crimean coast, were found at a bus stop in England.

The Ministry of Defence said that an employee told it last week that the documents had been lost, and that an investigation had been launched.

"It shouldn't be able to happen," Brandon Lewis, minister for Northern Ireland, told Sky News on Sunday.

"It was properly reported at the time... there's an internal investigation into that situation."

An anonymous member of the public told the BBC they found 50 pages of classified information behind a bus stop in Kent, southern England, on Tuesday.

The papers discussed the possible Russian reaction to Britain's HMS Defender travelling through Ukrainian waters off the coast of Crimea on Wednesday, the BBC reported.

Russia on Wednesday said it fired warning shots at the navy destroyer in the Black Sea after what it said was a violation of its territorial waters.

Britain however said it was making "an innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters in accordance with international law."

According to Moscow, the incident took place off the coast of Cape Fiolent on Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014 in a move that the vast majority of the international community has not recognised.

The documents appear to show that the British officials knew the route could lead to a possible reaction from the Russians, but that taking an alternative passage could be considered by Moscow as "the UK being scared/running away".

The route it did take would instead "provide an opportunity to engage with the Ukrainian government... in what the UK recognises as Ukrainian territorial waters," said another document.

Russia's foreign ministry on Thursday summoned the British ambassador to "strongly protest" the incident.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described it as a "deliberate and prepared provocation".

Russia's defence ministry said warning shots were fired and bombs dropped along the path of the HMS Defender.

Among the other documents found at the bus stop were those that laid out plans for possible British military presence in Afghanistan after the end of NATO operations there. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2021-06-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
South Africa: False stories about vaccines may cause harm

President Cyril Ramaphosa says there is much misinformation being circulated about the COVID-19 vaccine which is causing fear and confusion.

The scientific evidence before us shows that vaccines work. They are safe. They are effective, and they save lives.

If you have any questions about the vaccine, if you are unsure in any way, please consult the information being provided by the Department of Health and from doctors, said the President on Sunday evening, when he announced a move to Adjusted Alert Level 4 from midnight for 14 days.

He said false stories are being spread on WhatsApp groups, on social media, and by word of mouth about the COVID-19 vaccine, claiming that the vaccine is not safe, that it can make you sick, or that it does not work.

I have said it before, and I wish to say it again: please think long and hard before you press share or send. Please consider the harm you may be causing. You are spreading panic, fear and confusion at a time when we can ill-afford it.

President Ramaphosa said there is evidence that the vaccines being used in South Africa are effective against the delta variant.

The Vaccine Ministerial Advisory Committee will continue to consider all data at its disposal and will adapt its advice as and when new evidence emerges.

We must also remember that some vaccinated people may still become infected, regardless of variant, because no vaccine is 100% effective. Where vaccinated people do get infected, the symptoms tend to be mild.

The most important thing is that any of the vaccines we are rolling out will protect you against severe disease, hospitalisation and, most importantly, death, said the President.

As of midnight on Saturday, nearly 2.7 million people in South Africa had received a vaccine dose.

In the last week, the daily vaccination rate surpassed 100 000.

In the last three days, an additional 1.2 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and 1.4 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been received through the COVAX facility.

With these additional supplies, we will be able to rapidly increase the rate of vaccination this week and in the weeks that follow.

In line with our national roll-out plan, over 950 000 health care workers have now been vaccinated across the country and the registration and vaccination of this cohort continues.

The second phase of our roll out has also gone well with the drive for the registration and vaccination of the over 60 year old group continuing to yield good results, said President Ramaphosa.

While the country has yet to reach all of the estimated 5 million citizens in this group, each province has now embarked on social mobilisation drives to assist the elderly to register and receive their vaccination.

To date, 3.8 million people have been registered on the electronic vaccination database.

The President said as much as we had hoped this pandemic would pass quickly, we know the reality to be vastly different.

He urged the continued use of tried and tested public health measures of wearing a mask in public; regularly washing or sanitising hands; keeping a safe distance from others and remaining at home unless it is necessary.

They are not complicated, difficult or expensive. Whatever inconvenience they may be to us, they are certainly better than becoming seriously ill and needing hospitalisation.

National vaccination programme

The national vaccination programme will be rolled out along three defined streams.

The first stream is the general population according to age groups. The next cohort of 50 to 59 year olds can begin registration on 1 July and vaccination of this group will begin on 15 July.

The second stream has already commenced with people working in the basic education sector, with 184 000 vaccinations recorded to date.

The third stream focusses on police and other security personnel. This group will start their jabs on 5 July.

The fourth stream is through workplace programmes in key economic sectors such as mining, manufacturing and the taxi industry.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-06-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
South Africa: SA placed under Adjusted Alert Level 4

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday announced the placement of the country under Adjusted Alert Level 4 for two weeks, due to the worrying increase in the numbers of COVID-19 infections in South Africa.

As of Sunday, the seven-day average of new daily COVID-19 infections nationally has overtaken the peak of the first wave in July last year, and will soon overtake the peak of the second wave experienced in January this year.

Gauteng now accounts for more than 60 percent of new cases in the country and with the exceptions of the Northern Cape and Free State, infections are rising rapidly in all other provinces.

We must all be worried about what we are seeing unfold before our very eyes, President Ramaphosa said in a live broadcast to the nation.

Under Adjusted Alert Level 4, the following measures are to be in place across the country with effect from tomorrow:

- All gatherings  whether indoors or outdoors  are prohibited. These include religious, political, cultural and social gatherings.

- Funerals and cremations are permitted, but attendance may not exceed 50 people and all social distancing and health protocols must be observed.

- Night vigils, after-funeral gatherings and after-tears gatherings are not allowed

- Public spaces, such as beaches and parks, will remain open. However, no gatherings will be permitted.

- A curfew will be in place from 9pm to 4am, and all non-essential establishments will need to close by 8pm.

- The sale of alcohol both for on-site and off-site consumption is prohibited.

- In Gauteng, travel in and out of the province for leisure purposes will be prohibited. This does not include work, business or commercial travel, transit through airports or for the transport of goods.

- Visits to old age homes, care facilities and other congregant settings will be restricted.

- Restaurants and other eateries will only be permitted to sell food for take-away or delivery.

Government will assess the impact of these interventions after 14 days to determine whether they need to be maintained or adjusted.

Delta variant

President Ramaphosa said the evidence is that the Delta variant of COVID-19 is rapidly displacing the Beta variant, which has been dominant in the country until now.

We are concerned about the rapid spread of this variant. Firstly, because it is more transmissible than previously circulating viruses, meaning it is easier to catch through person-to-person contact. It is thought to be twice as contagious as the Beta variant.

Secondly, because it is more contagious, it can infect far more people. As with the previous variants, you can pass it on without even knowing you have it.

Thirdly, there is now emerging scientific evidence that people previously infected with the Beta variant do not have full protection against the Delta variant, and may get re-infected.

Fourthly, because it is much more contagious, the measures we have so far adopted to contain the spread of the virus may no longer be sufficient to reduce transmission.

The Delta variant has now been detected in five of the provinces, namely the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape.

President Ramaphosa said the country was in the grip of a devastating wave that by all indications seems like it will be worse than those that preceded it.

The peak of this third wave looks set to be higher than the previous two. The first wave lasted 15 weeks. The second wave lasted nine weeks. We dont know how long this one will last, but indications are that it could last longer.

He said he understood that it was the last thing many South Africans wanted to hear, however, complacency comes at a high price.

We go to social gatherings with a mask on, but take it off once we are inside. When we meet our friends and loved ones we hug, kiss and shake hands, believing ourselves and them to be safe.

We must maintain our guard and continue to be careful at all times. We must follow the public health regulations that are there for our own safety and the safety of others, President Ramaphosa said.

Hospitals stretched

In several provinces, the public health facilities are stretched to their limits and private facilities are also buckling under the strain.

Even as our hospitals have made extraordinary efforts to accommodate patients, ICU beds are in short supply. What we are seeing is that the existing containment measures in place are not enough to cope with the speed and scale of new infections, the President said.

The Ministerial Advisory Committee advised that the limited alcohol restrictions previously imposed were not that effective and that a prohibition will ease the pressure that is placed on hospital services by alcohol-related emergency incidents.

President Ramaphosa said schools will start closing on Wednesday, and all schools will be expected to be closed by Friday.

Contact classes at tertiary institutions will end by Wednesday with limited access to the institutions. Residences will however remain open.

The measures that we are putting in place now are designed to allow as much economic activity to continue as possible, while containing the spread of the virus."

The President said most businesses will continue to operate at full capacity and should not be affected.

"Our focus is on limiting social contacts while preserving the economy.

President Ramaphosa emphasised that it remains mandatory for every person to wear a face mask that always covers their nose and mouth when in public spaces. It is a criminal offence not to do so, he said. - SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-06-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
by Vladimir Rozanskij

Some Russian regions are in danger of losing up to half their harvest. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are holding back water from their rivers to the detriment of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. The Turkmen government ignores climate woes and carries out the White House ceremony.

Moscow (AsiaNews)  Some regions of Russia are at risk of losing up to half their harvest due to a prolonged spring drought. The situation is equally critical in Central Asia where some countries (Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan) that control the upper course of rivers have tried to conserve water for their own needs, leaving those with the lower course (Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan) dry.

Russias Ministry of Agriculture, headed by Dmitry Patrushev, is putting on a brave face, refusing for now to revise its grain harvest projections, despite preliminary data showing a clear decline.

Without substantial rain, grain prices will see a major increase, badly affecting Russias already shaky economy.

If the uncharacteristic heat does not drop substantially, farms in Tatarstan, a republic that borders Russias Ural mountain range, will be placed under an emergency regime.

This might happen, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov suggested, if things dont improve by 30 June. Tatar farmers lost most of their harvest already in 2010.

For Vladimir Petrichenko, general director of ProZerno, a company that specialises in grain crops analysis, the situation is no better in the Volga region or the Urals.

Oddly enough, its only good in Saratov, he said. In all other regions its very alarming, especially in the Ulyanovsk region, Tatarstan, Bashkiria. In the Kurgan, Orenburg and Chelyabinsk regions, it is close to a catastrophe.

In all these areas there is not enough moisture, and the drought will affect the quality of the little grain that will be harvested since it is failing to ripen properly and is drying up quickly.

No rain has fallen for more than a month (and there was little before), putting all winter wheat at risk.

These regions are part of Russias Black Earth region, so called because of its high soil moisture, which now is a bleak greyish colour.

Despite recent forest fires, the picture in eastern Siberia is more reassuring. The Omsk region has just recovered after a long period of drought and devastation.

Before any drastic measures are taken for the various territories, the authorities are waiting for the first harvest in eastern Russia.

Seasonal changes could however reflect much more worrisome climate changes in Siberia and the Urals.

Meanwhile, the heat is on in Uzbekistan, where June temperatures have fluctuated o far between 38 and 42 Celsius, breaking all records since 1811, when they began to be kept in Central Asia.

In Tashkent, the record is expected to be broken soon, with temperatures expected to reach 44 degrees.

Tajikistan and Turkmenistan have already recorded a high of 45 Celsius; in southern Kyrgyzstan, in Osh, residents have sought relief in the citys canals.

In Kyrgyzstan, its main water reservoir fell to 8.7 billion cubic metres, down from the usual level of 19.5 billion cubic metres.

Its main reservoir, the Toktogul Dam, gets most of its water from the Naryn, a river that flows into the Syr Darya, the longest river in all of Central Asia, which runs from Tajikistan into Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

Kyrgyz authorities plan to close the Toktogul Hydroelectric Power Plant, which provides 40 per cent of the country's electricity, but also supplies part of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, which intend to prevent its closure.

Negotiations are underway between these countries to trade electricity for water supplies in order to avoid a general disaster.

Only Turkmenistan seems to be ignoring climate problems. On Wednesday, its president, urbanguly Berdimuhamedow inaugurated the Turkmen white house (Turkmenin ak oy) ceremony in Lebap region (welayat).

On this occasion, the Turkmen leader forced large crowds to gather under the scorching sun for traditional songs and dances, with performances dedicated to his cult of personality.
Update: 27-06-2021 | 18:09:23

The Vietnamese Embassy in France held a ceremony on June 25 to receive 20,000 EUR (23,870 USD), donated by the Vietnamese community and several organisations and associations in France in support of Vietnams COVID-19 vaccine fund.

Vietnamese Embassy in France receives 20,000 EUR in support of Vietnams COVID-19 vaccine fund (Photo: VNA)

The Vietnamese Embassy in France held a ceremony on June 25 to receive 20,000 EUR (23,870 USD), donated by the Vietnamese community and several organisations and associations in France in support of Vietnams COVID-19 vaccine fund.



President of the France-Vietnam Friendship Association (AAFV) Gerard Daviot spoke highly of Vietnams efforts in the fight against the pandemic, affirming that in the long term, vaccine is the key to bringing life back to normal.



He took the occasion to thank the Vietnamese Government for presenting face masks and medical equipment to French people when the pandemic broke out in the country in March last year.



Vietnamese Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang expressed his gratitude for the donation, adding that his embassy will transfer the money to Vietnam as soon as possible.



He affirmed that the embassy will organise other fundraising campaigns to support Vietnams COVID-19 fight./.

VNA
Additional 197 more Covid-19 infections confirmed, Sunday tally rises to 323

Vietnam has just announced 197 new Covid-19 infections, raising the Sunday counts to 323 and the total number of patients in the country to 15,643, the Ministry of Health reported on Sunday evening.



According to the ministry's report, 188 of the newly-confirmed patients are locally-transmitted cases most of whom were detected in quarantine sites or areas under lockdown in some localities including 95 in Ho Chi Minh City, 36 in Binh Duong, 15 in Bac Giang, 15 in Quang Ngai, eight in Phu Yen, seven in Hung Yen, six in Bac Ninh, four in Nghe An, and two in Danang.



Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City admitted that the virus fight in the city is facing great challenges as more chains of transmission of unknown origin have been uncovered, and many cases are asymptomatic. The city is carrying out the biggest vaccination campaign with about 800,000 people getting Covid-19 vaccine over the past week.





As of Sunday evening, 12,304 locally-transmitted cases have been reported since the new outbreak occurred in the country on April 27, including 5,630 in Bac Giang Province and 3,218 in Ho Chi Minh City. The outbreak has so far spread to 48 cities and provinces nationwide.

Nine imported patients are all Vietnamese patients who recently returned from Russia and Cambodia. They had all been sent to quarantine areas in Khanh Hoa, Tay Ninh, and Kien Giang provinces upon arrival and are now being treated at local hospitals.





With these new infection cases, the number of Covid-19 patients in Vietnam has increased to 15,643 including 13,874 locally-transmitted cases.



As of 6 pm on June 27, a total of 6,319 Covid-19 patients had recovered and been discharged from hospital.



So far there have been 76 deaths, most of them being the elderly with serious underlying diseases.



At present, over 175,000 people who had close contact with Covid-19 patients or returned from virus-hit areas are being monitored at hospitals, quarantine facilities, and at home.



On June 26, an additional 211,729 people were given Covid-19 vaccine in Vietnam, raising the total number of vaccine doses used in the country to over three million. The number of people who have received two doses has risen to 155,488.
China world's biggest producer of over 220 types of industrial goods

Xinhua) 09:05, June 27, 2021

BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- China is the world's largest producer of over 220 types of industrial products, including vehicles and computers, an official said at a press conference held to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China in Beijing on Monday.

In the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the country could not even manufacture a tractor, said Han Wenxiu, an official with the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs.

China has become the only country in the world to have all the industrial categories listed in the United Nations industrial classification, Han said.

(Web editor: He Zhuoyan, Hongyu)
Chinese vaccines effective against COVID-19 Delta variant: top epidemiologist

Xinhua) 09:20, June 27, 2021

Photo taken on June 1, 2021, shows vials of Sinopharm vaccines in Beijing, the capital of China. (Xinhua)

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, the 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.

(Web editor: He Zhuoyan, Bianji)
Chinese acupuncture reaches more people in Namibia

Xinhua) 09:46, June 27, 2021

Members of the 13th batch of the Chinese medical team pose for a photo at the Katutura State Hospital in Windhoek, Namibia, on June 16, 2021. The Chinese acupuncture department at the Katutura State Hospital in the Namibian capital Windhoek has widened its public reach, helping more locals re-gain health and physical mobility. (Photo by Ndalimpinga Iita/Xinhua)

by Ndalimpinga Iita

WINDHOEK, June 26 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese acupuncture department at the Katutura State Hospital in the Namibian capital Windhoek has widened its public reach, helping more locals re-gain health and physical mobility.

The department offers treatment for different diseases such as migraine, chronic and gynecological related matters. Dominant health problems among locals include joint pains, muscle pain, migraines, facial paralysis, and injuries on the bones.

"In Namibia, there are many patients that need our help. Many local patients use acupuncture to relieve their pain," said Fang Liangqiang, leader of the 13th batch of Chinese medical team in Namibia.

Since January 2020, the 13th batch of the Chinese medical team deployed at the department has treated over 10 000 patients. "The goal is to serve the people with the passion for improving broader public health," Fang said.

Successively, many locals from diverse spheres of Namibian society are bearing testimony of improved health through Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offered at the department.

For nearly four years, Kenny Udeh (43) suffered from a persistent headache and migraines. Finally, after unprogressive efforts with pain killers and other prescribed medications, Udeh resorted to acupuncture after referral by a Chinese friend.

"With the headache, I would struggle to sleep at night. But, despite the scans, doctors could not find anything wrong," he said.

Afraid to take any more variant medications and chemicals in his system, he considered acupuncture.

"Fortunately, we have a free Chinese clinic here at Katutura State Hospital in Namibia. So for the first time, I got relieved after four years of constant pains," Udeh said.

He has since become a regular at the department going for treatment every three-day interval. So far, he has gone through five sessions.

"There is a significant change and tremendous results. Acupuncture helped me. That is why I keep going back for more," Udeh said.

Udeh is not the only one. More inhabitants testify that acupuncture has given them a second chance at life.

Idda Haufiku endured severe neck and back pains for a long time. Like many locals, Haufiku opted for acupuncture treatment following verbal testimonials from people healed by TCM.

"I just heard many people talking about this Chinese clinic. Even people who got injured in car accidents got help here. While some come in wheelchairs but after the treatment, they were able to walk on their own. I also had hope that this treatment would relieve me from the pain I have been suffering from for a long time," she said.

Her first time was intimidating as the doctor administered treatment with eight needles and seven needles on the second follow-up session to her relief.

"When I went back home, I was feeling much better," Haufiku said.

Although initially intimidated by needles, today, they have become her source of solace and healing.

"I have only been here three times, and I can already see a change. Hopefully, as I continue, I will get good results," said the 46 years old Haufiku during a recent visit to the department.

Meanwhile, to ensure wider reach, Haufiku, like many locals, is marketing the department through word-of-mouth to give hope to others in despair due to health problems.

In the interim, according to Dr Fang, the department is progressively adjusting to promote good health practice as Namibia battles with the COVID-19 pandemic. The department has also put in stringent measures to ensure the safety of patients. These include making sure that the patients have their masks on, taking their temperatures, and disinfecting their hands.

"Our doctors and nurses also use protective clothing from head to foot. We pay attention to everything. We use gloves and goggles, among other protective clothing," he added.

In the interim, the Chinese acupuncture department has also made deliberate efforts to promote vaccination.

"Indeed, we are at very high risk, although we are cautious. Now, in Namibia, we are popularizing vaccination, but the vaccine is not everything. We should still wear masks, disinfect our hands because they are also the most effective ways," he said.

Since 1996, a team of traditional Chinese medical practitioners has been stationed at the Katutura Hospital as part of the cooperative medical projects between China and Namibia.

(Web editor: He Zhuoyan, Bianji)
China welcomes Ukraine's withdrawal of endorsement of anti-China joint statement: FM spokesperson

Xinhua) 10:20, June 27, 2021

BEIJING, June 26 (Xinhua) -- China said on Saturday that it welcomes the decision of the Ukrainian side to withdraw its endorsement of an anti-China joint statement at the 47th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

According to reports, Ukraine issued a statement on the official website of its Permanent Mission to the UN Office at Geneva, withdrawing its endorsement of the anti-China joint statement made by Canada at the UNHRC session.

The spokesperson said that, at the UNHRC session, more than 90 countries voiced their appeal for justice, and supported and echoed China in various ways. The attempt of a few Western countries to smear China on issues related to Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet ended in failure again.

"This fully demonstrated that justice will always prevail and people have their fair judgment," said the spokesperson, adding that the moves of a few Western countries to interfere in China's internal affairs, suppress and contain China and hinder China's development under the pretext of human rights are unavailing.

He pointed out that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine made a clear statement that it does not interfere in China's internal affairs.

"China welcomes the decision of the Ukrainian side which reflects its spirit of independence and respect for facts and conforms to the purposes of the UN Charter and basic norms governing international relations," said the spokesperson.

(Web editor: He Zhuoyan, Bianji)
Zambia finalizes modalities for acquisition of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine

Xinhua) 10:20, June 27, 2021

LUSAKA, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Zambia has finalized all administrative processes and requisite payment for shipment of China's Sinopharm vaccines to be part of the country's vaccination program, a government official said on Saturday.

Kennedy Malama, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health in charge of Technical Services said 100,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccines were expected to arrive in the country in the next two weeks.

He said in a COVID-19 update that the government has also finalized the legal processes for the acquisition of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine and will now be making the requisite payments.

The government, he said, will continue to acquire additional consignments of the approved vaccines in line with the approved basket of vaccines.

Zambia has approved five vaccines as part of its vaccination program. The program was being done in a phased manner. The vaccination program was launched on April 14, 2021 under the first phase of the AstraZeneca vaccine while the second dose of the same vaccine commenced on June 23.

Meanwhile, the country recorded 2,816 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours out of 10,918 tests done. This brings the cumulative cases to 146,031 while 52 people died, bringing the total deaths to 1,967.

A total of 2,554 patients were discharged during the same period, bringing the total recoveries to 121,965.

(Web editor: He Zhuoyan, Bianji)
China's enterprise annuity funds hit 2.32 tln yuan

Xinhua) 10:22, June 27, 2021

BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- China's total enterprise annuity funds reached a new high of 2.32 trillion yuan (about 358 billion U.S. dollars) by the end of the first quarter of the year, official data shows.

In the first three months, the investment returns of enterprise annuity funds neared 6 billion yuan, with the weighted average rate of return standing at 0.3 percent, data from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security shows.

By the end of March, the aggregate volume of enterprise annuity funds had increased by 66.79 billion yuan compared with the end of last year, while the number of participating employees rose from 27.18 million to 27.79 million during the period, the ministry said.

China has 22 enterprise annuity fund management institutions as of the first quarter, including 11 companies managing public offering funds.

The country launched enterprise annuities in 2004 as a type of supplementary pension plan, under which both employers and employees must contribute.

(Web editor: He Zhuoyan, Bianji)
Adding diamonds to a smaller version of mens pieces has become a questionable strategy, for women have become a diverse group with growing interest and insight in terms of watches and why we wear them.

Setting sights on women

At the turn of the 21st century, as the tide of mechanical watches rose, luxury watchmaking brands looked to expand their clientele. While womens watches have existed for centuries  the first appearance of a wristwatch being made for women while men at the time preferred to sport pocket watches  theyve undeniably taken off in the last 20 years, as trends for ladies watches have evolved from petite, quartz-only watches to more mechanically complicated and studiously designed pieces. Like many other aspects of the watchmaking industry, the focus on producing ladies models began in parallel with brands re-emergence from the quartz crisis.

Calibre of the Margot  Christophe Claret

Women were (and still are) going to boutiques and retailers looking for their own timepieces rather than for the men in their lives. As female consumers economic autonomy increased, so did their purchasing power  and for anybody doing market research in luxury, it quickly became clear that there was immense potential for growth in the area of womens watches. From the late 1990s to the early 2000s, watchmakers set their sights on watches for women  a strategy that aimed to both offer products for an underserved market, as well as hopefully creating demand for more womens watches.

As female consumers economic autonomy increased, so did their purchasing power  and for anybody doing market research in luxury, it quickly became clear that there was immense potential for growth in the area of womens watches.

An established name for not just watches but womens watches as well, Patek Philippe launched the Twenty~4 at the dawn of the new millennium in 1999. This collection of ladies timepieces was also the brands first all-quartz collection. Back then, the Twenty~4 was rectangular with straight edges that flowed into an articulated bracelet. Clearly distinct from the brands much more widely known Nautilus, it has since become the brands bestselling ladies collection. However, like the clientele, the Twenty~4 evolved and was reworked into a round case (a more classic shape) with an automatic movement, as presented at Baselworld in 2019.

Twenty~4 Automatique  Patek Philippe

Not long after joining the Swatch Group, the brand renowned for its longstanding history in watches, Breguet, also bet on women with the launch of its Reine de Naples collection in 2002. To this day, the Reine de Naples remains a distinctive watch designed specifically for women. Its oblong, egg-shaped case frames an off-centre dial displaying the hours and minutes on these timepieces almost always presented in precious metals and diamond-set. Breguet was recognised for its effort in this field and the Reine de Naples even won the Ladies Watch Prize at the Grand Prix dHorlogerie de Geneve (GPHG) in 2002.

Reine de Naples Princesse Mini 9818  Breguet

And that was barely the beginning. During that same period, brand strategies for the watches clearly shifted towards a focus on women and answering two essential questions: how could they get more women to wear watches; and how could they design differently with ladies in mind? More and more brands attempted to respond to these challenges. Chanel, having expanded into watches, launched the J12 in 2000. Four years later, Girard-Perregaux released its oval-shaped Cats Eye, which also won the Ladies Watch Prize at the GPHG that year. Franck Muller banked on its Crazy Hours and popularised the tourbillon amongst its female clientele; Piaget highlighted its jewellery side with the Limelight collection; and Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced the Rendez-Vous.

Of course, certain brands and their collections grew to be established and iconic pieces among women. Chopards Happy Sport, presented in 1993, celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2018 with a retrospective of its bestselling collection featuring free-floating diamonds.

Happy Sport Love  Chopard

Cartier launched the Ballon Bleu de Cartier in 2007, and it quickly became one of the brands biggest bestsellers. The rounded case with the round sapphire cabochon crown remains classic and comfortable on the wrist no matter the metal, making it an instant success amongst both men and women.

Serpenti  Bulgari

Bulgaris Serpenti also found huge acclaim for its distinct design fit for any wrist size. Between 2010 and 2020, Bulgari greatly expanded it to be more of a daily watch rather than just for special occasions, even establishing an app in 2018 that offered over 300 different combinations of straps and cases for the Serpenti watch. The offering of watches for women  meaning watches specifically created and designed for women  grew steadily and more widely in the early 2000s. More brands were throwing their hats into the ring, so to speak, and that was in large part due to the clientele driving brand strategy.

*On the occasion of GMT Magazine and WorldTempus' 20th anniversary, we have embarked on the ambitious project of summarising the last 20 years in watchmaking in The Millennium Watch Book, a big, beautifully laid out coffee table book. This article is an extract. The Millennium Watch Book is available on www.the-watch-book.com, in French and English, with a 10% discount if you use the following code: WT2021.
More than 80 years ago, Edgar Snow, a journalist from the United States, came to China's Shaanxi province and became an important witness to Chinese history. In his book Red Star Over China, he recorded one of the most important periods of contemporary China  the Long March.

During the Long March, the Women Red Army undertook multiple responsibilities. In addition to fighting in fierce battles and participating in intense marches, they were also experts in medical care and food cultivation and worked to rescue the sick and wounded.

When the troops stopped for breaks, they organized activities such as singing, dancing and playing instruments to boost the army's morale.

The Women Red Army used their unique tenacity to fight desperately against the harsh environment and made outstanding contributions to the victory of the Chinese revolution.

Their stories set a glorious model for China's young generations and are inspiring millions of women nowadays.

Peng Yuxin and Du Ke from Tsinghua University contributed to the story and video.
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) on Sunday released new videos and photos captured by the country's first Mars probe Tianwen-1 during its landing and roving exploration on the red planet.

The Tianwen-1 mission was launched on July 23, 2020.

On May 15, 2021, the lander finally touched down in the southern part of Utopia Planitia, a vast plain in the northern hemisphere of Mars. A week later, Zhurong the rover started its exploration of the red planet, making China the second country after the United States to land and operate a rover on Mars.

On Sunday, four video clips were released for the first time. The first, captured on May 15, recorded the descent and landing process of the lander and rover. A second one showed the rover driving down from its landing platform to the Martian surface on May 22. Two more videos, shot on June 1, recorded the rover driving around and having photos taken alongside the lander.

This is the first time that videos of the rover's movements on Mars have been seen.

On June 16, the rover conducted an overall assessment of its surrounding environment to plan its paths for subsequent scientific exploration.

Panoramic view of the landing site. /CNSA

An image released by the CNSA which was taken by Zhurong's rear-view camera captured its tracks on the Martian surface.

Wheel tracks left by the Zhurong rover on the Martian surface. /CNSA

So far, the Tianwen-1 mission has been in space for 338 days. The Zhurong rover has been working for 42 Martian days  one Martian day equals one day and 37 minutes on Earth  and has traveled a total of 236 meters on the red planet.

Both the orbiter and the rover are in good working conditions, the CNSA said.

Zhurong will continue its movement, detection and scientific exploration missions as planned. Meanwhile, the orbiter will continue to operate in a relay orbit, providing relay communication for the rover's scientific exploration while conducting its own scientific detection operations.
Hector Aleman, secretary of the International Relations of the Democratic Revolutionary Party of Panama, shared with CGTN his views on China's scientific capabilities of developing COVID-19 vaccines and its contributions to the world.
Iran on Saturday said it believes that a reinstatement of its 2015 nuclear deal with major world powers is possible, but warned that it "will not negotiate forever."

"Out of a steadfast commitment to salvage a deal that the US tried to torpedo, Iran has been the most active party in Vienna, proposing most drafts," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh tweeted, referring to talks aimed at reviving the nuclear deal.

"Still believe a deal is possible, if the US decides to abandon Trump's failed legacy. Iran will not negotiate forever," he added.

A screenshot of Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh's tweet on June 26, 2021. /@SKhatibzadeh

In May 2018, the U.S. government under then President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and unilaterally reimposed sanctions on Tehran. In response, Iran gradually stopped implementing parts of its commitments under the agreement from May 2019.

The UN nuclear watchdog on Friday demanded an immediate reply from Iran on whether it would extend a monitoring agreement that expired overnight. An Iranian envoy responded that Tehran was under no obligation to provide an answer.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken later warned that the absence of an interim agreement to monitor Iran's nuclear activities could prompt the U.S. to abandon efforts to rejoin the nuclear deal.

He also admitted that the U.S. and Iran still have "significant differences" in restoring the JCPOA but hoped a resumption of talks in the coming days could resolve them.

Washington and Tehran have had six rounds of indirect negotiations in the Austrian capital Vienna since April.

The Iranian President-elect Ebrahim Raisi on Monday urged the U.S. to lift "all unjust sanctions" against Iran and ruled out a meeting with President Joe Biden in his first press conference held after the election.

(With input from wires)
China on Saturday said it welcomes Ukraine's decision to withdraw its endorsement of an anti-China joint statement at the 47th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

Ukraine on Friday issued a statement on the official website of its Permanent Mission to the UN Office at Geneva, withdrawing its endorsement of the anti-China joint statement made by Canada at the UNHRC session.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson in a statement stressed that more than 90 countries at the UNHRC session supported and echoed China in various ways. "The attempt of a few Western countries to smear China on issues related to Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet ended in failure again," the spokesperson's statement read.

"This fully demonstrated that justice will always prevail and people have their fair judgment," said the spokesperson, adding "the moves of a few Western countries to interfere in China's internal affairs, suppress and contain China and hinder China's development under the pretext of human rights are unavailing."

The spokesperson also pointed out that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has made a clear statement that it does not interfere in China's internal affairs.

"China welcomes the decision of the Ukrainian side which reflects its spirit of independence and respect for facts and conforms to the purposes of the UN Charter and basic norms governing international relations," said the spokesperson.

(With input from Xinhua)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a news conference at Rideau Cottage in Ottawa, Canada, June 25, 2021. /VCG

Editor's note: Keith Lamb is a University of Oxford graduate with an MSc degree in Contemporary Chinese Studies. His primary research interests are China's international relations and "socialism with Chinese characteristics." The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

It was in March that I saw Cong Peiwu, the Chinese ambassador to Canada, being interviewed on "The Agenda with Steve Paikin." Again and again, the ridiculous charges of a Uygur genocide and concentration camps were brought up.

During the interview, a clip of Bob Rae, Canada's permanent representative to the United Nations, was used to show the "superiority" of the Western system. Rae admitted that there had been injustices against the indigenous people in Canada but this ability to take responsibility gives Canada the right to call out China on Xinjiang.

To this Cong replied that there is no need for a commission because there isn't a genocide. This is also the conclusion of the Arab League, which supports China's efforts in Xinjiang. Indeed, no matter what one thinks about China's anti-terrorism methods, the labels "genocide" and "concentration camps" are totally inadequate.

With 751 unmarked graves recently being found at a Saskatchewan residential school site in Canada, this Western superiority complex needs to stop. However, yet again the "sorry" gambit was used to attack China. Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has apologized and once again claimed that it is this which differentiates Canada from China and it is this which marks Canada's right to criticize China.

The truth is that the destruction of Canada's First Nations and the imperial project to subjugate China, and all rising powers outside Western hegemony, are part of the same age-old liberal imperial project.

The changing ideology of liberal imperialism has kept pace with the pragmaticism of empire which has sought to weaponize peoples' emotions. Previously, a destruction of a civilization was justified through narratives of dehumanization, inferiority and barbarism.

The denial of the humanity of those that were targeted allowed for the taking of their resources and their demise. The 751 graves are just the tip of a massive iceberg that represents the lock stock annihilation of Native American cultures.

People from Mosakahiken Cree Nation hug in front of a makeshift memorial at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School to honor the 215 children whose remains have been discovered buried near the facility, in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada, June 4, 2021. /VCG

When one's language is gone, when one's people are massacred, when one's culture has vanished, when the entire American continent has been made a "lebensraum" for Western European civilization a claim of "sorry," as a sign of moral superiority, is vacuous.

Today, neo-imperialism seeks to unite its diverse and displaced people that have been brought together through a process of slavery, dispossession, and forced migration. This is done by replacing the former racist colonial ideology with human rights ideology. Here the world must accept a liberal narrative of a "shared" Western humanity that allows the West to define the basic political-economic system of others.

Both the old racist colonial ideology and the new human rights ideology, in fact, have the same aim. They galvanize Western populaces against an enemy which then justifies imperial aggression. This is what is happening today against China.

Ironically then, the imperialism that Trudeau has apologized for is simultaneously continuing against China and much of the Global South. Let us not forget, it is also this new imperialist ideology that led to the destruction of Iraq, Libya, and Syria.

However, to be clear, Trudeau is wrong, the West doesn't tend to say "sorry" and neither do they make amends. Where is the "sorry" for Libya or Iraq? What would a "sorry" do for the hundreds of thousands of dead in Iraq who had their country destroyed and their resources plundered based on lies? What would a "sorry" do for Libya which was once prosperous but now has open slave markets?

As such, "sorry" is merely the gild on the blade of the current incarnation of liberal imperialism which continues to be sharpened. Certainly, there won't be a Western "sorry" for China's century of humiliation, and neither will there be one if a new Cold War is sparked. However, considering "sorry" represents an ominous word given to people who, so dominated by liberalism, barely exist I hope the Chinese nation never hears this word.

For most of the world "sorry" is meaningless when their development is hampered and even in the West what we need most is not "sorry" but people-centered development. "Sorry" won't make up for the trans-Atlantic slave trade, indentured labor, or former serfs cleared from their land. However, people-centered development, real action, will give those who were historically disadvantaged the education, the health care, and the social support to make pragmatic changes to change their future.

Furthermore, for the First Nations of Canada, "sorry" won't bring drinking water to the 32 communities that today still lack access to safe, clean drinking water. What they need is the infrastructure that a wealthy country like Canada could so easily provide. Likewise, "sorry" won't rebuild the numerous countries destroyed by Western "interventions" but transferring spending from military to infrastructure will go some way to making amends and will also help Western residents.
The subject of Fischer Park with its many amenities can take numerous columns. This time round there will be only three.
Woburn, MA (01801)

Today

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Showers early with some clearing overnight. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
Press Release

June 27, 2021 Lacson Bares Expectations from President Duterte's Final SONA More at: https://pinglacson.net/2021/06/27/lacson-bares-expectations-from-president-dutertes-final-sona/ What is the status of the government's vaccination program, and its fight against corruption? Are we better off than when President Rodrigo Duterte started his term in 2016? What can be done in the last year of his term? These are among the questions that Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson hopes the President will address in his final State of the Nation Address (SONA) this July. "After five years, where are we now, or what is the situation in the many aspects of his administration such as peace and order, fight against illegal drugs, corruption, economy, and foreign policy, particularly the West Philippine Sea? We want to hear what happened in the last five years - and moving forward for the last year of his administration, what can still be done?" Lacson said at a media forum in Manila on Sunday. "But it is critical to update us on the government's response to the pandemic. This includes the status of the government's vaccination program. This is important because many Filipinos still do not trust the vaccine. In the meantime, the government must continue its campaign to gain the people's trust in vaccines, based on science," he added. Lacson agreed with Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III's call to put more emphasis on prevention and rehabilitation, in its fight against illegal drugs. Also, Lacson noted former President and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada had arranged with the Los Angeles-based DARE International to train police personnel to inform students of the ill effects of illegal drugs. DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) is a school-based drug prevention program. He also said the government may need to consider digitalizing the economy and automating government processes, to ease transactions and minimize corruption. Lacson said he has talked to experts who informed him that in countries like Estonia and Ukraine, even the agriculture sector has been digitalized. "Digitalization will vastly improve revenue collections and make more effective and efficient monitoring of public expenditures," he stressed. In the Philippines, he said that while the Bureau of Customs is computerized, there is still no automation of processes such that there are big discrepancies in our import records with the export records of our trade partners such as China. "We should consider these. In this age of modern technology, we should be in the process of digitalization. It is not too late, but we should act soon," he said. "To recap, what we need to hear from the President is what has been done in the last five years. Are we better off than when he stepped in as President on June 30, 2016?" he added.
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In what was, so far, the best baseball game of the week, the Jaguars pulled their 33rd win out of the fire and salvaged a gem of a start from their star pitcher.
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The World Bank has approved a $125 million programme to support the India state of Keralas preparedness against natural disasters, climate change impacts, disease outbreaks, and pandemics.



The World Banks The Resilient Kerala Program will focus on two key areas. First, it will incorporate disaster risk planning in the master plans of urban and local self-governments to ease financial constraints on the state government when faced with unexpected shocks. Second, it will help make the health, water resources management, agriculture, and road sectors more resilient to calamities.



The program is part of a programmatic series of Bank-financed operations in the state. The First Resilient Kerala Development Policy Operation (DPO) approved in June 2019 undertook several initiatives. It helped the state draft a River Basin Conservation and Management Act, which will conserve and regulate water resources and ensure their sustainable management, allocation, and utilization.



It also introduced climate-resilient agriculture, risk-informed land use, and disaster management planning. The program laid the foundations for a 5-year State Partnership Framework.



In todays context of increased economic, climatic, and health shocks, building resilience of economies is a policy imperative, said Junaid Ahmad, World Bank Country Director in India. The Bank is therefore investing in Keralas capabilities to respond to shocks to the state economy and, importantly, prevent as much as possible the loss of lives, assets, and livelihoods. The objective is not to finance schemes but partner with the Government of Kerala to improve the states financial health; invest in sectors like health, water resources, social protection and agriculture; and address the drivers of natural disasters, climate change, and pandemic risks.



The program will be statewide. In the Pamba River Basin, Kerala will test a multisectoral approach in Idukki, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, and Alappuzha districts. This area is a microcosm of the state, with tropical monsoon forests, dense urban settlements, and the rice bowl of Kerala in its lowlands. Its success will have a demonstration impact across the state.



Support to key sectors under the program include:



 Sustainable fiscal and debt management. Limited fiscal space and high debt have severely constrained Keralas ability to deal with unexpected shocks. The program will establish a debt management unit in the Department of Finance to support the states efforts to scale down its debt-to-GSDP ratio to a sustainable trajectory.

 Disaster risk finance and social protection. To provide timely and adequate assistance to vulnerable households, the program will develop a comprehensive disaster risk financing framework; create a unified database of vulnerable households for post-disaster safety net payments; pilot a modified crop risk insurance payment system; and mobilize market-based resources to complement public financing of disaster risks.

 Disaster and climate-resilient urban development. To deal with future disasters, Kerala has introduced risk-informed urban master planning, multi-year investment budgeting, and emergency management. The program will support these efforts to increase the states climate adaptation and mitigation initiatives.

 Resilient public health systems. High population density and a large forest cover have increased Keralas vulnerability to large-scale disease outbreaks, including COVID-19. The program will establish an IT-enabled One Health platform that will strengthen coordination, joint surveillance, and preparedness to counter future disease outbreaks.

 Integrated and sustainable water resources management. During the first program, the state prepared a draft River Basin Conservation and Management Act and set up a River Basin Conservation and Management Authority (RBCMA). This program will strengthen RBCMA to regulate the states water resources and ensure its sustainable management, allocation, and utilization. A flood forecasting system in the Pamba river basin will benefit millions by mitigating the risks of floods and drought.

 Sustainable and resilient food systems. Through the first engagement, the state adopted agro-ecological zoning (AEZ) methods to promote farming systems that are resilient to climate shocks. Along with supporting AEZ-based approaches, the program will set up an Integrated Agricultural Management Information System for precision farming.

 Climate-resilient road infrastructure. The program will upgrade 400 km of the core road network through output- and performance-based road maintenance contracts. A Road Maintenance Management System will roll out climate-proof designs and ensure that adequate budgets are made available.



The groundwork laid during the first program improved the governments capacity to assess and respond to disasters. The new program aims to enhance the states capacity to deal with potential shocks by mainstreaming climate and disaster risks into planning and investment processes, said Elif Ayhan, Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist and one of World Banks Task Team Leaders for the program.



The $125 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) has a final maturity of 14 years including a grace period of six years.  TradeArabia News Service
Kamco Invest, a regional non-banking financial powerhouse with one of the largest AUMs in the region, announced the launch of its new Kamco Invest App, an innovative and dynamic platform that aims to transform the digital investment journey.

Consisting of several development phases, the Kamco Invest App comes as an added step under the Companys digitisation plan, which holds a vision to attain a leading role in the digital investment services and solutions landscape for its valued clients.

Currently launched in its first phase, the App focuses on providing a wealth of tailored services for registered App users. These include access to iktatib.com - the online subscription platform connecting investors with the latest equity offerings and debt issuances managed by Kamco Invest, displaying Kamco Invests latest research reports and managed funds data, as well as additional options for existing clients.

Sana Al-Hadlaq, Senior Executive Director of Wealth Management said: The App is in line with our strategy to continue enhancing our clients experience to cope with their expectations and leverage on digitisation and its positive effect on the financial industry.

She added: Opening an account with Kamco Invest, updating client information, requesting portfolio statements, and receiving updates on investments have never been easier, thanks to the features the App offers its users. By redesigning and redefining the client experience, we aim to blend accessibility with innovation by opening the doors to a world of investment opportunities through its flagship platform.

With the Kamco Invest App, users can now take the first step to opening an account with Kamco Invest through the intelligent client onboarding service at anytime from anywhere, and at their convenience. Required documents can be uploaded using the featured in-app scanning technology, with several identity verification methods for optimal security.

One critical point to consider is that the Kamco Invest App is not only designed for existing clients, but also individuals interested in learning more about some of the Companys latest updates and investment opportunities through iktatib.com, subject to user or client eligibility.

Upon completing the quick registration process, users will be able to track the performance of the Companys managed funds with access to monthly factsheets, discover and read comprehensive coverage on regional markets, sectors, and asset classes, or use the built-in investment calculator to set their target investment objectives.

Jarrah Al-Naser, Senior Vice President of Core Markets and Strategic Projects at Kamco Invest, said: We are proud to launch the Kamco Invest App, which marks one of the core aspects of our digitisation journey. Our primary goal during the first development phase was to ensure that we built a strong backend and infrastructure that is capable of seamlessly operating the full features of the App in the upcoming phases. The App currently offers a wide range of features, including the ability to subscribe to upcoming investment opportunities that are open to both corporate and individual investors, subject to classification eligibility.

He concluded: This is the first stage in our digitisation strategy and is offered to both iOS and Android users. The following phases will provide users with interactive access to clients portfolios and online subscription in funds and other investment opportunities. -- TradeArabia News Service
Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC) has teamed up with a consortium led by French energy giant Engie for the commercial close of Jubail 3B Independent Water Project. The plant, being set up on a build, own, operate (BOO) model, will begin operations in 2024.

Located 65 km north of Dammam airport in Saudi Arabia, the Jubail 3B IWP plant will produce 570,000 cu m/day of potable water through reverse osmosis technology to supply the cities of Jubail and Dammam.

The plant will include storage facilities for one operational day in addition to in-house renewable energy capacity to reduce grid electricity consumption throughout the desalination process.

The Engie consortium, comprising Saudi-based Nesma Company and Abdulaziz Al Ajlan Sons for Commercial and Real Estate Investment Company each with a 30% stake in the project, was named the preferred bidder by SWPC in April for its SR1.591 halalas per cu m of potable water tariff.

SWPC yesterday (June 22) signed a 25-year Water Purchase Agreement with the consortium in the presence of Engineer Abdulrahman Al Fadli, Chairman of the Board of SWPC and Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture.

The project is part of the water schemes in Saudi Arabia developed under the public-private-partnership (PPP) structure, said the statement from SWPC.

As per the deal, the consortium will develop and finance the desalination plant, which will be operated and maintained by Engie, it added.

On the successful commercial close, CEO Engineer Khalid Al Quraishi, said: Despite the fluctuations, liquidity crises and changing global market conditions, the SWPC succeeded in completing the financial closure procedures with the consortium in close cooperation with the group of lenders, which indicates the companys efforts."

"SWPC will provide full support for investment projects, and to enhance private sector participation in sustainable development by providing the opportunity for local and foreign investors to participate in the implementation of these projects, thus achieving sustainable development," observed Al Quraishi.

It will help in providing job opportunities for young people, and supporting local product and balanced development, in order to achieve the strategic objectives contained in Saudi Arabias vision 2030 and the initiatives approved by the Saudi Council of Ministers to encourage private sector participation in economic development initiatives, he added.

Engie in Saudi Arabia CEO Turki Al Shehri said: The Jubail 3B contract win represents another milestone achievement for us as a long-term positive energy partner to the kingdom. We commend SWPC for continuing to encourage private sector participation to support the development of large-scale infrastructure projects."

"Through our projects, and in close coordination with our partners, Engie remains committed to providing value-added services and knowledge transfer to the local workforce," stated Al Shehri.

A leading low-carbon energy and service solution provider, Engie has been supporting the Gulf countries for more than 30 years in their strong and rapid economic growth through the joint development of independent power and water project, representing today over 30GW of gas-fired power generation capacities and 5.8 million cu m of drinkable desalinated water, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
UAE-based Alpha Dhabi Holding, a subsidiary of International Holding Company (IHC) and a major investment company, has completed a direct listing of its shares on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) with a AED10 billion ($2.27 billion) paid-in capital.

Trading of its shares commenced today (June 27) under the ticker 'AlphaDhabi', said the statement from IHC.

Established in 2008, Alpha Dhabi Holding is also a leading real estate and construction company in the UAE. It recently embarked on building a diversified portfolio that manages, deploys, and organises 25 subsidiary entities within its five major verticals of industrials, healthcare, capital, construction, and hospitality.

It celebrated the listing with a bell ringing ceremony in the St Regis at Saadiyat, a hotel property that was acquired by Alpha Dhabi last month in the presence of the management team members of Alpha Dhabi Holding, IHC and ADX.

On the key success, Chairman Mohamed Thani Murshed Al Rumaithi said: "Todays listing is a resounding vote of confidence for Alpha Dhabi in our journey of becoming a globally recognised investment holding company and to support our growth plans into our key verticals: industry, healthcare, capital, construction and hospitality."

"We are really pleased to have gained the support of key institutional and retail shareholders and we would like to thank all our key stakeholders for getting us market-ready," he added.

Welcoming the listing, ADX Chairman Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa Al Hammadi said: "This represents a strong vote of confidence in our exchange and reinforces the success of the ADX One strategy in creating a dynamic equity and debt capital market ecosystem.'

"The ADX is a core pillar of the Emirates ambitions to further diversify its economy and foster a business environment that nurtures innovation and creates sustainable growth opportunities for investors," he added.

CEO Saeed Hamad Al Dhaheri said: "We are pleased to welcome Alpha Dhabi to the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, the 99th listing on our fast-growing exchange. The efforts we have made to incentivise listings and reduce transaction costs as part of our ADX One strategy have rapidly attracted new companies and enhanced market liquidity, as demonstrated by our robust performance this year."

"During the first five months, the exchanges market capitalization reached a record of over AED950 billion and our benchmark equity index is currently the worlds fourth-best performing stock measure," he added.

IHC Managing Director and CEO Syed Basar Shueb said: "This is an incredibly special day for Alpha Dhabi. As a key shareholder, we would like to thank all the hardworking management team and employees who have made today possible."

"The company has such great potential and is entering now a hugely exciting expansion phase. This listing will help support this phase. We also like to thank the ADX with preparing the paths for Alpha Dhabi to list its shares," he added.

Alpha Dhabi Holding Managing Director Hamad Salem Mohammed Saeed Alameri said: "Today is the mark of a particularly important milestone for Alpha Dhabi and I am immensely proud of the team and their dedication to our mission of being one of the leading investment holding companies in the UAE."

"We have also seen significant revenue growth in the first quarter, and we recently executed major transactions as part of our growth strategy. There is a lot more to come and we look forward to the second half of 2021 and beyond with renewed optimism," he added.

Besides Chairman Alrumaithi and Vice Chairman Shueb, Alpha Dhabis board comprises Hamad Salem Mohammed Saeed Alameri (Managing Director); Sofia Abdellatif Lasky and Sultan Dahi Sultan Maasam Alhemeiri.-TradeArabia News Service
The infrastructure work is moving at a steady pace on the Jeddah Economic City - one of Saudi Arabias flagship megaprojects which will also boast the worlds tallest tower - with nearly 90 per cent road construction and landscaping work completed, said a report.

The city will consist of 210 towers that will be over 30 floors high, the centerpiece being Jeddah Tower, which will be around 1 km tall and will take over from Dubais Burj Khalifa as the worlds tallest building, reported Arab News , citing a senior official.

"The main goal of the 5.3-million-sq-m project is to create a habitable, economically beneficial and environmentally friendly space," remarked Fady Nassim, executive head of urban planning for Jeddah Economic City, while speaking at the Urban Landscape Saudi 2021 event this week.

"Ninety per cent of the work on road construction and landscaping in the city is done," he told delegates.

"The landscaping is being done in such a way that it ensures plenty of green space and room for pedestrians, with less emphasis on cars and traffic," explained Nassim.

Once completed, the project will consist of three sectors: A financial district, a residential district and Al-Balad, which will be a contemporary recreation of the old quarter of Jeddah, he added.
Al Haddad Motors, the authorised general distributor for Mercedes-Benz in Bahrain, said it had recently delivered a fleet of Mercedes-Benz Actros Trucks to RedX Industries, one of the leading construction companies in Bahrain.

Al Haddad Motors said it has had a long withstanding partnership with RedX Industries, which, continuously chose Mercedes-Benz trucks based on its quality, safety, durability and reliability.

RedX Industries has now made multi-million-dinar investment in the purchase of Mercedes Benz commercial vehicles, it added.

The trucks were handed over at the Al Haddad Motors facility located at Salmabad in the presence of Shaikh Ali Isa Ali Abdulla Al Khalifa, Managing Director of RedX Industries and Eduardo Aniag, General Manager of the Asphalt Division alongside Rasool Al Haddad, Chairman of Al Haddad Motors, Warren Hudson, General Manager of Al Haddad Motors, Mohammed Ashraf Shareef, Commercial Vehicles Sales Manager and the Management Team from both the companies.

On the fleet expansion, Shaikh Ali said: "Considering our heavy operations and diversified business, it is essential that we have trucks that can deliver under tough conditions and meet all our transport requirements."

"These Mercedes-Benz trucks have a proven track record that extends for over decades and we are incredibly excited to further strengthen our long and prosperous relationship with Mercedes-Benz Bahrain," he added.

Hudson pointed out that RedX Industries was one of the leading manufacturers of building materials, and the work they do helps pave the way for the countrys continuous growth and development.

"Al Haddad Motors is delighted to be a part of their journey and we are confident that our Actros trucks will continue to deliver outstanding performance, economy and impressive return on investment for years to come," said the senior official.

"With a commitment of providing all customers with the very best customer experience, Al Haddad Motors offers its customers an unrivalled range of tailor-made and reliable total transport solutions, excellent after sales support, as well as expert technical and driver training support, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Companies have accelerated the digitisation of their customer and supply-chain interactions and their internal operations by three to four years, according to a recent McKinsey Global Survey of executives.

Additionally, the share of digital or digitally enabled products in their portfolios has accelerated by seven years.

As a consequence, data storage has become a key component for businesses around the world. One of the current trends in the data storage market is that it is widely popular and in-demand due to the rising storage capacity in terms of Terabyte and Petabyte of Big Data generated by organisations.

According to a recent report from IndustryARC: "The market for Data Storage is forecast to reach $4.2 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 32.3% from 2021 to 2026 due to the rapid increase in consumer and machine data developments. The market will be driven by the increasing need for smartphones, Laptops, PCs, and online storage software in small and large enterprises. The Data Storage Market is expected to grow due to the high adoption of cloud storage technology and external data storage devices."

In the Middle East and Africa region, a similar surge in demand for storage technology products is being witnessed. According to Sanjay Naithani, General Manager  MEP & Africa for Hitachi Vantara, "The mission of Hitachi since its establishment in 1910 has been to develop cutting-edge technology for social infrastructures to improve quality of life and contribute to society. We aim to provide solutions that help solve our growing global challenges in a rapidly changing market because this will bring the company closer to the customers and in line with society's needs. In the Middle East, we keep investing in resources and efforts and follow the same strategy, staying close to our valued customers and partners."

Hitachi Vantara storage solutions are the gold standard for high-performance data storage and trusted by top financial institutions and Fortune 500 companies. IDC data shows that the average knowledge worker spends 2.5 hours a day, roughly 30% of their time, searching for information. With 80% of corporate data being unstructured and growing by over 50% a year, it is the main reason why organisations need a fast and robust object storage architecture. Hitachi's object storage architecture for handling large amounts of unstructured data using metadata algorithms is the USP of its' data storage solutions.-- TradeArabia News Service
Automechanika Dubai, the Middle East and Africas largest international automotive aftermarket trade show, has announced it will host the inaugural Automechanika Dubai Awards.

Nineteen awards across three distinct categories  Service Providers, People and Products and Training  will be announced on the first day of the three-day show, which will return to the Dubai World Trade Centre from December 14 to 16, 2021.

Dr Eng Mustafa K. Aldah, Head of Light Vehicles Maintenance Section, Dubai Government Workshop and member of the judging panel, said: We look forward to the awards because it is an initiative that both encourages excellence in the automotive repair sector and raises the standards in the industry to compete with the best international standards.

Making up the rest of the panel are a collection of technical experts in the automotive aftermarket sector, comprising Graham Threlfall, Global Key Account Manager  Vehicle Refinishes, AkzoNobel; Alan Whaley, Founder and Chairman, AMENA Professional; Nasir AlSeeri, Head of VIP Vehicles Maintenance Section  Mechanical Engineering Department, Dubai Government Workshop; Dr Nima Mehrdadi, Regional Managing Director  Middle East and Africa, Hella Middle East; Dr. Khaled Sabbah, Managing Director, ZF Middle East; Frank Beaujean, President of the German Garage Equipment Association (ASA); Martin Roberts, Transport Manager, Momentum Logistics; and Joerg Mommertz, Managing Director, MAN Truck & Bus Middle East.

The awards are open for submissions until August 31 and will recognise: Commercial Vehicle Workshop of the Year, Commercial Vehicle Bodyshop of the Year, Independent Workshop of the Year, Independent Bodyshop of the Year, Agency Workshop of the Year, Agency Bodyshop of the Year, Workshop of the Year  Public Sector, Bodyshop of the Year  Public Sector and Automotive Quick Services Provider of the Year for Service Providers; Aftersales Manager of the Year, Workshop Manager of the Year, Bodyshop Manager of the Year, Public Sector Manager of the Year and Women in Automotive Aftermarket for People; and Innovation, Sustainability, Safety, Product of the Year and Training for Products & Training.

Mahmut Gazi Bilikozen, Automechanika Dubais Show Director, said: The awards have been designed to celebrate success, prestige and excellence by recognising high performing organisations and individuals. The categories also offer companies a chance to showcase a wide range of achievements and we are excited to see how the industry has adapted and excelled over the past year.

Shortlisted entries will be announced on September 30 and the finalists revealed on November 20.-TradeArabia News Service
Spanish group Onyx Solar has reached an agreement with Sterling Bank, a leading financial institution in Nigeria, for the installation of 6,500 sq m of crystalline silicon photovoltaic glass spandrels at its HQ building coming up in capital Lagos.

The project, which is set to become the largest PV integration development in Africa, is being implemented in co-ordination with Nigeria's energy firm Privida.

As a result of this integration, the leading bank in Nigeria will also become a reference in terms of modernity and sustainability, said the statement from Onyx Solar.

The installation of 3,250 crystalline silicon glass units imply up to 1 MWp of installed power, which will substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions and its ecological footprint, it added.

A technology company founded in 2009 in Avila, Spain, Onyx Solar manufactures the photovoltaic glass for buildings. Its glass allows buildings to generate clean and free energy thanks to the sun.

Onyx pointed out that its PV glass has already been installed on many skyscrapers in Singapore, convention centres in Canada and tourist attractions in Dubai in addition to railway stations in the US, hospitals in Norway, banks in Kenya, embassies in Indonesia, shopping malls in Mexico and universities/colleges in Australia.

The Spanish company continues its international expansion in Africa with new photovoltaic integration projects.

"Soon, it will install the PV glass for Microsofts headquarters in Kenyan capital Nairobi. Thanks to this innovative technology, the tech giant takes a step forward to be aligned with 10 sustainable development goals established by the United Nations," said a company spokesman.

Onyx Solar's photovoltaic glass was previously integrated into I&M Banks headquarters in Nairobi, which led to the construction of the largest photovoltaic skylight in Africa.

This skylight is made up of 2,200 sq m of amorphous photovoltaic glass with different degrees of transparency, he stated.

Other projects in Africa include the Union National Bank of Egypts photovoltaic facade and a photovoltaic canopy located at the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University of Morocco, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Eyewa, a leading online eyewear retailer in the Middle East, has announced its latest Series B funding round of $21 million, which will support the companys expansion plans, further investment in top-tier technology and product teams, as well as best in class retail and omnichannel technology.



The round was co-led by Kingsway and Nuwa Capital, with participation from French Partners, Endeavor Catalyst, Derayah, Palm Drive, and Hardy Capital.



Eyewa is now embarking on a journey to enter the retail sector. With many brands in the past year going from offline to online, Eyewa is heading in a different direction and exploring opportunities with bricks and mortar stores in key locations.



Mehdi Oudghiri, Co-Founder of Eyewa said: We have built Eyewa with customers in mind in every part of our journey. After building a truly disruptive online offering with best-in-class customer experience, we are very excited to embark on an omnichannel journey that will allow our customers to explore Eyewas differentiated experience in both the physical and digital world.



Our stores are built on the basis of what made our success online, with a vibrant look and feel in line with our times, leveraging technology in every aspect of customers interaction and exclusive products at accessible prices.



Anass Boumediene, Co-Founder of Eyewa, said: This fundraise will boost our expansion plans and will enable us to offer a better customer experience in the eyewear vertical, both online and offline. The customer response since our launch four years ago has been formidable and we count on keeping our promise of offering the best products at the best price across the region.



While we have focused our first few years in our home markets of UAE and KSA, we are now expanding beyond to the rest of MENA and will bring our successful formula of affordable eyewear and amazing customer experience to a wider audience.



This $21 million series B funding round brings the total funding to date of Eyewa to $30 million, after Eyewa had raised a $1.1 million seed round in 2018 led by EQ2 Ventures and a $7.5 million series A funding round in 2019 led by Wamda Capital.



Khaled Talhouni, Managing Partner of Nuwa Capital said: "Weve been working with Anass and Mehdi since the beginning of their journey and it is such a privilege to have a front row seat to the development of a company as remarkable as Eyewa. A big part of our thesis at Nuwa Capital is to focus on the next evolution of retail.



The confluence of offline, online and private label-driven commerce is at the heart of this thesis, and we would be hard-pressed to find a team that has executed as well as Eyewa has on this concept in the region. Joining this latest round of financing is a testament to our strong belief in the company and the team to deliver on building a unique regional champion for direct-to-consumer commerce."  TradeArabia News Service
Enova, the leading energy and facilities management specialist in the Middle East, is marking its 10th-anniversary partnership with Sharjah Airport Authority.

The company was awarded the contract to deliver operations and maintenance services for Sharjah Airport's buildings and infrastructure in 2011.

As one of the most progressive airports in the UAE, Sharjah Airport Authority inaugurated the East Expansion project extending over an area of 4,000 sq m, as part of the main expansion terminal, which aims to increase the airports capacity to 20 million passengers per year by 2025.

The airport has gained steady success in acquiring real-time insights on its operations, health and safety, facilities and energy management, said the statement from Enova.

To keep up with the developments, the FM specialist has leveraged the analytic capabilities of the Hubgrade 4.0 smart monitoring and reporting platform, to conduct smart asset management across key airport equipment, namely; baggage handling, x-ray machines, security equipment, wayfinding and passenger boarding bridges.

Throughout the last ten years, Enova said it had strategically partnered with Sharjah Airport to improve overall performance, through follow ups and auditing, as well as to achieve significant success in reducing its energy and water consumption, improving its environmental footprint, and gaining financial savings.

Enova has also conducted a future-proofing report, updating asset life cycles and refurbishments, along with a business continuity plan and risk management for power infrastructure resilience and natural disaster management.

"Sharjah Airport's partnership with Enova marks a decade of paving the way towards new innovative and digitized standards in energy and facilities management in aviation," remarked Ali Salim Al Midfa, Chairman  Sharjah Airport Authority.

"Sharjah Airport is committed to delivering unrivalled and seamless journey experiences to its passengers. Achieving this end goal requires significant collaboration between stakeholders," stated Al Midfa.

"The Enova real-time platform has added value to our overall mission of providing safe and convenient travel experiences for all passengers. We are committed to supporting innovative and sustainable operations to contribute to our vision of a more sustainable future," he added.

For its efforts, Enova has received excellent recognitions from Sharjah Aviation Services, Sharjah Airport Authority, Rescue and Fire Fighting Services and the Department of Civil Aviation, and from other key stakeholders over the past ten years.

"Enova, in marking the tenth anniversary with Sharjah Airport, underscores a shared vision and commitment towards a world-class passenger experience," observed its Operations Director Amin El Najjar.

"In line with Sharjah Airports ambitious plans and strategic expansion, Enova shares its vision of delivering cutting-edge and innovative solutions. We are now moving towards predictive and condition-based maintenance that can further optimize costs, energy consumption, and passenger comfort and security," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
In 1923, the U.S. Army undertook tests at Rockwell Field, San Diego, California, to test a more practical way to lower a hose from one airplane to refuel another in flight. In its tests, a DH-4B biplane outfitted as a tanker and equipped with a 50-foot (15-meter) length of hose and a quick-acting shutoff valve would fly above the receiver and lower the hose. The person in the rear seat of the receiver aircraft would grab the hose and connect it to the aircraft. If the hose became detached, the valve would immediately cut off the flow, preventing it from spraying fuel over the receiving aircraft and its pilot.

The first flight was made on April 20, 1923. The aircraft remained attached for 40 minutes but intentionally passed no fuel. The equipment was tested over the next several months with numerous fuel transfers. On June 27, the pilots made an attempt on the aircraft flying endurance record. By August 27, using this technique, one of the DH-4Bs established 14 world records with a flight lasting more than 37 hours.

The next day another refueling flight was made in an attempt to break the world record set by Macready and Kelly in the T-2 on Oct. 5, 1922. Unfortunately, a gasoline valve in the receiver airplane became plugged, and Smith had to make a forced landing in some mud flats near North Island after almost a full day in the air. The airplane flipped onto its back on landing, and its propeller was cracked.

Two months later on Aug. 27-28, Smith and Richter made an endurance flight which lasted 37 hours, 15 minutes, with 16 refueling contacts. During this flight, they set 16 new world records for distance, speed and duration. On Oct. 25, 1923, Smith and Richter flew nonstop from the Canadian to the Mexican border, a distance of 1,250 miles, by being refueled three times while in the air. The theory of extending the range of an airplane by mid-air refueling became a demonstrated fact.

On July 19, 1948, the 43rd and 509th Air Refueling Squadrons were activated at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., and Roswell Air Force Base, N.M., in preparation for the assignment of tanker aircraft. These two squadrons were the first air refueling units in the U.S. Air Force. They began receiving tanker aircraft in late 1948. These first tankers were simply B-29s modified to carry and dispense fuel while aloft. Employing the British-developed system of in-flight refueling, that is, the use of trailing hoses and grapnel hooks, these tankers were designated KB-29Ms.
Photo released on June 27, 2021 by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) shows wheel ruts left by Mars rover Zhurong. The CNSA on Sunday released new videos and images of the country's Mars probe Tianwen-1 landing on and exploring the red planet. The videos show the landing rover deploying its parachute and descending to the Martian surface, and its Mars rover Zhurong driving away from its landing platform and moving over the land. The images include the Martian landscape and the ruts left behind by the rover. (CNSA/Handout via Xinhua)

BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The China National Space Administration (CNSA) on Sunday released new videos and images of the country's Mars probe Tianwen-1 landing on and exploring the red planet.

The videos show the landing rover deploying its parachute and descending to the Martian surface, and its Mars rover Zhurong driving away from its landing platform and moving over the land.

The images include the Martian landscape and the ruts left behind by the rover.

As of the morning of June 27, the orbiter of the Tianwen-1 mission has been operating around Mars for 338 days, and its Earth-Mars distance is approximately 360 million km.

The Mars rover Zhurong has been working on Mars for 42 Martian days and has driven a total of 236 meters.

Zhurong will continue its movement, detection, and scientific exploration missions as planned.

The orbiter will continue to operate in a relay orbit, providing relay communication for the rover's scientific exploration while conducting its own scientific detection operations.
NATO. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Statement by BAPs U.S. Out of Africa Network and Horn of Africa Pan-Africans for Liberation and Solidarity





Paternalistic U.S. government political posturing toward Africa has a history of turning into fatal consequences for the masses of African peoples. A decade ago, several of the same individuals who now hold positions in the Biden administration were accomplices in the U.S.-led NATO decimation of Libya, which was rationalized under the guise of protecting pro-democracy activists from massacre by the so-called dictator Colonel Muammar Gadaffi. Hiding behind a modern-day version of the "White Man's Burden," otherwise known as Responsibility to Protect or R2P, the United States and its NATO allies killed and maimed thousands of Libyans, with U.S. leaders like Secretary of State Hillary Clinton taking special satisfaction in the sadistic video recording of Gaddafis murder.



Given the catastrophic effects of the U.S.-NATO intervention in Libya, the Black Alliance for Peaces U.S. Out of Africa Network (USOAN) and BAP member organization Horn of Africa Pan-Africans for Liberation & Solidarity (HOA PALS), condemn, under no uncertain terms, any and all forms of intervention and meddling in the conflict in Ethiopia. As it did against Libya, U.S. imperialism is weaponizing disinformation and misinformation to exploit and distort the complexity, historical context and political realities in the Horn of Africa to create the pretext for more direct intervention.

Should those responsible for undermining a resolution of the crisis in Tigray fail to reverse course, they should anticipate further actions from the United States and the international community. We call on other governments to join us in taking these actions. U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, May 23, 2021 press statement



The attack on the federal base by the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) that started the conflict is now being used as a de-facto instrument of U.S. policy in Ethiopia to justify "humanitarian intervention." In this way, the primary contradiction in the Tigray region reflects broader dynamics in the Horn of Africa as a whole and can be boiled down to the common denominators of global capitalist hegemony and Western imperialism by way of its proxy actor, the TPLF. Western powers only curtail the right of self-determination for the Horn of Africa and Global South states.



We condemn all military violence, extrajudicial killings, sexual violence, displacement, theft, discrimination, harassment and intimidation perpetrated on innocent Tigrayans, as well as any and all unnecessary violence perpetrated on other Ethiopians and Eritreans in the ongoing conflict as a result of their ethnic, religious, or national identity, refugee status or political affiliation. We unequivocally support and uplift mutual cooperation, solidarity, and peace among all parties and people in Ethiopia, Eritrea, and the broader Horn of Africa region.



We support African-led, localized conflict resolution that is not tied to advancing imperialism, neo-colonialism or any other nefarious Western agendas. We believe in the inherent agency and ability of Africans on the continent to reach a resolution to the conflict peacefully and independently of Western aggression, destabilization, and extractive and exploitative economic interests.



The United States and its EU-NATO allies know no compassion or genuine concern for the Black lives in Ethiopia, the Horn of Africa or anywhere else Black people are in the world. Their true concerns are always selfish, racist and reflective of their objective geopolitical interests. In Ethiopia and Eritrea, their interests are:

To control or have undue influence over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a chokepoint critical to securing global energy;

to challenge the robust presence of China; and

to impose AFRICOM in the only country left in Africa that has evaded its control, Eritrea.

Africa is not underdeveloped and fraught with militarized instability because there is not enough involvement by Western Europe and its evil settler-colonial spawn, the USA. Anyone who believes that must also believe Africans are inferior savages. The fact is Africa is underdeveloped and destabilized precisely because of centuries of European colonialism and decades of U.S. and Western European neocolonialism. Any disposition held by Africans that lends legitimacy to intervention, sanctions, or the fake moral or altruistic dominion of Pan-European, white supremacist capitalist interests in Africa are based either on severe ignorance or treacherous opportunism.



U.S. foreign policy in Africa always involves enveloping any part of the continent that poses a threat to its geostrategic interests into its sphere of forever wars. In 2011, Black anti-imperialist forces were unable to effectively counter the plan by the U.S./EU/NATO Axis of Domination to destroy the revolutionary Pan-Africanist nation of Libya. This was partially because the action had the political cover of the first Black president, which confused and disarmed left opposition and made them objective collaborators with U.S. reaction.



BAPs U.S. Out of Africa Network and Horn of Africa Pan-Africans for Liberation & Solidarity refuse to allow this fatal mistake to be made again.





Hands off Ethiopia and Eritrea!

#ShutDownAFRICOM!

#USOutofAfrica!



For more information, read HOA PALS report.
REPATIC members visit CAMTEL E. Fonban

Officials of the Cameroon Telecommunications (CAMTEL) have presented the companys wins and plans to visiting members of the Parliamentary Network for the Promotion of ICTs, REPATIC.

Olle Daniel Desire, Deputy General of CAMTEL, on behalf of Madam Judith Yah Sunday wife Achidi, CAMTEL's General Manager, received the parliamentary delegation Friday, June 25, 2021, at the Yaounde headquarters of the telecommunications giant.

CAMTEL's top management assured the lawmakers that their commitment and engagement towards satisfying customers is non-negotiable.

When Mrs Judith Yah Sunday wife Achidi was appointed CAMTEL General Manager by the Presidential Decree of December 4, 2018, she along with her deputy, Olle Daniel Desire undertook an audit of the structure, after which they decided to hinge their development strategy on two main axes: customer centricity and change management .

By customer centricity, we resolved to consecrate the customer at the center of all our activities. Today the fruits are evident though we still have a long way to go. As the adage goes, 'a journey of a thousand miles begins with a step' , said Deputy General Manager Olle Daniel Desire on behalf of the General Manager.

From less than 40% we were able to hit a 60% overall customer satisfaction rate in 2020 and we are not relenting. Nothing can stop us from hitting the 100% mark. We have all it takes. 

Olle Daniel Desire, Deputy General Manager of CAMTEL (c) E. Fonban

Meanwhile, by Change management, CAMTEL's management told the lawmakers, we have equally reviewed our processes and improved on governance. We are upbeat that in no distant future, we will be a reference when it comes to digital business on the continent. Our management touch has earned us the coveted ISO 9001/2015 certification on our wholesale segment and we are extending it to other services. All of this in a bid to better satisfy our customers, thanks to whom we are in business. 

Members of the Parliamentary Network for the Promotion of ICTs were told that on March 2, 2020, the government granted CAMTEL three concessional agreements to operate transmission services via fiber optic, fixed telephone lines, and a state-of-the-art mobile network.

The extension of the national fiber optic backbone which spans at least 12000 km and already covers the ten regions as mentioned earlier is in gestation and will kick-start soon, said Olle. Meanwhile our mobile network to be marketed under the brand name BLUE is ready for launch. Blue already covers the country's ten regions and at least 65% of the country's population. Several Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO) have tested it and can attest to its reliability and efficiency. 

Olle said despite the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, CAMTEL remained resolute in making a reality the company's digital transformation vision. The pandemic, the top official said, gives CAMTEl the opportunity to design tailored solutions to enable users to stay productive with the possibility of working from home through videoconferencing over light-speed internet connection.

On behalf of REPATIC, Senator Ngalli Ngoa Pierre Henri said theirs was a mission to present to CAMTEL's management populations' concerns over service quality.

Experts at CAMTEL were on hand to edify the lawmakers. Ngongeh Ayafor Clement, Technical and Information Systems Director regretted that there have been disruptions on CAMTEL's network infrastructures by some companies.

The problems notwithstanding, Ngongeh said CAMTEl has engaged in works to re-establish its network quality to hit 99.99%.

Our fervent wish and firm determination is to provide Cameroonians with unrivaled telecom services at unbeatable rates, said Olle. That is our commitment. We trust in the sense of patriotism and goodwill. We believe and trust in your support which will be very determinant towards the materialization of our most cherished dreams. We hope that at the end of your visit, you will be the spokespersons of CAMTEL to the authorities and the population of your respective areas. CAMTEL, the citizen-friendly company that it is, is working relentlessly to offer them the best quality of service. 

REPATIC member, Hon. Wallang Richard Ebua, like his peers, promised to be bearers of the good news from CAMTEL.
She went from making $80,000 on a good commission year to applying for public assistance programs for the first time. If McNeal could have it her way, shed be back to work tomorrow. But the jobs shes found dont provide the salary she knows she needs to care for herself and her two girls.
Influenced by those that had encouraged his success, he was genuinely interested in each patient he saw, particularly teenagers. He steered them to focus on their interests and reach higher. Also importantly, he encouraged personal responsibility for their treatments. This is not your mothers face, was one of his lines, according to the profile.
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.
There are countless examples of Marylanders leading the way on conservation and even more opportunities for all of us to develop and incorporate new and innovative ideas that will help stave off the worst impacts of climate change and the loss of nature. By committing to locally led conservation that will protect 30 percent of our lands, waters, and ocean by 2030, we all can work toward a more inclusive and equitable vision for nature conservation.
An increasing number of high-profile opposition leaders, journalists and members of civil society are fleeing Nicaragua as the regime of President Daniel Ortega is waging an alarming political crackdown ahead of an election in November.

In the last week, several of the most influential critics of the Ortega regime sneaked out of the country -- convinced they would be detained if they remained. Mainstream journalists decided to leave the country despite being stripped of their passports, reported Washington Post.

The situation comes as 16 opposition figures have been arrested and imprisoned over the past several months.

"They are imposing a state of fear in the country to immobilize the whole country and eliminate political competition for the coming election," said Carlos Chamorro, the publisher of the prominent Nicaraguan digital newspaper, who fled the country earlier this month.

Chamarro left after police raided his house and after his sister -- a presidential candidate -- was arrested.

Journalists have come under threat due to the Nicaraguan government's increasing pressure in recent weeks. Veteran journalist Miguel Mendoza was detained on June 21, when police broke into his home, according to Washington Post.

Before that, Nicaragua's National Police have detained the fifth presidential candidate, Miguel Mora Barberena, allegedly accused of committing anti-national acts. Mora is a presidential candidate, journalist and owner of the now shut down 100 per cent Noticias TV channel.

"Exile was the last alternative to preserve my life and freedom. That moment has come... Making this decision has been distressing; I have done it for the tranquility of my family, although I know that sadness overwhelms them," said Julio Lopez, another prominent journalist.

Former commander Luis Carrion, who was also driven into exile following reports of his imminent arrest, said that Ortega us expecting that the kidnapped people will serve as political hostages to negotiate the lifting of sanctions with the United States.

The US has grown more outspoken about Ortega's repression. The Biden administration this month announced new sanctions on close Ortega allies and relatives, including his daughter Camila Antonia Ortega Murillo.

However, US action so far has had little impact on Ortega's crackdown. In recent months, the regime has passed several bills allowing it to intervene in the activities of human rights groups and media outlets, reported Washington Post.

The crackdown has generated international condemnation. Critics accuse Ortega, along with his wife and Vice President, Rosario Murillo, of eroding Nicaraguan democracy.

Mexico and Argentina on Monday recalled their ambassadors to Nicaragua for consultations, citing "worrying legal actions by the Nicaraguan government."

"The governments of Mexico and Argentina report that today [they] have instructed their ambassadors to Nicaragua, Gustavo Alonso Cabrera Rodriguez and Mateo Daniel Capitanich, to travel to their capitals for consultations on the worrying political-legal actions taken by the Nicaraguan government in recent days, that have put the integrity and freedom of many opposition figures (including presidential candidates), activists and Nicaraguan businessmen at risk," read a joint statement from the two countries.

Both countries said they would remain on alert to developments in Nicaragua and would continue to promote full respect of human rights, as well as civil and political rights, and the freedom of speech of all people, regardless of nationality or profession.

Moreover, a recent report by the Human Rights Watch has urged the United Nations, Latin American democracies and the US to apply more pressure on the regime to curb Ortega's repression.

"The only language this guy is going to understand is if the international community doubles down on diplomatic pressure and with consequences that might affect the business people who are still in bed with the regime," said Jose Miguel Vivanco, director of Human Rights Watch's Americas division.

(ANI)

Also Read: Hungary has no place in EU after new law on LGBTQ content: Dutch PM
The medical examiners office had not identified the male as of Sunday morning. An autopsy was expected to be performed Sunday to determine cause and manner of death. Police are treating it as a death investigation and it wasnt clear whether foul play was suspected.
This second annual march is the antithesis of that and is particularly timely, he said, because of attacks on trans people and people of color. Politicians and companies use the Pride Parade as free advertising, Thayer said, but are often nowhere to be found on issues such as equal marriage rights.
One of the friends was driving his vehicle eastbound on North Avenue, just east of Spaulding Avenue, when several people started walking around his vehicle, prosecutors said. Ayala was one of those people, and he began throwing up gang signs and shouting at them, asking where they were from, prosecutors said.
Martinezs court-appointed attorney, Courtney Smallwood, argued against denying bail, saying her client didnt make any admissions to police after his arrest, adding that his statement claiming to have shot a girl wasnt anywhere in police paperwork. Presumably, if my client had made admissions, that would be an important fact that you would want to highlight in a report, she argued.
If I had not advocated for myself and said, Look, I need to get a PSA, even against my doctors recommendation  my cancer covered a lot of my prostate, it was aggressive. And it was soon to be leaking out of the prostate, which would have metastasized (spread) ... to the bones, the organs.  People would say, Wait a minute  La Shawn was healthy. How did he die of cancer? How does he have terminal cancer at this point in his life?
Additional police units, including some from the Plainfield Police Department, were called to the area and an initial traffic stop occurred near 119th Street and Route 59 in Plainfield, the report said. The suspect then fled the scene, and was stopped again near 135th Street and Route 59 in Plainfield, where he was taken into custody.
It is not common sense to know that drowning is one of the leading causes of unintentional death in the nation and the world, he said. It is not common sense to know what drowning looks like. And it is not common sense to know that panic is the first stage of drowning.
You are here: China

Chinese customs have stepped up a crackdown on goods that infringe on intellectual property rights (IPR) in the first five months of 2021, customs data showed.

The customs authorities seized nearly 31 million items of suspected goods during the period, amid a nationwide IPR-protection campaign launched at the beginning of 2021, according to the General Administration of Customs (GAC).

The GAC has also formed a customs network against illegal activities of transshipment of infringing goods, shoring up barriers for infringing goods at ports.

Besides crackdown on malpractices, customs nationwide have improved services for IPR protection. A total of 5,629 applications for IPR protection were approved in the January-May period, the GAC said.
You are here: China

The China National Space Administration (CNSA) on Sunday released new videos and images of the country's Mars probe Tianwen-1 landing on and exploring the red planet.



The videos show the landing rover deploying its parachute and descending to the Martian surface, and its Mars rover Zhurong driving away from its landing platform and moving over the land.

The images include the Martian landscape and the ruts left behind by the rover.

As of the morning of June 27, the orbiter of the Tianwen-1 mission has been operating around Mars for 338 days, and its Earth-Mars distance is approximately 360 million kilometers.

The Mars rover Zhurong has been working on Mars for 42 Martian days and has driven a total of 236 meters.

Zhurong will continue its movement, detection, and scientific exploration missions as planned.

The orbiter will continue to operate in a relay orbit, providing relay communication for the rover's scientific exploration while conducting its own scientific detection operations.




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The latest 7-day average number of administered vaccine doses per day decreased by 55.3 percent from the previous week, according to a weekly report of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

As of June 24, the 7-day average number of administered vaccine doses reported to the CDC per day was 0.37 million, according to the report released on Friday.

About 45.8 percent of the U.S. population was fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and 53.9 percent of the population received at least one shot as of Saturday, CDC data showed.

Roughly 152.2 million people were fully vaccinated. But some states, such as Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Wyoming, had low vaccination rates.

A new CDC study showed adults aged 18 to 24, as well as non-Hispanic Black adults and those with less education, no insurance, and lower household incomes, had the lowest reported vaccination coverage and intent to get vaccinated.

The White House confirmed earlier this week that the country would not hit U.S. President Joe Biden's goal of getting 70 percent of American adults to receive at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot by July 4, the Independence Day.
 Flash

A new batch of Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, on Saturday, giving another boost to the country's vaccination drive.

Speaking to reporters while receiving the vaccine at the capital's airport, Economy and Finance Ministry's permanent secretary of state Vongsey Vissoth said the vaccines were purchased from Chinese biopharmaceutical firm Sinovac Biotech.

He thanked China for supplying the vaccine to the Southeast Asian nation timely.

"The special bond of Cambodia-China friendship has played an invaluable role to ensure that the vaccines are available on time for Cambodia to inoculate our people," he said.

Cambodia has so far acquired more than 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from China and the World Health Organization's COVAX Facility, Vissoth said.

Cambodia launched an anti-COVID-19 inoculation drive on Feb. 10, starting from Phnom Penh and Kandal province, before expanding to five other provinces, namely Preah Sihanouk, Koh Kong, Kampong Speu, Takeo and Svay Rieng, earlier this week.

As of June 25, some 6.6 million vaccines have been administered in the kingdom, with 3.8 million people receiving their first dose and 2.8 million having completed the two-dose inoculation, according to health ministry's secretary of state and spokeswoman Or Vandine.

Cambodia's COVID-19 infection rates continued to rise on Saturday as the kingdom reported 745 new cases, pushing the national caseload to 46,810, the health ministry said in a statement.

The country also recorded 14 new fatalities, taking the overall death toll to 523 so far, the ministry said, adding that 670 more patients recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 41,439.
Often, we are led to believe that becoming a celebrity or seeking fame is the most effective way of making impact or achieving success. Young people are calculating their value on the whims and fancy of people subscribing or clicking the like button on social media platforms.

Additionally, society has extolled being known over fulfilling purpose. We are led to believe that greatness achieved is measured only by how many people see and know us and how many speak well of us.

What the world considers impact

As I reflected on this new social media culture, it seems that everything is shared, and fame seems to be height of great achievement. I realize it is easy to get caught up in this culture. Even while desiring making a difference doing the work of the Lord.

During this time of reflection I recalled, what I will term, unlikely characters mentioned in scripture; people, mentioned in the Bible, who are not, what I will term, established characters. They are mentioned in scripture to have carried out great tasks, tasks that aided in the restorative work of the kingdom but are not developed as other bible characters are.

Who are they?

Jael

In the book of Judges Chapter 4, we are introduced to a woman, Jael who gave shelter to Sisera, the commander of the Canaanite army, who was fleeing the army of Israel.

What she did was unexpected but monumental as it gave victory to Israel as God promised he would.

Note that Jael was the wife of a Kenite, and the Kenites were part of the Canaanite army who came against Israel. Yet, she was able to help Israel to victory by hammering a tent nail right through Siseras head. The death of the Canaanite commander left King Jabin unprotected.

So, God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan. (Judges Chapter 4 verses 23-24)

Can you imagine, Jael, a woman hailed a hero? Yet not described with much importance killing the most important Canaanite soldier, enabling the army of Israel to subdue King Jabin and destroying his army.

Gideon

Gideon, when called by God to lead an army to defeat the Midianites, was threshing wheat. He doubted God and even questioned His presence and power. He considered himself the least of his family and in his attempt to trust God, he asked for a sign/ confirmation to convince himself that God had truly called him.

Gideon reminds me of myself very uncertain, sometimes quite doubtful, often feeling unable to accomplish great tasks.

But as we read in Judges Chapters 6 & 7, look what God was able to do through a simple man who chose to trust God. He led an army of 300 men against a coalition army of Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples and led the Israelites to victory.

Are you as doubtful as Gideon, requiring confirmation after confirmation before taking a step of faith?

Widow of Zarephath

Imagine being an old widow, with your only child in a famine, only having enough food to make one last meal, and being asked to share with a stranger. This is how we are introduced to the unnamed widow of Zarephath in 1 Kings Chapter 17 verses 7 - 15. God instructed her to feed his prophet Elijah. She at first, hesitated, indicating she was prepared to die after the last meal she was heading home to prepare.

Why would God, seeing this widows situation, instruct her to care and prepare for the man of God in such a difficult time? But she through obedience was able to feed the man of God sustaining him for the work he had ahead of him as the prophet of the Lord. From her obedience Gods promises that she would have enough until rain returned to the land was fulfilled. She had more than enough for her son, herself and Elijah. All her needs were supplied during the famine.

Are you struggling financially, experiencing lack and believe that what you have is too small or insufficient to share? This widow who is unnamed in scripture proves that out of giving; even from the least of what you have, you will reap much gain.

What she did, sustaining the prophet of the Lord during a famine, kept him until the Lord sent him to King Ahab where he would have put God on display in front of 400 prophets of Baal.

Rahab

Rahab, among all the characters I have so far mentioned, is the most contradictory character that was used to enable the work of God for Israel.

She was a prostitute, a woman and a liar.

What we see in Joshua chapter 2 verses 4 - 7, is a woman who risked her life, deceiving the King of Jericho, while she hid spies from Israel in her home. Her actions, which could have costed her life, caused the men to safely return to Joshua, to whom they gave a full report and assured him that God had truly given the land to the Israelites.

Joshua went on to capture the city of Jericho and Rahab and her family was saved.

God specializes in using the unlikely

It amazes me how often God uses contradictions to fulfil the purposes of the Kingdom. I mean Jesus himself was a contradiction, a King - born in a manger, from a family of carpenters. Yet, destined to conquer hell and the grave, our living saviour.

You may very well be an unlikely character; maybe you do not have the look, or maybe you dont speak as eloquently as other. Maybe you are very doubtful, or an individual wanting to do more but always finding all the excuses in the world not to.

Remember, that God uses the most unlikely of characters for the work of the kingdom. You can be used by God and oh how amazing it is to know that despite our unlikeliness Gods plan for the restoration of the world and the populating of His kingdom involves you.
According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Military Simulation and Training Market is accounted for $ 10.74 billion in 2017 and is expected to reach $ 17.57 billion by 2026 growing at a CAGR of 5.6%. Factors such as rising demand for adoption of virtual training for future generation, and reducing the budget of military equipment and training are driving the market growth. However, lack of lack of inducements and challenges for manufacturers of simulators are hampering the growth of the market. Moreover, increase in the innovative technology and R&D activities about the military simulation acts as opportunities for the growth of the market.

Military simulation and training is an important technology used for providing training services for system use and maintenance and for military warfare techniques. The military simulation and training is a time effective and cost saving approach, specifically used by the defense sector. Under the defense sector it is used as an effective method to train workforce for higher responsibilities, facilitating personnel with new techniques and procedures, to develop and measure new tactics as well as to estimate the effectiveness of new weapons systems.

Based on the training type, Gaming Simulation segment has lucrative market share during the forecast period. Due to the increasing demand for gaming simulation for training, tactics analysis, and mission preparation. Gaming simulation is an important tool to impart training to war fighters by recreating battlefield. By geography, Asia Pacific region is driven by increasing defense budgets of major economies (China, India, South Korea, and Australia) in the region, and rising R&D expenditure for military simulation and training.

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Some of the key players in Military Simulation and Training market include CAE Inc., Thales Group, Northrop Grumman Corporation, The Raytheon Company, SAAB AB, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Meggitt PLC, Cubic Corporation, L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc., Rockwell Collins, Inc., and Rheinmetall AG.

Types Covered:

 Liquid Type

 Drying Type

Training Types Covered:

 Constructive

 Live

 Gaming Simulation

 Virtual

Applications Covered:

 Ground

 Airborne

 Naval

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

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According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Radar Systems Market is accounted for $19.25 billion in 2017 and is expected to reach $36.78 billion by 2026 growing at a CAGR of 7.5% during the forecast period. Some of the key factors influencing the market growth include Increased use of radars for unmanned vehicles, improved capabilities of radar systems resulting in greater efficiency and increased R&D investments by automotive industry to improve the safety and comfort aspects in vehicles. However, high cost incurred in the development of radar systems is restraining the market growth.

Radar systems are used for detecting and tracking physical objects using radio waves to determine the range, angle, and velocity of objects. Radars are used in various applications in the civil, commercial, and military domain, which includes detecting ships, aircraft, spacecraft, missiles, weather information, and terrain.

Based on technology, the pulsed rada9r segment has significant growth during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to the increased usage of pulse radars for efficient and accurate object detection and estimation of its range.

By Geography, The Asia-Pacific radar systems market is expected to grow at the considerable market share during the forecast period, due to disputes and unrest in some countries in the region, which has led to the increased procurement of surveillance systems. Countries such as China, India, and Japan have invested significantly in coastal surveillance and weather detection capabilities.

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Some of the key players in global radar systems market are Honeywell International Inc., Infineon Technologies AG, NXP Semiconductors N.V., Lockheed Martin Corporation, General Dynamics Corporation, BAE Systems, Inc., Rockwell Collins, Inc., Leonardo S.p.A., Thales Group, Saab AB, Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd., Airbus Defense and Space, Inc., Raytheon Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation and Weibel Scientific A/S.

Components Covered:

 Transmitter

 Receiver

 Antenna

 Other Components

Technologies Covered:

 Continuous Wave (CW) Radar

 Pulsed Radar

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Radars Covered:

 Maritime Patrol Radar

 Synthetic Aperture Radar

Ranges Covered:

 Long Range Radars

 Short Range Radars

 Medium Range Radars

Frequency Bands Covered:

 L Band

 K/Ku/Ka Band

 C Band

 Millimetric Band

 V/UHF Band

 S Band

 HF Band

 X Band

 W Band

 Other Frequency Bands

Applications Covered:

 Commercial

 Defense

 Other Applications

End-user Industries Covered:

 Automotive

 Aviation

 Military & Defense

 Maritime Applications

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

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 Market forecasts for a minimum of 9 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets

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According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Agricultural Haying & Forage Machinery Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.27% during the forecast period. Factors such as rising demand for livestock population and increase in the concern of animal feed, growing demand for automation industry for the agricultural machinery equipment are expected to propel the market growth. However, low commodity prices and increase in the government subsidies is hampering the growth of the market. Additional, increase in the industrial investments is considered as the growth opportunities for the market growth.

Haying and forage machinery is utilized in order to cater to the rising demand for plant-based feed for animals. Growing demand for automation in farming sector across the globe is likely to boost the haying and forage machinery market during forecast period. Agricultural machinery is machinery used in farming or other agriculture. There are many types of such equipment, from hand tools and power tools to tractors and the countless kinds of farm implements that they tow or operate.

Based on the type, mowers segment has lucrative market share during the forecast period. As mower provides neat and clean forage. It requires low power so smaller tractor can be used to run them. By geography, North America region is driven by advancements in the technology have led to the introduction of self-propelled balers, which are equipped with technology that offers unprecedented ride quality and maneuverability.

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Some of the key players in Agricultural Haying & Forage Machinery market include CNH Industrial, Mahindra Tractor, Kuhn Group, John Deere, Yanmar, Kubota, AGCO, and Krone.

Types Covered:

 Tedders and Rakes

 Forage Harvesters

 Balers

 Mowers

Applications Covered:

 Small and Medium Farm

 Large Farm

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

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According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Propulsion Systems market accounted for $261.00 billion in 2017 and is expected to reach $543.80 billion by 2026 growing at a CAGR of 8.5% during the forecast period. Growing space expeditions, increasing applications in various defense weapons and increasing need for long-range missiles are some of the key driving factors for the market growth. However, stringent airspace regulations may hinder market growth.

A propulsion system is referred to a system of machines that produces thrust to push an object forward. Propulsion systems work on Newtons third law, i.e. for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Different propulsion systems generate different thrusts, but all thrusts will have some connection with Newtons third law. On airplanes, thrust is usually generated through some application of Newtons third law of action and reaction.

Based on Application, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles segment held considerable market share during the forecast period due to the rising demand for UAV usage in diverse applications. UAVs are mounted with different types of engines in accordance with the required power to perform different operations. By geography, North America is expected to grow at a faster rate due to the rising number of military modernization programs in this region.

Some of the key players profiled in the Propulsion Systems include 3W International GmbH, Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc. , Financial Highlights, General Electric Co., GKN Aerospace, Honeywell International Inc., Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Orbital ATK, Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC., Safran S.A, The Raytheon Company and United Technologies Corporation.

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Types Covered:

 Transcatheter Heart Valves

 Tissue Heart Valves

 Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

 Mini and Micro Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

 Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

 Mechanical Heart Valves

 High-Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

 Electric Propulsion Engines

 Non-Air Breathing Engines

 Air-Breathing Engines

Applications Covered:

 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

 Spacecraft

 Missiles

 Aircraft

 Railway

 Marine

 Electric

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

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According to TMR, the Global Automotive Gasket & Seal market is accounted for $65.07 billion in 2017 and is expected to reach $123.72 billion by 2026 growing at a CAGR of 7.4% during the forecast period. Increasing global production volume of light and heavy vehicles, and engine downsizing & lightweight components assemblies are some of the key factors propelling the market. However, the growing electrification of vehicles around the city is hampering growth.

Gaskets and seals are fundamental components in a vehicle, which are used for filling the gap between two components to make sure that there is no leakage between them during the compression stage. Automotive gaskets have been categorized as metallic gaskets and non-metallic gaskets; whereas automotive seals have been divided into mechanical seals, O-rings seals, lip seals, and rotary seals.

Based on the type, the gasket market is predicted to produce the maximum because of the increase in acceptance of gaskets in the automotive industry. Use of gaskets and seals has decreased the maintenance cost of vehicles and has radically improved the lifespan of the automotive components. By Geography, North America is projected to grasp an important contribution in the global automotive gasket and seal market. The automotive commercial vehicle requirement is rising in the United States as the demand for commercial vehicle in the country has increased, which is a major reason for propelling the need of gaskets and seals market in the country.

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Some of the key players profiled in the Automotive Gasket & Seal Market include AB SKF, Victor Gaskets India Limited, Trelleborg AB, The SKF Group, Smiths Group PLC, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies Gmbh & Co. Kg, Flowserve Corporation, Federal-Mogul Holdings Corporation, Elringklinger AG, Datwyler Holding Inc., and Dana Holding Corporation.

Product Types Covered:

 Seal

 Gasket

Types Covered:

 Components Sealing System

 Body Sealing System

Vehicle Types Covered:

 Passenger Car

 Light Commercial Vehicles

 Heavy Commercial Vehicles

 Off-Highway Vehicle

 Compact Vehicle

 Luxury Vehicle

 Mid-Sized Vehicle

 Premium Vehicle

Applications Covered:

 Cooling application

 Transmission

 Engine

 Brake

 Fuel supply

 Battery

 Steering

 Exhaust Manifold

 Other Application Types

Materials Covered:

 Metal

 Plastic polymer

 Fiber

 Silicon

 Rubber

 Build Material

Sales Channels Covered:

 Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)

 Aftermarket

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

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According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Balance Shaft Market is accounted for $9,978.4 million in 2017 and is expected to reach $20,215.6 million by 2026 growing at a CAGR of 8.2% during the forecast period. Some of the key factors influencing the market growth include rising demand for vehicles equipped with inline-4 cylinder engines, need for reduction in engine NvH levels and reduced co2 emissions. However, shifting focus towards electric vehicles is restraining market growth.

A balance shaft is designed to vibrate and rotate in such a way that it can reduce the vibration produced by an engine. Balance shafts are most commonly utilized in inline four-cylinder engines, which due to their design asymmetry, have an inherent second order vibration (vibrating at twice the engine RPM) that cannot be eliminated no matter how well the internal components are balanced.

Based on the manufacturing process type, Forged Balance Shaft has significant growth during the forecast period. Balance shafts can be forged from a steel bar, usually through roll forging. Forged balance shafts are widely adopted, due to their lightness, compact dimensions, and effective inherent damping.

By Geography, The Asia Pacific region has emerged as significant market for the global automotive industry. The primary reason behind this trend is the Chinese market, which has evolved into the largest producer and consumer of automobiles across the globe. Rising demand for the Inline-4 Cylinder Engine especially in the Asia-Pacific region has played a vital role in driving the balance shaft market.

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Some of the key players in global balance shaft market are SKF Group, Musashi Seimitsu Industry Co., Ltd., Metaldyne LLC, Tfo Corporation, Ningbo Jingda Hardware Manufacture Co., Ltd., Sansera Engineering, SHW AG, Mitec-Jebsen Automotive Systems (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Engine Power Components, Inc. and Otics Corporation.

Manufacturing Process Types Covered:

 Cast Balance Shaft

 Forged Balance Shaft

Vehicle Types Covered:

 Heavy Commercial Vehicle

 Passenger Car

 Light Commercial Vehicle

Engine Types Covered:

 V-6 Engine

 Inline- 5 Cylinder Engine

 Inline- 4 Cylinder (L4) Engine

 Inline-3 Cylinder (L3) Engine

End Users Covered:

 Defense

 Commercial

 Industrial

 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

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According to TMR, the Global Feed Yeast market is accounted for $1.61 billion in 2017 and is expected to reach $3.10 billion by 2026 growing at a CAGR of 7.5% during the forecast period. The factors driving the market growth are increasing concerns related to animal health and high growth of yeast-based feed products. However, competitions of raw materials are restraining the market.

Yeast is live bacteria, which are added to feed to advance feed performance. Yeast is copied from different sources and add to feed at the time of feed developed process or sometimes given directly to the livestock. Feed yeast is commonly available in dried and liquid forms.

By Genus, the Saccharomyces Spp segment is driven by due majorly used for yeast manufacture and is used as one of the most significant ingredients in feed. With the increasing demand for natural growth promoters for animals. Based on geography, Europe is expected to grow at the largest market share during the forecast period due to n rising demand for feed addition products among the developed countries of this region.

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Some of the key players in the Feed Yeast market are Zilor (Biorigin), Nutreco N.V., Novus International, Lesaffre Group, Lallemand Inc., Kerry Group, Kemin Industries, Chr. Hansen, Cargill, Associated British Foods PLC., Archer Daniels Midland Company, Angel Yeast Co Ltd. and Alltech Inc.

Forms Covered:

 Instant

 Fresh

 Dry

Genuss Covered:

 Kluyveromyces Spp.

 Saccharomyces Spp.

 Other Genera

Types Covered:

 Brewers Yeast

 Probiotic Yeast

 Yeast Derivatives

 Specialty Yeast

 Spent Yeast

 Live Yeast

Livestocks Covered:

 Aquaculture

 Aquatic Animals

 Cattle

 Pets

 Poultry

 Ruminants

 Swine

 Other Livestocks

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

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 Competitive Benchmarking

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According to TMR, the Global Antifog Additives market is accounted for $ 300.41 million in 2017 and is expected to reach $ 490.56 million by 2026 growing at a CAGR of 5.6% during the forecast period. The rising revenue of the middle-class people in the promising economies and the development of groceries processing are some of the factors propelling market growth. However, the rigorous administration policy and rules associated to the custom of Antifog additives in the food wrapping films, and addiction on the industries manufacturing agricultural and groceries wrapping films which are hampering the growth of the market.

Anti-fog additives are non-ionic surfactants use to decrease the fog configuration on the plastic sheets. Fog configuration takes place owing to the condensation of vapors on the outside for the reason that the variation between temperature, moisture. The additives assist to diminish the surface tension of the droplets there on the sheets produced by the reduction of the water vapors. Anti-fog additives are able to be added to plastics as of where they can shift away from the inner face of the plastic.

Based on application, the food packaging segment of the Antifog additives marketplace is proposed to rise at a higher CAGR throughout the estimate phase in terms of mutually in rate and quantity. Fog configuration in the food packaging films is measured harmful as it not simply reduces the visibility of the foodstuff package but moreover it has an unfavorable cause on visual value and ridge petition of the packaged food. It could also direct to the spoiling of the packaged food product. This harmful outcome of fog configuration is capable of prohibited by means of Antifog food packaging films. There is an improved demand for Antifog food packaging films from the food packaging business in favor of a brand new food packaging application.

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By Geography, Asia Pacific is likely to trace considerable expansion in the anti-fog additives market more the estimated period. On the rise of non-refundable profits in the area all along by the increasing boom in the food and packaging is expected to fuel this growth. Additionally, varying end-user practices and rising approval of higher agricultural practices are more likely to force the demand for anti-fog additives in the region.

Some of the key players profiled in the Antifog Additives Market include Evonik Industries Ag,

e. i., Dupont De Nemours And Company, A. Schulman, Inc, Croda International Plc., Clariant Ag, Ashland Inc., Akzo Nobel N.V., PolyOne Corporation, Pcc Chemax Inc., Palsgaard, Emery Oleochemicals, Corbion N.V., Ampacet Corporation, and Addcomp Holland.

Types Covered:

 Titanium Dioxide

 Sorbitan Esters of Fatty Acids

 Polyoxyethylene Esters of Oleic Acid

 Polyglycerol Ester

 Glycerol Ester

 Gelatin

 Ethoxylated Sorbitan Ester

 Ethoxylated Alkylamine Ester

Forms Covered:

 Wet Wipes

 Spray Solutions

 Gels

 Creams

 Other Forms

Applications Covered:

 Food Packaging Films

 Agricultural Films

 Other Applications

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

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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

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 of feasibility check)

 Competitive Benchmarking

Benchmarking of key players based on product portfolio, geographical presence, and strategic alliances

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The staff of the Litchfield Jazz Festival is presenting the fourth installment of their free virtual concert series for April.
Linda Kosuda-Bigazzi only directly obtained $46,408.13 that was directly deposited into their jointly owned account, Geoghegan said in the warrant. UConn Health submits that Ms. Bigazzi wrongfully received monies into the account she held jointly with Dr. Bigazzi and that she also wrongfully permitted monies to be paid to other sources on Dr. Bigazzis behalf for several months when she knew that her husband was no longer performing work for UConn Health.
Over the weeks and weeks in negotiations with Democrats and with the White House on an infrastructure bill, the presidents other agenda was never linked to the infrastructure effort, Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney said on CNNs State of the Union on Sunday. He said that if Biden had not put out the statement, I think it would have been very, very hard for Republicans to say, yes, we support this.
But Klein emphasized that police arent looking to punish students, but instead try to focus on prevention. In talking with students, she stresses that they cant be certain of what chemicals are in vapes or how it will affect them.
But Peter Wolfgang, the executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut, which opposes abortion, said the bishops are right to respond to Catholic politicians who flout church teachings on abortion. After 48 years of legal abortion, we have now arrived at the point where Rosa DeLauro and her friends think they can threaten and bully the church in the public square, and the bishops that have to respond to that, he said.
For kids 4 to 8, Dr. Fauci: How a Boy from Brooklyn Became Americas Doctor by Kate Messner, illustrated by Alexandra Bye. (Simon & Schuster.) Anthony Fauci for decades has been the top U.S. specialist in infectious diseases, from AIDS through Ebola and Zika and into COVID-19. Messner said she wanted to show kids that these experts that they see on the news are not so different from them and to clear up misinformation about the vaccines. (MarketWatch)
The magnet he was using theoretically is able to pull up to 1,400 pounds, though using it underwater complicates things. He felt it attach to something, but couldnt quite yank it up. So Parr added a grappling hook onto the magnet, which managed to snag the ring at the top of the anchor.
Several months before the election, Taylor and his staff decided to help independent candidate Shaun Brown get on the ballot by circulating petitions calling for her name to be added. State Democrats believe Taylor wanted Brown in the race to siphon votes from Luria.
Often we talk about innovation and we hear that on many fronts from a theoretical perspective, said Superintendent Jeffery Smith. But this enterprise is another example of what we believe to be the innovative work taking place in Hampton City Schools.
The reforms were implemented as per the recommendations of a high-level committee headed by the then Special Chief Secretary J Satyanarayana. (PTI Photo)

Amaravati: More than twenty months after taking the decision, the Andhra Pradesh government on Saturday issued a formal order dispensing with the process of interviews for all future recruitments into government service, including the executive posts.

It was on October 17, 2019 that Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, at a high-level meeting on recruitments, took the decision to do away with personal interviews for all recruitments through the AP Public Service Commission.

Accordingly, APPSC Secretary P S R Anjaneyulu wrote to the General Administration Department on October 21, seeking necessary action on the issue. A top official in the General Administration Department said the new initiative was a "major reform", aimed at improving transparency and reducing subjectivity in all the recruitments in government cadre.

In an order on Saturday, Principal Secretary (Services and Human Resources Management) Shashi Bhushan Kumar said the government decided to dispense with the interview process "to maintain utmost transparency and ensure complete trust of the competing candidates in the entire selection process".

The new system, wherein only written examinations would be conducted for all categories of posts, including Group-1 services, would be applicable for all recruitments to be notified from now on.

In 2011, the then united AP government headed by N Kiran Kumar Reddy did away with the interview process for all subordinate services as part of the reforms introduced in APPSC recruitments. The reforms were implemented as per the recommendations of a high-level committee headed by the then Special Chief Secretary J Satyanarayana.

Written tests and interviews were, however, retained for executive posts like deputy collector, Deputy Superintendent of Police, commercial taxes officer, regional transport officer and the like. Henceforth, these recruitments too will happen through written examination only.
Health workers and volunteers from Tamilnadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) carry the body of a COVID-19 victim for burial in Chennai. (Photo: PTI/File)

Chennai: As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to prevail across the country, Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Saturday informed that the state has reported nine cases of the Delta Plus variant.

While addressing the press conference, Subramanian (in Tamil) said, "A patient who died on April 21 was infected with Delta Plus variant of coronavirus. A total of 9 cases of Delta Plus variant have been reported in Tamil Nadu so far."

Tamil Nadu reported 5,415 new COVID cases, 7,661 recoveries, and 148 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the health bulletin issued by the state health department yesterday. The total count of active cases in the state now stands at 44,924. As per the state government data, 23,83,624 people have recovered from the disease so far, while the death toll has mounted to 32,199.

Yesterday, Ludhiana has reported the first case of Delta Plus variant of COVID-19, said Deputy Commissioner VK Sharma on Saturday. Earlier on Friday, out of 21 cases of Delta plus variant of COVID-19, one has succumbed to the virus in Maharashtra, informed state health minister Rajesh Tope.

The Union Health Ministry, during a press conference on June 25 had informed that as many as 48 Delta Plus cases have been reported in the country.

"Wherever you find a cluster, you have to contain it," said Director-General of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Dr Balram Bhargava and added that the government, however had said that at this time the spread is still 'very localised'.

"The virus strain has been isolated and is being cultured by the ICMR - NIV and tests to check its resistance to existing COVID vaccines were ongoing", the govt added.

The government has also said 'delta plus' variant cases had been reported from 12 other countries, including the US and UK.

Union Health Ministry on Tuesday advised Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh on the presence of the Delta Plus mutation of the Covid-19 virus, that has been pegged as 'variant of concern' (VOC), in certain districts of these states.
Special security force arrives at Air Force Station after two low intensity explosions reported in the technical area of Jammu Air Force Station in the early hours of Sunday. (Photo:PTI)

SRINAGAR: Seen as a major security lapse, the disquieting twin blasts in the highly-sensitive Air Force Station (AFS) at Jammu are likely to be investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The Indian Air Force (IAF) has with the help of forensic experts has begun an internal probe into the incident that took place overnight, leaving two personnel with minor injuries and a barracks marginally damaged.

Soon after hearing about the incidents, a team of NIA rushed to the spot for the initial evidence gathering, the sources said.

The IAF and J&K police sources in Jammu said that two explosions, within a gap of five minutes, rocked the high-security technical area of Air Force Station (AFS) on the outskirts of Jammu the intervening night of June 26-27, causing minor damage to a barracks. Though Jammu-based defence spokesperson Lt Col Davendra Anand claimed that there was no injury to any personnel or any damage to equipment, sources said that two IAF personnel had received minor injuries.

The first blast occurred at 1.37 am and the second one at 1.42 am. The IAF tweeted, Two low intensity explosions were reported early Sunday morning in the technical area of Jammu Air Force Station. One caused minor damage to the roof of a building while the other exploded in an open area. There was no damage to any equipment. Investigation is in progress along with civil agencies.

Officials said that most probably drones were used for dropping bombs, but the investigators are also examining the possible sabotage from within angle. Sources said that the possible target of the act was the aircraft parked in the dispersal area.

A defence official who spoke to this newspaper on the condition of anonymity said, "The perpetrators may have failed to inflict fatalities or major damage to aircraft or equipment, it is a serious lapse which needs serious action."

Defence minister Rajnath Singh, before leaving for Leh on a three-day visit of Ladakh, spoke to Vice Air Chief Air Marshal Harjit Singh Arora regarding the explosions. A report said that Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria who is on a three-day visit to Bangladesh will soon reach Jammu for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation.

Soon after the blasts, a security alert was issued for all airports, air stations and vital installations across J&K and Ladakh. Also, tight vigil is being maintained near key installations in Pathankot in neighbouring Punjab. On January 2, 2016, a terror attack was carried out by a heavily armed group at the Pathankot AFS which is part of the Western Air Command of the IAF, leaving five attackers and six security personnel dead.

The sources and witnessed said that while a team of IAF officials along with forensic experts and a bomb disposal squad reached the scene of occurrence within the AFS Jammu immediately, those of the NIA and J&K police which has registered an FIR under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in the case and also officials of Central intelligence agencies were seen entering the premises at first light. Simultaneously, a massive search operation was launched outside the AFS. Media persons were not allowed to walk beyond the main entrance to the station "for security reasons."

The sources said that a team of the National Security Guard (NSG), the elite counter-terrorism unit under the Union home ministry, is also reaching the AFS.

The incident did not affect routine flight operations from the Jammu Airport, the officials said. The airport is manned by the IAF in Satwari of Jammu. "All flight operations were normal and as many as 16 flights scheduled for the day operated between Jammu and Delhi, Srinagar, Leh and Gwalior. Only two flights, G8 185 and SG 963, were cancelled for the day due to operational reasons,",said Jammu Airport director Pravat Ranjan Beuria.

Sources and that while the security agencies are looking into whether drones were used to drop an IED payload inside the AFS, located just 14 km from the India-Pakistan border, to trigger the blasts. They said that weapons and narcotic drugs have been dropped as far as 12 km inside Indian territory using drones in the recent past.
TMC leader Yashwant Sinha (4L) with NCP President Sharad Pawar (C) and other Rashtriya Manch leaders after a meeting at Pawar's residence, in New Delhi, Tuesday, June 22, 2021. (PTI Photo)

New Delhi: Days after the Rashtra Manch Manch met at the NCP supremo Sharad Pawars house in New Delhi in a bid to explore the possibilities for a third front sans Congress, the NCP and Shiv Sena, have made it clear that for any Opposition grouping to be a viable force against the BJP, the Congress will have to be a part of it.

Sources in the NCP said on Saturday that since the Congress is present in all states, it will have to be accommodated in the larger anti-BJP alliance. After returning to Maharashtra, Mr Pawar also said that if any such coalition emerges, its leadership will have to be "collective".

On Saturday, the Shiv Sena too made it clear that no grand Opposition alliance can be possible without the Congress being part of it. Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday said that work is on to bring all Opposition parties together at the national level, and this alliance will be incomplete without the Congress.

Speaking with reporters, Mr Raut said, There is no need for the third front or any other front. Sharad Pawar has already made it clear. The Congress will play an important role in the alliance. It will be a strong alternative to the present dispensation Work is in progress to bring all the Opposition parties together, which will not be complete till the Congress is roped in.

Maharashtra strongman and NCP chief Sharad Pawar had called a meeting of several Opposition parties under the aegis of Rashtra Manch started by him and current TMC leader Yashwant Sinha. The meeting that drew a lot of media attention as the formation of a third front against the BJP juggernaut was eventually termed as a "non-political meet" by the NCP.

Several Congress leaders were also called to the Rashtra Manch meeting but they decided not to attend. One of the leaders, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said, We have made our position clear even to the NCP. There can be no joint Opposition front without the Congress.

He further added that if the Rashtra Manch wanted the Congress to attend, it should have spoken with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and she would have deputed Congress leaders to attend.

Congress insiders claim that the change in NCP and Shiv Sena's stand regarding the joint Opposition front has come after a stern message was conveyed to the NCP.

Speculation about a joint Opposition gained momentum as the Rashta Manch meeting took place after Mr Pawar had several meetings with political strategist Prashant Kishor.
HYDERABAD: A. Revanth Reddy, the newly appointed Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president, on Sunday announced his intention to undertake padayatra from Alampur to Adilabad, but left it to the party high command to take a final call and fix the schedule. He will take charge on July 7.

The new PCC chief also got a shot in the arm with several district leaders and party workers queuing up to extend their solidarity. Several veteran leaders who opposed Revanth Reddys candidature, directly or indirectly, maintained silence over the decision taken with the final approval of party chief Sonia Gandhi.

K. Satyanarayana, president of Karimnagar District Congress Committee, N. Sridhar (Medchal), Dr Vamsi Krishna (Nagarkurnool) Narasimha Reddy (Ranga Reddy) and E Komaraiah (Peddapalli) were among those who called on Revanth Reddy and wished him on his elevation, according to a press release. Former member of Parliament S. Rajaiah, Bellaiah Naik and Addanki Dayakar also met the PCC chief.

Sharing his views with party leaders, Revanth Reddy said he had believed in collective decisions and would never act individually. The party is supreme and it would guide us the leaders, he said, adding that it was high time for the workers to convert their hard work into a movement against the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) government. It is absurd on part of TRS leaders to abuse former Chief Ministers N.T. Rama Rao and Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, he said.

Turning the tables against the TRS and the BJP, the Congress leader sought to know what action the BJP had taken against its leaders who went in a delegation to meet minister K.T. Rama Rao and even entered into an unholy electoral alliance with the TRS in the GHMC Lingojiguda division bypoll. The party (BJP) even set up a committee to probe into the circumstances leading to the meeting with Rama Rao and people were curious to know the outcome, he said adding that the Congress won the Lingojiguda bypoll despite the TRS and the BJP the joining hands.

Meanwhile, the appointment of Revanth Reddy created euphoria among the party cadre in several places. Party workers instantaneously celebrated his appointment by bursting crackers and distributing sweets without any leaders involvement, said Kaushik Reddy, a Congress leader and arch rival of former minister Etala Rajendar.

Echoing his views, but with a caution, Peddapalli DCC president Komaraiah said party cadre developed an emotional connect with Revanth Reddy and were crazy about him for his fight against the Chandrashekar Rao family but his success would largely depend on his ability to take the genuine Congress workers along with him. If he restricts himself to leaders who like him migrated to the Congress from other parties, mainly Telugu Desam, he would end up as a disaster, said Komaraiah.
When It's Just Too Hot Out There Outdoor and nature photographers must take the weather as it comes. But sometimes, enough is enough, like this weekend when the Seattle area is experiencing several days of record heat. In that spirit, here are some ideas of what you can do indoors when it's just too hot out there. To help paint a more complete picture of the situation, it's an easy drive from Seattle to the Canadian border, and the northern latitude means that many of us don't have air conditioning. It's just not needed that often. But this weekend is an outlier. They were predicting a high of 97 degrees yesterday, but we topped out at 102. They're predicting even hotter weather today and Monday. So far this morning, the evidence is that they'll be proven right. Some years ago, I bought a window air conditioner for the bedroom, but much of the house is left to fend for itself. So here I am, taking refuge in the one reasonably comfortable room in the house. As such, I thought it an appropriate occasion to offer some suggestions if you find yourself in a similar situation. After all, these are the things I'm doing on this swelteringly hot day. I have commitments that keep me in town this weekend, but otherwise, I'd be tempted to hit the road in search of shade and whatever there may be to photograph in the shade. I'd have to go quite a way to escape the heat entirely, but it might have been fun to try. As it is, my first project was to clean my camera gear before the house gets too hot. As much as I'd like to, I know I don't always take time to do a thorough job after each trip. I try to do this now and then anyway, but today gives me the perfect excuse. Both ends of every lens got a cleaning. I clean the lens caps as well. If not, I've found they can harbor all sorts of random grime that might eventually find its way to the glass. There's no sense cleaning the front element if I immediately then cover it with a dirty cap. Everything else gets a wipe down, and the camera bags get the vacuum treatment. It's worth disassembling your tripod occasionally as well to clean it, but I had other projects in mind. Next up was organizing and tagging metadata on some images. All this necessary work is another thing that I'd like to say I kept up on more. I'd like to, but that wouldn't always be true. And so today seems like the perfect opportunity for this sort of activity. Sitting in front of a computer doesn't involve much physical exertion, so I can stay cool while I sip on my ice water and catch up on my backlog. Over time, I've concluded there's no such thing as a good file naming convention, but anything is better than nothing. Consistency helps, too. As sad as my lot sounds today, I'm guessing I'm not the only one. Go ahead, tell me you couldn't use a few hours in front of your computer if you could find the time. And to think, this chance just fell into my lap. I'm just naturally lucky. Later on, I plan to research some possible locations on the Internet. In today's world, you can find pictures and details online for just about any area. The photos don't necessarily have to be works of art, either. They only need to give you an idea of the possibilities. An unusual rock outcropping or iconic vantage point has likely been discovered and photographed. Comparing any cool images to maps of the area gives me an idea of which direction they face and when might be the best time to visit. Lately, I find myself drawn to some sites in eastern Washington associated with the "ice age flood." During multiple successive ice ages, a giant glacial lake typically formed near present-day Missoula, Montana. Repeatedly, the water would build behind a massive ice dam and eventually break free, flooding its way across Washington state until it reached the sea down the Columbia River channel and its tributaries. Indeed, this phenomenon is why the Columbia Gorge is there at all with its majestic waterfalls. From the rolling hillside farmlands of the Palouse to the massive stone edifice that is Haystack Rock near Cannon Beach, Oregon, many famous northwest landmarks are associated with these ancient, glacial flood cycles. But there are also many more that, while less well known, are equally fascinating and often photogenic. A vast region known as the channeled scablands is home to some of the most atypical vistas for my area. Rather than green rainforests and alpine wildflowers, Washington and Central Oregon are also home to some gorgeous desert areas reminiscent of Moab, Utah, or perhaps Mars. Today would not be a good day to visit Dry Falls State Park or Potholes Coulee in central Washington, but it's a great time to research the area more thoroughly. I've been there several times, but not today. It would be hot there even without an excessive heatwave to spice things up. In between these and other time-filling but worthwhile projects today, I'm also working on this article. Sometimes, I have several weeks already written, just waiting to be published, while other times, I prefer to sit down on Sunday and write what's on my mind. This week, my thoughts and actions inexplicably have revolved around the temperature. Hopefully, you can relate to at least some of what I've had to say here. Many thanks to all of you for spending some of your time with me. As I publish this, it's already 102 degrees. We don't get this hot here, and for several days in a row, or at least we never have before. National news reports describe the current conditions in the Pacific Northwest as a "historic" heatwave that is shattering records. The famous motto of the postal service is that "neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night" will get in their way. Curiously, they don't include record heat in that list. But regardless of their tenacity, I have my limits. I'm lying low and hoping for cooler weather by midweek. It's not supposed to get above the low ninety's on Tuesday. Here's to better days ahead.
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HAMMOND  Former Portage Mayor James Snyder has been granted a one-week delay to respond to a request for an enhanced sentence in his federal bribery case based on claims by the government that he obstructed justice by asking a witness to recant his statements, according to a new court filing.

The response from Snyder's camp was due Thursday, but his legal team sought and was granted a filing delay until next Thursday.

"In order to adequately address the enhancement sought by the government, as well as to rebut other enhancements designed to increase Mr. Snyders Guidelines calculation, a short extension of seven (7) days is needed," his legal team wrote in its motion.

The defense said it has no intention of seeking a delay in the July 16 sentencing and does not believe the filing extension will impact any other case deadlines.

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

At issue is the government's claim that Snyder encouraged then-Assistant Portage Superintendent of Streets and Sanitation Randy Reeder to retract certain statements "regarded as unhelpful to the defendant," the defense said. The defense said it believes the claim is "unsupported in the record."

Reeder, who was granted prosecutorial immunity during Snyder's second bribery trial in March, told jurors Snyder had asked him to retract the unhelpful testimony. He referred to Snyder as his friend and then-boss.

"A proper response will require the review of voluminous transcripts of prior testimony by Mr. Reeder," Snyder's legal defense argued.

Federal prosecutors said last week they are seeking to impose a lengthy sentence on Snyder for bribery and tax evasion.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Koster has calculated the proposed sentence at between 46 to 57 months.

Koster argues that justice demands Snyders imprisonment to deter other elected officials from public corruption.

She said the government has twice proved Snyder, 43, a Republican, solicited and accepted a $13,000 bribe in 2014 in return for steering a $1.125 million garbage collection contract to the local Great Lakes Peterbilt company.

She said Snyder also obstructed the Internal Revenue Services efforts to collect unpaid taxes on a private mortgage company he ran.

He was indicted in late 2016 and was first found guilty in early 2019 of the bribery charge and federal tax violations. He is awaiting sentencing on the tax violations, but the bribery verdict was overturned later in 2019 and the March retrial was held.

Gallery: Recent arrests booked into Porter County Jail
Seen above is the front gate of SsangYong Motor's manufacturing facility in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, June 8. Yonhap



Best-case scenario for SsangYong is to sign contract with HAAH



By Lee Min-hyung



SsangYong Motor's painful restructuring plan is raising the possibility that the ailing South Korean vehicle manufacturer may woo potential investors.



Early this month, its union and management reached an agreement to apply cost-cutting measures such as initiating unpaid leave and additional wage cuts for executive-level employees.



Industry source believe the company still leaves much to be desired before signing a merger & acquisition (M&A) contract with a potential investor, as SsangYong has yet to prove its potential for a visible rebound clearly amid deteriorating profits.



Korea Development Bank (KDB), the main creditor of SsangYong, remains negative in its view over the possible revival of SsangYong, but the state-run lender said now is not the time to consider a worst-case scenario, given that the carmaker is signaling its willingness to endure a painstaking restructuring process.



The recent announcement of the carmaker's cost-cutting measures is its response after KDB was intensifying its pressure on SsangYong to reshape its strategy before attracting investment from a potential buyer. The bank already said the carmaker should take additional actions and display a viable revival plan for investors.



"The self-rescue plan proposed by SsangYong's labor and management will be assessed by potential investors," KDB's chief Lee Dong-gull told reporters during a recent press conference. "But the plan is not enough to attract capital from the viewpoint of prospective investors."



SsangYong's workers accepted an "unpaid leave" program lasting two years starting at the beginning of July under the recent labor agreement with its management. This agreement came in response to KDB Chairman Lee Dong-gull's warning delivered earlier this year, when he urged SsangYong's union and management to "put an immediate end" to their internal discord at a critical time when it has to find a new investor to avoid bankruptcy.



"We regard the latest passage of SsangYong's self-rescue plan as a positive signal for the firm's possible revival, as it will help the company cut fixed costs," a KDB official said. But what is of much more importance is its sustainable and viable plan for revival, according to him.



"KDB hopes the carmaker strikes an agreement with a responsible investor and presents specific plans for the firm's sustainable growth," the KDB spokesman said.



Starting from June 28, SsangYong Motor plans to put up an official notice of its sale and accept letters of intent. SsangYong's plan is to start holding price negotiations with a preferred bidder sometime around the end of October.



The scenario, however, can be made possible only if a group of investors show "sincere" intention for taking over the carmaker before the timeline begins.



SsangYong was supposed to submit its rehabilitation plan by July 1. But it demanded the Seoul Bankruptcy Court delay the submission date for another two months, as the plan should include SsangYong's plans to attract capital from investors. The carmaker has so far failed to reach any contract with an investor, even if some companies have expressed interest.



The companies that have already shown their interest in taking over the carmaker include U.S. auto retailer HAAH Automotive and Korea-based electric bus manufacturer Edison Motors. SsangYong plans to unveil its first electric vehicle in Europe in the latter half of this year, and keep focusing on launching new vehicles to show its growth potential.



The best-case scenario is for SsangYong to sign a contract with HAAH, as the company -- which wants to use SsangYong as a back-channel to strengthen its U.S. business -- is cited as one of the candidates that is capable of spending big for the acquisition of SsangYong stakes.



Edison's sincerity, however, remains questionable due to its financing capability. Unnamed companies from the U.S. and China have said that they will also submit letters of intent for the deal, but details have not been confirmed as to how many potential investors are sincere enough to finalize a deal with SsangYong.



Until early this year, HAAH appeared closest to signing a deal with SsangYong, but it soon lost momentum after the two firms failed to narrow their differences on specific contract terms.



SsangYong started losing money in 2017. After the company reported a deficit of 281.9 billion won ($249 million) in 2019, it continued its losing streak the following year when its annual operating loss topped 440 billion won.






Kimchi / gettyimagesbank



Some kimchi suppliers launch the campaign to certify eateries serving locally-processed kimchi



By Kang Hyun-kyung



Video footage showing a naked man submerged waist deep in a pool filled with cloudy water and cabbages at an unspecified kimchi factory in China caused an uproar among Koreans in March.



Disturbed by the video, Korean consumers have started to boycott kimchi produced in China and to look more carefully into how the food they eat has been made before it ends up on dining tables here.



Kim Ji-sook, who owns a small eatery selling home-cooked meals to office workers in downtown Seoul, said some of her customers have begun to ask her about the origin of the kimchi she serves in her restaurant.



"I don't lie; I tell them our kimchi was produced in China. But after hearing my answer, they don't eat the kimchi," she told The Korea Times.



She said that the video, highlighting unsanitary kimchi production conditions in an unspecified mainland Chinese plant, was a true game changer shaping her customers' consumption of kimchi. Her restaurant has more kimchi left over than before, triggering an increase in food waste.



Korea imports roughly 300,000 tons of kimchi annually from China. The vast majority of this imported kimchi goes to restaurants. The price of imported kimchi per 1 kg is about a third of the cost of kimchi produced in Korea, making the imported spicy side dish hard to turn down for pandemic-hit restaurant owners desperate to cut costs.



Lee Ha-yeon, president of the Kimchi Association of Korea (KAK), which consists of the heads of over 80 kimchi producers and suppliers, said that blaming restaurants as the main culprit behind the surge in kimchi imports is not constructive.



"The blame game doesn't help," she said. "Kimchi from mainland China is a lot cheaper than kimchi made in Korea. In a capitalist society, it's natural that restaurant owners are tempted to go for a cheaper product."



Lee said the practice of providing free refills of kimchi is the main reason restaurants serve cheap mainland Chinese-made kimchi. "Restaurants allow customers to have free refills of kimchi. As long as free refills continue, I think restaurants will have no option but to keep serving cheaper Chinese kimchi," she said.



KAK has turned to implementing a "realistic" measure to make sure that consumers eat kimchi processed in sanitary conditions at local restaurants.



It launched an ambitious campaign to certify restaurants serving kimchi produced in Korea with local ingredients. KAK members hope that the labeling campaign can lead to an increase in the consumption of Korean kimchi and help struggling local kimchi suppliers see a business breakthrough.



"I think consumers need to understand that kimchi is not free of charge. They need to pay for it if they want to eat safe kimchi," Lee said.





Lee Ha-yeon, president of Kimchi Association of Korea, makes kimchi in this undated photo. Courtesy of Lee Ha-yeon



In the campaign, eateries that serve kimchi made using local ingredients or produced in Korea can apply for a "locally-produced kimchi" label. They are required to submit related documents and pieces of evidence that can prove their claims. Their applications will be thoroughly reviewed by KAK committee members. If all requirements are met, the organization issues certificates to the restaurants.



Lee said that the KAK so far has received applications from some 5,000 eateries all across the country. Among other cities and provinces, she said that restaurants based in South Jeolla Province are the most active in the voluntary labeling program nationwide.



"Restaurants in South Jeolla Province are keen to join the labeling program mainly because they know it will create a win-win circumstance for local farmers, kimchi suppliers and consumers," she said. "The Jeolla region is home to premium salt, as Shinan County is world-famous for its mineral-rich salt used in seasoning cabbage. Farmers in the region produce cabbage, green onions, red pepper and other vegetables that are used as the key ingredients of kimchi. Due to its geographical location in the West Sea, a variety of fish sauces are available there, too."



Lee said that her schedule this week and in July is packed with business trips to provincial cities to present certificates to owners of eateries who meet the locally-produced kimchi label qualifications.



"Our rationale behind the restaurant certification is that consumers can choose certified eateries over non-certified ones that provide mainland Chinese kimchi. This ability to choose will create a chain reaction in non-certified eateries as their owners will feel pressured and will ultimately consider joining the certification program as well," she said. "If this happens, consumers will be able to eat kimchi produced locally in sanitary conditions."





A label certifying locally-processed kimchi
People use a rapid self-test kit for COVID-19 detection as a part of precaution against the coronavirus disease before entering a music festival venue in Seoul, June 26. AP-Yonhap



South Korea's daily new virus cases stayed in the 600s for the fifth straight day Sunday as health authorities brace for revamped social distancing rules while pushing to accelerate vaccinations.



The country reported 614 more COVID-19 cases, including 570 local infections, raising the total caseload to 155,071, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.



The latest figure was down 54 from the previous day but still worrisome as daily virus cases on Sundays had been below 600 in June.



Daily caseloads here have been going through some ups and downs between the 300s and 700s in recent months with no significant signs of a letup due to sporadic cluster infections nationwide.



The country added one more death, raising the death toll to 2,013. The fatality rate was 1.3 percent.



South Korea will implement a new social distancing scheme Thursday, aimed at allowing businesses to extend operating hours and easing restrictions on social gatherings in accordance with the country's accelerating vaccination drive.






Kim Gi-pyo, presidential secretary for anti-corruption, has been mired in a controversy over real estate speculation by taking out multimillion dollar loans.







Kim, who was appointed to the position in March, reported to the government that he owns real estate worth 9.12 billion won ($8.08 million) while having financial liabilities of 5.62 billion won, according to data.







His registered properties include two commercial stores in Seoul worth 6.55 billion won combined; an apartment in the city of Seongnam, south of Seoul, worth 1.45 billion won; and forest land adjacent to a district currently under development in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, worth 830 million won.







"He made the investment when he worked as a lawyer," an official of the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said. "He is now trying to sell some of what he now has."







Kim, who worked as a prosecutor, served as a lawyer between 2014 and 2021.







While denying the speculation allegations, Kim apologized "for causing misunderstanding" and vowed to "swiftly" dispose of some of the assets, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Park Kyung-mee.







President Moon Jae-in's replacement of the anti-corruption secretary in March came amid his push to root out corruption in the public service following the report of a massive land speculation scandal involving some officials at the state-run Korea Land Housing Corp. (LH).







The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) lashed out at Kim and the presidential office and demanded his immediate resignation.







Real estate is one of the most sensitive issues in South Korea recently, as home prices and rent have skyrocketed under the Moon government.







In March 2019, then presidential spokesperson Kim Eui-kum stepped down over allegations he made a speculative real estate investment in a lucrative urban redevelopment zone in Seoul. (Yonhap)


Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl during the opening ceremony of a park built to memorialize independence activist Lee Hoe-yeong on Namsan, Jung-gu, Seoul, June 9. Yonhap



By Nam Hyun-woo



Cheong Wa Dae is stunned and puzzled as a number of former or current aides of President Moon Jae-in are emerging as candidates for next year's presidential election  but now for the conservative opposition bloc.



Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl and current Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) Chairman Choi Jae-hyeong are expected to announce their presidential bids this week. They had all been named to their positions by Moon, but have been receiving calls from the conservative opposition bloc after locking horns with the administration over investigating allegations unfavorable to the Moon government.



Against this backdrop, Moon's first finance minister, Kim Dong-yeon, is also being mentioned as a potential opposition candidate, irritating the President and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).



According to his spokesperson, Yoon is set to declare his bid for the presidency on Tuesday, threatening to become the leading conservative opposition candidate in the presidential election scheduled for March of next year. Yoon was involved in a conflict with the Moon administration after ordering the prosecution of former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, a close ally of Moon. Cho resigned just 35 days after taking office as justice minister in September of last year, due to a prosecution investigation into various allegations surrounding his family.



Even before stepping down from his post in March, Yoon had led public opinion polls as the top presidential contender, although he had not spoken out directly about his presidential bid. After making an official announcement, Yoon is expected to make more public moves, such as officially joining the conservative main opposition People Power Party (PPP).



Along with Yoon, BAI Chairman Choi is expected to offer his resignation as early as Monday, which is viewed as an indirect sign that he will run in the presidential race.



Choi's relationship with the Moon administration turned sour last year during the BAI's audit into the government's decision to decommission the Wolsong-1 nuclear reactor before its maturity. At that time, the BAI found that a study on the nuclear reactor's feasibility had been "unreasonably undervalued" in order to support an early shutdown.



Choi had been overshadowed by Yoon as a presidential contender, but his profile has risen quickly in the conservative opposition bloc, after recent rumors that there is an "X-file" containing allegations raising serious issues about Yoon's moral integrity.





Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) Chairman Choi Jae-hyeong speaks during a press conference at BAI headquarters in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Feb. 13, 2019. Yonhap



So far, Moon is still maintaining his trust in Yoon and Choi, despite their switch to the conservative opposition bloc.



In January, at the peak of the conflict between Moon and Yoon, the President referred to him as, "the prosecutor general of our administration." He also said that he trusted that Yoon's investigation into the scandals involving Moon's aides, as well as Choi's audit into the President's key policies, were not politically motivated.



As the chance of them officially becoming presidential candidates of the opposition bloc, grows, however, Cheong Wa Dae is now struggling to hide its vexation.



During a radio interview on Friday, Lee Cheol-hee, the senior presidential secretary for political affairs, said, "There is such a thing as terms, which exist for public officials like the prosecutor general and BAI chairman in order to guarantee their political neutrality and independence." He added, "Not serving their full terms due to political activities  such as to run in an election  is indeed a minus factor for their organizations."



Though Lee refused to comment directly about Choi's presidential candidacy, he said that he "personally wants Choi to remain a great mind of society." With regards to Yoon's moves to run as a conservative opposition bloc candidate for president, Lee also said that he is "not in a position to comment," although he has "a lot of things that he would like to say."





Former Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon speaks to reporters while running a volunteer group at Myeongdong Cathedral in Jung-gu, Seoul, June 20. Yonhap
By Kwon Mee-yoo





Kim Gi-pyo, presidential secretary for anti-corruption / Korea Times file

Kim Gi-pyo, the presidential secretary for anti-corruption, resigned on Sunday following mounting criticism over allegations of his real estate speculation. Kim purchased billions of won worth of real estate mainly through loans  a practice that the Moon Jae-in government has criticized for contributing to property speculation and pledged to root out.



Park Soo-hyun, the senior presidential secretary for public communication, said that Kim offered his resignation because he did not want to burden the administration. The President accepted the resignation immediately.



Kim, who was named as the anti-corruption secretary in March, reported that he owns 9 billion won ($8 million) worth of real estate: an apartment in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province valued at 1.45 billion won, two commercial stores in Seoul worth 6.55 billion won and forest land in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, valued at 840 million won. He has 5.62 billion won worth of debt, suggesting that he purchased a large portion of this real estate through loans.



The forest land, in particular, which Kim purchased for 49 million won in 2017 when he was a lawyer, was not connected to a road and was available at a cheap price at that time. However, it was only about 1 kilometer away from a new development area that was approved in 2018. This connection has led to suspicions of land speculation.



Initially, Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Park Kyung-mee offered an explanation on behalf of Kim, Saturday, that he had purchased the land in Gwangju upon the request of his acquaintance, who had been cash-strapped, and that he knew the lot was not included in the development scheme.



"Kim is sorry for causing any misunderstanding, regardless of the reason. He is trying to sell some of his properties, including the Gwangju land," Park said.





Kim Gi-pyo, left, presidential secretary for anti-corruption, speaks with Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo at Cheong Wa Dae, June 1. Korea Times photo by Wang Tae-seok
Courtesy of Loco Steve



By David A. Tizzard




By Kim Sun-ae





In a book titled "The Moment the Question Becomes the Answer," Lee Won-jae, a critic on the economy, talks about his childhood when he lived on Sorok Island in South Jeolla Province. Most of the residents there were people with leprosy, and they were provided with housing, food and medical care. In other words, they did not need to earn money in order to survive.



However, they sold their agricultural products by doing small-scale farming, received wages by helping out at a hospital, volunteered at a church, and participated in religious activities at a Buddhist temple. Lee saw that even though the basic conditions for survival were guaranteed, people found meaningful work to do.



Some people say that if the basic income system is introduced, people will become lazy and simply refuse to work. If you receive, for example, 300,000 won a month as a basic income, will you decide not to work? Probably not. Most people indeed want to work and do something meaningful or beneficial for their community.



In any kind of economic activity, we depend on other people and nature. To produce something, we need various kinds of knowledge that other people have accumulated, as well as our own efforts.



Kang Nam-hun, the chair of the Basic Income Korea Network and a professor of economics, explains that the concept of "basic income" came out of the belief that there is common wealth in the world, including land and air, and that all members of society have the right to share in the profits from this common wealth.



Basic income, which will reduce income inequality, can also help us deal with the climate crisis. Kang says that the most effective way to cut carbon emissions is to impose a tax on companies in proportion to the carbon emissions they produce and then redistribute that total carbon tax collected to every citizen as a basic income.



The climate affects all of us, and if a company contributes to worsening the climate crisis by emitting greenhouse gases, it has a responsibility to compensate everyone. To avoid paying a lot of tax, companies will then make efforts to decrease the amount of carbon emissions produced by their economic activities.



Reducing carbon emissions is an urgent task, and in the process, many workers in coal-fired power plants, or in the aviation industry, among others, will lose their jobs. A basic income will be helpful to those people too. The government will also need to provide support for them to get other jobs.



In addition, a basic income will help increase food security. Korea is greatly dependent on food imports, and is thus vulnerable to global food crises that may result from climate change. In Korea, it is not easy to make a living by farming, and the number of farmers has been continuously declining with industrialization and urbanization.



Nevertheless, with a basic income that guarantees every individual's survival, and with the government's active support for agriculture and rural areas, more people will be able to stay or become farmers. In other words, a basic income will contribute to increasing Korea's food self-sufficiency rate.





Kim Sun-ae is a writer and translator.




This article is the fifth in a series about Koreans adopted abroad. Apparently, many Koreans never expected that the children who were sent away via adoption would return as adults demanding answers to questions. However, thousands of adoptees visit Korea each year. Once they rediscover this country, it becomes a turning point in their lives. We should embrace dialogue with adoptees to discover the path to recovering our collective humanity.  ED.



By Lee Kyung-eun





Privatization has been one of the most powerful and worst legacies of the Korean adoption system, continuing to affect the lives of adoptees in the present.







In general, "privatization" refers to the process of moving something from the public sector to the private sector, mainly for the supposed purposes of promoting efficiency and lowering bureaucratic costs. However, not everything can be privatized. Essential government functions, such as national security, the police or firefighters are not considered to be within the realm of privatization. Child protection and adoption should also be considered in the same category as those essential public functions.







In South Korea, adoption has remained in the private realm. Actually, it may be inappropriate to say that it was "privatized," since it was a private business from the very beginning and has never been included in the public welfare system. Orphanages and transnational adoption emerged for the first time in Korean history in the aftermath of the Korean War, and were fueled by an influx of foreign aid. The concept of "child welfare" in Korea was brought to Korea by private organizations funded by foreign charities and has been left in their hands.







"An adoption shall be valid only if it is granted by a judicial or administrative authority." This statement is the first essential provision of the European Convention on the Adoption of Children, established in 1967. Thus, the fact that the concept of private adoption was prohibited was an international norm as early as the 1960s. What does the term, "private adoption," mean? The term means an adoption that occurred without the intervention of public authorities, such as the courts. Parents should not be allowed to give up their own children for adoption to another person or to a private entity. People should not be able to give and take babies, no matter what the intention. Why? Because it is too dangerous for the life, security and safety of the concerned child. However small they may be, they are entitled to human rights and it is the state's obligation to protect them.







By allowing adoption to remain in the private realm, Korea's adoption laws have given private agencies absolute and comprehensive power over a child once he or she is given up to the adoption agency. In my previous

, I explained the procedure of how children have become legally orphaned. Private entities have been endowed with the power to create new identities for people. Those identities can be fake or distorted. Adopted children's identities have been switched with that of other children. Such corruption is possible because it occurred outside of the scrutiny of public authorities.







If such acts were committed by individual brokers or by intermediaries in one of the countries notorious for exporting orphans, it would be criticized for laundering children or fall under suspicion of human trafficking. However, the governments of Western countries receiving the orphans, which should also bear co-responsibility in the process of transnational adoption, publicly acknowledge that they trust Korean adoption agencies' practices as being transparent and ethical and keep on receiving babies through them.







In South Korea, it is against the law to engage in the transnational adoption business without permission, and there have been only three or four agencies that acquired the authorization from the government. The same law granted the agencies to receive adoption fees from foreign adoptive parents. Their revenue structure depends on the fees. So the number of children adopted decides the amount of revenue of those agencies.







Seeing the National Assembly's Minutes of the Health and Welfare Committee in 1965, Korea decided to allow the adoption agencies to receive fees from foreign adoptive parents, by stating that, " in the process of carrying out orphan adoption to receiving countries, we can acquire about 130 dollars per person when we send them overseas and also save (welfare) costs on housing orphans at the same time. It is like killing two birds with one stone."







Some may argue that we could not help giving up children at the time, because we were war victims and poor. Thus, we overlooked the export of babies with the excuse that it was being done to save war orphans. However, what would these same people say to the fact that the philosophy and scheme of transnational adoption has not changed even in the present day? This country is still outsourcing child welfare to private entities and evading its responsibility to protect minors.







In 2014, the government of Sweden, which has adopted almost 10,000 babies from Korea for decades, conducted an on-site assessment of adoption fees. According to their report, the official fee (not including other costs and donations) that Swedish parents pay to adopt a Korean child is 221,526 Krona (about 30,000,000 won). This amount is paid to the Swedish adoption agency. The portion that goes to the Korean adoption agency is 143,816 Krona. The report said that most of the amount paid to the Korean counterpart agency is accounted for as the "child protection cost."







The report shows that this country still relies on foreign adoptive parents for the protection cost of the Korean children. It is evident that both the adoption agencies and the Swedish government are well aware that these children were under the control of private businesses, and not under the public child protection system.







Since adoption procedures were privatized, adoptees' identities have been privatized too. Adoptees' birth records are considered the private possessions of those organizations. In order to do a search into the birth family or verify their true identity, adoptees are subjected to the so-called "post-adoption services" of private organizations. In many cases, access to adoption documents is denied or restricted by the arbitrary and inconsistent decisions of these agencies. If an adoptee chooses to disagree with the non-disclosure decision or questions the truthfulness of the files, there is no appropriate method of appealing or seeking mediation.







Justice delayed is justice denied. Since justice has been delayed for so long in adoption, the right to know one's identity is being denied. The Korean adoption system must not be allowed to be driven by profit. People's identities should not be privatized either. If human rights violations are caused by legislation, the government has an obligation to change the law. The receiving countries, too, must undertake their co-responsibility to restore their citizens' rights to knowing their identities.



Lee Kyung-eun is the director of Human Rights Beyond Borders and author of the Korean-language book, "The Children-selling Country."


Video streaming giant should not pass costs on to consumers



A local court ruled against global video streaming giant Netflix in its network usage fee dispute with Korean internet access provider SK Broadband (SKB), Friday. The Seoul Central District Court rejected Netflix's request for confirmation that it has no obligation to negotiate with SKB. The court also dismissed a request from the U.S.-based video-streaming service provider for it not to be liable to pay network usage fees to the internet service provider. "Concluding contracts and paying prices are matters to be decided through the negotiation of the concerned parties," the court said. "It is not a matter for the court to get involved in."



At the heart of the matter was the judgment on who should pay the expenses incurred by global providers' expansion of services. SKB has accused Netflix of free riding on its network, despite the massive traffic caused by its streaming service. Netflix's stance raised controversy that local platform service providers that pay such fees, such as Naver and Kakao, are being discriminated against. Netflix pays network use fees to telecom companies in the U.S. and France, but not in Korea.



The court's refusal to accept Netflix's arguments was meaningful in that it has laid the basis to rectify the "reverse discrimination" problem. However, it is regrettable that the court stopped short of making a judgment on the network use fee itself. Nevertheless, its ruling against Netflix amounts to a de facto recognition of the principle that the beneficiary should shoulder the cost. The ruling has also provided a guideline for network usage fees when other foreign over-the-top (OTT) service providers, including Disney+ and Amazon Prime, advance here.



If Netflix pays network usage fees to SKB through their negotiations, it would be least desirable for the U.S. company to pass the costs on to local consumers by increasing subscription fees. Likewise, SKB should use the fees it receives from Netflix to upgrade service quality and enhance consumer satisfaction. We hope the ruling will serve as an occasion to create an internet ecosystem that makes winners of all the parties concerned  content providers, internet service providers and consumers.


Government should not try to tame prosecutors



The Ministry of Justice conducted its biggest reshuffle involving 662 mid-level prosecutors Friday. Yet the ministry has come under attack for promoting pro-government prosecutors to key posts, while relegating to trivial posts the prosecutors spearheading investigations into alleged irregularities of the Moon Jae-in administration.



The reshuffle was apparently designed to prevent the prosecution from investigating allegations of wrongdoings involving core members of the political elite. All prosecutors who led such investigations were replaced. The government has virtually disbanded almost all of the probe teams that had been digging up dirt on President Moon's close aides and ranking officials.



Those cases include an illegal exit ban on former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-ui, and the alleged manipulation of the economic value of the aged Wolsong-1 nuclear reactor to justify its earlier-than-scheduled closure in line with Moon's nuclear phase-out policy. The investigation teams have sought to indict presidential officials for their alleged scheme to force prosecutors to reinvestigate Kim, who was acquitted of charges of receiving sexual favors arranged by a local builder more than 10 years ago. They have also tried to indict former Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Paik Un-gyu for his alleged role in falsifying the reactor data.



On the other hand, the ministry promoted a prosecutor, who played a key role in imposing the illegal exit ban on Kim, to deputy director. It is difficult to understand how such a prosecutor could be promoted although he was indicted for the ban. Other pro-government figures close to Justice Minister Park Beom-kye and his predecessor Choo Mi-ae were promoted to major posts in the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office.



The ministry already drew criticism for promoting pro-government figures in the June 4 reshuffle of 41 senior prosecutors. Then Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office chief Lee Sung-yoon was promoted to lead the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office although he was indicted on charges of wielding undue influence in 2019 to stop an investigation into the exit ban case. Lee, widely known for his pro-Moon stance, should have been suspended from duty or subject to disciplinary action over his alleged violation of the law.



The Moon administration has gone all out to directly control the law enforcement agency since former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl waged an anti-corruption campaign against officials and politicians of the ruling bloc. Yoon incurred the hatred of the powers that be, not least because he targeted former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, one of Moon's close aides, over alleged corruption and university admissions fraud involving his family.



It is wrong to try to tame prosecutors to protect officials and politicians from possible criminal charges. The government's bid to control the prosecution will undermine the agency's political neutrality and independence. Moon's much-touted prosecutorial reform will go up in smoke as long as he keeps trampling on the basic elements of the rule of law.


Fishing and riding boats under the pedestrian bridge Indogyo / Robert Neff Collection



By Robert Neff



Up until the early part of the 20th century, the only way to cross the unfrozen Han River was by one of the many small ferries that operated on both banks. They carried everything  people, goods, chickens, pigs and even oxen and horses. When Horace N. Allen, an American missionary doctor, arrived in Seoul in 1884, rather than dismount and lead his pony onto the ferry, he elected to remain in the saddle  he felt it was safer to stay mounted than to get off and risk the pony's snapping teeth or its accurate kicking hooves.



An angry Korean pony was not the only thing to fear while crossing the river. It wasn't uncommon for these ferries to sink  either due to faulty maintenance, the actions of the passengers or cargo or the ferryman's poor judgment  and many lives were lost. There needed to be a safer way across the river.



When the Korean government agreed to allow the Seoul-Chemulpo Railroad to build a bridge across the river, it was stipulated that a pedestrian walkway also had to be constructed to run alongside the tracks. According to the Wikipedia entry for the Hangang Railway Bridge, this was not done by the Japanese consortium that owned the railroad because of financial difficulties. However, an article published in 1900 claims that "on one side of the bridge is a walk 4 feet [1.2 meters] wide." Perhaps this "walk" was only used for maintenance, because it is very hard to imagine it being used for pedestrian and beast-of-burden traffic.





Pedestrians can be seen walking on the footpaths on the side of Indogyo Bridge while oxen with large loads of brushwood occupy the center lane. Circa 1920s-1930s. / Robert Neff Collection



In 1910, an enterprising Japanese man named Ueda built a pontoon bridge across the Han River near Mapo. Every morning, Ueda would sit at one end of the bridge and his wife would sit at the opposite end and collect the exorbitant fee they charged for people to cross the bridge. Apparently each person was charged between 5 jeon and 10 jeon (about 5,000 won to 10,000 won). It is hard to imagine many people being able to pay those prices back then.



At night, Ueda and his wife would close the bridge's gates  thus closing off traffic until they returned in the morning. The only option open to tardy travelers was to seek passage on one of the small ferries or try and sneak across the railroad bridge  no easy task as it was probably well-guarded.



Many people took issue with Ueda's success  especially the ferry operators who saw the bridge as a threat to their livelihood  and soon a large demonstration  or riot  took place. It is said that nearly 10,000 people participated. Eventually the ringleaders were apprehended and the riot dispersed. The authorities told the people to be patient  that the bridge would be eventually washed away by the rainy season.





Small boats pass under the pedestrian bridge and the railroad bridges in the background, circa 1930s. / Robert Neff Collection



In October 1917, the Indogyo (Pedestrian) Bridge was constructed and for the first time people  and beasts of burden  could easily cross the river. Along both edges there were pedestrian paths and in the center was a lane for small carts, oxen and ponies. It was a symbol of modernity  a step into the future  but it also became a popular site for people to commit suicide.



According to Prof. Andrei Lankov:



"[Attempted suicides] became so common that the authorities decided to place a permanent police post at the bridge to prevent people from jumping to their death. To re-enforce the message, they also erected special signs in Korean and Japanese which read: 'Endure just a little more!' and were meant to make people think twice before committing suicide."





Beneath the pedestrian bridge probably in the 1930s / Robert Neff Collection



In July 1925, the bridge was heavily damaged during a great flood that claimed hundreds of lives. It was later rebuilt and became a place where families could frolic to escape the oppressive heat of summer. There were, however, dangers to playing in the river's depths. According to an editorial in 1928:



"[The] Han River in the summer is the only place where the citizens of Seoul can avoid the scorching heat. Riding in their boats or swimming, it seems as if the Han River is their only paradise, however, under the blue water are the dark black hands of the water ghosts [who] float in the current and constantly make their unlucky victims part of the spiritual unwater realm."



These water ghosts were said to be victims of drowning  some accidental while others deliberately killed. With its reconstruction, the bridge had regained its notoriety.





A memorial on the Han River placates the drowned, April 2020. / Robert Neff Collection
This illustration shows the LG and Magna joint venture with logos of each company, Sunday. Courtesy of LG Electronics



Talks are still underway between LG-Magna venture and Apple



By Kim Yoo-chul



In business, chief competitors are basically frenemies, as seen in the complicated Samsung-Apple partnership. Samsung needs Apple as the iPhone designer orders lots of components, while Apple also needs Samsung as it can reliably produce lots of semiconductors for its gadgets.



Unlike the high-profile Samsung-Apple partnership, LG is seeking a "next-level" partnership with Apple, from a mere supplier-client partnership to a substantial client-client partnership, amid the South Korean company's ongoing shift towards electronic vehicle supply chain-focused business-to-business (B2B) segment.



Sources said LG Electronics plans to sell Apple iPhones at the firm's nationwide retail shops branded as LG Best Shop. LG was in talks with Apple to finalize some "outstanding issues" before the release of Apple devices  excluding its computer lineup  at its authorized local distributors in August this year.



Of course, LG Electronics said "nothing has been decided." Sources said LG has no option but to sell Apple's core products here, as it can't afford to lose its edge in mobile marketing activities despite its withdrawal from the handset business.



As LG Electronics will only be granted the right for the sale of Apple products at the company-owned stores with Apple handling and managing warranty policies, LG Electronics' de facto approvals will help Apple better compete with Samsung Electronics for more mobile sales in the Korean market.



In terms of the total market size, Korea is not such an important market for Apple from its viewpoint. But Apple is pushing ahead for improved sales of 5G-embedded devices with Korean carriers as a litmus test before advancing other target markets. LG Electronics' Best Shop has over 400 locations across the country and it is set to complete needed procedures regarding the withdrawal of its mobile business within the next month.



The central point is this possibility follows the upcoming launch of LG Magna e-Powertrain, LG's vehicle component joint venture with Magna International. Given LG's strengths in core electric vehicle (EV) components such as displays, batteries and motors and its long-time reliable partnerships with its tech affiliates, chances are high the LG-Magna venture will win an initial volume of Apple EVs.



"Talks are still underway between the LG-Magna venture and Apple in terms of addressing outstanding issues and differentiation regarding the specifics for the production of first-generation Apple EVs," a top-ranking industry executive said by telephone, Sunday. In April, The Korea Times was the first to report that Apple was "very close" to signing an agreement with the LG-Magna venture.



"Because of the withdrawal of it smartphone business, LG is assigned and asked to fill in the void of its mobile departure. Given its strength in automotive parts, winning even a small volume of Apple EVs would help the company build momentum in assisting the group's top management initiatives at the growing EV-related businesses," another industry executive said.



LG Energy Solution trails only China's CATL for the top spot in EV batteries. LG Display operates "Apple-designated" panel lines in Gumi and Paju, regional cities in South Korea, while LG Innotek supplies camera modules to Apple and onboard cameras for vehicles.


A man receives a shot of Vaxzevria (formerly COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca) at a hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam, Sunday. EPA-Yonhap



Samsung donates W2.8 billion to central Vietnamese government



By Kim Yoo-chul



The Vietnamese government is facing an alarming spike in COVID-19 infections and top Korean firms, which operate in the Southeast Asian country, are actively responding Hanoi's apparent request to join its vaccine fundraising drive.



According to industry officials and Vietnamese government sources, Sunday, Samsung Electronics donated around 2.8 billion won to the central Vietnamese government and regional government.



Samsung made both cash and medical aid contributions to the country's industrial northern provinces _ home to key manufacturing facilities of Samsung Electronics _ which have been hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. "Out of the total donation Samsung contributed to Vietnam, the conglomerate gave 2 billion won only to the central Vietnamese government," said one industry source.



Samsung's total donation amount is the largest among other foreign companies which have operations in the Southeast Asian country. SK also donated some 1.1 billion won to the central Vietnamese government. LG Electronics donated 1.5 billion won to the Hai Phong regional government, where the company's production lines are located.



Japan's Toyota Motor and Taiwan's Foxconn also topped the lists of foreign donors. The multinational companies are donating huge sums of money because they have a large presence in Vietnam.



But Samsung, LG Electronics and SK are feeling a bigger burden to make sizable contributions as they have a larger presence in the Southeast Asian country and a failure to respond to Hanoi's request could possibly impact their ongoing and future business projects, according to sources.



These top Korean exporters have been the top source of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnam. By March this year, some 948 projects were initiated by Korean companies in Bac Ninh, with a total registered investment capital of some $11 billion. That is around 53 percent of the FDI flowing into the Vietnamese province.



Samsung operates two massive factories in northern Vietnam, which account for around 50 percent of the company's global smartphone output. Foxconn, a top component supplier to Apple, has a plant, there too, while Toyota also assembles budget models in Vietnam.





People rest after receiving a shot of Vaxzevria (formerly COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca) at a hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam, Sunday. EPA-Yonhap
POSCO's Guangdong CGL plant in Guangdong, China / Courtesy of POSCO





By Kim Hyun-bin







POSCO and China's second-largest steelmaker HBIS inked a deal to establish a $600 million joint venture in China to produce and sell automotive steel sheets, the company said.







The deal was sealed between POSCO's steel business unit head Kim Hag-dong and HBIS Group General Manager Wang Lanyu, in an online meeting attended by POSCO Chairman Choi Jeong-woo and HBIS Group President Yu Yong, Friday, to set up a 50-50 joint venture in Laoting in China's Heibei province.







"Through the partnership with HBIS Group, we plan to strengthen our position as the most competent automotive steel sheet supplier in China, the world's largest market for automotive steel sheets," Choi said after signing the deal with HBIS.







HBIS Group is China's second-leading steelmaker and the world's third-largest, capable of producing 44 million tons of crude steel. POSCO and the Chinese company are listed on the Fortune Global 500 list in 2020.







The two steel giants will invest a total $600 million, or $300 million each, to build a steel sheet production plant capable of producing 900,000 tons in Tangshan, Heibei province.







The construction of the plant is scheduled to start in January next year with the goal of completion by the end of 2023.







In addition, POSCO plans to incorporate its Guangdong CGL as a subsidiary company into the joint venture. The plant is capable of producing 450,000 tons of steel sheets annually.







With the incorporation, the venture will be able to produce 1.35 million tons of steel sheets.







POSCO and HBIS management sign a joint venture agreement to increase production and sales of automotive steel sheets in China. From left, HBIS Group President Yu Yong and General Manager Wang Lanyu, and POSCO head of steel business unit Kim Hag-dong and Chairman Choi Jeong-woo. Courtesy of POSCO





Choi said his company's partnership with HBIS Group could help strengthen its position as a leading supplier of automotive steel sheets in China.







Through the cooperation with HBIS, POSCO plans to better meet the rise in steel sheet demand in China and to establish a secure supply system.







China is expected to show continuous growth along with the rise in demand for automotive steel sheets in the region, POSCO said.







According to IHS, China's automotive steel sheet market is expected to show an annual production of 30 million vehicles by 2030, taking over the top seed in the global market. China took up 32 percent of global automotive production last year by producing 25 million vehicles.







"POSCO plans to secure a production and sales structure through the joint venture with HBIS in China, where the demand for automotive steel sheets continues to rise, and plans to become a leading supplier of steel sheets and maintain our first tier status," a POSCO official said.







Shares in POSCO rose 0.57 percent to 352,000 won ($312), Friday.








Location: 5025-Wichita Hauling



Job Title

Local CDL Driver

Primary Location

Wichita, Kansas

Employee Type

Employee

Job Description



Waste Connections of Kansas is looking for a safety conscience CDL Class B Route Driver to join the team in Wichita, KS!

The ideal driver will have a self-motivated, go getting attitude, that is looking to excel and grow with our GROWING company! Why work for Waste Connections? ~Competitive Compensations~

~Safety Bonuses - Get rewarded for your safe habits~

~Yearly Boot Stipend - Get your boots covered~

~Benefits Plans - Keep yourself healthy~

~Matching 401(K) - Connect to your future~ What we do: We provide trash and disposal services to the local community. You, a vital piece of the team, would be responsible for safely operating a garbage truck into neighborhoods and picking up trash, while providing the best service in the industry. This includes duties such as: Ability to safely operate delivery truck and eventually rear load and/or front load garbage truck to deliver containers safely.

Ability to read route sheets and service each customer identified on the sheet or assigned by the dispatcher.

Perform daily pre and post trip inspections.

Ability to perform a physically demanding job, lifting and moving containers that weight over 75 pounds.

Operate hydraulic hand controls to lift/load refuse and dispose of trash at designated facilities.

Interact courteously with our customers

Perform other miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned. What we work with: Trash is heavy! Sometimes we have machine aid our efforts. Other times we do not. And this is a service provided year round - rain, snow or shine. Hot or cold. Be prepared to work in all environments, around heavy diesel equipment. Not to mention dirty ones. Plan for the following labor: Extensive physical activity. Requires strenuous physical work; heavy lifting, pushing, or pulling required of objects over 75 pounds. Moderate noise level.

Work environment involves some exposure to physical risks such as moving mechanical parts. Which require following basic safety precautions.

Exposure to outside weather, including frequent wet and/or humid conditions, as well as exposure to fumes and vibration. At the end of the day, we go home knowing we leave a smiling customer! Minimum Job Requirements Must be at least 18 years of age with a satisfactory driving record.

Class A or B CDL

Ability to work Monday - Friday starting at around 5:30 am. Approx. 45-50 hours a week, with overtime possibilities. To be considered for any of our current openings you must complete an application at www.careers.wasteconnections.com . Application information and additional instructions can be found once you select your position of interest. We offer excellent benefits including: medical, dental, vision, flexible spending account, long term & short term disability, life insurance, 401K retirement and unlimited opportunities to "Connect with Your Future". Waste Connections is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer (Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran)




Controls Engineer Internship QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Knowledge & Skills: Self-motivated and self-driven.

Personal judgment and independency to take actions.

Analytical and conceptual thinking  using logic and reason.

Communication skills  interpersonal, oral presentation and written.

Computer proficiency.

Integration  joining people, processes or systems.

Problem solving.

Resource management.

Oral and written ability to understand instructions.

Basic knowledge of electrical and controls engineering theories and principles. Education and/or Experience: New graduate with Associates or Bachelors degree in a relevant technical field. OR Currently in last year of Associates or Bachelors degree in a relevant technical field. Profile Technical and administrative skills: Basic understanding of PLCs and HMIs.

Basic knowledge of electrical and electronic systems.

Problem-solving skills,

Basic knowledge of 460V systems.

Ability to read and interpret technical drawings. Computer and Technology Skills: Basic understanding of PLC and HMI programming software.

Basic understanding of AutoCAD drafting software.

Use of Microsoft Office Suites software. Other Requirements & Working Conditions: Flexible hours to work around class hours.

Part-time possible. Language Skills: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Ability to respond to common inquires or complaints from customer, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community.

Ability to effectively present information to management.

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Ability to speak, write and communicate in English required.

Ability to speak, write and communicate in French is a big plus. Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to sit and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Salary: TBD, depending on experience.





To apply please send resumes to Antoine Meyer at ameyer@haskomachines.com or call 423-648-5200 Ext 113







About HASKO: Hasko designs and manufactures robust, productive and efficient woodworking equipment, both standard models and custom machines that give our customers a competitive advantage through designs that improve uptime, labor content, and throughput. HASKO specializes in designing and constructing heavy-built machines for the following industries: Solid, engineered and truck flooring.

Laminated beams.

General woodworking.

Dimensional wood and furniture.

Moulding.

Ripped products and lumber.

Optimization, defect scanning, and chopping.

Material handling and automation.

recblid sqmtogus23e1so943gxzbtgbu2b6uc






The State of Connecticut Judicial Branch, Facilities Unit is seeking an Administrative Trainee who under the direction of an employee of a higher grade, will receive on the job training pertaining to the physical security of courthouses, administration and leased facilities. The systems include, but are not limited to, cellblock locking control systems, alarm systems the access control system, including issuing identification cards and other physical security equipment as required. The selected candidate will manage the contracted security services, and audit and approve invoices for goods and services received.

The preferred candidate will possess considerable interpersonal skills, oral and written communication skills, organizational and computer skills.

Incumbents may be required to travel during the course of their daily work.

Starting Salary $58,257  plus State of Connecticut benefits.

EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING

General Experience: A Bachelor's or a Master's degree.*

*Note: Incumbents with a Master's degree may be hired at step 2 of the pay group.

Applications must be received by July 12, 2021. Applications must be submitted through the on-line application site at: www.jud.ct.gov/hronline/. Resumes or paper applications will not be accepted.

Please reference posting number 21-3000-017

AA/EOE

recblid n9bujudtng4fxjpjmewzej9pdk7moj


Duties and Responsibilities The Manufacturing Associates work with a high degree of structure and routine direction from the Manufacturing Associate Supervisor and Lead. The Manufacturing Associate assembles products per assembly instructions and maintains the quality of the products following detailed assembly instructions. The information contained herein is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of the duties and responsibilities of the job, nor are they intended to be an all-inclusive list of the skills and abilities required to do the job. Management may, at its discretion, assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The duties and responsibilities in this job description may be subject to change at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons. All employees are at-will employees. Specific responsibilities may include: Learn work procedures and follow all instructions.

Understand and follow LEAN Manufacturing principles and procedures.

Understand and follow 5S principles and keep work area clean and organized.

Set up equipment needed to assembly product per process specifications.

Assemble component parts to conform to specifications and build schedules.

Inspect product, package assemblies for shipping and support shipping processes as directed.

Complete reports for non-conformance or discrepancies found.

Safely use various types of equipment and small hand tools.

Safe and proper use of grease, cleaning solvents, epoxy, hardening compounds and Loctite accelerators.

Proactively work with others in a team environment and participate in team activities focusing on safety, quality, process improvements and solving problems to a resolution.

May perform other duties as needed. Manufacturing Associate I Learn to Assemble and become proficient in assembly of <50% of the mechanical products.

Learn to pin lock cores, assemble key switches, and assemble padlocks.

Ability to use drills, screwdrivers, air power drills, air hoses, and hammers.

Ability to report work orders in EZ Prod.

Willingness to expand skills through cross training and instruction.

Communicate effectively in English, orally and in writing.

Read and write documents in English at a high school grade level.

Perform basic math functions such as addition, subtraction, fractions, multiplication, and division. Manufacturing Associate II Manufacturing Associate 1 Skills Assist in Training employees on new tasks

Learn key organization in vault and order initialization from vault.

Proficiency in assembly of >50% of mechanical products. Ability to do the following in Axapta: Look up Sales Orders



Manually post and/or reprint Packing Slips



Check stock status and location in Item Master



Look up Production Orders

Complete a Canada Shipment in the FedEx Shipping System.

May be required to:

Learn to cut keys, order keys, and engrave keys.



Learn the key coding system and management of keys/departments. -OR- Proficient in assembly of <50% of electronic products.

Experience in soldering for electronic products

Experience loading and troubleshooting computer programming systems. Manufacturing Associate III Manufacturing Associate I & II skills

Proficiency in assembly of >50% of electronic products OR >90% of Mechanical Products, pinning lock cores, and all FDC products

Ability to troubleshoot and repair mechanical and/or electronic products.

Ability to use RMA System from received to resolution (RMA Personnel).

Ability to process, organize, and deliver Brooks KTP or Brooks FDC orders to shipping (Mechanical Assembly)

Ability to perform quality inspection of parts using variable and attribute gaging and/or visual criteria to engineering specification (QA Personnel) Requirements Education and Training High School Diploma or equivalent GED for all levels of Manufacturing Associates Experience Manufacturing Associate I  One year of work experience in manufacturing or related capacity.

Manufacturing Associate II  Minimum of two years as a Knox employee in a manufacturing capacity.

Manufacturing Associate III  Minimum of five years as a Knox employee in a manufacturing capacity Abilities Attention to detail.

Ability to use hand tools in a safe manner

Ability to follow written and verbal instructions.

Ability to use a computer to process work

Produce error-free work.

Deadline-oriented.

Consistently maintains a professional demeanor and appearance.

Demonstrate a positive attitude and set example by how they work.

Consistently on time and working.

Consistently demonstrate honesty and a high degree of integrity.

Flexible and able to adapt to our dynamic environment. Physical and Safety Requirements Reasonable accommodations are made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

Standing for extended periods, walking, occasional bending, kneeling, crouching, 8-10 hours per day.

Must be able to talk and hear in person and by telephone.

Frequent use of hands to handle, feel or operate hand tools and standard office equipment; and reach with hands and arms.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

Able to lift or move product up to 20 pounds and occasional lifting or moving up to 50 pounds with assistance. Employee must ask for assistance for any lifting greater than 50 pounds.

Must comply with any safety or PPE requirements.

Able to be present at facility, in an office environment, in order to interact with other employees and to have access to various files. The noise level is moderate, typically below 85 decibel level.

There is minimal exposure to other environmental hazards. Click to apply!

recblid 9y18nmzptqjmlosgxu0u2xcw95t4mv








Staff Nurse - Non-Vascular Neurology Qualified candidates may be eligible for a minimum sign-on incentive of $5,000 based on years of experience! The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Department of Nursing is seeking a Staff Nurse (RN) for the Non-Vascular Neurology Unit (2BT). The Non-Vascular Neurology Unit is part of UIHC's Medical Surgical Services (MSS) division. A Staff Nurse will assess patients' nursing care needs, evaluate effectiveness of care provided, and integrate nursing theory and research into clinical practice. 2BT is a 9-bed acute adult unit for patients with epilepsy, headache/facial pain, multiple sclerosis, immune suppressed neuropathies, and movement disorders. 2BT has State-of-the-art video-monitoring and video EEG that are widely utilized on the unit. Percent of Time: 90% Schedule: 36 hours per week, Day/Night Rotating shifts Location: 2BT, General Hospital Rotations: Weekend and holiday rotation Salary: $47,431 per year to commensurate *This does not include inpatient or shift differentials SEIU Pay Plan: https://hr.uiowa.edu/pay/pay-plans/seiu-pay-plan Benefits Highlights: Regular salaried position located in Iowa City, Iowa

Fringe benefit package including paid vacation; sick leave; health, dental, life and disability insurance options; and generous employer contributions into retirement plans

For more information about Why Iowa?, click here Education Required An Associates Degree in Nursing, a Diploma in Nursing, a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing, Professional Masters of Nursing and Healthcare Practice (MNHP), MSN/Clinical Nurse Leader or a Masters Degree in Nursing (MSN, MA) is required Experience Required Excellent written and verbal communication skills are required

Demonstrates excellent interpersonal skills with patients/families, nursing staff, and interdisciplinary team members as demonstrated through written and verbal interactions

General computer skills are required, including proficiency in managing multiple databases including Microsoft Excel

Current license to practice nursing in Iowa is required by date of hire Desirable Qualifications: Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing is highly desired

If Baccalaureate degree in Nursing is not yet obtained, active enrollment in a BSN program is desirable A resume is required as part of the application process. Job openings are posted for a minimum of 14 calendar days. This job may be removed from posting and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended. Successful candidates will be subject to a criminal background check. This position is not eligible for University sponsorship for employment authorization. Equal opportunity/affirmative action employer The University of Iowa is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment free from discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, religion, associational preference, status as a qualified individual with a disability, or status as a protected veteran.

recblid 80f82ijjqhizjblslepo27wz95y4ur






Magnolia, AR (71754)

Today

Mainly clear. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable.
Colton Vincent Casey, 21, of Farmerville, LA, was arrested last week on multiple charges dealing with carnal knowledge of a juvenile, and child pornography.
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The African Development Bank Groups shareholders have shown strong support for the Banks proposals to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic, and this as the continent faces the possibility of a third wave of infection amid poor vaccine access.

This emerged from the 56th Annual Meetings of the Bank Group. The three-day event, which ended on Friday, included the 47th meeting of the Governors of the African Development Fund, the Banks concessional lending arm. Part of the proposal is that the Bank, the continents only development finance institution with a AAA credit rating, act as a conduit for International Monetary Fund (IMF) special drawing rights, which it would then on-lend to African countries.

African Development Bank Group President Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina proposed an African stability mechanism, modeled on a European one, to act as a firewall against external shocks. Adesina also pledged that the Bank would strengthen support to African countries as they tackle the pandemics economic and health impacts.

Looking ahead, Adesina said the Bank would invest heavily in domestic vaccine manufacturing and in Africas healthcare system, noting that only 51% of public health facilities have basic water and sanitation, and only 31% of healthcare facilities have electricity. The president underlined the fact that Africa imports 60-70% of its pharmaceutical drugs.

On the final day of the meetings, Adesina said: The lives of 1.2 billion people in Africa are at risk we must give hope to the poor, the vulnerable, by ensuring that every African, regardless of their income level, gets access to quality healthcare, as well as health insurance and social protection.

Kenneth Ofori-Atta, Ghanas Finance Minister and Chairperson of the African Development Bank Board of Governors, cautioned at the start of the meetings that Africa risked being left behind as a result of the pandemic and was staring down the possibility of a lost decade, where its economic trajectory pulls further away from that of the rest of the world. He said the African Development Bank should take a leading role in the continents recovery.

Our bank, distinct in its role, has to be at the center of Africas build-back through targeted support to tackle Africas development challenges and lay the foundation to respond to future challenges, Ofori-Atta said.

To date, less than 1% of Africas adult population has been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, even as Africa confronts new variants and fast rising cases while the continents health and economic responses are hampered by tightening fiscal constraints.

The meetings comprised closed-door discussions between the governors (finance ministers and central bank governors of the regional and non-regional member countries of the Bank), and knowledge events on healthcare, debt sustainability and climate change. In attendance were IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, World Trade Organization Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and United Nations Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed. Former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who is President and Chairperson of the Global Green Growth Institute, was also among the panelists.

Green growth was high on the agenda. In a panel discussion, Alok Sharma, British Member of Parliament and Conference of the Parties (COP) 26 President, said it was vital that developed countries deliver on a $100 billion commitment to tackling climate change. Patrick Verkooijen, CEO of the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA), lauded the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program, a joint initiative between the GCA and the African Development Bank to mobilize $25 billion to accelerate climate change adaptation across Africa.

For the second successive year, the Banks 81 member countries met virtually, a poignant illustration of how the pandemic continues to disrupt daily life and work. Ghana will host the next Annual Meetings in 2022.

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She and her pleasant crew are to be congratulated for a job well done. She may want to consider doing this annually or semiannually to speed things along.
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National

Crude bomb found in Jammu after drone attack: J&K police chief

NEW DELHI, JUN 27 (AGENCIES) | Publish Date: 6/27/2021 1:47:54 PM IST

A crude bomb was found in Jammu soon after a drone attack on the Air Force base in the city, Jammu and Kashmir police chief Dilbagh Singh told NDTV on Sunday, widening the investigation into what authorities said was a terror strike.

Drones with payload were used in both the blasts at Jammu airfield. Another crude bomb was found by the Jammu police. This IED (Improvised Explosive Device) was received by LeT (Lashkar-e-Taiba) operative and was to be planted at some crowded place, Singh said.

The IED with 4 kg explosives was found in the Narwal area of Jammu from Nadeem Ul Haq, a 22-year-old resident of Banihal, who has been arrested, he said. The arrest is not linked to the airport attack, Dilbagh Singh said.

Two explosions rocked an Indian Air Force Station in Jammu in the early hours of Sunday, injuring two people and causing minor damage to a building, officials said.

They added that the blasts have caused concern in security circles as they could mark the first time that drones have been used in an attack in India.

Investigations are in progress along with civil agencies, the Indian Air Force tweeted on Sunday, adding one blast caused minor damage to the roof of a building at the station, while the other exploded in an open area.

An FIR has been registered under the anti-terror Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act that allows the arrest of suspects and their detention for up to six months without evidence. The National Investigation Agency has taken over the probe.

Teams from the IAF, the National Bomb Data Centre, forensic experts and the Jammu and Kashmir police are also investigating the attack.

Senior security officials said that the use of drones in the attack would present a major challenge for security forces in the area.

The blasts took place hours before Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Army Chief General MM Naravane began a three-day visit to Ladakh to review Indias operational readiness and to interact with troops in the backdrop of a drawn-out standoff with China.
International

Palestine calls for intl sanctions against Israel

Ramallah, Jun 27 (IANS) | Publish Date: 6/27/2021 1:50:14 PM IST

Palestine has called for imposing international sanctions against Israel to stop its policies against the Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Saturday that it supports an Amnesty International report issued on June 24 saying Israeli security forces committed violations against the Palestinians, reports Xinhua news agency.

Israel doesnt care about reports issued by credible international organizations like Amnesty International, which considers Israeli practices the most heinous forms of racial discrimination against the Palestinians, the Ministry statement said. The statement also slammed the US and the European Union for not exerting serious pressure on the Israeli government to stop its practices against the Palestinians.

On June 24, the Amnesty International report said that Israeli police carried out a catalogue of violations against Palestinians across Israel and occupied East Jerusalem.

The report said the violations included unlawful force against peaceful protesters, sweeping mass arrest and subjecting detainees to torture and other ill-treatment.

There has been no immediate response from Israeli police to the Amnesty International report.
THE Judicial Service Commission (JSC) closed five more courthouses in Gweru on Friday after some members of staff tested Covid-19 positive.

Some officials at the Labour Court and another employee from the Sheriffs office in the Midlands capital tested positive to Covid -19 on Friday.

The five courthouses and Office of the Sheriff (of Gweru City) have been closed for purposes of fumigation, testing of staff and contact tracing of all the people who may have come into contact with the cases, JSC said in a statement.

On Wednesday last week, JSC Secretary Mr Walter Chikwanha announced the closure of seven courthouses on similar grounds.

Yes, we have had Covid-19 positive cases at the following courts, Chinhoyi Magistrates Court, Karoi Magistrates Court, Kariba Magistrates Court, Bindura Magistrates Court, Mutare Magistrates Court, and Mutare High Court and Mt Darwin Magistrates Court, he said.

Mr Chikwanha said they are consulting with the Ministry of Health and Child Care on the way forward. Zimbabwe has witnessed a surge in corona virus infections in the past weeks.

The country recorded four more Covid-19 related deaths and 801 new cases in the last 24-hours bringing the total number of cases to 46 018. Chronicle
Labour unions representing teachers have described the refusal by government to increase salaries for civil servants as cruel and insensitive to their plight.

Public Service minister Paul Mavima told NewsDay on the sidelines of the on-going eighth edition of the Continental Africa Public Service Day Commemorations in Victoria Falls that salary increments would cripple productive sectors of the economy.

The teachers want salaries equivalent to US$520 up to US$550 which they used to earn pre-October 2018. They said if government could not pay them in foreign currency, it should pay them the equivalent amounts at the bank rate.

Their calls for salary reviews come at a time when the monthly breadbasket of a family of six has risen to $43 000.

Mavima said salary increments would disturb the ongoing International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff-monitored programme which has resulted in government imposing tight fiscal policy measures aimed at arresting public spending.

That is counterproductive .That is why we are talking about maintaining minimal charges for now because we want to maintain a balance where we can reserve resources for construction of roads, schools, and health facilities instead of paying public servants just to sit without service delivery or infrastructural delivery, he said on Thursday last week.

There has to be a painful and sometimes delicate balance between meeting the demand of our public service and maintaining some resources for the country.

But the unions said government could not claim that it was trying to grow the economy through austerity measures that cut salaries of already under-paid civil servants.

The misguided attitude of trying to grow the economy through slashing salaries will be a disaster. Aggregate demand will be suppressed leading to further contraction of the economy. Austerity has never worked and unfortunately, our government officials are behaving like a fool who celebrates a congratulatory message from a con-artist who is plotting to dupe them, Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Obert Masaraure said.

He said IMF policies had ruined global economies, adding that austerity measures, coupled with corruption and misgovernance would bring Zimbabwes economy to its knees.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Takavafira Zhou said: Mavimas assertions will cripple the productive sectors of the economy and must be considered as a dangerous joke. Teachers have never asked for a salary increase, but restoration of the purchasing power parity of their salaries that were pegged at US$520-US$550 in October 2018. Our plight must never be decided by neo-liberal policies that entrench the shocking contrast between poverty of workers and richness of a few elite rulers.

Zhou said government should justify paying hefty salaries to other government workers at the expense of teachers.

Zimbabwe Teachers Association secretary-general Goodwell Taderera said: We are highly shocked and disgusted by the ministers purported utterances of a no salary increment situation. I think that is a mischievous statement to say the least, especially coming from a minister who is supposed to be fighting in our corner. I hope he did not mean what he said. Newsday
MORE youths are lining up to join the ruling party Zanu-PF, attracted by economic policies that the party has put in place and resulted in improved lives for the people.

Addressing a Provincial Coordination Committee meeting in Masvingo recently, Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association chairman and Zanu-PF Politburo member Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa said President Mnangagwa has brought hope to the people and the period of non-governmental organisation meddling in the politics of the country was drawing to an end.

I urge you to continue mobilising the youths that they love the party, it was difficult for them to love the party before when the economy was being run badly but now with President Mnangagwa the youths now have hope, thats why you see them asking for the (party) cards.

Continue mobilising the youths because you now have tangible evidence that will make them have confidence in where we are going as a county. The era of NGOs in Zimbabwean politics is coming to a close because the President has shown he can do better things to the economy. There is no more role for the wayward NGOs in the politics of Zimbabwe, he said.

Amb Mutsvangwa said the President was unifying the nation and they are confident about the direction in which is the country is going.

Meanwhile, Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial chairman Cde Ezra Chadzamira warned against the use of the social media to blackmail fellow members others.

I urge you to use WhatsApp and other social media platforms for development, use it for building the party and not for personal gains and blackmailing the party, he said. Sunday Mail
Zanu PF is already preparing for a violent 2023 election campaign season as evidenced by utterances of its acting commissar Patrick Chinamasa, observers have warned.

Chinamasa told journalists that Zanu PF would continue to work with the military because they were inseparable.

The military has on several occasions intervened when the ruling partys grip on power is threatened, resulting in deadly incidences of political violence during elections.

In 2017, the army toppled long time ruler Robert Mugabe when succession problems threatened to throw the ruling party off rail.

Musa Kika, Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum executive director, said Chinamasas threats were not surprising as Zanu PF had always relied on the army for power retention.

These statements by the Zanu PF official are thus subversive, and are calculated to send a message to the electorate, a warning that the architecture of violence is on standby, Kika said.

This has the effect of undermining free and popular participation in civic processes. It is no secret that Zanu PF has turned the national security apparatus into a part of its electioneering and power retention machinery, sometimes through the use of brute force.

Yet this is unconstitutional. Our constitution requires the security services to be independent and have fidelity to the law and not a political party.

The military has been accused of helping Zanu PF stay in power. In 2004, military generals declared they would not salute anyone without military background, referring to the late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who was becoming more popular than Mugabe.

Vivid Gwede, a political analyst, said Chinamasas indirect threats were not a new phenomenon and were always used by the ruling party to silence independent opinion.

These threats are not new as we have heard them in previous elections, including towards the 2018 elections by senior ruling party officials and some securocrats, but obviously not all, said Gwede.

Given the manner and dynamics of the 2017 transition from former president Mugabe, one cannot doubt the unfortunate relationship and conflation between the ruling party and the army.

The threats must be understood to be directed at all Zimbabweans of an independent mind and on the constitution itself, which clearly does not countenance inseparability between a political party and the security institutions.

He added, What you must understand is that Zanu PF is aware that NGOs work towards opening up the democratic space and the party would want to close the space towards elections.

Rashweat Mukundu, a political analyst, said Chinamasa was reading from an old Zanu PF script.

This is the usual Zanu PF modus operandi more so when the party has demonstrated poor leadership as in the case now when the economy has imploded and millions more are sinking into poverty, Mukundu said.

The implications are that, once again we will have a violent and disputed election that will worsen Zimbabwes socio-economic crisis.

Edknowledge Mandikwaza, a doctoral researcher at the University of Durban, said the acting Zanu PF commissar had acknowledged a public secret.

Chinamasa confirmed a brutal truth that the government has always vehemently rejected, Mandikwaza said.

Acknowledging the conflation between the army and the ruling party publicly does harm the reputation of the government in the first place and secondly it tarnishes the independence and professional conduct of the armed forces.

He added: If Chinamasa was a sincere statesman, he would never wish a strengthened conflation between a political party and state institutions such as the military because that would be tantamount to politicization of the army which is unhealthy for our democracy.

Chinamasa also threatened pro-democracy non-governmental organisations, accusing them of pursuing regime change agenda.

He also said Zimbabweans in the diapora would not be allowed to vote until the travel bans imposed on Zanu PF elites by western countries were removed. Standard
In language thats unexpectedly exquisite, stitching together some of his greatest songs, Springsteen manages to stand outside himself, pondering what he and his work actually means and how it dovetails with the lives of his audiences. It sounds pretentious. and, certainly, it takes a certain level of stardom to be granted such license. But Springsteen has a rich vein of humility, and his show, above all, conveys the truth that we do actually learn more about life as we age. The problem is that we then can easily be overwhelmed by the piling up of loss and grief as people die.
Sometimes these public policies ... are so well-intentioned in a very big picture way, she said. Thinking through what is the impact that has all the way downstream, we have to always be mindful of that.
[I did] nothing last year, because I was dealing with that health crisis and dealing with home and being responsible. It was a very confusing time, said Mainelli, a native New Yorker who marched in the parade with a group of friends that included fashion designer Calvin Klein. Its very powerful to be out of doors, out in the world.
It is good news that the Department of Justice has set up strike forces to come to New York and other cities to deal with the epidemic scourge of gun violence, but DOJs plans are insufficient because so many of the guns used in crimes come from other states, Schumer said. Just doing it for New York City without dealing with other states is going to allow these types of guns to continue to flow into New York.
License lost: Former Mayor Rudy Giulianis New York law license was suspended Thursday. A panel of Manhattan judges ruled that hed betrayed his professional oath by peddling false and misleading claims about the 2020 election on behalf of his client, ex-President Donald Trump. The five jurists from the State Supreme Courts appellate division wrote the temporary suspension was necessary because Giuliani poses an immediate threat to the public while he continues to push the debunked falsehood that Democrats stole the election from Trump. Giuliani has tarnished the reputation of the entire legal profession by telling his election lies, the judges said. They also said his actions directly inflamed the tensions that resulted in the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
A Bronx man drunk on a Jet Ski crashed into an 8-year-old girl out for a swim at a popular Long Island beach  and she had to be airlifted to a hospital, officials said Sunday.
In addition to the library and skate park projects  which were not initiated by Williams  he is also pursuing a second front with the help of New York lawyer Peter Gleason. Williams and Gleason want Airbnb to include local crime statistics with its advertisements to better inform the public of possible dangers.
And on Monday, Milton Grant, 34, was fatally shot and robbed of his jewelry after he and a friend were spotted at a Manhattan club wearing flashy jewelry. The pair were tailed from the club and attacked when they pulled over to use a restroom in Inwood. Cops believe the murder may be part of a pattern of robbers by a crew in the area.
Whitfield served prison time for assault, but had come home and turned his life around, his mother said. He was married, living with two of his three children and working at the Greater Allen AME Cathedral near his home as a maintenance man. He had just gotten hired to also do night security at the church, she said.
Jimeno was escorting people out of the concourse area when the towers collapsed. His iron-willed fight for survival, and the desperate struggle to pull him from the rubble was documented in the Oliver Stone movie World Trade Center. It took him nearly three years to recover from compartment syndrome  the painful condition that occurs when pressure within the muscles builds to dangerous levels  and nerve damage he sustained in the collapse.
FILE - According to the Sevierville Police Department, officers found the dead monkey, Kee Kee (not pictured), a 9-week-old marmoset, and a living 5-week-old monkey, inside the hot car in the parking lot at Soaky Mountain Waterpark in Sevierville, about 27 miles east of Knoxville, on Wednesday around 4:30 p.m. after workers at the park called police. (ShutterStock)
In a larger perspective, we have got a lot of lifting to do. And when it comes to Congress, I think they could lead the way by passing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. I think its essential, and the country needs it, Ellison said, referring to the sweeping police reform bill that bans the use of chokeholds and no-knock warrants at the federal level and passed in the House of Representatives in March but remains bogged down in the Senate.
And the entire world needs to come to recognize what theyre doing and to say, Look, that is not going to stand. We will not allow you to play the kind of dominant role you want to have on the world stage, while youre carrying out these kind of atrocities.
Shootings in the city were up 73% in May compared with the same period in 2020, according to NYPD data, and overall crime rose 22% in the same time span.
Our department is in shock right now, Pea Ridge police said in a statement. We are a hometown and everyone in our Police Department are family, and so we ask that you give us and our family some space. Give us some patience and time and we do appreciate your support.
On the areas farmlands, berry farmers are rushing to salvage as many crops as they can before the heat dries and rots the fruits on the vine. Meanwhile local fisheries are attempting to save the endangered sockeye salmon from swimming in the rivers that are too warm for them to survive in.
Cops located her car, but Durick led them on a chase before crashing into another car and veering into a ditch in the city of Clark, about 15 miles west, the Clark Police Department said in a Facebook post.
Willis, from the New Jersey town of West New York, was vacationing in Florida with his family and said he was awake when the building began shaking. He believes he and his sister were just 15 feet from the complex when it collapsed.
Early this morning officers pursued a vehicle that fled after colliding with them while they were on patrol. The vehicle lost control and ended up going through a bedroom wall of a house near 39th St & Buckingham Rd, the LAPD said in a statement posted on Twitter.
I believe America is doing harm every day our troops remain in Iraq  harm to ourselves and to the prospects for peace in the world, Gravel said in 2006. He hitched his campaign to an effort that would give all policy decisions to the people through a direct vote, including health care reform and declarations of war.
The writer is reportedly being held at a police station inside the airport. Police told Citizen News that Fung was arrested for conspiracy to collude with foreign countries or foreign forces to endanger national security. The arrest is believed to be connected to his past work with Apple Daily. Police said more arrests were expected.
The instructor had over 2500 skydives, safety is paramount here and it was not a result of anything that the instructor did. It was one of those freak occurrences.
The Poland government has their own commission that is investigating over 300 reports of sex abuse for children under the age of 15. The commission said this week that nearly 30% of those investigations involve clergymen as the accused.
The city has plans for its Summer Rising program, open to all and designed to provide both academic help and a camp-like experience to too many kids cooped up for months. Students identified as needing the most help are required to attend if they want to move to the next grade. All good in theory; how smoothly things run  and how effective the instruction is  remains to be seen.
Hassa soon came back, barking and tugging at his trouser cuff. He followed the dog to a ditch, where he spotted the body of a young woman. Her skirt was pulled up, exposing her legs and panties, and a sleeve had been ripped off her coat. Four welts around her throat hinted at a cause of death.
Christy Grieger, who this spring became director of the Winter Park History Museum, has read it four times. Im not sure how Patrick Smith did it, she writes, but when I read the book, I immediately feel like Ive been transported to the sidelines of the Florida scrub, cheering on the generations of the McIvey family. ... After I finish, I sit in silence with the story, allowing it to stay in my heart just a little bit longer.
While NASA focuses on Venus, Chinas space program, the China National Space Administration (CNSA), is aimed at landing people on the moon, something NASA hasnt done since Apollo 17 in 1972. Its astounding that 52 years since the U.S. landed, we have done nothing with human beings for decades but send commuter shuttles to a space station 200 miles away. Former astronaut Mark Kelly told the National Press Club in 2016 that the U.S. had a lack of political will in terms of funding NASA. On January 3, 2019, China became the first mission to successfully land on the far side of the moon. They may learn first if the moon ever sustained life.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - A total of 234 illegal migrants of different African nationalities were rescued off Libya in less than 24 hours in two separate operations by Libyan coastguard patrol boats after their boats sank on their way to Europe, the Libyan navy said on Sunday
"The United States of America is still run by its citizens. The government works for us. Rank imperialism and warmongering are not American traditions or values. We do not need to dominate the world. We want and need to work with other nations. We want to find solutions other than killing people. Not in our name, not with our money, not with our children's blood."

Molly Ivins
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
Bahujan Samaj Party President Mayawati has said that her party would contest the Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand alone.

In a series of tweets on Sunday, she ruled out reports that the BSP would join hands with Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM in Uttar Pradesh.

"This news is being circulated that the AIMIM and BSP will fight the upcoming assembly elections in UP together. This news is completely false, misleading and baseless. There is not even an iota of truth in this, and BSP vehemently denies it," she said.

She further said that the BSP would like to clarify that, except for Punjab, the party will contest the Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand alone.

The BSP and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have allied to contest the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections.

The BSP, which stormed to power in 2007 by winning 206 seats, was left with just 80 seats in 2012.

In 2014, Mayawati's party did not win a single Lok Sabha seat, and in the 2017 Uttar Assembly elections, it bagged only 19 seats.

With BSP's support base dwindling over the years, the BJP and the Samajwadi Party have been trying to woo the Dalit voters ahead of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in 2022.

In April, Akhilesh Yadav announced that Samajwadi Party (SP) will constitute a Baba Saheb Vahini named after Dalit icon Dr B.R. Ambedkar.

The Baba Saheb Vahini aims to bring Dalits into the Samajwadi fold and assure them protection against social exploitation.

The BJP has now announced that it will build a memorial in the name of Ambedkar.

The SP and BSP were allies in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

However, immediately after the Lok Sabha elections, Mayawati snapped ties with the party announcing that her party would never ally with SP again.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday every player taking part in the Tokyo Olympics this year has struggled to get where they are today and must be encouraged as he addressed the nation through Mann Ki Baat, his monthly radio programme.

They are not just going there for themselves but for the nation. These players will have to bring laurels o the nation and also win peoples hearts. And this is why my countrymen, I advise you not to pressurise the players knowingly or unknowingly, PM Modi said while addressing the 78th edition of the Mann Ki Baat, which is broadcast on the last Sunday every month. We should support them with an open mind and encourage them, he added.

You can wish them on social media with #Cheer4India, he said. If you come across any idea which the country should do for our players, then please send them to me. We will all support ur players bound for Tokyo, he said.
The Jammu and Kashmir police say the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar e Taiba was using the drones to airdrop explosives for use in a possible strike "at a crowded place".

Two Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel suffered minor injuries in the explosions that took place a little before 2 AM at the high security airport located around 16 km from the border with Pakistan. Reports say the explosions, the first at 1.37 AM and the second at 1.43 AM, were heard a km away.

One of the blasts caused damage to the roof of a building in the technical section while another bomb exploded in an open area.A team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) reached the Air Force Station Jammu on Sunday while all flight operations took place normally from Jammu airport except for two earlier flights which were cancelled due to operational reasons.
Twitter's interim resident grievance officer for India has stepped down, leaving the micro-blogging site without a grievance official as mandated by the new IT rules to address complaints from Indian subscribers, according to a source.

The source said that Dharmendra Chatur, who was recently appointed as interim resident grievance officer for India by Twitter, has quit from the post.

The social media company's website no longer displays his name, as required under Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021. Twitter declined to comment on the development.

The disagreement between Twitter and the Centre has been going on since January this year when the government asked Twitter to take action against accounts that trended #farmersgenocide during the farmers' tractor rally on Republic Day. As the row escalated, Twitter temporarily removed the 'verified' badge from President Ram Nath Kovind's personal Twitter account and from several accounts of RSS leaders including Mohan Bhagwat's. Then it flagged a tweet of BJP leader Sambit Patra as manipulated media and very recently it blocked IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad's Twitter account for an hour over alleged copyright infringement.

Parliamentary panel on information technology, headed by Shashi Tharoor, recently met Twitter India's public policy manager Shagufta Kamran and legal counsel Ayushi Kapoor and said that the platform has to follow the rule of the land. The committee will seek an explanation from Twitter for locking out the I-T minister, Shashi Tharoor said adding that the same happened with him as well.

Meanwhile, the microblogging platform has lost its intermediary status in India and is now editorially responsible for what users post on the platform. Ghaziabad Police has lodged an FIR against Twitter and a few journalists over an incident that took place in Loni.
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On June 25th, 2021, the Court in First Instance prohibited the ABVO and NAPB unions to organize meetings, work interruptions, and public manifestations, as long as these harm the proper functioning of Government, for a period of one week. A full judgment will follow on Friday July 2nd, 2021.





Prior to granting Country Sint Maartens main claim, the Court expressed its severe displeasure with the situation and stated that parties should sit together and solve the current dispute amicably. The Court reminded the unions about the rules established by the Supreme Court regarding industrial actions by unions. The Court also expressed its confidence in the law enforcement officials not doing anything that tampers with the proper function of Government.





During the hearing, the president of the NAPB expressed that their main issues are firstly to continue the dialogue, secondly the situation surrounding the function books, thirdly updates, and fourthly the vacation allowances.





During the hearing, representatives of Country Sint Maarten expressed that the injunction was an action of last resort, after five days of strikes and threats to the public order and safety and the explicit threats to the tourism industry.





The Ministry of Justice is happy that its main claim was awarded till the final decision, which will come next week Friday. Also that the ABVO and NAPB have to sit with the Ministry to make their demands known and have a dialogue about all issues of concern. The Ministry would like to point out that in the meetings of June 22nd and June 24th the progress of the function books were discussed and explained already to the unions. Tomorrow, Saturday, June 26th, 2021 a pre-arranged working session will take place at Government building with the unions to go over the Function Books. Therefore, the Ministry is looking forward to hear the other concerns the Unions may have.












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Even as openly socialist candidates are winning political power, the right is working hard to equate socialist governance with repressive regimes.

by Sonali Kolhatkar

New Yorks second-largest city, Buffalo, has essentially elected a socialist mayor. India Walton, who calls herself very proud to be a democratic socialist, swept past incumbent mayor Byron Brown in Buffalos Democratic mayoral primary race on June 22. Waltons victory is reminiscent of recent shocking election upsets where self-proclaimed socialists, particularly in the state of New York, like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jamaal Bowman, have beaten establishment favorites. Because Buffalo residents have reliably chosen Democratic mayors for decades, Republicans didnt even bother putting up a candidate, and Walton is expected to prevail against any write-in opponents in Novembers general election.

Waltons achievement is hugely significant and is yet another indication of the traction that socialist ideas have today in an increasingly unequal capitalist economy. With the backing of increasingly powerful left groups like the Democratic Socialists of America and the Working Families Party, Walton will become the first socialist to hold mayoral office in a big city since Frank Zeidler was elected in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1948 and served until 1960. After him, the highest-profile socialist to have been elected mayor was Bernie Sanders in Burlington, Vermont, in the 1980s. Moreover, the combination of Waltons ideology, race, gender, and youth (the 39-year-old would be Buffalos first woman mayor and second Black mayor) makes her mayoral win even more significant than that of her socialist predecessors.

On the same day as Walton won in Buffalo, New York City residents voted on a large slate of candidates for mayor using ranked-choice voting for the first time. In a city that is considered a bastion of progressive politics, not a single strong candidate stood out as a progressive leader, let alone a socialist. Eric Adams, a pro-police Democrat, emerged with a significant vote lead as the vote-counting process began. Just because socialists did not make enough headway in the nations largest and arguably most liberal city does not mean, as Washington Post columnist Max Boot bloviated, that, progressives are out of touch with ordinary Democrats. It may just be a matter of timeand marketing.

Socialism has a PR problem. Social psychologist Romin Tafarodi in a deft exploration of the stigma attached to socialism wrote in Psychology Today that there is a deep skepticism of the ideology because, Americans closely identify it with the failures of authoritarian socialist republics, past and present. And, he explained, Most Americans dont like what (they think) it represents.

Republicans have exploited this misunderstanding quite effectively, appealing to constituents of immigrant backgrounds, particularly from Latin America. The state of Florida is ground zero for such tactics, and Governor Ron DeSantis just signed a bill into law that would require his states education department to create a new civics curriculum that includes indoctrination against socialism. DeSantis said:

We have a number of people in Florida, particularly southern Florida, whove escaped totalitarian regimes, whove 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 life to be able to come here? Its important students understand that.

Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), a Cuban American, has launched a similar line of attack, saying Latinos are key to the GOPs political power and will respond to the partys anti-socialism message because they, know what life is like in another country. Numerous analysts claim that Joe Biden lost Florida in the 2020 presidential race because Donald Trump and other Republicans linked him to socialism, effectively invoking a new form of McCarthyism.

Since Republicans repeatedly invoke Latin America to demonize socialism, a fact-based international context is a useful counterpoint to right-wing propaganda. While conservatives may cite Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua as examples of authoritarian socialism, there are many more examples, historically and currently, of right-wing repressive regimes and military dictatorships serving neoliberal capitalism rather than socialism. And such regimesChile, El Salvador, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Guatemala, Honduras, and Argentinahave usually come to power with the help of the United States.

The trouble is that most Democratic Party politicians and liberal corporate media outlets feed into right-wing propaganda by refusing to acknowledge U.S.-backed right-wing repression in Latin Americaperhaps because it undermines the myth of American commitment to democracy and human rights. After his recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Biden asked a laughable rhetorical question: How would it be if the United States were viewed by the rest of the world as interfering with the elections directly of other countries and everybody knew it? The Washington Post and other major media outlets covering his remarks did not bother to illustrate the myriad ways in which the U.S. has indeed interfered in elections, most notably in Latin America, and usually done so to combat socialist efforts to nationalize industries.

Given the increasing Trumpian reliance on racism and white supremacy to expand its power, the Republican Party sees socialist leaders of color to be particularly tempting targets. Rep. Bowman, also unafraid of being openly socialist, eloquently explained, We cant talk about the attacks against Socialism without talking about white backlash to demands for investment in communities of color. GOP leaders have repeatedly targeted and attacked young socialists elected to office like Ocasio-Cortez, Bowman, Rashida Tlaib, Cori Bush, and other members of the so-called Squad. The Republican answer to this high-profile group of socialists of color is Freedom Forceyes, really. While members of the Freedom Force dont seem to have the charisma of the Squad, they are comprisedsurprise, surpriseof young Republicans of Latin American descent claiming to fight against socialism.

The same day that Walton declared victory, saying, today is only the beginning, a disturbing expose in the Intercept revealed a Navy counterterrorism manual that equated socialism with Nazi ideology. Reporter Ken Klippenstein explained that, a section of the training document subtitled Study Questions includes the following: Anarchists, socialists and neo-nazis represent which terrorist ideological category? The correct answer to that question is apparently political terrorists. In other words, Navy-trained counterterrorism experts are being told to consider democratically elected socialist lawmakers, city council members and mayors as political terrorists.

If Republicans are equating socialism with authoritarian repression, and centrist Democrats are refusing to challenge those claims, then socialists like Walton may face an uphill battle in convincing most Americans of the benefits of socialism. A day after her victory in Buffalo, conservatives predictably began demonizing Walton, with Fox News pronouncing her a defund-police supporterlikely the first salvo of a larger barrage. But Walton, seemingly savvy to such attacks like many others of her generation, had precisely the right retort, saying, were perfectly fine with socialism for the rich [but] when it comes to providing the resources that working families need to thrive, socialism becomes scary.

This article was produced by Economy for All, a project of the Independent Media Institute.

Sonali Kolhatkar is the founder, host and executive producer of Rising Up With Sonali, a television and radio show that airs on Free Speech TV and Pacifica stations. She is a writing fellow for the Economy for All project at the Independent Media Institute.
China has criticized the QUAD and has termed QUAD as an alliance of four countries primarily aimed against China. Certainly, Chinas interpretation of QUAD as an anti China group is correct and it is a fact.

by N. S. Venkataraman

India is a partner along with three other countries namely USA, Australia and Japan in QUAD ( Quadrilateral Security Dialogue ). There is no doubt that Indias decision to be a member of QUAD is a strategic decision to safeguard Indias security interests to a large extent and even economic interests to some extent.

China has criticized the QUAD and has termed QUAD as an alliance of four countries primarily aimed against China. Certainly, Chinas interpretation of QUAD as an anti China group is correct and it is a fact.

Amongst the four members of QUAD , India is the only country that has a long border with China and China is occupying a large area of Indias territory that it captured after the 1962 war between India and China.

In recent years, China has not concealed its ambition to become the world super power in economic and military terms .and with territorial ambitions . China has been working out its strategies in a meticulous manner in several directions towards achieving its objective of emerging as superpower. In the process, China does not think that the means should justify the ends. By several of its acts, it has clearly shown that it wants to subdue the world by military occupation of some regions , by extending debt and economic coercion of some other region and by implementing the One Belt One Road (OBOR) scheme in several developing countries in Asia and Africa , that would make these countries succumb to become dependent on China in variety of ways for all time to come.

India is one country in Asia that has refused to join OBOR, knowing clearly well the manipulative interest of China.

In such circumstances, India joining QUAD is a very important move to protect its security interests against Chinas aggressive military and economic onslaught against India.

With Tibet region now under Chinas control, which China brutally occupied several decades back , China is targeting to use Tibet territory as a launch pad to attack India militarily in future. Apart from the fact that China occupying Tibet is a clear act of aggression and is converting the region , which has a glorious traditional value system, as part of China , Chinas presence in Tibet is a clear security threat for India. India has to demand and ensure liberation of Tibet from China and it should use its participation in QUAD as a strategy to ensure liberation of Tibet from Chinas occupation.

With Pakistan now almost at the mercy of China , India certainly faces threat of aggression from these two countries acting together against India. While China thinks that it has to subdue India somehow as a precondition to achieve its ambition of becoming global super power, Pakistan has built its political and governance style with hatred against India as the central theme.

Further, China has already brought Sri Lanka under its control with firm entry into Sri Lankan territory by way of projects and has other smaller Indias neioghbours such as Nepal and Bangladesh under its excessive influence .

The threat for India from China and Pakistan is real. A military conflict may take place at any time creating a war like situation between India on one hand and China / Pakistan on the other. In such circumstances, India needs a QUAD arrangement desperately.

But, what is surprising is that India is not committing itself fully and unequivocally to QUAD alignment , as it wants to keep Russia in good humour and is buying arms and ammunition from Russia , even as India is a member of QUAD.

It is well known that China and Russia are getting closer now and in the event of aggression by China against India, Russia will pay only lip sympathy to India.

Other members of the QUAD are suspicious about the motives of Russia and China and they may be looking at Indias action and policies of maintaining close relations with Russia and buying arms from Russia , with suspicion and may think that India may not be fully committed to the objectives of QUAD.

India has to necessarily and quickly rework its commitment to QUAD and take other QUAD members into confidence about its foreign and defence policies and priorities.

India is remaining silent about Chinas aggression in Tibet for several decades now and has virtually approved Chinas aggression and occupation of Tibet. As Chinas presence in Tibet and its military base in Tibet is a security threat for India and as a measure of supporting the cause of Tibet to get back its freedom , India should persuade other QUAD members that QUAD should express its concern about the presence of China in Tibet and raise demand for Tibets freedom.

The ground reality is that today India needs QUAD much more than the other members of the QUAD namely USA, Japan and Australia , who do not have to face a war like situation with China and Pakistan.

In such circumstances, India has to firmly align itself with the interests of other members o QUAD and use its position as a member of QUAD to protect itself against Chinas aggressive tactics, which means that China free Tibet should happen.

India cannot have its cake and eat it too.
HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge, the first Black woman to hold the office, said her agency will work tirelessly to increase the number of Black homeowners in America. Photo from December 2020.
NAACP President Derrick Johnson spoke Sunday, June 13, to the Salt Lake City Utah 14th Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Johnson and church President Russell M. Nelson spoke against the sin or racism and announced the church's financial support for several projects.
Nearby resident Adrian Gallo, who lives in a separate building in the Allure Apartments, was on his balcony when he heard the gunfire. He said he heard what sounded like two to three shots, then another three to four shots after police arrived a few minutes later.
People in the truck got out alive with just cuts, a witness told investigators after the crash on South Federal Highway. I went to the other car and just saw all the dead people. After that, I went back and told the truck driver that he is done and going to jail forever.
Another blast from the past, unfortunately, is likely to be a constant drumbeat of exposes showing how banks are showing up in court to foreclose on people using fraudulent documents, such as the infamous robo-signed notes that became a byword for the chicanery inside financial institutions a decade ago. Back then, as part of a national, $25 billion settlement, the largest banks promised they would never, ever again systematically engage in that practice, cross their hearts and hope to die. Unfortunately, as it is clear that mortgage servicers are not currently staffing up to deal with the coming wave of foreclosures, it is almost a guarantee that many will once again resort to the same type of illegal corner-cutting they swore off then in order to resolve foreclosure actions now.
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Edunation, an all-in-one digital school and learning management system in Kuwait, recently locked in $3 million after its latest funding round with Rubix, a US-based investor.



The startup is a partner to some of the Mena regions top academic institutions. It aims to provide a fully functional remote campus, tailored to each client, from pre-schools to high-schools, and even universities.



Edunations take on ed-tech is quite holistic in its approach, meaning they go beyond learning management systems to build a more comprehensive virtual school offering. The platform provides solutions that seamlessly tie together the functions of courses, exams, assessments and even finance.



This way, clients are able to utilize such a variety of functions all in one place, rather than subscribing to a host of other different platforms. This comes through a highly customizable set of modules to help schools support their entire community, from students and their parents to teachers and management teams.



The start-ups latest capital infusion is expected to help propel its growth in existing markets across Jordan, Palestine, Qatar, Kuwait, KSA, and UAE, and drive further expansion into Egypt, Oman, Bahrain, and beyond. This marks a new stage of growth as Edunation sets on its way to becoming a leading ed-tech provider in the region.



We have been following Edunation for the last couple of years said Rubix. We were keen to invest given the companys strong standing and clear potential to be at the forefront of the Mena ed-tech scene.



Founded in 2013 by partners Firas Jabbour, CEO and Mahmud Gabareen, CTO, with the aim of transforming the education sector through technology, Edunation showed promising signs of success from the beginning by securing their pre-seed investment in 2014 and another seed round in 2019, in both instances, from angel investor Dr Abdul Malek Al Jaber.



More recently, the company witnessed an astonishing 1,200% growth of users on its platform over the past year, as the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic triggered an urgent need for schools to switch gears and adapt to an increasingly remote presence. Edunations response was swift and focused on helping clients make the transition of operating digitally, a feat achieved practically overnight.



Edunation intends to utilize the funds in developing the platform even further and simultaneously growing its community. For that, Jabbour has emphasized the importance of attracting exceptional local talent as they set up a data-science division to lead the companys move towards adopting AI, and developing on the beta version they released back in mid-2020.



Founders believe this will be a game-changer for students, parents, schools, and teachers. Not only with how they interact with the platform, but also what they can gain from features, such as detailed insights and reports to identify trends, gaps, issues, and areas of improvement.  TradeArabia News Service
The National Bank of Bahrain Group (NBB Group) has announced the successful deployment of the first Virtual Cyber Fusion Centre (vCFC) in the region.

NBB Group selected Cyware, the industrys only Virtual Cyber Fusion Centre (vCFC) provider, for its advanced cyber fusion technology that offers threat intelligence sharing, incident response, and security automation and orchestration (SOAR) capabilities over an integrated, modular, and virtual platform.

Parts of the deployment of the Virtual Cyber Fusion Centre (vCFC) has moved to Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centers in Bahrain in line with the cloud adoption strategy of the Government of Bahrain.

Through the deployment, the Group enabled itself with cyber threat intelligence feeds to all its assets using Cyware Threat Intelligence eXchange (CTIX). This shift brings advanced capabilities for multi-source threat intelligence ingestion, enrichment, and analysis, and allows NBB Group to significantly bolster its security posture as compared to the traditional SOC model of security deployed by similar organisations.

The NBB Group is proud to be partnering with Cyware. It is our responsibility to keep our assets and customers safe from cyber-attacks. By bringing in Cywares cyber fusion centre, the Group is adopting an intel-driven, collaborative, and automated security approach much needed for countering advanced security threats, stated Razi Amin, Group Chief Information Officer, National Bank of Bahrain.

Akshat Jain, Chief Technology Officer and Co-founder, Cyware, said: Being one of the most-trusted and fastest-growing financial centres, Bahrain is a potential target for threat actors. We are honoured that NBB Group chose us in their quest to stay secure against advanced threats. We look forward to seeing the results of this effective programme being implemented for an unmatched security posture that we built with the Group.

Cywares Virtual Cyber Fusion Centre is a next-generation approach to cybersecurity that unifies all security functions into a single, integrated defence platform. The fusion centre, with its bidirectional threat intelligence sharing capabilities, would also pave the way for NBB Group to collaborate with other banks and financial services organisations in Bahrain or the GCC through sharing of high confidence actionable threat intelligence data. -- TradeArabia News Service
Five healthtech start-ups have officially become the first cohort of the Edison Accelerator in EMEA  a healthcare start-up and scale-up acceleration programme designed by GE Healthcare in partnership with innovation organisation Wayra UK.



The start-ups all focus on applying AI to augment medical imaging, improve oncology care and improve the patient experience. Estimates suggest that over 400,000 European lives could be saved annually through the application of AI in healthcare, and could free up 1.8 billion hours of clinicians time to focus on what matters most; the patient.



The selected start-ups were chosen as they demonstrated innovative and scalable solutions to pressing problems in the healthcare sector such as scarcity of diagnostic resources, bottlenecks in care pathways and limitations in patient input.



Legit Health (Bilbao, Spain): Legit Health is a clinical data and communication tool that helps next-generation dermatologists improve diagnosis, score severity and monitor the evolution of wounds, and chronic and malignant skin lesions. This AI-powered technology helps clinicians & patients alike to improve diagnosis.



Spryt (London, UK): SPRYT is a smart scheduling solution that improves uptake/coverage rates for screening services as well as reducing the appointment no-show problem. No show rates are a significant problem in diagnostic cancer services.



Radiobotics (Copenhagen, Denmark): Radiobotics are automating measurements and detections in x-rays to streamline the reading of features in musculoskeletal x-rays.



Lucida Medical (Cambridge, UK): Lucida uses Machine Learning and radiogenomics to help identify cancer from MRI and clinical data. Lucinda Medical aims to make cancer screening accurate, accessible, cost-effective and quick.



Vinehealth (London, UK): Vinehealth combines behavioural science and AI to provide highly personalised patient support that improves the quality of life and survival of cancer patients.



Bruno Moraes, Country Manager, Wayra UK says: We are proud to welcome some magnificent scale-ups in EMEA for our first cohort of the Edison Accelerator in the region. The programme gives our companies unique access to work with leading healthcare corporations to validate their solutions, and then to exploit the business development opportunities that can follow.



There is no better partner than GE Healthcare to make this happen. I am certain that the Edison Accelerator will become a major player in the HealthTech space in Europe and beyond, and we at Wayra are excited to help make this happen.



Jan Beger, Senior Director of Digital Ecosystem, GE Healthcare says: The future of innovation will be about working across silos and collaborating across the healthcare ecosystem, including start-ups, research centres, hospitals, clinicians and patients. The Edison Accelerator is bringing together those stakeholders under a single, connected ecosystem to generate a real impact in helping to improve the bottom line and in providing patient care.



Over the next six months, the Edison Accelerator will provide its cohort of five start-ups with the knowledge and skills to help them further scale their business and co-develop solutions with GE and the other leading healthcare institutions participating in the programme.



Each start-up will be working with a team at GE Healthcare and one of the healthcare partner institutions  Alliance Medical, Ribera Salud, the east midlands imaging network (EMRAD) and Manchester University.



Intel has also joined the Edison accelerator as a Technology partner. The accelerator will give the start-ups access to GE Healthcares extensive global network including thousands of sales professionals and distribution partners in 160 countries and will culminate in a Demo Day in November.  TradeArabia News Service
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has launched a new course to help ports around the globe keep ships moving and goods flowing while protecting workers during the current and future pandemics.



Ships carry about 80% of the goods the world imports and exports, so when ports slow down, the global trading system gets disrupted, leaving everyone empty-handed  businesses, consumers, schools, hospitals.



Covid-19 reminded the world how much we all rely on maritime transport and ports, UNCTAD Acting Secretary-General Isabelle Durant said as she launched the organizations online special course to help ports around the globe build resilience to the current and future pandemics.



The world economy has awoken from its pandemic-induced slumber, but new outbreaks of the virus near or in ports could dampen recovery efforts by increasing the time and price needed to ship the goods we trade every day, such as food, clothes, electronics and raw materials.



A sudden surge in coronavirus cases reported on May 30 in Guangdong, a major industrial province in southern China, was a timely reminder of this risk.



With two weeks, tighter restrictions and hygiene measures in nearby ports, including Guangzhou and Shenzhen  the worlds third and fifth largest  had more than doubled the number of container ships waiting to dock in the Outer Pearl River Delta.



Meanwhile, freight rates from China to Europe, already high due to supply chain bottlenecks and a shortage of containers, hit a record of $11,037 per 40-foot container in the week of 7 June.





The new course, entitled Building port resilience against pandemics, seeks to help port managers keep ships and goods moving while protecting the health of port workers and users.



The course will be delivered online from 28 June to 30 July and is open to all actors of port communities and related government agencies around the globe.



These include shipping agents, port authorities, terminal operators, cargo handling companies, administrative departments, and ministries of health, trade and transport.



By June 22, more than 600 participants from over 90 countries had registered.



"No good practice or knowledge is effective without the involvement of the whole port community, said Aurelio Martinez Esteve, the president of Spains Valencia port authority. Individual solutions do not solve global problems. Its necessary to think of procedures and good practices that are fit for all."



UNCTAD started developing the new course in March 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic was declared, collecting information on mitigation measures and protocols put in place by over 40 port communities that are members of the organizations TrainForTrade Port Management Programme.



While the ports in our programme were highly prepared for visible threats  fires, contamination, cyberattacks  many were unprepared for the invisible threat of a global pandemic, said Mark Assaf, chief of UNCTADs human resources development section, which manages the TrainForTrade programme.



We realized that this was something that was missing in our port management programme, he added.



The training includes interactive videos, forum discussions, data collection on best practices and simulations as well as follow-up webinars organized around four sections:



 Crisis protocol and communication strategy

 Staff management, well-being and resilience

 Technology preparedness

 Cargo flow continuity  TradeArabia News Service
International travellers will be able to visit Mauritius from July 15, first staying in one of 14 resort bubbles" which have been specially set up to welcome them to the island.

The Indian Ocean Island will be opening in phases during 2021 and the first phase, from July 15 to September 30, will enable vaccinated travellers to enjoy a resort holiday on the island.

The approved Covid-19 safe resorts are available on:www.mauritiusnow.com

Holidaymakers will be able to enjoy facilities within their chosen hotel including the swimming pool and beach. If guests stay for 14 days and have negative PCR tests during their stay in the resort, they will then be able to leave the hotel and travel about the island freely for the rest of their stay, exploring the islands many attractions. However, for shorter stays, they may leave the resort earlier and travel back home.

Nilen Vencadasmy, Chairman of Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, said: Mauritius is delighted to be welcoming international visitors from 15 July 2021 with our 14 unique resort bubbles that allow international visitors to enjoy a safe and secure holiday experience. Mauritius has worked closely with hotels, airlines and tour operators to develop and prepare the resort bubble concept in advance of our full reopening on October 1, 2021.

Travellers to Mauritius aged 18 years or over must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19. They must undergo a PCR test between 5 and 7 days before departure and a negative result is required to travel to the island. Travellers will also have a PCR test on arrival at the airport in Mauritius and on day 7 and 14 of their resort holiday, as applicable.

Air Mauritius, Emirates are other global airlines will add additional flight capacity from July 15 which will increase in the lead up to the full reopening of October 1. For Phase 2, from October 1, vaccinated travellers will be allowed entry without restrictions upon presentation of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before departure.

The announcement follows the acceleration of the vaccination campaign and the progress made towards herd immunity by the end of September. Tourism employees were prioritised during the vaccine rollout. This has enabled a prompt and safe restart of the Mauritius tourism industry.

The countrys response to the pandemic ranked among one of the best in the world as the Mauritian Government responded promptly with stringent control measures and protocols. The safety of Mauritians and visitors has been a top priority since the outbreak of Covid-19 and the success is a result of a joint effort by the Mauritian Government and the countrys population.

International visitors can book their resort holidays either via tour operators or directly with the hotels. An additional 35 hotels have been confirmed as full quarantine hotels which will only be open to unvaccinated Mauritian citizens, their spouses and children when returning to Mauritius. This arrangement is not available to non-vaccinated international visitors. Guests in full quarantine hotels will have to complete a 14-day in-room quarantine. - TradeArabia News Service
Washington, Jun 25 (UNI) A Minneapolis judge is expected to pass on Friday a sentence on former law enforcement officer Derek Chauvin over the death of African American George Floyd, finalizing the case that sparked the nationwide movement against racially motivated police brutality.

Prosecutors are asking judge Peter Cahill for a sentence of 30 years in prison while the defence is calling for a probation citing the lack of criminal history.

Chauvin was convicted in April of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for kneeling on Floyds neck during an arrest attempt. A trial determined "beyond reasonable doubt" that his actions violated police rules of engagement and became a major factor in Floyds death.

Cahill also found aggravating circumstances that may invite a harsher penalty. According to the judge, Chauvin abused a position of trust and authority, treated Floyd with particular cruelty, and committed the crime as a group with the active participation of at least three other persons. The victim was particularly vulnerable and children were present during the commission of the offense, Cahill wrote.

Chauvin filed an appeal for a retrial alleging that publicity during the proceedings together with a Minneapolis courts refusal to change a venue and its failure to sequester the jury deprived him of a due process.

In the state of Minnesota, second-degree murder carries a penalty of up to 40 years in prison while two other charges, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, entail maximum terms of 25 years and 10 years, respectively. In Chauvins case, the sentences are expected to be served concurrently without adding up to each other.

US media estimate that the presumptive sentence for a first-time convict in a second-degree murder case may range from ten-and-a-half years to 15 years in prison.

The sentencing is expected to be closely watched by Floyds family and leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement who demand the maximum penalty for Chauvin. They plan a press conference in Minneapolis following the verdict.

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Visakapatnam, Jun 27 (UNI) In order to deliver the benefits of our language traditions to the future generations, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday stressed the need for a peoples movement to preserve languages by complementing the efforts of the government.

Highlighting the power of language to unite people across generations and geographies, he called for a concerted effort to preserve, enrich and propagate our languages, cultures and traditions.

Speaking at the 6th annual Rashtretara Telugu Samakhya conference, the Vice President suggested that Telugu people should come together as one for the cause of Telugu language and the revitalisation of our local traditions.

Noting that neglecting a language will lead to its decline, Mr Naidu advised that it is the duty of each individual to preserve and promote ones mother tongue, without belittling other languages and cultures.

He also underscored the need for primary education to be in ones mother tongue, as envisaged by National Educational Policy, 2020.

Mr Venkaiah noted that the persons presently occupying the highest constitutional offices of the country, including the President, Vice President, Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of India all had primary education in their mother tongue.



People should not have the false impression that one cannot succeed and grow in life if they learn in their mother tongue. We have many past and present exemplars to disprove that, he said.

The Vice President also called for more initiatives in translating Telugu literature into other Indian languages, thereby spreading the richness of ones language tradition.

Appreciating the fact that many such cultural organisations continued their work online in the wake of the pandemic, he suggested that efforts be intensified to integrate language and technology in the same spirit.

Noting that there are more than a thousand organisations outside the Telugu states for the preservation and propagation of the Telugu language, the Vice President commended the initiative of the organisers in coming together on a common platform called Rashtretara Telugu Samakhya.

He conveyed his best wishes for their future endeavours.

Himachal Pradesh Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, Dr Shashi Panja, Minister for Women and Child Development and Social Welfare, Government of West Bengal, Mandali Buddha Prasad, former Deputy Speaker of Andhra Pradesh, Dr. C.M.K. Reddy, President of All India Telugu Federation, Sundara Rao, President of Rashtretara Telugu Samakhya and others were present through virtual mode.

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'641 Connect' Hearing Set For July

By West Kentucky Star Staff

LYON COUNTY - A project to improve safety and mobility along US 641 in Lyon and Caldwell counties is moving forward after several years of study.The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will hold an online public hearing on Monday, July 19 to discuss the project to make US 641 a four-lane highway between Eddyville and Fredonia."The existing two-lane highway between Eddyville and Fredonia has an above-average crash rate and was not designed to carry the large volume of commercial trucks that currently use the roadway," project manager Chris Kuntz said. "Improving safety for daily commuters and constructing a new highway that will meet qualifications to become a part of the National Truck Network is at the top of the project's priority list."In 2019, KYTC engineers announced a preferred route that maximizes the use of land owned by other state agencies. The preferred route has since been adjusted slightly near the Fredonia Valley Quarry to utilize a section of old railroad bed.Maps, the environmental assessment, and other information are available for review on the project website.Once complete, the new roadway will link with another US 641 improvement project between Fredonia and Marion, which opened to traffic in 2018.To register to make a statement during the hearing, a written comment online, a verbal comment by phone or to review displays, go to www.641Connect.com.On the Net:
Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji and Han Zheng visit the "Red Building," once the main campus of Peking University, and learn about the history of preparation and founding of the Communist Party of China at an exhibition in Beijing, capital of China, June 25, 2021. A group study session of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee was held on Friday. [Xinhua/Xie Huanchi]

BEIJING, June 26 (Xinhua)  Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has stressed efforts to make new achievements that will stand the test of time and are worthy of the people, ahead of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC.

Xi made the remarks on Friday when addressing a group study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

Xi said that sites and heritage related to the history of the CPC are the most precious spiritual wealth.

The CPC's revolutionary heritage is the source of spiritual strength for Chinese Communists in the new era, he said.

Xi urged efforts to safeguard the country established by the revolutionary martyrs and develop it well, calling for new achievements that can live up to the expectations of the revolutionary forefathers, stand the test of time and are worthy of the people.

On Friday afternoon, Xi led members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on a visit to the "Red Building," once the main campus of Peking University, and learned about the history of preparation and founding of the CPC at an exhibition.

Xi also led the Political Bureau members to a former residence of Mao Zedong, where he worked and lived for 17 years from 1949.

After the visits, Xi chaired the group study.

Xi stressed that sites and heritage related to the CPC's history are scattered all over China, representing the Party's glorious history and great achievements and its pursuits, sentiments, responsibilities, sacrifices, and dedication.

Xi said since the 18th CPC National Congress, he has visited basically all major sacred revolutionary sites and memorials related to revolutionary history during his inspection tours.

Each visit meant spiritual enlightenment, Xi said.

He urged efforts to educate the whole Party to consistently follow the guidance offered by scientific theories.

The extensive spread of Marxism in China gave birth to the CPC, Xi said, noting that the reason why the Party can get things done and why socialism with Chinese characteristics is good is because Marxism works.

Xi called on the entire Party to stay firm in upholding ideals and convictions. "Communism is the lofty ideal of our Party," Xi said.

He stressed efforts to strengthen the belief in socialism with Chinese characteristics and overcome difficulties to secure new victories on the new journey of fully building a modern socialist country.

Xi emphasized the importance of guiding CPC members to stay committed to the Party's original aspiration and founding mission, noting that for the Party that has governed a country for a long term, nothing is more dangerous than deviating from its original aspiration and becoming out of touch with the people.

Xi also stressed education that teaches the entire Party to stick to the glorious revolutionary traditions, which are a powerful spiritual driving force for forging ahead.

Currently, China is in a crucial period of realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and the revolutionary spirit must not be abandoned, Xi said.

Nor can the Party give up modesty, prudence, and its other traditions such as guarding against arrogance and impetuosity, working hard, as well as diligence and thrift, Xi noted.

The Party must maintain its courage of fearing no enemies or risks and daring to fight and win, Xi stressed.

Xi also demanded the Party to stick to self-reform, which provides a strong support for the Party's governance capacity.

He ordered efforts to advance the full and strict governance over the Party.

Xi also demanded sound protection, management and utilization of sites and heritage related to the CPC's history.

Historical nihilism should be opposed and resisted, he said.

Xi said the sites and heritage should be used to guide young people to foster ideals that carry forward the revolutionary traditions. Enditem

Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji and Han Zheng visit the "Red Building," once the main campus of Peking University, and learn about the history of preparation and founding of the Communist Party of China at an exhibition in Beijing, capital of China, June 25, 2021. A group study session of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee was held on Friday. [Xinhua/Xie Huanchi]

Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji and Han Zheng visit the "Red Building," once the main campus of Peking University, and learn about the history of preparation and founding of the Communist Party of China at an exhibition in Beijing, capital of China, June 25, 2021. A group study session of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee was held on Friday. [Xinhua/Xie Huanchi]

Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji and Han Zheng visit a former residence of Mao Zedong, where he worked and lived for 17 years from 1949 in Beijing, capital of China, June 25, 2021. A group study session of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee was held on Friday. [Xinhua/Ju Peng]

Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji and Han Zheng visit a former residence of Mao Zedong, where he worked and lived for 17 years from 1949 in Beijing, capital of China, June 25, 2021. A group study session of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee was held on Friday. [Xinhua/Li Xueren]

(Source: Xinhua)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-26 01:01:44|Editor: huaxia

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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| 2021-06-27 00:57:33|Editor: huaxia

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President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Felix Tshisekedi (R) and Rwandan President Paul Kagame attend a press conference after their meeting in Goma, North Kivu province, DR Congo, on June 26, 2021. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda signed on Saturday three agreements on bilateral cooperation after a meeting between the two heads of state in Goma. (Photo by Zanem Nety Zaidi/Xinhua)

KINSHASA, June 26 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda signed on Saturday three agreements on bilateral cooperation after a meeting between the two heads of state in Goma, capital of northeastern DR Congo's North Kivu province.

The agreements were signed during the visit of Rwandan President Paul Kagame, who met with his Congolese counterpart Felix Tshisekedi in Goma on Saturday.

The first agreement signed concerns the promotion and protection of investments, while the second one relates to the avoidance of double taxation and tax evasion between the two countries. The third agreement is a memorandum on gold mining cooperation.

In a joint press conference at the end of the meeting that led to these agreements, the two heads of state appreciated the good collaboration that has existed for several years between the two countries and their peoples.

According to Tshisekedi, it is time for relations between the two countries to become friendly and fraternal.

"We have wasted so many years being antagonistic towards each other, living in tension and in a war situation, but also sharing hatred, now that's enough," he said.

On Friday, the two presidents had a two-hour meeting in Rubavu, Rwanda, where they discussed several issues, including security in the region, the eruption of the Nyiragongo volcano in May, and in particular Kinshasa's integration into the East African Community.

The two presidents have held many meetings in recent months, particularly during international summits. Before the Rubavu meeting, the two leaders met face-to-face on May 17 in Paris, on the sidelines of the international summit for the financing of African economies. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 01:01:27|Editor: huaxia

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Zimbabwean Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube speaks in front of the COVID-19 vaccine from China at R.G. Mugabe International Airport in Harare, Zimbabwe, on June 26, 2021. Zimbabwe on Saturday received a shipment of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine doses from China as the southern African country ramps up inoculations to battle the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Shaun Jusa/Xinhua)

HARARE, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe on Saturday received a shipment of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine doses from China as the southern African country ramps up inoculations to battle the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

The country is also expecting to take another delivery of vaccine doses from the Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac next week.

The latest delivery of vaccines from China comes at a time when the country is registering a rebound in COVID-19 cases, prompting authorities to introduce new restrictive measures to curtail the spread of the virus.

According to the health ministry's daily update, the country on Friday recorded 911 new positive cases, the highest daily number since February.

Speaking to the media at the receiving ceremony of the vaccines at R.G. Mugabe International Airport in Harare, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube said treasury has set aside enough resources for the procurement of vaccines.

He noted that apart from saving lives, the vaccination drive will accelerate economic recovery.

"But it's not just about saving lives, it's about economic recovery because when people are vaccinated, when citizens are vaccinated, it's easier for companies to operate, it's easier to do business, and carrying on with business is what will revive the economy," Ncube said.

He reiterated that the procurement of the vaccines will go a long way in meeting the increased demand for vaccines at a time the country has been experiencing a spike in cases.

Speaking at the same occasion, Deputy Health and Child Care Minister John Mangwiro expressed confidence in the vaccines procured from China.

"The vaccines that are being used are not by guesswork, there is thorough scientific input both from ourselves, our scientists, Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe, the international community, if you check with the World Health Organization, they are registered there, and you can see even the results that are being pronounced everywhere, I am sure you can see that this vaccination and this vaccine is working well for us," he told Xinhua.

Mangwiro noted that border towns will be prioritized when it comes to vaccine distribution, adding that vaccinations will be mandatory in some public spaces such as markets countrywide.

The arrival of the vaccines is expected to accelerate the country's vaccination exercise which has so far covered 725,582 first dose recipients. A total of 467,733 people have also received their second doses so far.

Zimbabwe is embarking on its inoculation drive mainly with Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines from China.

The country is aiming to inoculate 60 percent of its 14 million people to archive herd immunity by the end of the year. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 01:04:20|Editor: huaxia

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ACCRA, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said Ghana would use its membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to articulate African security needs, a statement by the Ghanaian Presidency said Saturday.

He said the West African country would use its recent election to the UNSC as a non-permanent member to seek permanent solutions to African security issues.

"Ghana will do more consultations to strengthen its deliberations at the Security Council to ensure that Africa has a strong voice at that stage," said the president.

Akufo-Addo listed terrorism in the Sahel and activities of pirates on the Gulf of Guinea as some of the security issues on the continent that Ghana would table at the Security Council.

The president said piracy had affected the cost of imports from other countries to West Africa "due to the high insurance charges on freight since the ships have become targets of piracy."

He called for a peaceful resolution to issues within Africa, particularly misunderstandings among Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt over the River Nile. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 08:46:38|Editor: huaxia

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RIMINI, Italy, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Rio Olympic champions Brazil and reigning world champions Poland set up a final clash in the men's Volleyball Nations League after beating France and Slovenia in the semifinals here on Saturday.

The Brazilians, who had lost to France 39-37, 25-18, 30-28 in the round-robin preliminaries, had no great difficulties taking a revenge 25-20, 25-18, 25-19 victory with Yoandy Leal leading the scoring with 20 points.

"Our team was very concentrated on this match. We lost to France during the preliminary round, but today it was a great match of our entire team," said Leal.

"Tomorrow we play for gold. The concentration of our team was the most important to play a game like this one. We served very well, we attacked very well and we put a lot of pressure on France. No matter if we will play against Poland or Slovenia, we have to be prepared and fully focused on our team and our preparation," he added.

In the other semifinal, Poland overcame Slovenia 25-22, 25-21, 25-23. Bartosz Kurek led Poland with 17 points with Wilfredo Leon adding 13.

Poland reaped 14 points from blocking, compared to six for Slovenia.

Brazil and Poland will play for the top honor on Sunday with France and Slovenia to vie for third place. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 13:06:55|Editor: huaxia

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People view a makeshift memorial near the site of the residential building collapse in Miami-Dade County, Florida, the United States, on June 26, 2021. The death toll from the partial collapse of a 12-story residential building has risen to five while the number of missing people rose to at least 159, local media reported on Saturday. (Photo by Monica McGivern/Xinhua)

WASHINGTON, June 26 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from the partial collapse of a 12-story residential building in the U.S. beachside town of Surfside, southeastern state Florida, has risen to five while the number of missing people rose to at least 159, local media reported on Saturday.

"Today our search and rescue teams found another body in the rubble," Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said at a news conference Saturday evening.

"Our search has revealed some human remains," said the mayor, adding that there are now 130 people accounted for and 156 unaccounted for.

"Our top priority continues to be search and rescue and saving any lives that we can," she added. Fire and smoke deep within the mountain of rubble hampered search efforts through Saturday.

A CNN report said nearly three years before the collapse, a structural field survey found that there was "major structural damage" to the concrete slab below the pool deck and "cracking and spalling" in the parking garage.

"The waterproofing below the pool deck and Entrance Drive as well as all of the planter waterproofing is beyond its useful life and therefore must all be completely removed and replaced," the October 2018 report read.

"The failed waterproofing is causing major structural damage to the concrete structural slab below these areas. Failure to replace the waterproofing in the near future will cause the extent of the concrete deterioration to expand exponentially," it warned.

The survey also noted that "many of the previous garage concrete repairs" were "failing."

The Champlain Towers South condominium, built in 1981, partially collapsed around 1:30 a.m. local time (about 0530 GMT) on Thursday in Surfside, around 9.6 km north of Miami Beach.

About 70 of the condo's 130 apartments were destroyed or damaged, according to Frank Rollason, director of Miami-Dade Emergency Management.

All the numbers are "fluid" because some residents may not be in the building when it collapsed, the mayor said on Friday, noting that rescuers will "continue searching because we still have hope that we will find people alive."

U.S. President Joe Biden has declared a state of emergency authorizing funding and other disaster relief to Surfside. The Federal Emergency Management Agency was sending support.

At least 27 people from Latin American countries, including Colombia, Cuba, Chile, Paraguay, Puerto Rico and Argentina, are among those reported missing by friends and family following the collapse, local newspaper Miami Herald reported Friday.

Florida state fire marshal Jimmy Patronis said on CNN on Friday morning that search and rescue teams were using everything at their disposal in the search of life, cutting into the concrete with saws and using infrared cameras after boring through holes in the rubble, along with sonar and specially trained dogs.

"The live active rescue will continue," Patronis said without going into how long he thinks a person can survive under the debris.

The first lawsuit, seeking 5 million U.S. dollars in damages for the victims of the condo collapse, was filed late on Thursday. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 14:03:21|Editor: huaxia

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Students attend a lecture given by space scientists at the Po Leung Kuk Ho Yuk Ching College in south China's Hong Kong, June 25, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

The visits of space scientists have kindled the flying dreams of the young generation in Hong Kong. "I want to be the first person in Hong Kong to fly to the moon!" Hayden Wong told Xinhua excitedly.

HONG KONG, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The opening ceremony of a lunar soil exhibition in Hong Kong on Saturday wrapped up the trip of mainland top space scientists in the financial hub, during which they visited universities and schools, igniting young people's flying dreams.

"Seeing the scientist in person was totally different from watching the news," student Cheng Wai Shing told the reporter on Friday after attending a lecture given by Hu Hao, the chief designer of the third stage of the national lunar exploration program, at his school Heep Woh College.

At the end of his speech, Hu said each generation has its own dream and he encouraged students to realize the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation and make contributions to the country.

Qi Faren (2nd L), an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and former chief designer of Shenzhou spaceships, interacts with students at the Queen's College in south China's Hong Kong, June 25, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

Cheng, in his first year of junior high school, was moved by Hu's remarks. Although he has yet to decide what to do in the future, he said space research was definitely in his consideration.

Students from Pui Kiu College, a primary and secondary school in Hong Kong, were overjoyed to learn that space scientists were to visit them. They showed their enthusiasm towards aerospace in different forms, painting, observing the moon with a telescope, searching for information on rocket propulsions. Eleven-year-old Cynthia Chiang was one of them.

Chiang has always been fascinated by the universe and recently read again her favorite book about China's manned space flight. "China's road to space exploration has not been easy. We started late, but we make progress quickly," she said with pride.

The video image shows Lt. Col. Yang Liwei, China's first astronaut, waving to the people after his safely landing at north China's Inner Mongolia and stepping out of the re-entry capsule of Shenzhou-5, at Beijing Space Control Center Oct. 16, 2003. (Xinhua Photo/Zhao Jianwei)

National aerospace scientists and astronauts have made multiple visits to Hong Kong since 2003, the year when China's first astronaut Yang Liwei flew into space aboard the Shenzhou-5 spacecraft.

Yang has become a hero to many young aerospace mania in Hong Kong, including Alam Tam, who was not even born when Shenzhou-5 was launched. The 10-year-old was thrilled seeing the scene on TV when Shenzhou-12 lifted off.

"I'm going to be an astronauts for sure when I grow up," Tam said, adding that he spends almost every weekend attending classes offered by the Hong Kong Aerospace Society to learn about aircraft, solar system, shuttle and related knowledge over the past five years.

Lunar soil brought back by China's moon mission is on display at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center in Hong Kong, south China, June 25, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

Also members of the society, Myron To and Hayden Wong were looking forward to visiting the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province and Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.

"I want to be the first person in Hong Kong to fly to the moon!" Wong said excitedly.

"I hope to join the national aerospace team and win glory for the motherland," To said he would be happy to be an engineer in the command and control center.

Xie Jun, chief designer of the BDS-3 satellite system, gives students a lecture at the Po Leung Kuk Ho Yuk Ching College in south China's Hong Kong, June 25, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

Established in 1992, the Hong Kong Aerospace Society holds lectures, competitions, training, and exchange activities all the year round, inspiring thousands of young people who love aviation and aerospace. Now, several of their members have obtained pilot licenses, some participated in the national moon project, and some studied aerospace in the university.

"In recent years, our country has made continuous progress in space science and technology, marking a new milestone in world space history," Peter Lui, founder of the society, said they were more than willing to cultivate young people's interest in aerospace and help them to build their space dreams.

"A small step today is a big step tomorrow," Lui said, adding that maybe one day Hong Kong young people can also become national space heroes. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 15:06:57|Editor: huaxia

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MACAO, June 27 (Xinhua) -- China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) reported one new imported COVID-19 case on Sunday, bringing the SAR's total number of confirmed cases to 54, according to the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center of Macao.

The patient, a 20-year-old female Macao resident who studied in Britain, departed from Britain on Friday and arrived in Macao Saturday on a flight via Singapore, the center said.

The woman said she had not been infected with the virus before, nor had she been vaccinated against it.

She has shown no symptoms yet, the center said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 15:13:15|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Experts have noted that Europe must affirm its strategic autonomy as the United States is imposing the theme of "Chinese challenge" on the Group of Seven and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), said the French newspaper "Le Monde" in a column recently.

U.S. President Joe Biden's European tour in mid-June marked an exotic geopolitical innovation: China, the power of the Pacific, was officially listed among the "challenges" weighing on the security of the Atlantic zone, which is new in the history of NATO, it added.

As Biden keeps reaffirming the U.S. commitment in Europe, it is tempting for Europe to give in to Biden's "charm" and line up behind the Americans in an anti-Chinese stance, but "it is also the opium of the European people," the column quoted political scientist Nicole Gnesotto, who made the remarks last week during a seminar at the Jacques Delors Institute, an independent think tank based in Paris, as saying.

The European Union has specific interests in China, a country with which it trades more than with the United States. Faced with the "Chinese challenge," Europeans must define its "strategic autonomy" and singularity, said Riccardo Perissich, an Italian expert in an article published earlier this month. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 15:17:10|Editor: huaxia

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by Xinhua writers Gao Wencheng, Wang Shoubao

TEHRAN, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Washington's recent takedown of dozens of websites of Iranian and other regional news outlets, which the U.S. Department of Justice said were operated "in violation of U.S. sanctions," has been termed by Tehran as being "double standard" and a "bullying measure."

Notices appeared on Tuesday on a host of websites like Iran's English-language news network Press TV, Arabic-language Al-Alam and Yemen's al-Masirah TV channel, saying their domains had been "seized by the United States Government."

Ahmad Ali-Akbari, executive vice president for training and international cooperation at Press TV, told Xinhua on Saturday that the U.S. move "is an attempt to conceal Washington's mis-conducted and failed policies across the world, especially in West Asia."

Meanwhile, analysts warned that the development could complicate the ongoing diplomatic efforts to revive the Iran nuclear deal.

DOUBLE STANDARD

In reaction, Saeed Khatibzadeh, spokesman of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, on Wednesday slammed the U.S. move as Washington's disgraceful "policy of double standards" regarding freedom of expression, describing it as "a systematic attempt by the United States to undermine freedom of expression on a global level."

Mahmoud Vaezi, the Iranian president's chief of staff, told local media on Wednesday that the U.S. government always has "a double standard, that is, they observe the issue that pertains to themselves and their friends, but what pertains to other countries and Islamic countries, they have a double discriminatory approach."

Also, Lebanon's Hezbollah Chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised speech on Friday that the U.S. move of seizing websites has exposed "Washington's false claims about freedom."

"It is incredible to see that while the U.S. government is accusing other countries of supposedly violating press freedoms, it's actually seizing the property of foreign media outlets," Ben Norton, an American journalist and commentator, told Press TV on Wednesday.

"There is a clear double standard," he said, adding that those media controlled or funded by Western nations are taken as being independent while Eastern media outlets run by countries targeted by Washington are treated as propaganda.

In an interview with Xinhua, Ali-Akbari said, "It is a common practice by Washington to attach a label of disinformation on the media it does not favor to be heard by Americans."

BULLYING POWER

"The Islamic Republic of Iran rejects the unlawful and bullying measure, and will pursue the issue through legal channels," Khatibzadeh said in a statement.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Iranian Islamic Radio and Television Union said, "The United States, under the pretext of freedom of expression and human rights, justifies its intervention in the world and puts pressure and sanctions on countries and different institutions."

"It tries to legitimize its crimes by shutting the mouths and suppressing the voices of freedom, and by relying on self-written laws and violations of democracy," it added.

Mahsa Alimardani, a researcher on human rights, told Al-Jazeera that the U.S. move was "shortsighted" as it lent support to the argument that the United States is an imperial and bullying power.

Press TV, formerly registered as a .com domain, later switched to an Iranian domain of .ir and was running again. Analysts warned that such a forced change illustrates how the United States leverages its leading, if not dominant, role in the Internet to serve its political calculation.

Wang Jin, a Middle East expert at Northwest University of China, called this move as a "very unilateralist behavior" in an interview with Xinhua on Saturday, warning that it suggests the United States could shut down not only Iranian websites, but also other countries' websites "based on their own decisions and policies rather than the consideration of the international interests and concerns."

RISING PRESSURE

The U.S. move came amid heightened tensions between the two countries when related parties have been trying to resuscitate the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Washington and Tehran have had indirect negotiations in Vienna since April aimed at restoring the JCPOA. But the two sides remain divided over the issue after six rounds of talks.

Press TV on Wednesday quoted Jason Unruhe, a political commentator, as saying that such a step by Washington "at a time when negotiations over the revival of Iran's nuclear deal are underway in Vienna is a deliberate provocative attack."

The United States and Iran still have serious differences over the restoration of the nuclear accord, a senior State Department official said on Thursday, while Iran's President-elect Ebrahim Raisi said on Monday that the United States must lift "all unjust sanctions" against Iran.

The seizures, Bloomberg warned on Wednesday, "add another element of friction" as negotiators try to bring Washington back into the nuclear agreement that former U.S. President Donald Trump quit in 2018 as part of a maximum-pressure campaign against Tehran.

"The current U.S. administration has exactly followed the path of the previous administration, which will only lead to a double defeat for Washington," Khatibzadeh said in his statement in response to the closure of websites.

Noting that "new pressure will rise for possible rapprochement between Iran and the United States in the future," Wang suggested that if Washington wants to have nuclear deal dialogue with Iran, it "might take more friendly and more positive steps rather than this very negative step towards Tehran." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 16:39:31|Editor: huaxia

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Washington's recent takedown of dozens of websites of Iranian and other regional news outlets, which the U.S. Department of Justice said were operated "in violation of U.S. sanctions," has been termed by Tehran as being "double standard" and a "bullying measure."

Produced by Xinhua Global services
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 18:30:28|Editor: huaxia

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-- A host of websites like Iran's English-language news network Press TV, Arabic-language Al-Alam and Yemen's al-Masirah TV channel said their domains had been "seized by the United States Government."

-- The U.S. Department of Justice said those dozens of websites of Iranian and other regional news outlets were operated "in violation of U.S. sanctions."

-- Tehran said the move is "double standard" and a "bullying measure."

by Xinhua writers Gao Wencheng, Wang Shoubao

TEHRAN, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Washington's recent takedown of dozens of websites of Iranian and other regional news outlets, which the U.S. Department of Justice said were operated "in violation of U.S. sanctions," has been termed by Tehran as being "double standard" and a "bullying measure."

Notices appeared on Tuesday on a host of websites like Iran's English-language news network Press TV, Arabic-language Al-Alam and Yemen's al-Masirah TV channel, saying their domains had been "seized by the United States Government."

Screenshot taken on June 26, 2021 shows that the United States seized the website of Iran's English-language news network Press TV. (Xinhua)

Ahmad Ali-Akbari, executive vice president for training and international cooperation at Press TV, told Xinhua on Saturday that the U.S. move "is an attempt to conceal Washington's mis-conducted and failed policies across the world, especially in West Asia."

Meanwhile, analysts warned that the development could complicate the ongoing diplomatic efforts to revive the Iran nuclear deal.





DOUBLE STANDARD

In reaction, Saeed Khatibzadeh, spokesman of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, on Wednesday slammed the U.S. move as Washington's disgraceful "policy of double standards" regarding freedom of expression, describing it as "a systematic attempt by the United States to undermine freedom of expression on a global level."

Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh addresses a press conference in Tehran, Iran, on March 8, 2021. (Photo by Ahmad Halabisaz/Xinhua)

Mahmoud Vaezi, the Iranian president's chief of staff, told local media on Wednesday that the U.S. government always has "a double standard, that is, they observe the issue that pertains to themselves and their friends, but what pertains to other countries and Islamic countries, they have a double discriminatory approach."

Also, Lebanon's Hezbollah Chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised speech on Friday that the U.S. move of seizing websites has exposed "Washington's false claims about freedom."

"It is incredible to see that while the U.S. government is accusing other countries of supposedly violating press freedoms, it's actually seizing the property of foreign media outlets," Ben Norton, an American journalist and commentator, told Press TV on Wednesday.

"There is a clear double standard," he said, adding that those media controlled or funded by Western nations are taken as being independent while Eastern media outlets run by countries targeted by Washington are treated as propaganda.



Photo taken on May 16, 2021 shows the Control Room of Iran's English-language news network Press TV. (Press TV/Handout via Xinhua)

In an interview with Xinhua, Ali-Akbari said, "It is a common practice by Washington to attach a label of disinformation on the media it does not favor to be heard by Americans."

BULLYING POWER

"The Islamic Republic of Iran rejects the unlawful and bullying measure, and will pursue the issue through legal channels," Khatibzadeh said in a statement.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Iranian Islamic Radio and Television Union said, "The United States, under the pretext of freedom of expression and human rights, justifies its intervention in the world and puts pressure and sanctions on countries and different institutions."

"It tries to legitimize its crimes by shutting the mouths and suppressing the voices of freedom, and by relying on self-written laws and violations of democracy," it added.

Mahsa Alimardani, a researcher on human rights, told Al-Jazeera that the U.S. move was "shortsighted" as it lent support to the argument that the United States is an imperial and bullying power.

Press TV, formerly registered as a .com domain, later switched to an Iranian domain of .ir and was running again. Analysts warned that such a forced change illustrates how the United States leverages its leading, if not dominant, role in the Internet to serve its political calculation.

Photo taken on May 16, 2021 shows the entrance to the newsroom of Iran's English-language news network Press TV. (Press TV/Handout via Xinhua)

Wang Jin, a Middle East expert at Northwest University of China, called this move as a "very unilateralist behavior" in an interview with Xinhua on Saturday, warning that it suggests the United States could shut down not only Iranian websites, but also other countries' websites "based on their own decisions and policies rather than the consideration of the international interests and concerns."

RISING PRESSURE

The U.S. move came amid heightened tensions between the two countries when related parties have been trying to resuscitate the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Washington and Tehran have had indirect negotiations in Vienna since April aimed at restoring the JCPOA. But the two sides remain divided over the issue after six rounds of talks.

Press TV on Wednesday quoted Jason Unruhe, a political commentator, as saying that such a step by Washington "at a time when negotiations over the revival of Iran's nuclear deal are underway in Vienna is a deliberate provocative attack."

The United States and Iran still have serious differences over the restoration of the nuclear accord, a senior State Department official said on Thursday, while Iran's President-elect Ebrahim Raisi said on Monday that the United States must lift "all unjust sanctions" against Iran.

Iran's President-elect Ebrahim Raisi attends his first press conference after winning the election in Tehran June 21, 2021. (Photo by Ahmad Halabisaz/Xinhua)

The seizures, Bloomberg warned on Wednesday, "add another element of friction" as negotiators try to bring Washington back into the nuclear agreement that former U.S. President Donald Trump quit in 2018 as part of a maximum-pressure campaign against Tehran.

"The current U.S. administration has exactly followed the path of the previous administration, which will only lead to a double defeat for Washington," Khatibzadeh said in his statement in response to the closure of websites.

Noting that "new pressure will rise for possible rapprochement between Iran and the United States in the future," Wang suggested that if Washington wants to have nuclear deal dialogue with Iran, it "might take more friendly and more positive steps rather than this very negative step towards Tehran." (Video reporters: Gao Wencheng, Wang Shoubao; video editor: Zhang Xinyi)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 18:35:45|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON -- The death toll from the partial collapse of a 12-story residential building in the U.S. beachside town of Surfside, southeastern state Florida, has risen to five, authorities said on Saturday.

"Today our search and rescue teams found another body in the rubble," Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said at a news conference Saturday evening.

"Our search has revealed some human remains," said the mayor, adding that there are now 130 people accounted for and 156 unaccounted for. (US-Florida-Building Collapse)

- - - -

TOKYO -- More American opinion leaders consider China as the United States' most important partner in Asia given the countries' trade relations, a survey by the Japanese Foreign Ministry revealed.

When asked to pick "the most important partner of the United States" among Asian and nearby countries, 35 percent of 200 opinion leaders from a range of fields picked China, while 33 percent picked Japan, according to the survey conducted between December 2020 and January 2021, local media reported Saturday. (US-China-Japan-Trade)

- - - -

SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir -- Two low-intensity explosions early Sunday rocked Air Force operated airport in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, officials said.

The explosions went off at the airport in Jammu, the winter capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir. (India-Kashmir-Blast)

- - - -

MOGADISHU -- Eighteen al-Shabab militants were executed Sunday in Galkayo town of Mudug, the Puntland State of Somalia, after being sentenced to death earlier by the court.

Chairperson of Puntland state court Mohamud Abdi Mohamed said their court proceedings followed through different stages before the execution. (Somalia-Al-Shabab Militants-Execution) Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 18:58:55|Editor: huaxia

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-- The Cowessess First Nation, an indigenous group in Saskatchewan, on Thursday announced a preliminary discovery of 751 unmarked graves near a former indigenous residential school, less than a month after a similar discovery rocked the country and the world.

-- Survivors of Canada's indigenous residential schools said the two findings were just the tip of the iceberg, renewing their feelings of grief and trauma.

--An estimated 150,000 indigenous children across Canada were reportedly removed from their homes and forced to attend residential schools between the 1890s and as recently as 1996, during which more than 50,000 died of abuses.

OTTAWA, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Though touting itself a "model for human rights," Canada was confronting its ugly history of encroaching upon the human rights of the indigenous people, as hundreds of unmarked graves were discovered at former indigenous residential schools.

Less than a month after the discovery of the remains of 215 indigenous children at a former residential school in western Canada, both Canada and the international community were again shocked by the new discovery of 751 more unmarked graves at a cemetery near another former indigenous residential school in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.

Children's shoes and toys are placed on the staircase outside Vancouver Art Gallery during a memorial event for the 215 children whose remains have been found buried at a former Kamloops residential school, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, May 30, 2021. (Photo by Andrew Soong/Xinhua)

SHAMEFUL CHAPTER REVEALED

The Cowessess First Nation, an indigenous group in Saskatchewan, on Thursday announced a preliminary discovery of 751 unmarked graves near a former indigenous residential school, less than a month after a similar discovery rocked the country and the world.

The Cowessess First Nation started a ground-penetrating radar search on June 2, according to local media reports, days after the discovery of the remains of 215 indigenous children buried in unmarked graves near the Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Cowessess First Nation Chief Cadmus Delorme said that technical teams scanned around 44,000 square meters of area, with preliminary findings reporting 751 "recorded hits" at the site.

Survivors of Canada's indigenous residential schools said the two findings were just the tip of the iceberg, renewing their feelings of grief and trauma.

In a statement issued after the new finding of unmarked graves, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the latest discoveries "a shameful reminder of the systemic racism, discrimination, and injustice that Indigenous peoples have faced and continue to face in this country."

An estimated 150,000 indigenous children across Canada were reportedly removed from their homes and forced to attend residential schools between the 1890s and as recently as 1996, during which more than 50,000 died of abuses.

People participate in a gathering organized by local indigenous community to pay tribute to the 215 Indigenous children whose bodies were found in a mass grave at a former Kamloops residential school, at Grandview Park in Vancouver, Canada, June 2, 2021. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua)

In 2008, the Canadian government formally admitted its role in forcing those native children into government-financed residential schools where many suffered physical and sexual abuse.

For Nola Jeffrey, who heads a healing center for indigenous people in British Columbia, the term "residential schools" was misleading and designed to sanitize the atrocities that took place there.

"I don't like calling them schools," Jeffrey told CTV News. "Schools are a place where ... you are nurtured and you are held so that your gifts can come out, and those places were not that at all. They were like, I guess, concentration camps would be the best word I could use to explain them."





CULTURAL GENOCIDE COMMITTED

In 2008, the Canadian government allowed the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada to investigate forced assimilation practices committed across Canada's indigenous residential schools.

The TRC officially concluded the investigation in December 2015 with a report that said the school system amounted to "cultural genocide."

"These measures were part of a coherent policy to eliminate Aboriginal people as a distinct people and to assimilate them into the Canadian mainstream against their will," said the TRC report. "Residential schooling quickly become a central element in the federal government's Aboriginal policy."

"The intent of the government's policy ... was to assimilate Aboriginal people into broader Canadian society," said the report. "At the end of this process, Aboriginal people were expected to have ceased to exist as a distinct people with their own governments, cultures and identities."

In 1985, Edwin Kimelman, a judge of the Canadian Provincial Court of Manitoba, also stated in a report on indigenous peoples and child welfare policies that "cultural genocide has been taking place in a systematic, routine manner."

Speaking early this month after the remains of 215 indigenous children were found in British Columbia, Canada's National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations Perry Bellegarde said, "Now nobody can deny that the residential schools were a genocide of our people."

In his statement on Thursday, Trudeau admitted that "no child should have ever been taken away from their families and communities, and robbed of their language, culture, and identity."

A girl tries to put a pair of shoes on the staircase while attending a memorial event for the 215 children whose remains have been found buried at a former Kamloops residential school, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, May 29, 2021. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua)

Retired Canadian Senator Murray Sinclair, the former chair of the TRC, was among those calling for an independent investigation to examine all burial sites near former residential schools.

He told the Canadian parliament early this month that such investigation should not be run by the Canadian federal government.





PAST NIGHTMARES RECOUNTED

As the scandals of those indigenous residential schools became exposed, more and more survivors began to speak out publicly for the first time.

According to Jeffrey, her healing center in British Columbia got many calls directly from survivors who are now willing to tell their miserable school life.

"A lot of it is because they were (previously) brainwashed to believe that no one would believe what they were saying," said Jeffrey.

Florence Sparvier, a survivor of the Marieval Indian Residential School, said at a press conference on Thursday that she had to go to the school because one of her parents would have been jailed if they did not send a child to the school.

Indigenous Canadians take part in a memorial event for the 215 children whose remains have been found buried at a former Kamloops residential school, in Toronto, Canada, May 30, 2021. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)

While in the school, "they made us think different. They made us feel different. A lot of pain we see in our people comes from there," Sparvier told reporters.

"They made us believe we didn't have souls," she added, recounting the harsh treatments indigenous children were subjected to at the school.

"They pounded it into us and really they were very mean when I say pounding, I mean pounding. Those nuns were very mean to us. I don't know, I don't think they liked it being there either," she said.

Although she attended the Marievel residential school 56 years ago, Debbie Delorme, another survivor, told local media that the pain and trauma she endured there still haunts her today.

Delorme was taken when she was five years old, and she said that all of her immediate family were forced to attend Marievel and suffered multiple forms of abuse there.

"I was also sexually, physically, and mentally abused," Delorme said. "Any abuse that anybody talks about was all true."

As a survivor of St. Anne's Residential School in northern Ontario, Elizabeth Sackaney said the latest discoveries of unmarked graves at former indigenous residential schools were just the beginning.

"A lot of kids went missing, a lot of kids something happened to them," said Sackaney. (Video reporter: Li Baodong; Video editors: Luo Hui, Zhou Sa'ang)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 19:06:36|Editor: huaxia

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HONG KONG, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) reported six new cases of COVID-19 Sunday.

Of the new cases, one was locally transmitted and five were imported from overseas, taking the total tally in the global financial hub to 11,917.

The CHP also said there were 34 new cases over the past two weeks ending Saturday, including one local case.

Hong Kong is pushing forward its vaccination program that started in late February.

More than 2.12 million residents have taken at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, accounting for 31.2 percent of eligible groups, with nearly 1.39 million people fully vaccinated. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 19:14:27|Editor: huaxia

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TOKYO, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government has asked participants at the Tokyo Olympic Games from six South Asian countries to take COVID-19 tests every day for seven days prior to their departure for Japan.

Japan's state broadcaster NHK said on Sunday that athletes and all other members of delegations from India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan will face stricter countermeasures because of the spreading Delta variant, which was first identified in India.

NHK added that the measures would take effect on July 1.

Participants from these countries have already been required to be vaccinated before entering Japan, which is not a pre-condition for athletes from other delegations.

All overseas teams should have members tested twice within four days prior to departure, and every day in principle after arriving in Japan.

The latest step also requires participants from Egypt, Vietnam, Malaysia, Britain and Bangladesh to be tested every day for three days prior to departure. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 19:37:37|Editor: huaxia

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A farmer holds boxes of harvested strawberries at a green house in Injil district of Herat province, western Afghanistan, June 27, 2021. (Photo by Arif Karimi/Xinhua)

by Abdul Haleem

HERAT, Afghanistan, June 27 (Xinhua) -- "I established a green house of farming strawberry with 20,000 U.S. dollars in 2016 in Injil district of Herat province and thanks God my capital has increased to 100,000 U.S. dollars today," a farmer Reza Dehqan whispered joyfully.

Busy in his green house, Dehqan told Xinhua recently that in the first year of farming the strawberry in the green house only five persons worked in the farm but currently 50 workers are working. The ambitious farmer muttered with hope that his business has been flourishing since its start in 2016.

Establishing green houses and growing variety of vegetables have been in constant rise in the relatively peaceful western Herat province, Dehaq said, adding that the local farmers and businesspersons from other parts of Herat have set up green houses in Injil, Guzara and Karukh districts over the past few years.

"I have been working in Dehqan's green house over the past couple of years and have reasonable income to support my family," a lady worker in the strawberry farm, Zahra, 30, told Xinhua recently.

Expressing satisfaction over her income from working at the green house to collect strawberry, Zahra urged the government to support promotion of green houses culture and find markets for their products.

"This is the easiest way to create job opportunities," Zahra suggested, saying at least a dozen people can work in a green house.

Variety of vegetables including eggplant, tomato and cucumber are grown in the local green houses, she added.

"About 9,000 people are working in the green houses elsewhere in Herat," head of Herat's Agriculture Department, Bashir Ahmad Ahmadi, told Xinhua recently.

According to the official, some 1,500 green houses have been established elsewhere in Herat province that has significantly reduced the import of vegetables to the western region.

"Strawberry, onion, cucumber, potato and many more vegetables are produced in Herat and you can find all kind of local produced vegetables in Herat markets in each season including winter," Ahmadi told Xinhua with pride.

"Herat supplies around 100 tons of vegetables every morning to local markets in Herat and in the neighboring provinces of Farah and Kandahar," Ahmadi further said.

Farming in green houses and producing vegetables even in the winter, according to the official, have also encouraged the farmers in the neighboring Farah and Nimroz provinces to develop the new agricultural method in their areas.

"The government would continue to support the farmers to develop the green house farming system elsewhere in Herat to increase local products and thus reduce dependency on imported vegetables," Ahmadi assured. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 20:00:17|Editor: huaxia

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KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Six militants have been confirmed dead as fighting planes struck a group of Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan's northern Kunduz province Saturday night, an army spokesman in the northern region captain Abdul Razaq said Sunday.

A group of Taliban mine planters were busy in planting mines on a road in Ali Abad district that links Kunduz to the national capital Kabul city on Saturday night. Acting on tip-off, the fighting planes targeted them, killing six on the spot, Razaq said.

Taliban outfit has yet to make comment.

In the meantime, heavy fighting has been continuing between Taliban and government forces for the control of Rustaq district in Kunduz's neighboring Takhar province over the past couple of days.

Taliban militants have claimed victory, but Takhar provincial government spokesman Hamid Mubariz has rejected the claim, saying the Taliban attacks have been repulsed.

Taliban militants have overrun more than 70 districts since the start of the U.S.-led forces pull out from Afghanistan on May 1, but the government forces have recaptured over a dozen districts since early last week. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 20:10:21|Editor: huaxia

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LISBON, June 27 (Xinhua) -- In times of extreme economic instability worldwide, work without a permanent contract and on reduced hours -- the so-called "part-time" job -- has become popular and even a trend in Portugal, but it can pose challenges to the country's permanent economic structure.

More and more workers residing in Portugal have been looking for alternatives to the traditional jobs, which are scarce, said Joao Palmeirao, a lawyer specializing in Portuguese labor legislation.

He explained in an interview with Xinhua that the country's Labor Code enables employers to pay hired workers per hour for work performed.

"The legal term is 'part-time work,' it is provided for in Portuguese labor law, which establishes that it cannot be higher than 75 percent of the normal Portuguese workload, which is 40 hours a week," he said.

According to him, part-time workers have the same rights as full-time workers under Portuguese law, such as vacations, maternity leave, and even weekly rest and other benefits, which must be registered in a formal employment contract.

But it's quite difficult for part-time workers to get full protection as the law allows companies to hire people for only a few hours of work per day without the need to reward them for the idle hours, said Palmeirao. Besides, certain rights are not granted in the system, such as food subsidies during the working day if they work less than five hours per day.

That's why "increasingly companies are looking for part-time workers because this way they can save costs," said Palmeirao.

In addition, the number of "self-employed" workers who do not have a specific employment contract with any company has increased, noticed Palmeirao.

According to him, this allows workers to provide services "in the morning for one company and in the afternoon for another," for example, as long as they can prove that they worked less than eight hours per day for each employer.

But economist Pedro Brinca seems to have a different point of view on the job market.

Brinca, assistant professor from the Nova School of Business and Economics, said work without a contract has become a growing problem in Portugal. This is often offered to undocumented immigrants who want to reside legally in Europe.

Cases of fraud are also frequent. There are workers who claim to be self-employed, which enables companies to avoid paying taxes on their salary, though the workers meet all the requirements for employee status.

In Portugal, the unemployment rate stood at 7.1 percent in the first quarter of 2021, up 0.3 percent from the first three months of last year, according to Statistics Portugal (INE).

The INE estimated the unemployed population at 360,100 people, a decrease of 3.5 percent compared to the previous quarter but 3.5 percent higher compared to the first quarter of 2020.

"The lack of work for technical or economic reasons at the companies (including the temporary suspension of contracts or lay-offs) was the main reason" for unemployment in Portugal in the period, according to the INE.

"As a result, the number of hours actually worked showed a quarterly decrease of 6.4 percent. On average, each employed person worked 32 hours a week," said a statement from the INE.

INE data showed that the number of Portuguese people with more than one source of income fell 16.2 percent in 2020 compared to the previous year as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism and hospitality sectors.

According to Brinca, there is an obvious explanation for this: "With the drop in demand, the first jobs that tend to be cut are the precarious ones because they are cheaper to eliminate."

He said that the impact of the crisis on the so-called "precarious" workers was not unexpected, and it was confirmed in the statistics throughout the pandemic. These workers are extremely vulnerable to economic crises.

The Portuguese government's employment support scheme does not cover these workers, who can be laid off upon the expiration of their contracts, he said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 20:20:15|Editor: huaxia

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U.S. President Joe Biden (C) addresses a joint session of Congress in Washington, D.C., the United States, April 28, 2021. (Melina Mara/Pool via Xinhua)

The real question continues to be whether the more partisan parts of Biden's proposals, such as higher taxes and increased spending apart from traditional infrastructure, have enough support to get through reconciliation.



WASHINGTON, June 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden clarified on Saturday that he does not intend to issue a veto threat on a bipartisan infrastructure bill if it comes without a reconciliation bill on his other social spending priorities.

Though the president said he will work with Congress to pass the bills, questions remain as to whether Congress will eventually get both to the president's desk.

"At a press conference after announcing the bipartisan agreement, I indicated that I would refuse to sign the infrastructure bill if it was sent to me without my Families Plan and other priorities, including clean energy," Biden said in a statement released by the White House on Saturday afternoon.

"That statement understandably upset some Republicans, who do not see the two plans as linked; they are hoping to defeat my Families Plan -- and do not want their support for the infrastructure plan to be seen as aiding passage of the Families Plan," he said.

"My comments also created the impression that I was issuing a veto threat on the very plan I had just agreed to, which was certainly not my intent," the president added.

Photo taken on May 28, 2021 shows the U.S. Capitol building behind traffic lights in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Biden announced Thursday that he had reached a deal with a bipartisan group of senators on a roughly 1.2-trillion-U.S.-dollar infrastructure plan over eight years.

But during a press conference later in the day, the president signaled that he would not sign the bipartisan infrastructure bill unless Congress passes 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," Biden said.

"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," he added.

Those comments angered some Republican lawmakers, who opposed linking the two bills together, saying the president was threatening to veto the bipartisan deal.

"Less than two hours after publicly commending our colleagues and endorsing the bipartisan agreement, the president took the extraordinary step of threatening to veto it," Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said Thursday.

"It was a tale of two press conferences -- endorse the agreement in one breath and threaten to veto it in the next," McConnell said.

People wander near the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, June 22, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

In response, Biden said on Saturday that he intended to work with Congress to pass both bills. "We will let the American people -- and the Congress -- decide," he said.

Biden said he will ask Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer to schedule both the infrastructure plan and the reconciliation bill for action in the Senate.

"I expect both to go to the House, where I will work with Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi on the path forward after Senate action. Ultimately, I am confident that Congress will get both to my desk, so I can sign each bill promptly," he said.

The real question continues to be whether the more partisan parts of Biden's proposals, such as higher taxes and increased spending apart from traditional infrastructure, have enough support to get through reconciliation, according to Michael Pugliese, an economist at Wells Fargo Securities.

"We still suspect the answer is yes, but that the headline figures for new spending and tax increases will need to be scaled back to become law. That said, we do not view the reconciliation bill as a guarantee," Pugliese said Friday in an analysis, adding Biden's efforts to pass the American Families Plan could eventually fail. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 22:11:58|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Political parties, political leaders and friendly individuals in other countries have extended warm congratulations on the upcoming 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

In messages addressed to General Secretary Xi Jinping of the CPC Central Committee or to the CPC Central Committee, they spoke highly of China's remarkable achievements in various fields under the strong leadership of the CPC.

They said that they look forward to deepening inter-party cooperation with the CPC, so as to make greater contributions to promoting world peace and development.

The following is an edited summary of some of these messages.

Zambian President Edgar Lungu said that China has been providing assistance to Zambia within such frameworks as the Belt and Road Initiative and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which has consolidated their relations featuring mutual benefit.

President of the Federated States of Micronesia David W. Panuelo said that he firmly believes that under the leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping, the CPC will continue to write a new chapter of success and firmly promote world peace and development based on mutual trust, common interests, and sincere friendship.

General Secretary of the South African Communist Party Blade Nzimande said that China's development fully reflects the strength of the socialism with Chinese characteristics.

President of the National Assembly of Sao Tome and Principe Delfim Neves said that since the CPC became the ruling party, it has led the Chinese people to overcome difficulties, embark on a new path for national liberation and rejuvenation, and make great achievements in national construction and development.

Desi Bouterse, former president of Suriname and chairman of the National Democratic Party, said that the CPC, in the face of the changing times, has demonstrated a strong ability to keep pace with the times, innovate itself and choose the right leadership.

Mohsen Basurra, a member of Yemen's Islah Party's leadership and deputy parliament speaker, said that the significance of the CPC's centenary is that the party has led China to achieve remarkable success unseen in human history and make qualitative leap in various fields. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 22:18:38|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

- - - -

JAKARTA -- Indonesia Sunday recorded 21,342 newly-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, marking the highest daily spike and bringing the total tally to 2,115,304, the Health Ministry said.

The COVID-19 related death toll rose by 409 to 57,138, the ministry reported.

- - - -

TEHRAN -- The Iranian health ministry reported on Sunday 9,758 new COVID-19 cases, taking the country's total infections to 3,167,741.

The pandemic has so far claimed 83,845 lives in Iran, up by 134 in the past 24 hours, the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education said in a briefing published on the ministry's official website.

- - - -

MOSCOW -- Russia has reported another 20,538 COVID-19 cases in the past 24-hour period, according to the official data released Sunday.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the country now stands at 5,451,291.

- - - -

HANOI -- Vietnam reported 368 new COVID-19 cases Sunday, including 359 locally transmitted and nine imported, bringing the total tally to 15,643, according to its Ministry of Health.

Among the community cases, 245 were reported in the southern Ho Chi Minh City, 36 in the nearby southern Binh Duong province, and 20 in the northern Bac Giang province.

- - - -

ADDIS ABABA -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa reached 5,389,915 as of Sunday afternoon, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said.

The Africa CDC, the specialized healthcare agency of the 55-member African Union, said the death toll from the pandemic stands at 140,836 while 4,732,109 patients across the continent have recovered from the disease.

- - - -

JERUSALEM -- Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Sunday urged teenagers to get vaccinated amid rising numbers of new COVID-19 cases due to a local outbreak of the Delta variant.

"Go out today and get vaccinated," Bennett said at the beginning of his weekly cabinet meeting, referring to youths older than 12.

- - - -

KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysia will extend its current restrictions until the COVID-19 outbreak is further contained, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said on Sunday.

Muhyiddin said the national recovery plan, which is divided into four phases, would see phase 1 remain in place until the targeted threshold are met, he was quoted as saying by state news agency Bernama. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 22:41:17|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Political parties, political leaders and friendly individuals in other countries have extended warm congratulations on the upcoming 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

In messages addressed to General Secretary Xi Jinping of the CPC Central Committee or to the CPC Central Committee, they spoke highly of China's remarkable achievements in various fields under the leadership of the CPC.

They said that they look forward to deepening inter-party cooperation with the CPC, so as to make greater contributions to promoting world peace and development.

The following is an edited summary of some of these messages.

Hassan Ghafourifard, former Iranian vice president and chairman of the Foundation of Islamic Development, said that the CPC has gone through a glorious century-long journey and set an example for other countries in Asia and the rest of the world.

Wee Ka Siong, Malaysia's transport minister and president of the Malaysian Chinese Association, said that the CPC, a party keeping pace with the times and pursuing progress, has withstood the test of a hundred years and emerged stronger with full vitality.

Korneliya Ninova, chairperson of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, said that under the strong leadership of the CPC, China has made remarkable achievements in various fields and brought the Chinese people prosperity, stability and happiness.

Ichiro Ozawa, a member of the House of Representatives from the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and former head of the previous Democratic Party of Japan, said despite many difficulties, the CPC has led The People's Republic of China to become a country with huge political and economic influence and rock-firm international status.

Chea Monyrith, president of the Chinese Cambodian Evolution Researcher Association, said that China's peaceful development will strengthen the confidence of all countries in pursuit of peace, stability and development, and make greater contribution to building a community with a shared future for mankind. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 23:15:13|Editor: huaxia

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The Press Center for Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) holds its first press conference in Beijing, capital of China, June 27, 2021. Qu Qingshan, head of the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, attended the press conference with other senior researchers on the history of the CPC. (Xinhua/Ren Chao)

BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The Press Center for Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Sunday held its first press conference in Beijing.

Qu Qingshan, head of the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, attended the press conference with other senior researchers on the history of the CPC.

As a specialized organ to study the Party's history and theory, the Institute has made solid efforts to promote the research on the CPC history, improve literature editing, and advance documents compilation and translation, said Qu.

The experts summarized contributions of the CPC during the past 100 years and the Institute's works in the Party history learning and education campaign, and answered media questions. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 23:42:21|Editor: huaxia

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MOSCOW -- Russia has reported another 20,538 COVID-19 cases in the past 24-hour period, according to the official data released Sunday.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the country now stands at 5,451,291. (Russia-Coronavirus)

- - - -

JAKARTA -- Indonesia Sunday recorded 21,342 newly-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, marking the highest daily spike and bringing the total tally to 2,115,304, the Health Ministry said.

The COVID-19 related death toll rose by 409 to 57,138, the ministry reported. (Indonesia-Coronavirus-Record)

- - - -

KUNDUZ, Afghanistan -- Six militants have been confirmed dead as fighting planes struck a group of Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan's northern Kunduz province Saturday night, an army spokesman in the northern region captain Abdul Razaq said Sunday.

A group of Taliban mine planters were busy in planting mines on a road in Ali Abad district that links Kunduz to the national capital Kabul city on Saturday night. Acting on tip-off, the fighting planes targeted them, killing six on the spot, Razaq said. (Afghanistan-Fighting Planes-Militants)

- - - -

KINSHASA -- At least two people were injured on Sunday morning when a makeshift bomb exploded at a Catholic Church in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to police.

The explosion occurred at 6 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) in Beni city of North Kivu province, the city's police chief Narcisse Muteba Kashale said. (DRC-Church-Bomb) Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-28 01:48:04|Editor: huaxia

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RABAT, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's COVID-19 tally rose to 529,676 on Sunday as 452 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours.

The death toll from the virus rose by four to 9,277 in the country, while 215 people were in intensive care units, the Moroccan Health Ministry said in a statement.

The tally of recoveries from COVID-19 in Morocco increased to 516,269 after 406 new ones were added, the statement said.

Meanwhile, the number of people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 reached 8,822,967 in the North African state, where a total of 9,822,096 first doses have been administered, the statement added.

Morocco launched a nationwide vaccination campaign on Jan. 28 after the arrival of the first shipment of China's Sinopharm vaccines. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-28 02:01:07|Editor: huaxia

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RIYADH, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The Saudi-led coalition involved in a war in Yemen on Sunday intercepted two drones launched toward the Saudi border city of Khamis Mushait, the Al Ekhbariya TV reported.

The coalition accused the Houthi militia in Yemen of continuing to target civilians, pledging to take military steps to protect them.

The coalition announced earlier the interception of two missiles launched toward Najran and Khamis Mushait in the Kingdom's southwest region.

Various Saudi cities, especially those on the southwest border, are frequently targeted by drones and missiles fired by the Houthis. Most of the attacks had been foiled before reaching their targets.

Saudi Arabia has been leading a war in Yemen against the Houthi militia since 2015, in support of the government of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-28 03:55:32|Editor: huaxia

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Iraqi President Barham Salih receives Jordanian King Abdullah II at Baghdad International Airport in Baghdad, Iraq, on June 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)

BAGHDAD, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi held a tripartite meeting with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and Jordanian King Abdullah II here on Sunday to enhance economic ties, security cooperation and regional stability.

The meeting "is an important message to our people that we are mutually supportive and unified to serve our people and the people of the region," a statement of al-Kadhimi's media office quoted his opening remarks as saying.

He said that the most important challenges facing the three countries are the COVID-19 pandemic, difficult economic conditions, security and terrorism, according to the statement.

Calling on the three countries to unify their stances, Al-Kadhimi said "we will continue to coordinate on major regional issues, such as the Syrian, Libyan, Yemeni and Palestinian files, to assist our brothers in these countries to bypass the challenges and crises."

He noted that the three countries are in the stage of implementing projects in the fields of electrical interconnection, agriculture, transportation, and food security, as well as in the development of infrastructure in financial and banking relations, the statement said.

Later in the day, a statement issued after the meeting said that the three leaders agreed to cooperate and coordinate in various areas, including the electrical interconnection and linking gas transport networks between Iraq and Egypt via Jordan, as well as building an oil pipeline connecting the Iraqi oil-hub of Basra to the Jordanian port of Aqaba.

The statement added that Iraq and Jordan support Egypt's stance on the issue of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Nile River. It stressed the need to activate efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace that meets all legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state.

Earlier in the day, Sisi arrived in Baghdad, marking the first visit by an Egyptian head of state since Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990 and worsened Iraq-Egypt ties.

Shortly after Sisi's arrival, King Abdullah II arrived to participate in the trilateral summit that aims to achieve economic partnerships that chart Iraq's new role in the region.

Al-Kadhimi reportedly seeks to reach out to the Arab world to bolster Iraq's role in the region as a mediator to solve regional problems, including the conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

The trilateral meeting was first scheduled to be held on March 27, but was postponed twice due to a tragic train collision in Egypt, and the events affecting the stability of Jordan.

The leaders of the three countries have been working to strengthen economic and trade cooperation over the past few years with three summits being held since 2019. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-28 04:07:36|Editor: huaxia

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MOGADISHU, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Somali National Army (SNA) said Sunday that 41 al-Shabab militants were killed and several others injured in a suicide car bomb attack at a town in Galmudug, a regional state in central Somalia.

Moreover, the SNA commander told state-owned television that three SNA soldiers and five from Galmudug's regional paramilitary forces (Darwish) were killed during the attack near a security camp in Wisil which is one of the safest towns in Galmudug State.

The military said some of the civilians and soldiers wounded in the fighting were taken to Mogadishu for medical treatment.

The Somali government strongly condemned Sunday's terrorist attack by al-Shabab and sent its condolences to the families of those killed by the terrorists.

Deputy Information Minister, Abdirahman Yusuf Al-Adala said the government had taken immediate action to help the people of Wisil, who showed courage and resisted attempts by the terrorists to attack their town.

The al-Shabab militant group which is fighting the government has been driven out of major strongholds in Somalia in recent years in a joint offensive by AMISOM and local forces but the group still stages attacks across the country. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-28 05:17:21|Editor: huaxia

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SAN FRANCISCO, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Two separate Oakland shootings left one man dead and another wounded in East Oakland, U.S. state California, on Saturday, according to a East Bay Times report on Sunday.

Police responded to an incident at Hayes Street at about 9 p.m. on Saturday. Authorities said a 31-year-old man was shot multiple times and was taken to a hospital and died there. The motive for the shooting had not been announced as of Sunday.

The deadly shooting brought the number of homicides investigated in Oakland to 64 this year, nearly double the 33 around the same period last year.

On Saturday, about four hours before the Hayes Street shooting, a robbery and shooting left one man injured in MacArthur Boulevard, the East Bay Times reported. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-28 05:35:41|Editor: huaxia

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RABAT, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita on Sunday underscored the importance of Libya's upcoming general elections which are expected to lay the foundation for long-term stability in the Maghreb country.

Morocco supports the efforts of the Libyan legitimate institutions to prepare for the next elections, Bourita told the press following his talks in Rabat with visiting head of the Libyan transitional government, Abdul Hamid Dbeibah.

"The provision of all the conditions for the success of the upcoming elections on Dec. 24 will allow Libyan people to enjoy stability, achieve development, and put an end to the foreign presence," Bourita added.

For his part, Dbeibah welcomed Morocco's mediation efforts during the Libyan crisis for stability in his country, adding that his visit aims to consolidate bilateral relations.

"We aspire to hold the Joint Committee on Consular Affairs to facilitate the granting of visas for study and residence in the two countries," he said, adding that the 9th meeting of the Moroccan-Libyan joint committee is planned to be held in Morocco.

Arriving in Rabat earlier on Sunday, Dbeibah is scheduled to meet with many Moroccan officials. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-28 06:19:08|Editor: huaxia

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SANTIAGO, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Chile has reported a seven-day moving average of around 4,500 cases of COVID-19, the lowest since March, the Ministry of Health reported on Sunday.

Minister of Health Enrique Paris said that in the last 24 hours, another 4,488 cases were registered, bringing the total to 1,547,103 infections, and 135 deaths were also reported, bringing the death toll to 32,298.

Paris explained that in the last seven days, cases had decreased 26 percent at the national level and that all 16 of the country's regions had registered a reduction in cases.

The Chilean government on Tuesday will lift the total confinement in 24 communities in the Santiago Metropolitan Region. This is in addition to the 10 municipalities that lifted confinement measures on Thursday. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-28 07:23:48|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. military conducted airstrikes against facilities used by Iran-backed militia groups in the Iraq-Syria border region, the Pentagon said on Sunday.

"The U.S. strikes targeted operational and weapons storage facilities at two locations in Syria and one location in Iraq, both of which lie close to the border between those countries," the Pentagon said in a statement.

"The targets were selected because these facilities are utilized by Iran-backed militias that are engaged in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks against U.S. personnel and facilities in Iraq," it added. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 18:33:22|Editor: huaxia

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KINSHASA, June 27 (Xinhua) -- At least two people were injured on Sunday morning in an explosion at a Catholic church in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to multiple local media.

The property damage is significant, local media reported, citing witnesses as saying that the tragedy occurred in Beni of North Kivu province shortly before the Sunday worship.

Armed groups, which have been active in this part of the country for decades, have increased their attacks in Beni since the beginning of this year.

Faced with the growing insecurity in this region, DRC President Felix Tshisekedi decided at the end of April to declare a state of siege in North Kivu and the neighboring Ituri province. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 18:40:51|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken with a mobile phone on June 27, 2021 shows the site of a local Catholic church after an explosion in Beni city of North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). At least two people were injured on Sunday morning when a makeshift bomb exploded at a Catholic Church in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to police. (Photo by Alain Uyakani/Xinhua)

KINSHASA, June 27 (Xinhua) -- At least two people were injured on Sunday morning when a makeshift bomb exploded at a Catholic Church in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to police.

The explosion occurred at 6 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) in Beni city of North Kivu province, the city's police chief Narcisse Muteba Kashale said.

Witnesses said the explosion also destroyed several pews and other objects on the spot.

The experts of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC that rushed to the site after the explosion said it was a homemade bomb targeting Christians coming for the Sunday worship.

The authorities have not identified the perpetrators, but many in the city believed it was an attack by rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces, a militia group that has been active in the area for decades. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-28 00:20:33|Editor: huaxia

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KINSHASA, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has condemned the explosion of a homemade bomb Sunday morning at a church in northeastern part of the country, vowing to end activism of armed groups in the region.

At least two people were injured this morning when a homemade bomb exploded in a church in Beni city of North Kivu province.

The DRC government "condemns with the utmost energy" this tragedy, said the Ministry of Communication in a tweet, adding that the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) remain "more than determined to end activism of armed groups in this part of the country."

"This (tragedy) further motivates the FARDC to intensify the hunt for those terrorists in disarray until the very end," the ministry said.

The explosion occurred at around 6 a.m. local time (0400 GMT), the city's police chief Narcisse Muteba Kashale said. Witnesses said the explosion also destroyed several pews and other objects on the spot.

The experts of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC that rushed to the site after the explosion said it was a homemade bomb targeting Christians coming for the Sunday worship.

The authorities have not identified the perpetrators, but many in the city believed it was an attack by rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a militia group that has been active in the area for decades.

Last month, at least two Muslim imams were shot dead in two mosques in the middle of worship in the same city of Beni by unknown people, while hundreds of people have recently been killed in Beni territory by ADF rebels.

Faced with the growing insecurity in the region, DRC President Felix Tshisekedi decided at the end of April to declare a state of siege in North Kivu and the neighboring Ituri province. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 13:49:54|Editor: huaxia

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ULAN BATOR, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia recorded 2,432 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide tally to 109,694, the country's health ministry said Sunday.

Meanwhile, 13 more fatalities were reported, including a two-month-old baby, taking the national death toll to 537, said the ministry.

Mongolia's COVID-19 surge continues, and since mid-June, more than 2,000 infections and over 10 deaths have been reported daily in the country with a population of 3.3 million.

The Asian country launched a national vaccination campaign in late February, with the aim of covering at least 60 percent of its population. More than 1,723,822 Mongolians have been fully vaccinated. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 18:41:21|Editor: huaxia

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MAIMANA, Afghanistan, June 27 (Xinhua) -- At least 100 shops and 20 houses have been set ablaze by the Taliban militants in Andkhoy district of Afghanistan's northern Faryab province, officials said Sunday.

Fighting between government forces and the attacking Taliban militants erupted in the restive Andkhoy district on Wednesday and the militants overrun it on Thursday after retreating the security forces.

However, the militants evacuated it on Friday after heavy fighting where 25 insurgents had been killed, provincial police spokesman Mohammad Karim Yurash said.

"The Taliban militants after leaving 25 bodies behind fled away, but before fleeing they torched up to 100 shops including carpet selling shops, grocery and vegetables. The fleeing Taliban also set ablaze 20 houses in the district," Yurash confirmed to Xinhua.

Confirming the incident, another provincial official Nasir Ahmad Azimi asserted that the ongoing war and changing Andkhoy hand to hand has hugely damaged the local economy as many shops and houses had been destroyed.

Similarly, a member of the provincial council, Abdul Ahad Elbik told Xinhua that the fighting had inflicted heavy property losses on the people and fighting is still continue in parts of the restive district.

Andkhoy is a port district of Faryab province, which connects the war-torn Afghanistan to Turkmenistan.

Taliban militants, who have captured more than 70 districts since the start of the withdrawal of the U.S.-led forces from Afghanistan on May 1, have yet to make comment on the situation. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-27 01:44:57|Editor: huaxia

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TIRANA, June 26 (Xinhua) -- All citizens above the age of 18 will be allowed to get a COVID-19 vaccine shot on June 29-30 across all vaccination sites in Albania, Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu said Saturday.

The minister made the announcement of the open vaccination campaign from a vaccination site in the coastal city of Vlora, southern Albania.

"Based on a recommendation of the Public Health Institute experts, we have decided, as in many other countries, to launch a vaccination campaign for next Tuesday and Wednesday for all citizens above the age of 18," Manastirliu told local media.

She invited all citizens belonging to this age group and above to apply for vaccination at the government online platform e-Albania.

On Friday, the total number of vaccinations in Albania reached 930,126, according to Manastirliu.

So far, mass vaccination in Albania has included citizens above the age of 50 as well as frontline professionals.

Albania on Friday recorded seven new COVID-19 cases, taking the national total to 132,506, with 129,975 recoveries and 2,455 fatalities, according to the health ministry. Enditem


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The Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday slated July 2 for hearing of an application filed by former Abia State governor, Senator Orji Kalu, challenging his retrial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for money laundering.

The Lagos Division of the court had on December 5, 2019, convicted and sentenced Kalu to 12 years imprisonment, and his co-defendant, Udeh Udeogu, to 10 years jail term for diverting Abia State's funds to the tune of N7.1 billion.

However, citing technical grounds, the Supreme Court on May 8, 2020, set aside the conviction and sentence, and ordered that the defendants be tried afresh.

Before they could be re-arraigned, however, Kalu, the incumbent Chief Whip of the Nigerian Senate, filed an application to stop his retrial.

When the matter came up before Inyang Ekwo, the judge handling the case, yesterday, lawyers representing the different parties respectively informed the court that they had all filed and exchanged their processes.

Kalu was represented by Awa Kalu, EFCC by Oluwaleke Atolagbe, Udeogu by George Ukaegbu, and the senator's firm, Slok Nigeria Ltd (3rd respondent) by K C Nwafor.

The lawyers are to return to court on July 2 to adopt the processes they have filed.

In his application, Kalu asked the court for an order prohibiting the EFCC from retrying him on same alleged N7.1 billion money laundering charges.

He contended that it would amount to double jeopardy to be subjected to a fresh trial on same charge, having been tried, convicted and sentenced on the same charges in the suit marked, FHC/ABJ/CR/56/ 2007.

In his supporting affidavit filed in support of his motion, Kalu chronicled the historical background of the trial from his first arraignment and re-arraignment in 2016 and 2017, before the Abuja division of the Federal High Court after the initial charges were amended by the EFCC.

He recalled that how on December 5, 2019, Mohammed Idris, the then trial judge at the Federal High Court in Lagos, who is now a judge of the Court of Appeal, convicted and sentenced him with respect to the charges.

He said he was taken to Ikoyi Correctional Centre where he served a few days of his jail term before he was later moved to Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.

He added that on May 8, 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that trial by Justice Mohammed was conducted without jurisdiction and ordered the retrial of the appellant, Udeogu, without reference to him.

He argued that "there is no extant ruling or judgment of a competent court in Nigeria ordering his trial having regard to the fact that the Supreme Court excluded him from the explicit order for retrial arising from charge No: FHC/ABJ/56/2007."

According to him, his trial having been pronounced a nullity by the Supreme Court in its judgment of May 8, 2020, EFCC can no longer institute the same charge against him.

Meanwhile, the court had earlier issued an interim order suspending Kalu's retrial, pending the determination of his application.

In his reply to the application, however, EFCC asked the court to dismiss it on the grounds that the planned re-trial would not amount to a case of double jeopardy.

The anti-corruption agency argued in the reply filed yesterday that the re-trial is in compliance with the order of the Supreme Court.

The EFCC had prosecuted Kalu alongside Ude Udeogu, a former director of finance and accounts with the Abia State Government, and Kalu's company, Slok Nigeria Limited, on 39 counts of fraud involving about N7.1billion at the Federal High Court in Lagos.

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The trial judge, Mohammed Idris, who is now a Justice of the Court of Appeal, had at the end of the trial, sentenced Kalu to 12 years imprisonment and Udeogu was sentenced to 10 years jail term.

The third defendant, Kalu's company, Slok Nigeria Limited, was ordered to be wound up and its assets forfeited to the Nigerian government.

But on May 8, 2020, the Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision of its seven-member panel, nullified Kalu's conviction and ordered a retrial.

The apex court ruled and held that the trial was a nullity on the grounds that Justice Idris, the trial judge, had been elevated to the Court of Appeal and no longer a judge of the Federal High Court as of the time he concluded the trial and handed down his verdict.
A 'clean-up' march through Soweto led to sporadic lootings of migrant-owned shops and the eviction of some residents. A countermarch opposed the xenophobes and the rhetoric that fuels hatred.

On the 45th anniversary of the June 16 uprising in Soweto, dozens of people armed with sjamboks and sticks met in Diepkloof, Soweto, under the banner of Operation Dudula. A poster about it had been circulating for weeks online, warning "We will be removing all illegal foreign nationals by force!!!" Similar posters doing the rounds contained even more inflammatory language and images.

Flyers had also been hand-delivered to migrant-owned shops in the weeks leading up to Youth Day, which commemorates those who died at the hands of the oppressive apartheid forces on 16 June 1976 while protesting against the use of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in schools. "We demand that you vacate of our business in our township. A 7 day notice is given to you as of today (sic)... " It was signed "Military Veterans and Umphakathi (the community)".

Despite the poster's crude and alarming xenophobic statements as well as the messages accompanying it when it was shared online, the organisers of Operation Dudula, which means "to push", claimed on the day they gathered at the Diepkloof Hall that the group was not xenophobic.

Peter Dimba, who identified himself as the chairperson of Operation Dudula, told the crowd: "We must be vigilant about people who are within ourselves [and] out here to create anarchy. They say we are here to loot. We never spoke about looting. We never spoke about xenophobia."

Many of those carrying weapons had entirely different ideas about why they had come together. One man carrying a wooden pick handle said: "I don't like foreigners. They must fuck off. They steal our jobs and they sell fake goods. I don't like them."

Asked about these comments, Dimba and other members of Operation Dudula said they were not specifically targeting migrants. Instead, their issue was with "everyone who doesn't abide by our laws and by-laws".

Fears of violence

The tone of the organisers seemed to have changed from the weeks before Operation Dudula to the actual day. There were concerns about the threat of widespread looting and violence after sporadic incidents of migrant-owned shops being looted earlier in the week. A 21-year-old man was shot during one of these events, on 15 June. Gauteng police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubele said three migrant shopkeepers were arrested in connection with the shooting.

As fears around Operation Dudula increased, a broad coalition of organisations including grassroots groups, residents' organisations, non-governmental organisations and the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) planned a countermarch condemning xenophobic violence. Ferron Pedro, the working-class campaigns coordinator for Saftu, said it was important to recognise international solidarity and ensure the safety of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

"We recognise that South Africa is an incredibly wealthy country but an incredibly unequal country. So with high rates of inequality, the working class in South Africa are quite desperate... There is incredible suffering, poverty and struggles that are being waged by the working class, by communities, by the poor and unemployed youth with staggering unemployment statistics," Pedro said.

"As a result, often what we see is divisive, especially when it comes from political leadership or political elites, there can be divisions in the working class. We see it in hatred or attacks against women, we see it in attacks against LGBT communities, and of course we see it in attacks against migrant populations, asylum seekers and refugees. As Saftu we condemn those sentiments and we condemn those attacks."

Pedro said it was important to build a mass working-class movement that would recognise these divisions in society and the working class. The broad coalition of organisations staged a picket near where Operation Dudula's supporters were marching, and later moved to the Makause shack settlement in Germiston, east of Johannesburg.

"When we found out about Operation Dudula in Diepkloof, we were incredibly concerned because we think that this is a reactionary, right-wing phenomenon that comes out of the material conditions of the working class in that area and that sees an opportunity to not come together as a united working class, but to attack those who are probably some of the most vulnerable people in our society," Pedro said.

"We condemn Operation Dudula unequivocally. We think that their idea of 'cleaning up the streets' is incredibly racist, prejudiced, it's dangerous, and we don't endorse it. We think we must do everything we can do [to] unite the working class."

Blame laid at the wrong door

Mokesh Kantilal Morar, holding a cross with the words "Stop Xenophobia" on one side and "Stop Afrophobia" on the other, stood on the corner of a busy intersection near where Operation Dudula members were meeting.

"It is unfortunate that people would blame others for their suffering," Morar said. "Instead, people should understand how we got here. The failures of our government led us here. It is not the fault of migrants. This is [an] unfortunate part of our situation as a country to see this. But as religious people we are not happy and we do not condone these kinds of actions."

Migrant shopkeepers and migrant associations had been meeting with members of Operation Dudula and the Soweto Defence Force, which provides self-defence training to residents, since 14 June in an effort to prevent violence and looting.

Amir Sheikh, spokesperson for the Africa Diaspora Forum, which represents many of the migrant associations, was also part of these meetings. He said Sowetans raised concerns that there was an "influx of migrant businesses that are outcompeting the local community".

Sheikh said as a compromise the migrant associations and shopkeepers recognised the need to have migrant-owned businesses audited. "There is also the need to hire locals, to at least show that we are not only employing amongst ourselves. The concern was that most of the shops employ [migrants] because they are cheap labour and that is why they don't employ the local community.

"We agreed [on] the need to actually develop the relationship with ward councillors, ward committees, sector crime forums, the [community policing forum], station commanders and up to the district commissioner's office, which was also lacking," he said.

"We also talked of the need to come together and partner in the fields of job employment, skills development and issues of entrepreneurship training, especially for the youth... So it will be useful if we can do skills development training, especially to the most vulnerable youth, women and people with disabilities."

Different page, same book

Nhlanhla Lux, a representative of the Soweto Defence Force as well as the Soweto Parliament, which describes itself as a non-political movement that aims to be the voice of ordinary Sowetans, was dressed in a camouflage outfit and tactical gloves and wore an empty gun holster. His Twitter feed has many pictures and videos of him in tactical gear, and a video titled "Making Soweto great again!" shows him shooting a firearm.

Contrary to what the flyer stated, Lux denied that Operation Dudula was xenophobic in nature. "What is important for our people to understand is this [looting and evictions] is an act of criminality. It is a criminal offence. The voice of the people - I know it is reflecting the view that foreign nationals must leave so that the township economy can go back into the hands of Sowetans. But there are ways of doing it."

Lux said it was criminals who were committing these crimes and they had to be isolated from the rest of the community. He emphasised that Operation Dudula was not intended to be anti-migrant but rather to tackle a range of issues affecting the community.

Asked about those who were armed and made xenophobic statements, he said: "So the long and short of it is not everyone understands the operational plan. So it's difficult to say that everyone is on the same page, but they can be in the same book. There is a page where the leadership is and then there is a page where the people are. We have different backgrounds."

Lux insisted that the "leadership" were committed to law and order. "So we should make sure that the by-laws and the laws are respected so much that it is watertight, that it's not easy for people to leave their countries."

He added: "But even South Africans break these laws, so it is important to ensure these laws are watertight, that people don't take advantage of the township economy and the township landscape in general."

Dealing the cards

Despite Lux's insistence that the group was not xenophobic, its supporters marched to an old post office where mostly migrant families were living. They gave them a warning to pack and leave within a certain timeframe.

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Then, escorted by the police, they marched to another zone in Diepkloof and entered the homes of people they claimed were drug dealers, threatening them and telling them they were unwelcome. At the first house, instead of finding the "dealer", the group and some of the police officers who followed them inside found a young woman and her confused uncle sitting in the kitchen.

The group proceeded to a few homes where people claimed to be drug dealers were living to warn them that they were not welcome in the neighbourhood any longer, all the while being escorted by the police. In none of the homes did they find any dealers or drugs. Makhubele failed to answer questions about this.

While the main group carried on through Diepkloof, a smaller group arrived at the post office and started evicting the people living there. Busisiwe Magwayi, 34, sat outside with her few belongings that had been removed by the group. She said she had been living in the post office for three years and had been paying rent.

"They came today and told us we must leave," she said. "It is because we are living with foreigners, with people from Zimbabwe and Mozambique. I don't know where to go. Where do I go now? Where do I sleep? They gave us no notice, they just came today and started taking out my things."

Mike Moloi, who said he was a representative of the ANC-affiliated South African National Civic Organisation, disputed Magwayi's version. He said the people living in the post office had been warned before that they should leave.

"They are foreigners. They are from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Limpopo. See, this guy is from Limpopo," Moloi said, pointing to one of the people who had been evicted.

"We've been talking and talking and now we are trying to help our government. Now, if government can't come here, then who must do this then? We've got problems with electricity [in Soweto] but the people living here have electricity for mahhala (nothing). It doesn't make sense," he said.
President of the African Development Bank Group, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has said the lives of 1.2 billion Africans are at risk of poor access to quality healthcare amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adesina who stated this at the 56th Annual Meetings of the Bank Group, also pledged that the Bank would strengthen support to African countries as they tackle the pandemic's economic and health impacts.

According to a statement, shareholders at the three day meeting showed strong support for the Bank's proposals to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, just as the continent faces the possibility of a third wave of infection amid poor vaccine access.

Looking ahead, Adesina said the Bank would invest heavily in domestic vaccine manufacturing and in Africa's healthcare system, noting that only 51% of public health facilities have basic water and sanitation, and only 31% of healthcare facilities have electricity.

He also noted that Africa imports 60-70% of its pharmaceutical drugs.

"The lives of 1.2 billion people in Africa are at risk... we must give hope to the poor, the vulnerable, by ensuring that every African, regardless of their income level, gets access to quality healthcare, as well as health insurance and social protection," said Adesina on the final day of the meeting.

Part of the proposal at the 47th meeting of the governor's of the Africa Development Fund, the banks finanixn and, is that the Africa's only development finance institution with a AAA credit rating, would act as a conduit for International Monetary Fund (IMF) special drawing rights, which it would then on-lend to African countries.

Kenneth Ofori-Atta, Ghana's Finance Minister and Chairperson of the African Development Bank Board of Governors, cautioned at the start of the meetings that Africa risked being left behind as a result of the pandemic.

Patrick Verkooijen, CEO of the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA), lauded the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Programme, a joint initiative between the GCA and AfDB to mobilize $25 billion to accelerate climate change adaptation across Africa.

For the second successive year, the Bank's 81 member countries have met virtually, while it was agreed that Ghana will host the next Annual Meetings in 2022.
The conflict in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon has been raging since 2016. A series of children's drawings shows the degree of violence that pervades their lives.

"I told them to draw whatever they wanted. After 15 minutes, the kids had completed their task. Most of them were drawing weapons, guns and armored cars," explains child protection caseworker Tatiana Bie from Kumba in southwestern Cameroon. She works for the Reach Out, an NGO which works with victims of conflict in Cameroon's Anglophone regions.

It seemed like a benign task for the children at an orphanage near Kumba, where Reach Out operates. In region, there exists a state of civil war.

Children have been kept out of school since 2016 as warring militias and Cameroonian government troops clash. Schools, children and teachers have become targets. Deadly attacks on school grounds, such as the massacre at Kumba in October 2020 have received international attention, and condemnation.

But this series of drawings created by about 60 children in Anglophone Cameroon indicates the violence is far from sporadic, and plays a significant role in their daily lives.

Horrific images

"The kids can even tell differences between weapons," says Reach Out coordinator Serna, who suggested conducting the drawing exercise to Reach Out caseworkers after hearing of a similar program conducted among refugees from Darfur. He says caseworkers did not prompt the children to draw scenes of violence -- only to draw pictures about their lives.

The drawings are simple, but striking in their detail and include a lot of graphic references to violence.

Dr Shelly Evans, a counselor who has worked with children affected by conflict in Uganda, Sudan and Sierra Leone, has seen the drawings. The pictures, she says, "suggests that this is what they are living every day".

"[The pictures] were drawn in just black or blue ink. But the blood was prominent in bright red ink, so everything else was just kind of faded into the background, except the blood," says Evans.

The drawings also prominently feature an array of weapons, sketched in noticeable detail, which the characters hold, and use on their victims.

"Also, the size of the weapons was enlarged in some of the drawings. That takes up most of their thought," says Evans.

"The characters, in some of the pictures are smiling, as if this is a normal part of their daily life or activities, as horrific as it is." .

Detriment to children's education

The attacks on schools in the Anglophone regions since the conflict began have set back education programs by years, and there are fears of a generation of Cameroonians not receiving an education.

According to the Reach Out coordinator, Serna, the violence affects children in rural areas especially, because schools are more vulnerable to attacks.

"Every child will have a gap of maybe two years, three years, but some of them have five years gaps and they'll never go back to school," Serna explains. "This is one of the most neglected crises in the world. We know that every day there are atrocities committed against civilians."

Precedent from Darfur

The concept of using drawings for children living in conflict zones to work through the trauma came about by accident. In the mid-2000s, Rebecca Tinsley, who is joint chair of the Global Campaign for Peace and Justice in Cameroon NGO, was working in Chad with refugees from Darfur in Sudan.

"We wanted to talk to women who had survived the ethnic cleansing in Darfur, but they had children around them and were distracting their mothers. So somebody had the idea of giving the children paper and crayons. And all we said was to the children, go away and draw us a picture about your life."

The result was disturbing, and detailed collection of drawings that illustrates the presence of violence in the children's lives.

"We smuggled the drawings out of Chad and we took them to the International Criminal Court in The Hague. And they said, this is amazing," according to Tinsley. "This is evidence of the context of genocide, because the Sudanese regime refused to allow any human rights groups or any journalists."

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The exercise was a form of therapy where the children were able to record what was happening to them, and "express their fear" in a society that often interpreted fear as a sign of weakness, she says.

While admitting an international legal process stemming from the drawings in Cameroon is a still a "long way off", Tinsley hopes the drawings bring attention to the severity of the conflict. "We have a moral duty to get the international community to see what is happening, because it requires the international community to put pressure on the government of Cameroon to enter peace talks."

For caseworkers like Tatiana Bie performing their jobs includes severe personal risk, often without the necessary resources. But she and her colleagues are determined to give the children spaces to work through their trauma, and at least some psychosocial support.

"We make sure that they associate with friends, and that they play together. When a child plays with a friend or is amongst people who would like make him play and laugh, some of those bad thoughts would be going out of him."
"When you notice that your children or house-helps are in the unusual habit of taking the keys to wash your cars frequently, they may be sniffing fuel."

As of Friday, various worrisome images and video clips suspected to be those of Chidinma Ojukwu, an undergraduate of Mass Communication Department at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, who is alleged to have murdered the chief executive officer of Super TV, Michael Ataga, surfaced on the social media.

One of such clips shows the 21-year-old smoking what looks like cannabis, and puffing intermittently.

Though PREMIUM TIMES could not independently confirm the identity of the smoker, but the suspect confessed on camera that, alongside the late sugar daddy, she had taken some intoxicants before struggles over sex led her to stabbing Mr Ataga to death.

That this matter takes the centrestage of public discourse in Nigeria few hours to the 2021 edition of International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, is a confirmation of the experts' view that the country, and Africa by extension, sits dangerously on a keg of gunpowder over rising cases of drug use and drug abuse.

Various research outputs by experts and relevant national and international organisations have consistently revealed the dangerous rising cases of drug use in the country and the damaging consequences of violent crimes, abuses and health complications.

Today, like all over the world, the United Nations Office of Drug and Crime (UNODC) says many Nigerian adolescents no longer see the harmful effects of cannabis despite its biting consequences.

Global statistics

On June 24, ahead of today's celebration, UNODC launched its 2021 World Drug Report, noting that "around 275 million people used drugs worldwide in the last year, while over 36 million people suffered from drug use disorders."

According to a consultant psychiatrist at 68, Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, Akin Oguntuase, some of these substance-induced disorders include; delirium, dementia, amnestic disorder, psychotic disorder, anxiety disorder, sexual dysfunction, among others.

The report added that within the last 24 years, "cannabis potency had increased by as much as four times in parts of the world, even as the percentage of adolescents who perceived the drug as harmful fell by as much as 40 per cent, despite evidence that cannabis use is associated with a variety of health and other harms, especially among regular long-term users."

Highlighting the implications of the dangerous trend, the UNODC executive director, Ghada Waly, said; "Lower perception of drug use risks has been linked to higher rates of drug use, and the findings of UNODC's 2021 World Drug Report highlight the need to close the gap between perception and reality to educate young people and safeguard public health."

The report observed that between 2010 and 2019, the number of people using drugs increased by 22 per cent. It linked the increase to the growing global population, and that following the demographic changes, it is projected that by 2030, the number of people using drugs would have further increased by 11 per cent.

Nigeria's worse situation

In 2019, the 2018 National Drug Use Survey, a joint research by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the Centre for Research and Information on Substance Abuse (CRISA) with technical support from the UNODC, was launched.

The document gives a damning account of rising drug use in Nigeria, noting that as of the time of the research, 14.3 million Nigerians aged between 15 and 64 years engaged in drug use.

Of this figure, the survey added that about three million were drug dependent and suffering from substance-induced disorders.

But the latest report by the UNODC hints of a sharp degeneration above the global average in the near future.

According to the report, instead of the expected 11 per cent increase in the global number of drug users by 2030, the projection is 40 per cent in Nigeria, and the whole of Africa.

"In Nigeria, this would signify that the country will have to grapple with approximately 20 million drug users by 2030, further deepening the public health and public security challenge," the report stated.

The statistics also says 11 million Nigerians took to cannabis as of 2018 while 4.6 million and 2.4 million others were said to have used opioids and cough syrups, respectively.

Other substances said to have been commonly taken in Nigeria include tranquilisers and sedatives, solvents and inhalers, among others.

According to the data, the prevalence of drug use in Nigeria on a geopolitical zonal basis reveals that the South-west tops the chart with about 4.382 million users amounting to 22.4 per cent of Nigeria's total figure of 14.3 million users. The South-west comprises Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states.

The North-west zone, comprising Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina and Kebbi States closely follows the South West with 3 million drug users as of 2018, while the South-south region of Edo, Delta, Rivers, Cross River, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom States ranks third with 2.124 million users.

The country's region that is already ravaged by long years of conflict, that is, the North-east, comprising Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Taraba, Adamawa and Gombe States, recorded 2.09 million users to rank 4th on the log.

The South East zone of Abia, Imo, Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi States recorded about 1.55 million drug users while the North Central zone of Kwara, Kogi, Benue, Niger, Nasarawa and the federal capital territory recorded 1.5 million users to take 5th and 6th positions respectively.

Expert presents worse reality

Mr Oguntuase, who is the head of the psychiatric department at the military hospital, explained that the statistics may have recorded less than what seems obtainable in the country, especially in recent time.

According to the psychiatrist, about 90 per cent of the patients on the beds in his hospital have their cases linked to drug use one way or the other.

"The reality today, unlike in the past, is that we now experience more dual diagnosis for our patients because in one way or the other, they have something to do with drugs," he said.

Mr Oguntuase said apart from conventional drugs taken by many Nigerians, those who are illiterates and poor now take to other substances including sniffing petroleum, septic tank, drainages, latrine or burning rubber materials.

"When you notice that your children or house helps are in the unusual habit of taking the keys frequently to wash your cars they may be sniffing fuel," Mr Oguntuase cautioned.

Reasons for rising statistics

The expert listed many reasons for the rise in the cases of drug use and abuse in Nigeria to include poor economic condition, rising cases of illiteracy, marriage crisis, polygamy and large family, among others.

He said findings through the patients have shown that anywhere the male parent is absent or has less economic power, which he described as super-ego, the children tend to take substances.

The immediate past registrar of the University of Lagos, Taiwo Ipaye, linked the crisis to the breakdown in the country's socio-cultural values. She said the family value is no longer entrenched as was the practice in the past.

"The father is headed this way; the mother is headed that way. The grandparents are also too busy, and so we no longer have time to look over our children. This is dangerous and the consequences are here with us," she said.

To Mrs Ipaye's colleague at the university and the acting director of international relations and partnerships on the campus, Ismail Ibraheem, the unguided use of technologies by young ones has also contributed to the significant rise in the challenge.

Damning consequences

Mr Oguntuase said the consequences are already here with us in Nigeria, adding that since drugs breed crimes, the surge in criminality across the nooks and crannies of the country cannot be dissociated with the increasing drug use among Nigerians.

He said the multifarious violent conflicts rocking the country are also part of the byproducts of the abuse of substances by individuals.

He said; "Even the craze for wealth among the politicians and civil servants might not be unconnected with drug use. This is because once you are on drugs, you have an exaggerated view of yourself and you lose your feelings with a tendency to hurt without remorse.

"When you loot public wealth blindly, it shows you no longer have a feeling that you are hurting others because the wealth you are accumulating illegally should be for the good of others."

Mr Oguntuase, therefore, said he agrees with the call for the medical examination of Nigerian politicians and those he described as kleptomaniac civil servants, to check whether they are drug users.

Coronavirus worsens situation

Meanwhile, the global drug report by UNODC has said the coronavirus pandemic may have contributed to the ugly future outlook, noting that the economic crisis that accompanied the series of lockdowns imposed on countries is a contributory factor for more demands for drugs globally.

"While the impact of COVID-19 on drug challenges is not yet fully known, the analysis suggests that the pandemic has brought increasing economic hardship that is likely to make illicit drug cultivation more appealing to fragile rural communities.

"The social impact of the pandemic -driving a rise in inequality, poverty, and mental health conditions particularly among already vulnerable populations- represent factors that could push more people into drug use," the report noted.

Cannabis legalisation

Mr Oguntuase also kicked against those clamouring for the legalisation of the cultivation of cannabis by the Nigerian government, saying the possible implications on the people's health far outweighs the financial gains.

Some Nigerians including the governor of Ondo State, South-west Nigeria, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has consistently advocated the legalisation, saying the medical and economic merits of the use of cannabis outweigh its demerits.

Speaking recently at a 'stakeholders' roundtable on the benefits and opportunities of cannabis plant Nigeria, Mr Akeredolu said "cannabis is a multi-billion-naira industry that can help diversify the Nigerian Economy if judiciously utilised."

He reportedly said; "The planet earth has a constant period of darkness and light every 24 hours which we call night and day, in like manner, just like every other crop or plant, Cannabis Sativa has both CBD and THC content which we can put it to good and bad use," Mr Akeredolu said.

"Products with extract of Cannabis Sativa are already in our pharmaceutical sales outlets across the country. They are being imported with foreign exchange, and sold at exorbitant prices with additional, but avoidable stress on our Naira."

He said he witnessed the transformation to the business of cannabis in Thailand, and urged the nation's legislature to review the law and legalise the plant's cultivation in Nigeria.

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But Mr Oguntuase said Nigeria cannot afford to legalise cannabis, insisting that even drugs that are sold over the counter are abused in Nigeria.

He said; "Whether we like it or not, cannabis increases mental health problems. People who claim other countries are legalising it don't even know that there is nowhere they give blanket approval to cannabis cultivation.

"Those with TAC and those with CBD look alike but they are different and mean different things to those who cultivate them. But Nigerians don't have the knowledge to differentiate the two. Even the over-the-counter drugs that are legalised are seriously abused by Nigerians. I don't think we need to complicate our problems."

Mr Ibraheem also shares Mr Oguntuase's views, saying the social and moral side of the matter should be considered.

"The negative effects of cannabis are very glaring for us to see. So I will not support its legalisation," he said.

Way forward

As part of its recommendations towards averting the projected glooming future, UNODC recommended increased awareness campaigns.

This year's annual awareness campaign is themed: "Share facts on drugs, save lives- end drug abuse".

The global body said; "COVID-19 has triggered innovation and adaptation in drug prevention and treatment services through more flexible models of service delivery. Many countries have introduced or expanded telemedicine services due to the pandemic, which for drug users means that healthcare workers can now offer counselling or initial assessments over the telephone and use electronic systems to prescribe controlled substances.

"In Nigeria, 130 healthcare professionals trained by UNODC under the EU-Nigeria Partnership Project "Response to Drugs and Related Organized Crime" formed DrugHelpNet providing over-the-phone counselling and assistance to more than 1800 drug users during the height of the COVID-19 related lockdown. This innovative approach to providing much needed help to drug users often in desperate situations also constituted an important step toward reducing the stigma associated with accessing drug counselling and treatment services, in particular for women and girls."

While a senior assistant registrar at the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Lagos, Saheed Saliman, enjoins religious institutions to preach to their disciples the dangers inherent in consuming intoxicants, Mrs Ipaye wants schools' curriculum to accommodate issues of attitudinal change.

Mr Saliman, who is one of the deputy imams at the YABATECH mosque, said Islam forbids the use of intoxicants and that any substance that intoxicates must be avoided by Muslims, as a matter of faith.
Ministers from Rwanda and the DR Congo on Saturday, June 26, signed three key bilateral agreements as the two countries look to further enhance trade and diplomatic ties.

This happened during a bilateral meeting held between President Paul Kagame and his host, Felix Tshisekedi, at the Goma Serena Hotel, in Goma, capital of DR Congo's North Kivu Province.

A bilateral investment treaty, a double taxation avoidance agreement, as well as an MoU on a mining concession, were the three agreements signed by the two countries' Ministers and witnessed by their respective Presidents at the hotel located on the shores of Lake Kivu.

The agreements were signed shortly after the two leaders held a tete-a-tete that lasted nearly an hour, inside a white tent.

Afterward, the presidents held a joint press conference in which they emphasised the need for enhanced bilateral cooperation for the benefit of the two countries' people.

Kagame said they had broad and productive exchanges on issues that will benefit their respective citizens.

"We signed a number of agreements and I believe this is just the beginning. There are many areas in which we can cooperate to build a solid relationship, but also a basis for cooperation," Kagame said.

Among others, Tshisekedi noted that they are keen on checking non-tariff barriers and fraud in an effort to improve cross-border trade.

Kagame was on Saturday received by Tshisekedi, in Goma, as he paid a reciprocal visit following the latter's visit to Rubavu, Rwanda.

On Friday, Tshisekedi was received by Kagame at La Corniche One-Stop Border Post. The two Heads of State then proceeded to tour the City of Rubavu and assess damages caused by recent earthquakes which followed Nyiragongo volcanic eruption.

In Goma, the Presidents also visited areas damaged by the Nyiragongo volcanic eruption before they held bilateral talks.

Mount Nyiragongo in eastern DR Congo, is one of the world's most active volcanoes. It erupted last month, sending panicked residents of the city of Goma fleeing to other places in their country as well as into Rwanda.

Last month, an evaluation of the situation by the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), following the eruption of Nyiragongo, ruled out an explosion of gas on Lake Kivu.

Strategic trading partner

The DR Congo is Rwanda's strategic trading partner, being the main destination for Rwanda's informal exports.

In the recent past, both countries have been, among others, exploring opportunities for joint investment projects and strengthening trade of goods and services between the two countries.

Early last year, President Tshisekedi met Rwanda's then Minister of Trade and Industry, Soraya Hakuziyaremye, along with Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr. Vincent Biruta, in Kinshasa, to discuss ways in which the countries can increase their economic and trade ties.

Discussions at the time were in line with the vision shared by President Kagame that Intra-African trade be pursued in view of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) start of trading launched earlier in January 2021.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, trade between Rwanda and DR Congo had been growing at a double-digit rate, annually, since 2012.

In April 2019, national carrier RwandAir launched its maiden commercial flight to DR Congo's Kinshasa's Ndjili International Airport boosting business and strengthening commercial ties between the two countries.

Peace and security

Besides enhancing bilateral economic and trade ties, ever since he came to power, Tshisekedi put emphasis on peace and security.

His vast country is home to militia groups including those that originated from Rwanda. Intelligence officials from both countries regularly share information as the Congolese army continues to battle these militia groups.

Tshisekedi on Saturday stressed that the two countries have lost so many years due to tensions and instability, noting that "enough is enough."

It is time to enjoy the fruits of peace and security, he said.

"We won't stop here. This is just the beginning. My principal priority is to develop fraternal relations with our neighbours. We have so much to gain by working together," Tshisekedi said.

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During his term, among others, Tshisekedi particularly decided that the east of his vast country must be purged of the FDLR, remnants of the genocidal army and militia that perpetrated the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

The Congolese army has in the past two years moved in decisively and battled anti-Rwandan militia including the FDLR and other splinter groups based there.

President Kagame noted that his Congolese counterpart "put a sense of urgency" to the problem of security and instability that has been going on for years.

Hundreds of militia fighters were captured and repatriated to Rwanda while others were killed in battle with the Congolese army. Hundreds of their civilian dependents have also been returned home, rehabilitated and reintegrated into society.

"The lack of security, peace and stability cannot be things that are going to be permanent," Kagame said, explaining why the two countries resolved to cooperate in dealing with root causes of insecurity and instability.

"It is easier if all of us work together."
The president said the drug war was dangerous than wars against insurgency and banditry because it targeted three generations for destruction.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday in Abuja inaugurated the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiated by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), warning that drug war is deadly.

The president buttressed that drug war was dangerous than wars against insurgency and banditry because it targeted three generations for destruction.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inauguration of WADA is in commemoration of the 2021 UN International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking with the theme "Share Facts on Drugs. Save Lives."

It is annually marked on June 26 to strengthen action and cooperation in achieving a world free of drug abuse.

According to President Buhari, the war against drug abuse and illicit trafficking is a war that must be fought by well-meaning citizens.

He said "it is therefore my pleasure to declare on behalf of the good people of Nigeria, a War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), not just as a slogan, but a call for civil action for all Nigerians to take active part in this war.

"Let me say that this war is deadly than the insurgency we have in the Northeastern part of the country or the acts of banditry in the Northwest or acts of kidnapping that transcends all the geopolitical zones of this country because it is a war that is destroying three generations.

"I've seen clips of where grandparents are on drugs, parents are on drugs, and by extension, their wards, their children are on drugs.

"So, this is a war that is targeting three generations in a stretch.

"I believe strongly that every effort must be put in place to ensure that we deal with the issues of substance abuse and trafficking and manufacture so that we can get to the root cause as ably elucidated by our keynote speaker this afternoon.

"I believe strongly, with every bit of conviction, that if we are able to deal with the issue of drug abuse, our security challenges will drastically reduce as we walk toward a drug-free Nigeria."

Mr Buhari, therefore, implored Nigerians from every strata of life, including traditional and religious leaders, local leadership at every level, to be vigilant and support WADA.

Mr Buhari charged the NDLEA to intensify efforts at ridding the country of criminal elements.

He added that criminal elements had made forest areas their hideouts, from where they had been launching criminal onslaughts as well as for farming marijuana.

He said: "I am directing the NDLEA to develop a robust risk-communication and community engagement strategy that will not only disseminate the four pillars of the plan to responsible entities, but deal with destroying production sites and laboratories.

"NDLEA should also break the supply chain, discourage drug use and prosecute offenders as well as traffickers, rehabilitate addicts and enforce relevant laws.

"I want to particularly draw the attention of the agency to the fact that the use of many of our forests as criminal hideouts is because large swathes of cannabis plantations are hidden deep within those forests."

He also urged families, schools, Civil Society Organisations, professional associations, religious organisations, the academia, community leaders and individuals to work for the common good to rid communities of drug use and trafficking.

The president said his administration would continue to address underlying causes of drug abuse, including poverty reduction, "for which my pledge to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years and strengthened by the recently developed National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy signposts my unwavering commitment."

He appreciated international collaborators, especially the European Union and the UN Office for Drugs and Control, for their unwavering support to the nation's drug control efforts, including the development of a roadmap.

He also appreciated members of the inter-ministerial committee on drug control for their contributions and efforts to national drug control initiatives.

'N90 billion worth of illicit drugs seized'

In his remarks, the Chairman of NDLEA, Buba Marwa, said N90 billion worth of illicit drugs had so far been seized by the agency in the last five months.

According to him, over 2,180 traffickers have been arrested, including five drug barons controlling different cartels across Nigeria.

He also revealed that a record 2.05 million kilograms of drugs had been intercepted across the country and 2,100 drug offenders prosecuted with 500 sentenced to various jail terms by courts.

He said "while the statistics are impressive, we wouldn't deceive ourselves that we have succeeded in cleaning the Augean Stable in five months.

"We have only made a head start. We need to sustain the momentum. We need to win the drug war. We cannot afford to be complacent."

In a goodwill message at the event, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, urged the President to give approval for the recruitment of 10,000 personnel for the NDLEA to address the manpower problem facing the agency.

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According to him, the agency is currently "understaffed, underfunded and ill-equipped".

Mr Gbajabiamila, who was represented by Francis Agwu, Chairman, House Committee on Drugs and Narcotics, noted with concern that the NDLEA was using weapons used during the civil war.

He stated that the NDLEA must be provided with modern and sophisticated weapons to enable it to effectively address the menace of drug abuse in the country, as crimes were enabled by narcotics and drugs addiction.

He said the National Assembly was working to amend the Police Trust Fund Act to ensure that other policing agencies like NDLEA benefitted from the pool.

The Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, who was represented by Ezekiah Dimka, Chairman, Senate Committee on Narcotic Drugs, underscored the need for individual and collective responsibilities to achieve the goal.

In his message, the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, represented by Oliver Stolpe, the Country Representative of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), urged law enforcement agents to go after the criminals at the upper level of the drug trafficking chain. (NAN)
"...the conflicts in the three states... that recorded deaths of 35,000 at the end of 2019, increased by 10 times at nearly 350,000 deaths through the end of 2020, with 314,000 of those from indirect causes."

About 1.1 million lives could be lost by 2030, if the insurgency ravaging Nigeria's North-east region continues, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has said in a new report.

The report also said the over a decade conflict in the war-torn states of Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe "had increased by 10 times killing nearly 350,000 people as of the end of 2020".

PREMIUM TIMES had reported in August 2019, that the insurgency led by extremist Islamic groups had killed an estimated 35,000 in the North-east parts of Nigeria since the beginning of the conflict in 2009.

The UNDP Resident Representative, Mohamed Yahya, said this in a statement Thursday at the virtual launching of the UN report titled, "Assessing the Impact of Conflict on Development in North-east Nigeria."

Citing the report, Mr Yahaya said that critical aspect of progress and development, including Gross Domestic Product (GDP), poverty, malnutrition, infant mortality, education, water availability and sanitation, may not return to pre-conflict levels in the region even by 2030.

He said findings from the report show that "for each casualty caused directly by insurgency, an additional nine people, primarily children, have lost their lives due to a lack of food and resources - and more than 90 per cent of conflict-attributable deaths are of children under the age of five".

The report further notes that the economic destruction brought by the insurgency "has dismantled already fragile health and food systems with less than 60 per cent of health facilities in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states are fully functional, while a quarter is either destroyed or non-functional."

"Without continued investment in development as a long-term solution, the protracted conflict in North-east Nigeria will continue to impact other parts of the country and the entire Sahel region," Mr Yahya said.

He added that "There is a need for international partners and national stakeholders to ensure that funds are invested not only on life-saving and humanitarian needs but also mid-and long-term development priorities in order to enable Nigeria to achieve the SDGs and attain the AU 2063".

Breakdown

According to the report, "the conflicts in the three states of Borno Adamawa and Yobe that recorded deaths of 35,000 at the end of 2019, increased by 10 times at nearly 350,000 deaths through the end of 2020, with 314,000 of those from indirect causes."

The index added that "for every year that conflict continues; infants and children are the most impacted - with about 170 children under five years die daily - and by 2030, it is estimated to grow by 240".

It said women and children make up 80 per cent of the displaced population in the North-east and have limited options for work and survival, including difficulties accessing resources.

In 2020, findings from the report estimates that 1.8 million students are out of school who would have been enrolled if not for conflict.

"By 2030, in the conflict scenario, the average Nigerian in the BAY states will have had a full year (20 per cent) of education less than expected in the No Conflict scenario

"As of 2019, 81 per cent of people living in Yobe, 64 per cent in Borno, and 60 per cent in Adamawa suffer from multidimensional poverty, a measure that accounts for deprivation with respect to standards of living, health, and education."

Recommendations

The report sas to overcome the conflict, "development efforts need to be focused on the stabilisation of affected areas through a community-level approach that enhances physical security and access to justice, rehabilitation of essential infrastructure and basic service delivery as well as the revitalisation of the local economy such as market stalls, schools and police stations".

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Nigeria has continued to battle attacks from groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State's West Africa Province (ISWAP). Both have terrorised Nigeria's North-east geopolitical zone for more than a decade.

This has led to massive internal displacement with more than 1.8 million Nigerians displaced in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states, with the vast majority (nearly 1.5 million) located in Borno.

In addition, 1.8 million students were out of school in 2020, according to data from the UN.

Despite the repeated bloody attacks the Nigerian government, also burdened by insecurity in virtually all parts of the country, has continued to claim that the terrorists have been defeated.=
Mr Osinbajo urged them to be steadfast in the word of God to help them to be good partners.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on Saturday advised young couples on 'godly marriage' to enjoy its blessings.

The Vice President gave the charge on Saturday at the wedding ceremony of one of his aides, Kolawole Elijah, to Ronke Aro, at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, headquarters Zaria Road, Jos.

While presenting the marriage certificate to the couple, Mr Osinbajo prayed for good health and fruitfulness for them, urging them to respect their vows.

"The gates of hell shall not prevail in this marriage, you will have children as many as you wish according to the desires of your heart.

"The Lord will cause you to prosper, the Lord will provide for you so that you will provide for your children," he prayed.

Mr Osinbajo also urged them to be steadfast in the word of God to help them to be good partners.

In his message, the governor of Plateau, Simon Lalong, urged the couple to be tolerant and make deliberate efforts to make their marriage work, saying 'God will sustain your marriage'.

He said marriage is ordained by God and the couple should ensure they make it successful.

In his sermon, Igado Oko, an assistant pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God headquarters in Jos, said husbands should give their wives the opportunity to be their helpmates as instructed by God.

He explained that the wife has the repository of wisdom, sufficient to guide the husband in his discharge of duties as the head of the family.

He urged the husband to take full responsibility of the physical and spiritual needs of the wife as instructed by God, and for the wives to be submissive to their husbands. (NAN
Mr Rufai reportedly misled the court in his desperate bid to get a surety for the bail earlier granted him.

The United States Department of Justice has accused the suspended aide of Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Abidemi Rufai, of a 'fraudulent surety scheme'.

The Acting U.S. Attorney, Tessa Gorma, in documents filed at a United States Courthouse, in Tacoma, Washington, on June 23, said Mr Rufai "knowingly participated in a fraudulent surety scheme to mislead the court".

The U.S. government said it received a transcript of a recorded call between Mr Rufai and his brother on May 25, four days after a hearing on his detention.

Mr Rufai was desperately looking for a person to stand surety for a $300,000 bail bond earlier granted him by a magistrate's court.

He could not find a suitable surety before the U.S. government was able to obtain another court order suspending the magistrate's release order.

"It is evident from the recording that the defence's presentation of the surety as a friend of Rufai was false, and that, in fact, Rufai does not even know the surety. In the call, Rufai's brother states that 'they found a lady to set up the bail'."

According to the call record, Mr Rufai reportedly "asked if the surety's husband is in New York or Nigeria. The brother responded that 'her husband is here in New York'. Rufai and his brother then discussed the fact that the surety might withdraw because of pressure on her family in Nigeria resulting from publicity about the case.

"They discussed the possibility of obtaining another surety. Rufai stated: Whoever you can get, I don't know, do you understand? No matter how it is, I will pay the money. Do you understand? Just leave that alone. I will pay the money... The money is available. You don't have to be afraid of that," part of the new accusation against Mr Rufai read.

The U.S. government said that it is evident from the call that Mr Rufai knowingly participated in the alleged scheme to mislead the court.

"Rufai was present when the surety gave testimony that led the magistrate judge to believe she and Rufai knew one another well enough for her to be a suitable surety and third-party custodian.

"In fact, Rufai did not even know 'the lady' and did not know basic biographical information about her. The recording also makes clear that Rufai has significant assets (at least enough to cover a $300,000 bond), which he is willing to use, however, he can to secure his own release.

"This is contrary to his statement to Pretrial Services in New York that his only asset is $6,000 in the United States and $10,000 in Nigerian checking and savings account. And, the recording shows that Rufai and his brother conspired to set up a replacement sham surety to buy Rufai's release.

"The provision of false information to the court and Pretrial Services 'indicates a willingness by the defendant to obstruct the criminal justice process', and should be considered in evaluating detention because it bears on the defendant's character.

"This new information, together with that previously provided, makes clear that defendant presents an extreme flight risk who cannot be expected to observe conditions of release or appear for court. The court should revoke the release order."

Backstory

Mr Rufai was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York while heading to Nigeria on May 14.

He was said to have used the identities of more than 100 Washington residents to steal more than $350,000 in unemployment benefits from the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) during the COVID-19 pandemic last year.

At the end of a detention hearing held on May 19, 2021, the Magistrate of the District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Ramon Reyes, agreed with the government that Mr Rufai posed "a serious flight risk", but found that the risk could be addressed by conditions of release, including a $300,000 bond.

The magistrate went on to issue an order releasing Mr Rufai based on the bond in which Mr Rufai's brother, who is licensed as an attorney in New York, was proposed as surety.

Complications

Mr Rufai was not released because his brother did not sign the bail bond. The suspect was then remanded pending when he would provide an alternate surety.

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Following the refusal of Mr Rufai's brother to stand as a surety, the defendant's lawyer, Michael Barrows, on May 21, presented Nekpen Soyemi, a registered nurse, whose family comes from Nigeria.

The U.S. later exposed her as a "suspect in an investigation into an email impersonation scheme." Her husband, Idris Soyemi, is also said to have been convicted for wire fraud in 2014.

Now, U.S. findings have further shown that Mr Rufai planted the surety and they never knew each other before now.

The U.S. government on May 24 filed an emergency motion of stay release order before the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington at Tacoma. The court granted the government's motion as the U.S. uncovered more criminal activities involving the suspect.

A federal grand jury in late May ratified the charges involving conspiracy, wire fraud and "aggravated identity theft" against Mr Rufai.

He was subsequently arraigned on fraud charges before a United States Courthouse, in Tacoma, Washington.
President Abdel Fattah El Sisi directed the government to maintain all the policies necessary for economic and monetary stability.

Sisi also urged the bodies concerned to pay special importance to increasing and diversifying foreign currency reserves, consolidating local manufacturing efforts, supporting private business to maximize their role in achieving sustainable development and create more jobs for all.

The President made the directives during a meeting with the Cabinet's ministerial economic group on Saturday 26/06/2021, in the presence of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli, Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) Tarek Amer, and the ministers of planning, finance, international cooperation, public business sector, trade and industry, among others.

Sisi was briefed on the government's 2nd review meeting to discuss its economic reform program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which culminated in the IMF board giving its approval in June 23 for releasing the final tranche of a $5.2 billion loan to the Egyptian government, Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady said in a statement.

The meeting also discussed the main points in the IMF report in this regard, which commended the relative resilience of the Egyptian economy despite the coronavirus crisis, thanks to the government's timely and balanced response.
A delegation from the Public Prosecution Office has followed up on ongoing measures to ship 114 antiquities that had been looted and smuggled to France.

Prosecutor-General Hamada el-Sawy arrived in Paris last week, along with Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) Mostafa Waziri, for joint investigations to retrieve the looted artifacts in cooperation with French judicial authorities.

Yesterday Waziri revealed that the looted antiquities are due to return home on Sunday, after the successful joint investigations launched by Egypt's Prosecution and French judicial bodies.

The investigations aimed at stopping all attempts to sell the smuggled antiquities.

The artifacts, dating back to various eras of the Pharaonic history and Greek age, were smuggled out of Egypt and are not registered in the storehouses of the SCA.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged President Muhammadu Buhari to come clean on the real reason he rescheduled his medical trip to London at the last-minute.

The party's position is amidst increasing international disapprovals to the escalated human right violations, constitutional breaches, clampdown on citizens, suppression of free speech and other excesses by the Buhari administration, for which there have been concerted demands for travel restrictions against officials of the Buhari administration.

The national publicity secretary of PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement, said while the President is left to sort out whatever impediments or constraints that led to the sudden cancellation of his scheduled medical trip, the opposition party urged him to use the period to have some introspection on the sorry situation in which his incompetent, divisive, vindictive and suppressive administration has pushed the nation into in the last six years.

"Our party urges President Buhari to use this period to reflect on the suffering of millions of Nigerians who do not have access to foreign medical treatment, but who are dying on daily basis because of his failure to pay attention to our healthcare system, which has become decrepit under his watch.

"In his consideration, Mr. President must also reflect on how he has wrecked our country's once robust economy that was handed over to him in 2015 by the PDP, to the extent that Nigerians can no longer afford to feed because their purchasing power has become depressingly low while he (Mr. President) recedes further into the luxury and the safety of the Aso Rock Villa at the expense of the well-being of the ordinary citizens.

"It is indeed heartrending that President Buhari appears to think of himself only even as Nigerians pass through these worst forms of hardship occasioned by his own misrule.

"Nigerians are also dismayed that Mr. President has consistently failed to honour his pre-2015 campaign promise not to embark on medical tourism if elected President.

"President Buhari therefore ought to be aware that the only condition in which history will be kind to him, as he has always wished, is if he honours his own words as well as use this period to resolve the impasse between the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) and his administration, fix our hospitals and confront other challenges facing the health sector in our country."

https://leadership.ng/speak-up-on-state-of-the-nation-pdp-charges-pmb/
10 years of insurgency in the North-East, raging banditry in the North-West and armed herdsmen menace in the North-Central have left on their trail millions of displaced residents, according to Sunday Vanguard findings.

The displacement comes with the attendant huge financial and material resources borne by government and humanitarian agencies to cater for victims.

For instance, although about one million residents displaced in Borno State, the hotbed of the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East, have returned home following the restoration of peace in their parts of the state, the state government continues to struggle with the upkeep of at least one million other Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) because there is no enabling environment to return to their ancestral homes.

There are 31 official IDP camps in the state.

In essence, the number could be more if unofficial camps are added.

Reports from Kaduna State say whereas there are no officially designated IDP camps in the state bogged down by banditry, there may be no fewer than one million IDPs scattered across the state.

Benue is contending with 1,000,007 IDPs sent packing from their ancestral homes by suspected armed herdsmen while, whereas there were no official figures on IDPs in Niger where bandits are on the rampage, sacking residents at will, sources said there may be nothing less than 500, 000 IDPs harbored by their different host communities in the state.

Borno

Borno, which bears the greatest brunt of insurgency in the country, initially has a total of over two million IDPs, mostly women and unaccompanied children from Northern, Central and Southern Senatorial Districts.

But with the liberation of some communities and quite a number of IDPs relocating back to their ancestral homes, over a million of IDPs are still living in camps.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), it was learnt, has been doing a lot, distributing food and non-food items monthly to the IDPs in addition to other humanitarian assistance from sister agencies.

Although Governor Professor Babagana Umara Zulum had said government would close all IDP camps in Borno on or before May 29, 2021 to allow inmates go back to their ancestral homes, the move may not be realistic, considering renewed terror attacks on communities in the last one month which caused huge displacement.

Zulum, bemoaning the challenge of taking care of the IDPs while flagging off the distribution of food items donated by an NGO (Baba For All) linked to President Muhammadu Buhari at Muna IDP camp, Maiduguri, said the state government was doing its best, adding that the task was huge for government alone to handle, hence all hands must be on deck to address the challenge.

"When I took over the mantle of leadership, we inherited a total of two million IDPs", he said at the occasion.

"Presently, we have 25 formal camps and 35 non- formal camps. On a serious note, government is finding it very difficult to provide food for this quantum number of our IDPs".

Kaduna

Reports from Kaduna State say whereas there are no officially designated IDP camps in the state, there may be no fewer than one million IDPs scattered across the state.

These are people displaced by the Southern Kaduna conflict and attacks by bandits.

Officials of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) revealed that there are no officially designated camps for IDPs, saying the one previously used as camp had been given to the military to house female soldiers now providing security on the dreaded Kaduna- Abuja highway.

On how government is taking care of those that were internally displaced in communities across Kaduna, the officials said they had been integrated into their host communities while government relates with them through Local Emergency Management Committees at the local government level.

Sunday Vanguard learned that SEMA officials get quarterly updates on the IDPs from the Local Management Committees' officials.

Since the IDPs are in the local communities either with relations or other caring citizens, their health concerns are taken care of by Primary Health Care facilities.

The government is, according to officials, discouraging the setting up of IDP camps in the state because of alleged atrocities committed in such camps.

Donations from NGOs and other groups reach the IDPs through local government officials and traditional leaders.

The Federal Ministry of Agric and the National Commission for Refugees have been donating foodstuff to the IDPs who relocated from communities at Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Chikun, Kajuru and other troubled areas of Kaduna.

Niger

In Niger State where 15 of the 25 local government areas have been taken over by bandits, there may be no less than 500, 000 IDPs scattered in different parts of the state.

Worst hit are Shiroro, Munya, Rafi, Mariga, Paiko and Mashegu local government areas.

Because of the incessant invasion to these communities, residents have either been ejected from their ancestral homes by banditry or they voluntarily fled to the various IDP camps in the state.

As of now, there are five camps in Niger located in Kuta, Gwada both in Shiroro LGA, one in Rafi, headquarters of Rafi LGA, and one each in Maikunkele, Maitumbi in Bosso and Chanchaga LGAs respectively.

The one at IBB Primary School in Minna, the state capital has been merged with the one at Gwada.

Officials said the state government had not relented in its responsibility of catering for the inmates though resources may not be enough due to cash crunch.

Religious organizations, including Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and individuals have been playing supportive roles in providing various items, including foodstuff, water, detergents and beddings, to assist inmates.

No doubt, the camps are faced with numerous challenges, including accommodation, feeding, deficiency in provision of health facilities and lack of conveniences like toilets.

Because the camps are not permanently built to take care of emergencies, schools are mostly used and are grossly inadequate.

No fewer than 30 to 40 people are clustered in each of the classes available including children.

Water is rationed with no essential drugs to cater for the sick and other emergency cases.

In other words, the inmates are left in the "hands of God" for their survival.

Because of lack of adequate security at the camps, the store where foodstuff and other essential commodities are kept for the inmates in Gwada was burgled few hours after delivery sometime ago.

In an exclusive interview with our correspondent, the Director General of Niger State Emergency Agency (NSEMA), Alhaji Muhammad Inga, said the exact number of those in various IDP camps in the state could not be determined.

According to him, people in the camps keep rising every day.

"We have a lot of security challenges and government is making efforts to make peace prevail in the camps for the people until they return to their ancestral homes", Inga said.

"If I give you figures today, in the next one hour, the figure might change and that is why we don't have the exact number of people in the various camps.

"We are lucky that despondency has not set in and that is why we are managing the situation professionally because in IDP camps, you have to be careful to know the best strategy to adopt to avoid crisis because if despondency sets in, it will be a bigger issue to manage".

Benue

In Benue, since 2018, shortly after the New Year's Day massacre in Logo and Guma LGAs and the subsequent attacks that followed in the days and months after, the state has been challenged by IDPs sacked from their ancestral homes by suspected armed herdsmen who the people believe are on a mission to take over Benue land.

While the attacks raged, the state government was compelled to open official IDPs camps for the displaced and presently the officially recognized camps in the state are seven.

Aside the official camps, IDPs also reside in host communities since the facilities in the camps lacked carrying capacity for all the displaced persons at a time.

Then there are the unofficial camps where people have also sought refuge.

According to records obtained from the Benue State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, in the official and unofficial facilities or camps we have records of inmates who moved into the safe haven in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

A breakdown of the 2019 record of IDPs showed that Abagena camp has 8,210 IDPs while the Abagena host community is home to 7,691 inmates. Daudu Camp 1 (UNHCR Shelter) has 5,451 IDPs, Daudu ll has 20,172 while Gbajimba camp is home to 29,500 inmates.

Others are Anyiin camp with 7,466 inmates, Ugba camp with 3,080, Abeda camp with 2,668 while Abeda host community has 22,948 IDPs.

Agan camp has 4,798 inmates while the host community is home to 5,517 IDPs.

Agatu is home to 65,347 IDPs, Angwan Ochonu has 4,951 IDPs, Anyiin community has 65,496 IDPs, Daudu community is home to 43,344 inmates, FHA camp has 4,353 IDPs, and Gbajimba community is home to 28,875 IDPs.

Gwer West has 60,243 IDPs, Ichwa 9,587, Kwande 9,465, LDEA NASME 23,151, LGEA Tyodugh has 5,672 IDPs, NEPA Qtrs 8,008, Ogiri Ajene 9,506, Okpokwu 4,080, Tionsha 20,500 and Ugba community is home to 8,651.

The total number of IDPs living in official and unofficial camps and host communities since 2019 is 483,692.

The number of those displaced as a result of herdsmen attacks as updated in June 2020 is 75,811 and a breakdown of the figure indicated that Mbakunu (Kwande) is home to 2,951 IDPs, Mbaper (Kwande) is hosting 1,602 IDPs, Iyon (Kwande) has 489 inmates and Jato Aka/Nyihemba (Kwande) has 37,675 IDPs.

Others are Ogere (Obi) 17, 858, Torkula (Guma) 817, Agasha (Guma) 1,502, Kaseyo (Guma) 652, Ikponko (Guma) 712 and Uikpam (Guma) is home to 11,554 IDPs.

These figures, updated in December 2020 as a result of sustained attacks by armed herders in more communities, indicated that more communities in Guma like Uleva community is host to 13,855 IDPs, Iye community is hosting 16,578 displaced persons and Tse Akenyi community has 22,873 IDPs.

Logo has Iorja community hosting 14,000 IDPs, Tse Akpam community 11,369 and Igbatim community with 16,541 inmates.

In Makurdi, there are 18,000 IDPs in Imande Akpu community while Tse Chagu community is playing host to 6,000 IDPs.

The total number of persons displaced in 2020 as a result of sustained attacks on Benue communities by suspected herdsmen militia is 205, 027.

Meanwhile, the statistics of displacement as a result of further attacks on several communities in Benue in 2021 showed that Guma LGA, Uikpam IDP camp is home to 27,222 persons, Yogbo community hosts 19,911 persons, Udei community hosts 20,932, Ortese community harbors 17, 654, Umenger has 19,277 while Yelwata community is host to 17,00 IDPs.

In Gwer West, Naka community harbors 23,070 IDPs, Aondoana community has 15,171 while Tyoughtee community has 19,888 IDPs.

In Makurdi, there are 16,865 IDPs in Atson community and 11,987 in Anter community. Logo is harboring 13,065 in Tse Agure while 1,765 IDPs are in Tse Akau Akpor community.

Konshisha, where a military operation recently took place to recover the weapons of the soldiers slain by bandits, has 5,958 IDPs in Gungul community. Agidi community is home to 1,143 IDPs, Aku community has 3,852, Adoka community has 702, Bonta 2,250, Gbinde community 1,548, Tse Anyon 1,512 and Guleya Community is home to 2,142 IDPs.

In Oju LGA, Ukpute community is host to 1,954 IDPs while Agatu LGA has 10,981 IDPs in Okokolo community, 21,098 in Obagaji, 10,400 in Aila, 12,091 in Odugbeho and 11,850 are harbored in Oweto communities.

The total figure of people displaced in Benue communities in 2021 alone is put at 311,288, bringing the overall number of IDPs in Benue to a grand total of 1,000,007.

As mentioned earlier, these IDPs are from different communities of the state including Kwande, Okpokwu Guma, Makurdi, Gwer West, Logo, Oju, Konshisha and Agatu LGAs who were attacked and sacked from their ancestral homes by suspected armed herdsmen.

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However, those of Konshisha were sacked from their homes after a military operation to recover the weapons of the soldiers slain by bandits in the area.

According to the Executive Secretary of Benue SEMA, Dr. Emmanuel Shior, since the displacement of these persons, the state government took it upon itself to ensure that the needs and security of the IDPs were catered for.

He explained that the efforts of government is being complemented by NGOs, public spirited individuals and groups who have been providing food, shelter, medical, water sanitation and hygiene activities in the camps.

"Regrettably, the Federal Government has not shown enough commitment to the welfare of the IDPs leaving the state government to grapple with the overwhelming challenge of catering for the IDPs," he said

The Executive Secretary also pointed out that quantifying the worth of government's intervention in the camps in terms of Naira and Kobo may be difficult but it runs into millions of Naira monthly.

On the challenges in the camps he said, "the challenges we have in these camps are that of food, security and health issues.

"But I must acknowledge that we have some international and local organisations supporting the government have been doing so in the areas of water supply, health, including WASH."

On the issue of outbreak of diseases in the camps, he clarified that the camps had not recorded any of such because inmates were receiving adequate medicare from partners and the state government.

"But our worry at the moment is that of security in the camps. In all the camps, IDPs are entertaining fears of being attacked due to the recent attack that happened at the Abagena IDPs camp. So there are fears of possible attacks in the camps at the moment", the SEMA boss said.

"In fact some of the IDPs, out of fear, look for where to sleep in the host communities for fear of being victims of another herders' attack", he said.

Suspected armed herdsmen had, at the wee hours of April 27, 2021, invaded the Abagena IDPs camp in the outskirts of Makurdi town, killing seven inmates.

The attack, which took place at about 2am, also left many of the nearly 20,000 traumatized IDPs with serious injuries.

That invasion almost sparked a reprisal by angry Benue youths who recovered the remains of the slain IDPs and laid them on the busy Makurdi-Lafia highway threatening to avenge their death.

They also demanded to be allowed to carry AK47 rifles to defend themselves just like armed herders.

It took the personal intervention of Governor Samuel Ortom to prevail on the angry youths to sheath their swords.

After convincing the youths, the governor appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to take decisive action against armed herders who had been accused of unleashing mayhem on innocent Nigerians, warning that the people were not convinced that he was doing enough in that regard.

Vanguard News Nigeria
Duguri, headquarters of Alkaleri Local Government Area in Bauchi State is a town that has become synonymous with snakes.

Last year about 42 snakebites were recorded between May and November, which resulted in five deaths, according to Adamu Suleiman, Secretary of Duguri Ward Development Committee.

Findings by Arewa Voice showed that snakebites became rampant in the area after the devastating flood that ravaged most communities located along the coastline of River Benue in October 2012, which washed away houses and brought lots of snakes with it.

Tucked away in her Duguri village -136 kilometres from Bauchi metropolis (the seat of government) is 18-year- old Rabiatu Adamu, a snakebite victim who was bitten by a poisonous snake during one of her visits to her father's farmland to fetch firewood.

Miss Adamu said that she thought that she had stepped on thorns, but would later learn that she had been bitten by a poisonous snake.

While narrating her touching story, Rabiatu who looked exhausted, having suffered for eight months without proper medical attention, was busy chasing flies with a hand-held fan from the wound she sustained on her foot as a result of snakebite.

She said that apart from the devastating pains of the snakebite she said also of great concern to her was the inability of her father raise the money needed for her medical treatment at either Kaltungo, Gombe State or Plateau State.

"I was in the bush to fetch fire-wood when I felt like I stepped on thorns. I came home thinking I stepped on thorns in the bush but four days later, we realised it was a snake bite.

"At a point, I almost lost hope because I thought I was going to die. As you can see, I am still suffering from the snake's venom and the wounds it has caused on my leg," she said.

Rabiatu is relying on the assistance of the only female traditional herbalist offering 'treatment' in the village.

She added: "The treatment she gives is very cheap; you only need to pay N10 and provide two chickens to get treated.

"We have no one to support us except God. For the past eight months, I have been unable to do anything for myself. I feel like I am a burden to the household these days. Unfortunately the snakebite clinic, which was started a year ago, is now nothing but an empty, uncompleted building."

As Rabiatu continues to feel the excruciating pains from the snakebite, Adamu Samaila, her father who said he has been devastated since October 2020, stated that he shares in the agonies his daughter: "I am emotionally troubled because I wake up every day to see her terrible condition," he said. "And I feel devastated because I don't have the means to foot her medical treatment."

According to Adamu, fetching firewood to support the household has been an age-long routine for his children, including Rabiatu.

Adamu further said that since the time of Isa Yuguda's administration, his community has struggled to get a snakebite clinic, which luckily has now been started by Governor Mohammed's administration, but yet to be completed, thereby posing a lot of concerns for him and the community.

"Governor Mohammed's administration started building a snakebite clinic for us, but somehow the project was stopped. We are disappointed that the project has been abandoned halfway. Now we are only left with an empty building and dissipating hope about the possibility of having a snakebite clinic here," Adamu added.

Hurera Ibrahim, the herbalist 'treating' victims of snakebite in Alkaleri claimed that she was chosen by her late father who instructed her to carry on the noble chore of treating victims of snakebites shortly before his demise.

She said that she has been 'curing' victims of snakes from Alkaleri, Kafi, Daji, Rimi and Balele where snakebite has become the order of the day, while also noting: "I can keep about 10 victims of snakebites in my house and treat them."

Hurera explained further that for the past 40 years, she has done nothing other than treating snakebite patients for as little as N10 and two chickens in accordance with the instruction handed over to her by her late father.

"The only thing I collect from the people patronising my service is N10 and two chicken; but where a patient cannot afford to give N10 and two chickens at the end of a successful treatment, I ask them to leave the fee and I source for the required chicken and slaughter for them.

Flaunting her 'extensive knowledge' of snakebite, Hurera noted that different kinds of snake poisons require different herbal mixture appropriate for the venom.

"I can boast of 10 different types of anti-snake venom herbals, which I apply to various cases of snakebites being reported to me. If the venom accumulates around the abdomen of the victim, there is a specific herb I give to such patients. If a snakebite victim cannot pass urine, I give a different herbal mixture to restore their ability to pass urine," she added.

However, Hurera lamented that the antidote for venom from some type of snakes commonly found around Manta-Bala Village is extremely difficult to find because in most cases before victims report to her house from that axis, some of them die on the way, while the few who survive the venom usually experience serious bleeding from all parts of their bodies.

The herbalist said that she was excited with government's initial plan to build a hospital in the community because of the rate at which snakes kill people in her surrounding communities.

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Meanwhile, the Chairman of Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed said that the government is aware of the situation which was why it initially started building a snakebite clinic in the area.

Mohammed, however, noted that the Governor ordered that the project be halted since a new standard general clinic by African Development Bank is ongoing in the area, which will have a section for snakebite victims.

His words: "The structure is there, but the take-off is the problem. What prevented that project from taking off is lack of accommodation for personnel; you know the place is far from the town so they wouldn't want to stay there.

"We, together with African Development Bank, are constructing another primary healthcare centre. There are three apartments under construction for doctors and nurses so that there will be staff retention there. We want to join it with the primary healthcare where there will be accommodation for snakebite patients, that's what the Governor said."

Incidentally, Duguri district is the home town of Bala Mohammed, the incumbent governor of the state who appears to be making efforts to alleviate the pains of his people. But for the villagers whose lives are constantly threatened by poisonous snakes, help cannot come soon enough.
London  5G is slowly making its way into the market as regulators gear up to license its roll-out. Some like Mauritius have been quick to put licences in place, whilst others like Nigeria are taking their time. Russell Southwood looks at the state of play and interesting evidence from a new survey on consumer interest.

According to a GSMA report in February, there were 24 operators in 18 African countries going through some process of testing and evaluating 5G. Those testing included Airtel (upgrading in Kenya), Telma (Madagascar), Gabon Telecom, Sonatel (Senegal) Vodacom and MTN (Nigeria). In October last year Vodacom announced that it was in discussions with Tanzania's regulator TCRA about its 5G plans. Tmcel in Mozambique has just announced it will begin 5G tests. Two countries - Kenya and South Africa - have operators who are now offering a fully commercial network, although the former has only a one-year trial 5G licence.

Mauritius - which was the first to roll out 3G in Africa - has just granted 5G licences to all three of its mobile operators: Cellplus, Emtel and Mahanagar Telecom Mauritius. Its regulator ICTA held a public consultation in February and invited operators to signal how much spectrum they wanted in the 2.6GHz and 3.5GHz bands being made available. Three blocks of 100MHz each were offered in the two different frequency bands.

Mauritius chose not to go the public auction route but asked the operators to specify their timeframes for achieving specific percentages of network coverage for mainland Mauritius as well as the outer islands. Once the roll-out starts, Mauritius will be the third African country to offer 5G-enabled services.

As ever, the situation with Nigeria is much more complicated and likely to be on a much more extended timeline. Regulator NCC has chosen to review its licensing structures. It has set up a standing committee within the NCC to review the existing structure. It will look at "the wide range of technological advances, [and] convergence of technologies and services which have characterised the global telecoms space over the years," said the regulator. Its CEO Umar Danbatta suggested that this will be a lengthy process.

Alongside this wide-ranging review, it has set up a separate Committee to look at best practices for auctioning the 5G spectrum. The regulator has already done the difficult work of reclaiming 3.5GHz spectrum from Nigcomsat so that it will have enough contiguous spectrum in this band. NCC's CEO acknowledged that it did not have sufficient allocation so "we put in extra efforts and secured additional 160MHz in the 3.5GHz band by making huge commitment of resources to secure additional spectrum from Nigerian Communication Satellite Limited (NigComSat)," culminating in a recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NCC and NigComSat. It is unlikely that the process to auction will be as speedy as the five months taken by Mauritius.

What is not yet clear is what 5G will actually do in the market. It will obviously speed up things like streaming but there will undoubtedly be premium prices to take advantage of it. It might also be a fibre-substitute for households in areas currently considered commercially marginal. Once you've ticked those two off, you get into the fluffy stuff about the 4th Industrial Revolution, smart cities, connected cars and new applications.

Nevertheless, the pull of faster access speeds should not be discounted. Trustonic which enables customers to manage their device lifecycle and increase smartphone affordability through secure financing, has carried out a survey of users in South Africa which shows a high level of interest in 5G.

But we need to take a step back before we get to the new, shiny stuff. According to the survey 47% of respondents change their mobile device due to loss of theft and 64% had experienced mobile theft. The percentage for the latter rises to 75% among respondents aged 25-34.

Not surprisingly, Trustonic is arguing that in this context mobile security should be a top priority. It wants to install security that will disable stolen phones, turn them into "paper weights" in the colorful phrase of Trustonic VP - EMEA Craig Fleischer. Blacklisting stolen phones has proved remarkably ineffective.

On the positive side, 56% of respondents said they planned to purchase a 5G enabled phone in the next 12 months. The key age groups most interested are 25-34 year olds and 35-44 year olds: 61% of both age groups wanted a 5G phone. Regionally, those in Limpopo are most interested (80%) followed by the Northern Cape (75%). City-wise, those in Polokwane are significantly more likely to buy a 5G phone (79%) than other regions - compare this to just 32% in Pietemaritzburg.

Whilst ICASA has delayed the spectrum auction for 5G spectrum, last year MTN announced the launch of its 5G network in the country, with the initial deployment of 100 5G sites. The network currently covers areas of Johannesburg and Cape Town, as well as Bloemfontein and Port Elizabeth. MTN said it had been carrying extensive 5G trials before the launch, which was made possible due to the South African Government's decision to award temporary spectrum for 5G.

Africa's mobile operators need to sharpen the arguments for 5G in terms of their users and regulators need to speed up their processes to get the technology into the marketplace. The inevitable clash between vendors like Huawei and Open RAN is about to begin and the ensuing disruption could benefit users.

In Brief

Nokia has 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. The innovative solutions are powered by the latest generation of Nokia's 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.

Kenya: iHub has announce that it is partnering with Google for Startups to lead the disbursement of the Black Founders Fund Africa. This fund will provide grants and technical support to early-stage startups in Africa to grow their companies and create meaningful impact in their communities.

The fund, which is a $3M non-dilutive (equity-free) fund, will be allocated across a pipeline of 50 investable early-stage startups in Africa. Selected companies will receive the following: Up to $100,000 in cash awards. Each startup will receive either $50,000 or $100,000. Funding varies according to each startup's product development stage, current needs, and how much they've already raised; $220,000 in Google Cloud Credits and Ad Grants; and mentoring, technical and scaling assistance from the best of Google and its resources.

Mauritius: A team from the Mauritius Research and Innovation Council (MRIC), winners of the KiboCUBE programme in 2018, run by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), saw their satellite deployed by JAXA from the International Space Station (ISS). MRIC is a parastatal organisation operating under the aegis of the Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation of the Republic of Mauritius. nThe satellite MIR-SAT1 'Mauritius Imagery and Radiocommunications Satellite -1' is the first satellite of Mauritius. The primary objective of the mission is to acquire technology, knowledge and skills for further space endeavours as well as capture images of Mauritius. As a Small Island Developing State, Mauritius is particularly prone to natural disaster risk and set to benefit greatly from their own satellite technology.

Angola: The Government is tendering a concession to to manage, operate and expand Angola Telecom's national and metropolitan transport backbone network. The plan aims to attract private sector expertise, with the chosen company also expected to train staff at the state-backed telco, under a wider strategy to 'make the public business sector more dynamic and profitable'. A presidential order approving the procedure notes that the planned private-public partnership aims to take advantage of the skills and funds of national or foreign investors. The order delegates responsibility to the telecoms minister - with the power to sub-delegate - for approval of procedures, appointment of an evaluation committee for the competitive tender, and verification of the validity of all actions carried out within the scope of the tender.

Nigeria: MTN Nigeria plans to invest 640 billion naira, approximately US$1.5 billion, over the next three years to expand broadband access across the continent's most populous country, in line with the federal government's 2020-2025 National Broadband Plan and in support of MTN Group's strategy, Ambition 2025: Leading digital solutions for Africa's progress.

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The second phase of the Digital Lab Africa (DLA) call for applications is now open after a successful first phase for animation and immersive experience categories. The focus of this phase is on Video Games. The destabilising impact of the pandemic on the music and digital art sectors has been such that the inclusion of these two categories has been set to resume in 2022.

Applications for the Video Game category opened on 11 June and will close on 11 July 2021. In 2020, DLA received more than 500 applications from over 32 countries. For its fifth edition, Digital Lab Africa has switched to a fully online format. The online incubation which will take place between September 2021 and March 2022 is enabled by its partners, Plaine Images, Play in Lab, Africa Games Week, Maliyo Games and Plug in Digital. The incubation will include expert mentorship, playtest and marketing workshops, masterclasses, participation in Demo Day pitches and Industry related events.

Ghana: MainOne (www.MainOne.net), the leading provider of connectivity, cloud and data center solutions in West Africa is set to launch the Appolonia Data Center of its subsidiary, MDXi. The new facility which is located 20 kilometers from the center of Accra, Ghana will expand MainOne's already robust infrastructure and service profile in West Africa. It was built to cater to the increasing demand for colocation and interconnection services by multinationals and businesses seeking shared services for their ICT resources in a world-class facility.

Mozambique: Vodacom Mozambique says no agreement has been reached in its interconnect dispute with rival operator Mocambique Telecom (Tmcel). The pair held negotiations on Friday (18 June) under the mediation of the National Institute of Communications of Mozambique (INCM, also known as ARECOM). Tmcel owes Vodacom MZN640 million (USD10.3 million), and a report from The Ouagadougou Times says that it proposed paying off MZN200 million within 90 days, while also beginning to pay MZN12 million a month. Vodacom rejected this solution and demanded payment of MZN200 million within ten days, saying that it reserves the right to stop interconnecting calls to its network from Tmcel customers if an agreement on the debt is not reached within ten days.
MDC-T says its party leader Douglas Mwonzora always predicts his election victories and the 66 % poll victory projection for 2023 is not any daydreaming on the part of the ambitious politician.

Party spokesperson Witness Dube told Kwekwe reporters weekend that Mwonzora is going to cause a major upset come 2023 elections.

"We are two years away from the elections and we have a strategy towards the 66 %.

"We know all the election patterns in Zimbabwe; we are an opposition party which has been in existence since 1999 and had our first election in 2000.

"We have had five elections going into our 6th leg," Dube said.

He said the Nyanga senator is an "electable candidate".

"When we make projections of 66 %, we know what we are talking about.

"We have a strategy to turn around the fortunes of the party from what we were in 2018.

"I may not be at liberty to dissect and go all exactly on how that strategy is going to play out. We are still a distance from the elections, it's unwise to do so.

"We have done our own pilot runs to see if it's going to get us and gather us the votes that we want.

"We think our pilot tests reveal that once we implement it in full swing with the necessary resources to go with it; it's a strategy that is going to get us around that figure," he said.

Dube added, "It was not a figure that was fetched from the air, but we really did our work. Besides, president Mwonzora always predicts his victories and is never more than 5% shy from the target that he would have predicted."

Mwonzora recently met President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House in an engagement that was criticised by his MDC Alliance rivals.

Dube defended his boss's meeting with the Zanu PF leader.

"It's not a secret meeting which took place between our president and the President of the Republic.

"This was a courtesy call on the President of the Republic from the leader of opposition in parliament.

"This is a common engagement between the governing party in many democracies. Julius Malema across the Limpopo does that with President Ramaphosa," he said.
ZANU PF political commissar Patrick Chinamasa says current demolitions that have left hundreds with no homes and vending stalls are a result of corrupt activities by MDC Alliance led local authorities.

Government has in the past few days ordered the razing down of structures built on undesignated land even though owners of the properties claim home building had been sanctioned by the relevant authorities.

Similarly, vending stalls in Harare and Chitungwiza have been destroyed.

MDC Alliance, which dominates the authorities in which central government has overbearing control, has blamed the demolitions on the Zanu PF led administration.

However, Chinamasa Thursday distanced Zanu PF from the on-going demolitions, instead, blaming its opposition rival for "corruptly" parcelling out stands to home seekers.

"MDC run-councils have been corruptly dishing out land. There is no proper documentation on how the land has been dished out," said the Zanu PF top politician.

"The opposition party specialises in blaming all ills about urban areas' challenges on the central government.

"Clearly, that is not true and l will take every opportunity in future to make sure that l correct the perception among citizens and you journalists."

The former cabinet minister said he was not aware of who was responsible for the clean-up campaign but all he was clear about was the rot brought on local authorities by MDC Alliance.

"I do not know who is responsible for this clean-up campaign but what l know is that the chaos is due to the MDC government.

"All these developments happened within their jurisdiction, without any action to stop them whilst no proper planning was in place.

"They receive rates which should be going towards service delivery. Our major concerns of urban areas is the poor service delivery," he said.

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The former justice minister said, "there has been a serious dereliction of duty on the part of MDC and we as Zanu PF are now correcting the anomaly. Central government is now moving in to correct the transgression of the MDC run councils. Any development you now see in urban areas is being done by the central government."

MDC secretary for local government, Sesel Zvidzai told reporters early this year that most officials within the country's local authorities were Zanu PF.

While the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) has arrested several MDC Alliance officials on allegations of corruptly selling state land, MDC Alliance places the blame on Zanu PF's linked land barons who are being accused of running cooperatives in the city.

Many home seekers have fallen victim to the land barons who are alleged to be working with corrupt council officials.

A lot of cases of those arrested are still within local courts.
Nairobi  Nairobi has been picked to host Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa in September.

The forum, which is currently slated for September 7 and end on 10 2021, is expected to have 500 in-person participants and another 10,000 attendees joining virtually from more than 150 countries.

The delegation led by former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn in a statement shared to newsrooms briefed President Uhuru Kenyatta that Nairobi had been picked due to the efforts made by the government to address nutrition and food security in the country.

"The team informed the President that AGRA had settled on Nairobi to host the Summit because of strides made by Kenya on the nutrition and food security pillar of the Big Four Agenda, " reads the statement.

Agriculture sector has remained a key priority to the government, and in the new financial year was allocated Sh60 billion.

The AGRA delegation, which also involved President Agnes Kalibata, while briefing the head of state on preparations further added that the meeting will grant Kenya an opportunity to showcase its successes to the global community.

AGRA summit has been known to convene players in the agriculture sectors to share lessons that is geared towards moving agriculture in Africa forward.

The 2021 summit will explore the pathways and actions needed to accelerate food recovery and food system transformation.

The systems are not to impact the environment negatively, and food systems that create sustainable, dignified jobs, and shared prosperity for Africa.
Hundreds of residents of a village in Mwea East have heaved a sigh of relief after the Kirinyaga County embarked on building of a vital bridge in the region.

The residents of Ngucui have been enduring the pain of walking long distances to access markets, schools and health facilities due to lack of a bridge the village situated in Mwea East Sub-County.

The ongoing project has brought great joy to the residents who have suffered for decades.

Villagers said the Gacuriamuoyo bridge, which will connect Murinduko and Tebere wards will serve them well once completed.

The bridge, which is expected to be completed before the end of this year, will serve more than 5,000 people living in Ndindiruku, Kiumbu, Marurumo, Miatuini, South Ngariama and Ngucui villages.

Residents say for a long time, they had to cross Nyamindi River using a wooden makeshift footbridge that would sometimes be washed away by floods during rainy seasons.

'Bridge of death'

Several residents, including school children, have drowned while crossing the river using the makeshift bridge.

A resident, Ndwiga Njoka, says the thought of the wooden bridge gives him nightmares as he remembers vividly some years back when two pupils of a local school were swept away while crossing the river.

"The wooden structure is our bridge of death. Lives have been lost here," said Mr Njoka.

Another resident, Rosemary Wanjiku, said some of the villagers are still trying to come to terms with the deaths of their loved ones.

"There are people who have been washed away together with the makeshift bridge never to be seen again," said Ms Wanjiku.

Governor Anne Waiguru noted that for a long time, villages had been risking their lives while crossing the river.

Spur growth

The Kirinyaga governor said the new bridge will spur economic growth by easing transportation of agricultural produce like tomatoes, French beans, watermelons and rice to the market, besides helping increase employment opportunities in the transport sector.

"The county has embarked on a massive road improvement programme that will open up the interior parts of the county for sustained social and economic development. We are building bridges to ensure our farmers and traders have easy and fast access to markets," she said.

Ms Waiguru stressed that bridges and better roads lead to improved household incomes since families can easily transport their farm produce to the markets.

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Currently, the residents have to travel for 50 kilometres to access Wang'uru Market.

The governor has already commissioned another bridge across River Nyamindi in Mahigaini village.

Several vital bridges being built by Governor Waiguru's administration that are lined up for completion are Kiamanyeki-Ciagini, Kaimiri-Gakarara, Matonguini, Karoboti, Kandakame, Kahuhoini and Kibukure. The county is also putting up the Getuya, Mutonga and Munjuha foot bridges to ease movement of people.

The bridges will open up most of the areas which had remained cut off from other parts and will give the residents access to public institutions such as schools and health facilities.

Tebere Ward representative Gudson Muchina said the good working relationship between the executive and Kirinyaga MCAs has resulted in speedy completion of development projects.
At 15, Dorcas Zvairewa realises she is fast running out of friends. One by one, her peers are dropping out of school to either get married or nurse pregnancies.

With the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, her circle of friends has grown even smaller as the devastating economic and social impact of the pandemic forces more girls into early motherhood.

"Most of the marriages did not work," the tall, light-skinned girl said, wearing a solemn face as she stood close to an unfinished church building at Karambazunga business centre in Hurungwe's ward 16 Mashonaland West province.

Her faint, yet clear voice expressed a mixture of both fear and hope.

The dilapidated structures at the business centre are messages of the despair that had stalked the community.

"The girls are often left looking after the children alone, and dejected in most cases," she said.

Her friends' situation has been both disturbing and life-changing for Zvairewa.

Rather than resign to fate or join the bandwagon, the Form 3 student at Karambazunga Secondary School has decided to do something about it.

She now spends most of her time tapping into the wisdom of elders, and in turn uses it to educate fellow girls on how to make the best life decisions.

Zvairewa is one of several, who have become gender champions in their communities, volunteering their time to engage in awareness programmes to highlight the dangers of child marriages, early pregnancies and sexual and gender-based violence.

Gender champions such as Zvairewa are part of the Spotlight Initiative, a programme supported through a partnership between the European Union (EU) and the United Nations aimed at ending violence against women and girls as well as harmful practices.

UN Women, in conjunction with its local partners, are implementing the Spotlight Initiative.

For Zvairewa, the initiative has helped her realise her desire to change the situation of girls in her impoverished rural community.

"I was touched by the situation, which many of my friends find themselves in," she said.

"That's why I volunteered to be a gender champion. At school, I am given time to teach pupils, especially the girl child, life issues.

"I have received training on gender-based violence through the Spotlight Initiative and my efforts have seen a reduction in the number of such cases."

Zimbabwe is part of 20 countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and the Caribbean, that are participating in the four-year programme launched in 2019. The first phase ends in June 2021.

The EU put in about US$30 million for the first phase of the initiative to help Zimbabwe meet some of its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 3 and 5) on empowering women and girls to realise their full potential in a violence-free, gender-responsive and inclusive environment.

"The school administration is very supportive of the Spotlight Initiative because it does not focus on the children alone, but the parents as well, to make sure domestic factors that force girls to rush into early marriages are eliminated," Zvairewa said.

Stenford Tapfuma (17), another gender champion at the same school, says the Spotlight Initiative has helped reduce violence at schools that had scared away other pupils.

Tapfuma said some girls entered into marriages to escape abuse by parents at home.

"They see marriage as their only escape route," Tapfuma said.

Economic problems worsened by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic are a major factor in child marriages, early pregnancies and gender based violence, he said.

"The issue of budgeting in homes is a major issue.

"We live in farming areas, children are forced to abscond from school so that they help their parents with field work, but come harvesting time, parents budget their money without consulting their children.

"It is frustrating," Tapfuma said.

"Some parents squander all the money and children are sent away from school for lack of school fees.

"They don't give their children even a few dollars to buy under garments.

"Young men in the community, who dropped out of school and are making a few dollars out of tobacco or cotton farming, will come in and entice the girls into marriage, sometime with small things like jiggies.

"The temptation to want to run their homes where they will also be in charge of budgets will be irresistible.

"The Spotlight Initiative is also helping parents to consult their children in budgeting so that they understand the needs of their children."

Child marriages have become a global problem, with the UN's children's agency, Unicef, stating that an estimated 12 million girls are married before reaching 18 and that about 650 million girls and women alive today were married before that age globally.

It is estimated that 32% of girls in Zimbabwe are married off before the age of 18, meaning approximately one in every three girls are married before reaching that age while 4% are married before they turn 15.

The situation was reported to have worsened during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

Hurungwe ward 16 councillor Maxwell Matimba said between 10 and 15 young girls dropped out of school and opted to get into marriage at each of the 11 schools in his ward in 2019, a worrying figure, but also showing a downward trend.

"Roughly, we had about 150 girls marrying off before the age of 18 in 2018 alone, and the number is now going down, thanks to the Spotlight Initiative," Matimba said.

"Poverty and failure by parents to budget with the consultation of the children has been the major cause.

"There was no awareness of the importance of budgeting. The issue of budgeting was contributing a lot.

"Girls were not being provided for.

"We also had some religious groups that were also marrying off young girls, they are now part of the Spotlight Initiative and the practice within their churches is reducing."

Enoch Kawanga (60), Hurungwe ward 16 co-ordinator of the Caritas Initiative, said some parents were not even paying fees for their children despite selling farm produce at the markets.

"The girls feel inferior if their parents struggle to pay fees and do not provide for their needs," Kawanga said.

"If they feel inferior, their potential is destroyed and they rush into early marriages.

"Sometimes boyfriends pay the fees. We have been trying to teach villagers on the dangers of early marriages and we now have a situation where some girls, who were married want to go back to school."

He said most of the abused children were under the care of stepmothers.

So severe was the problem of budgeting that Kawanga said most men even committed suicide after squandering all the money after selling farm produce at the markets and would be embarrassed to face their wives and children.

Some women, in pain after toiling the whole year, also killed themselves when men returned home empty-handed after abusing all the monies realised from the sale of produce.

"They take the herbicides they use to produce the crops to take their lives, we have many cases, but the cases have gone down because people now understand the importance of budgeting," Kawanga said.

Pardon Chabata, the Caritas Spotlight Initiative co-ordinator, blamed poverty and poor budgeting for early child marriages as well as school dropouts.

"Most of the children get into early marriages not because they want to, but because of poverty and loss of parents," Chabata said.

"We are trying to use the Spotlight Initiative to give them the opportunity to go to school and learn and make good life judgments."

Spotlight Initiative UN Women country representative Delphine Serumaga said: "The eradication and prevention of sexual gender-based violence and harmful practices through addressing the root causes will impact on women and girls' ability to have a 'voice', 'choice' and 'control' over their lives.

"This will be essential for the empowerment of women and girls, especially those who face multiple forms of discrimination.

"Through the Spotlight Initiative at UN Women, we have continued to play a role in advocating for gender equality, empowerment and women's rights in Zimbabwe."

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To address the problem of child marriages, the Spotlight Initiative has rolled out a campaign, Catch Them Young in Hurungwe, Guruve, Muzarabani and Mbire districts through various partners.

The Catch Them Young initiative trains and supports young children to pursue education so that they shun early childhood marriages.

"We had a problem of young girls leaving school to enter into early marriages," Portia Moffat, a gender champion in Guruve said.

"The Catch Them Young programme here at Muzika Primary School educates children on the importance of pursuing their studies and instead of rushing into marriages.

"Cases of school dropouts have gone down. Children are taught the importance of education through song, drama and poetry. Parents are appreciating our efforts."

A group consisting of the Lower Guruve Development Association (LGDA), Caritas, and other community-based organisations are spearheading the programmes meant to create awareness on the impact of gender based violence.

Tavirai Marega, an LGDA programmes officer, said through the Spotlight Initiative, they were teaching parents to support young girls so that they don't rush into marriages, where they face high prospects of life-threatening complications during childbirth.

"Many children are getting pregnant at a very young age and the men do not take them to hospital for childbirth because they fear being arrested," Marega said.

"The girls end up dying during childbirth and this is what we are educating them about as a way of trying to end child marriages."

About 55 young girls were impregnated in 2019 alone at Kondo Secondary School in Guruve.

For Zvairewa, such a situation is untenable, and feels her circle of friends will shrink further if girls like her do not intervene.

So far, it has been worthwhile, she said.

"Some of the girls have been lucky to enrol in school again," Zvairewa said, beaming, walking towards her bicycle while fastening her Spotlight Initiative jacket that hanged loosely on top of her school uniform.
Uganda has registered 10,931 Covid-19 cases in nine days, according to the Ministry of Health data.

By press time, the latest data from the Health ministry was of samples tested on June 23.

Statistics from the Health ministry for the last nine days from June 15 to 23, indicate that of the 77,574 samples tested, 10,931 of them were positive. This represents 14 per cent of total cases that stood at 76,562 as of June 23.

The data by the health ministry further shows that in the same period, the country lost at least 322 people to Covid-19.

Kampala and Wakiso remain some of the districts contributing highest to the cumulative cases in the country.

But the Health ministry officials say these numbers will increase once data from the rapid diagnostic tests are added.

Uganda experienced its second wave of Covid-19 last month, largely attributed to a number of factors, including laxity in observing or enforcing the standard operating procedures (SOPs), among others, whereas other scientists attributed it to variants such as the Indian variant.

Recently, the variant of concern has been Delta plus from India.

While Uganda has registered the Delta variant, of more concern has been the one from India. By press time, no case of the Delta plus from India had been reported in Uganda.

Government has asked the public to observe SOPs and observe lockdown measures in order to curb the spread of the disease.

Dr Mukuzi Muhereza, the secretary general of Uganda Medical Association (UMA), said should the country adhere to SOPs, there will be noticeable decrease in new cases.

"Wash your hands, adhere to all the SOPs. The admission in hospitals continues to be high. The demands for oxygen, personal protective equipment (PPEs) is very high, some health workers do not have PPEs," Dr Muhereza said on Thursday.
Nairobi  Kenyan authorities say at least 350 young people who joined the Somali Islamist militant group al-Shabab have surrendered this year and will be reintegrated into society.

Security agencies in Kenya's coast region say fewer youth are crossing to Somalia to fight for the group in a sign that counterterrorism measures are working.

Kenyan counterterrorism officials are in the county of Mombasa this week to help sensitize the community against violent extremism and to assist former al-Shabab fighters.

Their efforts are targeting six counties directly affected by the terror group's activities along the Kenya-Somalia border.

Canon Harun Rashid, chief officer in charge of preventing violent extremism at Kenya's National Counter Terrorism Center, said the center is processing more than 300 former al-Shabab fighters who are seeking to re-enter society.

Understanding the crimes

"It's not just a blanket returning program," Rashid said. "All these individuals who are coming in, there is a process of filtering them and understanding the kind of crime they have committed, and the legal system is also waiting to see prosecutable areas once these returnees are put into such a program. Then there is the sensitization part of it, the deradicalization part of it."

For more than a decade, the militant group has used local and historical grievances to get Kenyan young people to join its violent activities.

A few thousand Kenyan youths are still fighting alongside al-Shabab in Somalia, but increased security operations and awareness campaigns inside Somalia and Kenya's northeast and coastal areas have reduced youth recruitment.

Rashid said the counterterrorism programs now target security officers who are involved in fighting terrorism, so they can understand the process of radicalization.

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The security officers need "to understand the radical drivers, to understand the legitimacy behind the radicals calling for their agenda," Rashid said.

Nairobi-based security analyst Richard Tuta said Kenyans who joined al-Shabab could return to Kenya if the government accepted them.

Some sought income

"Remember, some of these young people did not go there because they were radicalized," he said. "They went there because of other factors -- like, for instance, to get a source of income, because one of the ways used to induce them to cross over is because they are promised even to be paid in dollars. So when the government gives them an amnesty, it makes it easier for them to make a comeback."

Munira Hamisi, head of youth affairs and community empowerment in the county of Mombasa, said her county was ready to provide economic opportunities to more than 100 youths who return from Somalia.

"As a department, we have a Mombasa County revolving fund that has an economic stimulus package for our young people, where youth-led business licenses have been waived," she said. "We also have a revolving fund where we are giving out soft loans to businesses that are owned by young people and women."

The counterterrorism center campaign plans to expand and target 12 counties in all in the hope of encouraging more Kenyan youths to forsake terrorism.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said Friday that three of its aid workers have been found dead near their vehicle in Ethiopia's embattled Tigray region.

"No words can truly convey all our sadness, shock and outrage against this horrific attack," the medical charity said in a statement. "Nor can words soothe the loss and suffering of their families and loved ones, to whom we relay our deepest sympathy and condolences." MSF said it lost contact with the staffers Thursday, and Friday morning their vehicle was found empty, and their bodies were found a few meters from it.

They identified the victims as Maria Hernandez, 35, MSF's emergency coordinator who is a Spanish national; Yohannes Halefom Reda, 31, assistant coordinator and an Ethiopian national; and Tedros Gebremariam Gebremichael, 31, their driver and also an Ethiopian citizen.

"The death of Maria, Yohannes and Tedros is a devastating blow to all of us, both in Ethiopia and in the other countries where we operate around the world," MSF said in the statement.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement Saturday he was "deeply shocked by the murder."

"This is totally unacceptable and an appalling violation of International Humanitarian Law. The perpetrators must be found and severely punished,"

Guterres added. "I stand in solidarity with our humanitarian partners who are risking their lives to provide protection and relief to people in Tigray."

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) official Nicolas Von Arx said in a statement Saturday that "I can't describe the shock we all felt to hear this devastating news. MSF personnel work tirelessly to help people who urgently need their humanitarian work."

The ICRC statement also said, "Attacks against humanitarian and health workers seriously undermine the capacity of humanitarian organizations to deliver urgent assistance in the Tigray region, where humanitarian needs continue to grow."

The ICRC statement reminded "Security forces and all weapon bearers" that they have a responsibility "to respect and protect medical personnel and humanitarian workers providing services in situations of armed violence."

U.N. Spokesman Stephane Dujarric noted Friday that aid workers are too often targeted with the intention of scaring away humanitarians.

Tigray has been the center of hostilities since November, when fighting broke out

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between the Tigray People's Liberation Front and the government of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

The fighting has exacerbated an already complex humanitarian situation in Tigray, where some 350,000 people are facing famine and at least 4 million others are coping with severe hunger. Aid groups have appealed for access, but they are often denied it by armed groups.

U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi urged parties to the conflict to protect the safety of both civilians and humanitarians on the ground in a statement earlier Friday.

"Civilians, including refugees have suffered enough and UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies must be allowed to help them," Grandi said. "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."
"The two would have been kidnapped but the monarch begged the bandits to free his wife, which they agreed with."

Armed men have abducted another traditional ruler in Ekiti, Benjamin Oso, the Eleda of Eda Ile, in Ekiti East Local Government Area.

A source told journalists on Saturday in Ado Ekiti, that the traditional ruler was returning from the farm with his wife on Friday when he was abducted but his wife was spared.

Mr Oso has become the third monarch to be attacked in similar circumstances in less than three months in the state. Last April, Adetutu Ajayi, the traditional ruler of Ewu Ekiti escaped with gunshot injuries after he was attacked by gunmen on his way to a neighbouring community. Barely one week later, armed men kidnapped David Oyewumi, the traditional ruler of Ilemeso, from his palace in Oye Local Government Area of the state. Mr Oyewumi was released days later.

Joe Komolafe, the commander of the Ekiti State Security Network, code-named Amotekun, on Saturday, confirmed the kidnapping of the traditional ruler in the state.

He said that all the security outfits in Ekiti, including police, soldiers, Amotekun corps, local hunters, and vigilante groups were already in the forest searching for the monarch.

However, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Sunday Abutu, said the command was still studying the reports and would react formally as soon as details about the veracity or otherwise of the alleged incident are available.

Mr Abutu spoke of the continued readiness of the police to deal with criminals wherever they are hiding in the state.

Mr Abutu said protection of lives and property remains the priority of the command and warned criminals to steer clear of the state or face the consequences.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the traditional ruler was said to have been kidnapped in the presence of his wife while on their way from the farm at Eda Ile, late on Friday.

Local sources told journalists in Ado Ekiti that Mr Oso and the wife would have been kidnapped, but for the appeal made to them by the traditional ruler.

"The Oba and the wife went to farm and were accosted by the gunmen.

"The two would have been kidnapped but the monarch begged the bandits to free his wife, which they agreed with," one of the sources said.
The Kano State Government has said it discovered and is ready to recall about 3,268 of its teaching staff employed to teach in public schools who are serving in private schools across the state.

The state's Ministry of Education further revealed that its findings uncovered that a single private school had more than 50 teachers posted from government schools over the years, with some of them spending more than 10 to 15 years serving in the school, while enjoying monthly salary from the state government.

The ministry, however, did not disclose the identities of the teachers or those of the schools said to be unduly benefiting from the government coffers.

The discovery, according to the statement from the ministry, was made three days after the commencement of a screening exercise by the Ministerial Committee for the Recall of Teachers on the state's payroll.

Similarly, the revelation is coming barely three weeks after the state directed the redeployment of about 5,000 civil servants with qualifications in education to classrooms to address the shortage of teachers in the state's public schools.

"The committee which is under the chairmanship of Dr Ibrahim Bichi (Executive Secretary, Kano State Library Board) has further uncovered that some of the identified staff have spent more than 10 to 15 years serving in private schools while enjoying monthly salaries from either state or local government payrolls in addition to furthering their studies for higher degrees ranging from MSc and PhD certificates," the statement read in part.

The committee, Daily Trust on Sunday further learned was established to recommend ways of addressing shortage of teachers in the state's public schools to complement Governor Abdullahi Ganduje's free and compulsory education policy.

The finding also revealed that some of the affected teachers are also getting consistent promotions up to the directorship cadre.

The Commissioner for Education, Sanusi Sa'id Kiru, confirmed to Daily Trust on Sunday that the committee's report would soon be tabled before the State Executive Council (SEC) which recommendation would later guide it in carrying out the necessary action.

When the news broke, several questions were asked on why a public teacher under government payroll would be posted to a private, community or voluntary school? For how long has this been happening? Who owns some of these schools? Will there be sanction to the erring parties?

The bone of contention

Over the years, there is an educational policy in Kano State of posting government-paid teachers to some community and voluntary schools to render services and be paid by the government to complement the schools' Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of teaching students at relatively meagre amounts, especially when compared with what other private schools charge.

Daily Trust on Sunday learnt that the state also sends some of its teachers to profit-oriented private schools, especially missionary schools, to teach subjects such as Islamic Studies and Hausa.

These teachers also serve as watchdogs for government by helping in checking the excesses of the private, community or voluntary schools.

It was, however, gathered that the issue unfolded by the latest report was as a result of a finding that the policy had been taken advantage of by individuals in the government.

It was further gathered that some of the private schools, some of which are owned by some government's top executives or politicians, have been enjoying these undue privileges of having many of these teachers working under them and being paid by government without subsidising anything to the public like their community schools counterparts.

Speaking to Daily Trust on Sunday about the issue, Aisha Garba, a one-time public teacher posted to a community school, explained that some of the community schools could not even afford to pay all their staff, so they asked for government's assistance by posting teachers to them.

She said, "Some of these schools actually charge very little amounts which are being used for the schools' upkeep; but not for profit. There are many schools in Kano like this.

"I think where the problem is, maybe in the allegation that the policy is being abused, but it was originally a good policy since government alone cannot provide all the structures that will cater for all its students.

"Like where I worked, about 80 per cent of the school's staff were posted by the government, including the head master, so I don't know where the problem is."

Govt to decide next action soon - Commissioner

Meanwhile, the education commissioner explained that, "We will study these teachers' educational backgrounds and qualifications, as well as how long they have been there, because there are guidelines on the operation of these community schools and their proprietors.

On the allegation that some of the schools are owned by politicians or top government executives, the commissioner said there was that allegation, but that only the full report of the committee could ascertain its authenticity or otherwise.

He added that, "By law, the state has Community Schools Act of 2014. This act has stipulated how a community school will be established and the percentage of government contribution to them.

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"So, it is this committee that will find out whether this law has been abused and how it will be addressed. Every school, be it government, voluntary, community or private, has a law guiding its operations. So it's the committee that will determine everything."

Don't recall all the teachers - Parent

However, a parent in Kano, Malam Magaji Abubakar, has appealed to the state government not to recall all the teachers as some community schools cannot operate without them and may end up discouraging their effort.

Abubakar said, "It may demoralise and discourage some of these schools or those who are willing to do so. The burden will be too much on them, they still need government assistance to survive, and posting teachers to them is probably the only way.

"At least, if someone makes an effort of building a school, government can help by posting some teachers to them to complement their effort.

"I am in support of detecting some of these big and profit-oriented private schools and even punishing those abusing the privilege, but they should have a second thought on these small community schools."
Abuja  The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Major General Faruk Yahaya, yesterday ordered troops to destroy all enclaves of terrorist groups in the North-east.

His charge came as troops killed scores of bandits in a fierce encounter in Zamfara State.

The army chief also declared that traditional institutions were critical to bringing the insurgency war to an end.

He made the declaration during a courtesy visit to the Shehu of Borno, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-kanemi.

A statement issued by the Nigerian Army Headquarters said the army chief ordered troops of Sector 2 Joint Task Force North-east Operation Hadin Kai to destroy all Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) enclaves in their various locations.

The COAS gave the order while addressing troops of Sector 2 in Damaturu, Yobe State.

He directed them to use their wealth of experience and lessons learnt from the series of operations conducted to "destroy the remnants of marauding terrorists within their various locations".

He assured them of improved welfare and a new reward system for troops, who perform gallantly in any operation.

General Yahaya further commended the troops on the several successful operations conducted within Sector 2 area of responsibility, which he enumerated to include Operations Ayiso Tamunoma, Katana Jimlan, Fire Ball and Operation Tura Takaibango among others.

Earlier, the Commander Sector 2 Joint Task Force North East Operation Hadin Kai, Brigadier General Adamu Nura, while welcoming the army chief, briefed him on the operational engagements and challenges of the sector.

Among the dignitaries, who accompanied the COAS were the Chief of Operations (Army) Major General Ibrahim Yusuf and the Theatre Commander Operation Hadin Kai, Major General Christopher Musa.

Meanwhile, troops of 8 Division Nigerian Army while on a fighting patrol, came under fire of bandits operating along Mayanchi-Dogo Karfe and Fagantama villages in Talata Marafa LGA of Zamfara State.

The army statement signed by its spokesman, Brigadier-General Onyema Nwachukwu, said in the fierce encounter that ensued, the bandits were overwhelmed by the superior firepower of the troops.

"This led to scores of bandits being neutralised. The troops also recovered one PKT riffle, large cache of ammunition, and a motorcycle", it said.

Relatedly, troops have neutralised five bandits in another encounter at Bingi village, in Bungudu LGA of Zamfara.

During the gun duel, the bandits withdrew in disarray having sustained severe gun shot wounds.

It said the troops recovered one AK 47 riffle, one motorcycle and three mobile phones from the routed criminals.

While appreciating the combat resilience and renewed vigor of the troops, the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Faruk Yahaya, urged them to sustain the aggressive posture in order to defeat all criminal elements operating in the North-west and other parts of the country.

He urged communities in the North-west to support the troops with useful information at all times to enhance anti- banditry operations.

Meanwhile, the army chief said traditional institutions were critical to the success of ongoing operation to end Boko Haram insurgency and terrorism in the North-east.

He made this known during a courtesy visit to the Shehu of Borno, and members of Borno Emirate in his palace in Maiduguri, Borno State.

General Faruk said he was pleased to be at the Shehu's palace with principal staff officers from the army headquarters to pay respects and homage to the revered traditional ruler.

He said he arrived the state earlier in the day on operational visit to the theatre and felt it was an honour to visit the Shehu as father and leader, not only in Borno but also in the country, to receive royal blessing for the task ahead of him.

He appreciated the support of the royal father and the entire Emirate even while he was in the state as the Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai before his appointment as the 22nd Chief of the Army Staff.

He noted the support of the royal father and the emirate had led to some of the successes recorded in the operations against the terrorists. He solicited for more support.

The Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-kanemi, commended the military for the gradual return of peace to the state and North-east.

He said 17 of the 27 local government areas previously occupied by Boko Haram terrorists some years ago were recaptured and civil authority restored.

He urges the COAS not to be deterred and pledged the support of the emirate to the army leadership and military generally.

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A statement signed by Deputy Director Public Relations, 7 Division Nigerian Army Colonel Ado Isa, said Yahaya was accompanied to the palace by the Chief of Operations (Army) Major General Ibrahim Yusuf, other principal staff officers at the Army Headquarters, Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai Major General Christopher Musa, Acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division and Commander, Sector 1 Operation Hadin Kai, Brigadier-General Abdulwahab Eyitayo and other senior officers.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air Force yesterday denied that the Nigerian Air Force Base, Kaduna, was attacked by Boko Haram.

A statement by the NAF Spokesman, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said the report concerning the attack was unfounded.

"Merchants of fake news are at it again. This time around, their focus is on the premier Nigerian Air Force Base at Kaduna, which they claimed came under terrorist attack in the early hours of today, 26 June 2021.

"Members of the public should please disregard the news as it is entirely false. There was nothing of such as the inhabitants of the entire base are going about their normal activities and duties without any threat whatsoever", it said.
President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, identified drug trafficking and abuse as more threatening to the stability of the nation than banditry and insurgency that are prevalent in some parts of Nigeria.

The president, declared that drug abuse has become so endemic in the country now that it already stretches across three generations of grandparents, parents and their wards.

This is just as the the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has disclosed that within the last five months, no fewer than 2,180 suspected traffickers including five drug barons had been nabbed across the country.

President Buhari, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustaph, spoke at the launch of the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), an initiative of the NDLEA to mark the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking themed: "Share Facts on Drugs. Save Lives."

The President emphasised that the anti-drug war was more deadly than the insurgency in the Northeastern part of the country or the acts of banditry in the Northwest or the acts of kidnapping that transcends all the geopolitical zones of this country.

According to him, it is a war that is destroying three generations, because there were clips of some grandparents on drugs, parents on drugs, and by extension, their wards and children had also taken to drugs.

"So, this is a war that is targeting three generations in a stretch. So, it is more deadly than even the security challenges that we are having in this country and I believe strongly that every effort must be put in place to ensure that we deal with the issues of substance abuse and trafficking and manufacture so that we can get to the root cause of the mirage of insecurity problems that are confronting this nation and I believe strongly, with every bit of conviction, that if we are able to deal with the issues of drug abuse, substantially, our security challenges will drastically reduce as we walk towards a drug free, Nigeria".

The President also charged the NDLEA to intensify efforts at ridding the vast forests of the Southwest and South-South regions of the country of criminal elements, who had made the places their hideouts, from where they launch criminal onslaughts as well as for farming marijuana.

President Buhari said: "I am directing the NDLEA to develop a robust risk-communication and community engagement strategy that will not only disseminate the four pillars of the plan to responsible entities, but also deal with destroying production sites and laboratories, break the supply chain, discourage drug use and prosecute offenders as well as traffickers, rehabilitate addicts and enforcement of relevant laws.

"I want to particularly draw the attention of the agency to the fact that the use of many of our forests as criminal hideouts is because large swathes of cannabis plantations are hidden deep within those forests, especially, in the Southwest and the South-South.

"You may, therefore, need to drive these criminal elements from such hideouts, because they use it for the growth of these plants and also as a repository for criminal elements to conclude and plan their adventures on our people".

He, however, called on all families, schools, civil society organisations, professional associations, religious organisations, the academia, community leaders and individuals to work for the common good in order to rid their communities of drug use and trafficking.

"As your President, I will continue to address underlying causes of drug abuse, including poverty reduction, for which my pledge for lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years and strengthened by the recently developed National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy signposts my unwavering commitment.

"I would like to appreciate our stakeholders and international collaborators, especially, the European Union, and the United Nations Office for Drugs and Control, for their unwavering support to our drug control efforts, including the development of our roadmap. Also appreciated are the members of the inter-ministerial committee on drug control, civil society organisations, the academia, for their contributions and efforts to our National Drug Control initiatives.

"The war against drugs is a war that must be fought by all, it is therefore my pleasure, to declare on behalf of the good people of Nigeria, a War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), not just as a slogan, but a call for civil action for all Nigerians to take active part in this war".

Shedding more light on their current efforts, Chairman of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd) put the cash value and drugs seized in the past five months since he assumed office at over N90 billion adding that over 2,180 traffickers had been arrested, including five drug barons controlling different cartels across Nigeria.

He also revealed that a record 2.05 million kilograms of drugs were intercepted and seized across the country; and 2,100 drug offenders prosecuted with 500 already jailed by courts.

According to him, "While the statistics are impressive, we wouldn't deceive ourselves that we have succeeded in cleaning the Augean Stable in five months. We have only made a head start. We need to sustain the momentum. We need to win the drug war. We cannot afford to be complacent."

Marwa said going by the available statistics, Nigeria ranked the highest users of cannabis worldwide, adding that revelations from kidnapped victims have collaborated the facts that illicit substances were enablers of insecurity currently plaguing the country.

He said: "It is not difficult to conclude that drugs have been catalysts of terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery and various violent conflicts that are currently Nigeria's albatross. The enormity of the danger of drug abuse calls for an urgent need to nip the problem in the bud. This is the reason we have redoubled our efforts in the past five months with the Maxim of Offensive Action.

"Today, it is a glaring fact that Nigerian youths are involved in drug abuse. Over the years, an undesirable subculture had flourished whereby adolescents and young adults wantonly indulged in the abuse of illicit substances. They not only became addicted to conventional substances such as cannabis and prescription opioids, such as tramadol and codeine, they also experimented with dangerous mixtures leading to novel psychotropic substances such as 'monkey tail' and 'skoochies'.

"In the context of that warped reality, they also normalised the smoking of cannabis as we have seen in some popular music videos and on social media. 'High' became part of their social media. So, it wasn't surprising, when research began to give us bleak statistics. The National Drug Survey 2019, for example, indicated that cannabis is the most commonly abused substance by an estimated 10.6 million Nigerians, some of whom started smoking as early as 19 years of age.

"The Global Drug Survey 2019, also, cited cannabis as the most abused substance with West Africa having the highest abuse prevalence. The World Health Organisation on substance abuse also stated unequivocally that cannabis is the most widely used illicit substance in Africa, with the highest prevalence, between 5.2% and 13.5%, found in West Africa. Ladies and Gentlemen, West Africa, by implication, means Nigeria".

The NDLEA boss linked the successes recorded by the agency so far to the resolution of officers and men of the NDLEA to clean up Nigeria and make the country drug free.

He said: "And in this campaign, we are tackling the scourge of drug abuse and trafficking on all fronts. In addition to the arrest and prosecution of drug offenders, we have worked out intensive drug abuse awareness and sensitisation programmes targeting different groups, with an emphasis on youths. In this regard, my administration has thrown the door open to all for partnership in the fight against abuse of illicit substances. It is to this end that we have set up a Special Purpose Committee to involve stakeholders in the cause."

Also speaking, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, called on the President to approve the appointment of 10,000 additional workers for NDLEA, which he said was currently "understaffed", "underfunded", and "ill-equipped".

Gbajabiamila, who was represented by Chairman, House Committee on Drugs and Narcotics, Hon Francis Agwu, said the NDLEA was using weapons used during the civil war, stressing the need to fight the menace of drugs abuse in the country as all crimes were enabled by narcotics drugs addiction.

According to him, the National Assembly was working to amend the Police Trust Fund Act to ensure that other policing agencies like NDLEA benefitted from the pool, adding that efforts would be made to guarantee accelerated endorsement of the president after its amendment.

"If the surge in crimes must be minimised, then, we must fight narcotics drugs addiction," he said.

In a goodwill message, the United Nations General Secretary, Antonio Guterres, lamented that the world drug problem remains an urgent challenge that threatens to exacerbate damage impact and hinder a healthy recovery.

Represented by Oliver Stolpe, the Country Representative, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the UN Scribe urged law enforcement agents to go after the criminals at the upper level of the drug trafficking chain, who reap the highest profit and wreak the greatest havoc.

Guterres said, the 2021 world drug report of UN, showed that death and crime attributed to disorders have nearly doubled over the past decade, adding that while new HIV/AIDS infections among adults have declined worldwide but not among people, who injected drugs, which accounted for 10 per cent of new infections in 2019.

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He, however, claimed that international cooperation had helped to limit the proliferation of new psycho active substances but the problem was shifting to poorer regions, where control systems were weaker, drug sales continued to rise and non-medical use of pharmaceutical such as Tramadol and Codeine was expanding.

He too agreed that drug trafficking and organised crime fuel and perpetuate circles of violence and conflicts, adding that armed groups and terrorists profited from the illicit drugs trade, even as the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic has left millions of people more vulnerable to drug crime and illicit drug cultivation.

In a related development, the Niger State Commander of the NDLEA, Mr. Haruna Kwatiche, has said bandits, kidnappers and terrorists operated after consuming hard drugs, which usually gave them fake confidence and strength.

Kwatiche, who disclosed this in Minna, Saturday, said these categories of people often claimed they did not know how and why they embarked on such acts after being arrested and when the effect of the drugs had worn out.

Speaking at an event to mark this years United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and illicit Trafficking, Kwatiche said the country should rise up to stop the circulation of hard drugs by bringing all peddlers under the law if the activities of bandits kidnapers and terrorists were to be reduced to the barest minimum in the country.

He admitted that 90 per cent of other crimes and criminalities were committed under the influence of drugs and warned that, "Until all stakeholders join hands together to fight this menace, crimes and criminalities will continue to increase

"The NDLEA is committed to confronting circulation and consumption of hard drugs frontally" the Niger commander declared, adding that to achieve this the Agency required the support of all the major stakeholders in the states of the federation.

The Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, commended the NDLEA for its renewed war against drug abuse and illicit trafficking in the state and assured the agency of government's support in order to reduce the menace of drug abuse in the state.
The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria yesterday rose from its second quarter meeting, appealing to the National Assembly to use the ongoing constitution review to accommodate community policing and state police in the constitution.

Also, Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, at the meeting, canvassed a cordial working relationship with the respective state executive arm in the interest of democracy and good governance.

The speakers made this call in a communique they issued after the meeting yesterday, asking the National Assembly to accommodate both state police and community policing in the constitution review.

In the communique signed by the Chairman of the Conference, Hon Abubakar Suleiman, the conference decried the spate of insecurity in the country but commended the federal government for fighting insecurity nationwide.

It asked major stakeholders to use the ongoing constitution review to accommodate community policing and state police to effectively tackle insecurity bedeviling the country.

It commended the governors that commenced the implementation of the financial autonomy in their states while urging the other state governors to follow suit as agreed in the memorandum of action signed by all the stakeholders.

It commended Okowa and the Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori for hosting the meeting to discuss a wide range of issues affecting the nation.

The communique called on all state houses of assembly to pass Funds Management Bill for Assent of the governors within 45 days window as agreed to by all the stakeholders."

In his opening remarks, Okowa said he was glad to see speakers of 36 states' houses of assembly in the country regularly come together to share experiences, thoughts, and ideas on how to institute a robust democratic culture that would move the country forward.

He said: "It goes without saying that the executive and legislative arms in a presidential system of government have critical roles to play in promoting good governance, ensuring political stability, and fostering sustainable economic growth.

"Where the relationship is characterized by mutual distrust, suspicion, friction, and conflict, it leads to crisis and -failure of government to deliver on its policies and programmes.

"However, where both arms see themselves as partners and understand the spirit and letter of the principles of the separation of powers, the inevitable outcome is effective policy formulation and implementation, which leads to excellent service delivery.

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"It is a thing of joy that Nigeria has had twenty-two years of unbroken democratic rule. Also worthy of note is that we have made significant progress in executive-legislature relations, especially after the initial hiccups in the early years of the Fourth Republic.

"The first step to building sustainable partnership between the executive and legislative arms of government for effective service delivery is for both organs of government to work with the consciousness that separation of power is imperative for good governance.

"Each must realise that the principle of checks and balances as constitutionally provided for is to prevent abuse of power. If allowed to fester, abuse of power will circumvent the rights and will of the governed. Hence, the relationship between the two arms should be governed by trust, mutual respect and deference, each bearing in mind the tenets of separation of powers as required in the presidential system of government.

"It is exigent that both see themselves as complementary partners working towards the same goal, which is the development of the state for the greater good of all. Trouble looms when the executive arrogates to itself the power to do as it wills or the legislature takes undue advantage of its oversight function to twist the arms of the executive for selfish ends."

Okowa also underscored the importance of financial autonomy for the Legislature and Judiciary, noting that Delta State under his watch was one of the first states to grant full autonomy to the other two arms of government in the country.
ADDIS ABABA - Repatriation of large number of undocumented Ethiopian Migrants who have been detained for more than a year inside Saudi Arabia refugee camps has begun as of yesterday.

The repatriation will be carried out with up to 6 flights per day and more than 2,000 compatriots are expected to return to Ethiopia on a daily basis.

Over 380 migrants had been returned in a flight yesterday meanwhile Spokesperson of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) have told reporters that the six flights per a day will continue until the repatriation of all detained migrants from Saudi Arabia.

As to Amb. Dina. The repatriation will be finalized within two weeks. Ethiopian government is committed to return all migrants who are in ruthless situation in Saudi Arabia, he added.

Ethiopian task force in Saudi Arabia is organizing returnees and information, he said.

Ministry of Peace State Minister Frealem Sahibabad, for her part said that the government has been working on making all returnees productive in their homeland.

Returnees talking to The Ethiopian Herald said that Ethiopian government has been grateful for us, and there should be swift operations to return back thousands of Ethiopians from Saudi Arabia.

It is to be recalled that the repatriation of Ethiopian Citizens from Saudi Arabia has come to operation following the government's announcement of citizens in Saudi refugee camps and in prisons are facing inhuman incidents.

The Ethiopian delegation on last Thursday conferred with Saudi Arabian officials regarding the protection of the rights of Ethiopian citizens in the country and further facilitate the repatriation process.

The discussion between the Ethiopian and Saudi Arabian officials reviewed the achievements and challenges of repatriating illegal migrants who are willing to return home based on their consent, and brought an agreement to speed up safe return of the citizens to home.
Kampala  While herbal-based traditional medicines or phytomedicines have for long been used in managing some diseases in the country, the health ministry has cautioned against their use in treatment of COVID-19.

Health Ministry's Senior Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ainebyona says so far, the Ministry and World Health Organization (WHO) have not approved any herbal medicine in the treatment of CCOVID-19.

"We are calling on citizens to pay attention to government-endorsed, scientifically-verified and approved information. The main guidance around Covid-19 is simple and clear: Wear a mask, wash your hands, Avoid crowds, & social distance as much as possible. We are calling on all Ugandans to live by these preventive measures and to help spread the word." Said Ainebyona

The surge in the COVID-19 cases and deaths in the country has forced some affected persons to turn to all sorts of concoctions for treatment instead of getting to hospitals for management.

The health ministry backed by some of the leading pharmacists in the country urging for caution saying some of the herbs being prescribed may not have any efficacy and that some of them may be poisonous leading to death.

Currently, no herbal remedy has been validated for use to prevent or treat COVID19 globally. Herbal remedies or medicines are naturally occurring, plant-derived substances that are developed mostly through a process with minimal or no respect for good clinical practice (GCP).

The caution comes as Twaweza released a report based on a survey indicating an increase in the number of misconceptions about COVID-19 in the country.

The survey conducted in Kampala between December 2020 and January this year found that close to half of Kampala residents (46%) believe, falsely, that drinking some combination of ginger, lemon, honey and herbs can cure COVID-19.

The survey findings released on Saturday indicated that around one out of three residents in the city believe that taking vitamin supplements (36 per cent) or use of alternative remedies such as steam inhalation (31 per cent) can cure someone of COVID-19.

Twaweza says there is evidence that Kampala residents changed their behaviour around Covid-19 when comparing between December and June 2020. It said the most significant change comes in self-reported mask-wearing: in December 2020, 9 out of 10 Kampala residents (88 per cent) reported wearing a mask when outside the house compared to 7 out of 10 (72 per cent) in June 2020.

Other self-protection measures that Kampala residents reported doing more of in December compared to June are: avoiding public places or gatherings (26 per cent) report doing this in December compared to 13% in June), and using alternative remedies (up to 17 from 6 per cent).

Residents of Kampala also reported staying home except for essential trips much less (45 per cent in June 2020 compared to 28 per cent in December).

Similarly, when asked what they would do if they or a household member contracted Covid-19, residents of Kampala were more likely to say they would: visit a health facility (60 per cent in June, 72 per cent in December); self-quarantine at home (18 per cent in June, 25 per cent in December) and report to a regional health officer (from 0 to 17 per cent).

But the city residents according to the survey said they were much less likely to say they would call the Covid-19 hotline (58 per cent named this as an option in June 2020 and 22 per cent mentioned it in December).

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The number of Kampala residents who say that if they or a household member contracted Covid-19, they would self-medicate using herbal remedies and/ or steam inhalation has increased over the course of the pandemic.

"In December 2020 and January 2021, around one out of five residents would self-treat using herbal remedies (13 per cent) or steam inhalation (6 per cent)." Reads part of the survey.

Violet Alinda, Twaweza Uganda Country Lead and Director of Voice and Participation said "As the second wave hits Uganda hard, we hope these data can help inform messaging around Covid-19 to encourage citizens to listen to government guidelines and be wary of misinformation and false cures."

According to the Ministry of health statistics, Uganda has so far had 75,537 cases of COVID-19 and 781 deaths while cumulative recoveries stood at 50,350.
analysis

Headlines about molecular genetics being used to shed new light on old mysteries or even put criminals behind bars have become increasingly more common.

In South Africa DNA is being used to answer important questions about everything from a group of people's origins to the biological paternity of a child.

But paternity tests aren't just applicable to modern cases. Fellow researcher Christoff Erasmus and I considered DNA evidence to understand a divorce case dating back 321 years. The events before and after the divorce case of Maria Kickers had long-term consequences for a family with a surname that, for decades, appeared often among the country's white leaders. That name is Botha.

The first prime minister of the Union of South Africa, established in 1910, was Louis Botha. There was also PW Botha, the last prime minister to hold that title, and the first to become executive state president of the Republic of South Africa.

Our research shows that Kickers lied in her 1700 divorce case at the Cape of Good Hope. Her lie - about the paternity of her children - led to a chain of events that affected the Botha lineage, resulting in 38 000 people carrying that name when in fact they were descendants of Ferdinandus Appel.

The genetic evidence, which we gathered using a DNA-based paternity test kit, in combination with the documented testimonies, suggests that Ferdinandus Appel was likely the father of Kickers' first son and Frederik Botha the father of the other boys. When we genotyped a random sample of Botha males. We found that almost half of them have the Appel rather than the Botha Y chromosome.

The false paternity claim means that tens of thousands of Bothas - more than 76 000 South Africans had this surname in 2013 - should in fact be called Appel, a very uncommon name in the country.

If the Kickers divorce case was heard today, DNA evidence would have refuted the lie about paternity outright and the Botha family may well have shattered. Our findings provide another reminder that DNA evidence can clarify events that happened centuries ago, deepening and improving our understanding of history.

The divorce case

One of our sources was a set of records presented by Richard Ball, who is linked to the families at the heart of the divorce case. We also drew information from published genealogical records.

From these we pieced together the following events.

Kickers married Jan Cornelitz in 1683 at the Cape. They had seven children - four boys and three girls. Christening records for six of these children have been located; all named Cornelitz as the father. In 1700 Jan filed for divorce, claiming that Maria cheated on him with Ferdinandus Appel as well as a tenant who farmed alongside him, Frederik Botha.

Maria denied any involvement with Ferdinandus Appel, but confessed that Frederik Botha was the biological father of all her children.

In her own defence, she claimed that Jan, her husband, encouraged her relationship with Frederik Botha because Jan was "onbequaamd" - a Dutch word meaning "incompetent".

Frederik Botha confirmed before the court Maria's claim that all her children were his. While the court did not find Maria to be licentious, they did not give her permission to remarry. As a result, Maria and Frederik Botha had to wait until Jan died, 14 years later, before they could marry. The children then took on the name Botha.

The genetic evidence

Y chromosomes are inherited like surnames. So, any of Maria's sons' descendants along an unbroken line of males should carry identical Y chromosomes, bar a few mutations.

With the help of a genealogist we managed to contact and obtain DNA samples from all four of Maria's sons along unbroken male lines. In three cases, more than one descendent was found. We genotyped these Bothas' Y chromosomes with a kit that is used for paternity tests. The Y chromosomes clearly separated into two groups distinguished by too many mutations to have stemmed from the same Botha ancestor. Within each group, there were a few mutations between individuals, as one would expect for two Y chromosomes with 11 to 19 ancestors between them.

Interestingly, the one group linked to Maria's first-born son, whereas the other sons' descendants all shared virtually identical genetic profiles. This pattern piqued our curiosity as it suggested that the first son's profile may have stemmed from Ferdinandus Appel.

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To test this idea, we genotyped two Appel men: one was a clear match to the first sons' descendants. It is 130 times more likely that Maria's first son was fathered by Ferdinandus Appel than by a random male that just happened to have the same Y chromosome profile

When we genotyped a random sample of Bothas we found that almost half of them have the Appel rather than the Botha profile. To understand why the first son seems to account for more than a quarter of modern Bothas, we looked at the male descendants as listed in the genealogical records published by the now-closed Genealogical Institute of South Africa.

Just counting the 62 males that were 30 years old or younger in 1780, 45% descended from the first brother while the other three Botha brothers accounted for the remaining 55%. The high number of the first brother's descendants in 1780 could thus explain why so many of our random sample grouped with the Appel profile.

Jaco Greeff, Professor in Genetics, University of Pretoria
analysis

South Africa's massive effort over the years to test and treat people for HIV has drastically improved public health. But in that process, other diseases that are highly prevalent may have been neglected.

The country has been reporting lower rates HIV-related deaths. But more South Africans are presenting with noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. And tuberculosis (TB) remains the leading cause of death in people living with HIV.

We recently published the findings of research we did in a rural area of northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It aimed to get a clearer picture of the state of health and disease in the area and to identify the prevalence and overlap of infectious and noncommunicable diseases.

The ultimate goal is to design better interventions to improve people's health.

We set up mobile health camps and screened for diabetes, high blood pressure, HIV, TB, nutritional status (obesity and malnutrition), and use of tobacco and alcohol.

The detailed data allowed us to develop a profile of which diseases were being well managed, and which neglected, in the community. For example, we found that HIV was well treated relative to all other diseases. But TB, elevated blood glucose, and elevated blood pressure were poorly diagnosed and treated.

The study also allowed us to identify overlaps between disease patterns and their geographical location. For example, it was very interesting to see that the areas with the highest prevalence of TB and noncommunicable diseases were mostly in the remote parts of the district and did not overlap with those with the highest rates of HIV.

Our findings raise important questions about how healthcare and screening can most effectively be offered in rural and remote areas. One of our conclusions was that South Africa needs a public health response that expands the successes of the country's HIV testing and treatment programme to provide multi-disease care targeted to specific populations.

Key findings

Our study drew on data collected over 18 months from 2018 to 2019 in uMkhanyakude district, a remote rural area in the east of the country. We screened 17,118 people aged 15 years and older by taking mobile camps into the community and providing screening within 1 km of each participant's home.

The study provides an in-depth snapshot of the health of a rural population in South Africa.

It shows that:

there are high and overlapping burdens of HIV, TB, diabetes and hypertension among men and women,

four out of five women over the age of 30 are living with a chronic health condition,

HIV-negative people and older people, particularly those over 50, bear a high burden of undiagnosed or poorly controlled noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.

We found the highest burden of HIV in the vicinity of the main roads. This is similar to other studies and has been observed throughout the region and world.

Just over half of all people 15 years or older (52%) were found to have at least one active disease, while 12% had two or more diseases. Over a third (34%) of people were living with HIV. This number was particularly high among 25 to 44-year-old women. The prevalence of HIV among them was 62%.

We attempted to measure the level of virus in every HIV-positive participant's blood and found that 78% had no detectable virus, meaning that their antiretroviral therapy was working very well.

But the study also revealed that there are some demographic groups, including men in their 20s and 30s, who still have high rates of undiagnosed and untreated HIV and therefore have virus circulating in their blood. This means that they can pass HIV on to others. Our study highlights the importance of preventing new HIV infections, especially among young people.

In contrast to HIV, we found that most people with TB, diabetes or hypertension had disease which was previously undiagnosed or not well controlled. We found that 1.4% of the population had active TB, which is a very high rate in national and global context. Of these only 30% were already diagnosed and on medication for TB. This meant that approximately 1 in 100 people in this community had undiagnosed TB.

Despite being a curable disease, TB remains one of the leading causes of death in South Africa. We found higher rates of TB in men with just under half of all men over age 45 having had TB in his lifetime. The high rates of undiagnosed TB and the finding that men in particular are affected by TB are echoed in South Africa's recent national TB prevalence survey and are a huge cause for concern.

We found that 8.5% of the population had high blood sugar (diabetes) and 23% had high blood pressure (hypertension). These conditions were mostly found in people older than 45 and were not well diagnosed or controlled.

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Only 43% of people with high blood pressure and only 7% with high blood sugar had these conditions well controlled with medications. Women in particular bore a particularly high burden of disease with over 4 of 5 (80%) of those over 30 years old having at least one of these conditions.

When we asked participants about their experience in the study, they told us that they appreciated not having to travel long distances to receive screening.

Next steps

The data provide indicators for where the most urgent interventions are needed. It sets the stage for researchers to examine the biological, social and environmental determinants of disease in the area. It also provides detailed information to guide the Department of Health in development of decentralised models of rural healthcare that integrate management of HIV, TB and noncommunicable diseases.

This work has highlighted the immense burden of undiagnosed or untreated diabetes and hypertension in rural South Africa. As the country faces another surge of COVID-19, it is more important than ever to identify and treat people living with these diseases.

Emily B. Wong, Assistant Professor, Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI)
analysis

The topic of China-Africa relations presents an opportunity to rethink the territorial parameters of African studies. In particular, it can help shift attention away from the Atlantic world as the dominant focal point of connections between Africa and the wider world.

The problem is that current scholarship and public opinion have often drifted into old frameworks and colonial motifs.

To take one example, China's ambitions have frequently been construed as part of a new 'Scramble for Africa' with African countries falling victim once more to an outside global power. Another example is the uncritical use of the Orientalist stereotype of 'dragon' to symbolise China and its perceived aggressiveness.

I explore these issues of framing, narration and analysis in a recent article. I argue that these approaches have created problematic misrepresentations that have resulted in different parts of the continent's long history with China being ignored.

More specifically, the Cold War was a robust period of Afro-Asian networking and solidarity against Western neo-colonialism. Older still are local histories of Chinese immigrant communities on the continent in countries like South Africa. These experiences need to be better integrated into our understandings of China-Africa relations in the present.

The uses of history

History can be a useful reference for understanding what is happening today. But simply rehashing imperial narratives as a guiding framework can obscure local perspectives and alternative histories.

In the case of China-Africa relations, the repackaging of old paradigms can conceal a more layered set of foundations and archives.

One example of this more complex history is that of the Cold War. During this period China became a supporter and ally of African liberation movements and postcolonial states. Diplomatic meetings like the 1955 Asian-African Conference in Bandung, Indonesia, set the stage for these relationships. The conference triggered a long history of transnational interactions during the latter half of the twentieth century, reaching high points with Premier Zhou Enlai's tour of ten African countries in 1963 and 1964.

The best known example of China's influence during this period was the popularity of Maoism, which gained traction as a revolutionary and development ideology. With its emphasis on the peasantry as a vanguard for political and economic change, Maoism resonated with African activists and intellectuals. They saw themselves as confronting a similar set of conditions across the continent. Julius Nyerere's Maoist-influenced Tanzanian state and ujamaa program demonstrated how Chinese approaches to development could inspire African economic projects.

Yet it is also important to recognise the long-standing presence of Chinese communities on the continent. Chinese immigration to southern and eastern Africa began over a century ago. South African journalist Ufrieda Ho has addressed this history in her memoir, Paper Sons and Daughters. Her multi-generational account describes her family's experience in South Africa before, during and after apartheid, capturing both the presence and marginality of Chinese South Africans, who have been left out of mainstream historical narratives. These social histories have also largely been absent from discussions of China-Africa relations.

A new approach

The invisibility of these local histories is partly due to prevailing academic definitions of 'African' identity. This identity remains deeply racialised with 'Africanness' and 'Blackness' seen as synonymous.

However, the problem with this type of race-territory correspondence becomes clear when 'European' identity, for example, is always assumed to be 'white'. Indeed, this logic betrays a lingering colonial worldview and taxonomy that fixed race and place together.

A more expansive, decolonized understanding of 'African' identity could remedy these engrained habits of perception. A number of communities that have deep histories on the continent, whether Chinese South Africans, Indian communities in East and southern Africa, or Lebanese communities in West Africa, point to other racial and cultural ways of being 'African'.

Specific to China and Africa today, this rethinking of 'Africanness' can provide a way of repositioning China-African relations beyond the diplomatic rhetoric of trade and development to emphasize instead local histories of African-Chinese communities that long precede our global present.

Returning to the Cold War, the idea of 'Afro-Asianism', which first surfaced during the mid-1950s as a result of the Bandung conference, offers another usable past that can contribute to this new orientation.

Afro-Asianism was sustained in different ways by the Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organisation founded in Cairo in 1957, the Afro-Asian Writers Association established in Tashkent in 1958, and the Non-Aligned Movement that started in Belgrade in 1961. As an ideology, it promoted self-determination and the moral ideals of liberation struggles, including racial and gender equality, human rights, and economic justice.

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Reviving this idea could open the door to a new form solidarity against the exploitation and abuses witnessed on both sides of the 'China-Africa' equation. These problems can be seen in land agreements by African governments that do not benefit pre-existing residents. It can also be seen in anti-Black racism in China.

A refurbished ethos of Afro-Asianism could provide an antidote to such problems and foster new forms of community and internationalism. Furthermore, redefining African identity to include the historical presence of Chinese communities could encourage and sustain more meaningful understandings of transnational connections over a longer period of time.

To rethink how we look at Africa's relationship with China requires that we move beyond historical cliches, with African countries always falling victim to outside powers. Fortunately, there are multiple histories of substantive networking and cosmopolitan conviviality between Africa and China to make this possibility happen.

Christopher J. Lee, Associate Professor of History and Africana Studies, Lafayette College
Mbogwe MP (CCM), Nicodamus Maganga urged his colleagues in Parliament to be 'honest' about their pay. He referenced other parliaments saying MPs there were paid in (United States of America) dollars, unlike here where the payment package of MPs is 'not enough'. He went on to claim that the public is misled in believing that MPs have a lot of money, and that he was unaware that the pay package was not enough before he joined Parliament. He also sent a message to voters that their MPs were on their way home after the budget session ends but voters should not expect their MPs to have any money.

In a separate interview with a local online TV, he was adamant and reiterated his stance on their 'poor pay'. He told the journalist that an MP is expected to cover a lot of costs in his or her constituency from weddings, to children of voters who are going to school or colleges to paying for their hospital fees and condolences. He argued that in some days, the MP spends more than they earn, leading them to incur expenses from other sources of their incomes.

Other MPs have previously disclosed varying amounts of their pay packages which has been anything between Sh11 million to Sh13 million and some change per month. Bottom line, he wants a pay rise.

Needless to say, Mr Maganga's comments elicited anger online where some argued that if MPs are poorly paid what should civil servants say, especially teachers. To others they led to what one journalist (May The Good Lord keep him well) in his legendary column referred to a situation like this one as something which would make you laugh with pain or anger. There was dark humour too. In the interview with the online TV he dismissed any comparisons made between a teacher or a doctor and an MP, saying that an MP is a 'people's person', he or she should be seen and that there are costs to maintaining the dignity or status of being an MP.

While his argument is not new, and even the reasons he gave have been with us for as long as multipartism returned to Tanzania, the way he advanced his argument in including payments with dollars is particularly troublesome. With a local currency that barely makes any gains against the US dollar or sustains any gains made, a call for them to be paid in a foreign currency undermines confidence in the local currency. It is problematic too that he said nothing of the economies of these other countries.

The transactional relationship between elected officials like MPs and their voters was a product of allowing an 'entrepreneurial' spirit to MPs or those competing to become one. It starts long before they are elected to parliament. In his interview with the online TV, Mr Maganga claimed that many MPs do not reside in their constituencies to avoid these transactions.

He further claimed that because his voters 'love' him, he spent 'only' seventy three million as election expenses but said there were other MPs who had spent six hundred millions as election expenses on their way to Parliament.

Voters have no way of holding accountable their MP except waiting for five years or when there is a by-election for whatever reason. In this reality, where MPs regardless of whether they are doing their jobs or not, whether they are speaking on behalf of the people who voted them into office or not, each side milk the other for all its worth when they can still do it.

MPs demand a pay rise regardless of what they have actually done. Some MPs are elected to Parliament and finish an entire political term virtually unknown and unheard.

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Mr Maganga claims that the pay rise is necessitated by the people's endless demands to their MPs. This is another troublesome issue. How much should our MPs be given to satisfy the insatiable hunger, the insatiable demands of their voters? What amount would be enough to meet these demands? And why hide behind voters, while the relationship is transactional anyway?

There is another matter here which is the real cause of all this talk of pay rise. Once MPs are elected, the fight to keep their seats does not end with them being elected.

No constituency is ever safe from other competitors who will do anything to replace the incumbent. Effectively, taxpayers are being asked to bankroll their MPs' efforts to stay in office.

More often than not, voters are dealt a terrible hand. Democracy is expensive, they say.

It is, in so many ways.
State Secretary of Media Nuno Caldas Albino Saturday in northern Zaire province reiterated the government's actions to expand the signals of radio and TV stations and distribution of newspaper.

Nuno Albino was speaking at ceremony to launch the regional newspaper titled "Nkanda", to mark the 46th anniversary of the State-run news paper, Edicoes Novembro, on 26 June.

The official referred to the improvement and expansion programmes of the radio and TV stations, as being in progress in all municipalities of the country.

"We found some weaknesses in this province, mainly in terms of the radio signal", he said, pledging to change the situation in the coming days.

The State Secretary also stressed the role of Nkanda in space of dialogue, citizenship and participation of citizens.

According to him, Nkanda addresses the concerns related to political, social, economic and cultural matters of the north-based provinces of Zaire, Cabinda and Uige.

In addition to Nkanda, Edicoes Novembro features titles such as Jornal de Angola, Economia e Financas, Cultura, Jornal dos Desportos, Metropolitano de Luanda, Planalto, Ventos do Sul and Angoleme.
The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism) has convicted Augustin Ngirabatware, Anselme Nzabonimpa, Jean de Dieu Ndagijimana, and Marie Rose Fatuma of contempt for witness interference.

They were convicted for intimidating witnesses to help overturn the trial of Ngirabatware, who was previously convicted by the UN court for his role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

A former Minister of Planning in the in the Genocidal government, Ngirabatware, is a son in law to Genocide mastermind Felicien Kabuga who himself is in the custody of the same UN Court.

Ngirabatware is serving a 30-year prison sentence for crimes of Genocide.

The Mechanism was established by UN Security Council Resolution 1966 (2010) to complete the remaining work of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and that of former Yugoslavia after the completion of their respective mandates.

The quartet was convicted on Friday June 25, by Judge Vagn Joensen who sentenced Ngirabatware to two years which he will concurrently serve with his substantive jail term and the rest were sentenced 11 months.

The trio will be released in consideration of time already served in pre-trial detention.

"The case against the Accused was principally based on allegations of witness interference from 2015 into 2018 with key protected Prosecution witnesses who testified in Mr. Ngirabatware's Genocide trial before the ICTR," reads a statement from the tribunal.

These witnesses had been relied upon by an ICTR trial chamber in 2012 to convict Ngirabatware of incitement to commit genocide and genocide.

Besides Ngirabatware who was already in custody, the other co-accused were arrested in 2018 in Rwanda on an apparent mission to track and intimidate or bribe witnesses who had testified against him during his trial.

The witness interference was found to have occurred during preparations for review proceedings requested by Ngirabatware that sought to overturn his convictions based on purported recantations of these witnesses.

"The judge found that the evidence demonstrated that money was paid and offered to witnesses to facilitate recantations of their trial testimonies and that the Accused sought to manipulate and improperly influence potential witness evidence in anticipation of Ngirabatware's review proceedings," reads the statement.

Ngirabatware, Nzabonimpa, Ndagijimana, and Fatuma were also charged with incitement to commit contempt but the judge entered a finding of not guilty on this charge.

Who are the accused?

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In July 1990, Augustin Ngirabatware was appointed Minister of Planning, a position he retained as part of the Interim Rwandan Government in April 1994. He was also a member of the Prefecture Committee of the National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development ("MRND") political party in Gisenyi Prefecture, the National Committee of the MRND, and the technical committee of Nyamyumba Commune.

Nzabonimpa was the bourgemestre of Kayove Commune, Gisenyi Prefecture, Rwanda, before mid-1994.

Jean de Dieu Ndagijimana was a teacher and school administrator in the Gisenyi area before mid-1994, including at Kiloji and Bwitereke schools

Marie Rose Fatuma is the widow of Augustin Ngirabatware's half-brother Edouard Byukusenge, also known as "Cenge".

editor@newtimesrwanda.com

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Khartoum  Military talks between Sudan and Egypt concluded in Khartoum on Thursday with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for joint cooperation between the two countries.

Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Mohamed Osman El Hussein, and Egyptian Armed Forces Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Mohamed Farid Hegazy, signed the MoU.

In a press release, El Hussein commended the remarkable development in relations between the two armies and thanked the Egyptian Armed Forces for their great support and cooperation.

His Egyptian counterpart asserted that relations between the countries are "deep", indicating that the visit was a formal review of what had already been agreed upon.

Hegazy arrived at Khartoum airport on Thursday from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and resumed his trip immediately after signing the MoU.

Dam filling

The AU has been sponsoring the stalled Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) negotiations between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia since July last year.

Sudan and Egypt issued a joint statement on June 9 to express their concerns over unresolved issues regarding the GERD after a meeting between ministers of both countries.

It is important for Sudan, Ethiopia, and Egypt to reach an agreement on the issue of the GERD before Ethiopia starts the second filling in the current summer season, even if the agreement is transitional, the European Union envoy to Ethiopia and Sudan, Beka Havistan, stressed this week.
President Muhammadu Buhari has reacted to the threat of the Niger Delta Avengers to resume hostilities.

In a statement on Saturday, the group accused the Federal Government of failing to meet its demand.

The militant group, which announced the launch of "Operation Humble", vowed to attack oil installations and hit politicians.

It also passed a no-confidence vote on the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) led by Chief Edwin Clark.

Reacting through Femi Adesina, his spokesman, on Sunday, Buhari said he had addressed most of the issues raised by the militants.

"The media was Sunday awash with threats and demands by a group, Niger Delta Avengers, to embark on economic sabotage through bombing of critical oil and gas installations unless certain demands, including development of the Niger Delta, and restructuring of the Federation, were met," Adesina said in a statement.

"It is, however, curious that the threat was coming less than 48 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari met with the leadership of the Niger Delta and Ijaw National Congress (INC), at the Presidential Villa, and the germane issues had been responded to, especially call for restructuring of the Federation, and the inauguration of a Board for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)."

"For clarity and record purposes, below is the text of the speech by President Buhari on Friday, June 25, 2021, which renders any sabre-rattling rather unnecessary."

Details later...
Tonto Dikeh's new lover hit the headlines when he commissioned his Abuja mansion in May.

A controversial Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh, has found love again in the arms of a politician cum anti-corruption activist, Prince Kpokpogri.

The actress, who has apparently been seeing Mr Kpokpogri for a while now, broke the news on her Instagram handle on Sunday morning on the occasion of his birthday.

While wishing him a happy birthday with a passionate love message, she wrote, "You've shown me that love is best presented as true as they come. You put a spring in my step. Falling in love with you is like the wildest roller coaster ride. Because of you, I have gotten to appreciate the finer things in life."

"Thank you for making me a better woman. Thank you for bringing immense joy and happiness to me as a woman. Thank you for changing me to the woman I am today."

This development comes exactly four years after her estranged husband, Olakunle Churchill, fulfilled his threat of annulling their troubled marriage.

The union produced 5-year old Andre Omodayo.

A media aide to the Delta State Governor, Ossai Ovie Sucess, also confirmed the news on his official Instagram page on Sunday.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ossai Ovie Success (@ossaioviesuccess)

He wrote, "Happy Birthday to @kpokpogri Prince, the love of @tontolet TONTO W. C. DIKEH's life. As you celebrate today, may God Almighty be with you always. Congratulations."

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Lover boy

Tonto's new lover has been popular in the Delta State political scene in recent years

Kpokpogri, who is popularly called the prince of Niger Delta, is also the chairman of the Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum.

He also publishes Integrity Watchdog Magazine which is sold in Delta State.

Not much is known about his love life as he has managed to keep it under wraps up until now.

PREMIUM TIMES's attempt to check his Instagram profile was unsuccessful as his page is private and can only be accessed by his followers .

He, however, described himself simply as a 'politician ' on his Instagram bio.

He hit the headlines in May when he commissioned his multi-million Abuja mansion . Several Nigerian celebrities graced the occasion.

Tonto Dikeh's first marriage

The 36-year old actress and Churchill met six and a half years ago at Escape Nightclub in Lagos during the birthday party of the latter's brother.

Tonto got pregnant six months after they met and they staged a glamorous traditional marriage on August 29, 2015 at Tonto's hometown Rumukani in Rumukwuta, Rivers State.

Tonto's family returned her bride price to her estranged husband on June 26, 2017.

Churchill married another controversial actress, Rosy Meurer, in February.
Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki says he will be the last politician from the Mt Kenya region to betray President Uhuru Kenyatta by decamping to the Tangatanga wing of the ruling Jubilee Party.

Speaking during a service at the Njuri Presbyterian Church of East Africa in Chuka/Igambang'ombe Constituency on Sunday, Governor Njuki said politicians should seek the people's support, not bank on parties' popularity, for election.

He said politicians from Mt Kenya who are joining the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), which is associated with Deputy President William Ruto, and other parties cannot claim President Kenyatta has not delivered on the development mandate.

"I will remain in Jubilee and be loyal to President Kenyatta until his tenure ends in 2022 because he is doing great development in the country," he said, adding the President's legacy will remain forever.

I'm de facto spokesman for Mt Kenya, Peter Munya declares

Mr Njuki spoke a few days after some Tharaka Nithi ward representatives visited the Deputy President at his Karen office in Nairobi, led by Woman Representative Beatrice Nkatha and Chuka/Igambang'ombe MP Patrick Munene.

Ms Nkatha told the Nation that the eight MCAs and aspirants in the 2022 General Election agreed to join UDA.

Many decamping

Several of President Kenyatta's supporters from his Mt Kenya backyard have recently moved to DP Ruto's camp after what they said was a situational analysis.

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Kiambu Woman Representative Gathoni Wamuchomba, Githunguri MP Gabriel Kago, Nakuru East's David Gikaria and Samuel Gachobe of Subukia recently shifted allegiance to Dr Ruto's Tangatanga faction.

Governor Njuki expressed confidence that the political betrayal in the region will not disorient the President's focus on the development agenda.

He asked residents of Mt Kenya to support this agenda "because it is the only thing that benefits them".

"Since parties do not add any value to Kenyans, they should focus on development, not politics," he said.

He further asked Tharaka Nithi residents to consider electing him for a second term regardless of the party under which he will seek re-election.

Mr Njuki and Maara MP Kareke Mbiuki are the only senior politicians from the county who have remained loyal to President Kenyatta.

anjeru@ke.nationmedia.com
Mbarara, Uganda  Parents in the greater Ankole region have asked the government to consider utilizing radio stations from the respective districts to ensure continuity of learning as schools remain closed.

The Ministry of Education selected only 15, out of the more than 300 radio Stations to broadcast lessons for learners at specific times, across the country. Although the Ankole region boasts of at least seven stations, the government opted for only one channel through which the lessons are aired.

However, parents from the different districts expressed concern about the criteria used in selecting the media outlets for the lessons. Elly Twinomujuni Ainoburyo, a parent in Isingiro and Agnes Tukamushaba, a parent from Ntungamo says the chosen station in Ankole has weaker signals in areas outside Mbarara, which makes learning complicated for learners.

Paul Kamugisha, the chairperson of Town Cell in Ruhiira Town Council, says that only 20 out of 70 households in his village have radio sets implying that radio learning is only benefiting a few..

Stephen Bangumya, a parent and resident of Kyeshama in Rubirizi says their area bordering Queen Elizabeth National Park needs to be targeted by stations in Rukungiri, Kanungu and the Democratic Republic of Congo which, however, were not selected by the government.

Carolyn Owashaba, the Director of Action for Youth Development Uganda, faults the government for ignoring lessons from the previous lockdown adding that Uganda has radio stations in most of the sub-regions and almost all districts which should be put into consideration.
analysis

Ahead of the announcement that President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to address the country on Sunday 27 June at 8pm, the Health Department confirmed the Delta variant of Covid-19 was in circulation in South Africa.

Acting Health Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane on Saturday confirmed the presence of the Delta variant of Covid-19 in South Africa.

She said that previously, the department said the country's third wave was unlikely to pass the peak of the second wave of infection - based on the assumption that the country did not have a new variant.

"Unfortunately, this is no longer the case - our scientists, after their sequencing experiments, have discovered that we have a new variant that is prevalent in our country ... this new variant is called Delta," she said.

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The Delta variant (B.1.617.2) was first detected in India. Thousands died in that country from the variant which also saw relatives scrambling to get hospital beds for sick family members in the densely populated country.

According to research by the Network for Genomic Surveillance in South Africa (NGS-SA), the Delta variant is present in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape.

Preliminary estimates from genomic data and epidemiological studies...
A healthcare worker administers a swab test at a temporarily COVID-19 testing centre in Singapore. (PHOTO: Suhaimi Abdullah/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

SINGAPORE  The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Saturday (26 June) confirmed 17 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore, taking the country's total case count to 62,530.

Thirteen are local cases in the community. Of them, five  of nine linked cases  had been placed on quarantine.

The four remaining cases are imported, including three returning Singaporeans and Singapore permanent residents who have been placed on Stay-Home Notice (SHN) upon arrival in the country.

An 84-year-old Singaporean woman has died from complications due to COVID-19 infection on Saturday, the MOH announced.

She was tested for COVID-19 on 15 June as part of the community surveillance testing for visitors to 115 and 116 Bukit Merah View, and was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on the same day. She had not been vaccinated against COVID-19, and had a history of cancer, hypertension and hyperlipidaemia.

Four unlinked cases

The four currently unlinked cases who were detected via surveillance are:

a 32-year-old Singaporean woman who works as an administrative staff at Walt Disney

a 21-year-old Singaporean woman who works as a nurse at Changi General Hospital (fully vaccinated)

a 27-year-old Singaporean man who is a serviceman in the Singapore Navy (fully vaccinated)

a 76-year-old Singaporean woman who is a retiree

115 Bukit Merah View Market & Food Centre cluster: 2 new cases added

Two of the new community cases are linked to this cluster, with one of the cases already quarantined.

They are:

a 31-year-old Singaporean who works as a waitress at Cheflix Restaurant and was last at work on 13 May

a 28-year-old Singaporean woman who works as an officer with the Singapore Police Force, and is deployed at the Bukit Merah West Neighbourhood Police Centre (500 Bukit Merah View) (fully vaccinated)

119 Bukit Merah View Cluster: 1 new case

The sole new community case added to this cluster is a 34-year-old female Philippines national who is a foreign domestic worker. She was detected when she was tested for COVID-19 as part of the community surveillance testing for residents of the Bukit Merah View area.

Story continues

105 Henderson Crescent cluster: 1 new case

Similarly, the sole community case added to this cluster is a foreign domestic worker  a 43-year-old female Indonesia national. She was detected when she was tested for COVID-19 on 25 June as part of the. community surveillance testing for residents of 105 Henderson Crescent.

Changi General Hospital cluster: 2 new cases

Both the new cases linked to this cluster work as porters at the hospital and they are:

a 48-year-old Singaporean woman (fully vaccinated)

a 66-year-old Singaporean man (fully vaccinated)

Case 64264 cluster: 1 new case

The first case in this cluster is a 32-year-old female Indonesia national who is a foreign domestic worker. She was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on 16 June.

The new case is an 86-year-old Singaporean man who is a retiree, and attends day care at St Lukes ElderCare (Hougang Meadow Centre).

Case 64349 cluster: 2 new cases

The first case in this cluster is a 24-year-old Singaporean man who works as a financial consultant with Prudential. He was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on 19 June.

The new cases are:

a 22-year-old Singaporean man who works as a trainee engineer at Skyworks Global Pte Ltd, and was last at work on 11 June

a 26-year-old Singaporean man who works at Helping Hands Cleaning Services

Four imported cases

Among the four imported cases:

one is a Singaporean and two are Singapore permanent residents who returned from India and the UK

one is a short-term visit pass holder who arrived from Saudi Arabia for a work project in Singapore

99% of total cases have recovered, 4 in ICU

With 20 more patients discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities on Saturday, 62,181 cases  or 99.4 per cent of the total  have fully recovered from the infection.

Most of the 143 hospitalised cases are stable or improving, while four of them are in critical condition in the intensive care unit.

A total of 170 patients  with mild symptoms or are clinically well but still test positive  are isolated and cared for at community facilities.

Apart from the 36 patients who have died from COVID-19 complications, 15 others who tested positive for the virus were determined to have died from unrelated causes, including three whose deaths were attributed to a heart attack and another four, whose deaths were attributed to coronary heart disease.

Among the 127 confirmed cases reported from 20 to 26 June, 39 cases have tested positive for their serology tests, 74 have tested negative, and 14 serology test results are pending.

The MOH said that overall, the number of new cases in the community has decreased from 109 cases in the week before to 92 cases in the past week. The number of unlinked cases in the community has increased from 13 cases in the week before to 19 cases in the past week.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

More Singapore stories:

COVID guidelines for larger settings such as dine-in on track: Lawrence Wong

No cases of COVID Delta plus variant found in Singapore: MOH

All 5 cases in ICU unvaccinated; 'long COVID' in Singapore being studied

Singapore targets two-thirds of population to be fully vaccinated by National Day

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A woman has given birth to a baby despite being shot in a brutal road rage attack.

The woman was a passenger in a car with her boyfriend driving on Great Trinity Forest Way in Dallas, in the US state of Texas, on Friday (local time) about 10.30pm when someone shot at their car, police told ABC News.

The man had cut-off the other driver before opening fire and hitting the woman who was in the front passenger seat.

The woman gave birth moments after being shot. Source: Fox4

He pulled over into a nearby petrol station where the woman gave birth.

The baby is OK but she was hospitalised in a critical condition.

A pregnant woman gave birth after she was shot in a road rage attack in Dallas, Texas. Source: NBC Dallas-Fort Worth

Dallas Police Association President Mike Mata told NBC Dallas-Fort Worth hes frustrated by the increase of road rage violence.

"We cannot police ourselves out of road rage, that is an individual who is choosing to use violence just because of internal anger, because somebody cut them off, or they did something that they took as an insult on a roadway," Mr Mata said.

The shooter is yet to be found.

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Australia is facing one of its most difficult periods since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic as the highly-infectious Delta variant prompts a raft of restrictions across the nation.

Locally-acquired Covid cases were detected in four separate states and territories on Sunday in what Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt described as a "challenging day".

Epidemiologist Nancy Baxter, head of the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, told ABC Breakfast the nation should be "extremely concerned".

While she warned people not to panic and said she believed Australia would manage to get the virus under control, she warned of a very different second half to 2021 than the first.

"Do I think we are going to be able to live as freely for the next six months as we were the last six months? Probably not," she said.

Professor Baxter envisaged one of the biggest changes being ramped-up mask wearing, which she says will be in place until the nation is fully vaccinated.

Sydneysiders in the beachside suburb of Bronte on Saturday. Source: Getty Images

Restrictions take effect across the country

Darwin and surrounding regions joined Greater Sydney in lockdown on Sunday as the virus emerged in the community with six cases now linked to a central Australian mine.

Its outbreak was sparked by a positive case of a mine worker at the Newmont-owned Granites gold mine in the Tanami desert, about 540 kilometres northwest of Alice Springs.

More than 1600 people have been ordered into isolation as a result.

"It's our biggest threat yet," NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner told reporters.

In Western Australia, a woman who returned from visiting Sydney picked up the virus, prompting increased restrictions including indoor mask use.

And in Queensland, three local cases were recorded  including an NT miner who was infectious in the Sunshine Coast community and a couple linked to the existing Brisbane cluster, triggering a tightening of density limits.

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On Monday, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk revealed a further two cases, one of which is of the Delta strain, prompting a mask mandate mandate for indoors and outdoors across 11 local government areas in the southeast.

Story continues

Residents of Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Logan, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, the Lockyer Valley and the Scenic Rim will have to wear masks unless they're exercising and eating for 14-days from 1am on Tuesday.

Sydney's surging outbreak grew by 30 local cases on Sunday, with the city being warned to expect cases to grow substantially yet again in the coming days.

Virus spread prompts emergency meetings

The nationwide spread of the virus has prompted an emergency meeting of the national security committee, which will be held on Monday.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who will be in attendance, told ABC Breakfast there was now a greater emphasis on getting vaccinated than ever before.

"This is a critical time because we're dealing with the new Delta strain, which is more contagious, more dangerous," he said.

Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland and NSW all detected local cases on Sunday. Source: Yahoo News Australia

State and territory leaders will also be summoned to an unscheduled national cabinet hook-up as the federal government reacts to the widespread restrictions and the subsequent impact on the economy.

Canberra will also make face masks mandatory indoors from Monday, given the regularity of travel between the ACT and affected parts of NSW.

The outbreaks have prompted a multitude of border tightening measures, including South Australia's closure to all jurisdictions except Victoria and Tasmania.

WA also tightened its border for Queensland, NT and ACT residents, while Victoria added Greater Darwin to its "red zone" list.

All states had already locked out Greater Sydney residents.

With AAP

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Intense. Prolonged. Record-breaking. Unprecedented. Abnormal. Dangerous.

That's how the US National Weather Service has described the historic heatwave hitting the Pacific Northwest, disrupting Olympic qualifying events and breaking all-time high temperature records in places unaccustomed to extreme heat.

Portland, Oregon, reached 112 degrees Fahrenheit (44.4 Celsius) on Sunday, breaking the all-time temperature record of 108 F (42.2C), which was set just a day earlier.

In Eugene, Oregon, the US track and field trials were halted on Sunday afternoon and fans were asked to evacuate the stadium due to extreme heat.

The National Weather Service said it hit 110 F (43.3 C) in Eugene, breaking the all-time record of 108 F (42.2 C).

Oregon's Capital city, Salem, also recorded the highest temperature in its history on Sunday: 112 F (44.4 C), breaking the old mark by four degrees.

The temperature hit 104 F (40 C) in Seattle. The NWS said that was an all-time record for the city better known for rain than heat and was the first time the area recorded two consecutive triple digit days since records began being kept in 1894.

Records were being broken across the region, and the sizzling temperatures were expected to get even hotter Monday before beginning to cool Tuesday.

The heatwave stretched into British Columbia, with the temperature in Lytton, a village in the Canadian province, reaching 115 F (46.1 C) on Sunday afternoon, marking a new all-time high recorded in Canada.

A heat warning is in effect for most of Western Canada and the country's weather agency says numerous daily temperature records have been shattered across British Columbia, which is directly north of Washington state.

It got so hot in Seattle on Sunday the city parks department closed a community pool in the southern portion of the city because of "unsafe, dangerous pool deck temperatures."

King County closed several COVID-19 testing sites because of the heat.

Story continues

Seattle opened additional public library branches on Sunday, and will again Monday, to provide additional cooling centres, The Seattle Times reported.

The heatwave also moved into Idaho, where temperatures above 100 F (38 C) are forecast in Boise for at least seven days starting on Monday.

Cities were reminding residents where pools, splash pads and cooling centres were available and urging people to stay hydrated, check on their neighbours and avoid strenuous activities.

The National Weather Service said this week's weather "will likely be one of the most extreme and prolonged heat waves in the recorded history of the Inland Northwest."

The scorching weather was caused by an extended "heat dome" parked over the Pacific Northwest.

Kristie Ebi, a professor at the University of Washington who studies global warming and its effects on public health, says the days-long heat ave was a taste of the future as climate change reshapes global weather patterns.

The high temperatures were forecast to move into western Montana on Monday.
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LAW

Two Cayuga County municipalities moving forward with marijuana opt-out

Deposit Photos A legal recreational cannabis store and sign is visible on a road in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. New York state's recently adopted law legalizing recreational use of marijuana gives municipalities until the end of the year to decide if they will opt out of allowing retail sales within their borders.

Two municipalities in Cayuga County are moving forward with local laws opting out of parts of New York state's Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act.

The town of Brutus and the village of Union Springs intend to opt out of allowing marijuana dispensaries to open and consumption site licenses to be issued within their limits. The state law, signed March 31, lets municipalities do that. They cannot opt out of allowing people to possess up to 3 ounces of marijuana, grow up to six plants at home or use marijuana in private and select public spaces.

The Brutus Town Board decided to opt out at its June 14 meeting for a few reasons, town Supervisor James Hotaling told The Citizen on Wednesday.

The board felt the community has "enough problems," Hotaling said, and wondered "what kind of signal we'd be sending." Some members "felt very strongly" about marijuana with regard to the town's youth, he continued. Brutus also doesn't have many commercially zoned properties where a marijuana dispensary or licensed consumption site could open.

With those reasons in mind, the board decided to opt out knowing it can opt back in later. The state will not let municipalities do the opposite, Hotaling noted. The deadline for opting out is Dec. 31.

"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 marijuana at its weekly meeting Thursday.

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.

The law will then be presented to the Cayuga County General Municipal Law 239-l, m & n Review Committee in July to determine any intermunicipal impacts. If the committee finds none, the village will look to pass the law at its next meeting on July 20. Shattuck said the village will then host a public referendum on the law within the 45 days required by the state.

Anyone registered in the last local election will be eligible to vote in the referendum, Shattuck said.

"It's fair to the people who are against opting out, and some people in the community are," he said. "It seems like the reasonable thing for the village board to do."

The revisions were made to the village's law for the same reason the board is moving quickly to pass it: the possibility of the Cayuga Nation opening a dispensary at 121 Cayuga St. The nation closed on the property, formerly Gus's Pizzeria, for $225,000 this month. The board has voiced concerns that a dispensary in that location would create traffic jams and negatively influence youth.

However, the village is also concerned the Cayuga Nation could challenge the local law on the grounds of tribal sovereignty.

A spokesperson for the nation confirmed to The Citizen that while it is exploring the possibility of opening retail marijuana dispensaries, "the local law would not impact the Cayuga Nation's decision."

Under the revisions to the village's law, Shattuck said, the nation would be able to sell marijuana outside the historic district, such as Lakeside Trading. He hopes the Cayugas take that opportunity.

But if the nation indeed tries to open a dispensary at 121 Cayuga St., Shattuck acknowledged that the matter could go to court. In that case, he hopes the state would serve as the village's "legal guardian," since its law would be the origin of the conflict. Whatever happens, Shattuck said, he believes the village has made the effort to accommodate both sides.

"We'll do whatever we have to do and they'll do whatever they have to do after our law is passed and the votes are in," he said.

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India Walton always knew she would seek public office.

But the defining moment came in June 2020 when 20-year-old Courtland M. Renford threw a burning laundry basket into City Hall during what began as a peaceful protest at Niagara Square over the killing of George Floyd during a violent arrest by police in Minneapolis.

And our mayor got on  television. We have you on camera, you idiot. Thats not leadership. Everything doesnt have to be punitive, Walton said. Im not saying what he did was right, but Im saying for a person that is the top executive of our city to get on ... television and disparage a young person in that way, I thought wheres the love? Wheres the care?

Waltons petite stature belies a Titanic-sized drive to organize people to help themselves. It's rooted in her background in nursing and community activism.

"My experience is rising to the occasion, working with people and building coalitions," Walton said.

City Hall employee LeCandice Durham, the other challenger to Mayor Byron W. Brown in the Democratic primary, cites her connection to the city based on her position as a 311 complaint call taker.

Im more than qualified. I listen to calls for the entire city, Durham said from her Clinton Street campaign headquarters.

But in their first try at public office, both women face daunting odds. Over about three decades in politics, Brown has constructed a powerful organization with experience in the main objective of politics  winning elections. Again this year he commands an army of City Hall-based volunteers with contacts on virtually every block of the city.

Brown also lists dozens of major endorsements from unions, other politicians including Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul and County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz, as well as newspapers like the Buffalo Criterion and The Buffalo News.

Still, Walton has also scored significant backing, including the powerful Buffalo Teachers Federation. Donations of about $83,000, while paling in comparison to the mayors, have proved competitive  enough to finance a series of slick mailers and television ads.

Durham has been largely inactive in fundraising.

In contrast, the incumbent has amassed a huge advantage in campaign contributions from a largely supportive political and business establishment  about $400,000 in all.

But Walton, whose left-leaning campaign has emphasized its working-class roots compared to Browns establishment, sees the disparity as an advantage. Campaign spokesman Seamus Gallivan points to an influx over the past few days of high end donations of around $5,000  some from the Jacobs family associated with Delaware North Cos.

Our average donation is $44, and that stark contrast should be drawn, Gallivan said.

'You lift everyone'

Walton, a 39-year-old mother of four, had her first child when she was a freshman at Leonardo da Vinci High School.

As a senior, she was about three credits shy of graduating, but she had a son she had to care for.

I couldnt spend a full day in school so I elected to get my GED instead so that I could work, she said.

Walton worked for a while at low-wage jobs, but better opportunities were on the horizon.

Ive always been a straight-A student, very bright," she said. "I just have not always made the best decisions, but you know when youre a teenager you think that you know everything, and I thought that I knew everything. I did know, though, that it was not acceptable for me to rely on social services or my mother to take care of my child."

She was inspired to become a nurse after her twins were born extremely premature in 2001 and spent six months in Childrens Hospital, where a lot of the patients looked like her, but a lot of the nurses did not, she said.

After Walton got her nursing degree from Erie Community College in 2007, she worked at Childrens Hospital for about 10 years, she said.

Then she took her nursing skills to the Buffalo Public Schools, where she felt she could do more to help children and families overcome inequalities and disparities, she said.

A lot of the kids they werent sick necessarily, but they were sad, she said. They just wanted someone to talk to. They were hungry. We had children who were chronically tardy and absent, and when you dig a little deeper its things like mom works until 8 a.m. She doesnt get home until 8:30, 9 o'clock and some of the older siblings are caring for the younger siblings and are consistently late  just things that come with concentrated poverty and disadvantage.

After two years, Walton wanted to do more to effect policy and do broader scale work. The next step was community organizing with Open Buffalo.

She calls her work with Community First Alliance and the Fruit Belt Community Land Trust her proudest accomplishment.

The alliance, a coalition of 19 organizations both inside and outside the Fruit Belt, achieved a parking permit system in 2016, authorized by the state, that sets aside half of the on-street parking for residents in the neighborhood that borders the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. The legislation came after workers at the growing campus began monopolizing the free parking spots.

Walton then became executive director of the land trust that was created in 2017 to ensure residents  not outsiders and elected officials  control the vacant city land near the campus.

It was a vision, a tiny little seed that we planted that grew to success," she said. "I know that when there is a need you can learn the things that you need to make the change. And thats what we did, she said.

The first year of our organization I was able to raise almost $1 million in grants and grassroots funding," she said. "Im a nurse, never been a nonprofit executive. Ive never been an affordable housing developer, but I was able to do that for my community because thats what my community wanted. I don't have all the answers, and that is the great thing about that type of leadership is that it's transformative. You lift everyone up along with you."

Walton lives near the Peace Bridge in the Niagara District.

Her campaign priorities include defusing community violence, expanding opportunities for home ownership, neighborhood community development and planning and getting rid of wasteful spending.

'Full of resources'

Unlike Walton, Durham did not have long-held ambitions to run for public office.

But God called me to run, said Durham, 35, a member of Friendship Baptist Church on Hickory Street.

Her father, Leonard Lane, president of Fathers Armed Together to Help, Educate, Restore and Save (FATHERS), a good friend of Browns, advised her to wait four more years, she said.

But working at 311, the city's complaint line, shes heard it all firsthand, and she knows what needs to be done, she said.

Durham started working for the city in 2016 in central booking at Buffalo Police Headquarters and then as a call taker for the past three years for the city's complaint line.

She graduated from Bennett High School and has an associate degree in criminal justice from Bryant and Stratton.

She does a lot of community outreach, especially in the Riverside neighborhood where she and her husband purchased a house and moved in with their six children in 2018. She has hosted two Night Out events in the community, including one last October during the pandemic as well as a food giveaway, a pop-up shop and a Love Thy Neighbor event with free coffee and donuts, also during the pandemic and socially distanced, she said.

Residents call to complain about everything from overgrown grass in vacant lots to drug traffic on their blocks. Many complain about speed camera enforcement, but some support them. She hears from landlords who are not getting paid by their tenants and fed-up residents who say theyre going to move out of the city, she said.

People also call for referrals for mental health programs even though 311 is not a referral line, and some call asking how to start a business, she said.

Residents call 311 for everything, she said. Im so full of resources. When I speak with residents I give them all the tools they need to be successful.

Her campaign priorities include crime reduction with more community policing and building relationships with police and improving the condition of the citys roads.

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Indian bicycle major Hero Cycles, part of Hero Motors Company (HMC) Group, has successfully delivered its first batch of 'Made-in-India' e-bikes of around 200 units to Germany in Europe. The company aims to become a leader in the European Union (EU) market as it has more units planned for the EU in future.

Hero International  the European bike and e-bike arm of HMC  said the companys aim is to achieve an organic revenue of up to EURO 300 million by 2025, while adding EURO 200 million from inorganic growth. The company exported the e-bikes under the HNF brand of Hero International. "The shipment marks a step forward to establish HMC as the largest fully integrated e-bike company in Europe," the company said.

Hero believes that sales of e-bikes are expected to reach around 15 million units in Europe by 2030 and thus, it is poised to be a market leader in the segment. "We expect to make high-quality e-bikes fusing HNFs engineering and design expertise with Heros manufacturing capability, especially with the 100-acre Cycle Valley in Ludhiana," said Jeff Weiss, the London-based CEO of Hero International.

(Also read | UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson takes ride in 'Made in India' Hero cycles)

The company added that its latest batch of e-bikes to Europe overcomes the bicycle supply chain disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. While supplies dwindled and lead times for components increased manifold, consumer demand for bikes and e-bikes sky-rocketed.

Hero has also established a digital supply chain company  Hero Supply Chain (HSC)  a team specialised in logistics management and digital transformation, in order to cater to this growing demand for bikes and e-bikes.

Hero Cycles has a manufacturing capacity of 6 million bicycles per year and a network of plants located in Punjab's Ludhiana, UP's Ghaziabad, and Bihar's Bihta. It also has a state of the art manufacturing facility in Sri Lanka as well as a Design Centre in the UK. It also owns UK-based Avocet Sports, Germany-based HNF, and Firefox Bikes in India.

(with inputs from PTI)
German carmaker Volkswagen will stop selling combustion engines cars in Europe by 2035 as it shifts to electric vehicles, but later in the United States and China, a board member was quoted as saying on Saturday.

"In Europe, we will exit the business with internal combustion vehicles between 2033 and 2035, in the United States and China somewhat later," Klaus Zellmer, Volkswagen board member for sales, told the Muenchner Merkur newspaper.

(Also read | Volkswagen to launch new Polo with standard digital cockpit)

"In South America and Africa, it will take a good deal longer due to the fact that the political and infrastructure framework conditions are still missing." By 2050 at the latest, the entire Volkswagen fleet should be CO2-neutral, Zellmer told the newspaper.

In Europe, he is aiming for electric cars to account for 70% of total sales by 2030. This would prepare the company for a possible tightening of the European Union's climate targets and even go beyond them.

(Also read | Volkswagen to bring new 3D printing process in vehicle manufacturing)

EU policymakers have clamped down on exhaust emissions, forcing carmakers to spur development of low-emission technology or face penalties if they exceed limits on CO2 emissions.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.
The Rafael Fire had increased to almost 46,000 acres on Saturday morning as crews continued burnout operations to corral the blaze.

Firefighters were working to bring the fire south from the Sycamore Falls Climbing Area to White Horse Lake, with the help of an unmanned aerial vechicle, according to a press release. Meanwhile, crews were mopping up Friday's firing operation on the Coconino National Forest and preparing to push the fire back into Sycamore Canyon.

Crews have been fighting the Rafael Fire from the ground and air, using helicopters and drones to keep it from advancing toward Interstate 40 between Flagstaff and Williams.

Officials gave a media tour on Saturday to allow an up-close look at the burnout operations as firefighters continue their work.

The Coconino County Sheriff's Office announced that it was lifting the evacuation order for the South Garland Prairie neighborhood early Saturday evening, putting the area back to "set" status. The Sheriff's Office was sending deputies to check in residents as they returned and continuing to patrol the area to monitor the situation.

Dozens of rural ranches and other homes have been evacuated over the course of the week, and others are in various stages of preparedness.

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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.

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Other than that, though, Deadmans Wash  er, Better Places meadow  will look the same. There are no tombstones, per se, because the trees themselves serve that purpose.

As to the two major public concerns, environmental impact and cultural sensitivity to Native American sacred land, Better Place has launched an aggressive educational outreach. After considerable testing of cremains interaction with forest soil and roots, Better Place assures that ashes will not be deleterious to the trees health.

Theres a deep layer duff and debris and needles, and we just sweep that aside until we get to the soil and the cremains go directly on the soil and the duff goes back over, Miller explained. We spread wildflower seeds on top of that. Weve had the soil sampled from this area and in our Point Arena (northern California) forest and havent found any bad impacts to the soil. Its just, you know, nutrients.

Gibson said it would defeat the ecological ideals of the venture if the cremains hurt the environment -- which is why he has enlisted scientists to take samples.
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.
With wages rising lower than cost of living increases, rent burdens could lead to homelessness.

Weve been hearing right that the economy is getting better and all this, but also the housing costs are going up and up and up, said Chela Schuster, director of strategic housing resources with UMOM, a non-profit organization tackling homelessness. Income plus housing is what ends homelessness.

Such families who end up homeless often go unnoticed, hidden from official counts, according to Schuster.

Counts often will show that theres no street (living) homeless families. But we know that thats not true, she said. Its just really difficult to find them. Theyre afraid that theyll get reported to DCS (Department of Child Safety) or, for safety reasons, they dont want to be found. So families are really good at hiding.

More Arizona kids live in poor neighborhoods

The data show 1 out of 5 children in Arizona are living in high-poverty areas, which is 8% more than national figures.

This is further impacted by lack of access to affordable housing, Stevenson said.




(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."




CGTNDerek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis policeman whose knee-pressing on the neck led to African-American George Floyd's death in 2020, received a 22.5 years sentence in prison on June 25 local time in the U.S.

For a country that rarely charges and convicts police for killing people on duty, the sentence does seem like a victory for those who champion racial justice. According to Bowling Green State University's database, about 56 percent of charges against police for violent crimes ended in a conviction between 2005 and 2015. When it comes to the most serious charges like murder or manslaughter, the conviction rate drops to as low as half. Floyd family's legal time described the court ruling this time as a "historic sentence" and is a "step closer to healing by delivering closure and accountability."

A step closer, by no means a solution. Some may say not even close.

Peter Cahill, the judge of this case, said the sentence was not based on emotion or public opinion. But it is the emotion and public opinion that stood out in this case. The death of George Floyd sparked the largest protest in U.S. history. Poll finds somewhere between 15 million and 26 million took to the street in the United States and protests erupted in over 200 cities and towns in over 60 countries to support the Black Lives Matter movement.

And it all happened in an unprecedented election year under an untraditional administration. The battle over race has always been contentious between Republicans and Democrats. Donald Trump took it to another level. Both parties became hyper-sensitive and active when it comes to utilizing race in favor of their political stance. Trump appealed to his base of racism while some Democrats took it to the other extreme. In an upcoming new book by Wall Street Journal reporter Michael Bender, it is written that Trump said he wanted the military to "beat the fk out" of the civil rights protests and "just shoot them." Democrats, on the other hand, embroiled themselves in a fight over "defunding the police"  a slogan that incites equal ferocity in proponents and opponents alike.

The politicization and eruption of public sentiment are illustrative of how near-irresolvable the problem is. The discrimination and injustice against African-Americans or other minorities are well-documented in U.S. history. Those same points of view and actions survived to this day. The power imbalance  political, economic, and social  between the dominant White and the minorities has been mitigated but not fixed.

The liberal political inclinations in both the Democrats and Republicans before Donald Trump have already created a sense of panic and loss of tradition among the more conservative electorate in the U.S. The first Black president brought hope to the minorities but was soon mired in a Washington ground to a halt and the rise of conservative-populist movement across the United States. The progress towards equality, in the eyes of many minorities, risked being stopped.

Then Trump came on. His machoism, favor for law enforcement, and cavalier attitude toward race validated their concerns. The machine of state, with the ability to assert overwhelming physical power onto the minorities, became the terror many believe they will soon face. What we've seen over the course of 2020's protests  the destruction of public property, the declaration of the autonomous zone in cities  are directly born out of that fear, carried out with a sense of vengeance and total repudiation of the state's authority over their lives and their choices.

Race and political brutality are more than just about justice or equality. However many efforts are put into insistence the sentence has nothing to do with public opinion or emotions, people will see this outcome as a result of their actions over the past year. When it is seen that the ideal of justice and equality can only be achieved through rebuking the system instead of working through it, the system itself has lost faith in the people  regardless of who is running it.

Then perceived "just outcome" is just a one-time thing. And when the next case happens, what happened in 2020 would repeat itself all over again.
CHEYENNE, Wyo.  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.
Each week, bureau reporters Seaborn Larson and Sam Wilson, along with deputy bureau chief Tom Kuglin, bureau chief Holly Michels and host Thom Bridge, will take their work off the printed and digital page.

Theres only so much that can fit into a report, and theres always much more to tell.
Were finding that the cleaner forms of energy are also the more affordable forms of energy, Smith said. You look at the rate that utility-scale solar is dropping, its astounding. Its dropped 89% over the past 10 years. Onshore wind just dropped 70%. Why would we wait, you know, NorthWestern talks about all this greenwashing stuff about reducing energy density, it wants to eventually get to renewable energy. But what we're saying is that it makes no sense to buy a whole generation of a billion dollars worth of new fossil fuel plants when we have the capability of moving now.

Montana 350 is a state-level affiliate of 350.org, which advocates for a complete transition away from fossil-fuel energy sources now, a move NorthWestern has repeatedly said it cannot accomplish, citing reliability issues.

Like Missoula and Missoula County, 350 Montana intervened in NorthWesterns case. The group argued that because atmospheric carbon dioxide is at unprecedented levels, a pivot away from fossil fuels is urgent.

But renewables are gaining ground, now on par with coal in shares of the electric power sector, where electricity from natural gas is the dominant source according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Through 2022, both natural gas and coal are expected to lose market share to renewables.
Weve already burned 220 acres this spring, said Seeley Lake District Ranger Quinn Carver. Most of it was in tough spots, right against the community. We burned 170 acres right between the Double Arrow subdivision and Big Sky Lake. That has homes on either side of it. We knocked back the heavy fuels, and got some tree spacing, which gets us in good position. Thats going to be a green line that fire will have a hard time getting started there.

Across the Lolo, prescribed burns this spring blackened 4,690 acres in 32 sites. One was on the edge of Missoula in Pattee Canyon. Others consumed debris piles and treated areas in the Rattlesnake National Recreation Area north of town.

The blazes look much like the catastrophes of late summer, but these are started deliberately with drip torches held by the firefighters themselves. Burning in the early season not only gives them a weather edge that keeps flames from damaging older trees, it also generates less-intense burning temperatures that dont release as much toxic smoke into the airshed. What smoke does get produced goes into relatively clean air that isnt already polluted by forest fire smoke blowing in from out of state.
The community leadership and development organization I lead in Billings had plans to travel to South Asia this summer. But because the borders in India are now closed, we decided on Plan B: partner with a former Middle East missionary in Texas to assist refugees from Afghanistan, Iraq, Bangladesh, and other countries.

I am convinced that Billings should welcome refugees into our community and that we would become all the more blessed in diversity and culture if we did so.

Recently, after some flip-flopping, President Biden fulfilled a campaign commitment to restore the ceiling for U.S. refugee admissions to 62,500. While this is lower than the refugee ceilings set by Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, this decision will allow us to rebuild the U.S. refugee resettlement program back to historical norms after several years of reductions. A growing group of Montana evangelicals are greatly encouraged by this change.

Thus far this year, no refugees have arrived in Montana, and even when they were coming, they were resettled only in Missoula, five hours away. As the national resettlement program rebuilds, a band of Christians has been hoping and praying for the day refugees will be resettled to Billings, the states largest city, and home to many local churches eager to welcome them.
But unlike the City, we had another option outside of new construction  the Miller Building. Not only will we pay appraised value and not a penny more, the estimates from Cushing Terrell show that we are likely to save $10 million in tax dollars over new construction, assuming we have land upon which to build it. If a parcel could be found that is of comparable size, it may cost anywhere from $1.35 million to $1.7 million.

A recent article in this newspaper said we are eager to move departments. Quite the contrary. We are not estimating any movement into that building for about 3 years. Until that time, we will demolish floors as current tenant space opens up in order to prepare it all for changes tailored to meet the needs of our employees and the citizens whom we serve.

The newspaper also said that the courthouse would be left for district court and the county attorney. That doesnt tell the complete story either. We look for the inevitable expansion of district and justice court, and the necessary space demands that will place on our county attorney and clerk of district court operations. We may also leave a department or two at the courthouse, such as IT. Those decisions come later.
The words "bipartisan," "compromise" and "Montana"  all in one story  graced the Billings Gazette's front page Friday.

The story: A deal was reached on a bipartisan infrastructure spending measure that would finance a variety of sorely needed projects in Montana and across the country.

Included, Sen. Jon Tester said, were long-stymied large-scale water projects, as well as airports, roads, bridges, and internet access initiatives.

Tester is to be commended for being one of 10 lawmakers from both parties involved in negotiating the compromise, which is, as per Thursday's announcement, supported by President Joe Biden.

The bill "will help create good-paying jobs across the state," Tester said.

Getting to yes was not easy for the negotiators over the past several weeks, and more than once, the deal looked dead on arrival. At $973 billion, the measure is about $1 trillion less than what the President initially proposed  but far more likely to attract Republican votes.

The water projects in Montana, which could amount to $1 billion, include the long-delayed Fort Peck/Dry Prairie Rural Water System.
Poor old Matt Rosendale! Here he is, selflessly serving us in the U.S. Congress, only to discover that the national media; our culture; most other Montanans; the rest of Congress; military generals and admirals (Rosendale's words, not mine); and probably cats, rats, and bats condemn his vote against making Juneteenth a federal holiday. This array of opponents doesn't realize the Juneteenth vote was actually an attempt by Democrats to perpetuate their leftist agenda. This makes it harder for radical Republicans, like Rosendale, to perpetuate their rightist agenda! Rosendale was, in essence, protecting us from BLM and other antifa parades, while encouraging Proud Boy (and other fascist) demonstrations. Rosendale, after all, offered reliable support for why his vote was necessary: some town in the Midwest canceled its July 4th parade, in favor of a Gay Pride parade. This made the Juneteenth vote necessary, at least in Rosendale's mind.
Letter to the editor: Snub of Juneteenth is just more of "Maryland Matt's claptrap."

Note: The views expressed by letter writers do not necessarily reflect those of The Gazette. To submit a letter visit https://billingsgazette.com/forms/contact/letter_to_the_editor
Fourth of July festivities in the Bismarck-Mandan area are facing a disruption for a second consecutive year, though this summer it's drought and not the coronavirus pandemic.

Burleigh, Morton and Emmons counties and the city of Mandan all have banned private fireworks. Most other western North Dakota counties also have some form of a burn ban in place due to the dry conditions.

But traditional Fourth of July holiday events are still set in Bismarck-Mandan -- some of them returning to normal after pandemic disruptions last summer.

Music and fireworks

The Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra will hold its annual Symphony Spectacular on the state Capitol grounds.

Join us for a wonderful and beloved tradition, in a safe way," Symphony Orchestra Director Beverly Everett said. "People in Bismarck-Mandan have made this a tradition for years, and we cant wait to show them one of our best productions to date.

The event starts at 8 p.m. next Sunday with pre-show music from Phil McMahon of the McMahon Brothers and the brass group Tuba Four.
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.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
What's often the case is that the cars that are stolen were either left running or with a spare set of keys inside the vehicle.

"All they have to do is break into the car and they can start the car," Gramaglia said. "It's an open market. It's a constant problem no matter how much education we try to put out there through leaflet drops and and posters at convenience stores telling people to stop leaving their cars running."

Police and prosecutors say recent changes to the criminal justice system aimed at reducing the number of people who end up behind bars fail to account for repeat offenders like those who keep getting caught stealing cars.

But they also realize the teens being arrested are minors and there may be underlying situations that are driving them to make bad choices.

Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn Jr. unveiled a new restorative justice program aimed at teenagers arrested for crimes like car thefts  in an attempt to steer them away from a life of more serious, violent crimes and out of the criminal justice system. The pilot program is a collaborative project with the Erie County Restorative Justice Coalition and the Buffalo Police Department.
"It's not about science anymore. It's about compliance," said Maxime Bernier, a Trudeau critic and leader of the new People's Party of Canada.

It's agitating for reopening of the border and organized the Canadian side of the protest, which drew about 100 Canadians and 20 Americans.

"It was important for us to show our support for you Americans. We want you to be able to come to Canada," Bernier said. "At the same time, we want to send a message to Mr. Trudeau in Ottawa that it's time to reopen our borders all across the country."

"Right now we all can fly to Europe but we can't cross that over there," said Deborah Williams of the Families Are Essential group, which organized the American side of Saturday's protest.

Williams said she knows a 17-year-old Fort Erie, Ont., resident who during the school year crossed the border every day to attend St. Francis High School in Athol Springs. He does grocery shopping after school because food is cheaper in the U.S., and takes it back to Canada.

Harder said in December, Canadian authorities changed their rules and she was no longer able to see her husband Neal, who is a Canadian citizen. He was barred from the U.S. after living here for 21 years because he was undocumented, Harder said.
Even as she basked in her surprising primary win, India B. Walton put elected officeholders in City Hall  and beyond  on notice with her promise to "support the next generation of progressive candidates that are going to come into leadership."

The exciting thing to me is that we have built the infrastructure with this campaign to be able to run School Board members, to be able to run Common Council seats, to really get progressive, forward-thinking people into these seats," she told The Buffalo News.

Several now holding those seats seem nonplussed by her proposition, and one suggested a different tack for someone who's never before served in public office.

"If I had won an election, and I had absolutely no experience in government, I would be reaching out to work with people rather than attacking people right off the get-go," said North Council Member Joseph Golombek Jr. "I don't think it bodes well should she win the November election that there's going to be a working relationship with her. She seems like a bully."

Walton's comments don't come as an idle threat.

Walton's volunteers made 19,000 calls the night before the primary. They called every Democratic primary voter in Buffalo with a phone number in the voter file," campaign spokesman Seamus Gallivan said.

On primary day, her supporters sent almost 100,000 text messages, he said. And the campaign dispatched more than 150 volunteers to enough poll sites to talk to half of those who voted. The effort demonstrated what Walton can accomplish with resources from the Democratic Socialists of America and the Working Families Party, both of which backed her campaign.

The New York Working Families Party worked in deep collaboration with Waltons team to help raise more than $140,000, put together an outreach program responsible for tens of thousands of voter contacts and produce mail, TV and digital ads, said state WFP Director Sochie Nnaemeka.

Our members look forward to working alongside India to build a more just and equitable future, invest in our communities, and make Buffalo a national beacon for progressive governance, Nnaemeka said.

The next election for the nine Council seats will be held in 2023.

Im already on notice because every single day I work," said University Council Member Rasheed N.C. Wyatt. "Im working for my community, and so I dont need someone to tell me that someones going to run against me."

Wyatt, now in his second full term, did not endorse four-term incumbent Byron W. Brown and said he looks forward to working with Walton.

What kind of working relationship Wyatt and his fellow Council members would have with a new mayor remains a question.

Walton, who emerged from Primary Day as the only candidate on the ballot in the November election for Buffalo mayor, would face a nine-member Common Council that has grown more assertive in the past year and a half, compared with its historically placid relationship with Brown during most of his years in office.

+4 India Walton's win could inspire more outsiders to challenge incumbents Observers saw Walton's win as yet another signal that a dynamic candidate can knock off a complacent incumbent anytime, anywhere.

The Common Council, for example, disagreed with Brown on the installation of speed cameras in school zones, and after more than a year of battling over the cameras, council members voted 6-3, a veto-proof majority, to eliminate them by September.

"I think the Council has proven its independence, and that independence will remain regardless of who occupies the second floor," said Council President Darius G. Pridgen, referring to the mayor's City Hall office.

'We are coming'

After her victory Tuesday, Walton struck a hawkish tone.

This victory is ours, and its the first of many," she said. "If you are in an elected office right now, you are being put on notice. We are coming.

The city lawmakers with whom she is poised to become governing partners said they do not feel threatened by her comments.

If there wasnt a challenge, I would be disappointed, Pridgen said. Its OK for someone to want change and to coalesce partners that think like they do. I dont think that every sitting elected official feels threatened by that. I think that if people think the same and are working together for the same things, those are people that you end up partnering with.

She has the right to back candidates, but voters will decide who fills seats on the Common Council, he said.

If Walton occupies the mayor's office, she'll learn what those already in elected office have learned, Pridgen said.

"Most people who are elected usually come in with a lot of things you thought you could do, and when we get there, we learn that some things you thought you could do, you just cannot do because this is not communism," Pridgen said. "You have to go through the process of government."

Majority Leader David A. Rivera, in his fourth term representing the Niagara District, said residents just want to hear things are getting done.

The voters at the very end will make the determination whether or not that elected official has been responsive to them, Rivera said. You just have to continue to do your job, be responsive to your constituents.

Two-term Masten Council Member Ulysees O. Wingo Sr., who supported Browns re-election campaign, said those who are not doing their job ought to be nervous about Waltons focus on other elective offices.

"If an elected official should ever get to the point where theyre comfortable in their seat, they no longer deserve it," Wingo said.

A newcomer as mayor

It's not Walton's comments or even her lack of political experience that worries South Council Member Christopher P. Scanlon.

"It is her lack of governmental and managerial experience that concerns me," Scanlon said. "Her assuming the office of mayor is akin to allowing a first-year medical student to perform surgery on a loved one. This is a $500 million operation, and any suggestion by Walton or her supporters that she has the requisite experience to do the job is simply not true. Why do they think that this person, with zero experience, can adequately oversee a complex, multidimensional city government and ensure that the services they need  public safety, public works  would be maintained and delivered?"

Brown and his predecessors Anthony M. Masiello and James D. Griffin became mayors after serving in the New York State Senate and the Common Council.

Walton has no experience as an elected official.

Rivera said it would be helpful if Walton surrounds herself with the best people she can.

I think the key for India is going to be just try to hit the ground running, learn as quickly as possible, surround herself with a great team," Rivera said. "Shes going to be making appointments to very important positions in her administration: economic development, police, fire, community development, public works. Shes going to want to surround herself  Im sure she will  with people that will be knowledgeable and bring professionalism to their departments, Rivera said.

Lovejoy Council Member Bryan J. Bollman is a year and a half into his first term, but brought 13 years of experience working in the Lovejoy council office before his election.

Theres always people that will doubt you, but its how you respond to the challenges of the job and work through them," Bollman said. "Well see how she handles things."

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Ditto for Republicans. They backed Karen Healy-Case, who got whipped by challenger John Garcia. Now the Wednesday morning quarterbacks are grumbling about the local party leadership  whoever that may be.

 Plenty of fingers also point this weekend at Conservative Chairman Ralph Lorigo, who for the second year in a row, failed with his choice for a major office. In 2020, Lorigo bet on attorney Beth Parlato for the 27th Congressional District. She was decisively defeated by endorsed Republican Chris Jacobs in the primary. Lorigo was at least able to extract Parlatos Conservative candidacy from the general election ballot and avoid splitting the anti-Democrat vote by shipping her off to a Supreme Court contest in Brooklyn. But no such option exists for non-attorney Healy-Case, who not only remains on the Conservative line, but promises an active campaign.

 Some pols still emerge as winners from the sheriff primary. Republican State Sen. Pat Gallivan, who has never shied away from tweaking party leadership, threw in with eventual winner John Garcia. Democratic Assemblyman Pat Burke, also known to go rogue against Headquarters, looks good after his lonely support in the sheriff race for Democrat Kim Beaty.

 Over at Coles Restaurant on Elmwood Avenue, they must be measuring at the far end of its long bar where historic front pages from The News and Courier-Express herald the election of recent mayors of Buffalo. Nothing is yet official, but the Coles Archives Department is reportedly making preparations for its first new entry since 2006.

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A judge on Friday fixed what the Buffalo School Board broke  at least for now. State Supreme Court Justice Mark A. Montour issued an order Friday keeping open two charter schools that the School Board offhandedly tried to close, cavalierly depriving families of a valued resource without having even consulted them.

The School Board, living deep in the pocket of the Buffalo Teachers Federation, voted on March 31 to close Enterprise and Westminster charter schools on June 30. That gave parents of the schools 950 students no time to apply to other charter schools.

Montour, who had already issued a temporary restraining order against the district, followed up on Friday with a preliminary injunction that will keep the schools open for at least another year while the legal case proceeds. Its a reprieve and it will do for now.

Its no secret that neither the BTF nor the School Board supports charter schools in Buffalo. While parents see them as an option in a still underperforming district, they see them as a threat. Regardless, the School Boards actions would have been unjustified in a typical year but were grossly inappropriate coming out of a terrible year of pandemic. The decision amounted to a misuse of public resources, including the expense of litigating the matter.
For investors looking forward to the next decade or two, clean energy is a key focal point. Indeed, theres a lot of excitement around clean energy stocks right now  and for good reason.

The amount of electricity the world will need in the coming decades is impressive. Feeding the rise of electrification will be at the hands of renewable power players. Companies like Boralex (TSX:BLX) stand up to the challenge and provide excellent growth potential for investors seeking exposure to this catalyst.

Lets dive into why clean energy players like Boralex remain great picks right now.

Excellent fundamentals support long-term growth thesis

For investors in Boralex, or any stock for that matter, fundamentals are important. Indeed, investors ought to consider how a company has performed and how it is likely to perform when assessing whether its worth an investment.

For Boralex, the numbers look quite good. The company has reported relatively strong numbers of late. And its forward projections are really what get clean energy investors excited about this stock.

Indeed, Boralexs future performance rests on the companys ability to meet the supply of the market. And in this regard, the companys making big steps forward. Boralex recently came out with a new five-year plan. From now until 2025, the company will invest US$6 billion to add 4,400 MW of capacity to its current business model. Thats roughly a doubling of capacity over a five-year period.

Not bad.

Indeed, the companys expected AFFO growth rate of 14-16% per year for the next five years is impressive. Thats right in the ballpark of doubling over this time frame. For long-term investors seeking growth in the renewables space, Boralex seems to have a plan for how to accomplish this.

Bottom line on Boralex stock

When it comes to renewable energy players in Canada, Boralex is one of the most popular companies. As ESG investing becomes more important, and more capital flows into clean energy stocks, Boralex should be a key beneficiary of this trend.

Story continues

Indeed, I think this companys growth plan is solid, and its fundamentals are great. There are few better options in this sector to consider today.

Long-term investors may need to be patient with Boralex stock to see the compounding effect of this company. That said, I think this stocks recent performance in years past is an indication of the sentiment shift underway today. Until something changes, and we stop requiring additional renewable energy, Boralex should continue to outperform.

This is a stock with a long runway of growth potential.

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2021
Richard Cadrouce a server at Almond restaurant, takes an order in Bridgehampton, N.Y. on June 10, 2021. (Karsten Moran/The New York Times)

BRIDGEHAMPTON, N.Y.  At the Candy Kitchen diner on Main Street, the staff juggling orders of pancakes is short by seven members  and not one job seeker has dropped off a resume this year.

At Blue One clothing store down the street, the owner raised the hourly pay from $15 to $18 to lure workers.

And at Almond, at the end of the street, the restaurants co-owner is sharing his two-bedroom home with three seasonal workers who could not find housing.

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Right now it is full season in the Hamptons, and we are closed Sundays and Mondays; we dont have enough cooks, said Eric Lemonides, co-owner of Almond, which is typically open seven days a week. Its just been harder than its ever been before.

The Hamptons is experiencing the same constellation of factors that has contributed to a national employment crisis, but here it is supercharged by elements unique to the upscale towns: Untold numbers of New York City residents fled during the pandemic, gobbling up the housing stock and driving up prices as they turned the summer escape into a year-round residence.

Plus, a spate of recent laws designed to limit the number of shared houses  seen by some as nuisance party houses  has sharply limited places where summer workers say they can afford to stay.

You have people that basically came out here last year in March, and they stayed, said Patrick McLaughlin, an associate broker with Douglas Elliman, a real estate company.

Data collected by the company showed that the inventory of available houses in the Hamptons  the collection of towns and hamlets along Long Islands South Fork, from Southampton to East Hampton and all the way out to the peninsula of Montauk  fell at its fastest rate in over a decade in the first quarter of the year. The number of sales and prices surged.

Towns are cracking down on the share houses, and that makes it harder as well, McLaughlin said.

There are other factors behind the shortage. Across the country seasonal immigrant workers are in short supply. It is a holdover from a sweeping ban in 2020 on temporary work visas that the Trump administration said was vital to protect employment for Americans who lost jobs during the pandemic. The ban has expired.

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Some economists believe that the extra $300 a week from expanded unemployment benefits, a program that runs through September, is also responsible for keeping some workers home. And while teenagers are finding it easy to land jobs, after a year away from friends, busing tables and standing behind a cash register can have less appeal than frolicking as a camp counselor.

In the Hamptons, where the high season lasts about 12 weeks, the crisis has led some restaurants, already reeling from lockdown closures, to suspend service on certain days of the week at what is typically their most lucrative time because they are unable to staff shifts.

Gus Laggis, owner of Candy Kitchen, has been working a lot of overtime: You dont even want to know, he said.

At Almond, Lemonides said that instead of his typical role as maitre d, he now fills in as the restaurants handyman, power-washing sidewalks and even renting a cherry picker to fix twinkly lights over the patio dining.

There is no one else to do it, he said.

Some say service has suffered: At the Golden Pear cafe on Main Street, where only two international applicants arrived this year to fill over a dozen spots typically taken by foreigners, according to a manager, a line snaked out the door several times over Memorial Day weekend as the handful of servers struggled to dish out its locally renowned curry chicken salad.

Our customers understand, said the manager of the Bridgehampton location, Karmela Delos Santos. Hopefully.

In the spring, Honest Man Restaurant Group, which runs the celebrated East Hampton restaurant Nick and Tonis, among others, hosted its first job fair, offering a $25 gift certificate to new hires. Few showed up, according to reports.

The issue has even had an impact on the local government. Jay Schneiderman, the Southampton town supervisor, said the municipality has struggled to recruit people for town positions. It has been without a town accountant since May of last year, and for months has been unable to fill vacancies for six secretarial positions and three building inspectors as well as other roles, according to the human resources department.

We cant pay them enough to live in the community, Schneiderman said.

We need to create more affordable housing, we do. It is creating issues for so many businesses, he added. Its not just the town, and certainly not just restaurants. It's the hospital needs nurses, the schools need teachers and custodians. Everybody is priced out.

But there are no plans to relax the laws to deter share houses, some that serve as party crash pads split by dozens of young people and often result in noise, garbage and police complaints.

These rules, versions of which exist in each of the towns that comprise the Hamptons, limit how many unrelated individuals may rent a house together. Violators, who are identified by code enforcement officers who go door to door, or turned in by their neighbors, are subject to fines. About six years ago, East Hampton and Southampton began requiring that rental houses be registered with town authorities, further curtailing the practice.

We had people who were renting spaces in the basement by hanging sheets up and it was very unsafe, said John Jilnicki, East Hampton town attorney.

Even before the pandemic, formerly working-class neighborhoods like the hamlet of The Springs, in East Hampton, were seeing an incursion of wealthy renters, and this year, even the most humble homes were snapped up by out-of-towners, McLaughlin, of Douglas Elliman, said. Workers now priced out of the Hamptons have been driven to less booming real estate markets like Riverhead.

But with a single train track running the length of the South Fork and narrow Route 27 as the main thoroughfare, traffic snarls for hours, and the commute itself deters workers. In 2018, East Hamptons Town Board put out a request for proposals for a pilot program to permit employers to house seasonal workers in RVs or tiny houses, but it was abandoned because of a lack of response, Jilnicki said.

In typical years, in the weeks leading up to Memorial Day, job seekers from places like Jamaica and Ireland on temporary employment visas would stroll between the towns shops and restaurants looking for work. Sometimes as many as five such people a day would approach Maeghan Byrne, manager of Bobby Vans, she said.

This year not one has come through the door.

With so few staffers, she scrambles to accommodate requests for days off; she has no replacement workers and lives in fear of a disgruntled employee quitting.

We have lots of jobs but nobody to fill them, Byrne said.

There are some notable exceptions to the trend. Nationwide, more 16- to 19-year-olds are working, a peak of student employment not seen since 2008.

At Hayground Camp, more than 190 jobs were swiftly filled, primarily by teenagers or college students, camp director Doug Weitz said. After a year of remote learning away from friends, he said, his staff members feel that camp jobs with peers are a welcome way to socialize.

Plus, Weitz added, We have an advantage: Very few of our staff members have to support a family.

The crisis has long been building, employers say, but this year it has been pushed to the extreme. With record low unemployment rates before the pandemic, Long Island has long had a dearth of workers, said Shital Patel, an economist with the state Department of Labor who focuses on the region. But this year, though the unemployment rate is over 5%, different factors are contributing to the shortfall.

Many people still remain nervous about the virus. They worry about bringing it home to their kids, Patel said. It is always hard to bring people back to work after being unemployed for so long.

Richard and Danielys Cadrouce, a brother and sister who live in Brooklyn, were excited to work at Almond this summer, eager to make up for the slump of last year when restaurant work in the city all but disappeared.

But after paying $1,000 each to keep renting their New York City apartment, as well as $120 a week each to share a room without air conditioning in a house near Almond, they said they were barely breaking even. They are considering quitting.

This isnt helping me achieve my dreams, Danielys Cadrouce, 24, said.

 2021 The New York Times Company
A lion is seen in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Cambodian authorities have confiscated a lion that was being illegally kept as a pet after it was seen being cuddled and bathed in social media videos.

Officials said a Chinese national had imported the animal and was raising it at a villa in the capital Phnom Penh.

They launched their investigation in April, after discovering footage of the 70kg (11st) lion on TikTok.

The 18-month-old animal was moved to a wildlife rescue centre.

Authorities have not announced whether the owner will face any legal action.

Environment ministry spokesman Neth Pheaktra told AFP news agency that images shared on TikTok showed the lion sitting on a driveway and being sprayed down with a hose as a young cub.

"People have no right to raise rare wildlife as pets," he said.

Animal rescue non-governmental organisation Wildlife Alliance wrote in a Facebook post that the "conditions at a residential home are inappropriate for a wild animal".

"In addition, the lion's canine teeth had been removed, along with its claws, which drastically reduces a lion's quality of life," it said.

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People have been taking refuge at cooling centres

A heatwave has hit large parts of the US Pacific Northwest and Canada, sending records tumbling.

The US National Weather Service has issued heat warnings for much of Washington and Oregon states. Parts of California and Idaho are also affected.

On Saturday temperatures in Seattle, Washington State, reached a 101F (38C), a record in the city for June.

Some cities have opened cooling centres, where residents can escape the heat in air-conditioned buildings.

The soaring temperatures are due to a dome of high pressure hovering over north-western United States and Canada.

Experts say climate change is expected to increase the frequency of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, however linking any single event to global warming is complicated.

As the climate changes, there could be an increase in the number of deaths from floods, storms and heatwaves, experts say.

The National Weather Service (NWS) said that even hotter temperatures were forecast for the coming days throughout the Pacific Northwest as well as parts of western Nevada and California.

Despite the warnings many people have been enjoying the sunshine, with lakes busy and pools running at full capacity.

Temperatures are expected to soar 20 - 30F above average in Washington and Oregon states.

"Residents are urged to avoid extended periods of time outdoors, stay hydrated and check on vulnerable family members/neighbours," the NWS said.

Shops have sold out of portable air conditioners and fans and a number of Covid vaccination drives have been cancelled.

The National Weather Service has warned of dangerous heat in the Pacific Northwest

The area normally sees mild weather and many people do not have air conditioning.

Oregon's health authority has removed Covid capacity limits at large venues with air conditioning such as cinemas and shopping malls in order for people to take shelter from the heat.

In Canada, British Columbia recorded the hottest temperature in the country on Saturday - 43.2C. Parts of Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories are under a heat warning.

The heat there is also expected to continue through the week with records expected to fall.
Even if you got your COVID-19 vaccine, you need to hear this: The new Delta variant of the virus, which is more dangerous and "more transmissible," is here in the USA and will soon account for rising cases, especially in certain parts of the country. In response, Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb appeared on Face the Nation today to deliver 5 essential pieces of advice that could save your life. Read on for all 5, including which parts of the USA are "more vulnerable"and to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss these Sure Signs You Have "Long" COVID and May Not Even Know It.

1 Virus Expert Warned These Parts of the USA Are "More Vulnerable"

A New Hampshire farmer sits on his tractor

If you live in an area where people are refusing vaccines, or have refused one yourself, consider yourself warned. "We have a population that also has a lot of immunity in it through both vaccination and prior infection, but there are social compartments in the U.S.both geographic and social compartmentswhere you have under-vaccination and you don't have a lot of immunity in the population," said Gottlieb. He said that "particularly in rural parts in the South, you're seeing what's happening in Missouri right now, where about 60% of the infections are the Delta variant. And so that's a reflection of the fact that you have parts of the United States where we don't have a lot of vaccination. And we also don't have a lot of prior infection, and those are going to be the more vulnerable parts of this country."

2 What You Should Expect From the Delta Rise

Two professional doctors in blue medical uniform standing in front of each other in hospital corridor and looking thoughtful

The spikes will be different than last year. "It's not going to be as pervasive," said Gottlieb. "We're going to see pockets of the country. It's going to be hyper-regionalized, but there's certain pockets of the country [where] we can have very dense outbreaks," he warned. "And if you remember back in the fall, when we had that epidemic in the Midwest, that really started the national epidemic, it occurred in states like WisconsinWisconsin lit up first, if you looked at what was happening, there was in rural communities where you saw the very dense outbreak, and then it started to spread out from there. I think as you look across the United States, if you're a community that has low vaccination rates, and you also think that there's low immunity from prior infection, so the virus really hasn't coursed through the local populationthose communities are vulnerable. So I think Governors need to be thinking about how they build out healthcare resources in areas of the country, where you still have a lot of vulnerability."

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3 The USA Situation Might Soon Resemble the Rising Cases in the UK

Ambulance at Piccadilly Circus at night

The UK has had a spike in cases and delayed it's reopening due to the Delta variant. "We're probably about a month or two behind the UK in terms of their experience with their variant," said Gottlieb. "They're seeing cases grow there. It's certainly not taking off at the same velocity that we've seen in past epidemics." Dr. Gottlieb says the Delta variant is infecting mostly unvaccinated people. "So they've had about 90,000 cases. They've had about a thousand hospitalizations. The vast majority are in people who are unvaccinatedonly 8% of people who've been fully vaccinated are among the hospitalized patients. And so you have a situation where you have a population that has more immunity, not just through vaccination, but also through a prior infection. So it's not having the same impact in terms of causing severe death and death and disease as it was during the last epidemic."

4 Virus Expert Warned of Symptoms of COVID That May Never Go Away

Woman experiencing stomach pain on the sofa at home

Before Gottlieb spoke, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson pleaded that people get vaccinated. Only 50% of his state was. How to convince more people to get vaccinated? "Well, there's certainly the benefits of vaccination in terms of just avoiding disease," said Gottlieb. "And we know that this can be a severe disease. We also know that there's more long term sequelae from having COVIDthere's more long term consequences. There was a study out of Norway just recently that looked at people who recovered from COVID and found that at six months, about 60% of people reported persistent symptoms, 37% reported problems with fatigue, 24% reported problems with memory. And what was startling about this study is it also showed that in younger populations and people 16- to 30-years old, about 50% also reported persistent symptoms. And in fact, the loss of smell, taste and smell was most persistent in the younger population. So COVID, isn't just an immediate illness. It's having sustained consequences."

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5 Virus Expert Said New Vaccine Solutions Were Needed

Woman getting COVID-19 vaccine shot.

Gottlieb praised "bespoke" vaccination efforts, like delivering them to people's homes. Get yours any way you can, and follow the public health fundamentals and help end this pandemic, no matter where you livewear a face mask that fits snugly and is double layered, don't travel, social distance, avoid large crowds, don't go indoors with people you're not sheltering with (especially in bars), practice good hand hygiene, get vaccinated when it becomes available to you, and to protect your life and the lives of others, don't visit any of these 35 Places You're Most Likely to Catch COVID.
Health / Wellness

Virtual Mid-America Institute on Aging and Wellness (MAIA)

This virtual event will provide practical tools and ground-breaking information on successful aging and wellness.

The University of Southern Indiana and SWIRCA & More are hosting the Virtual Mid-America Institute on Aging and Wellness (MAIA) on August 12 and 13. This online conference will provide practical tools and ground-breaking information on successful aging and wellness. This event will include multiple concurrent sessions each day! The four inspirartional keynote speakers will include: Louise Aronson, Kimberly Paul, Scherrie Keating, and Stephen Post. We hope to see you there!
Here are 10 activities to keep yourself, your kids and the whole family entertained for every mile of a long road trip.
(CNN) -- America is in a far better place now than it was six months ago in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic, with overall cases and deaths down, according to the latest data.

It shows that vaccines are effective, experts say, although they have some protection limitations when faced with more aggressive virus variants.

The Delta variant, which can spread more easily and cause even more severe disease than other strains, has been a major concern for health experts who are worried about those who remain unvaccinated.

That variant, first identified in India, has been found in 49 states and Washington, D.C., according to GISAID, an independent data sharing initiative, and the Hawaii Department of Health. South Dakota did not report cases of the variant as of Wednesday, a state health department spokesperson told CNN.

To be sure, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said there's a low chance people who are fully vaccinated may get infected with virus variants.

And any illness could be shorter or milder if one is fully vaccinated-- but the keyword is "fully" because a second shot is essential for optimal protection against variants.

"Please get your second shot," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Friday in an interview with the National Public Radio.

"What we do know is you get some protection from the first shot, but really that second shot gives you breadth and depth of vaccine coverage to really be able to tackle this Delta variant and other variants as well."

More than one in 10 people in the US who received one dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccine have missed their second dose, according to CDC data.

"If you missed your second within the time window, get it whenever, get it now, but do get that second shot," Walensky added.

In Los Angeles County, 99.8% of the 12,234 people who died from Covid-19 since December 2020 were unvaccinated, local health data shows.

"The virus is still with us," Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said at a news conference Thursday. "Even now, we need to be careful to mask and maintain distance from people outside of our households, especially if they're not yet vaccinated.''

President Joe Biden took note of the variant's dangerousness in remarks Thursday, warning that the variant is "now the most common variant in America."

"And unvaccinated people are incredibly vulnerable," he said, underscoring that the Delta variant is "more easily transmittable," and "potentially deadlier and especially dangerous to young people."

In the US overall, the Delta variant has accounted for about 21% of cases in the two weeks ending June 19, according to CDC data.

More than 151.6 million Americans are fully vaccinated, according to CDC data on Friday, which is nearly 45.7% of the total US population.

Nearly 65.8% of adults in America have had at least one dose of a vaccine as of Friday, according to the CDC. Biden's goal of 70% of adults with at least one dose by July 4 is all but likely to fall short, as officials are currently targeting mid-July.

Distribution of some antibody treatments are paused due to variants

It's not only the Delta variant that is complicating matters for health care providers.

The increase of cases due to the Gamma or P.1 variant first identified in Brazil, and the Beta or B.1.351 variant first identified in South Africa, are being cited as the reason for a pause in nationwide distribution of certain monoclonal antibody treatments from Eli Lilly, according to an announcement on Friday from the US Health and Human Services Department (HHS).

The monoclonal antibody treatment of etesevimab, as well as a combination treatment of etesevimab and bamlanivimab, don't work as well with the variants, according to the HHS statement.

In May, federal regulators had paused the distribution of these treatments to eight states where there were a high number of variant cases. Eli Lilly's single monoclonal antibody treatment bamlanivimab was put on pause in March. In April, the company had asked the FDA to revoke its emergency use authorization of the single antibody treatment, so it could focus on its combination treatment.

The Beta and Gamma variants now make up at least 11% of the cases in the US, and case numbers are increasing, according to CDC data.

Rare heart risk warning is added to 2 vaccine fact sheets

Meanwhile, the US Food and Drug Administration added a warning about the risk of the heart inflamations known as myocarditis and pericarditis to fact sheets for Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines Friday.

The warning notes that reports of adverse events following vaccination suggest increased risks of both types of inflammation, particularly after the second dose.

Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle and pericarditis is inflammation of tissue surrounding the heart.

Vaccine advisers to the CDC met Wednesday and said there is a likely association between the mRNA Covid-19 vaccines and rare cases of heart inflammation in adolescents and young adults.

However, the risk is rare: Following about 300 million administered doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines through June 11, the CDC has received roughly 1,200 preliminary reports of myocarditis and pericarditis.

Advisers urged that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks, and almost all the cases resolved with little treatment and patients recovered quickly.

The FDA is advising those who receive one of the two vaccines to seek immediate medical attention if they experience "chest pain, shortness of breath, or feelings of having a fast-beating, fluttering, or pounding heart after vaccination."

Both the FDA and CDC are monitoring reports of these adverse events and will follow up to assess longer-term outcomes, the FDA noted.

This story was first published on CNN.com "'Please get your second shot,' top health official urges as Delta variant remains a pressing threat".
(CNN) -- The tussle between Twitter and the Indian government just escalated to the next level.

India's technology minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad, said on Friday that he was denied access to his Twitter account for almost an hour.

"Friends! Something highly peculiar happened today," the minister said in one of the seven tweets he posted about the incident. "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."

Twitter confirmed that it had temporarily restricted access to Prasad's account and withheld one of his tweets.

"Per our copyright policy, we respond to valid copyright complaints sent to us by a copyright owner or their authorized representatives," a Twitter spokesperson told CNN Business.

According to Twitter's website, the company may respond to alleged copyright infringement by locking accounts if multiple complaints are received.

Tensions between Silicon Valley companies and the Indian government are already running high over strict new rules which tech companies fear will erode privacy, usher in mass surveillance and harm business in the world's fastest growing market. India says these rules will help maintain national security.

Prasad, who is a member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, did not specify which post of his was flagged, but he did say 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, have clearly ruffled its feathers."

He also posted the same statement on Koo, an Indian rival to Twitter that is touted by Modi and used enthusiastically by several officials and ministries in his government.

Prasad, who has 5 million followers on Twitter, added that the Silicon Valley giant has violated the new IT rules, which came into effect last month, because "they failed to provide me any prior notice before denying me access to my own account."

Twitter has been in a high-stakes standoff with the Indian government since the beginning of this year. In February, the company clashed with the tech ministry after it ordered accounts to be taken down during mass protests by farmers. Twitter ultimately complied with some requests but refused to take action against accounts of journalists, activists or politicians.

In May, police turned up at Twitter's office in New Delhi after the company decided to label a tweet from a spokesperson for Modi's ruling party as "manipulated media." Police said the routine visit was to get Twitter to cooperate with its investigation. The social media company blasted the move as "intimidation tactics" and said that it was "concerned" about the safety its employees in the country.

IT rules

India's new IT rules have only intensified the chill. They include demands that companies create special roles in India to keep them in compliance with local law, and for firms to stay in contact with law enforcement 24/7. They also require companies to trace the "first originator" of messages if asked by authorities, a requirement over which WhatsApp has sued the Indian government.

Twitter has said it has concerns about "core elements of the new IT Rules," and the "potential threat to freedom of speech" in the country. Prasad, on the other hand, has accused the company of taking the "path of deliberate defiance."

"Indian companies be it pharma, IT or others that go to do business in USA or in other foreign countries, voluntarily follow the local laws," the minister said on Twitter earlier in June. "Then why are platforms like Twitter showing reluctance in following Indian laws designed to give voice to the victims of abuse and misuse?"

After signaling its reservations with the new social media rules last month, the company has since said it remains "deeply committed" to India, which is among its largest markets in the world.

"We have assured the Government of India that Twitter is making every effort to comply with the new guidelines, and an overview on our progress has been duly shared," the company said in a statement in this month. "We will continue our constructive dialogue with the Indian government."

This story was first published on CNN.com "India's tech minister says Twitter locked him out of his account".
(CNN) -- Tesla began recalling more than 285,000 vehicles in China on Saturday over a safety risk concerning the vehicle's cruise control feature.

The cruise control system in certain models can be activated when drivers try to shift gears or accidentally touch the gear selector, resulting in accidental acceleration, according to China's State Administration for Market Regulation.

The recall includes 35,665 imported Model 3 vehicles and 249,855 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles made in Tesla's factory in Shanghai. Customers will not be required to return the vehicles. Instead, they will receive a free software update either remotely or in-person to resolve the issue.

Tesla apologized for the recall on Saturday in a statement posted on its official Weibo account, one of China's most popular social media sites. Tesla said it will keep improving in accordance with China's safety regulations.

"We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause to our car owners. In the meantime, Tesla will strictly follow national regulations and keep improving our safety protection, adamantly providing an excellent and safe driving experience to our customers," the automaker said.

China has proven to be a difficult market for Tesla. The company has had five Chinese regulatory agencies questioning the quality of its Shanghai-made Model 3 cars.

The electric car leader sold fewer than 26,000 cars in China in April, down 27% from March, according to figures released by the China Passenger Car Association. The drop came as Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers such as Nio (NIO), Xpeng, and Li Auto, all reported improved domestic sales.

This story was first published on CNN.com "Tesla recalls nearly 300,000 cars in China over cruise control safety issue".
(CNN) -- A few scattered human bones lay on the rocky ground, along with a broken skull and several half-burned identification cards.

That is all the villagers could find, six months after Ethiopian troops rounded up their loved ones and shot them at point-blank range, throwing the bodies off a rocky hillside deep in the mountains of central Tigray in Ethiopia.

An April 2021 CNN investigation, in collaboration with Amnesty International, examined video clips of the January massacre and used geolocation techniques to verify the video was filmed on a ridge near Mahibere Dego in January 2021. The investigation revealed at the time that at least 11 unarmed men were executed, and 39 others were unaccounted for.

CNN was sent the gruesome footage in March this year by a pro-Tigray media organization, the Tigrai Media House (TMH). TMH told CNN at the time that the video was filmed on a mobile phone by an Ethiopian army soldier turned whistleblower involved in the mass killing.

An additional longer video clip of the massacre has now been shared with CNN by TMH, revealing new details about the atrocity and the soldiers behind it.

CNN used geolocation techniques to determine the extended footage was also filmed at the ridge near Mahibere Dego. A voice at the end of the new clip identifies the Ethiopian soldier filming the video as "Fafi." He also reveals his military brigade and division.

In the extended video seen by CNN, Fafi swaps the phone with another soldier, takes the gun and shoots. The phone is then swapped back as others clamor to be filmed executing the captives, brazenly documenting their crimes.

This extended footage has all the hallmarks of a trophy video and yet -- despite the evidence -- the Ethiopian Prime Minister's Office dismissed the findings of CNN's original investigation saying, "social media posts and claims cannot be taken as evidence."

Six months after the attack, two people in Mahibere Dego told CNN they had collected the national identification cards of 36 people who were killed, but another 37 people remain missing, indicating the toll of the massacre could have been more than double what was initially reported.

CNN reached out to the Ethiopian government but it did not respond.

Ethiopia is under growing international pressure over a number of reported atrocities in its war-torn northern Tigray region that could amount to war crimes.

Thousands of civilians are believed to have been killed since early November, when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched a major military operation against the ruling Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), sending in national troops and militia fighters from Ethiopia's Amhara region.

CNN has previously compiled extensive eyewitness testimony that Ethiopian soldiers and soldiers from neighboring Eritrea were perpetrating massacres, extrajudicial killings, sexual violence and other abuses in the region.

Since January, families of the victims in Mahibere Dego say they have been unable to access the ridge due to the continued presence of Ethiopian troops in the area -- leaving them without a way to bury their loved ones.

But last Friday, the soldiers departed for nearby Axum, giving locals a long-awaited opportunity to search for any remains, according to nine people CNN interviewed who had visited the massacre site.

Over a period of days, family members of the victims filmed the church burials, documented evidence of bullet casings at the massacre site and took photographs of skeletal remains which they sent to CNN. We are not naming the family members who fear for their safety.

One family member told CNN that even while villagers were gathering up the remains of their loved ones, the area came under attack. Violence in Tigray has once again intensified in recent weeks after Tigrayan forces launched a renewed offensive last week.

Even after Ethiopian soldiers withdrew, the massacre site remained under attack.

"The soldiers from Axum started to bomb the area with artillery [fire] around 9-10 p.m. Everyone scattered and ran back home," the family member said.

But the villagers refused to stay away, he said, waiting a few days to come back at night to finish what they had started.

In images too graphic to publish, it's clear the remains were too decomposed to allow for identification of the victims -- for some there were only metal belt buckles. Families said they instead relied on items of clothing and ID cards to identify their relatives.

Villagers told CNN the continued presence of soldiers in the area was an attempt to hide evidence of the killings.

Images of bullet casings found by villagers as they scoured the area for their relatives' remains, were shared with CNN. An arms expert told CNN these would normally be used in light machine guns and assault rifles like those seen in the massacre video.

CNN used geolocation to verify that the video of the bullet casings was from the same massacre site.

CNN also obtained images taken on June 21 that show bones, charred remains, clothes and ID cards at site of the attack. Some of the clothes were also seen in the original video clips investigated by CNN.

Families brought the remains they could find to Mariam Megdelawit church, a few kilometers from the massacre site, for an emotional ceremony where they prayed for justice, and to heal their loss on June 21.

Video sent to CNN by family members of the victims show the bones of victims being carried into the service in large jute bags and placed together while crowds gathered in a circle around them to mourn and weep.

"The village couldn't wait any longer, [they were] saying 'we can't get peace unless we bury them,'" he said.

CNN geolocated the footage of the ceremony by matching it to satellite imagery of the area that showed the same church structure, vegetation layout, soil color and topography.

Sunlight in the footage indicates that the burials took place at approximately 9 a.m. This corresponded to the timings stored in metadata, which some of the footage retained.

Many of those targeted in the extrajudicial executions were young men of so-called "fighting age."

One of the young men executed in the massacre was 23-year-old Alula. His brother told CNN he discovered Alula's ID card amid the remains.

CNN first reported on Alula in April when his brothers discovered his fate while watching a TV report about the massacre. At the time, another one of Alula's brothers told CNN it was hard to accept.

Though the family says they have been unable to find his remains, Alula's ID card is enough, they say, to give them some closure.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "New video of Ethiopia massacre shows soldiers passing phone around to document their executions of unarmed men"
(CNN)  There could be a new princess in Disney's royal court.

Nearly two decades after Sarah Culberson discovered that her father was the chief of a village in Sierra Leone, the West Virginia native's life story could finally come to the big screen.

Culberson, who is biracial, was put up for adoption in 1976 at just a few months old, and was raised by a White family, the Culbersons, in Morgantown, West Virginia.

Her biological father, Joseph Konia Kposowa, is from Sierra Leone and is chief of the royal family of the Mende tribe in Bumpe, Sierra Leone, which makes Culberson a princess. Her biological mother was White.

The discovery "gave me a deeper sense osf my identity as being someone who operates and straddles two different worlds and cultures," Culberson told CNN. "Learning about my history in Sierra Leone, my family, community, country, that makes a huge part of who I am."

"A Princess Found," which Culberson co-wrote and was published in 2009, caught the attention of Disney executives 10 years later. And an all-Black female team is expected to produce the film, which is in the early development phase, according to the film's producer, Stephanie Allain. A Disney spokesperson also confirmed that it's in the early phase of development.

In 2020, Allain became the first Black woman to produce the Academy Awards ceremony. She's also the founder of Homegrown Pictures, "a film, television, and digital production company dedicated to creating content by and about women and people of color, with authentic stories, depictions, and representation," according to the company's website.

Disney signed a deal with Homegrown Pictures in 2019 to develop the movie, a Disney spokesperson told CNN.

April Quioh, a first generation Liberian American, is writing the film's script. Culberson will serve as an executive producer on the film to consult. Allain also said the team plans to hire a Black, female director.

Although Disney said the movie hasn't been green lit yet, Allain said she is hopeful that production of the film will begin next year.

"Disney+ is a great partner because they understand the value of representation, of a Black, African American princess. It's going to have a profound impact on the culture," Allain said. She added that this film has been, "10 years in the making. This story should be told and the time is now," since the book was published in 2009.

The journey in discovering her royal lineage

It wasn't until 2004, when Culberson was 28 and in graduate school that she hired a private investigator to look for her biological father.

"I wanted to know what it was like living in West Virginia as an African man with a White woman in the 1970s," and having a mixed child, she says.

Through the investigator, Culberson connected with her biological uncle who lived in Maryland. He told her news that would change the trajectory of her life.

"Sarah we are so happy you've been found, do you know who you are. You are part of the royal family. You can be chief someday, you are a princess in this country (Sierra Leone)," she recalls her uncle telling her.

Culberson, who was working as an actor and dancer at the time, couldn't believe it. "What? This isn't true," was her first thought.

In 2004, she went to Sierra Leone to visit her biological dad.

"It was this beautiful, beautiful homecoming," she recalls.

She was given a traditional green dress to wear by Chief Kposowa, which was also worn by the women in Bumpe when they welcomed her. Upon her arrival, the women in green dresses were singing "'we're preparing for Sarah' in Mende," Culberson recalls.

Hundreds of people surrounded and welcomed her, and the celebration included speeches, dancing and singing.

Culberson says her discovery gave her a deeper sense of her identity.

West Virginia was not racially diverse growing up.

"Where I lived there wasn't a lot of people of color. I was constantly looking for people who looked like me ... . Going in a room and looking for other people of color. I was also looking for that on television (too). I remember wanting to see more people of color on television ..., and wanting to have that representation."

Her adoptive parents tried to expose her to as much diversity as they could. Her adoptive father, Dr. Jim Culberson, was a professor at West Virginia University. The school had always been more diverse than the surrounding town, she says.

Finding the courage to keep searching

It took Culberson years to gather the courage to search for her biological dad because she was afraid of rejection.

"I had a family member on my birth mother's side who didn't want to meet me and she wasn't warm (to me)."

Culberson was 21 at the time. "It was really heartbreaking for me," she says.

But there was a happy ending with her biological father's acceptance years later.

When she meant him at 28, he asked for her forgiveness and told her he searched for her but didn't know how to find her after she was adopted.

Culberson hopes the film teaches all children, especially Black children, to explore their own lineage.

She hopes this film, "gives kids, especially Black kids, a deeper understating of their roots. Your history doesn't start with slavery, which is what our history books tell us (in school). We don't know a lot about where we (African American and Black people) come from, I have that direct connection, but a lot of people don't."

The "movie would be a wonderful way for kids to learn about culture, adoption, and the power and impact of forgiveness, and having people get to know about different cultures that we don't know about like Sierra Leone...the story would be about facing your fears," Culberson says.

Families united

Culberson says being a princess has brought her adopted and biological families together.

Since she discovered her royal lineage, she started a non-profit foundation called Sierra Leone Rising in 2006. The organization advocates for public health, education, and female empowerment after Sierra Leone faced an 11-year civil war that ended in 2002.

Culberson's advocacy work as a royal in Sierra Leone has not only brought her closer to her biological family, who she works with on the foundation, but it has brought her adopted and biological family together as well. "The connection between us has been beautiful," she explains.

Her adopted parents and siblings work with the foundation as well in Sierra Leone, and the Culbersons have visited country as well.

"The discovery of my royal lineage with the relationship with my (adopted) family has been really beautiful and that has a lot do with who my (adopted) parents are as people...It brought the family together."

Correction: A previous version of this story misspelled Stephanie Allain's name. It has been fixed.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Adopted biracial woman's royal roots turning into a real-life fairy tale."
Assistant manager Michelle Sonderup points out that Fullerton hasnt had a swimming pool for two years. The old pool closed in 2018. So the excitement within the community and its young people has been tremendous, she said.

Hiring lifeguards might be a problem nationally, but not in Fullerton. The pool has 23 employees, including 19 lifeguards. Wiseman described them as a great group of lifeguards.

She also praised the other staff members and city employees, who put a lot of work into the project.

The entire community chipped in and made the pool a success, Sonderup said.

A donation from First Bank & Trust of Fullerton keeps admission fees very reasonable this summer. The names of donors are listed on signs attached to the fence.

Parents of young children appreciate the pools zero depth entrance.

Swimmers hold on to transparent floating tubes as they meander along the lazy river.

The diving towers are 1 and 3 meters high. The old pool had two low diving boards.

The new pool is more than 12 feet deep, with five lanes 25 yards long. The old pool had a depth of 9 feet.
Once again, we find ourselves at a defining moment in our fight against this disease, he said, urging all to continue wearing masks and keeping a distance from others.

Let us call on every bit of strength we have, let us summon our reserves of courage, and hold firm until this wave, too, passes over us," a somber Ramaphosa said. "We have climbed many hills before, and we will climb this one, too.

South Africa's vaccination rate is slowly picking up speed. By Sunday, 2.7 million people had received a least one jab. More than 950,000 of South Africa's 1.25 million health care workers have been vaccinated, said Ramaphosa.

Deliveries of the Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer vaccines are increasing, he said. South Africa aims to vaccinate 67% of its 60 million people by February 2022.

As a new surge of the disease sweeps across Africa's 54 countries, about 1% of the continent's 1.3 billion people have received at least one vaccine dose, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

South Africa's rampant corruption has also become a factor as the health minister has stepped down because of reports his family members benefitted from inflated payments on contracts related to COVID-19.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
It grips your heart because its right in my neighborhood. To think an 18-year-old girl was missing from here was very emotional.  This (search) was just different. Because it was so close to home and because of the community it hit. The Amish live a very upright life. I think a lot of them dont know what goes on in the world.

Tim Hoerner, president of the Hand-in-Hand Fire Company in Bird-in-Hand, which was also involved in the early searches, also recalled the impact on the community. He recalled going to the Stoltzfoos home on Beechdale Road that Monday morning. Police were already there.

We were looking at it from, hopefully it was going to be a short-term search, he said.

As Hoerner and others created a command center, he said, tremendous numbers of people came out, wanting to help.

The Amish are very involved in the fire company. Neighbors and friends also turned out.

You almost cant believe it to see when you have 400 to 600 people turn up for a search. You better have a plan in place, he said, explaining the need for volunteer sign-ins, communications, food arrangements, debriefing and such.
The biggest reason he wanted Mr. Leger to have the medal, Officer Matson wrote, is the motivation that you gave me to push to get better. The day you walked into my room with your walker I thought, Man, thats one tough old man, which motivated me to push. And getting to talk to you reminded me that I took this job to be there for people like you. And for the first time in my career people like you (were here) to support me. So please accept this award for the impact the you had on my life.
The volunteer rescue group was called about 7:30 a.m. that Monday. Stauffer has been involved in a dozen searches in her 10 years with the organization, but never one so close to home: The Stoltzfoos home is about a mile and a half drive from hers, but she did not know the family before.

It grips your heart because its right in my neighborhood. To think an 18-year-old girl was missing from here was very emotional.  This (search) was just different. Because it was so close to home and because of the community it hit. The Amish live a very upright life. I think a lot of them dont know what goes on in the world.

Tim Hoerner, president of the Hand-in-Hand Fire Company in Bird-in-Hand, which was also involved in the early searches, also recalled the impact on the community. He recalled going to the Stoltzfoos home on Beechdale Road that Monday morning. Police were already there.

We were looking at it from, hopefully it was going to be a short-term search, he said.

As Hoerner and others created a command center, he said, tremendous numbers of people came out, wanting to help.

The Amish are very involved in the fire company. Neighbors and friends also turned out.
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.

Federal troops finally brought the news of emancipation to Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865, meeting resistance from plantation owners. This is the same year the Ku Klux Klan was founded. Nathan Bedford Forrest, a Confederate Army general and a Democrat, was the first grand wizard of the KKK, though he tried disbanding it in 1869 after growing critical of its excessive violence.

The Klan, which numbered 4 million members at its peak, dedicated itself as History.com notes, to an underground campaign of violence against Republican leaders and voters (both Black and white) in an effort to reverse the policies of Radical Reconstruction and restore white supremacy in the South.
When determining the final disposition, the only options Id consider would be ones that transform these statues into pieces of public art that actively undermine Lost Cause narratives. If no options exist that accomplish this, I believe it best to remove them from public view, Payne said.

I think we need to take this opportunity to use the public spaces in Market Street and Court Square parks to create new public art that tells a fundamentally different story than the story Confederate statues convey, he said.

Payne suggested Kehinde Wileys Rumors of War as an example of what this kind of public art could look like.

Wiley was commissioned by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts to create the statue as a response to the Confederate statues on Monument Avenue in Richmond. The statue is of a Black man in modern attire seated atop a horse in motion.

According to the VMFA website, the bronze sculpture commemorates African American youth lost to the social and political battles being waged throughout our nation.
By having the rest of the residential portions of the city fall under the General Residential, where there is some modest neighborhood scale density increases given as a by-right, it shifts, to some extent, the development pressure to other parts of the city, Mathon said.

Mathon said this would give people the ability to build a duplex or add accessory dwelling units, or split a large home into two or three interior units.

The goal is that if there is an additional intensity desired either by developers or by a neighborhood, then it allows for that, but again, if and only if, affordable housing is part of that. So it ties the concept of increased density specifically to the provision of affordable housing, Mathon said.

Mathon said the idea behind this is to recognize the inequities ingrained in the way the city is currently structured and zoned and how Black and low-income neighborhoods have been gentrified in the past and prevents that from happening again.
Most new laws approved earlier this year by the Virginia General Assembly go into effect on Thursday.

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
They tried. Oh, they tried. Republicans spent a decade bashing and voting to dismantle the Affordable Care Act. And what did they get for all their trouble? A 7-2 ruling by a conservative Supreme Court to uphold the health insurance program also known as Obamacare.

For that, Republicans should thank their lucky stars. There would have been unlovely consequences had they succeeded in killing a government program that secured health coverage for 23 million Americans.

Could it be that their attacks and thrusts to repeal the ACA were really just an act? Republicans passed several bills to do in the ACA during the Obama administration, resting assured that the former president would veto them.

After 2016, Republicans controlled the White House and both houses of Congress but still failed to deep-six the ACA. Republican John McCain famously stopped a serious repeal effort with his one vote in the Senate. Though pilloried for that, he had saved his party from having to deal with the inevitable fallout.

Targeting the ACA worked early on politically when the kinks were still being ironed out and the program was hard to explain. Once millions of Americans started experiencing the benefits, the tack turned to promises to put something better in its place.
Nearman, who police say let protesters inside the building, has argued the Capitol should be open.

But even Republicans, who are often opposed to Democratic initiatives on climate change and some other bills, said the crowd outside the Capitol that day was not made up of constituents who wanted to peacefully engage in the democratic process. Some were carrying guns.

In the House and Senate, where Democrats hold strong majorities, the GOP used slowing tactics  refusing to suspend the full reading of proposed bills aloud before a final vote, a maneuver that added hours to the passage of even simple bipartisan legislation  to thwart legislation they didnt like.

In response, hours worth of bills were read by computer rather than clerks.

For the past two years, Republican state senators staged walkouts to deny the chamber a quorum. During the debate over measures that ban guns from the Capitol and mandate the safe storage of guns, five Republican senators did not attend. However, six did. The GOP senators that attended have since faced death threats and recall petitions from their own party.

Guns were not the only topic that drew passionate statements from lawmakers this session  especially in a year with a deadly pandemic and racial awakening.
The sweltering heat that was forecast for Oregon and the Pacific Northwest this weekend was no false alarm. Temperatures climbed over 100 on Saturday and its predicted to get even hotter on Sunday. Weather forecaster said that it got at high as 103 degrees on Saturday, while Sunday is supposed to break 110.

The record-breaking heat had berry farmers scrambling to pick crops before they rot on the vine and fisheries managers working to keep endangered sockeye salmon safe from too-warm river water, according to an Associated Press report.

Portable air conditioners and fans sold out at many stores, some hospitals canceled outdoor vaccination clinics, cities opened cooling centers and utilities braced for possible power outages.

The heat led to the local farmers markets being closed an hour earlier, at noon instead of the usual 1 p.m., in both Albany and Corvallis. Numerous cooling stations were set up in local communities, and a new one was confirmed in Monroe at the yet-to-open Monroe Arts Association, located at 175 S. 5th St.

While that one will provide shade, snacks and hoses for people to cool off with, the misters that were supposed to be secured for the cooling center never came because of such high demand, said organizer Christine Wickstein.
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What happened in Denton after that first Juneteenth

Denton Public Library/UNT Libraries, The Portal to Texas History John Amus Clark and Maude Woods (Hembry) Clark, who lived in Quakertown, pose for a portrait in this undated photo. Courtesy photo/Denton County Museums Civic and fraternal organizations were commonplace in Quakertown before it was razed in the 1920s. These women, pictured around 1910, belonged to the House of Ruth, an African American womens organization that was active in Quakertown at the time. Courtesy photo/The Portal to Texas History A family is shown in Dentons Quakertown in this undated photo. Courtesy photo The Crawford Store in Quakertown is shown in this undated photo.

Dentons recent celebration of Juneteenth featured music, cookouts and a parade at Dentons Fred Moore Park. Juneteenth started in Texas on June 19, 1865, when Union Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston announcing that Texas estimated 250,000 slaves were free. The Juneteenth celebration that followed was pure jubilation.

Slavery died a slow death in Texas.

According to historian Henry Louis Gates Jr., not all slaves were freed immediately, or even soon. Most enslaved Black people were concentrated in plantations and farms near the Brazos River in East and South Texas. Owners reluctant to give up free labor waited to release slaves, or simply refused. Some African Americans who attempted to leave were killed.

Next steps for the newly freed Black people were uncertain. Many settled in enclaves, which were distinct cultural areas surrounded by white residents. Texas had many freedmen towns. Cities within cities offered residents safety, hope and empowerment.

A group of African Americans settled in the White Rock Lake area in Dallas. According to L.T. Lambert and the Rev. Willie Clark, 27 families dissatisfied with living conditions in Dallas moved to Denton in 1875, along present-day Wilson Street. They called their new home Freedman Town, a bow to Quaker abolitionists. The group included the Cochran, Crawford, Hall, Hembrey, Lambert, Lawson, Maddox and Russell families. They went into the woods to cut timber for Freedman Towns first church, Saint James African Methodist Episcopal.

According to researcher Chelsea Stallings, another Denton enclave, Peach Orchard, was a mile and a half northeast of Dentons Square on Mingo Road. Denton librarian Laura Douglas identified another small enclave on Congress and Egan streets.

But Quakertown was Dentons most vibrant enclave. In the 1870s, Freedman Town residents purchased land closer to jobs but still outside early Dentons city limits. Quakertown was a little larger than present-day Quakertown Park. Pecan Creek was a water source; its tendency to flood made it undesirable for white residents.

Newly freed Black people  who had been forbidden to learn to read and write by Texas slave owners  understood the importance of education. Quakertown became especially attractive when the Frederick Douglass School opened in 1878. That was what drew Henry and Mary Ellen Taylor to Quakertown from Decatur.

Quakertown grew to an estimated 300 residents in 80 families in a tidy, middle-class neighborhood where most residents owned their homes. It boasted Fred Crawfords Grocery, Anthony Goodells Buffalo Bayou Cafe, physician and dentist Dr. D.E. Moten, Bert Crawfords Mortuary, barbershops, churches, fraternal organizations and a community center. Life was good for the self-sufficient, close-knit community.

Trouble began in 1913 when the newly built Fred Douglass School burned suspiciously the night before it opened. City leaders rebuilt the school a mile south across railroad tracks.

The following year, Francis Marion Bralley, president of the College of Industrial Arts President (present-day Texas Womans University), called for the removal of Quakertown because of its proximity to the school. He received unanimous support from the Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club. By 1921, the city, aided by low voter turnout, passed a bond proposal to turn Quakertown into a city park. The city started moving Quakertown residents in 1921.

Racist sentiment following World War I was high. According to a timeline constructed by University of North Texas history students, Ku Klux Klan violence peaked in Denton in 1921, the same year violent mobs in Tulsa, Oklahoma, destroyed the Black community of Greenwood, killing hundreds of people.

Quakertown residents were not allowed to speak for themselves. Will Hill eventually dropped his lawsuit against the city amid threats. According to St. Emmanuel Baptist Church history, Pastor Scroggins, who was outspoken against the Black communitys forced removal, fled in the middle of the night.

The Black community was deeply harmed. Although many Quakertown families left Denton, most who stayed moved to Solomon Hill, a cow pasture southeast of Denton next to the citys open sewer. Churches were rebuilt, but Quakertown businesses didnt survive.

Residents of Southeast Denton wouldnt get paved roads, streetlights or trash pickup until the Denton Womens Interracial Fellowship shamed the city in the 1960s. The city park promised in the city bond election didnt materialize for many years because the land was flood-prone, but the land that was Quakertown became valuable city of Denton real estate.

Juneteenth began in Texas, but it spread to other parts of the country, where it was called Jubilee Day, Emancipation Day or Freedom Day. Juneteenth became a national public holiday on June 17, 2021.
We drove to the beach recently in an unfamiliar car. A Nissan Altima. I had picked it up at Enterprise, not far from the Memphis Airport, on a Friday evening. The mood was good, as it always is the day before we begin a week in Florida..

If you remembered I live in Little Rock, you may be wondering why I was renting a car at the Memphis airport. Where to begin. Lets see, a few years back I was walking down the yellow brick road

Wait, it wasnt that time. Oh yeah, now I remember. A few months back I was trying to get back to Little Rock from Austin on Southwest when the SW folks told us there was a problem and that we would be spending the night in Dallas and getting back to Little Rock the next day. To pacify us, and the other guy on the flight, they gave us each a $180 gift voucher on Southwest and put us up for a night in a hotel near the airport. Another man might have been angry; another man might have been hurt, another man might have asked for free drinks, I stuffed the vouchers in my shirt.

I said we would need two rooms as our daughter Alexis was traveling with us. To get back at me for that demand, Southwest put me in a room where the Philip Morris research team tries out all the new cigarettes for the coming year. When I got up the next morning I felt like I had about six weeks to live.
SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP)  The mayor of Surfside, Florida, said Saturday he is working on a plan to temporarily relocate residents of a condominium tower built by the same developer of the nearby building that collapsed earlier in the week.

But Mayor Charles Burkett said he was not yet prepared to order everyone in the building to evacuate.

Burkett had sought an emergency inspection of Champlain Towers North, which was constructed the same year and by the same developer as the crumbled 12-story Champlain Towers South. It sits about 100 yards (about 91 meters) away, along Collins Avenue, which runs parallel to the Atlantic Ocean north of downtown Miami.

Until then, Burkett had said, he couldn't tell residents whether theyre safe in their homes.

I know that the identical building collapsed for an inexplicable reason, Burkett said. Buildings in the United States do not just fall down... Something very, very wrong was going on at that building and we need to find out.

Asked what he would do if he lived in the collapsed buildings twin, Burkett said: Id be gone.
Q: Has Dothans First Baptist Church always been downtown?

A: The church has had three addresses, all near the center of Dothan.

According to the 1984 book The History of the First Baptist Church of Dothan, Alabama 1887-1983, a small group of Dothan men and women of the Baptist faith began in the early months of 1887 meeting for worship in homes and in the Methodist Church, which had been formed by 1879.

In November 1887, the group organized as the First Baptist Church of Dothan. James C. Skipper was its first pastor. The nine charter members were the Rev. and Mrs. James C. Skipper, Dr. and Mrs. I.W. Mendheim, Mr. and Mrs. George Smallwood, Mr. and Mrs. J.R. Keyton, and Mrs. Mary Clark.

George Smallwood donated a lot at 205 S. St. Andrews St. and in the summer of 1888 a rough, one-room church structure was erected at a cost of $420.

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On June 13, 1892, the church purchased a site for a new building on the southeast corner of Main and Oates streets.

In 1893, construction began under the supervision of H.H. Brown, a First Baptist member and local building contractor. The sanctuary of the Gothic brick building seated 500 and the choir loft 20.
SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP)  Rescue crews found another body in the rubble of a collapsed 12-story condominium tower near Miami on Saturday, raising the death toll to five as they raced to recover any survivors after fighting back fire and smoke deep inside the concrete and metal remains.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announced the heightened toll at an evening news briefing, saying the identification of three bodies had dropped the number of unaccounted for down to 156. She said crews also discovered other unspecified human remains.

The Miami-Dade Police Department later Saturday said four of the five deceased had been identified, along with the apartments where they were at the moment of the collapse. One of the was the mother of a boy who was rescued the night the building toppled, another couple in their late 70s and early 80s and a 54-year-old man.

Officials said remains they find are being sent to the medical examiner, and they are also gathering DNA samples from family members to help identify them.

Separately, a video posted online showed an official briefing families of missing loved ones. When he said they had found remains among the rubble, people began sobbing.
The initial reaction of the community was total shock, said Imam Abdul Rahman Bashir of the Islamic Association of Allen, where the familys funeral was held. Their reaction went from shock, grief to then concern about other families around them: Are they saying something that they cant hear? Is something out there that they cant see?"

"It definitely opened up the conversation for understanding what mental health is and the importance of mental well-being, he added.

Suicide is theologically proscribed under Islam, and Awaad while acknowledging that, takes a nuanced view on the issue, arguing that it's not up to people to judge. Contrary to what she's heard some say about people who took their own lives, she believes the deceased may receive prayers regardless of how they died.

We dont know the state of a person when they reach this point in their life, and we dont know their mental state in that moment," she said. "... Only God can judge on this.
A man receives food donation at a church in HCMC's Tan Binh District, which is given through a pipe to prevent direct contact, June 26, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran.

The Health Ministry confirmed 50 local Covid-19 cases Sunday morning, mostly in epicenter HCMC.

Of the new cases, 40 were recorded in HCMC, seven in its neighbor Long An and three in Bac Giang.

In HCMC, 18 cases had made contact with confirmed patients, one is associated with Trung Son Food Company in Binh Tan District, 18 are linked to the cluster in Tan Phu Trung Industrial Park in Cu Chi Disrict and three are being contact traced.

In Long An, six had contact with confirmed patients and one is linked to Dinsen garment company.

The cases in Bac Giang are contained within quarantine zones and locked down areas in the northern province.

Since the new wave broke out on April 27, Vietnam has recorded 11,995 infections in 48 of its 63 cities and provinces. Bac Giang led with 5,568 cases, followed by HCMC (3,058) and Bac Ninh (1,567).

The country has administered around 3.3 million Covid-19 vaccine shots, fully vaccinating 155,488 people with two shots.
HCMC accounted for 65 of the new cases, followed by Hung Yen (eight), Bac Giang (two) and Bac Kan (one).

In HCMC, 43 of the new cases had contact with Covid-19 patients, 19 are linked to a cluster at the Tan Phu Trung Industrial Park in Cu Chi District, one is related to a clothing store in District 1 and two others are being contact traced.

In Hung Yen, five cases had contact with Covid-19 patients and three are linked to a company in Yen My District.

Two cases in Bac Giang were detected in a quarantine zone and a locked down area.

The case in Bac Kan is that of a 40-year-old woman linked to the outbreak at the Quang Chau Industrial Park in Bac Giang.

In the new Covid-19 wave sweeping the country for two months now, Vietnam has recorded infections in 48 cities and provinces and 40 deaths.
"I didn't know that the market was going so crazy that they're asking so much over the asking price and the inventory is extremely low," Wingate said. "That was something I did not anticipate."

Home prices in the Austin metro area were up 42% in May compared to the same time last year -- the largest price jump of any large US metro area, according to Redfin. This spike in home prices has been caused, in part, by bidding wars. Redfin found that nearly three out of every four homes sold in Austin  72%  sold for above the asking price, with the average house commanding a 9% premium in May. Redfin highlighted that more than 1,500 homes have sold for at least $100,000 over the asking price in the Austin metro area so far this year. During this same time last year, that number was 22.

Clayton Bullock is an Austin native and a second-generation Realtor who has been working in the city and the surrounding area since 2003. He says Austin has "undergone a historic price reset. And I don't think we're ever going to go back to our previous prices."

Bullock says the spike in home prices has helped his business, but not as much as one might think.
Headlines:

-New factors including the delta variant and states ending federal unemployment benefits may impact possibility of a fourth stimulus check. (Full details)

-The debate over enhanced unemployment and "labor shortages," explained. (Full details)

-Workers in Indiana, Maryland and Texas are suing to keep their federal pandemic related unemployment benefits. Full details.

- US Dollar off to firm start as focus shifts to jobs data

- IRS prompts families to file taxes or, if eligible, use the Non-Filer tool ahead of Child Tax Payment date

- Biden walks back comments on infrastructure spending add-ons

- Ending Unemployment benefits costly and not having desired effect (full story)

- California Legislature prepares to pass the $262.2 billion spending plan

- Bipartisan infrastructure bill agreed and the inclusion of a fourth stimulus check (full details)

- Some non-profit organizations continue their push for an additional stimulus check (full details)

- Over half of states are ending federal unemployment benefits (full story)

- IRS has launched: Child Tax Credit Update Portal and Child Tax Credit Eligibility Assistant

- IRS has confirmed that the monthly Child Tax Credit payments will begin on 15 July (full story)

- Those who wish to opt out of Child Tax Credit monthly payments before they start have until 11:59 ET, 28 June

- $10 billion fund for homeowner stimulus checks (how to apply)

- You can track your third stimulus check by using the IRS' online Get My Payment tool

Have a read of some of our related news articles:
(Source: Xinhua)

On the morning of June 24, 2021, Wang Yi, State Councilor and Foreign Minister of China, invited over a hundred diplomats and representatives of international organizations on a tour to the exhibition featuring the history of the CPC in the theme of staying true to the Partys original aspiration and its founding mission.

Wang Yi said that to understand China, one has to first understand the Communist Party of China, and to study the history of New China, one betters starts with the history of the CPC as without it, the Peoples Republic of China wouldnt take shape, and without the CPC, the great undertakings of socialism with Chinese characteristics wouldnt achieve such great success. Theres no party in the world that is like the Communist Party of China who always adheres to its founding mission of struggling for the happiness of the its people and the rejuvenation of the country. The CPC has stayed true to such noble mission for a hundred years. And there is no political party in the world thats like the CPC, who is forever committed to exploring a revolutionary and development path fitting Chinas own conditions. For a hundred years, the CPC has fought one generation after another for the betterment of its people. No political party in the world is like the CPC who stays closely together and weathers through storms with the people for a hundred years. Theres no other party in the world thats like the CPC, who pays such high attention to party building and dares to challenge itself, and for a hundred years the CPC has maintained its strength and vitality no matter how the times change.

Wang Yi quoted from General Secretary Xi Jinping and said, as we march ahead, we should never forget the journey we have traveled. The exhibition introduces the extraordinary journey the CPC has walked over the past one hundred years, and it demonstrates the historical, theoretical and social rationale behind Chinas development over a century. Wang hoped that visitors to the exhibition could feel more strongly why history and the Chinese people had chosen the CPC, the socialist path with Chinese characteristics and the independent foreign policy of peace.

The Communist Party of China is a political party striving for the cause of human progress, said Wang Yi, Standing at a new starting point in history, China will work with all countries in the world and fight tirelessly for a community of shared future for mankind.

More than one hundred foreign envoys and representatives of international organizations in China toured the exhibition. They listened carefully to the introductions and saw the precious artifacts, pictures, and models that reproduced the glorious history of the Chinese Communist Party in the past century, and they kept nodding their heads in praise during the tour. The envoys congratulated the CPC on its 100th anniversary, spoke highly of its extraordinary achievements and expressed their sincere desire to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the CPC and further develop relations with China. The envoys said that the ruling philosophy and experience of the Communist Party of China in governance are worth learning from. It is believed that under the strong leadership of the CPC, China will realize its second centenary goal and make new and greater contributions to world peace and development, and to the great cause of human progress.

Military attaches and commercial counsellors of foreign embassies to China also toured the exhibition with Wang Yi.

[ Editor: Liu Jiaming ]
Photo taken on June 26, 2021 shows the view of the International Forest of Friendship in Chaoyang Park, Beijing, capital of China. (Xinyuan Wang/Guangming Picture)

The International Forest of Friendship in Chaoyang Park, Beijing, Chinas capital city, is a living memorial to international honourees who have contributed to national independence and world peace. The forest was established in the 90s under the guidance of Chinas central government and Beijing municipal government.

In the past decades, 23 statues of international heroes from 20 countries made by Mr. Yuan Xikun, a world renowned artist, as well as the curator of Beijing Jintai Museum, were emplaced there as a witness of the past, present and future of all mankind.

Photo taken on June 26, 2021 shows the Statue of Mahatma Gandhi, an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, at the International Forest of Friendship, Chaoyang Park, Beijing, capital of China. (Xinyuan Wang/Guangming Picture)

The Forest has long provided a platform for in-depth international communication and cultural exchanges between multiple civilizations in memory of the victories and sacrifices that gained equality and respect we share today.

Photo taken on June 26, 2021 shows the statue named Soviet Eagle Pilot, built in commemoration of 70th anniversary of anti-fascism victory, at the International Forest of Friendship, Chaoyang Park, Beijing, capital of China. (Xinyuan Wang/Guangming Picture)

Annual social events are organised there each year with joint efforts of Beijing Jintai Museum and various embassies in Beijing, including Russia, Cuba, India, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Uruguay, etc., in honour of the national heroes who fought the fight to bring independence to their country and people, while contributing to the shared future of the world.

History teaches us that multilateralism, equality, and justice can keep war and conflict at bay, while unilateralism and power politics will inflate dispute and confrontation. Remembering the words of Chinese President Xi Jinping during his speech at the BRICS summit last year, the Forest presents past lessons and future hope of the international community.

Photo taken on June 26, 2021 shows the statue of Jose de San Martin, the prime leader of the southern and central parts of South Americas successful struggle for independence, at the International Forest of Friendship, Chaoyang Park, Beijing, capital of China. (Xinyuan Wang/Guangming Picture)

The world is undergoing rapid and unprecedented change unseen in a century. However, peace and development remain the theme of our time, and mutually beneficial cooperation for common development remains the way forward. Since the Covid-19 outbreak, the growing importance of building a community with a shared future for mankind is constantly recognised by the global family.

Like President Xi once said, China will continue to be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order. Along the way, cooperation from all sides are needed upon international development as the common wellbeing of humanity continuously improved in the construction of a global community of shared future.

[ Editor: WXY ]
Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said on Saturday Egypt hopes that the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) behaves in a way that enhances Egyptian and Sudanese efforts to reach a legally binding deal over the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Shoukry said in remarks to Kelma Akhira TV program on ON E that Egypt will have exhausted all peaceful means if Ethiopia does not abide by the UNSC reaction on the GERD issue.

Egypt and Sudan have recently sent two separate letters to the UNSC urging the international body to intervene by holding an emergency session.

They urged the UNSC to dissuade Ethiopia from proceeding with filling the dam without reaching a legal deal with downstream countries.

The letters were sent after rounds of African Union-sponsored talks to resolve the dispute reached a deadlock, with Egypt and Sudan blaming the negotiations collapse on Ethiopian intransigence.

Shoukry affirmed that the UNSC would be the last option available within the diplomatic framework.

In case we do not reach an agreement after all these efforts, we will have exhausted all the peaceful means and the extent of intransigence and absence of political will from the Ethiopian side as well as the extent of flexibility by Egypt and Sudan would be revealed to the international community, Shoukry said.

On the possible date of a UNSC session on the issue, Shoukry said the council would have empty days during the second week of July.

Ethiopia also sent a letter to the UNSC, accusing Egypt and Sudan of squandering the efforts made by DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi, who chairs the African Union, and unduly prolonging the process.

Commenting on the letter, Shoukry said the accusations in the Ethiopian letter are all claims and attempts to evade responsibility and blame others to cover the reality of the Ethiopian side.

The top Egyptian diplomat also spoke about the restoration of relations with Doha following the Al-Ula agreement for Arab reconciliation that ended the three year rift between Qatar and the Gulf countries.

He said Egypt and Qatar are currently keen that relations return to normal

Most of the issues that were pending and the impurities that had occurred in the relations during the boycott years, were finished, according to the decisions of the Al-Ula statement, Shoukry said.

On resolving the strained relations with Turkey, Shoukry said the negotiations between the two countries are still in the exploratory phase.

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Cairo Appeals Prison witnessed the execution of nine people on Sunday, a statement by the Egyptian Prisons Authority said.

The executed defendants, including a woman, were convicted in criminal cases of murder and theft, the statement added without giving further details.

"The families of the deceased were informed of the timing of the executions and were told that in case they refuse to receive their bodies the state will bury them and will pay for the expenses of the burial," an informed source told Ahram Online.

According to the Egyptian penal code the government covers the expenses for the burial, unless the convicts relatives wish to do themselves without any ceremony.

Egypt has witnessed an increase in recorded executions in the past years from 32 in 2019 to 107 in 2020, according to Amnesty International.

In 2021, at least 50 men and women were executed, including nine in Gizas Kerdasa police station case, in which several policemen were killed in 2013, and one monk for killing Bishop Epiphanius, the head of Abu Makar Monastery in the summer of 2018.

Egypt has been adopting tough policies against crime, sabotage and terrorism since 2014 in an attempt to restore security and stability after years of turmoil following the 25 January 2011 uprising.

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Egypt on Sunday handed over the management, operation and maintenance of its Cairo Metros third line to French transport firm RTP Dev, in a move aimed to provide better transport services for Egyptian citizens.

The French company is taking over from Egypts National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) under a 15-year contract worth of 1.1 billion-euro ($1.4-billion).

Speaking at a hand-over event, Egypts Transport Minister Kamel El-Wazir said the long-term cooperation will help provide a distinguished service to the Metros passengers and bring in foreign expertise in the field of management, operation and maintenance.

The move is also aimed to achieve optimal utilization of the assets of the third line to achieve the highest revenues, he added.

The third metro line links eastern and western Cairo and running from Cairo University passing through Imbaba, Abbasiya and Adly Mansour metro stations.

RATP Dev will train the Egyptian workers, who will constitute not less than 90% of the management staff, a statement by the Ministry of Transport said.

El-Wazir said the ministry will have the exclusive right to determine the price of the ticket, the French company has no role in this regard.

The French company RATP Dev  a subsidiary of RATP, or Regie Autonome des Transports Parisiens  is the transportation operator for Paris and operates in 13 countries in America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

As the world's fourth-largest urban transportation operator, RATP Group runs and maintains tens of thousands of kilometres of underground metros, bus, tram, and urban or intercity rail lines around the globe.

RATP Dev also signed an agreement for the operation and maintenance of the 10th of Ramadan - New Administrative Capital Citys electric Light Rail Transit (LRT) for a period of 15 years, renewable for five more years.

The LRT system in Egypt is scheduled to begin operations in October 2021. It will connect with the third line of the Cairo underground network at Adly Mansour station, and link Cairo, Obour, Shorouk, Mostaqbal, Badr and 10 Ramadan city with the New Capital via the 16 stops along its 100km length.

French Ambassador to Egypt Stephane Romatet and the Chairwoman of the RATP Dev Executive Board Laurence Batlle attended Sundays event.

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Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has expressed Cairo's full support for restoration of security, stability and unity in Iraq, lauding the "central" role the Asian country plays in the region.

In a meeting with Iraq's parliament speaker Mohamed Al-Halbousi in Baghdad on Sunday, El-Sisi said "Iraq plays a central role in the region based on an extended history and civilization," noting that Cairo is keen on promoting the bilateral ties in all fields, particularly at parliamentary level.

The Egyptian president also expressed Cairo's keenness on enhancing Iraq's role in the Arab region, vowing to provide the Iraqi people with "full" support in all fields at the bilateral level or through a tripartite cooperation involving Iraq, Egypt and Jordan.

Al-Halbousi, on his part, welcomed El-Sisi, describing his visit as "historic", pointing to what it could contribute to creating broad prospects of the bilateral cooperation.

He also hailed Egypt's role in maintaining the security and stability of Iraq and the whole Arab region, voicing his country's hope to develop the relations between the two countries, especially at the parliamentary level.

President El-Sisi arrived in the Iraqi capital earlier on Sunday on the first visit by an Egyptian leader to the conflict-torn country in nearly three decades.

Upon his arrival, El-Sisi held meetings with Iraq's President Barham Salih and Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi.

He is also set to meet with Al-Kadhimi and Jordan's King Abdullah II in a trilateral summit later in the day, which will be the fourth round of talks between the three countries. The summit aims to promote cooperation mechanisms and reinforce political consultation on regional issues.

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Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi stressed at a summit with the leaders of Iraq and Jordan the need of maintaining coordination and consultation to address perils that pose threat to the region, particularly amid regional interferences that target the Arab national security.

"The talks are a good opportunity to continue consultation and coordination on the region's main issues amid the consecutive regional and global developments," El-Sisi told the summit, which is attended by Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, and Jordan's King Abdullah II.

The perils of terrorism and radical ideologies are still present, a matter that necessitate exerting joint efforts to defeat them, he said, praising Iraqs victories against terrorism.

The Egyptian leader called for embarking on carrying out a package of ventures agreed upon between the three nations in embodiment of current cooperation ties between them.

"My presence here today embodies the strong relations between our countries and peoples, and our keenness to support and develop these relations towards broader prospects that ensure the unity of objective and destiny as well as fulfill our joint interests," he noted.

He expressed his hope that the summit will build on what was achieved during the previous summits to establish a new era of strategic partnership and close cooperation to achieve sustainable development and contribute to supporting the Arab national security.

El-Sisi said Cairo will put its capabilities to support both Asian countries in confronting the coronavirus pandemic.

El-Sisi arrived in the Iraqi capital earlier on Sunday on the first visit by an Egyptian leader to the conflict-torn country in nearly three decades.

Sunday's trilateral summit is the fourth round of talks between the three countries as the trilogy aims to promote cooperation mechanisms and reinforce political consultation on regional issues,

The first trilateral summit was held in Cairo in March 2019, with the second summit held in New York in September of the same year. The third was held in Amman in August 2020.

The past summits saw an exchange of views between the leaders of the three countries on crucial regional issues and common security challenges, as well as means to restore stability in the region.

Arab water rights

El-Sisi voiced his appreciation to both countries' "supportive" stances on Egypt's water rights, in reference to the dispute caused by the controversial dam Addis Ababa is building on a main tributary of the Nile River.

El-Sisi said Egypt's water rights are "closely" connected to Arab national security and form part of Arab water rights in general, voicing Egypt's support to the water rights of Iraq and Jordan as well.

"Egypt supports the water rights of Iraq and Jordan in the face of challenges both are confronting and deem Arab water a fundamental component of Arab national security, a matter that requires coordination and cooperation between us to preserve them," he stressed.

Libya's stability vs foreign forces

As for Libya, El-Sisi said Egypt is seeking to secure a political settlement based on the outcomes of the Berlin Summit, the Cairo Declaration and international resolutions .

"We, however, assert the difficulty of achieving the desired stability without ending all foreign interference in Libya, and pulling out foreign forces and mercenaries, with the need to continue to respect the ceasefire, leading to the Libyan elections next December."

Egypt has been pushing for a political settlement in Libya for years, calling for a ceasefire, a complete disarming of militias, an end to foreign intervention in the country, as well as a fair distribution of wealth between various regions in the country.

A new Libyan unified interim executive authority was selected in February with the assistance of a United Nations-mediated process that brought together various delegates from Libya's warring factions.

It comprises four leaders to guide the oil-rich country through to national elections in December, with Mohamed Menfi chosen to head a three-man Presidency Council and Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah as interim prime minister.

Libya's parliament voted in March to back the unity government, proposed by Dbeibah, in an attempt to end the chaos that beset the North African country after the NATO-backed uprising that ousted long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

On Syria, he reaffirmed the necessity of reaching a political solution for the Syrian in which the military operations and foreign interventions come to end and the aspirations of Syrian people are achieved.

"I reaffirm our stance that the Syrian issue cannot be settled militarily," he assured.

Egypt supports settlement efforts within the framework of Geneva process and under Security Council Resolution 2254 and the efforts of the UN envoy, he noted.

Arab's central cause

Regarding the Palestinian cause, El-Sisi said Egypt is supporting the "Arab's "central cause" by firming up the Egypt-sponsored ceasefire with Israel and reviving peace efforts anew.

In May, Egypt mediated a ceasefire deal between Israel and the Palestinian factions to end an 11-day military operation in the Gaza Strip, which claimed tens of Palestinian lives and injured hundreds.

The Egyptian president said the previous months witnessed momentum related to the Palestinian issues, which included Egyptian efforts to mediate talks between Palestinian factions to bring about reconciliation.

Egypt has been in talks with regional and international sides to revive the long-frozen talks between the Palestinian and Israeli sides based on the international resolutions, the Arab Peace Initiative and the two-state solution with the aim of establishing an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 border, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

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The CICA Executive Director said that Egypt could become an effective bridge of connectivity between Asia and Africa, amid growing global interest in Africa and its growing economy. Cairo is a unique Afro-Asian state that plays a key role in important international events, including the UN General Assembly, the China-Africa Forum, Russia-Africa and Japan-Africa summits. Egypt's successful presidency of the African Union, which ended in February 2020, has strengthened the country's international profile.

President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has a special role to play in fostering collective work to address the regional challenges of the Middle East and North Africa today, he told Ahram newspaper in an interview. .

Security and stability

AO: The Forum will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2022. What is CICA like today? Do you think that the conference has achieved its goals?

The initiative to convene the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) was put forward by first president of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev at the 47th session of the UN General Assembly on October 5, 1992. On one hand, this initiative was based on a thorough analysis of a number of effective multilateral security systems development in various parts of the world. On the other hand, it was a reflection of foresight of global growth of Asias role in the 21st century.

The need to coordinate efforts on security and stability of the Asian mega-region and profound confidence in President Nursultan Nazarbayev on the part of political leaders and statesmen made it possible for the Asian countries to support the establishment of the Forum. The Declaration on the Principles Guiding Relations between the CICA Member States was adopted in 1999, whereas the Almaty Act, which serves as the Statute of the forum was adopted at the first CICA Summit in 2002. It is no coincidence that the Declaration of the Fifth CICA Summit in Dushanbe expresses deep appreciation to the First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev for his significant contribution to the CICA process as its Founder.

Today, the Forum brings together 27 Asian states that cover more than 90 percent of the continent, from the Pacific to the Mediterranean Sea and from the Urals to the Indian Ocean, home to more than half of the world's population. The CICA Member States account for over 50% of world GDP and generate two-thirds of global economic growth.

The CICA has come a long way from a concept to an effective Forum for implementation of confidence building measures and cooperation towards a common and indivisible security area in Asia.

Strengthening security

AO: There are a number of international organizations in the continent that focus on security and cooperation issues. What is unique about CICA? What are the most important features of this interest and what distinguishes CICA from other international organizations in Asia?

The uniqueness of CICA is in the promotion of common, comprehensive, cooperative, sustainable, indivisible, and equal security. Today it is obvious that we cannot talk about the security of each specific country separately; it is also impossible to separate security issues in each specific dimension. In this regard, adherence to the norms of international law, primarily the UN Charter, the principles of multilateralism and inclusiveness is in demand as never before.

The CICA philosophy is to incrementally expand the areas of interaction, which 27 Member States define by consensus and all the activities within the Forum have a voluntary nature. I believe that this concept significantly distinguishes CICA from other regional structures, where the decisions are mandatory and agenda is often focused on narrower matters or has a smaller geographical coverage.

The Catalogue of Confidence Building Measures, which plays an instrumental role in fulfilling the potential of CICA, identifies areas and specific measures in five dimensions: military-political, economic, environmental, human dimension and new challenges and threats. Through interaction on confidence building measures, the Member States establish cooperation that leads to an increased security levels - the most important condition for development.

In the context of globalization, a well-coordinated system of international structures dealing with various tasks at the sub-regional, regional, and global levels is of key importance. CICA does not compete with anyone under any circumstances - we stand for enhancing synergy between organizations towards achievement of common goals of ensuring security.

7 Arab states

AO: Naturally, the Forum covers 90 percent of the Asian continent; it has a huge diversity of nations, religions, and cultures. What is the role of the Arab world in CICA process?

The diversity of political systems, economies, and cultures of the CICA Member States is an important asset of the Forum. We rely on creativity and innovation to develop new approaches to enhance pan-Asian security that is acceptable to all Member States.

Today, the Forum includes seven Arabic-speaking Member States, including Egypt, which participate in the CICA process from the very beginning in the 90s. Undoubtedly, the representatives of the Arab world significantly enrich the agenda of the Forum  thanks to their support and active participation, CICA strengthens the ties of the Arab world with other sub-regions of Asia.

CICA meets the demand for connectivity in a broad sense. Where else can Cambodia and Bahrain or Jordan and Sri Lanka exchange development experience or interact to fight against the threats?! For Kazakhstan as well as for Russia, it is very important to develop the concept of Greater Eurasia within the CICA framework. The Chinese Chairmanship in 2014-2018 held several CICA events related to the Belt and Road megaproject.

Establishing teamwork

AO: How do you assess the role of Egypt and the President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in supporting the work of the CICA?

I believe that Egypt could become an effective connectivity bridge between Asia and Africa due to the increased global interest in Africa and its growing economy. Cairo is a unique Afro-Asian state that plays a key role in important international events, including the UN General Assembly, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the Russia-Africa Summit, and the Tokyo International Conference for African Development. Egypt was a successful Chair of the African Union until February 2020, which strengthened the countrys international profile.

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi plays a special role in organizing collective work and addressing the regional challenges of the Middle East and North Africa today.

It is also important to note Egypts contribution to the development of interaction between the CICA Member States. For example, Egypt successfully held meetings of the Special Working Group and Senior Officials Committee in sunny Sharm El Sheikh in March 2016. We hope that Cairo will further participate in the development of the CICA process and look forward to the constructive approach of the Egyptian side in preparations to the CICA Ministerial Meeting that is scheduled for autumn 2021 and the Sixth Summit in 2022.

Chairmanship of Kazakhstan

AO: The Chairmanship of the Forum was transferred to Kazakhstan in 2020. What are the priorities of Kazakhstan at this post?

The Chairmanship of Kazakhstan has proposed a rich agenda of its priorities in CICA. Several main clusters have been identified, and first of all, it concerns further institutional development of the Forum.

Thus, the Member States welcomed the initiative to establish the Council of Eminent Persons. We hope that the Regulations of the Council will be approved at the 6th Ministerial Meeting this autumn.

Another initiative of the Chairmanship of Kazakhstan  the creation of a permanent platform for the CICA Think Tanks Forum  has been practically implemented, but it requires a logical conclusion. At a meeting in December last year, the Senior Officials Committee has already decided to run this important platform on regular basis  CICA Track II, and the Special Working Group is working to agree on the relevant draft Regulations.

In addition, Kazakhstan as the Chair initiated the establishment of the CICA Fund to finance joint projects, including the official development assistance or the fight against pandemic consequences.

The Member States supported the very important priority of the Chairmanship - update of the CICA Catalogue of Confidence Building Measures. There is a high probability that the work on this important document will be completed very shortly. We can already say that many new global phenomena will be reflected in the updated Catalogue, including countering threats in the field of information and communication technologies, cooperation in the field of epidemiological safety, gender aspects in the human dimension.

AO: What is your vision of CICA in the future?

Today, CICA is a recognizable and reputable forum, an effective platform for strengthening the pan-Asian security architecture, and its activities are of keen interest in Asia and beyond.

The time has come to launch a gradual transformation of CICA into a full-fledged international organization for regional security. All the necessary conditions have been created for this step, a legal framework has been developed, and its permanent structures are in place.

The growing role of Asian states in the global economy and international affairs makes it necessary to adapt our Forum to new realities, increase the international standing of CICA and strengthen its capacity for a higher degree of interaction to ensure security and development on a continental and global scale.

The Chairmanship of Kazakhstan intends to hold structural discussions at all levels among the Member States on the goals and methods of transformation in order to preserve the unique experience accumulated over 30 years of our development, on the one hand, and to determine the prospects of the pan-Asian security, on the other.

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Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi and King Abullah II of Jordan discussed on Sunday means to enhance economic and commercial cooperation and investments among the three countries.

This comes as the three leaders held a tripartite summit in Baghdad, the fourth round of talks between the three countries to promote cooperation mechanisms and reinforce political consultation on regional issues.

Enhancing the trilateral ties aims to establish a new stage of strategic integration among the three countries that is based on joint developmental goals undergirded by firm historic and social ties, a statement by the Egyptian Presidency said.

The leaders also discussed intensifying consultation and coordination among the three countries on important regional issues, in light of successive international and regional developments.

These developments require cooperation among the three countries so that they can face the joint challenges and dangers, the statement read, especially amid the regional interference that threatens Arab national security.

They also agreed on the need to continue cooperating in the fight against terrorism and extremist thought.

El-Sisi, during the summit, affirmed Egypts keenness to protect Arab water security and welcomed Jordanian and Iraqi support for the Egyptian position on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) issue.

The GERD issue is a top priority for Egyptian policy as it poses a direct threat to all aspects of Egyptian national security, the statement read.

El-Sisi underscored Egypts unwavering stance on the necessity of reaching a legally binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam.

During the summit, the leaders discussed a number of regional issues of mutual concern, especially developments in the Palestinian cause.

They reiterated support to the Palestinian people to obtain their legitimate rights, including the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in accordance with the relevant international resolutions.

The leaders also hailed the recent Egyptian efforts that led to the de-escalation and declaration of ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as well the Egyptian initiative for the reconstruction of the strip.

This comes over a month after Israel and Palestinian factions agreed on an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire in Gaza. The ceasefire ended 11 days of Israeli airstrikes that killed more than 250 and injured thousands of Palestinians in the enclave.

El-Sisi affirmed the need for concerted efforts among the nations of the Arab world and the Middle East to address the challenges facing the region and restore stability.

The three leaders agreed on intensified efforts to reach a comprehensive political settlement within the framework of preserving the unity, independence and territorial integrity of the countries of the region.

El-Sisi voiced support for the implementation of strategic projects in cooperation with Jordan and Iraq, especially on the political and security levels.

This affirms the keenness of the three countries to maintain the momentum of cooperation, El-Sisi said, amid their awareness of the current circumstances due to the coronavirus pandemic and its economic implications.

El-Sisi also held a separate meeting with King Abdullah II, during which the president expressed his aspiration to continue the ongoing coordination between the two countries on the bilateral level and the trilateral level with Iraq.

El-Sisi also affirmed Egypts support to the development path in Jordan led by King Abdullah and to the procedures the king takes to preserve the security and stability of the kingdom, a separate statement by the Presidency read.

El-Sisi voiced Egypts full solidarity with Jordan, noting that Jordans security is an inseparable part of the Egyptian national security.

They discussed cooperation between Egypt and Jordan especially in energy files, counter-terrorism and reviewed means to increase trade exchange between the two countries.

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Iraqi President Barham Salih affirmed his countrys aspiration to benefit from the successful Egyptian experience in implementing development projects and comprehensive economic reforms as part of reconstruction efforts in Iraq.

Salihs remarks came as he participated in a tripartite meeting in Baghdad along with Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi and King Abdullah II of Jordan.

Salih also affirmed Iraqs keenness to benefit from Egypts tireless efforts in countering terrorism and extremism, especially through intensifying coordination and communication between the relevant institutions of both countries, a statement by the Egyptian Presidency read.

El-Sisi voiced Egypts keenness to establish a new phase of constructive cooperation on the bilateral level with Iraq and on the trilateral level with both Iraq and Jordan.

The Egyptian president urged the three countries to expand the horizon of strategic partnership, especially within a sustainable framework of economic integrity and strategic cooperation.

This comes amid the joint challenges facing the three countries, the statement added.

Salih voiced his countrys keenness to boost cooperation with Egypt to the level of strategic partnership to support the interests of their peoples and as a cornerstone for preserving security and stability in the region and for restoring the regional balance.

El-Sisi arrived in the Iraqi capital on Sunday, which is the first visit by an Egyptian leader to the conflict-torn country in nearly three decades.

He also held a summit with Al-Kadhimi and King Abdullah II, the fourth round of talks between the three countries to promote cooperation mechanisms and reinforce political consultation on regional issues.

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Health Minister Hala Zayed in a cabinet meeting Sunday said Egypt is scheduled to receive 1.9 million coronavirus vaccine doses through the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) in July.

Attending the meeting, chairman of the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) Tamer Essam also confirmed the country will receive the contracted 20 million doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine by the end of the year.

Earlier this month, Egypt received 210,000 Sputnik V doses and is planning to manufacture over 40 million doses of the Russian vaccine in Cairo.

Zayed, during the meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, said Egypt has the raw materials required to manufacture 10 million doses of Chinas Sinovac.

Additional raw materials are scheduled to arrive in the country during the coming two weeks that are enough to produce 7.5 million doses, Zayed added.

Egypt received the first shipment of raw materials to produce Sinovac doses in May. The government plans to produce 40 million doses of the vaccine in the first year.

Late in May, head of the Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement Bahaa El-Din Zidan said Egypt contracted with the African Export-Import Bank to import 20 million Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses.

So far, Egypt has vaccinated almost 5 million citizens against the pandemic, according to Presidential advisor Mohamed Awad Tag El-Din, through over 400 centres distributed nationwide.

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Peace talks between the transitional government of Sudan and a rebel group in the south of the country have stumbled over the delegation of powers from Khartoum, the group told AFP on Friday.

Talks in Juba, South Sudan, between the government and the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Sudan-North (SPLM-North) were adjourned in mid-June due to disagreements that were not specified at the time.

SPLM-North chief negotiator Amar Amon told AFP that while many topics related to the economy, security and politics were resolved, crucial issues like the delegation of powers between the central government and the regions were not.

"Resolving these issues is part of addressing the root causes of the Sudanese problems," Amon said in an interview with AFP on Friday evening.

The SPLM-North, established in the states of Kordofan-South and Blue Nile, is pushing for a decentralised political system.

Another crucial issue that had not been resolved was of the integration of the country's armed groups into the Sudanese army, he said.

"We agreed that major national issues should be subjected to popular referendum in future," he said.

The interim civilian-military Sudanese government was set up after the popular revolt that led to the dismissal in April 2019 of former president Omar al-Bashir, and has made peace with the rebels its priority.

In October 2020, it signed a historic agreement with several rebel groups.

The SPLM-North has signed a separate ceasefire, allowing its fighters to keep their weapons "to ensure their own protection" until the constitution is amended to guarantee a secular state.

No date has yet been given for the resumption of talks.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday reimposed restrictions for two weeks to combat a surge in the highly contagious coronavirus Delta variant.

The worst hit country on the continent "is facing a massive resurgence of infection," the president said in a televised address to the nation.

"Our health facilities are stretched to the limit... ICU beds are in short supply," he said as he placed the country on alert level four, just one level below a full lockdown.

He banned all gatherings, expect for funerals where numbers will be capped at 50, and also ordered a ban on the sale of alcohol.

Eateries and restaurants can no longer serve sit-down meals, and will only be allowed to sell food for take-away or delivery.

A nighttime curfew has been lengthened by an hour.

Authorities say the peak of the third wave -- fuelled by the Delta variant first identified in India -- will surpass that of earlier waves as the country struggles to quickly roll out vaccinations.

"We are in the grip of a devastating wave that by all indications seems like it will be worse than those that preceded it.

"The peak of this third wave looks set to be higher than the previous two," he said.

South Africa now counts 1,928,897 cases after recording 15,036 cases on Sunday, a drop from the previous day when 18,762 new infections were diagnosed

At least 59,900 of those cases have been fatal.

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The mayor of the eastern DR Congo city of Beni declared a curfew on Sunday after three weekend bomb attacks.

An artisanal bomb exploded early Sunday in a Catholic church in the city, injuring two women, followed hours later by a suicide bombing outside a bar.

On Saturday, another bomb exploded next to a petrol station on the outskirts of Beni without causing any damage.

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Israel's top diplomat will travel to the United Arab Emirates next week in the first official visit by an Israeli minister to the Gulf state since the two countries established diplomatic relations last year.

Yair Lapid, who was sworn in last week under a new government, will be hosted by UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan from June 29-30, the Israeli foreign ministry said in a statement.

"Minister Lapid will inaugurate the Israeli Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of Israel in Dubai."

The UAE, along with Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco, began normalising relations with Israel last year under accords brokered by then-US President Donald Trump.

The deals angered the Palestinians, who have long relied on Gulf and Arab support in their quest for statehood in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and in Gaza and East Jerusalem.

Lapid's visit will be his first abroad as foreign minister. He and new Prime Minister Naftali Bennett forged a patchwork coalition that ended the record-long tenure of veteran prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who spearheaded Israel's deals with the four Arab countries.

Netanyahu had planned to visit the UAE ahead of a March 23 election but cancelled the trip amid a dispute with Jordan. read more

In a side deal to opening relations with Israel, the UAE secured Washington's approval to purchase US made F-35 fighter jets. President Joe Biden has since proceeded with that deal following a review.

Business relations between Israel and the UAE have flourished, and the two countries signed a major tax treaty on May 31.

"Relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates are important, the fruits of which benefit not only the citizens of the two countries, but the entire Middle East," the foreign ministry said in its statement.

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Clashes between rebels and Yemeni government fighters killed at least 111 in Marib in three days, pro-government sources said, following a renewed offensive by Houthi insurgents.

The fighting between Thursday and Sunday killed 29 pro-government personnel and at least 82 rebels, the pro-government sources told AFP.

"These areas witnessed fierce fighting amid artillery shelling from both sides and intense coalition air raids," a government military official said, referring to the Saudi-led military coalition that backs the government.

The Iran-allied Houthi insurgents escalated their efforts to seize Marib, the government's last stronghold in northern Yemen, in February, and the fighting has killed hundreds on both sides.

Control of the oil-rich region would strengthen the Huthis' bargaining position in peace talks, but the battle has also raised fears of a humanitarian catastrophe, as many Yemenis had fled to the area to escape fighting in other parts of the country.

Yemen's conflict flared in 2014 when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa, prompting the Saudi-led intervention to prop up the government the following year.

The fighting has killed tens of thousands and left some 80 percent of Yemenis dependent on aid, in what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

The war has also displaced millions of people and left many on the brink of famine.

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The announcement of the political victory of Ebrahim Raisi in the Iranian presidential elections earlier this month came as no surprise to anyone  either inside or outside Iran. Right from the beginning of the electoral process, the tide was clearly heading his way as other possible strong candidates were blocked, upon the uncontested and unexplained decision of the Guardian Council  a board of unelected 12 topologists.

Eshaq Jahangiri, Irans first vice-president, and Ali Larijani, a conservative former speaker of parliament and Mahmoud Ahmadinijad, former Iranian President, were all disqualified  thus leaving the door wide open before Raisi to make an easy victory in an election that saw a really low turnover.

I think it is safe to argue that Raisi was all but assigned by the Iranian establishment. It was the first time that the political system in Iran abandoned all signs of impartiality in the presidential elections in such an almost open fashion, argued Nevine Mossad, professor of political science at Cairo University and prominent expert in Iranian affairs.

Actually, she added, what was at stake at this years elections was not strictly or only who is the next president of the Islamic Republic of Iran but rather who is the next Supreme Leader. She explained that the declining health and old age of the effective head of the Iranian political regime, Aytollah Ali Khamenei, has been begging the question on the successor of the second Supreme leader who took over in 1989 after the death of the founding and first supreme leader of Iran Eshaq Jahangiri. Mr Rouhani's first vice-president, and Ali Larijani, a conservative former speaker of parliament, were not allowed to run.

So what we saw was not exactly a presidential election but rather preparations for the rise to power of Irans next supreme leader, she argued. Raisi, a topologist who had served for long inside the establishment, including its hardline security quarters, and who is also known to be close to Khamenei and his 52-year old son Mojtaba Khamenei who is also a potential successor to the seat of the supreme leader.

According to Mossad, if Raisi, a chief judge, is not going to walk a path that would take him from the seat of the president to that of the supreme leader, as Khamenei himself did in the 1980s, then he will be there to lend full support to a smooth succession from Khamenei senior to Khamenei junior.

Unlike other religious figures, Mojtaba is not as well-versed in theology as some of the old hands; he would therefore need the political support of a president who is willing to acknowledge his succession, she explained.

So this is Raisi, a president who might turn to be the supreme leader or at least the supreme leader-maker, she said.

Raisi, she added, is in this not just with the support of the Council of Guardians but also with that of the most influential Revolutionary Guards, of a majority of an overwhelmingly radical parliament and the religious elite in Qom.

So Raisi is not just an elected radical president; he is hardliner who became president with the support of the supreme leader and the three influential partners of the Iranian political regime, she said.

This, she added, is set to make his presidency one where Iranian presence in its sphere of power would be expanded - or at least consolidated. We saw during the electoral campaign that some Iraqi TV channels, with direct association to Iran, like AlMayyadin were covering the details of Raisis electoral campaign as if they were covering an Iraqi elections. And the bias was unmasked, really, she stated.

This said, Mossad added, that Raisis presidency is not exactly something that the political regime in Iraq would have hoped for. The more the radical the Iranian leaders are the more involved they become in Iraqi politics, she argued.

In fact, she said, the Iraqi political regime had a tough time accommodating the direct and abrasive intervention of Qassim Soulimani, the head of a leading faction of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard who was assassinated in the early days of January 2020.

His policies were too abrasive to the extent that they prompted anti-Iranian demonstrations in no other than the city of Basra, one of the strongholds of Iraqi Shiaas, she said.

Soulimanis successor, Esmail Qaani, Mossad argued, was not as heavy-handed and this gave the Iraqi politicians some political breathing space.

And what would go for Iraq would certainly go for Lebanon, Mossad said. Hezbollah, she reminded, makes no secret at all of its close association with Iran. Actually, in January this year, Hezbollah marked the anniversary of the assassination of Soulimani in such an intense way that prompted criticism from within the Shia quarters that support Hizboullah most.

And in Yemen, Mossad, was not expecting Raisis presidency to facilitate a quick victory for the Houthis in their battle with the Saudi-supported army over the city of Marib in Yemen. Nor was she expecting the newly elected president, once in office, to introduce any dramatic shifts to his countrys policies on Syria unless Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to give Iran a tough time there. The deal is that they are in a state of power-sharing, he said.

The big question, according to Mossad, is whether Rohani would be able to strike a deal that would re-enforce the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) or that he would need a new deal.

She argued that in her view there are three issues that are of direct relevance there: the first is the developed Iranian missile technology; the second is Irans regional influence and the third is the relationship with the IAEA and the terms of inspection.

I think Raisi could make some compromises on matters related to its regional influence through the diverse groups and on issues related to its relationship with the IAEA. However, I think it is highly unlikely that Tehran, under Rohani or under Raisi for that matter, could make any concessions on its missile programme, she said.

At the end, she said, the deal will be re-introduced. Raisi, she explained, is a hardliner but not all the way through. He knows that it is in the interest of his country to get the deal working again, she explained.

Under Raisi, Mossad added, Iran too will avoid picking up a fight with Israel  while it would still contest its regional schemes, especially in the Gulf.

However, Mossad said that she would not be surprised to see the usual Mashrek/Gulf regions pursuing their planned normalization with Israel irrespective of the new presidency.

At the internal level, however, there seems to be no much change under Raisi  except in only as much as he would be more associated with the poor, she said.

As for the reformists who had hoped to see a day where they could be more vocal  at least, Mossad is not making big promises. The reformists have for long been sidelined for years now and sporadic work could bring about any change now. He actually might not think that it is a priority.

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The labour minister in the Palestinian Authority resigned Sunday, a member of his party said, as security forces braced for further protests demanding president Mahmoud Abbas step down.

The decision comes after three days of heavy protests against the Palestinian Authority (PA), triggered by the violent arrest and death in custody of an activist.

Nizar Banat, a 43-year-old known for social media videos denouncing alleged corruption within the PA, died on Thursday shortly after security forces stormed his house and violently arrested him, his family said.

New protests are slated for Sunday evening in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, in both Ramallah -- the seat of the PA -- and Banat's hometown of Hebron.

The left-wing Palestinian People's Party withdrew from the Fatah-led PA government due to it "its lack of respect for laws and public freedoms", party member Issam Abu Bakr said.

Nasri Abu Jaish, the labour minister and the People's Party representative in the government, has therefore resigned, said Abu Bakr.

The PA has announced the opening of an investigation into Banat's death, but it has done little to appease anger on the streets.

According to the autopsy, injuries indicated Banat had been beaten on the head, chest, neck, legs and hands, with less than hour elapsing between his arrest and his death, pathologist Samir Abu Zarzour said.

On Saturday, protesters in Ramallah hurled rocks at Palestinian security forces, who opened fire with a barrage of tear gas canisters, with reports of several injured.

Protesters called for 86-year-old Abbas to quit.

Banat had registered as a candidate in Palestinian parliamentary elections, which had been set for May until Abbas postponed them indefinitely.

The original mandate of Abbas expired in 2009, and he has since governed by decree.

In May, Abbas declared that legislative and presidential polls set for May and June respectively should not be held until Israel guaranteed voting could take place in the Israeli-ocupied east Jerusalem.

In addition to holding the presidency, Abbas is also head of Fatah and president of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), recognised internationally as representing the Palestinians.

But Fatah faces a growing challenge from it longtime rivals, the militant Islamist organisation Hamas, which rules the Palestinian coastal enclave of Gaza.

The PA exercises limited powers over some 40 percent of the West Bank, occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War of 1967.

Israel, which controls all access to the territory and coordinates with the PA, directly administers the remaining 60 percent.
Israel's foreign minister on Sunday voiced concern over US diplomacy with Iran but promised a less confrontational approach in the new government's first high-level talks with the Jewish state's closest ally.

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, a centrist who masterminded a coalition that this month unseated veteran right-wing leader Benjamin Netanyahu, flew to Rome to meet Secretary of State Antony Blinken who is on a European tour.

Lapid said that the new administrations in both Israel and the United States had a chance for a new start -- but made clear his worries about President Joe Biden's push to rejoin the Iran nuclear deal.

"Israel has some serious reservations about the Iran nuclear deal that is being put together in Vienna," Lapid said as he opened talks with Blinken at a hotel in the Italian capital.

"We believe the way to discuss those disagreements is though direct and professional conversations, not in press conferences," he said.

Lapid did not mention Netanyahu by name but was drawing a clear contrast with the former Israeli leader, who openly rallied the US Republican Party against the Iran deal as former president Barack Obama negotiated it in 2015.

"In the past few years mistakes were made," Lapid said, regretting that once-robust bipartisan support for Israel in the United States had dissipated.

"We will fix those mistakes together," he said.

The United States has been holding indirect talks with Iran led by European allies in Vienna in the hope of rejoining the deal that was trashed by former president Donald Trump.

Biden and Blinken argue that the agreement was working, as Iran had drastically scaled back its sensitive nuclear work, until Trump withdrew and imposed sweeping sanctions in 2018.

Israel has pressed for a more hawkish approach, seeing the clerical state in Tehran as its primary enemy, including through its support of militant groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.

- New mood of cooperation -

Blinken hailed the remarks by Lapid, saying that the United States was committed to "working closely" with the new government led by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, a hardliner who leads a motley coalition united in the desire to oust Netanyahu.

"As the closest of friends do, we will have occasional differences," Blinken said.

"We have the same objectives. Sometimes we differ on the tactics," Blinken said.

Blinken said he would speak to Lapid about the need for reconstruction aid in the Gaza Strip, which was already impoverished and again ravaged in a conflict with Israel last month.

Biden and Blinken are also eager to preserve a fragile ceasefire that took effect on May 21 between Israel and Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, after the worst fighting since 2014.

The bloodshed triggered some of the strongest criticism of Israel in memory in the US Congress, with some members of Biden's Democratic Party accusing Netanyahu of excessive force and of triggering the crisis by backing far-right Jewish groups that want to change the delicate status quo in the holy city of Jerusalem.

Netanyahu has already pounced on Lapid's interactions with Blinken, recently posting a video in English on social media calling the new government "so dangerous" and speaking of how he as premier would sometimes not inform the United States of pending Israeli actions.

- Modest goals -

With tensions still high after last month's Israeli crackdown and campaign on Jerusalem and Gaza Strip respectively, a coalition getting its bearings in Israel and political uncertainties lingering within the Palestinian Authority, the Biden administration has made clear it is not rushing to make any grand Middle East peace initiatives.

Blinken, speaking in Paris on Friday at a forum on the youth-oriented Brut network, said it was critical to "avoid provocations and incidents over the coming days, weeks and months that could reignite the violence and then to work to create a bit more confidence between the Israelis and Palestinians."

The hope is that "there can be conditions, which do not currently exist, to allow perhaps a relaunch of the peace process and the establishment of two states, Israel and Palestine," Blinken said.

"I don't think the conditions are there yet. We have to work on them and we will."

The Biden administration has hoped to be less involved in Middle East hotspots and to repair rifts created under Trump with European allies as part of a strategy to focus long-term attention on managing the rise of China.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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Britain's health minister Matt Hancock quit on Saturday after he was caught breaking COVID-19 rules by kissing and embracing an aide in his office, enraging colleagues and the public who have been living under lockdown.

Hancock, 42, wrote to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign after The Sun newspaper published photos on Friday of the married minister embracing a woman who he had appointed to a taxpayer-funded role to scrutinise the performance of his department.

Hancock has been at the centre of the government's fight against the pandemic, routinely appearing on the television and radio to tell people to follow the strict rules to contain the virus.

His departure means Johnson will have to appoint a new minister to take on the huge department that is responsible for overseeing the health service and tackling the virus, at a time when cases have started to rise again.

Johnson had said on Friday he had accepted an apology from the minister and considered the matter to be closed, but Hancock had faced rising pressure to quit.

"We owe it to people who have sacrificed so much in this pandemic to be honest when we have let them down as I have done by breaching the guidance," Hancock said in his letter.

Johnson said in reply that he was sorry to receive it.

"You should be immensely proud of your service," he wrote. "I am grateful for your support and believe that your contribution to public service is far from over."

The Sun showed Hancock kissing the aide in his office last month, at a time when it was against the rules for people to have intimate contact with a person outside their household.

The opposition Labour Party also questioned whether he had broken the ministerial code: the woman, a long-time friend of Hancock's, was appointed as a non-executive director, on a taxpayer-funded salary, to oversee the running of his department.

Labour leader Keir Starmer said on Twitter that Hancock was right to resign. "But Boris Johnson should have sacked him."

With 128,000 deaths, Britain has one of the highest official death tolls from COVID-19 in the world and Hancock, in the post for almost three years, had been heavily criticised for his initial handling of the pandemic.

However Johnson's Conservative government has been boosted by a rapid rollout of the vaccine programme, with 84% of adults having one dose and 61% having both, well ahead of most other countries.

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British paratroopers have trained together with Jordanian soldiers in an airdrop over the Middle Eastern country to underscore the UK.'s support for Jordan and its commitment to regional stability, Britain's armed forces minister said.

Minister James Heappey said in a statement that Wednesday's joint exercise of 150 paratroopers from Britain's 16 Air Assault Brigade and 84 Jordanian parachutists demonstrates that U.K. armed forces ``stand with Jordan against shared threats in the region.''

Brigade Commander Brigadier James Martin said British forces will play a role in deepening ``strong, historic bilateral ties in the Middle East and North Africa region, which are vital to UK prosperity and security.''

The jump by the paratroopers ,the Brigade's lead assault force ,took place during Jordan's 100th year of independence.

The brigade is a key element of the UK.'s Global Response Force, a versatile force that can quickly undertake assigned missions around the world.

``They are the soldiers of the future, ready to tackle changing threats around the world,'' Heappey said.

The British paratroopers jumped from a C130 Hercules transport aircraft flying at 1,000 feet that took off from RAF Akrotiri, a British air base on the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Armed with SA80 and sniper rifles, light and heavy machine guns, an 81mm mortar and a light artillery gun, the British paratroopers were joined by Jordanian troops in assaulting a mock village.

The Brigade is also conducting other military exercises with Jordanian forces including infantry and artillery training.

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Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi arrived in Baghdad on Sunday on a historic visit, the first by an Egyptian leader to Iraq in nearly three decades, ahead of a tripartite summit between his country, Iraq and Jordan.

The leaders of Egypt, Jordan and Iraq are set to hold a trilateral summit on Sunday in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, the fourth round of talks between the three countries to promote cooperation mechanisms and reinforce political consultation on regional issues.



The summit brings together Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, and Jordan's King Abdullah II.

Iraqi President Barham Salih, received El-Sisi at Baghdad on Sunday, Egyptian presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady said.

He later met with Prime Minister al-Kadhimi at the government palace at the Green Zone, where both the Egyptian and Iraqi national anthems were played.



"The visit reflects the strength of the long-standing historical relations between Egypt and Iraq  and confirms Egypt's keenness to support and develop these relations towards broader prospects within the framework of the unity of destiny and challenges, and in response to the common interests of the two brotherly countries," Rady added.

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The new round of talks aims to "build on what has been achieved during the previous three summits, evaluate development in various cooperation fields, follow up on projects being implemented as part of efforts aiming to support and deepen historical ties between the three countries," the spokesman added.The summit also is aimed at reinforcing political consultation on means to counter challenges facing the Arab world and the Middle East."The first trilateral summit was held in Cairo in March 2019, with the second summit held in New York in September of the same year. The third was held in Amman in August 2020.The past summits saw an exchange of views between the leaders of the three countries on crucial regional issues and common security challenges, as well as means to restore stability in the region.Upon his arrival, El-Sisi reviewed with Salih means to push the bilateral ties forward and discussed the main regional issues of mutual interest, agreeing on intensifying coordination between both sides in the coming period.El-Sisi expressed Egypt's aspiration to promote cooperation with Iraq into a sustainable framework of economic integration, particularly in light of the "major" challenges facing the region, as well as the economic and social crises caused by the coronavirus pandemic.The Iraqi president expressed his country's hope to develop the bilateral ties into a strategic partnership in order to help with maintaining regional security and stability and restoring balance to the region.Egypt plays a pivotal role regionally and internationally, Salih noted.He also said Baghdad wants to benefit from Egypt's "successful" experiment in implementing developmental projects and adopting economic reforms, in addition to its efforts in addressing terrorism and extremism.El-Sisi, according to Rady, is set to meet with the Iraqi premier on the sidelines of Sunday's summit to discuss ways to boost trade and economic relations as well as exchange views on several regional issues.Also, a meeting will be held with King Abdullah II on bilateral ties reinforcement, the Egyptian spokesman added.
A group of protesters in New Delhi was beaten and shoved into buses by police on Friday as they attempted to demonstrate against a new citizenship law that has triggered nationwide protests in recent weeks.

About two dozen people gathered near an Uttar Pradesh state government building in the capital to protest deaths and allegations of police brutality during protests in the north Indian state.

Paramilitary and police forces were deployed and the internet was shut down in Muslim-majority districts in Uttar Pradesh, where more than a dozen people have been killed and more than 1,000 people arrested in the protests since the law was passed by Parliament earlier this month.

The Citizenship Amendment Act provides an expedited path to citizenship for Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Christians, Jains and Parsees from Muslim-majority Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, but not Muslims.

Critics say it violates India's secular constitution, and have filed challenges with the Supreme Court. Tens of thousands of protesters have taken to India's streets to call for its revocation.

Twenty-three people have been killed nationwide in the protests, the first major roadblock for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist agenda since his party's landslide reelection earlier this year.

Modi has defended the citizenship law and accused the opposition of pushing the country into a ``fear psychosis.''

Sixteen of the deaths occurred in Uttar Pradesh, according to state government spokesman Awanish Awasthi. Muslims account for 20% of the state's 200 million people.

The state government is controlled by Modi's governing party. Government officials have repeatedly said security forces haven't killed anyone.

Security drones buzzed over western Uttar Pradesh as authorities sought to head off protests, which turned violent after last week's Friday prayers.

Mobile internet was blocked in about a third of the state, including in parts of the capital, Lucknow, where one person was killed in a protest a week ago.

Elsewhere in New Delhi, security forces surrounded a rally at one of India's largest mosques, where a protest march last Friday ended in violence after a car was set on fire in front of a police station.

In Mumbai, India's financial capital, authorities denied protesters permission to conduct a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) march. Elsewhere in the city, Modi's governing Bharatiya Janata Party held a rally in support of the law.

Mamata Banerjee, the chief government official in West Bengal state, pledged to continue leading daily protests in the state capital of Kolkata against the law until it is withdrawn, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

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Myanmar security forces punched, slapped and beat a US journalist and kept him blindfolded for more than a week of interrogation, he said after being deported to the United States following over three months in detention.

Nathan Maung, 44, editor-in-chief of the online news platform Kamayut Media, was detained on March 9 in a raid and freed on June 15. He said his colleague Hanthar Nyein, who remains in detention, had been tortured more harshly, as had other people he met in prison.

A junta spokesman did not respond to a request for comment on the account by Nathan Maung, which echoes those of some of the thousands of others who have been detained since the army overthrew elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1.

The junta has said detainees are being treated in accordance with the law.

"The first three to four days were the worst," Nathan Maung told Reuters in a telephone interview from Virginia on Friday.

"I was punched and slapped several times. No matter what I said, they just beat me. They used both their hands to slap my eardrums many times. They punched my cheekbones on both sides. They punched my shoulders. I was not allowed to stand up. My legs were swollen. I could not move anymore," he said.

Nathan Maung, who was born in Myanmar and fled to the United States as a refugee in the 1990s, said he was seized at Kamayut Media's office and was taken for questioning about his publication, his role there and how it operates.

"They handcuffed my hands behind my back, tied my eyes with a cloth and covered that with another cloth," he said.

"They did not allow me to sleep for about three or four days. Nonstop interrogation. There was no time to sleep," he said. He said the beatings diminished on the fourth day, after they discovered he was a US citizen.

"On the eighth day, a colonel came, he removed the cloth blindfolding me," Nathan Maung said.

SOME 'EXPERIENCED WORSE TORTURE'

Nathan Maung was met by US officials after his release and they assisted him and his family, the US embassy said.

It expressed its continuing deep concern over the detention of US journalist Danny Fenster, who was detained more than a month ago and whose brother said he was allowed to speak to the US embassy for the first time last week.

Nathan Maung said the colonel had recorded his testimony and asked if he had any statement to make to which the editor requested that his human rights be respected and that he have a lawyer to defend against any charges.

The colonel had told him that he was not charged with any crime and that he would be freed when the situation had calmed down, Nathan Maung said.

During his detention, Nathan Maung said he had met other people who had been mistreated and heard people shouting, begging and screaming from other buildings.

"Some people experienced worse torture than us. There was someone together with me in a room for two days. His body was covered in bruises and injuries. They put his handcuffed hands on the table and beat his hand.

"The bones were not broken, but he was badly injured and his skin was ripped off."

Kamayut Media stopped publication after his arrest, but Nathan Maung said he planned to resume his work.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners activist group says nearly 5,200 people remain incarcerated after being detained since the coup. It says security forces have killed at least 881 people since then. The junta disputes the figure.

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KYODO NEWS - Jun 27, 2021 - 20:04 | All, World, Japan

The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.

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LDP likely to be largest force in Tokyo assembly election: Kyodo poll

TOKYO - The Liberal Democratic Party is likely to become the largest force in the Tokyo metropolitan assembly election next month, seen as a prelude to a lower house election to be held this fall, a Kyodo News poll showed Sunday.

Currently, the biggest force is Tomin First no Kai, or the Tokyoites First party, founded by Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike. Whether the LDP along with the Komeito party can prevail over Tomin First is the focus of the July 4 election.

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New rules eyed for Tokyo Games arrivals after Uganda team infections

TOKYO - Athletes and other delegation members for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics should be immediately isolated if they arrive in Japan with a person infected with the novel coronavirus, the organizing committee's senior officer said Sunday.

The proposal comes after two of the nine-member Ugandan Olympic delegation tested positive for the virus following their arrival this month. Even after one member tested positive at Narita airport near Tokyo, the rest of the team traveled on to Osaka Prefecture in a chartered bus.

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IOC chief Bach to visit Hiroshima on July 16

TOKYO - International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach is arranging to visit atomic-bombed Hiroshima on July 16, the starting day of an Olympic truce adopted by the United Nations, sources close to the matter said Saturday.

The arrangements for his visit are being made after Bach conveyed his intention to concerned parties. A plan for IOC Vice President John Coates to visit Nagasaki on the same day is also being considered, the sources said.

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Tokyo Gov. Koike to remain hospitalized for a few more days

TOKYO - Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, who was admitted to hospital in the capital last week due to severe fatigue, will remain hospitalized for a few more days, the metropolitan government said Sunday, less than a month before the Tokyo Olympics begin.

The Tokyo government said Koike is unlikely to return to work from Monday, with doctors deciding that Koike needs to continue resting.

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New Zealand suspends "travel bubble" with Australia amid virus surge

SYDNEY - A quarantine-free travel corridor between Australia and New Zealand that had allowed mutual visits between the countries freely amid the coronavirus pandemic was suspended Saturday night following a surge in cases in the major Australian city Sydney.

The government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison had aimed to launch a similar "travel bubble" arrangement with Singapore by the end of the year and possibly extend it to other countries, including Japan, but the latest development may complicate the plan.

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Japan foreign minister eyes trip to Israel, Palestine in August

TOKYO - Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi is considering visiting Israel and Palestine in August, diplomatic sources said Saturday.

During the trip, Motegi would look to build a relationship with the Israeli government under new Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and offer assistance to reconstruct Gaza following last month's bombing by Israel, according to the sources.

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Rugby: Brave Blossoms cherish historic Lions test, despite defeat

EDINBURGH, Scotland - Japan relished their historic test match Saturday against the British and Irish Lions despite the lopsided result, forward Kazuki Himeno said.

The first-ever meeting between the sides at Edinburgh's Murrayfield Stadium was a comfortable 28-10 victory for the Lions, but Jamie Joseph's Brave Blossoms can take a number of positives into their upcoming test against Ireland.
KYODO NEWS - Jun 27, 2021 - 18:11 | World, All, Coronavirus

A quarantine-free travel corridor between Australia and New Zealand that had allowed mutual visits between the countries freely amid the coronavirus pandemic was suspended Saturday night following a surge in cases in the major Australian city Sydney.

The government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison had aimed to launch a similar "travel bubble" arrangement with Singapore by the end of the year and possibly extend it to other countries, including Japan, but the latest development may complicate the plan.

Singapore and Hong Kong were planning to launch a travel bubble with each other but have been forced to postpone it repeatedly as local infections increased.

Travel bubble arrangements are conceived between countries and territories that have seen relatively low infections. Australia and New Zealand launched the two-way quarantine-free travel corridor in April.

The latest outbreak in Sydney, traced to a limousine driver who had transported international flight crew, has grown to over 100 confirmed cases as of Sunday. He had contracted the highly contagious Delta variant, first detected in India.

The New South Wales state government said Saturday it has extended the ongoing lockdown in central Sydney and other parts of the city until July 9, and including surrounding communities.

New Zealand on Wednesday stopped extending the travel bubble to passengers on flights into and out of Sydney. On Saturday, the minister in charge of the country's COVID-19 response, Chris Hipkins, announced a pause to the trans-Tasman travel bubble until Tuesday.

"Since the pandemic has started, this is perhaps the scariest period that New South Wales is going through," state Premier Gladys Berejiklian said Thursday in a warning to state residents.

Nonetheless, Australian cases are relatively few in terms of numbers per capita. According to the University of Oxford's Our World in Data project, Australia has cumulatively had about 1,200 infections per million people, compared with about 100,000 in the United States and about 70,000 in Britain and about 6,300 in Japan. New Zealand only has had about 570 cases per million.

The low numbers for Australia and New Zealand are the results of thorough border controls enforced by their governments. The two countries have barred the entry of foreigners in principle, effectively closing their borders. Their nationals are also required to undergo a two-week quarantine upon their return from other countries.
Male :

Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Monday declared a 15-day state of emergency, his aide Azima Shukoor announced, deepening the political crisis in the Indian Ocean nation.

The move gives sweeping powers to security forces to arrest and detain suspects, and comes amid a tense standoff between the Supreme Court and the government.

The president has refused to comply with a court order to release political prisoners, despite growing international pressure and concern.

Shukoor read out the declaration on state television shortly after Yameen sent three letters to the judges asking them to reverse their decision.

This is the second time Yameen has declared a state of emergency. He last took the step in November 2015 after an alleged attempt to assassinate him.

Officials said the president is required to inform the parliament about any declaration of emergency within two days, but the countrys legislature has been suspended indefinitely by authorities.

The Supreme Court on Thursday had also restored the seats of 12 MPs who had defected from Yameens party, effectively handing the opposition a majority in the 85-member parliament, making the president vulnerable to impeachment.

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New Delhi:

A 28-year-old third-year graduation student of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has lodged a complaint stating that an unidentified man misbehaved and intimidated her, police said on Sunday.

The woman is a student of French and stays in Ganga Hostel.

She alleged that on January 27, when she was roaming near North Gate of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, an unidentified man misbehaved with her and when she raised an alarm, he fled along with four other men, said police.

A case has been registered on the basis of her complaint and police are on the lookout for the accused.

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi:

"If I had another son, I would have sent him to the army too, said Sunita Kundu, mother of slain 22-year-old Indian Army officer, who was killed in Paskitani shelling on Sunday at the line of control in Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri district.

The slain Indian Army captains mother also urged the Indian Government to take revenge of her sons death by giving a befitting reply to the Pakistan.

She further added, He use to tell me I am not born for paperwork. I am born to protect my country borders. Never stop me from getting a posting at LoC.

The captains sister said that Kundu was promoted as Captain on January 26 and was psoted from Poonch to Rajouri sector recently.

Captain Kapil Kundu, along with Rifleman Ramavtar  28, Havilar Roshan Lal  42 and Rifleman Shubam Singh  22 was killed in Pakistani shelling at LoC in the Bhimbher Gali sector of Rajouri district.

The slain Captain was to return home in Haryanas Pataudi by this weekend to celebrate his 23rd birthday but he came a week ahead wrapped in Tricolour.

The Captain in his Facebook post had recently updated, Life Should BE Big Instead of Being Long

Also read: Four Army soldiers including captain killed in Pakistani shelling in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri



Captain Kundu had joined the Indian Army after making it through the National Defence Academy (NDA). He is survived with mother and two younger sister  Sonia and Kajal.

Mortal remains of Captain Kapil Kundu brought to #Delhi's Palam airport; he lost his life in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in BG sector of Rajouri district yesterday #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/tO13VUOMz1  ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2018

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Army Chief Bipin Rawat along with other officers paid tribute to the slain Captain at Delhis Palm Airport.

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New Delhi:

Delhi police on Monday nabbed a sharpshooter from UP's Kasganj - where communal violence broke out on Republic day - after an encounter in National Capitals Okhla Mandi area.

Tanwir alias Munnawar was a member of Uttar Pradeshs "Chhenu" gang and was wanted for a number of cases including murder and attack on police. He also had a bounty of Rs 70,000 on his head.

Police got a tip-off that the notorious criminal will reach Okhla Mandi area of southwest Delhi. After the information, Police increased security and barricaded the area.

Tanwir and his aid entered the area in a swift car and crashed into the police barricading and started firing indiscriminately.

Also Read | Kasganj violence: Prime accused of 'Tiranga Rally' firing, killing arrested

Two policemen, Inspector Rajendra and Sub-Inspector Pravesh Kasna were hit with the bullets during the firing but they were wearing bulletproof jackets that saved their lives.

Several rounds were also fired by the police in the retaliation and Tanwir was also injured.

In the end, police overpowered him but his associate managed to escape.

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New Delhi:

Travel freaks should start packing their bags as Mumbai's Gateway of India is offering yet another mind-boggling visual treat apart from the arched monument erected during the 20th century in Bombay.

Yes! A 23-foot-wide replica of the Moon, half million times smaller than the real celestial body was on Saturday unveiled at Gateway of India and people in and around Mumbai are going crazy to catch a glimpse of this startling site.

British artist Luke Jerram is the gem behind such a historical creation and the replica has been created using imagery from NASAs Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera.

The Museum of the Moon, as it's known, is a miniature replica and is currently on a tour of India, with a two-day stopover in Mumbai, Saturday and Sunday.

The principal reason behind this beautiful creation is to give audiences a feel of earths only satellite, where man first landed successfully on July 20, 1969.

Meanwhile, the replica comes a year before the golden jubilee of the historic moon landing accomplished by astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin.

For eons, the moon has impacted society and culture, it's been worshipped as a deity, used as a timekeeper, inspired artists, poets, scientists, writers and musicians worldwide, Jerram was quoted while interacting with IANS.

Also Read: Google withdraws $30m prize money from Team Indus's much-awaited mission to Moon

He said before gas lamps and electricity, the moon was the only source of light at night, plus it was used for navigation, but living in cities now illuminated heavily by electricity, we have become disconnected to the moon.

I hope this project restores a sense of wonder, inspires questions and reconnects people with the night sky, Jerram said of the project supported by the Maharashtra Government.

The Museum of the Moon is also expected to feature different space-themed lectures on topics like Women in Space, Life Beyond Earth: Prospects and Possibilities, Going Back to the Moon and Landing on a Comet and many others.

Top British scientists including Prof. Monica Gardy, Professor of Planetary and Space Science, Open University will take part in some of those amazing lectures of the Museum.

After Bangalore and Mumbai, the Museum of the Moon will drool New Delhi and Kolkata people over its beauty, according to a spokesperson from the British Council.

Also Read: Aliens may cause end of human lives on Earth? Experts warn!

The Museum of the Moon is being created to mark 70 years of the British Council in India.

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Mumbai:

The Mumbai Police arrested six persons from Vile Parle for blackmailing and raping a minor girl over the past one year. The incident came to light after the class 10 student lodged a complaint against her perpetrators at Mumbais Virle Parle police station.

Police said, The nine people, aged between 19 years and 30 years, forced the 16-year-old girl into sexual actions by blackmailing her using her video in compromising condition.

The girl was raped on separate occasions, said a Mumbai Police officer.

Police further added that the victims family member learnt about the incident after she complained of severe pain in private parts. She narrated her ordeal to her mother, who later brought her to police station and lodged a complaint, added the officer.

The victim told the police that around a year back she had approached one of the accused regarding a personal favour, with whom later she fell in a relationship with.

The man had made a video and clicked photographs of the girl in compromising condition, who he later shared with his eight friends. Soon, the eight others started blackmailing her and raped her, said an officer deployed at Vile Parle.

We have nabbed six persons in connection to the incident. Raids are being made to nab three other accused. An FIR has been lodged under relevant IPC Sections including 376 - rape and POSCO Act, added the officer.

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New Delhi:

Delhi Police on Monday rescued a five-year-old boy, who was kidnapped on January 25, from the kidnappers who nabbed the boy on a day when the city was on alert and police forces were deployed all over Delhi.

January 25 was a busy day for the Delhi Police because of the Republic Day, the ASEAN summit, and the protests held against Padmaavat movie. In spite of the heavy security, some kidnappers nabbed a five-year-old boy from Shahdara area of East Delhi.

On Monday night, the boys father struck a ransom deal and the two accused, identified as Ravi and Nitin were staying at a rented accommodation along with the boy. The Delhi Police officials rescued the kid from his kidnappers. Both had been asked to kidnap the child and collect their ransom amount by their associates.

A trap was laid near the flat, situated at Loni border, where the kidnapper Ravi opened fire at police after seeing them. In retaliation, police also fired on him and he was shot dead on the spot. Police also fired on Nitin, who sustained two gunshots. Several rounds of fire were exchanged between the accused and police. Two bullets hit police personnel, but they were wearing bulletproof jackets. All the victims, including some police personnel, were taken to GTB Hospital for medical treatment, a senior police officer said.

On January 25, the boy was kidnapped from his school bus, which was carrying around 14 other children. The bus stopped at GTB Enclave area where the kidnappers forced themselves into the bus and asked for the boys details to the teacher at gunpoint. The boy was sitting with his sister. When his sister tried to intervene, one of the kidnappers put her at gunpoint.

Also Read: Comedy of Terrors in MP | Criminals take cops hostage, use police vehicle to kidnap girl

As soon as the boy was kidnapped, the teacher informed the school authorities, who in turn went to the police station.

A police officer said, Minutes after the bus halted, two men parked their black-coloured bike nearby and entered the bus. Both of them kept their helmets on. They asked the driver about the details of a particular boy, and when he refused to share details, one of them pointed the gun at a woman attendant sitting in the front seat. The woman attendant was questioned at gunpoint, and she eventually pointed to a boy sitting alongside his sister on the last seat.

One of the assailants went and grabbed the boy from his seat. When his sister tried to intervene and held his hand, he pointed the gun at her. One of them also fired at the driver, shooting him on his thigh. The two then fled towards Uttar Pradesh with the boy, said another officer.

Police rushed to the spot and took the driver to GTB Hospital, from where he was referred to Safdarjung Hospital, added the officer.

The boy was dressed in fancy dress for his school competition and was not carrying ID card at that time.

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Raipur:

A police jawan was allegedly abducted and killed by Naxals in Maoist-hit Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, police said on Sunday.

"Assistant Constable Sitaram Bagde, who was abducted last night, was found dead near Kachlaram village under Farsegarh police station limits this morning,"

Deputy Inspector General of Police (south Bastar range) Sundarraj P told PTI.

Bagde, posted at Kotwali police station, was forcibly taken away by ultras when he was returning to Bijapur from his sister's place in Farsegarh.

Naxals had set ablaze a passenger bus near Kachlaram between Farsegarh and Toynar late last evening after asking its occupants to get down, the officer said.

Subsequently, the ultras had stopped some passersby, including Bagde, who was on his motorcycle, at the spot.

"When Naxals discovered about his identity, they took him to the forest along with them," he said.

Also Read: Three Naxals, including a woman, arrested in Telangana

Bagde's body with his throat slit was spotted by some locals this morning, the DIG said.

"On receipt of information, security forces were rushed to the spot to retrieve the victim's body which was lying in a pool of blood," he said, adding that further details are awaited.

According to police, Naxals have given a day-long bandh call on February 5 and the incident may be the part of their plan to instil fear.

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New Delhi:

The Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday said the phones of Opposition leaders are being tapped by the BJP-led NDA government and there is an atmosphere of fear in the country.

Speaking in Rajya Sabha, the Congress leader said, You have divided political parties by using the ED, Income Tax, NIA. You have gone after people who are aligned with us.

Businessmen are fearful of speaking to us on the phone because our phones are being tapped and they fear being targeted for having sided with the Opposition. When I was the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, we used to do that to terrorists, Azad told Rajya Sabha.

While participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the Presidents address, Azad took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modis New India remark.

Also Read | Amit Shah slams Cong in debut Rajya Sabha speech, lists BJP govts achievements

Give us back our old India of Gandhiji, where Hindus and Muslims gave blood for each other, babies did not get raped and where there was no fear, Azad said in the upper house.

On Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goels attempt to interrupt his speech, Azad reminded him (Goel) about former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who had asked him (Azad) to teach parliamentary affairs to BJP leader Madan Lal Khurana.

Azad said Goel could take lessons from Arun Jaitley, Leader of the House or he could teach him (Goel) Parliamentary Affairs.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also present in the upper house during Ghulam Nabi Azads address.

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New Delhi:

Credit agency Moody's has praised the Modi govt's Budget for 2018-19 stating that it strikes a balance between fiscal prudence and growth

The rating agency added that a "slight" slippage in fiscal deficit has no material impact on overall economic strength.

The government has revised its 2018-19 fiscal deficit projections to 3.3 per cent of GDP and for the current fiscal to 3.5 per cent of GDP, against original targets of 3 per cent and 3.2 per cent, respectively.

"The revised fiscal consolidation path is modestly shallower than the previous roadmap, but does not fundamentally alter India's overall fiscal strength," says William Foster, Vice President-Senior Credit Officer at Moody's.

The medium-term target to reduce the central government debt-to-GDP ratio to 40 per cent is supportive of the sovereign credit profile, Foster said.

Moody's in a statement said India's budget for the fiscal year ending March 2019 strikes a balance between fiscal prudence and growth.

"Slight slippage in the budget deficit targets has no material impact on the country's overall fiscal strength and is in line with Moody's expectations," it said.

The budget benefits corporates as well as infrastructure and insurance sectors, said Joy Rankothge, Vice President -- Senior Analyst.

Moody's expects that the government will meet next year's deficit target, based on achievable budget assumptions and demonstrated commitment to fiscal prudence.

"However, some ambitious revenue assumptions anduncertainty about some spending items could result in ashortfall to overall fiscal consolidation," Moody's said.

"The projected expenditure restraint and strong revenuegrowth are likely to be broadly achieved, although somemeasures such as the rule guiding increases in Minimum SupportPrices (MSPs) and ambitious GST revenue targets could resultin some further slippage," Foster said.

The formal adoption -- as stated by Finance Minister ArunJaitley when he announced the budget -- of key recommendationsby the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Committee(FRBM) as "credit positive".

These include the objective to bring down the centralgovernment debt-to-GDP ratio to 40 per cent (from about 50 percent today) and use of the fiscal deficit target as thegovernment's key operational parameter, Moody's said.

For most of India's corporates, the budget's measures ofhigher rural spending, lower corporate taxes, and relaxingrestrictions on the ability of financial intermediaries toinvest in lower rated corporate bonds are credit positive, it added.

The infrastructure sector will benefit from a boost inspending and the government's continued focus on publicinvestment will also help galvanise India's upturn in capitalspending, Moody's said.

Finally, the insurance market will benefit from thelaunch of a national health scheme and the merger, as well aslisting, of three state-owned insurers.

"The insurance, and in particular non-life market, is setto benefit from the growth prospects provided by the wideningof universal health insurance cover," it added.

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Matura:

A statue of B R Ambedkar was disfigured allegedly by unidentified persons in the Ambedkar Park near the Moti Enclave colony, an official said.

The incident took place under the jurisdiction of the Sadar Bazar police station, he added.

In the morning, some residents of the locality found that the statue was disfigured, following which the locals gathered near the park protesting the act, Mathura Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Kranti Shekhar Singh said.

The protesters were pacified after an FIR was lodged against unidentified people and arrangements were made to bring a new statue from Aligarh, he added.

The situation was under control now, the SDM said, adding that however, as a precautionary measure, police personnel were deployed in the area.

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Beirut :

Rebel fighters shot down a Russian plane over Syrias northwest Idlib province today and captured its pilot, a monitor said.

Rebel factions shot down a Sukhoi 25. The Russian pilot came down in a parachute, before being captured, said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

He could not immediately confirm which faction had downed the plane but hardline opposition groups and the jihadist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) are active in Idlib.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Syrian troops launched a fierce offensive on Idlib in late December, with backing by Russian warplanes.

There have been dozens of Russian air strikes in the area over the past 24 hours. This plane was also carrying out raids there, said Abdel Rahman.

Opposition factions have shot Syrian regime planes in the past, but downing Russian warplanes is much rarer.

In August 2016, a Russian military helicopter was shot down over Syria and all five people on board were killed.

Moscow began conducting air strikes in Syria in September 2015. Two months later, Turkey shot down a Russian warplane, leading to the worst crisis in ties between the two countries since the end of the Cold War.

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New Delhi:

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh ensured that Andhra Pradeshs budget allocation problem would be taken up in front of PM Modi.

Singh met the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) party delegation on Monday and assured them that he will discuss their grievances with the Prime Minister.

The delegation comprised Union Ministers P Ashok Gajapathi Raju and YS Chowdary, and MPs K Ramamohan Naidu, Nimmala Kistappa and Thota Narasimham, who met the Home Minister in New Delhi. The meeting comes in the aftermath of a phone conversation between Chief Minister of the state, N Chandrababu Naidu, and Rajnath Singh.

The TDP leaders, earlier in the day, staged protests outside the Parliament seeking justice for Andhra Pradesh. According to these leaders, the issues concerned were a poor budgetary allocation to the state, delay in implementation of many provisions in favour of the state, and promises made by the Centre to develop the state.

The leaders were holding placards like Save Andhra Pradesh, Keep Your Promises Now, Follow Alliance Dharma, and Implement AP Reorganisation Commitments, with a demand that PM Modi should address their concerns.

Also Read: After Parliamentary Committee meet, TDP decides not to snap ties with BJP

Singh assured them that their concerns will be heard by the PM. I will convey your feelings to the Prime Minister and ensure that the issues raised by you are addressed, said Singh.

Machilipatnam MP Narayana Rao informed that the party leaders will continue to hold protests if their pleas are not heard by the Centre. This strategy by the TDP party leaders comes after a telephonic conversation with Chandrababu Naidu.

Congress Rajya Sabha MPs also protested in the House seeking justice, forcing Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu to adjourn the House till 2 pm.

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New Delhi:

Seems like the Chinese provocation has not ended yet and after the Doklam incident, the dragon has now started showing its evil designs in Tibet as well.

In a massive build-up of Air Force, China has deployed 51 fighter jets in Tibet over the last three weeks and sharply raised its fighter assets by 20 per cent, claimed the Congress.

Reacting to the development, the main Opposition party raised questions on countrys safety and asked Modi government to reveal the true picture to the nation.

Chinese provocation doesn't end with Doklam. Chinese are upping the ante in Tibet as well. Why is the Govt in denial over the issue? Why doesn't Modi Govt reveal the true picture to the nation? Is our country safe? #Dhokalam pic.twitter.com/jlTLO8qdJX  Congress (@INCIndia) February 5, 2018

According to the reports, there are 8 fighters in Lhasa-Gongka area including 22 Mi-17 helicopters, one KJ 500 airborne early warning (AEW) eye-in-the-sky aircraft and also, surface to air missile systems.

Chinese Air Force has also deployed 18 fighter jets in Tibet's in Hoping-Rikaze. Apart from the fighter jets, there are 4 J-10 aircraft, 10 J-11 and 4 JH-7 aircraft. There are also 11 Mi-17, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and surface to air missiles.

The development has surfaced days after India's announcement of the construction of a tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh. China falsely claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of Tibet.

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New Delhi:

Massive protests continue in Male as President Abdulla Yameen has refused to follow the Supreme Courts ruling to release key political prisoners and reinstate 12 MPs.

Hundreds of people have rallied in the Maldives' capital urging Yameen to comply with the court ruling ordering the release of jailed opposition leaders.

Protesters chanted slogans such as respect the constitution and enforce the Supreme Court ruling now even as they sang and danced outside an opposition campaign hall on Friday.

A scuffle broke out between Police and protestors on Sunday outside Chief Justice Abdullah Saeed's residence in Male.

Protesters managed to open the gate of Maafushi Prison where the 12 MPs have been detained.

Absolute breakdown of law and order. The public is on the edge. I am very concerned as we are facing increased unrest. They have just used pepper spray and tear gas on crowd, said Eva Abdulla, Member of Parliament, Maldives.

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Jammu:

A young Army Captain and three jawans were killed and at least four people injured in heavy Pakistani shelling along the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, officials said.

The Indian Army was giving a befitting reply and heavy exchanges were on, they added.

Pakistani forces opened unprovoked heavy firing and shelling along the LoC in Bhimbher Gali sector of Rajouri district this evening, senior Army officials told PTI.

In the shelling, three jawans were killed, they said. An officer, who was injured in the shelling, also succumbed to his injuries, they added.

Also Read: 2 CRPF personnel among 4 injured in grenade attack in Pulwama

With these casualties, 17 people, including nine security personnel, died and 70 were injured in Pakistani shelling and firing along the LoC and International Border in the Jammu region this year.

Four Army soldiers have lost their lives & one injured in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Rajouri sector. Firing still underway. More details awaited #JammuAndKashmir  ANI (@ANI) February 4, 2018

Six days before his birthday, 22-year-old Captain Kapil Kundu, a resident of village Ransika in Haryanas Gurgaon district, was killed in the shelling, Army officials said. Forty-two-year-old Havildar Roshan Lal, a resident of Samba district, 27-year-old Riflemen Ramavatar of Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh and Subham Singh (23) of J&Ks Kathua district were also killed, he said.

Martyrdom of Indian Army soldiers will not go in vain. The unprovoked action by the Pakistan Army will be given a befitting response, an official said. Earlier in the day, two teenagers and a jawan were injured in Shahpur sector of Poonch district in shelling from across the border, a police official said. He identified the injured civilians as Shahnaz Bano (15) and Yasin Arif (14), residents of Islamabad village.

A defence spokesman said the Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatic weapons and mortars around 1110 hours. The Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively, he said. In another ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Rajouri district, a police official said six mortars exploded near Neaka Panjgrain and Tarkundi villages in Manjakote sector around 1540 hours.

The mortars were fired by Pakistani troops and the Indian forces guarding the LoC responded, triggering an exchange of fire between the two sides, he said. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed pain at the deaths due to Pakistani shelling along the LoC.

My condolences to the families of the deceased, she said. Authorities in Poonch issued an advisory asking people to stay inside their homes. All 84 schools located in 0-5 km from the LoC stretch from Sunderbani to Manjakote shall remain closed for the next three days,? Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, Shahid Iqbal said. Officials said the situation was very tense as firing and shelling by Pakistani troops continued round-the-clock.

In January alone eight civilians and six security personnel were killed and around 70 injured in ceasefire violations by Pakistan troops along Indo-Pak border in Jammu region. Pakistani troops carried out intense shelling along the IB in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts and LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts from January 18 to 22.

While there were no ceasefire violations by Pakistan reported along the IB since January 22, intermittent shelling has taken place along the LoC.

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Raipur:

Six wagons and the locomotive of a goods train on Sunday derailed on the Kirandul-Visakhapatnam railway section in Chhattisgarhs Dantewada district after Naxalites removed tracks to disrupt train traffic on the eve of a bandh called by them, an official said.

The Maoists uprooted tracks between Bhansi and Bacheli, leading to the derailment of six wagons and the engine of the goods train, a senior police official told PTI.

The train, loaded with iron ore, was on its way to Visakhapatnam from Kirandul, the official said, adding the incident took place around 7 pm in the forests under Bacheli police station limits, located about 450 kms from here.

There was no report of any casualties, he said. A team of security personnel, including jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force and local police, and railway officials rushed to the spot to restore services, he said.

Officials said that the Maoists had called for a bandh in the region on Monday protesting against government policies.

In view of the bandh call, security forces had intensified search and combing operations in the Bastar region, the official added.
Bengaluru:

On Sunday afternoon, Karnataka Energy Minister DK Shivkumar went to Vijaynagara College Stadium, Hosapete to take stock of the preparations for Rahul Gandhi's rally scheduled for February 10.

As Shivkumar was being greeted by fans, someone from the crowd, just behind Shivkumar, raised his cellphone and attempted to take a selfie. But this did not go down well with the minister.

In the episode caught on video, it appears that the minister warned the person with the mobile not to click a selfie. When this failed, Shivkumar slapped the man on the hand causing the phone to fall.

This is not the first time that the minister lost his cool over selfies.

Three months ago, Shivkumar flung the phone of an intrusive fan who tried to take a selfie with him at a function in Belagavi.
New Delhi:

Karnataka Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah hit back hard at PM Modi over his remarks that there was a 10 per cent commission government" in the state and criminals were ruling the roost under it.

The PMs statements were irresponsible. He should provide proof of his allegations. The allegations were baseless and his speech was filled with lies, Siddaramaiah said.

He also targeted BJPs Chief Ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa. The PM spoke about corruption with Yeddyurappa beside him. When he (Modi) was the CM of Gujarat he did not even appoint a Lokayukyta. Being the PM, he has stooped to the levels of Yeddyurappa, nothing can be more shameful than that, Siddaramaiah said.



The Congress leader went on to speak about the achievements of his government. When we came to power our position was 11th in the investment list, from the past two years we are No. 1. These are statistics released by central government, he said.

On Sunday, during a rally in Bengaluru, PM Modi scatched a attack into the Siddaramaiah government and said, The Congress CM has only done business here. People are seeing how the Congress has run the government this last four years. They have ruled for only self-interest.

"When the Congress was there in the Centre, Karnataka was given Rs 73,000 crore. When the BJP came to power in the Centre, we gave the state 2 lakh crore. It is an increase of 180 percent. However, have you seen that money given to the state?" Modi said.

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah added that as per 14th finance commission, in last three years we were supposed to get 95.200 crore,whereas we got 84.500 crores, so they have to give 10,000 crores. This neither PM knows nor Amit Shah.

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Kashmir :

Militants on Monday evening attacked an Indian Army camp in South Kashmirs Kakapora area.

DIG South Kashmir confirmed the incident. There has been no casualties in the attack. The militants lobbed grenades on the RR camp.

According to a senior police officer of Jammu and Kashmir, the area has been cordoned by the Army and Quick Reaction Team (QRT) of CRPF.

The attack on the Indian Army camps comes a day after cross-border firing and shelling by Pakistani soldiers along the Line of Control in Rajouri district. Four soldiers including a captain was killed in the shelling.

(More details awaited)

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New Delhi:

Army's Vice Chief General Sarath Chand on Monday said that India will continue to give a "befitting reply" to Pakistan on the Line of Control and its action will speak for itself.

General Chand's comments came a a day after four of its personnel were killed in heavy shelling by Pakistan along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Pakistani Army has been supporting infiltration by terrorists along the border, Army Vice Chief Sarath Chand said.

"We will continue with our process of giving a befitting reply," he told reporters. "(Our) action will speak for itself," Chand added in response to a question on yesterday's incident.

Four Army personnel, including a 22-year-old captain, were killed yesterday in the Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control in Poonch and Rajouri districts.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Supreme Court hearing a request to ban couple killing over dishonour, a bench of court headed by Justice Dipak Mishra on Monday said, When two adults marry, no one had the right to interfere.

The Apex Court was hearing a petition by non-profit Shakti Vahini, which had asked for a ban on "khap panchayats" and dishonour killing.

The petition also had requested the court to ban self-appointed village courts, which believe it is their duty to protect traditions and act punish couples who marry against their families' wishes.

Dipak Mishra said, No one, either family or society, has right to interfere with the marriage.

A lawyer representing Khap Panchayats told Supreme Court that they are also against such killings.

Also read: Delhi honour killing | Man stabbed to death by girlfriend's family in Khyala



The Apex Court in reply to the Khap Panchayat representatives said, We are not concerned with Khap Panchayats. We are only concerned with the rights of a couple to get married.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Suman Gaudel of Naradevi, Kathmandu, shut his four-year-old grocery named Suman Cold Store in April after the second wave of Covid-19 started in Nepal. He then returned to his ancestral home in Tanahun just a day before the lockdown (prohibitory order) began in the Kathmandu valley.

Gaudel expresses, I was already in debt due to the first wave of the pandemic and resultant lockdown. And, this time, I had to shut my shop forever and return home and do farming due to the fear of increasing debt

He is just one representative. According to the Nepal Retailers Association, the number of people leaving retail businesses during the pandemic is around 1,800.

Struggle of scores

Gaudel further explains, During the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, I could not even pay the rent from the overall business. I even had a hard time managing sufficient meals for my family. Therefore, I ended up taking out a loan.

File: A grocery in Kathmandu

Even in the normal times, when Gaudel used to run his shop for around 15 hours a day, he used to hardly manage all his and his familys expenses. I had to pay Rs 15,000 a month in rent for the shop and Rs 7,000 for my flat. However, I could not even make Rs 20,000 monthly from the shop. Therefore, I was forced to leave Kathmandu. Once everything gets normal, I will look for a job but will never return to the grocery business again.

Ganga Sigdel of Kirtipur also has a similar story. She also quit the business as she could not make a living from her shop. Making their condition worse, her husband, who has been living abroad for four months, was also not paid by his employers. On the advice of her family, she returned to her home in Rasuwa during the prohibitory order with all her belongings and even enrolled her daughter in a school there itself.

Similarly, Deepak Rupakheti (name changed), who runs a retail grocery shop in Naya Baneshwar, shut his store last September. He was booked by the Department of Commerce during market monitoring for selling sugar at a higher price (Rs 4 more than the set price for a kilogram).

I had to pay a hefty fine for the mistake made in the wholesalers bill, and my year-round earnings went in one fell swoop. This was not the only reason for Rupakheti to shut his shop; he further complains that his sales were hampered due to the opening of a new supermarket nearby.

As per Dhruva Adhikari, a central executive member of the Nepal Retailers Association, hudnreds of people who used to run retail groceries including food and vegetable shops have left the business.

After the first lockdown, the number of our members has dropped from 4,000 to 2,200.

The associations general secretary Amul Kaji Tuladhar also reports retailers have been displaced due to the slowdown in business. He further adds that retailers became the victims of the pandemic, government policy and a decline in consumer spending.

Why were retailers displaced?

According to Tuladhar, the government adopted different policies in the operation of supermarkets and small groceries during the first lockdown in 2020, thus supermarkets and department stores earned well and retail shops went onto the verge of shutdown.

Even during the lockdown, the government took a discriminatory policy against us. There was a lot of competition when the grocery store was given a fixed time to open, states Tuladhar.

According to Adhikari, consumer spending has fallen as the source of income has shrunk due to the pandemic, therefore, sales or transactions have been reduced by up to 20 per cent. This is also because many people have left Kathmandu to their permanent addresses.

Consumers buy various goods in a grocery shop, in Kathmandu.

He further adds that some of the shops were closed forever as there was no sufficient sale, and they could not transport new items from the wholesalers.

Even in market monitoring, there is also discrimination between supermarkets and retailers, adds Adhikari.

What kind of businesses were displaced?

According to the association, retailers with small investment and shops where consumers from far and wide usually come to shop have been affected more by the prohibitory orders and lockdowns. Similarly, a lot of information has come to our notice that the homeowners who have been running retail businesses on their own house have left this business.

According to the Food Grocery Trading Association Nepal President Devendra Bhakta Shrestha, retailers have gone missing after borrowing large quantities of goods from wholesalers. It has been seen that there is a crisis in the business, views Shrestha.

No records

The local governments where such businesses are registered have shown indifference about this plight of the retailers. The Kathmandu metropolitan city (KMC) has stated that there is no integrated information on how many businesses have been registered and how many have been displaced.

Basanta Acharya, the KMC information officer, says that there is no integrated information on the number of retail businesses registered at the ward office. Even the Revenue and Tax Department of the KMC does not have the details of such businesses.

Shiva Raj Adhikari, chief of the department, says that such details could not be confirmed as small entrepreneurs were not forced to come under the tax net.
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
Workforce

Sweeping executive order covers diversity, inclusion, equity and accessibility in the federal workforce

An executive order issued last Friday directs the federal government to ramp up diversity training, rethink the use salary history as a basis for pay determinations and supply gender non-conforming and non-binary and transgender feds with employee credentials that reflect their current names, pictures and pronouns.

The sweeping order calls for a strategic plan to set standards and identify strategies for advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility and eliminating equity barriers within 150 days. It'll be updated at least every four years. The order also instructs a review of current policies for the collection of feds' demographic data and potentially modify it for more expansive collection.

The Biden administration doesn't require agency chief diversity officers in the order, but recommends that government agencies "seek opportunities" to establish such positions.

The government is also tasked with improving the pipeline of minority candidates into government through partnerships with historically Black colleges and universities and other institutions of higher learning with concentrations of Hispanic, Asian-American and Pacific-islander students, as well as students from Native American tribes. Additionally, the government is charged to explore partnerships with institutions that serve people with disabilities  just one aspect of the order that looks to attract people with disabilities to government service.

"This executive order will help in our efforts to recruit, retain, and honor the most effective workforce, one in which federal employees from all backgrounds and walks of life feel included and valued," newly confirmed Office of Personnel Management Director Kiran Ahuja said in a statement. She added that, " "these types of efforts are best practices for major employers across sectors seeking to stay competitive in the marketplace."

Diversity training push

Diversity training was a flashpoint in the Trump administration after the former president issued an executive order banning certain types of diversity and inclusion training for feds, contractors and federal grant recipients. Biden repealed the order soon after taking office.

The new order affirms the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion training that instills "knowledge of systemic and institutional racism and bias against underserved communities," and increase "understanding of implicit and unconscious bias."

The order also sets the stage for the Office of Personnel Management and the Defense Department to provide "comprehensive gender-affirming care," through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and the Military Health System as part of push for healthcare equity.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology is tasked with an update of federal employee identification standards to make sure that employee ID credentials "account for the needs of transgender and gender non-conforming and non-binary employees" and tells agency heads to update standards to include non-binary gender options. The order also directs agency heads to "explore opportunities to expand the availability of gender non-binary facilities and restrooms in federally owned and leased workplaces."

It also tells the director of National Intelligence to mitigate barriers in security clearance and background investigation process for LGBTQ+ employees, "in particular transgender and gender non-conforming and non-binary employees and applicants."
Do You Have These Top Tech Stocks In Your Portfolio Now?

With the hype around the reopening trade taking a breather, tech stocks appear to be on the rebound in the stock market today. This would be the case as investors looking to diversify or redistribute their assets rotate back to growth names. Evidently, the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite continues to climb towards newer heights this week. If anything, the current trajectory of tech stocks makes sense. As reopening stocks received a ton of attention for the first half of 2021, tech stocks dipped. Despite all of this, the growth story behind some of the top tech stocks remains. In theory, this could see some of them being marked as undervalued stocks in the current market.

Even now, investor interest in the tech industry continues to build. For example, medical tech company Doximity (NYSE: DOCS) saw its share prices more than double in its stock market debut last week. The online networking service for medical professionals employs tech to connect doctors with medical communities. Meanwhile, tech giant Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL) recently provided an update on its third-party ad tracking policy. Subsequently, ad tech companies such as The Trade Desk (NASDAQ: TTD) and PubMatic (NASDAQ: PUBM) gained by over 10% in the same day. By and large, the momentum in tech appears to be building again. Should all this have you keen to join the movement yourself, here are four worth knowing now.

Best Tech Stocks To Buy [Or Sell] This Week

Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc.

Virgin Galactic is a tech company that focuses on spaceflight. In detail, it develops commercial spacecraft and aims to provide suborbital spaceflights to space tourists. The vertically integrated aerospace company has essentially pioneered human spaceflight for private individuals and researchers. Investors seem to be responding to news that the company released last week.

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tech stocks to buy (SPCE stock)

Diving in, the company announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) updated the companys existing commercial space transportation operator license to allow the spaceline to fly customers to space.

Virgin Galactic also announced that it has completed an extensive review of data gathered from its May 22 test flight and confirmed that the flight performed well against all flight objectives. This approval from the FAA is further validation of the companys methodical testing program as it has met the verification and validation criteria required by the FAA. All things considered, is SPCE stock worth adding to your portfolio?

Read More

Apple Inc.

Apple is a multinational tech company that specializes in consumer electronics, software, and online services. From its flagship iPhones to its revolutionary Macbooks, the company has taken the world by storm in the last decade, with its high level of brand loyalty. Recently, the company announced that its Apple Search Ads have finally arrived in mainland China. The feature allows developers to bid on an advertising slot based on users keyword searches in the App Store.

best tech stocks (AAPL stock)

In late April, the company also announced record second-quarter financials. Its revenue was a whopping $89.6 billion, up by 54% year-over-year and quarterly earnings per diluted share of $1.40.

CEO Tim Cook said, Apple is in a period of sweeping innovation across our product lineup, and were keeping focus on how we can help our teams and the communities where we work emerge from this pandemic into a better world. That certainly begins with products like the all-new iMac and iPad Pro, but it extends to efforts like the 8 gigawatts of new clean energy well help bring onto the grid and our $430 billion investment in the United States over the next 5 years. For these reasons, is AAPL stock worth buying?

[Read More] Top Stocks To Buy This Week? 4 Health Care Stocks To Watch

BlackBerry Limited

Another upcoming player in the tech world to know now would be BlackBerry. Most would know the company from its days as a smartphone developer. These days, BlackBerry is in the cybersecurity business where demand is, arguably, at an all-time high. Meeting these demands, the company offers organizations a wide array of digital security solutions now. These include but are not limited to critical event management and endpoint protection. Moreover, BlackBerry also employs artificial intelligence and machine learning to secure the Internet of Things-based applications against cyberthreats. Because of all this, I could see investors eyeing BB stock now.

communication stocks to buy now (BB stock)

Sure, some would mention that BB stock is currently a meme stock. While that may be true, the potential growth of the company should not be overlooked. In its latest quarter fiscal posted yesterday, BlackBerry reported solid figures. Namely, the company exceeded Wall Streets estimates in terms of quarterly revenue. While doing so, it also reported narrower-than-expected losses.

For the most part, CEO John Chen cites an uptick in electric vehicle (EV) sales as a key growth driver for its products. This would be the case as BlackBerrys cutting-edge QNX software powers EVs from the likes of Ford (NYSE: F) and General Motors (NYSE: GM). Given all of this, would you BB stock a top buy now?

[Read More] What Are The Best Stocks To Invest In? 5 EV Stocks To Watch Now

Nvidia Corporation

Following that, we will be looking at a top semiconductor company, Nvidia. Primarily, the company designs industry-leading graphics processing units (GPUs). The likes of which cater to the gaming and cryptocurrency mining markets. Aside from that, Nvidia also designs and manufactures system-on-a-chip units for the mobile computing and automotive industries. Given the prevalence of the companys offerings in our tech-based world today, NVDA stock would be on tech investors watchlists now. As it stands, NVDA stock is currently looking at year-to-date gains of over 45%.

best tech stocks to buy right now (NVDA Stock)

For one thing, analysts seem to believe so. Just last week, Jefferies (NYSE: JEF) and Bank Of America (NYSE: BAC) provided rosy updates on NVDA stock. Firstly, Jefferies analyst Mark Lipacis raised his price target to a high of $854 a share. Lipacis cites Nvidias decade-long investment in the Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA) platform, providing the company a multi-year competitive advantage.

Secondly, BAC analyst Vivek Arya reiterated his Buy rating on NVDA stock, raising his price target to $900 from $800. The analyst argues that Nvidias fast-expanding portfolio will be a key contributor to Nvidia reaching its $30 billion revenue projections. Overall, the company does not seem to be resting on its laurels now. With the expected uptick in semiconductor production and sales, will you be investing in NVDA stock?
NEW YORK, June 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

Snapshot of BizVibe's exterior product supplier profiles and categories.

BizVibe has made available 500+ company profiles for the exterior product manufacturers and suppliers category on its B2B platform. Companies listed in this product category are primarily engaged in manufacturing or supplying various types of exterior products (such as exterior lights, exterior wall tiles, exterior paint, etc.). Companies which provide exterior-related services (such as exterior home maintenance, exterior detailing services, etc.) are also included in the category.

Get Free Access to These 500+ Profiles

Each profile is free to view and packed with high-quality insights, providing businesses with detailed company information. Users can take advantage of these insights to identify, target, and connect with the right exterior product manufacturers and suppliers. This company information includes employee insights, company competitors, the impact of emerging trends and challenges, the latest news, and more.

Free Insights Included for all Exterior Product Manufacturer and Supplier Profiles:

List of product and service category offerings and primary operating industries

Risk of doing business score across four different metrics

List of key executives and their roles within the company

Company financials and general organizational information

Global, national, and regional competitors

List of key clients

Top trends and challenges within operating industry and expected influence on business impact

Latest company news with the ability to sign up for timely news alerts

Get Started to View Free Company Insights

Exterior Product Companies on BizVibe

BizVibe's platform contains 10M+ company profiles, spanning across 200+ countries, categorized into 40,000+ products and services. There are 500+ company profiles related to exterior product manufacturers and suppliers on BizVibe, covering 10+ product and service categories. Each company profile contains detailed insights dedicated to helping procurement and sales teams find trusted suppliers and target sales prospects.

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Examples of exterior product manufacturer and supplier company profiles that can be discovered on BizVibe include:

Exterior vinyl shutter manufacturers

Exterior LED lighting manufacturers

Exterior paint manufacturers

Exterior sun control devices manufacturers

Exterior wall cladding tiles suppliers

Exterior stone suppliers

Get Free Company Profile Access for all Categories

Company Profiles for Buyers and Sellers

BizVibe's modern B2B platform is designed to help both global buyers and sellers. Powered by the latest best-in-class solutions, BizVibe provides outstanding product features for both category managers and sales professionals.

Features for Buyers:

Quickly discover the right suppliers

Create short lists and custom alerts

Mitigate supplier risk and evaluate suppliers

Send RFIs/RFPs

Learn how BizVibe helps buyers: https://www.bizvibe.com/find-suppliers

Features for Sellers:

Target the right sales prospects

Qualify leads

Analyze buyer potential

API integration and data enrichment

Learn how BizVibe helps sellers: https://www.bizvibe.com/sellers

About BizVibe

BizVibe has been conceptualized and built by a team based out of Toronto, Bangalore, and London. We are a branch of Infiniti Research and have dedicated units in all three locations. BizVibe helps buyers find the most relevant suppliers from around the world and help sellers target prospects who need their products and/or services. For more information, please visit www.bizvibe.com and start for free today.

Contact

BizVibe

Jesse Maida

Email: jesse@bizvibe.com

+1 855-897-5880

Website: https://www.bizvibe.com/

BizVibe (PRNewsfoto/BizVibe)

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/evaluate-and-track-exterior-product-companies--view-company-insights-for-500-exterior-product-manufacturers-and-suppliers--bizvibe-301320412.html

SOURCE BizVibe
MONTREAL, June 27, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED)

The Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, accompanied by Rachel Bendayan, Member of Parliament for Outremont and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, will announce Government of Canada financial assistance to support Montreal inc. in starting up and funding innovative businesses.

Date:

June 28, 2021

Time:

12 noon

Location:

Phi Centre

Space A

407 Rue Saint-Pierre

Montreal, Quebec

H2Y 2M3

Given the limited number of spots, journalists who want to attend this press conference must confirm their presence by writing to the following email address by 9 a.m. on Monday, June 28, 2021: dec.conference.ced@canada.ca.

The event will also be broadcast live through the Zoom platform, and it will be possible to participate by registering at this link. Registered journalists will be able to ask questions following the press briefing.

Anyone attending the press conference in person must not present any symptoms similar to those of COVID19 and must not have been in contact with anyone who has received a positive diagnosis within the last 14 days. Note that face masks must be worn.

Stay connected

Follow CED on social media

Consult CED's news

SOURCE Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions

Cision

View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2021/27/c8592.html
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to create stress and anxiety for many Canadians, particularly those who do not have ready access to their regular support networks. Through the Wellness Together Canada online portal, people of all ages across the country can access immediate, free and confidential mental health and substance use supports, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

OTTAWA, ON, June 27, 2021 /CNW/ - In Ontario, June 27 is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Day, an opportunity to raise awareness about traumatic stress and PTSD. PTSD is a diagnosable mental health disorder that may occur after exposure to psychological stressors during one or more potentially psychologically traumatic events. Symptoms of PTSD can include recurring and distressing memories, avoiding reminders of the event(s), and disturbed sleep.

While PTSD can affect anyone, regardless of background, some may be at greater risk because of the type of job they do. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, increased stressors and heightened risks have made many frontline and health workers susceptible to trauma and posttraumatic stress.

A recent survey conducted by the Public Health Agency of Canada and Statistics Canada showed that 6% of Canadian adults reported moderate to severe symptoms of PTSD. Survey respondents with moderate to severe symptoms of PTSD were more likely to report pandemic impacts like physical health problems and difficulties meeting financial obligations. They were also more likely to report mental health-related concerns such as increased alcohol and cannabis use, symptoms of anxiety or depression, and thoughts of suicide. Since symptoms of PTSD may take months or even years to develop, we may not know the full impact of the pandemic on Canadians' mental health for some time.

It is important to check in with those close to us, to acknowledge how the past months of challenges and sacrifices have affected us, and to support each other during this time. If you need support for your mental health or substance use, you can visit Wellness Together Canada for free help and resources.

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As COVID-19 activity declines in Canada, we are continuing to track key epidemiological indicators to monitor trends and quickly detect emerging issues of concern, including to better understand the impact of circulating virus variants. The Public Health Agency of Canada is also providing Canadians with regular updates on COVID-19 vaccines administered, vaccination coverage and ongoing monitoring of vaccine safety across the country. The following is the latest summary on national numbers and trends.

Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 1,412,768 cases of COVID-19 and 26,214 deaths reported in Canada; these cumulative numbers tell us about the overall burden of COVID-19 illness to date. Variants of concern (VOCs) represent the majority of recently reported COVID-19 cases across the country. While the Alpha variant continues to account for the majority of genetically sequenced variants in Canada, four VOCs (B.1.1.7 (Alpha), B.1.351 (Beta), P.1 (Gamma), and B.1.617.2 (Delta)) have been detected in most provinces and territories and the Delta variant is increasing in some areas. However, we know that vaccination, in combination with public health and individual measures, are working to reduce spread of COVID-19.

The latest national-level data show a continued downward trend in disease activity with an average of 758 cases reported daily during the latest 7 day period (June 18-24), down 33% compared to the week prior. Likewise, the overall number of people experiencing severe and critical illness is also steadily declining. Provincial and territorial data indicate that an average of 1,114 people with COVID-19 were being treated in Canadian hospitals each day during the most recent 7-day period (June 18-24), which is 22% fewer than last week. This includes, on average 533 people who were being treated in intensive care units, 18% fewer than last week. Likewise, the latest 7-day average of 18 deaths reported daily (June 18-24) is continuing to decline, showing a 9% decrease compared to the week prior.

As vaccine eligibility continues to expand, the administration of first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines continues at an accelerated pace across the country, there is increasing optimism that widespread, stronger and longer lasting immunity can be achieved by fully vaccinating a high proportion of Canadians. For more information regarding the risks and benefits of vaccination, I encourage Canadians to reach out to your local public health authorities, healthcare provider, or other trusted and credible sources, such as Canada.ca and Immunize.ca.

Canadians can access information on Canada.ca to understand the benefits of being vaccinated against COVID-19, as well as find guidance on life after vaccination. Free interactive risk assessment tools developed by Ryerson's National Institute on Aging and supported by the Government of Canada are also available. These resources aim to assist Canadians with informed decision making and understanding of COVID-wise precautions that lower COVID-19 risks according to personal and family health and vaccinations status, as well as different risk settings and activities. However, as jurisdictions begin to ease restrictions, risks and circumstances are not the same everywhere and following local public health advice continues to be important, regardless of your vaccination status.

While COVID-19 is still circulating in Canada and internationally, core public health measures and individual protective practices can help us to reduce the spread: stay home/self-isolate if you have symptoms; be aware of risks associated with different settings; avoid all non-essential travel; and maintain individual protective practices such as physical distancing and wearing a well-fitted and properly worn face mask, as appropriate.

Canadians can also go the extra mile by sharing credible information on COVID-19 risks and prevention practices and measures to reduce COVID-19 in communities. Read my backgrounder to access more COVID-19 Information and Resources on ways to reduce the risks and protect yourself and others, including information on COVID-19 vaccination.

SOURCE Public Health Agency of Canada

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View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2021/27/c7310.html
LOS ANGELES (AP)Will Smith is ready to open up about his life story.

Penguin Press announced that Smith will release his memoir, Will, on Nov. 9. The actor-rapper shared a photo of the books cover art to more than 54 million of his followers on Instagram.

Smith said he is finally ready to release the memoir after working on the book for two years. His book will be published by Penguin Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House and co-authored by Mark Manson.

Its been a labor of love, Smith said in his post.

Smith will also narrate the audiobook of Will from Penguin Random House Audio.

Will delves into Smith being raised in West Philadelphia to entering superstardom as an actor and rapper. Hes a two-time Academy Award nominee and won a four-time Grammy winner.
When Mark Thaden first arrived at the University of Mary Washington in the late 1990s, the campus LGBTQ group met quietly, behind closed doors, in an upstairs room of the campus center.

It was a social group, but it was very much about support, said Thaden, a 2002 graduate of UMW who is now the universitys executive director of alumni relations.

Thaden said he was not out when he came to UMW from rural Maryland and a small, Catholic high school. At the club carnival early his freshman year, he was excited to see that there was an LGBTQ campus group, but he was too nervous at first to approach members.

Luckily, a friend signed him up to receive the groups emails and the meetings became formative in his journey toward self-acceptance.

Thats where I started feeling more comfortable, being with people who were comfortable with themselves, Thaden said. Thats where I started feeling like it was OK.

Thadens memories and those of two dozen other LGBTQ alumni were recorded and transcribed in 2019 by students in Associate Professor Erin Devlins Oral History seminar.
Soledad Segura Cardillo, 96, needed surgery. Since then, shes had a wound that requires ongoing treatment and has to use a wheelchair to get around.

The elderly woman doesnt qualify for much assistance and could get out of the house only when her son-in-law, who works in Northern Virginia, was home and could carry her outside.

Noriega Herrarte dealt with one frustration after another, from language barriersbecause her mother speaks no Englishto losing her job because she couldnt afford a caretaker and wouldnt leave her mother home alone.

She worried what would happen in the event of an emergency, such as a fire, and her husband wasnt there. How would she get her mother out of the house?

SAWs solved the problem recently when a team of about a dozen men and women showed up with hammers, drills and enough lumber to install a 54-foot ramp. It ran down the four steps of the front porch, into the yard and to the driveway.

They really make a difference in peoples lives, Noriega Herrarte said, tears in her eyes as she detailed ongoing medical and financial worries. Even though everything is against us, there is a light.
A hot air balloon hit a power line and crashed onto a busy street in Albuquerque on Saturday, killing all five people on board, including the parents of an Albuquerque police officer, police said.

The crash happened around 7 a.m. in the city's west side, police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said. Police identified two of the passengers as Martin Martinez, 59, and Mary Martinez, 62  the parents of a prison transport officer with the Albuquerque Police Department.

Police did not immediately release the others' names but said the male pilot, and a female and male passenger were from central New Mexico.

Martin Martinez also had worked for Albuquerque police on bicycle patrol but most recently was a sergeant with the local school district's police force, authorities said. Some Albuquerque officers who responded to the crash had worked with him and were sent home because it took a toll on them, said police Chief Harold Medina.

It really emphasized the point that no matter how big we think we are, we're still a tightknit community and incidents like this affect us all, Medina said.

The Albuquerque Public Schools District said Martin Martinez will forever be remembered for his lifelong dedication, courage and selflessness to the profession of law enforcement.
For that, I can thank President Joe Biden.

Several months later, I received Bidens letter congratulating Congress for passing the American Rescue Plan, which he wrote would help get millions of Americans through this crisis.

Biden noted in his official missive that alongside the $1,400 direct deposit, the American Rescue Plan also included aid for small businesses and expanded tax credits for individuals and families.

When I took office, I promised the American people that help was on its way. The American Rescue Act makes good on that promise, Biden wrote. He then confides, like a personal whispered aside to every cash-strapped recipient, I want to be sure you receive all the benefits you are entitled to.

He ended with a kind of triumphant flourish, looking forward to a brighter future, which we have all heard before but that I find I still need to hear, like an Amen after a sermon: I truly believe there is nothing we cant do as a nation, as long as we do it together.

I agree that the policies enacted under the American Rescue Act spared millions of lives from immediate catastrophe. But I still dont believe were fulfilling the mandate of a nation where there is nothing we cant do with these short-term solutions.
Clearly, Im not the only vacation-starved person in the world who missed a beach break last year and desperately needs one this summer. Because I cover health care and have been writing about COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths since March 2020and because my companion Lou has heard almost as much about the virus as I havewe wanted to wait as long as possible before making a reservation.

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We booked a house last year in late February, as I always do, then canceled because of blasted COVIDand ended up losing about $500 in the deal. The contract I signed with a real-estate company said Id be liable for a certain amount of money if I canceled, and it stuck to the fine print, even in the midst of a worldwide pandemic.

Lets just say I did not book my beach house with the same rental agency this year.

Ive been antsy to make a reservation since vaccines came out and cases started dropping. I worried we wouldnt be able to find a small house for the two of usbecause everyone else had the same ideaand from the looks of things, reservations are rising like the incoming tide.

We set June 20 as our deadline to decide, and when I visited one rental website, a bubble popped up, noting that 150 other people were looking at the same time I was. Nothing like a little sales pressure.
"With every step we say something we're grateful for. I'm grateful for macaroni and cheese, I'm grateful for my puppy, I'm grateful for you, that sort of thing," Kaiser Greenland said. For older kids and adults, the gratitude can be spoken silently if they choose.

3. Shake it off

If your kid is feeling restless, Kaiser Greenland said, it can help to try something even more active.

"First thing you need to do is release some nervous energy," she said. "If you toggle between movement and stillness, that has a more grounding effect."

Kaiser Greenland recommends alternating a minute of movement with a few minutes of stillness. "You just shake to the sound of a beat of a drum, or you shake your arm then shake your leg," she said.

After that, it's time to bring your child's attention to the sensations in their body or things in the immediate environment. "Feel your breathing. Listen to a sound. You feel your feet against the floor," she said. "Then you shake again."

4. Practice noticing

While many mindfulness practices involve looking inward, it's a perspective you can bring to observing the world around you, too.
So far, he said, they have not come across any voids.

In meetings with authorities, family members repeatedly pushed rescuers to do more. One asked why they could not surgically remove the largest pieces of cement with cranes, to try to uncover bigger voids where survivors might be found.

"There's not giant pieces that we can easily surgically remove," replied Maggie Castro, of the fire rescue agency, who described herself as "one of the people out there attempting to find your family members."

"They're not big pieces. Pieces are crumbled, and they're being held together by the rebar that's part of the construction. So if we try to lift that piece, even as carefully, those pieces that are crumbling can fall off the sides and disturb the pile," Castro said.

She said they try to cut rebar in strategic places and remove large pieces, but that they have to remove them in a way that nothing will fall onto the pile.

"We are doing layer by layer," Castro said. "It doesn't stop. It's all day. All night."

A fire in the rubble pile slowed efforts earlier in the weekend, but Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said it was suppressed Saturday.
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Thunderstorms early, then becoming clear after midnight. Low around 60F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, then becoming clear after midnight. Low around 60F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Mainly clear skies after midnight. Low around 60F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Mainly clear skies after midnight. Low around 60F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Mainly clear skies after midnight. Low near 60F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Mainly clear skies after midnight. Low near 60F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
The Peotone Vedette out of Illinois reported that DeNormandie, who grew up in the Chicago suburbs, was a junior at local Evergreen Park High School and had already received a number of musical honors and awards to that point in his life.

"Bob spent the past four years at the Illinois Youth Summer Music Camp at Urbana, and three years with the National Stage Bands at Bloomington, Ind.," the article reads. "He has won superior ratings in state solo contests and is a first chair baritone player with the Southwest Suburban Festival Concert."

Fifty-four years and 1,800 miles later, California resident DeNormandie arrived in Mason City, betting that all of that musical knowledge and experience would pay off.

But it hasn't. Not yet.

Arrival

Earlier this month, DeNormandie blew into town in his 1995 Ford Explorer with 139,000 miles on it from Yuba City, California, telling the story of that Rose Bowl experience as well as the origins of a double bell euphonium his father gave him in 1964 that he considers one of his most prized possessions.

"For the last three or four decades Ive been researching from where the instrument was created, from the manufacturer, and trying to find the backstory of what was conveyed to me as a child that there were six of these horns made for Meredith Willsons movie "The Music Man." Inscribed on the bell, youll read that. It says so," he said.

DeNormandie said given the time period it was first acquired, he doesn't have any paperwork on the item. His father is no longer alive. So his only certification is the story he has and the euphonium itself, which features the inscription "Made by RMC for the filming of Meredith Willson's 'The Music Man' by Warner Bros." and is imprinted with the serial number 61064.

The former marching band player said what brought him to town was that after a period of reaching out to people online to try and find a home for the potentially historic film instrument, he got a Google alert for The Music Man Square in Mason City. So DeNormandie said that he talked with an official representing The Music Man Square and offered the euphonium for $11,000, the price he previously had on it on the internet. (On Oct. 18, 2020, DeNormandie posted the euphonium as being for sale on a public Facebook group page called "Double-Bell Euphoniums." DeNormandies post said, "Music man movie only 6. Contact Seller. Music man movie only 6 custom made 1962 original owner since 1962.")

Per DeNormandie, an agent for The Music Man Square, told him they had the ways and means to raise the funds to cover that cost.

"And I said, 'Thats great.' So Im really feeling anxious and excited and thinking: Wow, what a great idea. This could be exhibiting in a museum. My baby is going to come home where it belongs. Im getting psyched up for myself," DeNormandie said.

From there, he said that a private investor in The Music Man Square got involved. That person would work in conjunction with the board of directors to help pay for the euphonium and then donate it on exhibit, which the investor later confirmed with the Globe Gazette.

"That was the intent from day one," the investor said.

Serial

At a certain point, the serial number on the euphonium became a sticking point.

DeNormandie insists that the proper way to read the serial number on a Reynolds piece such as his, 61064, is that the first two digits represent the year. The following digits then indicate the production number. That matters, because if the 61 does indicate the year 1961 then the timeline of the instrument could fit with when the movie "The Music Man" was released, in 1962.

He said that folks from The Music Man Square saw the issue of the serial number differently. Nick Whitehurst, from the organization, confirmed that.

"The information we had been able to find, with comparing the serial number provided and the maker, the horn itself wouldve been dated after the movie was produced," Whitehurst said.

According to him, the numbering issue raised a flag, as did the lack of documentation for the instrument and the ultimate inability to verify whether or not the euphonium was in fact a screen-used piece from "The Music Man."

"Without having proper documentation, we werent able to confirm it. And with the information we were able to find the manufacturers didnt line up," Whitehurst said.

Someone who does such verification weighed in on the matter, but Whitehurst chose not to disclose who the person was or what their specific credentials were. When asked why, Whitehurst said: "(I) would not want to cause more of a stir than there already is."

With that information, Whitehurst said that The Music Man Square decided to not go through with any deal. The private investor also dropped out.

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DeNormandie said he felt "blindsided" by that decision.

"I feel damaged. I feel my integrity has been questioned. And I feel like Ive been called a liar. And that, I feel, needs to be soothed over. I need to talk with this individual so he can personally see the horn, he can personally see the serial number."

Verification quest

"A lot of companies did their serial numbers sequentially. The 61 and 64 dont mean anything as far as date. It doesnt reflect anything with date," said Deborah Reeves, a curator of education at the National Music Museum in Vermillion, South Dakota. According to her, the best approach is to try to confirm a number from a serial number list.

The website contemporacorner.com contains a host of serial numbers and engraving information on instruments such as the trumpet, the flugelhorn and the euphonium. On a page for Reynolds Serial Numbers, there is a list that runs from 1936 through July 1979, when production ceased. In the entry for 1961, its noted that Most instruments between SN 60000-79000 bear the RMC shield, corresponding to the 1961-1963 period that Richards Music owned Reynolds.

The F.A. Reynolds Company became "a wholly-owned subsidiary of the newly formed Richards Music Corporation" in 1961, according to the website.

"As a division of Richards Music, Reynolds became part of the Roundtable of Musical Craftsmen (RMC) along with the Martin Band Instrument Co., E.K. Blessing and Flat/Jacks Drums (all owned by Richards Music Corporation). Instruments produced by these companies during the Richards era all bear a RMC shield logo," the Contempora Corner post on Reynolds history stated.

In 1962, Contempora Corner notes that "Richards Music also sponsored 'The Music Man Contest' for individual musicians between ages 8-18, with national, regional and local award winners. 'Music Man'-branded Emperor trumpets, cornets and trombones were produced in conjunction with the contest."

While there isnt a shield in the literal sense on DeNormandies instrument, there is a signature for Reynolds and an RMC. And the serial number on his instrument is 61064.

Merlin Grady, who has done instrument repair work in Waterloo for decades, wrote in an email that "The Euph looks legit esp with the engraving." Over the phone, when asked about the engraving on DeNormandie's instrument not being a carbon copy of other engravings for Reynolds instruments, Grady said that it wasn't uncommon for instrument manufacturers to do engravings by free hand.

"Conn had an in-house engraver and Im presuming thats the way with all the old ones," Grady said.

The author of the "Reynolds Serial Numbers" page on the Contempora website does take care to note, "I am not aware of any surviving official serial number records for Reynolds brass instruments."

Reeves also pointed out that serial number lists are "terribly inaccurate" and that serial numbers are "a guarded secret as far a company is concerned."

Margaret Banks, Reeves' colleague and associate director/senior curator of musical instruments at the National Music Museum, was more direct in her assessment of DeNormandie's euphonium after seeing photos of it.

"In my opinion, this double-bell euphonium was most likely one of the instruments used in the filming of 'The Music Man,'" she wrote in an email. Her reasoning: The National Music Museum has a flute (NMM 10104) from the film engraved with: "Made by RMC for the filming of Meredith Willson's 'The Music Man' by Warner Bros."

Banks said that when museum officials conducted research on the flute, they found that found that 211 instruments were provided by RMCs subsidiaries for use in the movie, which was produced in 1961 and released in 1962. "The manufacture(r) of our flute (likely made in 1960) is attributed to the Martin Band Instrument Company, a subsidiary of RMC, and subcontractor for The Pedler Company, Elkhart, Indiana," she wrote.

Loras Schissel, who is from New Hampton and works as a senior musicologist for the Library of Congress, was less definitive about the euphonium.

"According to some of my euphonium friends, 6 double-bell euphoniums were made for the filming of the Music Man- I suppose this could be one of them," he replied in an email.

Time and money

Beyond the matter of the serial number for DeNormandie's euphonium, the asking price and when he wanted the deal done became complicating factors as well.

"We had asked why or how the $11,000 price tag was arrived at and the gentleman had told us that that was confidential," Whitehurst said.

The private investor spoke to the pacing. "Some of what raised red flags for Music Man Square investors was the need for expediency," they said.

Outside the realm of music, a search for "Robert DeNormandie Jr." on Google turns up a fraud case where a "Robert T. DeNormandie," then age 66, received five years probation in 2016 for forgery of a $356,000 check. Per the Marysville Appeal-Democrat, which covers the counties of Sutter and Yuba near Sacramento, DeNormandie entered a U.S. Bank and deposited the check into the account of his business, DeNormandie Consulting Ltd. Multiple posts on DeNormandie's Facebook reference Yuba City as recently as 2021.

The Appeal-Democrat article includes an explanation from DeNormandie about why things unfolded the way they did. "DeNormandie, according to the probation report, claimed he needed money to pay a ransom for his girlfriend who had been kidnapped in the Philippines," reporter Harold Kruger wrote.

Through Friday afternoon, DeNormandie had not responded to follow-up requests via email, Facebook Messenger and phone call to chat about the case. Though there are continued posts to his Facebook page with aphorisms such as "Here today looking forward." There's no indication as of yet whether DeNormandie remains in the Midwest or whether he's made it to Florida, where he said he wanted to relocate to after he gets a deal done on the euphonium, which travels with him in the Ford Explorer, along with a number of other personal effects. So, for now, it seems he hasn't made it to his intended home. Neither has the instrument.

Jared McNett covers local government for the Globe Gazette. You can reach him at Jared.McNett@globegazette.com or by phone at 641-421-0527. Follow Jared on Twitter at @TwoHeadedBoy98.

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If you have already had COVID-19, you are not immune from getting the virus again, and it is still important for you to be vaccinated, Gunn-Nolan said.

Southern Virginia falls behind the rest of the state when it comes to vaccinations in adults. Martinsville  at 54%  is the only Southside locality with more than half of adults fully vaccinated. Patrick Countys 36% rate for adults is the lowest in the region.

In Danville, 44% of adults are fully protected from the illness. Pittsylvania County has only 42% of adult residents vaccinated.

Those percentages are even lower when factoring in children, because only those 12 and above are eligible for a shot of protection.

Sovah Health is troubled by the low vaccination rates in our communities and are concerned for the potential of future surges, due to the spread of variants, which require more aggressive clinical care and are likely to cause more severe outcomes, Gunn-Nolan told the newspaper. I continue to have conversations with hospitalized patients and their loved ones who regret not being vaccinated.

Often it takes feeling the affects of the disease before a patient will say, If I survive, Ill get my vaccine, she explained.
Virginias U.S. senators, Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, both Democrats, signed a joint letter to U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy earlier this year, where they decried the service standard and asked multiple questions about issues. DeJoy, who was appointed in May 2020, has faced criticism over USPS changes made last summer that many blame for widespread mail delay.

Kaine said they have not gotten a satisfactory response.

Ive been in the Senate for eight years and track very carefully constituent complaints, he said. Theres always some complaints about the post office, but it was at a fairly low level and a fairly predictable level up until the minute that the current postmaster general was installed in this position  From the minute that happened, the number of complaints that we received about the postal operation just started to go up like an elevator, and most of my colleagues say the same thing.

Kaine said theyre working to create a better Board of Governors of the Postal Service. The board normally consists of up to nine governors appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate, according to the USPS. Three new board members have been appointed this year.
To the editor:

Flight training at Danville is essential to fixing a national pilot shortage. The same unprecedented shortage of workers that risks canceling thousands of flights can and should be turned into an economic opportunity for Danville.

Support of Danville Regional Airport and workforce development at Averett University will allow more residents of Southside to enjoy the benefits of the growing aviation industry. As the General Assembly meets in August with a surplus of funds from the American Rescue Plan, legislators would do well to remember the shortage of workers in the aviation industry.

Flying is not a weekend hobby for a privileged few. Airlines and aviation business are ready and eager to expand accessibility to flight training.

In 2019, the Virginia Department of Aviation worked with the Virginia Space Grant Consortium, Averett University and Blue Ridge Community College to offer flight academies at no cost for high school students statewide.

Companies like United Airlines have already filed a flight plan to make aviation accessible to everyone, partnering with nearby Hampton University to help fix their shortage of 5,000 pilots.
I do think that it should be discussed again, Saunders said Friday.

With plans for a riverfront park on a 4-acre spot near King Memorial Bridge and an area for whitewater rafting, we ought to be as safe as we can be, he said, pointing to more expected visitors and residents in the city in the future.

I would choose the side of safety, Saunders said. It may cost a little, but how do you put a figure on human life?

The firm DHM Designs Inc. (which is now Site Collaborative) in Raleigh, N.C., found in 2017 that demolishing the dam would restore natural habitat and an extended view up and downstream of the structure, showing water rushing over rocks in the river.

The study estimated at the time that it would cost between $100,000 and $250,000 to remove the dam.

Also, getting rid of the dam would result in no ongoing maintenance costs or dam safety concerns, the study concluded.

By removing a large obstruction, smaller obstacles could be added to get more recreational benefits from the river, a consultant with DHM told councilmen at the time. The only drawback would be elimination of the visual cues of the dams presence.

Park benefit
Words cant describe how excited we are to be a part of this historic sailing today, said Elizabeth Rosner, 28, who moved from Michigan to Orlando, Fla., in December 2019 with her fiance just to be close to the cruise industrys hub.

Industry officials are hoping all goes smooth to move past a chapter last year of deadly outbreaks on cruise ships that prompted ships to be rejected at ports and passengers to be forced into quarantine. Some passengers died of COVID-19 at sea while others fell so ill they had to be carried out of the vessels on stretchers.

The CDC extended no-sail orders repeatedly last year as the pandemic raged, and came up with strict requirements for the industry that have already been contested in court by the state of Florida. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says the industry generates billions for the states economy.

On Saturday, officials at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale said only that port lost more than $30 million in revenue in fiscal year 2020 from the cruise shutdown.
MARTINSVILLE, Va.  Henry County is proposing to build part of an interstate highway into the county that has been on the drawing board since the 1990s.

Henry County is working with Rockingham County (N.C.) to apply for a Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Henry County Administrator Tim Hall at a regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. This bites off a chunk of I-73.

The interstate, billed by leaders at the time as a potential economic savior to the region, is a thoroughfare that would extend from Myrtle Beach, S.C., to Michigan, passing through six states.

After almost 25 years, North Carolina has built more than 100 miles of the road  from the city of Rockingham, N.C., in the south to Madison, part of Rockingham County, in the north  but no other state has added to the project.

We presented a proposal to Rockingham last night, and they (commissioners) voted for it unanimously, Hall said. They are going to be co-applicants with us.
The bank expects to record a total pretax charge of approximately $1.5 million for costs associated with impacted employees, impairment of an operating lease asset, the write-down of branch facilities and other net costs during the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2021, the release stated.

In the letter sent to customers of the affected branches, those with a safe deposit box are asked to visit their branches before Sept. 3 to close their boxes and move their items elsewhere.

If you have a safe deposit box but do not have anything in it, the letter asks that you return the keys to your local branch and sign a closure form.

If you have lost your key, you are asked to call your branch and arrange for an appointment to open your box. You will need photo identification to do this, and there will be no charge for lost keys. If you choose to move your box to another HomeTrust branch, the bank will extend a year of free rental.

As for all customers of the affected branches, the release says that the bank expects to service customers of the closed branches through its remaining network of 32 branches and digital banking services.

Bill Wyatt is a reporter for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at 276-638-8801, Ext. 236. Follow him @billdwyatt.
EDEN  Vincent Broadnax of Reidsville was arrested Thursday and charged with first degree murder in connection with the Thursday morning shooting death of an Eden man.

Eden police officers responded to reports of shots fired at Dyer Street here at around 2:10 a.m. and discovered Melford Edison Holloway, 44, of Stoneville dead from an apparent gunshot wound, according to a news release from the Eden Police Department.

Later Thursday, Rockingham County District Attorney Jason Ramey consulted with investigators and issued a warrant for Broadnaxs arrest.

Armed with a search warrant, investigators found Broadnax, 42, as they combed over Stoney Brook Apartments outside of Eden. They arrested him without incident, the release said.

Held without bond at the Rockingham County Detention Facility, Broadnax will appear in Rockingham County District Court to face the felony charge on July 8, the release said.

Broadnax was charged in 2014 by Reidsville police with assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm, probation violation, identity theft, resisting a public officer, failure to yield at a stop sign, felony speeding to elude arrest, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and misdemeanor larceny, public safety records show.

Authorities said the shooting investigation is ongoing and that anyone with information about the crime should call Det. Tyson Scales or Lt. Chuck Gallaher at the EPD at (336) 623-9755 (24hr) or (336) 623-9240 . To leave an anonymous tip, call Rockingham County Crime Stoppers at (336) 349-9683.
EDEN  Rain pelted the funeral tent as the Villano family of Eden joined Tuesday for a graveside service in Eden for Antonio Ramon, who perished when nine members of the family tubed over a dam here.

Family members have said their grief is acute and complex because of all of the familial intersections and the number of lives lost.

A wife and aunt, gone. A young dad, gone. An adored nephew, gone. A beloved teenage daughter, gone. Meanwhile, a sister who is an expectant mother is still missing.

After eight days of searching with the help of the State Highway Patrol and water rescue teams from neighboring counties, Rockingham County Emergency Services Director Rodney Cates said Friday, Our search efforts are scaled back to county resources at this time.

On Monday, the SHP dispatched a helicopter to Rockingham to assist in the recovery mission. On Wednesday, Cates and other officials worked with a private canine handler from Raleigh to search the Dan for Teresa Villano, Cates said.

The canine was on the water all day, but obviously we did not locate anything, Cates said Friday, noting that Wednesday marked the second time in four days the dog had helped in the effort.
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 Biden's policies are soft may have a better chance of sticking  in part because his nuclear deal won't constrain Iran's behavior on other issues.

Republicans will say the deal was a bust because Iran will still be ruled by Khamenei's 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.
Take Back Our Schools has staged multiple rallies in recent months calling for the school district to reopen school board meetings for in-person public participation. Rally participants have said they would like to address the board with concerns on a wide variety of issues such as school safety, school discipline, mask requirements, "critical race theory" and social and emotional learning. Some have called for Contreras' firing.

School board meetings have been closed to the public since early in the pandemic. Board members have met sometimes in person, sometimes virtually, and often through a combination of the two.

Before the pandemic, the board held public comment periods during meetings where people could sign up to speak for a few minutes. Now public comments emailed to the board are posted with the online agenda at the start of meetings. Members of Take Back Our Schools want the board to reopen meetings to the public so people can share their comments in person, like they did before the pandemic.

At the superintendent and staff's recommendation, board members voted June 17 to reopen meetings to the public starting July 13, with limited seating for social distancing and mask requirements for those who attend except when speaking to the board.

Wanda Edwards, the district's director of communications, said that during a Take Back Our Schools-GCS rally before the June 10 board meeting, some rally participants followed district staff toward their cars or tried to grab the door to get into the building when employees were leaving.

During the board meeting, she said, they could hear protesters shouting and banging from the outside. It went on for the majority of the meeting.

"You hear that and you see it, and you just dont know," she said. "You dont know the mental state of people."

Hayes-Greene said Friday that after hearing the banging and shouting at that meeting, she waited awhile to leave the building with an escort from district safety personnel.

She became more disturbed, she said, after seeing and discussing the messages that started coming into the district following that meeting, many of them referencing, "critical race theory." Some messages included profane language, including the word b----, and Hayes-Greene said one included the phrase, "You know how we will show up."

"I think they represent a very small number of people that feel this way," she said. "I don't minimize the amount of damage they can do."

Hayes-Greene said the phrase "critical race theory" is being used to rile people up and manufacture a crisis.

She said at the June 17 meeting that critical race theory is not part of the North Carolina course of study, nor is it taught in district schools.

People, she said, misunderstand critical race theory to be a sort of concrete, specific curriculum, when, in her understanding it is an approach examining the construction of the concept of race and its impact on society.

She said she thinks the current uproar is in some ways a backlash to a swell of conversations in the last year, of more white people and people of color coming together to start examining racial inequities in health outcomes, criminal justice and other areas in the face of the pandemic and in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.

For its part, Take Back Our Schools also says critical race theory is not a curriculum, thought it has a different take on what it represents.

"It is a theology of teaching hate and division," the group posted on its Facebook page as part of a longer response to a question related to critical race theory. "Instead of hate we want unity and the truth. No race or group is better than another. Children should not be put into groups as oppressor and oppressed. Teachers should not be told that they are to blame for a horrible past all because of the amount of melatonin in their skin. We have to stop the division."

Winston McGregor, the board's vice chairwoman, said she feels strongly about speaking out in the wake of the messages and the Take Back Our Schools demonstrations.

"... I dont think we can let that kind of vitriol go unchecked," she said. "What I know is its not about helping kids, its not about constructive conversation, it's not about democracy."

McGregor said that she has always been disturbed by the "personal nature" of attacks on Contreras, "but we know thats part of the job, she gets up and does the work, regardless of that."

"The nature of the newer emails, there was cause for alarm," she said. "A pot doesnt go from cold to boiling in an instant and we have to watch carefully for the boiling point and certainly for a tipping point, or a boiling-over point and that's what we have to avoid."
"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.
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.
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More than 50 years after her father was killed in action, Kathy Foley is redoing the dream home he bought in Hanford but never got to live in.

At the height of the Vietnam War, Foleys father, Michael Estocin, was an A4 pilot based out of the Lemoore Naval Air Station. Fifteen minutes after leaving for work one day, Estocin returned home to tell his wife hed found his dream home.

They bought the house, but he was shipped out to Vietnam before they could move in. On April 26, 1967, Estocin disappeared during a mission, Foley said. For a period it was believed he was a prisoner of war, but he wasnt among those released at the end of the war and has never been found.

After an anniversary trip, Foley and her husband decided to come back to Hanford to see the house. When Foley knocked on the door she discovered the home was occupied by the original owner who bought the house back after Estocins death. Though, in an odd twist of fate, the owner was looking to sell the home.

Foley and her husband decided to buy the house and redo it, partly as an homage to her dad.

I was 7, going to be 8; My mom was 29 with three little girls, she said. You ask your family what he was like but you never really get a feel for who the person is, thats why doing this house is so important to me.

The Bastille is a reminder of Hanford's Wild West days The ghosts of the Wild West can still be found at The Bastille. The beloved and historic building, which towers above Hanford's Civic Park, served as Kings County's jail and sheriffs office from 1897 until 1964.

Along with redoing the house, Foleys mom pulled out photos of the family in the home and the letters Estocin wrote her during the war.

Foley said all these elements pulled together inspired her and her husband, who works in the movie industry, to create a documentary about her father, using the home renovation as the narrative structure.

Its also interesting to be in my 60s, to have lived my whole life wondering about my dad, and finally have those letters to give me a picture of who he was, she said. But things come into your life when youre ready for them.

While she has very few memories of the house itself, Foley said she has distinct memories of the mid-century modern architecture in the home and, as an artist, is bringing it back to life. As she engages with the artistic elements of the project, she said shes getting to know why her dad loved the house.

Foley is also going to make the house a tribute to Estocin. Shes looking to add the home to a list of accolades, including a posthumous Medal of Honor and a frigate named in his honor. Shes also considering making the home an Airbnb designed to serve families of service members at NAS Lemoore.

Shes hoping the house can serve families visiting people on-base, or those looking to stay in town for an extended period, as well as a place to honor her dads former squadron.

If a family is coming to town to visit other family or loved ones at the base and you have a family, there's not really anything, theyre staying at the local hotels, she said. We thought it would be great so we could use it and then other people could also enjoy it.

For Foley herself, redoing the house and shooting the film has been a journey. Not only has it been opportunity for her to get to know her father and honor his memory, but part of the journey has also taken her and her mother, Quay, to Vietnam to formally say goodbye to Estocian. They were able to make the trip before the COVID pandemic hit.

Foley said that, as an artist, redoing a whole house has affirmed that she can pull together a full vision successfully. Shes been learning about modern architecture and decor for years, and the house has been a way for her to apply that knowledge.

But most importantly, redoing the house has allowed her to marry her growing internal relationship with her dad and her ability to physically express herself through art. Foley said bringing the emotional and physical together has allowed her to create a sense of closure.

In opening the house to others, she said she wants to offer the same honor and appreciation the home will stand for her father to other service members and their families.

Foley said her father was honored for his sacrifice, but other service members and their families make serious sacrifices and often arent recognized. With multiple rooms, a barbeque and a pool, as well as an aviation theme, the home will hopefully serve as a happy space for those at the base.

In life when something big like that happens, you either let it take over and cloud the way you perceive your whole life, or you take that and you try and keep going forward to create something better, she said. Doing this house is giving me a chance to feel close to him, and I hope Im making him proud.
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.
But trout are far from Montanas only drought- and heat-related problem. Consider this  a plague of grasshoppers is threatening to devour everything edible in a huge part of the state. How huge? Well, as reported late last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is planning to aerial spray pesticides on a whopping 3,000 square miles of Montana  an area twice the size of the entire state of Rhode Island. Concerns are already being raised about the effects on non-target species such as already-struggling Monarch butterflies and our vastly diminished population of pollinators such as bees.

And of course here come the wildfires  totally unabated by the phony thinning or even clearcutting of our vanishing state and national forests.

Faced with these multiple climate crises, what are Montanas politicians doing? Well, our Republican-dominated Legislature spent enormous amounts of time and energy trying fruitlessly to save the outdated environmental disaster of the Colstrip power plants  even going so far as to attempt to interfere in longstanding contracts between private corporate entities and telling power plant owners Montanas attorney general will demand certain maintenance that they must perform.
Montana is synonymous with the great outdoors.

Residents and visitors alike enjoy the states natural beauty and opportunities for outdoor recreation. Although different groups have competing visions on how to best use our public lands, all Montanans agree that our public lands are a fundamental part of our culture and heritage. Thats why the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act, which permanently protects the headwaters of the Blackfoot River, is essential for Montana.

The BCSA adds nearly 80,000 acres to the Bob Marshall, Scapegoat and Mission Mountains Wilderness Areas, permanently conserving these iconic landscapes. It protects Montanas world-famous fishing and hunting by preserving essential trout and game habitats. It also opens up recreation areas for snowmobiling and mountain biking, allowing Montanans to enjoy the great outdoors. Finally, the BCSA champions a sustainable timber economy.

The BCSA unites hunters, fishers, loggers, recreators, and conservationists behind a bill that truly benefits all Montanans. Not only does it preserve our natural heritage, but it also benefits tourism, the states second largest industry. The BCSA is supported by 75% of all Montanans and over 160 businesses and organizations from across the state. Join me and Sen. Jon Tester in urging our federal legislators to pass the BCSA.
Todays Highlight in History:

On June 27, 1950, the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution calling on member nations to help South Korea repel an invasion from the North.

On June 27:

In 1787, English historian Edward Gibbon completed work on his six-volume work, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.

In 1880, author-lecturer Helen Keller, who lived most of her life without sight or hearing, was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama.

In 1942, the FBI announced the arrests of eight Nazi saboteurs put ashore in Florida and Long Island, New York. (All were tried and sentenced to death; six were executed while two were spared for turning themselves in and cooperating with U.S. authorities.)

In 1944, during World War II, American forces liberated the French port of Cherbourg from the Germans.

In 1955, Illinois enacted the nations first automobile seat belt law. (The law did not require cars to have seat belts, but that they be made seat belt-ready.)

In 1957, Hurricane Audrey slammed into coastal Louisiana and Texas as a Category 4 storm; the official death toll from the storm was placed at 390, although a variety of state, federal and local sources have estimated the number of fatalities at between 400 and 600.

In 1974, President Richard Nixon opened an official visit to the Soviet Union.

In 1985, the legendary Route 66, which originally stretched from Chicago to Santa Monica, California, passed into history as officials decertified the road.

In 1988, at least 56 people were killed when a commuter train ran into a stationary train at the Gare de Lyon terminal in Paris.

In 1991, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, the first Black jurist to sit on the nations highest court, announced his retirement. (His departure led to the contentious nomination of Clarence Thomas to succeed him.)

In 2005, the Supreme Court ruled, in a pair of 5-4 decisions, that displaying the Ten Commandments on government property was constitutionally permissible in some cases but not in others. BTK serial killer Dennis Rader pleaded guilty to ten murders that had spread fear across Wichita, Kansas, beginning in the 1970s. (Rader later received multiple life sentences.)

In 2006, a constitutional amendment to ban desecration of the American flag died in a Senate cliffhanger, falling one vote short of the 67 needed to send it to states for ratification.

In 2011, former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (blah-GOY-uh-vich) was convicted by a federal jury in Chicago on a wide range of corruption charges, including the allegation that hed tried to sell or trade President Barack Obamas U.S. Senate seat. (Blagojevich was later sentenced to 14 years in prison; his sentence was commuted by President Donald Trump in February 2020.) International judges ordered the arrest of Libyas Moammar Gadhafi for murdering civilians. Venus and Serena Williams were eliminated in the fourth round of Wimbledon, the first time in five years that neither sister advanced to the quarterfinals at the All England Club.

In 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its strongest defense of abortion rights in a quarter-century, striking down Texas widely replicated rules that sharply reduced abortion clinics. The Supreme Court overturned the bribery conviction of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, sending the case back to a lower court. (Prosecutors ended up deciding not to retry McDonnell.)

In 2020, Florida set another daily record for the state in the number of daily confirmed coronavirus cases, with more than 9,500 new cases. Thousands of people gathered outside a police building in suburban Denver to call for justice in the death of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man whod been put in a chokehold by police in August 2019; he suffered cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital and was later declared brain dead. Princeton University said it would remove the name of former President Woodrow Wilson from its public policy school because of his segregationist views. French cosmetics giant LOreal said it would remove words like whitening from its skin care products following criticism of the company amid global protests against racism.

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LINCOLN  Police in Illinois said Friday they arrested a Texas man near Lincoln who was traveling with a 15-year-old girl and is accused of restraining the child unlawfully.

A news release from the Illinois State Police said they had been alerted by an investigator with the Collins County Sheriffs Office in Texas requesting assistance in apprehending the 18-year-old man.

The missing juvenile had left Texas with an 18-year-old male subject and was believed to be traveling to Chicago, said the news release. The juvenile female and the 18-year-old male  were located near Lincoln by multiple law enforcement agencies to include the Lincoln Police Department, State Police District 9, State Police Division of Criminal Investigation Zone 4 and the Stanford Police Department.

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Texas law enforcement had issued an arrest warrant for the man on the preliminary charge of unlawful restraint, which involves taking a child more than 120 miles from the childs residence without permission of a parent or guardian.

The man remains held in the Logan County Jail with bond set at $200,000. Preliminary charges are subject to review by the state attorneys office.

Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid

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How can we tell them all apart? Well, ones on the left, ones on the right. That might be enough for some people. But heres another way. Lets see whether either or both are willing to embrace an aggressive agenda to help build a new economy in rural Virginia. Here are five things a candidate could endorse. Conveniently, all these are non-ideological, so its possible to construct both a liberal and a conservative rationale for each.

1. More state support for school construction. Anything that starts off with more state support for  sounds liberal but its been a die-hard conservative whos been pushing the most specific fix  state Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin County, has championed a $3 billion statewide bond issue for school construction. Weve been over the facts and figures many times: Many school buildings in rural Virginia are so old they cant easily handle new technology  they werent built with that many electrical outlets, for one thing. We wont talk about the ones that are literally falling apart. With the exception of a period in the 1950s, Virginia has historically expected local governments to foot most of the bill for school construction. The problem is that schools are now so expensive thats hard for many localities  and not just rural localities. Many urban areas are in the same fiscal bind, which sets up the opportunity for a grand coalition between central cities (generally represented by Democrats) and rural areas (largely represented by Republicans). Making that happen has been harder than it should be. To his credit, Gov. Ralph Northam persuaded the General Assembly last year to use some of the state tax revenue from casinos for school construction. He anticipates that after several years of operation, the casinos could generate enough tax revenue to allow the state to issue up to $1.5 billion in bonds for school construction. Thats half the $3 billion Stanley proposed but still not an insignificant amount. The problem is that it might be 2025 before the state can even do this. Is there any candidate who can come up with a shorter time frame? And whether they do or not, those future revenues for school construction depend on future governors and future legislatures not changing the rules. Will the candidates pledge to carry this through? And will either endorse Stanleys call for a bond issue or find some way to fund school construction?
I figured if I was going to invest in something, now was the time, Barlow said.

They decided to launch the business in the fall of 2020. The perfect location fell into their hands, on U.S. 321 near Pine Mountain Road. The duo took several months to renovate and bring in inventory before opening.

We have a small showroom but we have so many customizations, different colors and sizes of things, Barlow said.

The store also has a small country store area with local honey, jams, pickles, popcorn and more  an attraction for tourists to the area, Barlow said.

The owners have already met people from all over the state, and thats Sparks favorite part. I love meeting so many awesome people, Sparks said.

Now that COVID-19 restrictions have eased, theyre seeing more and more people in the store. With the pandemic waning, the store will have weekly artist visits on Thursday nights, as well.

Opening amid a pandemic has been a balance. For Sparks, the more outgoing partner, its been exciting. For Barlow, the more cautious of the two, its been a little nerve-wracking.

Together, they find balance. Im thinking were really going to grow and stick around, Sparks said.

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Brandon Hucks lets out a slow chuckle at the thought of business owners who think their company isnt at risk of a cyberattack.

His advice to those businesses: Dont be naive.

As chief financial officer of Century Furniture, Hucks saw firsthand what a cyberattack can do. The company faced a ransomware attack in fall 2020 that shut down the companys network and halted much of Centurys work for a week. Hucks expects the threat of cyberattacks to continue to grow.

My gut says that, yes, this is going to come to be a threat that companies are always facing, Hucks said. We dont feel like it is one and done. We could face the threat again.

The frequency of malware, ransomware and other cyberattacks on businesses, governments and even individuals has increased in recent years. The recent Colonial Pipeline cyberattack brought to light the detrimental effects an attack can have. But its not just big companies like Colonial that could see an attack wreak havoc on their business, Chamber of Catawba County President and CEO Lindsay Keisler said.
LENOIR  Mayor Joe Gibbons has been selected as vice chair of the N.C. Mayors Association Board of Directors and will serve a one-year term helping to lead the organization and its 11-member board.

The N.C. Mayors Association (NCMA) is an affiliate organization of the North Carolina League of Municipalities (NCLM). The purpose of NCMA is to provide a platform for all of the states mayors to work together regarding the major goals and challenges of cities and towns. Gibbons helped found the association about four years ago.

"NCMA was created to be a place where mayors can get together to discuss issues and work together to solve those problems for our residents," Gibbons said. "We share information, talk about what's happening in our cities and towns, and work together to lobby state legislators on issues facing municipalities in North Carolina."

Gibbons has been involved in local government in Lenoir for more than 30 years. He worked in the city's planning department for a year right after college before moving into the private sector. He was appointed to the Planning Board in 1990 and elected to City Council in 2005. Gibbons was first elected as Lenoir's mayor in 2011.
ABU GHRAIB

Seventeen years after shocking photographs of prisoners being abused at the U.S.-run prison in Abu Ghraib were first made public, Iraqis who claim they were victims of torture are still seeking their day in court against a U.S. defense contractor that supplied the military with interrogators. The company, CACI Premier Technology of Arlington, Virginia, is appealing to the court on a technical legal issue that could delay or even prevent a trial. The inmates say they were beaten and tortured by military police officers who were acting at the direction of civilian interrogators who wanted the inmates softened up for questioning. CACI says none of its interrogators is linked to the abuse suffered by the men who are suing.

PROPERTY RIGHTS

A chocolate companys expansion plans are at the heart of what could be the courts biggest case about property rights in years, if the justices take it. The case involves a property the city of Chicago took by eminent domain in order to allow the Blommer Chocolate Company to expand.
Visual of Kamalam (Photo/PIB)

New Delhi [India], June 27 (ANI): In a major boost to exports of exotic fruit, a consignment of fibre- and mineral-rich Dragon Fruit, also referred to as Kamalam, has been exported to Dubai, said the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Saturday.

As per the ministry's release, the consignment of Dragon Fruit for exports was sourced from the farmers of Tadasar village, Sangli district, Maharashtra and it was processed and packed at APEDA recognized exporter-Kay Bee.

Scientifically referred to as Hylocereusundatus, the dragon fruit is grown in countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, the USA and Vietnam.

Dragon fruit production commenced in India in early 1990s and was grown as home gardens. Dragon Fruit has become increasingly popular in recent years in the country as it has been taken up for cultivation by farmers across various states.

At present, dragon fruit is grown mostly in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The cultivation requires less water and can be grown in various kinds of soils. There are three main varieties of dragon fruit: white flesh with pink skin, red flesh with pink skin, and white flesh with yellow skin.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 'Mann Ki Baat' programme in July 2020 on All India Radio had mentioned about dragon fruit farming in the arid Kutch region of Gujarat. He had congratulated the farmers of Kutch for the cultivation of fruit for ensuring India's self-sufficiency in production.

The fruit contains fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It can help in repairing the cell damage caused by oxidative stress and reduce inflammation, and also improving the digestive system. Since the fruit has spikes and petals resembling lotus, it is also referred as 'Kamalam'.

APEDA promotes exports of agricultural and processed food products by providing assistance to the exporters under various components such as Infrastructure Development, Quality Development and Market Development. Apart from this the Department of Commerce also supports exports through various schemes like Trade Infrastructure for Export Scheme, Market Access Initiative etc. (ANI)
Representative Image

Geneva [Switzerland], June 27 (ANI): Amid international condemnation of various human rights abuses by China, the Tibetan community of Switzerland and Liechtenstein have submitted a five-point appeal to the United Nations (UN) which includes calls to end China's cultural genocide in Tibet, its interference in Tibetan religious beliefs and traditions, among others.

The community staged a protest in front of the UN Human Rights Office on Friday, where they held placards and chanted slogans against the deteriorating human rights situation and decades of oppression by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Tibet, according to the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).

Addressing the gathering, the Representative of Tibet Bureau Geneva Chhimey Rigzen reiterated Tibet Bureau's efforts in bringing Tibet agenda in the UN human rights protection mechanisms.

The Representative also urged all Tibetans to shoulder the responsibility in initiating and participating in the Taliban freedom movement as Tibetans are being forced to leave the country on "political grounds, not due to natural calamities".

Until a peaceful lasting solution is achieved, the movement for peace, freedom and justice in Tibet should remain alive, added Representative Chhimey.

Later, the president of the community Karma Choekyi accompanied by Tibet Bureau Geneva staff Kalden Tsomo met a representative from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and submitted a four-page appeal letter addressed to Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, CTA reported.

The appeal letter called on the UN to break the silence on Tibet, speak against the egregious human rights violations and urge China to stop the ongoing cultural genocide in Tibet.

It also urged for China to stop meddling in the religious beliefs and traditions of Tibetans to release Tibet's 11th Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and share his whereabouts, and to stop the torture and arbitrary detention of Tibetans and release the Tibetan political prisoners.

Story continues

The Tibetan community also asked China to stop the forceful resettlement of Tibetan nomads and the militarised forced labour camps in Tibet.

Earlier, Canada delivered a joint statement on behalf of 44 countries at the UN Humans Rights Council, expressing grave concerns over the "Uyghur genocide" in China's Xinjiang province.

"We urge China to allow immediate, meaningful and unfettered access to Xinjiang for independent observers," Canada's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Leslie Norton said at the UNHRC meeting on behalf of 40 countries. The statement was backed by major countries Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Australia, Britain, Spain and the United States, among others.

The remarks highlighted 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.

The United States announced a series of actions aimed against forced labour in China's Xinjiang, which is said to have detained more than a million members of ethnic minorities, including Uyghur Muslims.

In a fact sheet, the White House said that the Biden-Harris administration is taking additional steps to hold those who engage in forced labour accountable and ensure that the US continues to remove goods made with forced labour from the supply chains through actions by the Department of Homeland Security's US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Department of Commerce, and the Department of Labor.

This includes banned imports of solar panels and other goods made with materials produced by a Chinese company Hoshine Silicon Industry Co after the company's plants were linked to forced labour camps in Xinjiang. (ANI)
There are a lot of great things happening in downtown Mattoon now that the state has opened up by moving into Phase 5 of the Restore Illinois Plan. All businesses, schools, and recreation activities can resume with no restrictions. Conventions, sporting events and festivals can go on with no capacity limits.

Plans are full steam ahead for the two key downtown celebrations, Celebrate Downtown Trunk or Treat and Celebrate Downtown Christmas. Make sure to mark your calendars. The Truck or Treat event will take place on Friday Oct. 29. Celebrate Downtown Christmas will take place on Friday Dec. 3.

Last year the pandemic thwarted the Celebrate Downtown Committee's efforts to hold our trunk or treat event and we were only able to have the lighted parade and not the typical events and attractions during the Celebrate Downtown Christmas. All the events should be back to full capacity with all the extra fun and features of the pre-pandemic years.

Every Friday of the summer through August from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Lunch and Music Series will be held in the band shell at Heritage Park in downtown Mattoon, across from the train depot. The park is a great place to get out of the office and enjoy a wide variety of music while enjoying your lunch hour. All the details of upcoming acts are available on the Celebrate Downtown Mattoon Facebook page.

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The city of Mattoon has expanded its streetscaping project to include the 1600 block of Broadway Avenue. The sidewalks and streetlights are all brand new, ergonomic and aesthetically pleasing including brick work at each street corner. The city plans on continuing the project through the 1500 block of Broadway Avenue next year.

Visitors and students who arrive in Mattoon via the Amtrak train system will be greeted by a massive new mural on the west wall of the former Thrifty Drug Store building set to be completed later this summer. When completed, the mural will be nearly 100 feet wide and 50 feet tall. The project is moving along quickly, it is a great opportunity to visit downtown Mattoon and watch its progress.

The Mattoon Arts Council, Mattoon Tourism and project coordinator Justin Grady sought input from local artists for the design of the mural. They hired David Guinn, from the Mural Arts Philadelphia group to create the mural with funding from the Lumpkin Family Foundation.

Along with the exciting things already discussed, many downtown storefronts have been upgraded or are currently in the process of being upgraded creating a refreshing new look to Broadway Avenue and all of downtown Mattoon. With all the wonderful eateries, unique retail shops, drinking establishments, parks and amenities it is a great time to make a day trip downtown and enjoy all the new features.

Ed Dowd is the executive director of the Mattoon Chamber of Commerce.

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MATTOON  Many of the places from Mattoon's past that the Cycle into History tour visited on Saturday are long gone, but guide Chris Suerdieck shared vivid descriptions to help ensure these locations are not forgotten.

Suerdieck, who is an avid cyclist and volunteer curator of the Mattoon Public Library Local History Center, described families walking to neighborhood grocery stores to purchase food for dinner, factories and warehouses in a former railroad corridor humming with activity, and more during this tour.

The event drew more than 30 riders, including Dustin and Kaitlin Maninfior and their 9-year-old son, Jack. Dustin Maninfior said he enjoyed learning about buildings that he had forgotten because they are "off the beaten path," such as the former S.R. Miller Broom Corn Warehouse and Sally Ann Bread factory buildings along Commercial Avenue that date back to the 1910s.

"I was born and raised in Mattoon," he said, "so the opportunity to travel around town to see some of the buildings I grew up around and learn what they were in the past is exciting to me."

Suerdieck pointed out several of the former factories and warehouses that operated decades ago along or near the the railroad that once ran east-west through western Mattoon. He also showed them the location of the Illinois Central Railroad roundhouse in the field west of South 27th Street and noted that the former foundation can still be seen via Google Earth.

Mayor Rick Hall, who cycled with the tour group, said the city owns this former railroad right of way in Mattoon, which it used years ago to help create the Lincoln Prairie Grass Trail that stretches east to Charleston and the Lake Charleston trail system. He said the city hopes to eventually extend the trail west along this right of way to the Dole Road, which would connect to Lake Paradise.

"That would be a great facility and a great asset for our city," Hall said.

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In addition, Suerdieck noted several buildings that had housed neighborhood grocery stores in past decades. He said these grocery stores, which numbered up to 50 in the 1930-1940s in Mattoon, were valuable resources for families in the era when home refrigerators were not common, not everyone had a vehicle, and supermarkets were still in the future.

On Champaign Avenue, Suerdieck made stops at a 1913 building at 27th Street that had been a Piggly Wiggly and a 1916 building at 24th Street that had been S.V. Hill Grocery. Suerdieck said young students from Hawthorne Elementary School used to dash across the street during their recess to purchase soda and snacks at Hill's.

The 90-minute, 5-mile tour concluded behind the Kull Lumber warehouse at a site where the Hinckle & Coddington Lumber Co. had opened in 1885. This site now overlooks the north-south railroad corridor that takes Amtrak and freight trains below street level in central Mattoon. Suerdieck said workers dug this corridor in 1912 with the help of two giant steam shovels.

"It was a significant engineering undertaking," Suerdieck said.

As the participants dispersed, cross-country cyclist and Mattoon native A. Jerry Zelada said he has been friends with Suerdieck since junior high and has ridden with him countless times over the decades. Zelada, who is a member of League of American Bicyclists, said he was glad to help organize Saturday's ride and was pleased with the turnout.

"We would love all areas throughout the U.S. to have rides like this that are just for fun," Zelada said, adding that the event also helped showcase Suerdieck's work in the Local History Center exhibits in the library. "That is so remarkable what he has done down there."

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Studio portraiture, street photography, content-charged texts and digital technology make for a potent combination in the work of Owens Daniels.

Daniels has been producing powerful, text-augmented photographic pieces for several years. Recently he has compiled a strong body of work documenting local street protests. Prolific and persistent, he has exhibited his work in a number of local shows.

His art emphasizes African American culture and identity, so its fitting that it was highlighted in this months local celebration of Juneteenth, marking the anniversary of slaverys end in the United States in 1965.

Daniels exhibition When the Revolution Comes opened in mid-June at Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts. It brings together selected pieces from at least four bodies of work, including several images he has shown locally within the past two years. These range from proud portraits of ordinary people to more journalistic shots of protesters and police on the streets.
The Winston-Salem Fire and Police departments are investigating an early Sunday morning fire at a local apartment that claimed the lives of two residents, including a 10-month-old infant.

Police said foul play was not suspected at the time of the news release at 8:06 a.m. The apartment unit is part of the Green Oaks apartment complex.

Fire officials said they likely would not disclose a cause for the fire until Monday. The department tweeted the residence did not have working smoke detectors or sprinklers.

Personnel from both departments arrived at 1:27 a.m. Sunday at 2809 White Meadow Lane, apartment C.

Fire personnel removed the three occupants from the apartment, and emergency lifesaving services were provided.

Police said that Anthony Lamont King, 21, of the residence, was pronounced dead at the scene.

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A 10-month-old male baby and an 18-year-old female were transported to a local medical facility, where the child later died from his injuries. Neither the female nor the infant have been identified by police.

The female is being treated for life-threatening injuries.
Second, I want to rescue, refresh and expand the concept of American heroism. Yes, historical figures such as George Washington, Daniel Boone and Abraham Lincoln were imperfect in real life. We should come to know as much as we can about them, warts and all.

But we can and should still admire the important contributions these old-school folk heroes made to the growth and development of our country, even as we properly integrate a broader variety of tales into the story of America. In Mountain Folk, one of the main characters is a Cherokee heroine named Nanyehi, who as a young woman led her people to victory in battle but later in life became a legendary peacemaker.

Third, I use elements of history and folklore to explore what it really means to be an American. Our country is different from most others in a key respect: we do not share a common ethnic heritage. During centuries of migration  some voluntary, in search of a better life, and some involuntary, the consequences of removal or the slave trade  America has become a dynamic, sprawling, sometimes-brawling society encompassing many different peoples, religions, values and cultures.
Remember when we were told that we should take Trump seriously but not literally? After Jan. 6, we dont have that luxury.

When Trump told supporters who gathered at the rally outside the White House on Jan. 6, We have to fight like hell, do you think the fanatics who led the rally-goers to the Capitol and fought like hell to get inside thought Trump was just being hyperbolic?

Trumps supporters say that his words were not a call for actual violence and lawlessness.

The issue is not what Trump meant, not in this context, at any rate; the issue is what the Jan. 6 rioters thought he meant. Some of those who engaged Capitol police in hand-to-hand combat, leaving more than 140 law enforcement officers wounded, have said they believed they were doing exactly what Trump asked them to do  fight like hell.

Does it matter that leading politicians claim that some university professors, schoolteachers and members of the opposition political party hate America?

Yes, it matters. Just as it matters that, according to a recent CBS survey, 57% of Republicans think of Democrats as enemies rather than as the political opposition and that 41% of Democrats think the same of Republicans.
The groups requested a meeting with state leaders to immediately address the crisis.

Berger indicated last week that hed be willing to meet with them. Cooper also responded, saying he agrees "that this is a crisis our state must address with the most important step being to expand Medicaid now." He challenged the groups to "redouble their efforts" to get Medicaid expansion passed, adding that the N.C. Chamber "needs to take a strong position in favor."

Wed also like to urge our leaders to meet with these groups, as well as others who are working on the front lines of mental-health care. With more money in state coffers than ever  Republican legislative leaders regularly boast about their $6 billion surplus  theres no excuse not to help the state residents who need it now. Things are tough enough without worrying about 911 lines and emergency rooms being overwhelmed with desperate people in need of assistance.

And, yes, well refer once again to the assistance that could be provided through Medicaid expansion, if legislative leaders werent so obstinately opposed.
Lincoln, Neb. (June 17, 2021)  Swanson Russell recently promoted six employees in its Lincoln and Omaha offices: Allison Hergenrader, Chloe King, Justin Klemsz, Kylie Legree, Kelsey Pittam and Peter Worth.

Hergenrader was promoted to senior project manager. The Lincoln native originally joined Swanson Russell in 2017 as a project manager, working on clients such as Rain Bird, Textron Specialized Vehicles, Textron Systems and Nunhems. She graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a bachelors degree in marketing.

King was promoted to senior project manager. Since 2019, she has been serving as a project manager, working on a variety of clients including the Cattlemens Beef Board, MemorialCare, Visit Omaha and Kautex. The Bellevue, Neb., native earned a bachelors degree in journalism from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Klemsz was promoted to manager of digital solutions. He most recently served as a digital strategist. Klemsz has co-led Swanson Russells digital strategy team and has led improvement teams that focused on improving digital processes, including the agencys adoption of Slack. The Lincoln native received a bachelors degree in music from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Even though the families were surrounded by heavily guarded barbed wire fences, the sons either volunteered or answered the draft notices which arrived in the mail to serve in our armed forces. The 442nd RCT was composed entirely of these Japanese American soldiers who were from Hawaii, which had not yet attained statehood, or from the dispossessed families from the Western states.

The soldiers wartime heroics were fueled by their desire to prove their loyalty as Americans and to uphold the honor of their parents who had been subjected to racial bigotry since their entrance into the United States.

Meanwhile the parents endured their captivity passively while silently hoping the blue stars in their windows would not be replaced by the gold ones signifying a soldiers demise.

The story of the 442nds exploits and our governments perfidy toward citizens of Asian descent has been previously described but oft forgotten. Andrew Lams excellent novel, Repentance, was reviewed in this space (LJS May 19), and the reviewer still remembers seeing the Van Johnson movie, Go for Broke, in the early 1950s. This book will once again remind readers that our country functions best when united and not as a collection of racial subdivisions.
Darryl McSwain, 55: Well, certainly police-community relations. We are only as strong as community support. But also I want to ensure that we take care of our employees as well, as it relates to employee development and employee wellness as well. So, although I cant necessarily pick just one, those two would be priorities that I see (as) equal in value.

Ramon Batista, 57: My No. 1 goal if I become chief, initially, is going to be to make sure that I get to meet everyone. That is going to be probably the first thing I do is get into like a listening tour, getting to know everyone in the department and getting to know everyone in the community.

"And then from those conversations, begin to figure out what are the through lines, like what things the officers and the community feel are important. And then make that part of the foundation for how we begin to move forward.

What are you going to do to address racial bias in policing?
1871: A Nebraska Citian suggested that since neither Lincoln nor Nebraska City was celebrating July Fourth, interested people from both cities should meet at Palmyra for a picnic.

1881: Two empty railroad cars were said to have been forced down 11 miles of track by wind force -- from Superior to two miles east of Hardy.

1891: The War Department in Washington was considering sending Lt. J.J. Pershing to the University of Nebraska as a military instructor.

1901: The Kearney County sheriff in Minden was struck in his office while going over records of a $9,000 robbery. When he regained consciousness, the room was on fire.

1911: The Rev. E.H.B. Burgess marked a half-century of preaching. In his last 38 years at Plattsmouth, he had missed services only once, when he was ill.

1921: The state Board of Control purchased the Nebraska Military Academy building, southwest of Lincoln, to use as a men's reformatory. The cost was $37,500.

1931: The Board of Equalization met to consider protests from those whose securities were stolen in the big robbery of the Lincoln National Bank. The question was whether taxes should be paid on the stolen securities.
Furthermore, the maximum population deviation of 10% for legislative districts could be used to create unequal representation. With an average of roughly 40,000 Nebraskans in each of 49 legislative districts, that discrepancy could benefit less populous areas to the detriment of growing ones  a desire some groups have stated to preserve rural seats against the states demographic tide.

Nebraska is too diverse of a state to be defined by these battles of urban and rural or conservative and liberal.

All voices  and votes  must matter equally in this process, regardless of where residents call home and what party representation, if any, they claim. That spirit must permeate every aspect of redistricting.

Reasons like this are why the Journal Star editorial board has long advocated for transferring the redistricting process from partisan-minded lawmakers to an independent commission as many states  Iowa provides an admirable model  have done. Recent efforts have stalled out, though one bill made it as far as Gov. Pete Ricketts desk before being vetoed.
President Biden, one of the most observant of his Catholic faith, who has said he is opposed to abortion, is being singled out by Catholic bishops for not imposing his beliefs on others?

I can think of a few Republican politicians who did not impose their views on a president who broke many commandments, that they themselves lie, bear false witness against their neighbors, have other gods before Him (Trump) and do not welcome immigrants or love thy neighbor.

Are they too going to be denied the Eucharist? Publicly shamed or called out? Is the only true sin in the eyes of the church being a Democrat? Perhaps if the church is becoming too political and in so doing blurs the line of separation of church and state, the church should start paying taxes. Does the church even believe Romans 13:1?

Susan Priest, Lincoln

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COVID-19 has underscored the importance of medical research. As Congress addresses the needs of our nations most vulnerable impacted by COVID-19, theyre also continuing to address another devastating disease affecting millions of Americans  Alzheimers.

I understand firsthand the impact this disease has on families across America, not just as an Alzheimers Association employee, but also because I watched Alzheimers slowly steal away my grandfather  a former Naval aviator and head of design staff at General Motors. Today, more than 5 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimers, including 35,000 here in Nebraska.

Thankfully, as a House Committee on Appropriations member, Rep. Jeff Fortenberry can help address this issue. By increasing funding for Alzheimers and dementia research at the National Institutes of Health by $289 million, Congressman Fortenberry can provide millions of Americans like me with a sense of hope.

With these funding increases, scientists will be able to work at a more rapid pace to advance basic disease knowledge, explore ways to reduce risk, uncover new biomarkers for early diagnosis and drug targeting and make discoveries that can lead to a treatment or a cure. This could mean fewer families having to endure what mine did.
Lena and Amanda got inspiration for this workshop series from their own personal experiences navigating college life.

We believe, from our experiences starting in middle school, touching on some of these topics earlier will help children best succeed when its time to prepare for college, Amanda said.

The workshop series was also inspired by the twin sisters experiences as first-generation college students.

When their parents immigrated to the U.S. and settled in Wisconsin, their parents didnt attend college and instead worked to sustain and support the family.

When the two began middle and high school, they had to navigate the education system and college process with little support.

We had to figure it out on our own, Amanda said.

Lena and Amanda have an older sister who attended college as well and gave some advice from her experiences. Although it was helpful, the lack of information proved to them even more they needed a program like this for youth.
RACINE  The City of Racines new mobile voting precinct has arrived. City Clerk Tara Coolidge said its the first of its kind in Wisconsin.

The city clerks office plans to use the vehicle to make early voting and voter registration easier.

The vehicle could be used as an early voting location or voter registration booth in different predetermined locations throughout the year. Not to mention, its easier to move around than typical voting booths  since its, yknow, an automobile.

When registering to vote, residents will be provided with devices  like tablets and laptops  with city volunteers or staff on hand to help them through the process.

The vehicle could be set up in parks or other public locations where residents could cast a ballot before Election Day. It was parked in the City Hall parking lot this week and was shown off to the public Wednesday at the Racine Public Library.

The van allows us to go to more locations in the city, Coolidge said.

She said that the city is planning to have the vehicle for its intended purpose for the first time in the coming weeks, parking it at community centers or schools.

Hopefully it can help more people vote and bring democracy closer to the city, Coolidge said.

City officials hope that being able to have a vehicle serve as an early voting location rather than using shipping containers or other temporary structures will ease the early voting process.

The purchase for the vehicle was approved in August 2020 for up to $250,000. It is being paid for through the citys grant from the Center for Tech and Civic Life. CTCL is the nonprofit that received more than $300 million donation from Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, prior to the 2020 election that Joe Biden won.

+3 Racine continuing to use money from Facebook founder-funded nonprofit to purchase election equipment The City of Racine is continuing to use grants paid for by the nonprofit that received significant funding from the founder of Facebook to invest in election equipment that can be used long after the pandemic is over.

Supporters of Donald Trump have targeted CTCL leading up to and after the election. Despite the practice of municipalities accepting grant money for the operation of elections having been OKd by the Wisconsin Elections Commission for decades, they claimed that using the private grant funds was illegal.

Multiple court decisions have affirmed the legality of communities using these funds. There are now multiple bills tracking through the Wisconsin Legislature that may ban or limit this practice.

The city has argued that the money has been of great benefit in preventing a budget hole and expanding voting access to residents.

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Adam Rogan Reporter Adam does a little bit of everything with the JT, from page editing to covering homelessness to localizing state & national politics. He grew up in Racine County, believes in the Oxford comma and loves digital subscribers: journaltimes.com/subscribenow Follow Adam Rogan 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
If you want to see all of the emails your mayor received and sent during the week of March 16-20, 2020, to find communications regarding the coronavirus outbreak, all you have to do is ask. Under state law, the mayor is required to retain these and provide them on request.

If you want to see the emails that flowed between a given school district and a former superintendent regarding a school-siting controversy from several years ago, again, these are supposed to be preserved and provided.

But if you ask your state senator or representative for something as simple as a copy of his or her schedule from, say, yesterday, you have no guarantee. If you even get a response, one of the lawmakers aides could say, Sorry, we deleted it at the end of the day. We have no record of it.

Thats because, several decades ago, lawmakers exempted any member of the legislature from the states record retention statute.

Recently, the Wisconsin Examiner reported that two Republican state lawmakers, Sen. Duey Stroebel, R-Saukville, and Rep. Rob Brooks, R-Saukville, apparently used this loophole to destroy records regarding a proposed elections bill.
1. Yes. Its a common-sense bill that should be implemented. Pass it without changes.

2. Yes. The bill should pass, but some of its stipulations should be modified or dropped.

3. No. Unless significant changes are made, it doesnt deserve lawmakers support.

4. No. The original bill is dangerous. Democrats should walk out again to block it.

5. Unsure. Its had to say without knowing what final form the bill would take.

Vote

View Results
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The new diners tables, chairs and some of its equipment and decor came from a 1960s-era diner in Michigan.

Beanies Diner offers several varieties of hot dogs. The most popular ones so far include the Chicago Dog, which is served on a poppyseed bun with mustard, sweet relish, onions, pickle spear, tomatoes, sport peppers and celery salt; and the Super Dave, a hot dog that is topped with chili, cheese and Fritos.

The diner also has an extensive menu of breakfast items (such as omelets, pancakes and a Beanies Weenies Scramble consisting of scrambled eggs with hot dogs and cheese, served with hash browns and toast) that are available all day.

The diner also serves other sandwiches, such as hamburgers, The Historic Trempealeau Hotels Walnut Burger, a spicy black bean burger and grilled cheese. And it has several side dishes, such as potato tots and French fries that are cooked with an air fryer, cottage cheese, fruit cup and macaroni and cheese.

Beanies Diner has 16 employees, Misty Bean said, adding that shes looking to hire more cooks.

A lot of people have pitched in at some point, she said, including Dave Beans mother, Donna Bean, who was busy serving up ice cream cones when a reporter visited.
Prems is really a respected business and family-owned and they do more things than we can do, said Fritz Wyttenbach, 74, one of the founders of the Wisconsin State Cow Chip Throw & Festival. Youre only as good as your employees and our employees make us look pretty good.

Pleasant memories

Gritt, for example, has been making sausage for 40 years and has been working for the Wyttenbachs for the past 15 years. He just received word that his kielbasa took first place in this years Wisconsin State Fair meat products competition. His summer sausage placed second. The walls of the meat market are also filled with award plaques for blue ribbon jerky, snack sticks, flavored bacon and bone-in ham, among others.

Its bittersweet, Gritt, 58, said of the Wyttenbachs retirement and the sale of the business. Its been great. Well see what the future brings.

Joan Dahlke has worked behind the meat counter for the past three years, including in 2020, when sales were up 20% as more people stayed home instead of going out to eat during the pandemic.

Very generous. Hardworking, Dahlke said of the Wyttenbachs. Theyre willing to do whatever they can for others.
Housing programs through Independent Living Resources, Couleecap, Families First of Monroe County, Bluff Country Family Resources, and YWCA La Crosse work with people where they are at to develop goals and connect to community resources to help households gain stability and self-sufficiency. Through a mixture of interventions like rental assistance, rent subsidies, budget counseling, and case management, households are able to work on plans that they direct and develop.

One unique approach helping people who are homeless and have a disabling condition is Couleecaps Social Security Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) program. SOAR uses a proven model that increases the initial approval of Social Security and Disability applications, helping individuals gain access to financial and health benefits quicker than if they did not have assistance. The program also connects people with primary healthcare, treatment, job training, and housing. It is a life-changing program for households in severe need.

Great Rivers United Way also supports Consumer Credit Counseling Service of La Crosse in their work to improve financial stability of individuals and families. With grant funding, Consumer Credit Counseling Service provides one-on-one credit counseling, budget counseling, and credit repair services to help folks in the area increase their savings and reduce debt.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  Gov. Tim Walz says he will relinquish the special powers that he has used to manage the COVID-19 pandemic by Aug. 1, ending a peacetime state of emergency that has been in effect since last March.

Thats when the toolbox will close, everything will be done, itll be done in an orderly fashion, Walz told reporters Friday. At this point in time, its turning off the lights and sweeping the floor.

About three dozen states still have a state of emergency, Walz said, calling his plan the responsible way to close this up.

But that wasn't assurance enough for Republicans who control the Minnesota Senate and complain that the Democratic governor has repeatedly cut them out of major pandemic decisions. They approved a state government budget bill Friday that would end the state of emergency on July 1. The Democratic majority in the House has repeatedly blocked such moves.

Hes proposing Aug. 1, were saying, look, 15 states have already done it, we dont need to wait any longer. This is time to close the chapter and move towards the future, Republican Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, of East Gull Lake, said.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources re-ignited a contentious debate when the wolf hunt originally scheduled for November was moved up to February of this year. A Wisconsin judge then broke the logjam ordering the hesitating agency to proceed on schedule with the hunt.

After only two days, the DNR abruptly halted the hunt when the projected take, 119 wolves, had reached 218 (final total). As it turned out, many more wolves were out there than anyone had realized.

The species as a whole has never been in danger of extinction. The US Fish and Wildlife Service added the gray wolf to the Endangered Species List under threatened status to mollify preservationists. Despite delays from legal challenges, the federal Department of the Interior finally delisted the wolf in October 2020, but is under pressure to re-list it again.

Historically and today, wolves number in the multiple thousands north of the Canadian border and into Alaska. Although the wolf had been extirpated from Wisconsin and other Midwest states by the middle of the 20th century, it persisted out west, in northern Minnesota counties and the Michigan UP.
Its difficult to comprehend the importance that access to high-speed internet played for millions of Wisconsinites over the last year. It served as a replacement to trips to the store for milk, eggs and toilet paper as well as an electronic gateway to schools, clinics and workplaces.

Unfortunately, the accessibility and affordability of high-speed internet also served as a barrier for many who found themselves increasing isolated and without many options for these and other day-to-day activities during the pandemic.

However, were very hopeful about a benefit available to Wisconsinites that may help eliminate some of the barriers to high-speed internet access. The recently launched Emergency Broadband Benefit is an opportunity for Wisconsinites to possibly receive assistance for their high-speed internet needs.

The EBB is a $3.2 billion Federal Communications Commission program to help Americans access the affordable, high-speed internet they need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tens of thousands of Wisconsin households have already signed up for the EBB.

Under this short-term program, residents may be eligible for a discount on their high-speed internet service of up to:
Most telling is that the Republican-run Arizona Senate launched this witch hunt for fake ballots in late April over objections from local Republican officials in Maricopa County. The local GOP officials warned that the effort would undermine trust in elections and defame election workers. Arizona senators nonetheless pressed ahead, using a legislative subpoena to seize the countys ballots and voting machines.

This is insane just from a competence standpoint, Republican Maricopa County election official Stephen Richer told CNN this week. Weve had 13 other states visit, and I would just say to them, This is not the audit you want.

Dont tell that to Murphy and three other low-profile GOP Assembly members from Wisconsin  Janel Brandtjen of Menomonee Falls, Rachael Cabral-Guevara of Appleton, and Chuck Wichgers of Muskego. They pressured Vos for a front-row seat to the Arizona circus, and now Murphy and Brandtjen want a similar spectacle here in Wisconsin, they told WisPolitics.

Vos already hired partisan investigators to review Wisconsins vote, and official recounts in Dane and Milwaukee counties already confirmed Bidens win. But thats not good enough for Murphy and Brandtjen. They want a full-blown fraudit to fire up Trumps conspiratorial base in Wisconsin and help raise campaign money for the next election.
Quentin Tarantino considered remaking Reservoir Dogs as his final film.

The 58-year-old director has long promised to retire after making 10 movies and though he hasnt yet disclosed what his last project will be, he admitted he thought about going full circle and crafting a new version of his 1992 classic debut.

He said: Ive actually considered making a remake of Reservoir Dogs as my last movie...

Thats kind of a capture time in a moment kind of thing.

I wont do it, internet! But I considered it.

The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood filmmaker insisted cinematic history has shown he is making the right decision in quitting while hes still at the top.

Speaking on Real Time with Bill Maher, he said: I know film history and from here on in, filmmakers do not get better.

Don Siegel  if he had quit his career in 1979, when he did Escape from Alcatraz, what a final film! What a mic drop. But he dribbles away with two more other ones, he doesnt mean it.

The Pulp Fiction director recently admitted hes worried his final movie will be his worst.
This story contains links that will take you to our archives site on newspapers.com. This content is free for LancasterOnline subscribers who are logged in. Click here for more information about how to subscribe.

Excerpts and summaries of news stories from the former Intelligencer Journal, Lancaster New Era and Sunday News that focus on the events in the countys past that are noteworthy, newsworthy or just strange.

The Creation music festival - an annual event often dubbed the "Woodstock of Christian music" - was returning to the Lancaster County area in 1996 after a dozen years away, and local Christian music fans were thrilled.

Started in 1979 at Muddy Run Park in Lancaster County, the festival moved to Mount Union in Huntingdon County in 1984. The location - about 100 miles west of Lancaster County - was still within reach of a road trip for local fans, but those fans were pleased with the last-minute relocation of the 1996 festival to Hershey.

The change of venue, announced just a few days before the festival was set to begin, was a result of flooding at the Huntingdon County venue of Agape Campground. In the pre-social media days of 1996, getting the word out was the job of Christian radio stations and word of mouth.

Most fans were aware of the change, but the New Era story about the festival's first day included a man who drove from Massachusetts to Mount Union before learning of the change and rerouting to Hershey.

The festival had been canceled for the same reason the year before, and organizers said they didn't want to cancel two years in a row - hence the quick relocation to the old Hershey Stadium complex.

More than 50,000 people were expected to attend the festival over its four-day run.

(The Creation Festival was back to Mount Union the next year, but returned to Hershey one more time in 2003, again as a result of flooding.)

In the headlines:

'Poor' highways in state are blamed on PennDOT and funding

VMI considers going private to stay all-male

Princess Diana urged to accept settlement

Check out the June 27, 1996, Lancaster New Era here.

Just in time for the tourist rush expected with the 1971 Independence Day weekend, the Pennsylvania Dutch Tourist Bureau was getting ready to unveil its newly expanded visitor's center.

The enlarged building, located just off Route 30 East, featured a brand-new tourist theater that would seat 150 people to watch films about Lancaster County. There was also a stage for live presentations or seminars, plus additional office and storage space.

The old information center had been revamped as well, and would soon debut a hotel/motel information board, showing the locations of all member hotels and motels, each with a little red light that could be switched on remotely from the hotels to indicate they had no vacancy.

In the headlines:

Sept. 1 seen earliest date for new tax

Court out on Pentagon Papers case

Thousands march in Belfast

Check out the June 27, 1971, Sunday News here.

The industrial firms of Ephrata tried out a cooperative strategy around summer vacations in 1945, and it worked so well they were bringing the concept back in 1946.

Every employee of every manufacturing business in Ephrata would receive their summer vacation at the same time - from June 29 until July 8 - during which time all plants would be shut down.

The heads of the various businesses involved met to formulate the plan as a trial in 1945, and decided to repeat the process the next year.

Exactly why this was done wasn't reported in the brief New Era story about the shutdown.

In the headlines:

Britain will ration flour and bread

Buyer's strike is planned

Chinese Red Fourth Army forgotten by government

Check out the June 27, 1946, Lancaster New Era here.

Hot weather in June isn't really news, but when the average temperature for the month is nearly 10 degrees above normal - and there's a significant drought as well - it's enough to make the front page.

Such was the case in June 1921, when the June 27 Intelligencer reported temperatures of 100 degrees the day before, and the worst drought in at least six years.

Only an inch of rain for the first 27 days of June meant the ground was quite dry, and the average temperature for June was projected to be nearly 90 degrees by month's end, compared to about 81 degrees for a typical June.

In the headlines:

Rail Labor Board extends order to hit all railroads

Two prisoners flee West Chester jail by means of rope

Check out the June 27, 1921, Lancaster Intelligencer here.
Whether its a dog, rooster or camel, the first face an animal sees at Speranza Animal Rescue usually belongs to Janine Guido.

Speranza means hope in Italian, and no animal at the rescue lives up to that name more than Libre, the Boston terrier whose story spawned statewide change in animal cruelty law.

Libre has been at the Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County, facility since he was found near death on a Quarryville farm in 2016. Libre had skin infections and sores.

Libre, in Spanish, means free.

Janine Guido, with the help of Dr. Ivan Pryor at Dillsburg Veterinary Center, was able to nurse Libre back to health and pave the way for Libres Law. The law added updates and several provisions to Pennsylvanias animal cruelty code, which was initially drafted in 1983. One of the biggest changes was to allow felony charges against first-time cruelty offenses outside of animal fighting or killing an endangered species.

Gov. Wolf signed the law June 28, 2017, and it went into effect August 28, 2017.

Where is Libre now?

The poster pooch of Libre's Law still lives on the Speranza property under the watchful eye of Guidos mom, Sandy.

According to Libres unofficial event chauffeur, volunteer Mikki Clark, Libre has improved by leaps and bounds over the past five years.

As he gets a little older, I feel that Libre has definitely settled down a little more," Clark said over the phone. He was very much a puppy, and although his early puppy stages were detained because of how sick he was, he caught up for it.

He loves light, and he's a happy dog. He's fearless when he has people like myself there with him. He does wear goggles now, or as I call them, 'Doggles,' because the sun does bother his eyes.

Sandy Guido recalled how small and fragile Libre was when he first embarked on his long road to recovery.

Now, the 5-year-old Libre is a happy (and healthy) American Kennel Club-registered novice trick dog. Trick dogs are registered and can perform 10 skills from the organizations novice list.

Despite the challenges he endured as a puppy, Sandy Guido said, he prospered as he grew.

I've had a lot of dogs in my lifetime, and hes just truly special, she said. Hes not resentful for anything that happened in his past. Its like hes forgotten about all that and doesnt hold a grudge at all.

Related stories:

Animal cruelty cases skyrocketed in courts, dwindled in animal shelters after Libre's Law

Libre and his law: A timeline

Home for wayward animals

Janine Guido founded Speranza Animal Rescue on Brandt Road in Mechanicsburg in 2012, as she says, a one-woman show with seven dogs. Growing up, she rode horses on her familys 17-acre farm, which would eventually become home for a much larger pool of creatures than just horses.

At 19, Guido was diagnosed with clinical depression, and after a nearly successful suicide attempt, she said that doctors werent sure what the best course of action for her mental health would be.

After rescuing those first seven dogs, her hope became Speranza, and the rest is history.

I started Speranza mainly to save my life," Guido says. It gives me hope and motivation to get out of bed every day.

Today, approximately 50 dogs live at Speranza, many of which are rehabbers or lifers recovering from a past life of mental or physical torture. Beyond dogs, there also are chickens, sheep, cows, ducks, horses and even two zebras and a camel.

It's not a petting zoo, and they're not pets  these are animals that are able to be there to live out the rest of their lives as they were saved from safari hunting and breeders, Clark said.

Janine Guido arrives around 4 every morning at Speranza and leaves 12 hours later. She also ventures out to central Pennsylvanias worst sites of animal abuse and neglect, in the hopes of bringing those animals to Speranza to live a better life.

As a nonprofit organization, Speranza is responsible for zero paychecks and a lot of overhead. Clark estimates that, in a normal month, it costs about $40,000 to keep Speranza going.

Janine Guido and Clark credit Speranzas village of fervent supporters for keeping the facility open. A quick scroll through the rescues Facebook page shows not only an unfathomably deep well of cute animal pictures, but also dozens of pictures showcasing donations from mom-and-pop shops and local Target and Walmart stores.

We can't do what we do without our volunteers and supporters," Janine Guido said. I can't do this alone, so I'm very grateful for that.

A not-so-normal day

There are no normal days at Speranza, but there are normal operations. Generally, it takes three shifts of six or seven people to walk all of the dogs, with additional farm and cleaning volunteers at 2 p.m. and 2 a.m.

In all walks of life, someone has to shovel the crap, especially at Speranza, where it can come in all shapes and sizes.

With as many animals that have waddled, crawled and sprinted through the Speranza gates, Clark said Janine Guido has a near photographic memory of each animal.

"She knows every single animal's name and personality," Clark said. No one else on the property names them. Every deceased hen, chicken, rooster. We separated 37 bunnies the other day, and she had a name for every single one.

One of Speranzas normal days got upended in the worst of ways recently, when Guido received a call from a state trooper about hundreds of malnourished animals left to die on a Shippensburg farm.

During the week of June 7, Janine Guido and dozens of volunteers made trips to and from a farm belonging to a man named Barry Orndorff.

Unfortunately, you just sort of have to kill (the owners) with kindness, for the benefit of the animals, Janine Guido says. And then once the animals are removed, the cops take over, but you have to stay professional, and that is probably one of the hardest parts.

All told, 404 geese, ducks, roosters, goats, turkeys, chickens, pheasants and a 30-year-old horse named Mr. Ed were recovered from the Shippensburg farm, one of the largest animal rescue operations in the state in recent years.

About a quarter of the animals were sent to other rescues, leaving many at Speranza. In the days that followed, at least one bird died per day at the rescue because of the poor conditions in which they were found.

Honestly, we see so much bad in humans through rescue, but at the same time, we see so much good in our supporters and donators  it's almost half and half," Guido said. With the 404, we sort of lost all our faith in humanity, and then all the supporters and businesses restored everything.

Orndorff, 64, of Southampton Township, Cumberland County, faces more than 2,000 charges, including cruelty to animals, aggravated cruelty to animals and neglect of animals.

Lives touched

During the last year and a half of the COVID-19 pandemic, Speranza hasnt been able to hold popular fundraising events, such as a pumpkin fest and 5K run, but the plan to return to in-person fundraising will line up with the rescues 10-year anniversary gala in April.

Without Facebook, we would be screwed, so I'm praying that it never ends because that's where we get all of our followers and probably 95% of our donations, Guido said.

The future of Speranza looks much like the present of Speranza  keep helping, keep saving, keep going and potentially with more space to do it past the current 17 acres.

I usually come back from (Speranza) tired and dirty," Clark said. Most of my wardrobe is Speranza at this point. We live and breathe it, it's just a feeling. It's amazing, exuberant, peaceful. ... I mean, you can use all of those adjectives and then youd have to continue to add a bunch more to really describe it.

Some days, I pull in here and just think, holy crap, Guido said. I never in a million years would think that it would become what it is today. I literally still pinch myself some days.
Last week, 13 dogs were removed from a farm in Ronks. Many were sick, with matted fur, rotten teeth and overgrown nails.

It wasnt the first time that dogs had been removed from the Esh family. Since 1996, they have have been repeatedly cited and sometimes fined related to animal abuse allegations at their breeding facility.

But 2017s Libre Law gave humane law enforcement officers more power in conducting surprise visits like the one that led to charges against Daniel, Verna and Omar Esh on June 4, PSPCA director of humane law enforcement Nicole Wilson said.

She added that one of the most impactful sections of Libre's Law is the section regarding the ability to remove animals from those who are prohibited from having them, even when no new abuse or cruelty is reported.

Five years after Boston terrier Libre was found abused and neglected on a Quarryville farm, what has been the impact of the legislation that bears his name?

Lancaster County courts have seen animal cruelty cases skyrocket since the implementation of Libres Law in August 2017.

The number of animal cruelty offenses rose from just 16 cases in 2017 to 130 cases in 2018, 127 in 2019 and 121 in 2020, according to data compiled by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts. A total of 290 animal cruelty charges have been filed so far in 2021 through May 31.

What I can say is that there is an impact, said Nicole Wilson, director of humane law enforcement with the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. For severe crimes, the impact is not only on the case at hand but the length of time future animals are protected.

Convictions rose from 11 in 2017 to 75 in each 2018 and 2019, but fell slightly to 45 in 2020. Through May 31, 118 animal cruelty cases have resulted in a conviction -- and that does not include offenses that have been filed but not yet landed in court.

Overall, 324 animal cruelty cases have resulted in convictions in Lancaster County since August 2017, when Libres Law went into effect. In that same amount of time, a total of 684 cases were filed.

RELATED STORIES:

5 years after being found near death, here is how Libre is doing today

Libre the dog holds no grudges, his owner says [video]

Libre's Law defines animal abuse by grades of severity, from neglect up to animal cruelty. It also increased the penalties for animal cruelty, ranging from 90 days in jail and a $300 fine to seven years in jail and a $15,000 fine. The law allows felony penalties to be filed for first-time cruelty offenses outside of animal fighting or killing an endangered species.

Before Libre's Law, offenders were charged under the state's animal cruelty code that was drafted in 1983 and only charged under a single section, and the highest charge at the time could only be a misdemeanor.

Libre's Law breaks down the penalties for different grades of cruelty and different penalties based on the seriousness of the crime and how many prior offenses there were. The grades established by Libre's Law are neglect of an animal, animal cruelty and aggravated cruelty.

If someone is convicted of abusing an animal, the animals that were victims of the abuse must be forfeited to an animal shelter.

Increased accountability and process

Lindsay High, community relations and site director at PSPCA Lancaster Center, said she couldn't estimate how many abused animals the organization handles on an annual basis, but she said theyve had a much lighter workload in that area since Libres Law went into effect.

SPCAs in Pennsylvania rescue animals from cruelty and neglect, rehabilitatesthem and place them into new homes with loving families, according to their website. The programs have a no-kill policy and do not euthanize animals for time or space.

The SPCA boasts a 97 percent life-release rate.

Were seeing less cases, I think in part because people now know theres accountability and know that theres a process in place where if they are having animals in these inhumane conditions that the public is going to alert us to it, she said. Theres going to be a follow-through and action.

Wilson added that one of the most impactful sections of Libre's Law is the section regarding the ability to remove animals from those who are prohibited from having them, even when no new abuse or cruelty is reported.

The law has also helped change the publics perception of what PSPCA is and does, High said.

Specifically here in Lancaster County, weve struggled with the publics understanding of the work that we do, she said, noting that the organization is housed where a similarly named, but unrelated, high-kill animal shelter used to be located. Work with Libres Law has really helped educate the general community that we are a no-kill facility."

Remaining challenges in existing animal cruelty laws relate to the wording surrounding tethering, Wilson said, noting that the law doesn't provide penalties for such violations or a clear path for ownership for the removing agency or resolve holes in cost of care issues.

High said theres also still plenty of work to be done in educating the public about how to best meet their pets needs, particularly when it comes to dogs during the hot summer months.

But the law has also helped in ways that go beyond charges and convictions, High said, serving as a reminder to the public that they can be the eyes and ears for PSPCA.

It helps the public be watchdogs, for lack of a better term, when they suspect some sort of abuse or neglect or cruelty is going on, she said.

High noted that Libre himself may not have been saved, had a member of the public not alerted authorities.

We would never have been aware of his situation had a community member not stepped in, she said.

Puppy mills in Lancaster County

While charges and convictions have increased since Libres Law went into effect, Pennsylvania still has issues with puppy mills, according to the Humane Society of the United States. It defines a puppy mill as "an inhumane high-volume dog breeding facility that churns out puppies for profit, ignoring the needs of the pups and their mothers."

Eight facilities in Pennsylvania are on the Humane Society's annual Horrible Hundred list, with three in Lancaster County. The list is not a list of puppy mills, but problematic puppy breeding and/or puppy brokering facilities.

Since 2013, the Humane Society of the United States has published the report annually to warn consumers about common problems at puppy mills and puppy selling dealers, including the brokers that sell to pet stores, according to the organization. Documented problems at many of these facilities have included sick or injured dogs, inhumane and unsafe conditions, and a lack of protection from the heat and cold.

The puppy mills listed in Lancaster County are:

- Pennsupreme Puppies, New Providence

- Walnut Run, Strasburg

- Meadow View Kennel, Ronks, Pennsylvania

"It is not possible to list all of the problematic puppy mills in the country in a single report," according to the methodology section of 2021's report. "Due to the patchwork of laws across the U.S., spotty enforcement, and 2020-2021 COVID-19 restrictions in many areas, many puppy mills are not licensed or regulated, and very little information on them is available to the public."

The sellers listed in reports were based upon a number of factors, including:

- Availability of state kennel inspection reports showing violations

- The availability of federal kennel inspection reports showing violations

- Federal, state or county warnings or fines, if available.

In previous years, here are the number of puppy mills from Lancaster County that appeared on the Horrible 100 list:

- 2017: 7

- 2018: 4

- 2019: 3

- 2020: 1

Following the pandemic and the increase in puppy sales, the PSPCAs Wilson thinks that puppy breeding mills have popped up more frequently.

Youre seeing people who may have gotten out of the business (of breeding) get back into it, Wilson said.

Last week, 13 dogs were removed from a farm in Ronks. Many were sick, with matted fur, rotten teeth and overgrown nails.

It wasnt the first time that dogs had been removed from the Esh family. Since 1996, they have have been repeatedly cited and sometimes fined related to animal abuse allegations at their breeding facility.

But 2017s Libre Law gave humane law enforcement officers more power in conducting surprise visits like the one that led to charges against Daniel, Verna and Omar Esh on June 4, PSPCA director of humane law enforcement Nicole Wilson said.

She added that one of the most impactful sections of Libre's Law is the section regarding the ability to remove animals from those who are prohibited from having them, even when no new abuse or cruelty is reported.

Five years after Boston terrier Libre was found abused and neglected on a Quarryville farm, what has been the impact of the legislation that bears his name?

Lancaster County courts have seen animal cruelty cases skyrocket since the implementation of Libres Law in August 2017.
East Earl Township police

DUI

EAST EARL TWP.: Preston Fisher, 18, of East Earl, was charged with driving under the influence and two drug charges after crashing with another vehicle at Reading and Union Grove roads at 3:09 p.m. on April 7, police said. Fisher was under the influence of marijuana when the crash occurred, police said.

Ephrata police

CRASH

EPHRATA: A Subaru wagon crashed after it struck debris from a pickup truck pulling a large trailer loaded with construction equipment along Route 222 north at 4:24 p.m. on June 25, police said. The construction equipment became unsecured and fell from the trailer due to uneven patches of road due to road construction, police said. The Subaru was disabled and towed from the scene, while the driver was treated for minor injuries, police said.

Lititz Borough police

CRASH

LITITZ: A Lititz Borough Police Department cruiser was struck by a Hyundai Santa Fe or a Kia Sorento as it sat parked in front of the police station at 7 South Broad Street at 2:06 a.m. on June 26, police said. No one was inside the cruiser when it was struck, and the striking vehicle continued northbound along South Broad Street, police said.

DISTURBANCE

LITITZ: A man and woman were seen arguing outside in the 400 block of Danbury Drive at 11:29 a.m. on June 20, police said. The man and woman were separated and warned about their behavior, police said.

HARASSMENT

LITITZ: Boaz Harsanyi, 41, of Bellmore, New York, was charged with harassment, terroristic threats and stalking after leaving a resident in the 300 block of East Main Street multiple threatening voicemail messages between June 1 and June 3, police said. The messages continued after Harsanyi was warned of his behavior, police said.

HIT AND RUN

LITITZ: A vehicle left the road and struck a no parking sign in the 500 block of East Front Street at 1:48 p.m. on June 19, police said. No one was injured during the crash and the vehicle did not require towing, police said.

TRESPASS

LITITZ: Aubrey M. Sheaffer, 31, of Lititz, was charged with criminal trespassing, harassment and public drunkenness after flipping tables and screaming at a bar at the Parkview Hotel at 25 North Broad Street at 1:10 a.m. on June 23, police said. Sheaffer was also involved in a physical altercation with two other patrons in which he spit blood in their faces, police said. Sheaffer sustained non-life threatening injuries during the fight, police said.

Manheim Township police

ASSAULT

LANCASTER TWP.: Stanley C. Bennem, 37, of Ephrata, was charged with simple assault and a drug charge after striking a person multiple times, causing injury, during a domestic dispute in the 1700 block of Judie Lane at 7:20 a.m. on June 14, police said.

DISORDERLY CONDUCT

LANCASTER TWP.: Lolonya Dalietta Boyer, 27, and Brooklyn Jone Brown, 32, both of Lancaster, were charged with disorderly conduct after they were seen screaming in a public area, annoying others, in the 1000 block of Grofftown Road at 2:49 a.m. on June 12, police said.

MANHEIM TWP.: Jazmine Dominique Iverson-Fairfax, 21, of Philadelphia, was charged with disorderly conduct after she was seen cursing and threatening a public transit bus driver at Harrisburg Pike and State Street at 3 p.m. on June 6, police said.

DUI

LANCASTER TWP.: David L. Mowery, 74, of Lancaster, was charged with driving under the influence after crashing in the 1100 block of Millersville Pike at 4:36 p.m. on June 8, police said. Mowey had a BAC of 0.09%, police said.

HARASSMENT

MANHEIM TWP.: Devantey W. Delgado, 25, of Lancaster, was charged with harassment and false identification to law enforcement after punching another person several times during a fight in the 1000 block of Lititz Avenue at 3:41 a.m. on June 13, police said. Delgado then provided a false name and date of birth to officers, police said.

STRANGULATION

LANCASTER TWP.: Antonio Rodgers, 33, of Lancaster, was charged with strangulation and harassment after pushing another person and attempting to grab them by the throat during a domestic dispute in the 1700 block of Judie Lane at 3 p.m. on June 13, police said. Rodgers fled the scene but was found and arrested the next day, police said.

MANHEIM TWP.: Frances Ponce, 41, of Columbia, was charged with strangulation, simple assault, terroristic threats and disorderly conduct after grabbing another person by the throat and squeezing it, causing bruising and striations, during a domestic dispute at a Walmart at 2030 Fruitville Pike at 5:44 p.m. on June 20, police said. Ponce also struck the person in the face and head, slammed their head onto the parking lot pavement, bit them in the arm and threatened to kill them, police said. Ponce fled the scene and remains wanted, police said.

UNAUTHORIZED USE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE

LANCASTER TWP.: Osvaldo Correa-Ramos, 28, who is homeless, was charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and driving under the influence after he was found driving a vehicle he took without permission in the 1200 block of East King Street at 6:49 p.m. on June 21, police said. Correa-Ramos had a BAC of 0.204%, police said.

Manor Township police

TRESPASS

MANOR TWP.: Jeremy Jovan Matos, 19, of Mountville, was charged with defiant trespass and harassment after entering the window of a residence in the 400 block of Crabtree Lane at 2:47 p.m. on June 21, police said. Matos had been issued a warning against trespassing earlier in the day after he was cited for harassment during a domestic dispute, police said.

Mount Joy Borough police

DUI

MOUNT JOY: Lauren K. Houser, 24, of Marietta, was charged with driving under the influence after stopping her vehicle at New Haven and Henry Street and leaving the vehicle in the middle of the intersection at 10:45 a.m. on June 13, police said.

STRANGULATION

MOUNT JOY: Micaiah R. Trimby, 33, of Mount Joy, was charged with strangulation, stalking and simple assault after throwing a woman on a bed, pinning her arm down and grabbing her by the throat, making her unable to breathe, at a home in the 500 block of Donegal Springs Road at 9:30 a.m. on June 21, police said.

New Holland police

THEFT

NEW HOLLAND: Thomas Peter Kostingo, 57, no known address, was charged with theft by unlawful taking, theft of services, library theft and three drug charges after entering a vehicle at a restaurant in the 500 block of East Main Street and driving away at 10:45 a.m. on June 18, police said. Kostingo entered the restaurant to order a drink, then left without paying and entered the vehicle, which was later found in Chester County, police said. Kostingo later admitted to having stolen an item from the ELANCO Library, police said.

Northern Lancaster County Regional police

DISTURBANCE

PENN TWP.: A crowd of drunk people were seen fighting at a Sheetz at 1205 Lancaster Road after a vehicle entered the drive-through lane the wrong way at 3:43 a.m. on June 20, police said. People were heard yelling into the drive-through window, after which the vehicle backed out and parked behind the building near a car wash and the people began fighting outside the vehicle, police said. Officers were not able to locate a vehicle or a group of people, police said.

FRAUD

CLAY TWP.: A resident of the 800 block of Durlach Road received an email claiming he had purchased a $550 rifle through PayPal at 11:16 a.m. on June 21, police said. The man realized the activity was fraudulent and no monetary loss was reported, police said.

INDECENT EXPOSURE

EAST PETERSBURG: An unknown man was seen walking in yards and sidewalks wearing only a pair of socks near Linden and Lemon streets at 4:29 a.m. on June 21, police said. Officers were not able to find the man or receive any other reports of his presence in the area, police said.

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

WARWICK TWP.: A man was seen shirtless and talking to himself while walking in the parking lot of James Catholic Church on Crosswinds Drive for several hours at 1:37 p.m. on June 21, police said. Officers determined that the man was exercising and was not violating any laws, police said.

TRESPASS

PENN TWP.: An unknown woman was seen entering a residence on Morning Glory Lane near Meadowlark Lane and banging on the door, claiming the residence belonged to her boyfriend and not making sense, at 2:59 a.m. on June 20, police said. The woman, who appeared to be intoxicated, was pushed out of the home but then opened the door again and walked in before she was removed again, police said. The resident said he did not know who the woman was, police said.
The Pennsylvania Constitution keeps it simple: The members of the General Assembly shall receive such salary and mileage for regular and special sessions as shall be fixed by law, and no other compensation whatever, whether for service upon committee or otherwise.

The wording on how lawmakers should be compensated has withstood the test of time. Yet the nations largest full-time state legislature has found other ways to cash in.

Pennsylvanias two chambers paid $17 million in tax dollars between 2017 and 2020 for food, mileage, lodging, rented and leased cars, tolls, parking, and gas, according to a first-of-its kind analysis by The Caucus and Spotlight PA of nearly 400,000 transactions.

Those dollars were shelled out merely to underwrite the ability of elected members and staff to come to work, eat, stay there, and return to their homes. In many cases, receipts werent even required.

Onetime state Rep. Dan Truitt, a West Chester Republican who during his three terms in office tried to usher in reforms, called it a system open to abuse.

Its just not right, Truitt said

The findings are part of a year-long investigation into how lawmakers spend the millions in taxpayer dollars they allot themselves every year. The news organizations, through a series of public records requests, sought information about every legislative expense, over four years, other than salaries and benefits that are among the most generous for state legislatures.

Though the information is public, it is not always transparent. The spending is spread across multiple accounts, making it difficult to build a true picture of how much it costs just to maintain the day-to-day operations of a legislature that showers its elected members with everything from free meals to cars with little to no accountability.

King of the road

Among the largest expenses, according to the analysis, was mileage, with legislators and their staff receiving more than $6.5 million in reimbursements during the four-year time frame examined by the news organizations.

That is on top of $1.2 million for leasing and maintaining a separate fleet of state-owned vehicles that roughly a quarter of the states 253 legislators chose to use instead of driving their own car. Monthly leases typically range from $419 to $711 and exclude the cost of maintenance. Popular choices by lawmakers are SUVs such as Ford Explorers and Jeep Cherokee Laredos.

It is also separate from the $1 million the Legislature spent on trains, planes, rental cars, car-sharing services, parking, tolls, and gas.

Though mileage reimbursements are a standard business practice, what is less common is paying the majority of the 253-member-strong Legislature just to commute. And not just to commute to Harrisburg for voting sessions  as the state constitution lays out  but to drive to any hearing, ceremony, tour or other event around the state.

For some lawmakers, that has translated into tens of thousands of extra dollars every year.

Take Rep. Patrick Harkins, a Democrat from Erie. He received the most in mileage reimbursements over the four-year period examined by the news organizations: $120,103.46.

Though Harkins Republican colleague from Erie, Curtis Sonney, was second on the list, he only took in close to half of what Harkins did, despite the fact that the two lawmakers travel nearly identical distances to get to and from the Capitol.

And Rep. Ryan Bizzarro, another Erie Democrat, collected even less in mileage: $30,911.

In an interview, Harkins noted that, at 330 miles each way, he lives farther from Harrisburg than any of his colleagues  although only by a single mile more than Bizzarro. His commute begins from the shores of Lake Erie and can take anywhere from six to eight hours to reach the Capitol. In any given year, he said, he puts 55,000 to 60,000 miles on his Dodge Durango.

Even at the full federal reimbursement rate, the mileage dollars dont make him extra money, he said. His car requires monthly oil changes. Tires wear out quickly, and windshields need to be replaced, he said.

Harkins used to lease a state-owned vehicle, which a Caucus and Spotlight PA analysis showed is more cost-effective for taxpayers than mileage reimbursement when lawmakers drive long distances. But the Democratic legislator said it needed frequent repairs, the costs of which are covered by the state.

The options werent very good, said Harkins, a onetime UPS driver. The air conditioning broke and the radio only worked some of the time. Id drive with the windows down.

Harkins mileage reimbursements were higher than other Erie colleagues because, records show, he crisscrossed the state far more. Much of that was to attend multiple hearings held by the House Democrats policy committee.

Both parties in the Legislature have such panels. But unlike traditional legislative committees, which meet primarily in Harrisburg and vote on bills, they have little power: they hold nonvoting meetings across the state, usually when the Legislature isnt in session, to consider issues important to their voting base.

Records show Harkins was reimbursed $13,739 for 75 such hearings from 2017 through last year. He also continued to attend voting sessions and other meetings in person after the first cases of coronavirus were diagnosed in Pennsylvania, forcing a statewide shutdown and leading many legislators to opt for remote voting. He collected more than $20,900 in mileage reimbursements from April through December last year.

Harkins acknowledged a leased car may be cheaper, but said he has no interest in returning to the program, which among other restrictions bars anyone other than the legislator from driving the car.

Though leasing state cars can be more cost-effective for certain legislators, it also can carry a political stigma, said Sen. Lindsey Williams, D-Allegheny. Her constituents made it clear they dont like seeing [legislators] driving a state car, she said.

So she doesnt.

A bill by Rep. Brad Roae, R-Meadville, to ban car leases for legislators sailed through the House State Government Committee in March but it was shelved by GOP leaders.

There is no valid reason to have taxpayers buy cars for legislators, Roae said in a memo seeking co-sponsors.

Still, Roae, who lives 240 miles from the Capitol, collected $30,253 for mileage between 2017 and 2020  essentially the same amount of money taxpayers spent during the same time period to lease vehicles for most lawmakers who requested one.

No receipts

With every visit to the Capitol or other parts of the state on business, lawmakers dont just collect mileage.

They are allowed to request a flat dollar amount in reimbursement for food, lodging, or both.

The payments, known as per diems, have long been in the crosshairs of good government advocates, who believe they are an anachronism that is ripe for abuse. Legislators arent required to submit actual receipts for per diems, leaving open the possibility that they are getting reimbursed for more than what they actually spend while away from their districts.

Advocates also argue that per diems dont comport with reality when legislators are in Harrisburg, where lobbyists and campaign committees frequently pick up the tab for lunch and dinner. Legislative leaders and committee chairs sometimes provide catered meals during busy voting days.

In all, the Legislature spent nearly $6.3 million in taxpayer dollars to reimburse lawmakers for per diems between 2017 and 2020 between 2017 and 2020, expense records show.

Even so, that didnt obviate their food needs.

The Legislature spent an additional $1.8 million on food and drinks for lawmakers and their staff in the form of direct reimbursements to cover everything from $1 cups of coffee at rest stops on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, to $50 dinners in Harrisburg, to $2,500 catered events with constituents.

The different forms of reimbursement make it possible for lawmakers to eat most meals for free if they want to, especially during weeks theyre in session.

Take, for example, the first day in a three-day voting week House members had in Harrisburg on September 15 of last year.

Six different groups of House Republicans incurred meal costs on that day for a total of $1,728, records show.

Republican Policy Committee members met over a $514 luncheon. Deputy whips, a more junior-level leadership role, spent $217 at Chick-fil-A. A business meal for the House Republican Caucus cost $198. And members of three committees that did not have official meetings that day  Health, Judiciary, and Finance  met over $210 to $317 meals to discuss legislation and upcoming committee business.

Yet on that same day, seven individual House Republican members were reimbursed for meals, and another 44 received larger flat-rate per diems that theoretically also cover food costs. Its unclear from the expense reports, which often lack detail, who attended the catered meetings and whether there were some legislators who ate at those meetings while also collecting per diems or other meal reimbursements.

At the same time, the Legislature spends tens of thousands every year on snacks, coffee, soda, or other food purchases for lawmakers Harrisburg and district offices. Those costs, however, come out of taxpayer-funded accounts controlled by legislative leaders and chief clerks, shielding the true cost of meals for a given lawmaker.

During the four-year period, the House Democratic Caucus reported roughly 50 large expenses totaling $76,201 for refreshments, though they dont specify which lawmakers benefited from them. Expenses that included just coffee, K-cups, creamer and sugar over the same period reached more than $142,300.

Similar purchases are listed only as consumable supplies on expense reports. The receipt for one such expense, a $413 purchase by Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa in June 2019, shows multiple 24-packs of different kinds of Coke and Snapple, 10 packs of 40 bottles of water, nuts, party mix, cheese balls, and  in a nod to factions in the provincial Pennsylvania potato chip wars  chips from Middleswarth, Martins and Utz.

The vendor: Breski Beverage, a Harrisburg-based distributor owned by another lawmaker, Republican Rep. Tom Mehaffie of Dauphin County.

Such purchases put legislative leaders and chairs of highly active legislative committees, such as Appropriations, at the top of the list when it came to food expenses. But a handful of rank-and-file members also were reimbursed for upwards of $15,000 each for food from 2017 to 2020.

Sen. Jim Brewster, D-Allegheny, for instance, charged nearly $29,000 for meals ranging from dinners with legislative staff or constituents to expos and other gatherings in his district.

Former Sen. John Blake of Lackawanna County spent just under $25,400, records show. The Democrat also submitted for $19,147 in per diems during that time frame, often to cover both his food and lodging.

Still, Blakes per diem reimbursements are eclipsed by many of his colleagues, five of whom received more than $85,000 each over the four-year period  or an average of more than $20,000 annually.

Among them was Sen. Pat Browne, a Republican from Lehigh County who chairs the chambers Appropriations Committee. At fourth on the list, he received just under $86,000, according to expense records.

State Rep. Tom Caltagirone wasnt far behind. The Democrat from Reading, who retired last year after 44 years in office, collected $85,193 in per diem reimbursements over four years  $24,256 of that in 2020. Though Reading is just over 60 miles from the Capitol, Caltagirone sometimes traveled to Harrisburg the night before a voting session, which allowed him to collect additional per diems, albeit at a reduced rate.

Topping the list though was another Capitol veteran: state Rep. Chris Sainato, a Democrat from Lawrence County in Western Pennsylvania who has served for 26 years.

His per diem reimbursements over the four-year period: $120,103.

About this series

The Caucus and Spotlight PA are examining and making public specific areas of spending by the Legislature as part of their ongoing efforts to follow the money and track taxpayer dollars.

Spotlight PA is a non-profit investigative newsroom based in Harrisburg. The Caucus is LNP Media Group's publication covering the state Capitol and lawmakers.

Follow Spotlight PA on Twitter @SpotlightPA; Follow The Caucus @CaucusPA.
When: Penn supervisors meeting, June 14, in person.

What happened: Supervisors unanimously tabled an agenda item for the township to accept a segment of Loghes Drive connecting to Marie Avenue as a public street, following a lengthy public discussion. Former Supervisor Darryl Lefever asserted the township needs to accept Loghes Drive as a dedicated street, but that did not sit well with Cedar Hollow residents.

Residents speak out: Several of the 12 residents in attendance spoke out against the potential road dedication, including one Cedar Hollow resident who identified himself as Patrick. Patrick said the Cedar Hollow homeowners association is looking for a permanent solution and voiced several concerns, including runoff, public foot traffic and dirt bikes. Two other residents in attendance said they did not want the street connection, unless it is a street for nonmotorized traffic only. A resident predicted unsafe conditions for neighborhood children if the street is to be installed.

Quotable: I definitely do not want a street through there, said a resident who did not state his name. All it does is create a shortcut for the auto auction.

In the end: We, as a board, voted to not put the street through because residents on the Marie side did not want it, said Supervisor Ronald Krause, adding those on the Loghes side do not want it to become a racetrack.

Other happenings: Lefever and the road crew were recognized at the meeting for an award handed down by Pennsylvania Association of Township Supervisors for creating and implementing a rolling snow fence device. Lefevers invention is now moving onto a national competition.
Work will start July 6 on the replacement of the bridge on Lower Valley Road, near Route 41 in West Sadsbury Township, Chester County, supervisors announced during their June 22 meeting.

The state Department of Transportation notified the township that traffic will be further impacted Oct. 1, when the road is limited to one lane over a temporary bridge. The project is scheduled for completion May 21, 2024.

For the next couple of years, going over there expect delays and backups. Its also the industrial core of the township so there are going to be impacts on that, Supervisor Ed Haas said.

The work is being done with federal funding. PennDOT is also planning to upgrade the traffic signal a Route 41 and Lower Valley Road with the possibility of adding a turning lane, but that would be an additional project through PennDOT. That plan is still pending.

In other business, the township is currently working through the paperwork required in order to receive American Rescue Plan Act money. The township is scheduled to receive $260,000 in COVID-19 relief funds. At this point, complete guidelines on how this money can be used have not been issued.

Residents are advised of changes at the Lanchester landfill. There is a new disposal limit of only one TV or computer per household, and the landfill will not accept projection TVs. Anyone bringing items to the landfill must show proof of residence in the landfills service area.

According to the notice from the landfill, the change is necessary until further notice due to serious capacity limitations. This service is still free of charge.

The township received a letter from Parkesburg Library, thanking the supervisors for their past support and requesting funding this year. The library would like at least $1 per capita, with $5 per capita recommended.

Typically we give money to the three libraries in the area: Christiana, Atglen and Parkesburg. Well do that at some point in future, Haas said.

A zoning hearing is scheduled for Aug. 5 on a request to put in a garage and barn at a 1.48-acre property on Strasburg Road. Township regulations provide for horse barns on a minimum of 1.5 acres if approved for a conditional use by the supervisors. They are allowed as a use by right on properties of 2 acres or more.
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THE ISSUE: At the June 2 swearing-in ceremony for his appointment as chief White House science adviser, geneticist Eric Lander introduced himself to a partly science-averse nation by lauding the breakthrough medical technology of synthetic messenger RNA, or mRNA, which last year gave the world the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. Lander challenged the scientific community to build on that immunization success and meet the next pandemic with a more advanced timetable: just 100 days from the identification of a highly contagious pathogen to the administering of an mRNA-based vaccine. While Lander and others comprehend the science that allows researchers to rapidly turn out safe, potent, cost-effective genetic medicines, most people possess only a rudimentary understanding of mRNA drugs and what they can do. Educating the public about the potential of this highly effective new class of medicines will increase general acceptance of the drugs and ultimately improve health outcomes.

Putting trust in science takes courage  faith, even  if you dont understand the concepts.

Taking a new medicine is a life-altering decision, and doing so without a clear picture of how it works can be scary. Which is to say, some of the initial reluctance in accepting genetically formulated COVID-19 vaccines may not have been imprudent, even with the scientific community cheering a 95% success rate.

But with nearly half the country now fully vaccinated and COVID-19 infections rapidly retreating, Americans are seeing evidence of efficacy with their eyes, if not entirely understanding it in their minds, and where mRNA vaccines once received a chilly reception, attitudes are beginning to thaw.

According to a survey on attitudes toward vaccines conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to health journalism, from January to May of this year, the percentage of Americans who took a wait-and-see approach to vaccines dropped from 31% to 12%, with the difference moving into the pro-vaccination camp as tens of millions of people experienced positive vaccine outcomes.

Over those same five months, the percentage of people who say they will never get a COVID-19 vaccine, or would do so only if required, held stubbornly steady at 20%. For some people, evidence is not enough.

For the sake of those reluctant adopters, and in turn for the well-being of all, health care systems and providers must continue to proactively educate and advocate around this type of genetic medicine, whose benefits extend far beyond the management of infectious diseases.

Messenger RNA is a set of chemical instructions that can tell the cells in your body to produce proteins associated with disease. Producing those proteins (harmless on their own) engages the bodys immune system, training it to fight the related diseases when they show up.

The human body produces these protein-generating instructions, mRNA, naturally. But now scientists can engineer those instructions in a lab and shoot them into your arm in the form of a vaccine. Once the synthetic mRNA does its job, cells break down and dispose of the drug within a few days.

Contrary to irresponsibly stoked fears, mRNA therapies do not change your DNA. In the body, DNA is responsible for making mRNA, and the two live in different parts of a cell. As with naturally produced mRNA, lab-generated mRNA resides outside the cell nucleus, which encases the DNA. They do not mingle.

Also contrary to popular misconception, the production of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines was not rushed. The technology has been studied, tested and refined in laboratory settings since the 1990s, and the 10-month turnaround for the COVID-19 vaccines  a seemingly too-brief time period that made many consumers uncomfortable  will likely condense even further as new therapies develop across diverse fields of study.

The relative ease of engineering mRNA drugs, coupled with the exceptional success of the COVID-19 vaccines, has lit a fire under medical researchers. In the near future, controlling the spread of infectious disease could well seem a pedestrian use of the technology. Among the current cutting-edge research involving mRNA drugs:

 Immuno-oncologists are using mRNA to engage the bodys immune system in identifying and fighting cancer cells.

 Researchers who study autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis were heartened when BioNTech reported in January that it had developed an mRNA technique that appears to halt the progression of MS symptoms in lab mice.

 In the arena of cardiovascular disease, which is among the leading causes of death around the world, researchers are using mRNA to regulate production of a protein that helps to regenerate damaged heart tissue.

The invigorated exploration of this nascent genetic technology shows great promise, and the day is coming when the results will be received without undo skepticism.

We look forward to the day when people line up for mRNA vaccines not because their employers offered them financial incentives to do so, but because mRNA technology has earned a definitive reputation as a trusted therapy.

We look forward to the day when the science speaks for itself.
Regarding the article Smucker: IRS leak to press was appalling  in the June 20 Sunday LNP | LancasterOnline:

While it is certainly important to all Americans that the wealthiest citizens pay their fair share in taxes, I find it much more troubling that the personal tax filings and other personal financial information was leaked to left-wing news media by the IRS!

At a time when many Americans do not trust government entities (and especially, in my view, the FBI), what message does this illegal action send to us?

Where does the leaking of personal information stop? If the IRS and the Biden administration seemingly have no problem with leaking citizens private information, who is next and to what degree? Does this advise us of just how politicized the IRS has become?

Also, I believe the LNP | LancasterOnline article downplays and even mocks U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smuckers reaction to this leak, when it should be the concern of all Americans!

Carole McFarland

East Donegal Township
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MacKenzie Scott, the former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, recently donated over $2 billion to hundreds of organizations, including colleges and universities.

She is one of the wealthiest women in the world. Even with the donation, she still has over $60 billion.

Scott wrote about her decision to donate the money on Medium.

She said she wanted to give money to organizations that can help people who are underfunded and overlooked.

Who Received Donations?

Some of the organizations support arts and culture. Many of them support local education.

For example, one organization, Achieving the Dream, works to help community college students in 45 states enter school and finish their degrees.

Another organization, Jazz at Lincoln Center, is run by Wynton Marsalis, a member of a famous musical family. Its mission is to teach people about jazz music, educate music students and celebrate personal freedom.

However, a major part of Scotts money went to higher education, schools both large and small. For example, large universities in Florida and Texas each received $40 million. Overall, about 30 colleges and universities received money.

A number of community colleges received millions of dollars each. They are two-year schools that often serve as a bridge between high school and four-year colleges. They also teach people career skills like how to be a nurse or how to protect computer networks.

Martha Parham is a spokeswoman for the American Association of Community Colleges. The colleges her organization represents serve almost 12 million students each year. She said about 30 percent of the students are the first in their families to attend college.

Most community colleges operate with very small budgets. Money generally comes from state governments, local taxes and students paying for their classes. A large donation from someone like Scott is rare.

Life-Changing Donations

Community colleges are not heavy hitters in terms of philanthropic donations, Parham said. These donations from MacKenzie Scott are, in most cases, the largest donations these colleges have ever received.

College of the Desert is a community college near Palm Springs, California. It has about 16,000 students. Scott donated $18 million.

In a statement, the college president, Jeff Baker, said the money will go to a program that helps local high school graduates attend school without being charged for two years.

Baker said the donation will help the program stay active for many years without asking for donations. He said the program will now be never-ending.

Parham said the donation from Scott is the second big news story of 2021 to call attention to community colleges. The other is that Jill Biden, the First Lady, is a community college professor.

Were extremely proud of what the community colleges do, and are thrilled that theyre being recognized for the role that they serve as that on-ramp to the middle class for millions of Americans.

Pledge to Donate Billions

Scott and Bezos divorced in 2019. She left the marriage owning four percent of Amazon. Her wealth increased as the value of Amazon grew.

She joined The Giving Pledge, along with Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates. They are all among the richest people in the world. They plan to give away most of their money. Since 2020, Scott has given away almost $10 billion.

Last year, she gave away about $6 billion. In that donation, she chose several colleges and universities founded by Black people with the goal of providing African-Americans with high-quality college educations. The schools are known as Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Scott gave money to Howard University, Hampton University, Tuskegee University and many others. She also gave money to organizations that help feed hungry people and others that were helping people struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Scotts most-recent gift allows the organizations to spend the money however they choose.

Scott wrote that higher education is a proven pathway to opportunity, and she wanted to give money to schools that help people from chronically underserved communities.

Im Dan Friedell.

Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. It includes information from the Associated Press. Susan Shand was the editor.

Have there been large donations to higher education where you live? Tell us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page. Quiz - MacKenzie Scott Donates Over $2 billion to 286 Organizations, Including Colleges Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz _________________________________________________

Words in This Story

achieve  v. to become successful by working hard

nurse - n. a person who is trained to care for sick or injured people and who usually works in a hospital or doctor's office

heavy hitter n. an important and powerful person or thing

philanthropic n. the practice of giving money and time to help make life better for other people

thrilled- adj. very excited or happy

on-ramp  n. a short road used to drive onto a highway; used to signify the start of a journey

pledge n. a serious promise or agreement

chronic adj. happening or existing frequently or most of the time
U.S. space agency researchers successfully used balloons to detect earthquakes in the California desert.

The experiment tested whether similar balloons could be sent to Venus to study that planets seismic activity. NASA recently announced plans to launch two future missions to Venus.

The NASA scientists got the chance to carry out the test in July 2019, when a series of powerful earthquakes struck the area around Ridgecrest, California. The main earthquake took place on July 4 and had a magnitude of 6.4, the United States Geological Survey reported in May. Several other large quakes hit the area within days and more than 10,000 aftershocks were reported over the next six weeks.

The experiment involved four large sun-powered balloons designed to fly at altitudes of 18 to 24 kilometers. The team attached instruments to the balloons that measure changes in air pressure. The equipment is used to detect sound waves that rise up from beneath the surface during earthquakes and aftershocks.

The researchers say that by studying seismic wave activity of a rocky planet, like Earth, they can learn more about how that planet developed and about its current state.

Venus is also a rocky planet. It is our closest neighbor in the solar system and the second closest planet to the sun. It is similar in structure to Earth, but a little smaller. But unlike Earth, Venus has an extremely hot surface temperature and a very dense atmosphere. Such conditions make it difficult for spacecraft to survive in Venus atmosphere or on its surface.

Scientists have long thought about the possibility of studying seismic activity on Venus. They want to learn more about how the planet developed such extreme conditions.

The researchers, from NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), think they can send balloons like the ones tested in California on a mission to Venus. The experiment -- which also involved scientists from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) --was recently described in a study in Geophysical Research Letters.

Scientists from JPL and Caltech have been developing their balloon-based method since 2016. But the heavy earthquake activity in the California desert in July 2019 gave them a good chance to test their equipment in the field.

Seismic energy from earthquakes is transmitted into the atmosphere and produces sound waves. These waves are detected by ground-based seismic stations. But the JPL team reported it was able to detect, for the first time, earthquake related seismic activity from its balloons.

One of the balloons detected seismic sound waves seconds after a 4.2 magnitude aftershock was confirmed by ground-based detection stations. At the time, the balloon was about 4.8 kilometers above the Earth.

The researchers hope the balloons will permit new studies of seismic activity on Venus to provide information about the planets interior. For example, they say this method could help them learn why the surface of Venus stays hot enough to melt lead. It may also lead to discoveries of liquid, such as water or oil, on the planet.

Jennifer M. Jackson is a professor of mineral physics at Caltechs Seismological Laboratory who helped lead the research. She said in a statement that much of our understanding about Earths interior comes from the study of seismic activity happening deep inside the planet. The method could also be possible with Venus.

Observations of seismic activitywould strengthen our understanding of rocky planets. But Venus extreme environment requires us to investigate novel detection techniques.

The researchers say they plan to continue flying balloons over seismically active areas to improve their ability to identify seismic events over wide areas from the air. They also plan to add more instruments and fly more balloons at the same time. This could permit them to identify where earthquakes happen without the need for confirmation from ground stations.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from NASA, Geophysical Research Letters and the U.S. Geological Survey. Mario Ritter, Jr was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

Quiz - NASA Tests Earthquake-Seeking Balloons as Way to Study Venus Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

_________________________________________________

Words in This Story

detect  v. to discover or notice something

seismic  adj. relating to or caused by an earthquake

mission  n. a flight by an aircraft or spacecraft to perform a specific task

transmit  v. to send out signals

interior  n. the inside part of something

novel  adj. new or different from anything else

technique  n. a particular or special way of doing something
Some young adults in China are unhappy with the culture of long working hours, high housing prices and a very high cost of living. So, the young people are lying flat to express their anger. They have rejected traditional goals like getting married, having children, purchasing a home or car, and following the corporate money-making path.

The lying flat movement is known as tang ping in China. The Chinese online discussion website Zhihu is filled with comments from young adults who have joined the movement. Posters on the site say they choose to earn less and buy less to live more simply. Tang ping is a rejection of the so-called 996 life in China, the usual practice of working from nine in the morning to nine at night, six days a week.

The government-owned China Daily reports that Chinese officials worry about the tang ping movement. The newspaper said the government has long linked higher education and employment with wider social order.

Many 2020 university graduates did not get jobs because of COVID-19, reports the South China Morning Post. Now, they are also competing with the 2021 graduates for employment.

"I graduated from a top university in Nanjing with a degree in architecture two years ago, but I struggled to find a job and stayed there," said 24-year-old Zhang. He lies flat in rural southwest Sichuan province.

Zhang asked VOA not to use just his surname for fear of attracting attention.

The young man said a lot of his friends are still trying to find their way in big cities. But, he added, they come back home either with diseases from overworking or with a mountain of debt."

Lifestyle choice

Zhang chose to lie flat early. It's too hard to buy a house and a car in big cities. It's hard to find someone to marry, and if you have kids, you have to enroll them in all sorts of activities to give them a head start," he said.

"So, I choose my current lifestyle. Simple food, simple life, he said.

The first online use of the term lie flat appeared in March on the Chinese search engine Baidu.

The post read "Lying Flat Is Justice" and described a new way to live. The message rejected the need for the usual job path of young educated Chinese.

"You just lie flat. Lying flat at home, lying flat outside, lying flat like the street cats and dogs. ... I choose to lie flat, and I'm no longer stressed," the poster wrote.

The message advised about how to work temporary jobs and live on just $32 a month.

The website China Banking News reports the average monthly earnings of Chinas college graduates in 2019 was just over $777.

The Chinese government reacted quickly to tang ping. In late May, the state-run Global Times published an opinion piece about the movement.

Young people are the hope of this country, and neither their personal situation nor the situation of this country will allow them to 'collectively lie flat,'" the newspaper said.

Experts say the lying flat movement has grown out of the inability to move upward in social and economic level. It said the current generation finds itself in a different situation than their parents experienced as young adults.

Xie Fei, a commentator on Chinas Zhejiang Television, said the young, can't expect to have the explosive growth of wealth as their parents' generation."

According to 2017 information by the Chinese Academy of Social Science, people under 35 have a high level of unstable employment and low earnings. One of the survey's major findings is that college graduates in China have difficulties finding jobs.

'Just not sustainable'

Once graduates find jobs, many feel they are expected to work too many hours. VOA spoke with a 35-year-old banking professional in Beijing, who used the name Lucy Li.

"In our bank, the leadership will drop by unannounced around 8 p.m. to see who's still working, she said. She added that those who stay late are the employees who receive promotions.

Jack Ma create e-commerce giant Alibaba and became a billionaire. He strongly praised the 996 model in a post on China's social media platform Weibo. Widely criticized, the post was later removed.

Earlier this year, the deaths of two employees of the online Chinese marketplace Pinduoduo led to a social media discussion about working too much. Many young people said they did not want to live the 996 life.

The popularity of the lying flat movement is in direct conflict with Chinese President Xi Jinping's expressed hope for the future. He has spoken of the Chinese dream of a great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

The official Xinhua News Agency wrote in a commentary published in late May that "lying flat is shameful. Only hard work brings happiness."

Im Susan Shand.

VOAs Kelly Tang and Lin Yang reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

_________________________________________________

Words in This Story

practice - n. something that is done often or regularly

graduate - n. one who has earned a degree or diploma from a school, college, or university

architecture - n. the art or science of designing and creating buildings

kid - n. a child

enroll - v. to join

head start - n. an advantage that you have or get when you are starting to do something

stressed - adj. feeling very worried or anxious

allow - v. to permit

unstable - adj. not secure, uncertain

rejuvenation - n. to give new strength or energy to (something)

shameful - adj. bad behavior

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, and visit our Facebook page.
American business leaders are looking for advice on how to deal with ransomware - a kind of software designed to seize a computer system until money is paid.

The question is whether payments should be made for ransomware attacks. But the U.S. government has not yet given clear rules or policies on the issue.

How to respond?

Eric Goldstein is a top cybersecurity official in the Department of Homeland Security. Goldstein told a congressional hearing last week, It is the position of the U.S. government that we strongly discourage the payment of ransoms. Discourage means to try to make people not want to do something.

Goldstein told lawmakers that paying a ransom does not guarantee that you will get your data back or that stolen files will be safe. He added even if the criminals keep their word, the money will be used to pay for the next round of attacks.

But current laws do not punish business for making ransomware payments. Refusing to make the payments would be bad for businesses, however, especially for small and medium-sized companies. And the effect of non-payment could be serious for the U.S. itself.

Recent well-known ransomware attacks led to a shortage and high gas prices in the eastern U.S. and threatened the nations meat supplies. The issue has left public officials searching for an answer.

Congress is now looking at legislation requiring immediate reporting of ransomware attacks to federal officials. The idea is that such reporting would help identify those responsible and even help get back some of the ransom money.

Recently, U.S. law enforcement recovered most of the $4.4 million that Colonial Pipeline paid to a gang of criminal hackers called DarkSide. That was the first time the U.S. government has said that it had recovered money from the Russia-based gang.

Last week, U.S. President Joe Biden met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva to talk about several issues including cybersecurity. Biden said he gave Putin a list of 16 critical infrastructure items, including energy and water systems, that are considered off-limits to criminal activities.

Without additional action soon, however, experts say ransomware attacks will continue to increase.

Cybersecurity experts

U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said this month that she supports banning payments. But she did not know whether Congress or the president would.

Some of the strongest supporters of a payment ban are those who know ransomware criminals best  cybersecurity experts.

Lior Div is the head of Boston-based Cybereason. He compared ransomware criminals to digital-age terrorists. It is terrorism in a different form, a very modern one, Div said.

A 2015 British law forbids United Kingdom-based insurance firms from paying back companies for terrorism ransom payments. Some believe this idea should be applied to ransomware payments.

Adrian Nish is the threat intelligence chief at BAE Systems. Nish noted that terrorists stopped kidnapping people because they realized that they werent going to get paid."

U.S. law forbids material support for terrorists, but the Justice Department in 2015 waived the threat of criminal prosecution for citizens who pay terrorist ransoms.

Standing up against attacks

Some ransomware victims have refused to make payments at a high cost.

One is the University of Vermont Health Network, where the bill for recovery and lost services after an October attack was around $63 million.

Ireland, too, refused to negotiate when its national healthcare service was hit last month. Five weeks later, healthcare information technology in the nation of 5 million remains badly damaged.

Most ransomware victims end up paying. Insurance company Hiscox says over 58 percent of its affected customers pay the ransom. And leading cyber insurance company Marsh McLennan says about 60 percent of its affected U.S. and Canadian customers pay theirs.

But paying does not guarantee anything near full recovery. In a study of 5,400 technology decision-makers from 30 countries, the cybersecurity company Sophos found that on average, ransom-payers got back just 65 percent of the encrypted data.

In a separate study of nearly 1,300 security professionals, cybersecurity company Cybereason found that 4 in 5 businesses that chose to pay ransoms suffered a second ransomware attack.

Im John Russell.

Frank Bajak reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

________________________________________________

Words in This Story

cybersecurity  n. the art of protecting computer networks, devices, and information

ransom  n. money that is paid in order to free someone who has been captured or kidnapped

encrypt  v. to change (information) from one form to another especially to hide its meaning

customer -- n. someone who buys goods or services from a business
Lewiston, ID (83501)

Today

Clear skies. Low around 65F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph, becoming SSE and decreasing to less than 5 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low around 65F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph, becoming SSE and decreasing to less than 5 mph.
Shirley Contreras lives in Orcutt and writes for the Santa Maria Valley Historical Society. She can be contacted at 623-8193 or at shirleycontreras2@yahoo.com. Her book, The Good Years, a selection of stories shes written for the Santa Maria Times since 1991, is on sale at the Santa Maria Valley Historical Society, 616 S. Broadway.
Where are Madison's Black pit masters?

Barbecue was quickly folded into white American traditions, thanks to its association with summer holidays, patriotic fervor and a distinct working-class aesthetic. But that means its Indigenous Caribbean and Black American origins have been shrouded within Americas collective consciousness.

Adrian Miller, author of Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue, explains that Blackness and barbecue are intrinsically linked. For at least two centuries, enslaved and emancipated Black folks were the countrys bona fide pit masters, honing and reaping the benefits of their culinary skill.

Modern barbecue, however, has evolved to become an aptitude test for enthusiasts with access to capital, investing in costly smokers, high-quality meats, and artisanal blends of sauces and spices.

I suppose its not always been looked at like a highbrow cuisine, said Yusuf Bin-Rella. The chef is a founder of the TradeRoots Culinary Collective, which examines the Afro-culinary lineage through food. People have to ride out those waves where theres not all that much attention paid to it.
Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesman Philip Shulman argued that Johnson did, in fact, make the speech about himself.

"Ron Johnson once again showed Wisconsinites that hes only concerned with fulfilling his personal ambitions, not doing what is in their best interests," Shulman said in a statement.

Johnson closed his speech by encouraging both "random" and "extraordinary" acts of kindness, arguing that while the U.S. is not perfect, it can be "a phenomenal force for good."

"Our little democracy here, this marvel we call America, is but a blip in time. Its kind of tiny, its kind of insignificant on that scale. But man, is it rare and is it ever precious," he said, alluding to the 1997 film "Contact." "So its just my belief that it is our solemn duty, having been given this gift, something this rare, something this precious, its our duty to make sure that it not only survives for our kids and grandkids and great-grandkids  that it thrives."

Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less.
The beer was, of course, from Wisconsin.

The delightfully partisan Minocqua Brewing Company has for several months been brewing up ,la. A Strong, Vice Presidential Stout that encourages the proper pronunciation of Harriss first name. As the brewer explains, The more conservative the TV personality was throughout her campaign, the more he (it was usually a male) mispronounced her name. It's like they did it on purpose. Well, she's now the vice president and we don't think anyone's gonna forget her name ever again.

But just in case anyone is still having a problem, they can check the front of the can  which spells things out: /kml/. Or the T-shirts that brewer Kirk Bangstad has been selling, along with merchandise celebrating the northern Wisconsin brewerys other products, including Biden Beer (inoffensive and not bitter Kolsch), Inauguration Day Beer (a peaceful transition of flavor), Fair Maps (a balanced and un-rigged IPA) and Bernie Brew (a lovingly irascible and democratic socialist milk stout).

Supporting small businesses in the home state is a smart move for any senator, and Bangstad was thrilled when Baldwin took his beer to the VPs party.
A five-year warranty with only 15 days left to expiration is still a warranty in effect, but Beth Kucher wasnt getting much help using hers to effectuate a functioning clothes dryer.

Kucher, 34, of Cottage Grove, had made two earlier warranty claims on the Samsung dryer she purchased for about $664 from Home Depot on May 21, 2016  both to remedy its loud shaking.

On May 6, she filed another one, but this time the problems were worse.

In addition to the noise, the dryer seemed to smell like smoke when ran, and was leaking oil onto our clothes from the drum that did not seem to be functioning properly, she said.

Home Depots contracted services technician came out and prescribed a drum replacement. For the uninitiated, the drum is the thing inside with the fins jutting out that turns the clothes.

Kucher said the tech ordered a replacement and was in and out of my house within 15 minutes, but never actually removed the broken drum.

This would prove to be a mistake, but before she could discover that she waited nearly a month for a tech to return to install the new drum that had arrived at her home on May 24 and that, according to Kucher, Home Depot said was supposed to be installed within three days of arrival.
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?Wisconsins rents are relatively low compared with the rest of the countrys. 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 its 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.
Heres how members of Wisconsins congressional delegation voted on major issues last week.

SENATE

OVERHAULING VOTER RIGHTS: Voting 50 for and 50 against, the Senate on Tuesday blocked a sweeping voting rights bill (S 1) that would, among other provisions, expand early voting, establish automatic voter registration, ensure greater financial transparency in elections and limit partisan gerrymandering. The Senate voted against starting debate on the bill. A yes vote was to advance the legislation.

Voting yes: Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison

Voting no: Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh

HOUSE

PROTECTING VETERANS FROM FRAUD: Voting 416 for and 5 against, the House on Tuesday established a new criminal offense (HR 983) for defrauding or attempting to defraud a veteran of their veterans benefits. A violator is subject to a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both. A yes vote was to approve the legislation.
McCash for Kids

On Tuesday, July 13, from 5-8 p.m., Townsquare Media and McDonalds of Twin Falls, Buhl, Bliss, Burley, Jerome and Gooding will sponsor the 2021 McCash for Kids fundraiser.

McCash for Kids helps raise needed funds for school supplies for students in the Magic Valley. Funds raised during the event will benefit South Central Community Action Partnership, making the funds raised available to qualifying families for the purchase of school supplies for the 2021-2022 school year. Many economically disadvantaged families in Magic Valley need help to provide the necessities for school supplies.

McDonalds will make a donation of 25% of the proceeds of food purchased. For those unable to attend who would like to support local kids for back-to-school supplies, please go to sccap-id.org to donate. For more information, contact Randy Wastradowski, SCCAP Community Services Director, at 208-733-9351 or Randy@sccap-id.org.

IRWA Recognizes Gilbert Sanchez, City of Jerome, as the Administrator of the Year

Idaho Rural Water Association has recognized Jerome Wastewater Superintendent Gilbert Sanchez as the administrator of the year. Sanchez received the award at IRWAs annual spring conference awards banquet on May 26.
The firefighters did a three-team relay race, working to complete a pre-pump check and then attempting to knock down a Gatorade bottle on a neighboring hill with the hose. The final step was to wrap the hose correctly and put everything away. A yellow inflatable pool represented an available water source such as a lake or river.

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A national BLM fire center spokesperson Jessica Gardetto said federal agencies are struggling to recruit new firefighters who can find better-paying jobs elsewhere, the Associated Press reported last week.

Gardetto said despite this, there is not a shortage of firefighters because the agency overprepared.

Locally, the BLM had a high return rate of firefighters coming back for their second or third season.

The agency didnt hire very many rookies this year, Brizendine said.

This definitely takes a certain kind of person to work this job, Brizendine said. Its not for everybody and its hard and its hot.

She said when they find someone whose niche is to be a firefighter, they usually stay for more than one year.

The U.S. is seeing more fires earlier this year and expecting a longer fire season.
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.
President Joe Biden clearly has no problem with his son Hunter Biden cashing in on the family name. Its something Biden has in common with former President Donald Trump.

According to Forbes, Trumps estimated wealth dropped from an estimated $3.6 billion in 2016 to $2.4 billion in April  which means he lost a fortune while in office. Conflicts nonetheless existed as Trump made it known that he kept track of which foreign dignitaries and political interests spent money at his properties.

While Trump bled millions those four years, Biden far surpassed the limits of a public servants salary. The self-styled working-class Democrat who used to talk about being one of the poorest men in the Senate earned more than $17 million while Trump was in the White House.

In 2014, when Biden was President Barack Obamas point man to fight corruption in Ukraine, Hunter Biden found himself in the pay of a Ukraine energy firm. Burisma paid Biden, now 51, some $50,000 per month over five years  despite that fact that, The New York Times reported, the son lacked any experience in Ukraine and just months earlier had been discharged from the Navy Reserve for testing positive for cocaine.
Rightists, led by McGeachin and the Freedom Foundation, may wish it wasnt so, but a new budget will keep Idaho apace with state overall and student population growth. Were not going back to the outhouse days which she and others seem to glamourize.

In another snapshot, the Idaho Department of Labor showed the non-farm work force at 874,000, an increase of 8.1 percent from 2020. Idahoans have been steadily returning to work as the pandemic fades and business expansion takes hold. Help Wanted signs are up all across the state; labor shortages are being reported in many industries and job jumping is returning as employers boost wages and benefits to attract and hold employees.

The Magic Valley unemployment rate dropped to 3.2 percent, and overall non-farm employment passed its pre-pandemic level, adding some 1,300 jobs to the local labor market. The Southeast Idaho region also had a 3.0 percent unemployment rate and showed a jump in its workforce, from 85,000 to over 88,000. (Dept of Labor, 6/21)

And then theres the underlying population increase; Idaho added more than 265,000 residents in the past ten years census, many of them from places that have witnessed deteriorating quality of life. Here, those arrivals find work, opportunity, futures for themselves and their families. They look around and except for the shrill babblings from the rightists, things seem pretty darn good in Idaho on the leadership front. Thats the Idaho way.

Stephen Hartgen, Twin Falls, is a retired five-term Republican member of the Idaho House of Representatives, where he served as chairman of the Commerce & Human Resources Committee. Previously, he was editor and publisher of The Times-News (1982-2005). He can be reached at Stephen_Hartgen@hotmail.com

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What hit Texans was not nature, but an ongoing unnatural disaster. It was the states reward for turning its government over to incompetents and right-wing ideologues who persistently disdain investment in public resources and community needs. For 25 years, a series of money-corrupted, corporate-coddling Texas governors and legislators have recoiled from even such minimal measures as requiring energy profiteers to weatherize peoples crucial infrastructure. (This sort of corporate butt-kissing is what governors really mean when they puff themselves up and bluster that their state is business-friendly.) And their obsequious surrender of the public interest to moneyed powers pays off handsomely to them ... in bales of campaign cash they rake in from the profiteers. For example, the oil and gas giants that fuel the electric grid rewarded Abbotts six years of servility with a whopping $26 million in thank-you donations. The publics reward was hundreds of Texans killed in !






Spanish signs

for Dan RiverGiven the tragedy that unfolded on the Dan River in Eden, N.C., Good Stewards of Rockingham has commissioned Spanish-language signs to be displayed upstream of impoundments along the Dan River, the organization announced.

Nine people, all related, were involved in the accident at a dam near the Duke Energy Steam Station about 10 days ago. Four people have been confirmed, and one remains missing. Draper Landing is an access point to the Dan River at N.C. 770s crossing of the river.

Our community is hurting and we feel the need to act now rather than later. It is amazing to see action being so quickly taken, but we feel that current actions are once again leaving a large portion of our community behind, Dan Riverkeeper Steven Pulliam said in a release about the signs. We cant say if equitable signage would have prevented the accident last week, but we as a group can say that we need to be and do more to fully represent our population.

Good Stewards will be coordinating with the North Carolina Department of Transportation to install the first round of signs on the Dan River at the Highway 14 bridge in Eden.

Henry County man appointed
TODAYS WORD is accoutrements. The new sports-utility vehicle that Ernest brought from the dealership came with all sorts of accoutrements.

SUNDAYS WORD was recalcitrance. It refers to being stubborn, balky, defiant or even disobedient. Example: Dobbin showed some recalcitrance about moving to another paddock and leaving behind the donkey and goat she had shared space with for the past several months.

What do you call it?

So do you refer to our annual holiday as the Fourth of July or Independence Day? Google doesnt show any particular research about this, but for some reason we always referred to it as the Fourth, even if, like this year, a lot people will celebrate on July 5, because thats the legal holiday, when banks and offices are closed. But the day has been a federal holiday only since 1941.

We do like Richard Fords book and Martina McBrides song called Independence Day.

Stuarts market
The plaintiff also alleged in the lawsuit that Hussein called her my girl and asked if he could see her tattoos.

The other plaintiff alleged that during her more than two years of employment with Hussein, he would repeatedly tell her we should get naked, ask about her sex life and make comments about his own, the filing said.

She said Hussein would regularly put his hands on her backside, and that the behavior happened on a weekly, and sometimes daily, basis, the lawsuit alleged.

She said he had put his hands down her pants on several occasions, and about four times he put his hand down her pants and tried to touch her private area, according to the lawsuit. The plaintiff said in the filing that she had to grab his arm and physically remove it from her pants before he could touch her private area.

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Around August, the plaintiff said Hussein came up behind her, grabbed her breasts and grinded his pelvis into her backside.

In his response to the lawsuits, Hussein acknowledged that he had pleaded guilty to assault on a female in McDowell County in a case brought up by one of the plaintiffs, but otherwise denied wrongdoing.
A construction site sits empty in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, June 25, 2021. As Thailand has struggled unsuccessfully to lower the number of new COVID-19 cases and related deaths during its third and worst wave of coronavirus infections, the government on Friday ordered the camps where construction workers are housed in Bangkok and other hard-hit areas to be shut for a month and the workers kept inside to help stop the spread of the disease. Credit: AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit

Faced with a sharp rise in coronavirus cases, the Thai capital on Sunday announced a ban on indoor dining and gatherings of more than 20 people, in addition to the closure of construction sites and the sealing off of workers' quarters in Bangkok and nine other provinces.

The measures will remain for 30 days.

Thailand reported 3,995 confirmed cases and 42 dead in the last 24 hours. The numbers have doubled recently, and health officials blame a lack of cooperation from migrant workers employed in construction and in factories.

"Camps were closed but workers sneaked out to markets and communities, and spread the disease," Apisamai Srirangson, spokesperson for the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration, said Friday. She said that "bubble and seal" disease control measures had proved successful within 28 days in handling clusters in Samut Sakhon province, south of Bangkok, but not in the capital.

The situation has become critical as the number of hospital beds in Bangkok for seriously ill COVID-19 patients is running short despite the creation of several field hospitals. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said Friday that a proposal for a seven-day curfew for all of Bangkok has been rejected for the time being.

Under the new restrictions, construction workers will be isolated in camps in Bangkok and five neighboring provinces, and in the country's four southernmost provinces, all virus hotspots.

A health worker administers a dose of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine to a disabled person in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, June 25, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit

Department stores and malls in Bangkok can stay open until 9 p.m., but food and drinks in restaurants are allowed only for takeaway. Seminars, meetings and parties are canceled. If more clusters are discovered, the governor can seal off those communities.

Travelers from the 10 provinces, including Bangkok, will be isolated and quarantined.

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.

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 Prayuth's 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.

Explore further New coronavirus cases set record in Thailand's capital

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Moscow on Sunday recorded its worst daily coronavirus death toll and Indonesia saw more than 21,000 infections in a day, also a record, as countries across the Asia-Pacific region extended or reimposed restrictions to tackle fresh waves of cases.

The pandemic has now killed close to four million people across the world but vaccination drives have brought down infection numbers in many wealthy countries, while the Delta strain of the virus remains a concern.

The variant is now in 85 countries and is the most contagious of any COVID-19 strain so far identified, according to the World Health Organization.

Still, in much of Europe and the United States curbs on daily life are easing as vaccination programmes bear fruit, although Russia is grappling with a deadly third wave.

Moscow on Sunday recorded 144 COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, a day after Saint Petersburg set the previous highest figure.

Saint Petersburg has hosted six Euro 2020 matches and is due to host a quarter-final on Friday, with spectator numbers capped at half but still upwards of 26,000 people.

Russia as a whole has seen an explosion of new infections since mid-June driven by the Delta variant.

The surge comes as officials in Moscow are pushing vaccine-sceptic Russians to get inoculated after lifting most anti-virus restrictions late last year.

"To stop the pandemic, one thing is needed: rapid, large-scale vaccinations. Nobody has invented any other solution," Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Saturday.

'Up in smoke'

The Delta variant is also feeding fresh outbreaks in Southeast Asia and Australia where authorities have brought back or extended restrictions.

More than five million Sydney residents endured their first full day of a two-week lockdown Sunday.

Restaurants, bars and cafes were shuttered and stay-at-home orders were issued, leaving the city centre virtually deserted.

"Given how contagious this strain of the virus is, we do anticipate that in the next few days case numbers are likely to increase even beyond what we have seen today," New South Wales state Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.

More than 110 COVID-19 cases have been reported in Sydney since a driver for an international flight crew tested positive in mid-June for the Delta variant.

The flare-up has been a shock for a place that had returned to relative normality after months with few local cases.

Professional musician Blain Cunneen, 27, said his work had gone "up in smoke" overnight.

Australia's northern city of Darwin also entered a separate snap 48-hour lockdown on Sunday after a handful of cases were linked to a coronavirus outbreak on a remote gold mine.

"The Northern Territory is now facing its biggest threat since the COVID crisis began," Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner said.

Restrictions reimposed

Similar spikes in infections have been seen across Southeast Asia, with Indonesia setting a new daily infection record of more than 21,000.

Hospitals are flooded with patients in the capital Jakarta and other COVID-19 hotspots across the region's hardest-hit nation.

Thailand will from Monday reimpose restrictions on restaurants, construction sites and gatherings in the capital Bangkok.

The country's latest wave began in April when a cluster was found in upscale Bangkok clubs.

Premier Prayut Chan-O-Cha has said he plans to fully reopen the country by October, but this would require hitting a target of vaccinating 50 million Thais in four months.

In neighbouring Malaysia, the prime minister announced that a nationwide lockdown in place for about a month already will continue, and he gave no date for the lifting of restrictions.

His government had previously said the strict curbs would be eased in stages, as long as there was a drop in infections, intensive care bed use and a rise in vaccination rates.

Bangladesh also said it would impose a new national lockdown from Monday, with offices shut for a week and only medical-related transport allowed.

The announcement prompted tens of thousands of migrant workers to desert the capital Dhaka, where the lockdown will cut off their revenue sources.

"During lockdown, there is no work," Fatema Begum, 60, told AFP while waiting for a ferry. "And if we don't work, how do we pay rent? So we packed up everything and are going back to our village."

Infections declined in May but started to rise again this month, with over 5,000 new cases and a pandemic high of 119 deaths on Sunday, according to the health ministry.

Meanwhile, AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford on Sunday began new trials to test a modified vaccine against the Beta variant, which first emerged in South Africa.

The new vaccine, known as AZD2816, has been designed using the same base as the main AstraZeneca shot but with minor genetic alterations to the spike protein based on the Beta variant.

Explore further Russia's Euro host Saint Petersburg posts record COVID toll

 2021 AFP
Finding the story

The film follows two scientists and their research teams as they attempt to understand the way humpback whales communicate on two opposite sides of the planet. One attempted to talk with a whale using their own calls in Alaska and another traced whale songs across the Southeast Pacific to prove that the creatures have an interconnected social culture in French Polynesia.

Xanthopoulos found the two scientists hed feature in his film, Michelle Fournet and Ellen Garland, at whale conferences. He went there just to meet and talk with whale researchers.

The way I like making films is honestly, step one is you're making friends first because you're asking so much of somebody to be in a film and they're exposing themselves professionally, but also personally, Xanthopoulos said.

He had to find people who he got along with and who he could build trust with. He said he understands how much hes asking of someone to be constantly in their space with a camera, even in stressful and personal moments.
Moving forward

Campurciani shared that they are moving forward with a lot of things with one of them being increasing a police presence in the downtown area, which is seeing lots of growth. This includes the putting in of a substation there and having officers be in the area at night on foot and mingle with everybody because we know the dynamics change down here at night, he said, not necessarily bad, but it changes. So, were going to have officers down here on foot walking around the restaurants and the shops that are open so we dont have any of that stuff that happens in other places happen here, because again, theres 90 apartments going into this Liberty Park over here and again people arent going to move here if they think theyre not safe going out to their cars. Were not going to let that happen.
PALM BEACH, FLORIDA  An actor/director with local ties has been recognized for his accomplishments in theater.

The Palm Beach Symphony has awarded one of its three 2021 Randolph A. Frank Prize awards to Kenneth Kay, co-owner of Kay-Squared Productions, according to a press release on the honor. The awards recognize individuals who enrich the quality of the performing arts in Palm Beach County, Florida. Kay received $4,000 of a total $10,000 cash award included with the prizes.

Kay has produced, directed or acted in more than 300 professional stage productions throughout the southeast and on national tour, the awards announcement reads.

He was raised in Leesburg, Florida, and is married to Drexel native, Kim Cozort Kay.

After graduating from high school, Ken served in the U.S. Navy for four years as a construction electrician with the Seabees, then earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts from the University of West Florida and a Master of Fine Arts in Acting and Directing from Florida Atlantic University.
I was here to oppose [removal of] it, she said, Logan said. But having heard all of the testimonies about why it should be removed, she said, Im not so sure that Im in favor of keeping it up there anymore. And Im telling you, that blessed both my wife and I, and it showed me that hearts can change and that not everyone is rigid and its gotta be this way or not.

I think there are reasonable people on both sides, and I believe there are Christians on both sides who just havent heard the whole story. And I would hope to think that if there was something that I wasnt seeing that I would be able to do like that lady did as well, like, maybe Ive missed it. Maybe I need to rethink some things.

Figuring out how to start conversations like that in the community is a major focus of the group, Fullwood said.

Lets talk about race, lets talk about relationships here in this community, he said. How can we get past the  the point in the community that we dont have to, all the time in conversation, necessarily talk about race, but we can talk about other ways that we might be able to improve our community and enhance the lives of the citizens of this community.
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 following 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.
Jerry lets his emotions get the better of him during questioning, which puts Maddie in danger. He ends up being the saving grace at the courthouse, helping stop the hitman and providing some kind of redemption. It was also a wake-up call Harry wanted him to have long before the incident. Though for Hector, Jerry remains a work in progress.

He doesnt want the responsibility of having lost another life based on the choices and decisions that he made. And not just another life, but someone who is like another daughter, Maddie, he said. For him to be the one who almost causes her death because he couldnt keep his mouth shut. The fact Harry and everyone almost lost their lives in an ambush, which would have been because of him. He knew what he needed to do. This all also pulls him out of that dark abyss. Knowing if he stayed in that place things will only get worse if he keeps making these foolish moves.
Therefore, the well-known pizza establishment has had to make some changes. To be more competitive, starting wages have increased. Some items have been taken off the menu because of lack of staff, and as it stands now, winter hours, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., will remain in effect.

At present, Talarico is not feeling too optimistic.

It seems very few individuals want to work 40 hours a week, she said. The new normal is 30 hours, not 40.

Emily McLaughlin at Macs Tavern is feeling the pinch as well.

We, too, are struggling to find staff, she said.

Right now, according to McLaughlin, her restaurant has enough staff to scrape by, but when their present employees request time off, its a hardship.

In recent weeks, she has scheduled interviews with seven people and only two showed up. And, when she called the two people back, only one would answer the phone.

Its really frustrating, she said.

Pre-COVID-19, Lisacs Tri-Stop & Casino employed 14 people. That number has dwindled to eight.

That means longer hours for co-managers, Nadene Lisac and Elaine Lisac.
True leadership

In helping negotiate a bipartisan federal infrastructure proposal, Jon Tester has once again demonstrated why Montanans keep electing him to the Senate. Thanks to his hard work, we are looking at the very real possibility that a long overdue federal reinvestment in our highways, water systems, electrical grid, and natural resources will happen this year. Will Democrats get everything they want? No. Will Republicans? No. But Montana  and America  will get a lot more than the nothing that would result from the usual gridlock.

We are lucky to have a senator who is more interested in real results than political wins. Make no mistake about it, Jon Tester doesnt back down one inch on our Montana values. Unlike most elected officials, he is also willing to do the hard work to negotiate policies that back up those values. Other Montana elected officials are busy ranting on TV talk shows, taking junkets to the Mexican border, and grandstanding about the culture war of the day. Jon Tester is sitting down with people, working through disagreements, building consensus, and getting legislation over the finish line. Thats what real leadership looks like.
Worthington Mayor Gary Langel described Loras and his family as the epitome of Worthington, due to the familys community involvement.

Loras is very supportive of Worthington and our local nonprofit organizations, and he does it with a smile on his face, Langel said. Ive known Loras since I was a little kid. I grew up on a farm about a mile from where the Wolfe family lived. When I was growing up on a farm, we patronized the ag center when it was in town.

Langel said the store served as a community gathering space.

In the front room there was a transaction counter, and on the other side of the room there were some tables and chairs, Langel said. The fathers went there for their morning gossip.

When Loras took over the business in 1973, the store sold mostly bag and some bulk feeds, as well as seed and fertilizer.

Loras said he was able to maintain some previous contacts with farmers by the time of the 1973 purchase.

Before I bought it, I used to sell seed corn, he said. I had a big territory east of here, so I knew all of those farmers east of here.
Kylee loves interacting with the community. Even when the situations are bad, she knows that she is helping someone and making a situation better.

Everybody needs somebody sometime, and if I can be that person or she can be that person it makes life worth living, Travis said. Its just who we are.

A unique opportunity for the pair is the ability to talk through tragic scenarios and process grief. Through Travis years on the department, he has seen a variety of tragedies and will now be able to help Kylee when she needs it.

Shell know that Ive been there, Ive done it, Ive seen it, she can come talk to me, he said.

Travis said the department encourages peer support. Many times, the situations cannot be discussed with family members because of HIPPA laws. After a tragic event, he said the firefighter will sit down together and talk through the incident.

It makes the department even more like a family.

Originally, Travis and Kylee were going to be on the same shift, but because of her deployment she is now on the opposite shift.

Holidays and weekends are not off days for a firefighter.

While the days may not occur like normal families, the pair said they always make it work. Whether its opening Christmas presents at 6 a.m. before dad leaves for work, or celebrating a holiday a day late, the family finds a way.

For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Sioux City Journal.

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The military said the airstrike targeted Tigray fighters dressed in civilian clothes who had gathered to celebrate Martyrs Day. But witnesses told the AP that although fighters loyal to Tigrays former leaders had been active in the surrounding countryside days before the airstrike, armed men were not in Togoga on the day of the attack.

Most of the victims were women and children, said a doctor who treated people at the scene.

In a war that has been largely fought in the shadows, with communications and transport links often cut since fighting in Tigray began in November, the airstrike in Togoga was a rare instance of a massacre emerging almost immediately. Within minutes, one former resident had tweeted the news. Within hours, there was international condemnation.

Reprehensible, the United States said, as it, the United Nations and the European Union again called for a cease-fire in Tigray, where thousands of people have been killed and hundreds of thousands now face the world's worst famine in a decade.

Shaken survivors of the airstrike challenged the Ethiopian governments narrative, saying only civilians had been killed.
Untalan Middle School principal Agnes Guerrero speaks to The Guam Daily Post. Behind her are team members who spent Friday morning cutting grass and cleaning the school campus. Thieves broke into the school again last week, making it five hits in six months.
The South African Reserve Bank and other regulators have warned that it is a criminal offence to transfer cryptocurrency bought on a local exchange to one located outside the country.

Regulators issued the warning through the Intergovernmental Fintech Working Group (IFWG), which recently published an FAQ document as part of its position paper on crypto assets.

The IFWG is comprised of the Competition Commission, Financial Intelligence Centre, Financial Sector Conduct Authority, National Credit Regulator, National Treasury, the South African Revenue Service, and the South African Reserve Bank.

Exchange Control Regulation 10(1)(c) prohibits transactions where capital or the right to capital is, without permission from National Treasury, directly or indirectly exported from South Africa, the FAQ from the IFWG states.

It added that this includes transactions where an individual purchases crypto assets in South Africa and uses them to externalise any right to capital.

The document goes on to warn that breaking these regulations is a criminal offence.

Contravening South Africas exchange control regulations carries a penalty of a R250,000 fine and possibly up to five years imprisonment.

The fine may be increased up to the value of the offending transaction under certain circumstances. However, the regulations specifically link this escalation to any security, foreign currency, gold, bank-note, cheque, postal order, bill, note, debt, payment or goods.

MyBroadband contacted South Africas three major crypto asset exchanges for comment, but none of them wished to directly address the challenges this pronouncement might cause for them.

Both Luno and Altcoin Trader offer services that allow clients to earn interest on some of the cryptocurrency they hold on their respective platforms.

These products rely on offshore partners to function and it is unclear how the decrees from the SARB and IFWG affect such services.

Richard de Sousa, the CEO of Altcoin Trader, said that they are looking at the papers published by the IFWG and considering many things.

De Sousa said that Altcoin Trader is undecided about its next move and therefore doesnt feel like it can offer meaningful feedback at this stage.

Marius Reitz, Lunos GM for Africa, said that while it is clear from the position paper that there is the intention to bring crypto assets within South Africas exchange control framework, it is unclear how this will be implemented and regulated.

Luno has engaged extensively with the Reserve Bank on the practical challenges posed by applying the existing exchange control regulations to crypto assets and looks forward to continuing to work together to ensure regulations are fit for purpose, Reitz said.

Luno is supportive of clear and market-conducive regulations for the crypto industry, he stated.

He warned that the industry is still in its formative stages and overly burdensome regulations imposed too early may stifle it or drive it underground, while it continues to flourish globally.

A phased approach to implementing regulation for the crypto industry in South Africa  beginning with mandatory AML/KYC obligations  is a sensible approach which will assist in mitigating any potential negative implications of regulation, Reitz said.

He commiserated with the SARB and IFWG, stating that regulators dont have an easy task.

They have to get to grips with a new technology that very few yet understand, said Reitz.

Luno will continue to work with regulators around the world, including the South African Reserve Bank, to put in place the appropriate regulatory frameworks that are optimal for all stakeholders.

VALR, which partners with an offshore exchange to offer some of its services, did not respond to a request for comment.

Using credit cards to buy cryptocurrency from offshore exchanges banned

The Reserve Banks crackdown on cryptocurrencies goes beyond the IFWG warning that moving your cryptocurrencies offshore is a criminal offence.

It has also banned banks from allowing clients to buy crypto assets from overseas providers using their debit or credit cards.

Absa told MyBroadband on Monday that it could no longer allow clients to buy cryptocurrencies from platforms like Binance due to exchange control regulations.

It said that this was an industry problem and not Absa-specific.

Standard Bank confirmed that it would also not approve card-based purchases of cryptocurrency from offshore providers due to exchange controls.

Nedbank did not provide an answer by publication, while Capitec and Discovery Bank did not respond to a request for comment.

TymeBank said that its client base is not active in this type of purchase and so it is not in a position to comment.

FNB declined to provide a direct answer and directed us to speak to the Reserve Bank.

We approve and decline various transaction types based on a risk-based framework and in line with SARBs policies on currencies and exchanges, FNB stated.

MyBroadband asked the SARB for clarification on its sudden ban on credit card purchases of crypto assets, and it provided the following feedback:

Individuals may purchase crypto assets from abroad using their single discretionary allowance of up to R1 million and/or their individual foreign capital allowance of up to R10 million with a Compliance Status (TCS) PIN issued by the South African Revenue Service, per calendar year, it stated.

Such funds are transferred via the banking system as an Electronic Funds Transfer, the Reserve Bank said.

However, credit and/or debit cards, including co-branded cards, issued by banks, as licensed by American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard or Visa, may not be utilised to purchase crypto assets on a foreign crypto asset exchange.

Now read: Banks block buying Bitcoin from overseas in South Africa
Reports that two South African brothers, Raees and Ameer Cajee, skipped the country with an estimated R51 billion in bitcoin are extraordinary, according to attorney Gerhard Botha.

Botha represents a group of investors which, at last count, had the largest combined claim against Africrypt at a total of R66,876,772.50.

The largest of these was Badaspex (Pty.) Ltd., which lodged a claim of over R41 million in its application to liquidate Africrypt on 19 April 2021.

Africrypt was a cryptocurrency investment scheme founded in 2019 that promised clients too-good-to-be-true returns of around 10% per month.

Much like Mirror Trading International, another Bitcoin-based scheme that operated around the same time, Africrypt claimed to have magical artificial intelligence software that enabled them to achieve such astronomical returns for investors.

One major difference was that Africrypt did not use a multilevel marketing programme, though according to investors it did offer commissions for referrals.

Something else that Africrypt did differently was that it accepted rand deposits via an FNB bank account and promised to buy cryptocurrency on clients behalf.

FNB has said that the account in question was not registered in the name of Africrypt, but it declined to reveal to whom the account belonged.

In line with our zero tolerance stance, we will always look into any allegation of irregularity, Nadiah Maharaj from FNB Risk told MyBroadband.

Maharaj stated that the bank remains committed to fulfilling its responsibilities in accordance with its risk management framework and regulatory requirements.

Due to client confidentiality, we cannot provide any information on specific bank accounts.

The liquidation application from Badaspex came after Africrypt sent a letter to investors on 13 April claiming that it had been hacked and an undisclosed amount of funds stolen.

Our number one priority is retrieving the funds as speedily as possible, however the process is very wary and will take a substantial amount of time to complete, the letter, signed by Ameer Cajee, stated.

It is understandable that clients may proceed the legal route, but we ask clients to acknowledge that this will only delay the recovery process.

Six days later the liquidation application from Badaspex was filed, and the provisional liquidation order was granted on 26 April despite the brothers attempt to oppose it.

The return date to hear arguments for the final liquidation order is 19 July.

One investor who spoke to MyBroadband on condition of anonymity said that at the beginning of March, the Cajee brothers allegedly bragged that Africrypt was handling around $700 million (R10 billion) of investor funds.

While substantially less than the R51 billion figure presented by Hanekom Attorneys to the media, even this lower amount may have been significantly inflated for the purposes of boasting.

Speaking to another investor, MyBroadband learned that the Cajee brothers informed the lawyer who represented them at the provisional liquidation hearing that their South African losses amounted to R1.1 billion.

The brothers also stated that they had managed 9 million cryptocurrency wallets at the time of the alleged hack.

MyBroadband contacted Hanekom Attorneys for clarity on how its analysis of the stolen funds was conducted, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

Regardless of what the true amount invested in Africrypt was, Botha explained that the only figures that ultimately matter are the verifiable claims brought by aggrieved clients. These currently amount to around R140 million.

He said that the number of outstanding claims that may yet be filed could bring this amount up to R350 million, but not exceeding R500 million.

One of the investors who spoke to MyBroadband said that Raees Cajee was incredibly convincing.

For a 21 year-old, you could not fault him. He was articulate, he was professional, he was legal. Very precise, the former Africrypt client said.

According to the investor, there were people who had been in business for 30 years who heard Cajees presentation and came away impressed, saying that they cant believe he was only 21.

It was only after hearing these endorsements that the investor said he decided to trust Africrypt with his savings.

But I dont want to blow smoke I think hes an absolute thief, the investor said.

The Cajee brothers have denied this allegation.

Quoting their lawyer, John Oosthuizen, the BBC reported that they denied stealing or absconding with the money.

Oosthuizen said that the brothers maintain that Africrypt was hacked and that his firm was preparing evidence that will show that they were a victim of theft.

MyBroadband contacted the Cajee brothers for comment, but neither responded to emails and Ameer Cajees phone went straight to voicemail.

Now read: Bizarre details about Africrypt founders who disappeared along with R51 billion in Bitcoin
Bans on alcohol and gatherings and bringing the upcoming school holidays forward could be among the new lockdown measures announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday night.

The president is expected to address the nation at 20:00 following multiple National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) meetings over the weekend.

This comes as the deadlier Delta Covid-19 variant has been ravaging Gauteng and fears that it will likely spread to more provinces.

Head of the Covid-19 Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC), Koleka Mlisana, yesterday said harsher regulations on the movement of people and a total ban on gatherings were urgently needed.

Looking at how quickly this variant actually leads to increased cases, for the provinces other than Gauteng, we are probably talking a matter of days, Mlisana said at a press briefing yesterday.

We are going to make sure that we get onto hard restrictions, tighter restrictions because obviously what actually increases transmissions is person-to-person contact, Mlisana said. Its going to mean we need to be very decisive.

According to a report from The Sunday Times, NCCC officials were left shaken following an expert briefing on Saturday.

Proposals understood to be made during the briefing included banning all gatherings and alcohol sales, bringing the school holidays forward, and further increasingly encouraging work from home where possible.

The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints) also met, and insiders told the Sunday Times it had put forward additional restrictions in Gauteng.

The NCCC will meet again today to finalise governments approach to the recommendations, after which the Presidential Coordinating Council will convene.

There will also be a special cabinet meeting to consider the recommendations from Natjoints, government spokesperson Phumla Williams told The Sunday Times.

Gauteng hits record case numbers as hospitals are strained

Covid-19 statistics published by the Department of Health have shown that daily infections were rising rapidly over the past week.

The 7-day average has climbed from 10,106 cases on Saturday 19 June to 14,814 one week later.

South Africa hit its biggest number of new infections in the third wave on Friday, 25 June, with 18,762 new cases, a 24.5% increase from the day before.

While the national numbers have not yet reached the peak of daily infections experienced during the second wave in January, Gauteng has repeatedly hit new records for daily cases.

Its biggest number yet for the entire pandemic was also recorded on Friday with 11,777 cases, 63% of the total in the country on the day.

On Saturday, a further 11,303 new daily cases were reported.

The charts below show the estimated number of currently infectious people in Gauteng based on the reported new cases in the province, and the reported new cases in the province.

Hospitals under strain

Hospitals in the province have been overwhelmed by patients requiring medical care, with weekly hospital admissions almost as high as during the first wave in July.

South African Medical Association (Sama) chairperson Angelique Coetzee said doctors phoning hospitals looking for beds for Covid-19 patients would not be able to find any.

According to Coetzee and Shabir Madhi, a professor of vaccinology at Wits, there was a severe shortage of personnel to man the extra beds made available for Covid-19 treatment.

A big delay in reopening the Charlotte Maxeke hospital since it suffered a fire in April has also exacerbated the problem.

The countrys biggest private hospitals, Mediclinic, Netcare, and Life Healthcare have joined calls for more vigilance and self-regulation in communities as both patient numbers and the severity of their conditions increase.

Richard Friedland, Netcares chief executive officer, said his hospital has done everything possible to prepare for the increase in cases.

We have substantially increased our Covid-19 bed capacity, contracted more resident medical officers and clinical associates and made every effort to ensure that we have adequate supplies of oxygen, the appropriate medication, as well as personal protective equipment to last us through this surge, he said.
They set off for the Sacramento Airport with a car that was spit and polished. It was ready to be presented to the purchasers agents.

As they approached the airport they pulled off onto one of those small airport roads. Suddenly, on a very sharp corner, an 18-wheel tractor-trailer came around the bend. The back of the trailer was in Chris lane.

Chris stepped on the brakes but could not stop in time. The hood of the Mustang went under the side rock shield which hung between the trailers huge tires. Thank goodness the truck had stopped too.

Chris slowly backed the Mustang out from under the trailer and found a few small scratches on his fender. Thankfully, they avoided a major accident. Chris thought they could wipe the scratches out. So they drove on to the airport, parked the car and buffed them out until he was satisfied that all was OK.

They drove up to the airport and found the German-speaking agents standing at the passenger pick-up site waving frantically with excited smiles on their faces. Chris just knew it was them.

As we all know, Sacramento is famous for heat and traffic jams. They had both that afternoon. It must have been very uncomfortable for the two large men in the back seat along with their luggage with the top down.
American Canyons first-ever Pride Pop-up event saw a steady trickle of visitors to Community Park I on Sunday, where they enjoyed games, music, art and a slew of rainbow flags, and where a shortage of parking seemed to be the only problem.

Organizers from the new American Canyon branch of LGBTQ Connection, Napa Sonoma, said they were pleased with the way the shindig turned out.

The idea is to connect the community, project coordinator Shawnee Blaylock said. We just became employees of the LGBTQ+ Connection American Canyon, in April, and knowing that June is Pride Month and that American Canyon didnt have a Pride event, we thought this would be a good idea.

Among the representative rainbows scattered around the park, were tables with information on various useful resources that are available but which may be unknown to some of the people they could be helping, Blaylock said.

The Napa County District Attorneys Office has a table, and Voices Vallejo, and free LGBT services, Blaylock said. There are people in American Canyon who dont know about it.

Jade Diwa of American Canyon said she "came out" right after being part of American Canyon High Schools first graduating class.
Two proposed roundabouts on Highway 29 in the heart of wine country could be under construction in 2023.

One could be at Rutherford Cross Road, the other at Oakville Cross Road. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission on Wednesday allotted $6 million for the project, in addition to $2 million already on hand.

That total of $8 million should be enough to build the two small roundabouts, Napa Valley Transportation Authority Executive Director Kate Miller said.

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Public outreach will come first, Miller said. An online meeting is tentatively scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Sept. 22. Additional public meetings will be held next year to look at draft environmental documents.

Construction could begin in spring 2023 and the roundabouts could be completed in two years. Caltrans must approve projects on the state highway, transportation and county officials said.

Some people heavily support roundabouts and others do not. The community needs to reach a level of comfort that roundabouts will make Highway 29 more functional, Miller said.

Ultimately, its a safety project, Miller said. We are really going to be improving safety by reducing speed on the corridor. We will also be reducing wait times for people on the cross streets.
We were pleased, therefore, to learn of Assembly Bill 339, passed recently by the state Assembly and headed now into the state Senate. It would codify the rules for remote access, requiring local government to broadcast meetings and provide video and audio methods for the public to comment remotely in real-time at meetings and public hearings.

There is no reason that this should not have been done years ago, and were glad the Legislature is close to recognizing it.

At the same time, the devil is always in the details.

This bill was severely amended as it made its way through the Assembly, stripping away most boards, commissions, and even the Legislature itself. As written now, it applies only to town and city councils and boards of supervisors. While these are the best known local government institutions, they are far from the only ones with the power to affect the lives and pocketbooks of ordinary residents in significant ways.

We see no reason why panels such as planning commissions, school boards, and special district boards should be excluded. Were particularly dismayed that the Assembly saw fit to exclude itself from the requirements of the bills.
Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal al-Mekdad called aid to terrorist elements in Syria the only goal of the West, Tasnim reported.

According to him, the beneficiaries of Western aid in Syria are terrorist groups such as ISIS and the Al-Nusra Front.

Faisal al-Mekdad questioned the sincerity of the United States' intentions to provide humanitarian aid to Syria. He said, if Washington is honest about the nature of the aid, why is it not being passed on directly to Damascus.

The United States does not attach importance to the life of the Syrians, and the reason for this is their refusal to lift sanctions against the government in Damascus. Washington's goal is to deny the Syrians even a piece of bread, Mekdad said.

He reiterated Damascus's demands for the immediate withdrawal of American troops from the country. The United States and its allies, under the guise of a so-called coalition against ISIS, introduced their troops into the country, but numerous reports and facts indicate Washington's involvement in the movement of ISIS elements through Syria and the delivery of goods to them, the Syrian FM said.
Turkey to provide Ukraine with corvette and drones

US Embassy: We honor the tremendous partnership between the US and Armenia

7 people killed in Nigeria militant attacks

Deputy Director of IAEA to visit Iran

Tech week Artsakh 2021 conference kicks off in Stepanakert

UN Committee calls on African countries to share experiences in combating migration

At least 29 people killed in plane crash in Philippines

Iranian Deputy FM appoints Ambassador to UK

Biden does not rule out Russia's involvement in new cyber attack

Plane crashes in south of Kazakhstan

89 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia: 5 citizens die

Nikol Pashinyan congratulates Joe Biden on US Independence Day

Armen Sarkissian sends congratulatory message to US President Joe Biden

96 illegal migrants rescued off coast of Tunisia

Yerevan hands over minefield maps to Baku in exchange for return of 15 POWs

Frank Pallone says they discussed US role in Armenian POWs release

ECHR refuses to reopen case on death of Yasser Arafat

Russia reports on destruction of 5 terrorists

Karabakh emergency service: 4 more remains found, retrieved

Armenia opposition member: Azerbaijan is going to take UNESCO to places Baku wants to

2 people injured in Syria

Turkey, Russia exchange Syrian soldiers, militants

Armenia acting PMs latest fabrications on Artsakh not agreed with Minsk Group co-chair countries, says Ashotyan

Pashinyan to Lukashenko: Armenia-Belarus ties will continue as benchmark for interstate relations development

Newborn boy found on Gyumri street

Albania allocates $9.7m to purchase Turkey drones

I Have Honor bloc member: Last snap parliamentary elections will be another period of hell for Armenia, Artsakh

Armenia ombudsman: Azerbaijan authorities conduct is open contempt for entire international community

Caucasus Heritage Watch calls on Azerbaijan to stop destroying Armenian cemeteries

Armenia acting deputy PM Avinyan attends EBRD online meeting

Israel carries out airstrike at weapons manufacturing site in Gaza

Catholicos Aram I addresses Pope Francis on issue of Armenian captives in Azerbaijan

Avagyan: Authorities should ask Russia peacekeeping commander to talk with Azerbaijan to return convicted Armenians

US troops depart from their main Afghanistan base

Armenias Sarkissian to Belarus Lukashenko: Friendship of our peoples will still be basis for increasing cooperation

Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh

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
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid will meet in Rome on Sunday, amid attempts by their governments to turn a page in the history of politics of former President Donald Trump and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose close alliance has exacerbated divisions in both countries, Associated Press reported.

Joe Biden and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett are now focusing on pragmatic diplomacy, rather than dramatic initiatives that can provoke domestic protests or distract from other priorities, the agency writes.

Both governments will try to preserve Israel's fragile ruling coalition, in part by cutting back on provocations that played a role in fueling the 11-day war that claimed at least 254 Palestinian lives and 13 in Israel.

At least in the short term, Lapid will be Israel's main man in rebuilding severed ties with Biden and the Democrats. The party controls both houses of Congress, but is increasingly divided over the Middle East conflict, dealing with progressive members calling on the US to put more pressure on Israel, AP reported.
Lebanese troops, deployed in the northern city of Tripoli early Sunday morning, took up positions around major government offices after a night of protests and riots that wounded several protesters and 10 soldiers, Associated Press reported.

The protests were triggered by the exacerbation of the 20-month economic crisis in the country. The World Bank has described the crisis as one of the worst in the world over the past 150 years. This is due to the political impasse that has left Lebanon without a government since August.

The army said rioters on motorcycles threw stun grenades at troops in Tripoli, injuring nine soldiers and one more being hit by a stone. Protesters attacked several government offices in the city.

Lebanon suffers from acute shortages of essential supplies, including fuel and medicines, which are causing public outrage. The Lebanese currency hit a record low on Saturday, hitting 18,000 pounds per US dollar. The pound has lost more than 90% of its value since the beginning of the crisis.

In October 2019, protesters called for the elimination of the political class that ruled the country since the end of the 1975-90 civil war and was accused of corruption and mismanagement that destroyed the country's economy.
The Indian scientists first identified the Nipah virus in bats in the state of Maharashtra, RIA Novosti reported.

The virus, which is commonly found in flying foxes and mice, is named by the World Health Organization as one of the most dangerous in the world. It is transmitted to people who have eaten fruits that have been contaminated with saliva from an infected animal. There is currently no medicine or vaccine against the virus and the mortality rate reaches from 40 to 75%.

Earlier, four outbreaks of the disease were identified in India. The Nipah virus was first reported in West Bengal in 2001 and 2007. Twice more - in 2018 and 2019 in Kerala.

Scientists noted that since March 2020, they examined samples of 80 mice of the species Rousettus leschenaultii and Pipistrellus Pipistrellus living in the Mahabaleshwara cave and found RNA and antibodies to the Nipah virus in them.

The researchers said the finding warrants further study as no conclusions can be drawn from the current review given the small sample of bats.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday at talks in Rome with Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid discussed the need to improve relations with the Palestinians, TASS reported.

The Secretary of State and the Foreign Minister discussed support for stability in the region, the development of efforts to normalize the region and the need to improve Israeli-Palestinian relations. Secretary of State Blinken and Foreign Minister Lapid noted the close partnership between the United States and Israel, as well as America's continued support for Israel's security, the diplomat said.

Before the talks, the head of American diplomacy supported the agreements reached by Israel on the normalization of relations with some Arab countries, but stressed that this situation cannot replace contacts between Israelis and Palestinians to resolve the conflict.

The talks between Blinken and Lapid in Rome marked the first high-level meeting between US and Israeli representatives since the inauguration of the new government of the Jewish state on 13 June.
Colleague of patient with Delta variant gets Covid

The 24 year-old woman last went to work at Uptown Plaza in Tai Po on Wednesday. Photo: RTHK
Frank Molter/picture alliance via Getty Images

Police in Tampa Bay used genealogy testing websites to find a suspect in a 14-year-old rape case.

Officers used the websites GEDmatch and FamilyTree to find a DNA match in the cold case.

"The victim now can have some closure in her life," assistant police chief Ruben Delgado said.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Police detectives in Tampa Bay said they have arrested a suspect in a 14-year-old rape case after using the database of a genealogy testing website to match DNA evidence.

"The victim now can have some closure in her life," assistant Tampa police chief Ruben Delgado said.

According to police reports, the rape took place in 2007 when a University of Tampa student was walking back to her dorm after attending the popular Gasparilla Pirate Festival.

The victim told detectives she was intoxicated and may have been stumbling around when the suspect, Jared Vaughn, offered to walk her to her dorm where he proceeded to rape her.

DNA evidence was collected at the time but did not find any matches, and the case remained unsolved for more than a decade. In 2020, however, detectives revisited the case and began to search genealogy testing databases, including GEDmatch and FamilyTree, two services often used by people who are researching their ancestry, to find potential matches.

A lab identified Vaughn, now 44, as the possible suspect, so police officers traveled to West Virginia, where he now lives, to conduct another DNA, which brought a one-in-700-billion match.

"It has taken 14 years for resolution in this case, but it's something that was important to us and was important to the victim, to get some closure in this case," Delgado said, according to Fox 13.

"That was the whole idea about this squad, to kind of take these cases that haven't been unsolved, kind of reenergize them."

Florida was the first state to establish its own forensic genealogy unit in 2018. Similar units have since been created in California and Utah to solve cold cases.

Story continues

Special Agent Mark Brutnell of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement urged people to allow their DNA to be accessed by law enforcement.

He said: "Our success depends on info found in public genealogy databases, where participants - and this is important - must opt-in for law enforcement matches."

Read the original article on Insider
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A 39-year-man was attacked by a great white shark while swimming at a beach in California.

Then man serious injuries after he was "bitten in the right leg," authorities said.

He was transported to a local hospital was later released.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

A 39-year-old surfer was attacked and injured after a shark bit his leg while swimming at a beach in California Saturday morning.

The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office said that the unidentified man "was bitten in the right leg by a 6-8 ft. great white shark" just after 9 a.m. at Grey Whale Cove State Beach.

"It was only one bite and there were about 10 lacerations to the back of the right thigh," San Mateo Fire Department Battalion Chief Brian Ham, KPIX-TV reported. "And the surfer was able to swim back into shore with assistance from bystanders."

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Authorities said after he swam to shore and was transported to a local hospital. He was later released, according to the outlet.

NBC Bay Area reported that officials said that shark attacks are a rare occurrence, but to stay alert.

"The white sharks or sharks out there are not looking at people. They are not on the menu. We occasionally have shark incidents like we did today but it's generally very rare," David Ebert of the Pacific Shark Research Center told NBC Bay Area.

Read the original article on Insider
Bravo

When it comes to fashion, Leah McSweeney is never afraid to pull off some bold looks, and the same can be said about her swimwear. The Real Housewives of New York City cast member recently brought some glamour to the beach, soaking up the sun in a barely-there copper bikini. On July 2, Leah took to Instagram to show off her latest eye-catching swimsuit. The Married to the Mob entrepreneur sizzled while posing in front of a picturesque sunset view in a teeny metallic two-piece. As captured in the
ZURICH (Reuters) - Airbus has offered to assemble Eurofighter aircraft in Switzerland if Bern picks it for a 6 billion Swiss franc ($6.5 billion) defence contract, a top salesman at the consortium told a Swiss Sunday newspaper.

Germany, Italy, Spain and Britain, who make the Eurofighter, have also offered Bern sweeping political cooperation should it win the Swiss contest between two U.S. and two European fighter jets, which are to be delivered by 2025.

The Swiss cabinet is set to decide on Wednesday among the Eurofighter, the Rafale from France's Dassault, Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet and Lockheed Martin's F35-A Lightning II to replace ageing F/A-18 Hornets.

Swiss television reported last week that the F-35 provided the best technical and financial features in a Swiss evaluation, but the final decision was still open.

The SonntagsZeitung paper quoted Bernhard Brenner, head of sales at Airbus Defence and Space, as saying neutral Switzerland should not go by that evaluation alone.

"The economic and political elements are just as important," he said. The paper said Airbus has submitted a 700-page dossier on economic "offsets" alone, referring to side deals that funnel contract costs back to local suppliers.

The government is split among those who favour the F-35 and those who would prefer a European deal to help smoothe relations with the European Union after Switzerland ditched a draft bilateral treaty after years of talks.

The defence ministers of Germany, Italy, Spain and Britain wrote to Bern last year offering not just military cooperation such as training, but also partnerships in economics, energy, science, the environment, transport, cybersecurity and infrastructure, Brenner told the paper.

France has been pushing Bern to pick the Rafale, while U.S. President Joe Biden discussed the deal with Swiss leaders while in Geneva this month to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The defence ministry has declined to comment on the process.

(Reporting by Michael Shields; Editing by Alexander Smith)
A Southwest Airlines plane lands at Los Angeles International Airport. FG/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty

Airlines are discovering they retired too many aircraft during the pandemic and let go too many pilots and flight attendants.

Southwest Airlines says it doesn't have enough planes to sustain its model in 2022 and 2023.

Airline schedules are highly unreliable as a result, leading to flight changes and cancellations.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Travel is surging in the US and airlines are once again faced with shortages, but it's more than just pilots this time.

Many US carriers shed older aircraft from their fleets in a cash-saving effort during the worst times of the pandemic. At the time, vaccines a distant dream and travel demand wasn't expected to rebound for years.

"The airlines were being forced to make very complex decisions under enormous pressure," Henry Harteveldt, travel industry analyst and cofounder of Atmosphere Research Group, told Insider. "Key among them is: How do you bring your costs down to survive an approximately 96% decline in demand?"

But Southwest Airlines, after accelerating the retirement of 737-700 aircraft in 2020, is now saying that the airline's current fleet won't be enough to support the carrier's business model in the upcoming years and could hinder expansion efforts.

"We don't feel like we have enough airplanes for 2022 and 2023, and that's just doing what you know us to be famous for," Gary Kelly, Southwest's chief executive officer, CNBC, referring to its current business of mostly domestic flying.

Now that demand is ramping up, airlines might find themselves without enough planes to keep up and Southwest isn't the only airline that shed planes during the pandemic. Delta Air Lines similarly parted with three fleet types including the McDonnell-Douglas MD-80/MD-90, Boeing 737-700, and Boeing 777-200 series of aircraft.

Those aircraft now sit in storage facilities and bringing them back into service would be too great of an expense for airlines, according to Richard Aboulafia, vice president of analysis for Teal Group. New builds from manufacturers, including the Boeing 737 Max and Airbus A220, are preferable but come at a slower rate.

Story continues

Read More: Airlines are delaying new plane deliveries and seeking financing - and that's bad news for Boeing as the 737 Max inches toward its return

The aircraft shortage is also compounded by the age-old pilot shortage, with not even pilots to fly the ambitious schedules that airlines have set. American Airlines saw the impacts of over-scheduling in mid-June when hundreds of flights were canceled in a single weekend thanks to a combination of labor shortages and severe weather.

"The pilot shortage that loomed over the industry in 2019 may have abated slightly, but it hasn't gone away," Harteveldt said.

Airlines moved to shed staff last year, including pilots and flight attendants, through buyouts and voluntary separation programs in a bid to lower costs. But just like with aircraft, some may have parted ways with too many now that demand is rebounding.

"Perhaps they had lost more pilots and flight attendants than they otherwise would have wanted and as a result, that may have reduced their ability to scale up their flying as demand returned," Harteveldt said.

Shortages stemming from massive staff reductions also could've been avoided since airlines were the recipients of three rounds of federal stimulus money.

"I think that the airlines would probably admit - privately if not on the record - that perhaps they should have been less aggressive in encouraging employees to the pilots and flight attendants to take buyouts and leave the company when the government was going to cover 70% of those employees' wages," Harteveldt said.

Delta has committed to hire and train 1,000 new pilots between now and next summer and United has launched a pilot training program, Aviate, that provides financing options and a pathway to flying its aircraft for students.

Airline schedules are now highly unreliable and travelers booking flights should be prepared for unexpected changes or cancellations. Changes to airline schedules can occur anytime and travelers should frequently be checking their bookings to see if changes have occurred.

If an airline has changed a traveler's trip, they have the right to request a new flight or even a refund if the change is great enough.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Rudy Giuliani. AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File

Allies of Rudy Giuliani have created a "Freedom Fund" to assist the former Trump lawyer.

Bernard Kerik said that the fund would help Giuliani "defend himself from frivolous lawsuits."

On Thursday, Giuliani was suspended from practicing law in New York State pending further review.

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Allies of Rudy Giuliani on Saturday announced that they have formed a defense fund to aid the ex-lawyer for former President Donald Trump against a series of lawsuits and investigations.

In a statement, former New York Police Department Commissioner Bernard Kerik revealed the launch of the Rudy Giuliani Freedom Fund, a legal defense that would help Giuliani with several ongoing probes.

"In an attempt to assist @RudyGiuliani to defend himself from frivolous lawsuits, a weaponized Justice Department, and the New York Bar, we have created the Rudy Giuliani Freedom Fund," he wrote on Twitter. "This is the official Defense Fund for this American Patriot."

The website for the Fund alleges that Giuliani "was repeatedly censored for trying to expose the truth about the Biden Family's corruption ahead of the 2020 presidential election" and accuses a "Deep State" of seeking to "take down" allies of Trump.

"The swamp is revolting by placing a bull's eye on the backs of every Trump loyalist who had the guts to challenge the Deep State," the website read. "That puts Rudy at the top of their list."

Read more: We identified the 125 people and institutions most responsible for Donald Trump's rise to power and his norm-busting behavior that tested the boundaries of the US government and its institutions

Giuliani has come under intense legal scrutiny for his longstanding efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election that Trump lost to now-President Joe Biden.

On Thursday, the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court suspended Giuliani's law license pending additional review.

Story continues

In its ruling, the five-justice court panel wrote that Giuliani "communicated demonstrably false and misleading statements to courts, lawmakers and the public at large" regarding the Trump unsuccessful reelection campaign.

"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," the decision read.

Giuliani has also been sued by Dominion Voting Systems for defamation, and in April, the FBI raided his Manhattan apartment and office in connection with an investigation reportedly examining his dealings in Ukraine.

During an interview on Newsmax last week, Giuliani lambasted the suspension of his law license.

"They're looking for a crime," Giuliani said. "Do you know how un-American that is? We investigate allegations of crimes," he said. "We don't go search a man's life to invent or find crimes."

Trump on Thursday criticized the move and blasted New York as "out of control."

"Can you believe that New York wants to strip Rudy Giuliani, a great American Patriot, of his law license because he has been fighting what has already been proven to be a Fraudulent Election?" he said in a statement.

He added: "The greatest mayor in the history of New York City, the Eliot Ness of his generation, one of the greatest crime fighters our Country has ever known, and this is what the Radical Left does to him."

Read the original article on Business Insider
YEREVAN, Armenia (AP)  Armenias national elections commission on Sunday denied a claim by major opposition groups that the parliamentary election results that gave an overwhelming victory to the acting prime ministers party are invalid.

The June 20 election gave 71 seats in parliament to the party of the acting prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan; 29 to a bloc headed by former President Robert Kocharyan and seven to a bloc headed by another former president, Serzh Sargsyan.

Those blocs and a smaller party that didn't win seats issued a statement saying the results should be declared invalid because of voting violations.

Elections commission head Tigran Mukuchyan rejected the claim, saying it didn't show that violations affected the outcome. The head of Kocharyans bloc, Aram Vardevanyan, said the opposition would lodge an appeal with the constitutional court.

The snap election followed months of protests against Pashinyan after he signed a peace deal ending last year's six-week war with Azerbaijan. The deal ceded large swaths of territory in Azerbaijan that had been controlled by Armenian forces since 1994 and was a severe blow to Armenian nationalists' pride.

Pashinyan stepped down as prime minister, as required by law to hold the election, but remained the country's leader, and appears certain to become prime minister again when the new parliament convenes.
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia urged Samoa's political parties on Saturday to work together to form a government after a top court in the Pacific nation dealt a blow to a prime minister who has refused to accept an election defeat by saying there was no legal reason to delay convening parliament.

The islands' politics descended into chaos after Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, Samoa's China-friendly prime minister, refused to give way after losing a parliamentary election in April that would have ended his 22 years in power.

The election was won by Fiame Naomi Mataafa, whose FAST party scored a one-seat majority.

But, Samoa's ceremonial head of state, Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, backed Tuilaepa by blocking parliament from swearing in the newly-elected lawmakers and frustrating plans to confirm a new government despite a number of judicial rulings supporting Fiame's claim on the premiership.

The Court of Appeal clarified this week that convening of parliament is mandatory under the country's constitution, overriding the objections of Tuilaepa and his HRPP party, who had argued that a requirement for the number of women that have to be elected to the chamber had not been met.

"The Australian Government acknowledges the declaratory statement by the Samoan Court of Appeal that its ruling of 2 June 2021 does not prevent the convening of Parliament," Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Zed Seselja, minister for international development and the Pacific, said in a joint statement.

"We urge all parties to cooperate, with a view to convening the parliament and enabling the formation of a government."

(Reporting by Lidia Kelly; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
BANGKOK (AP)  Faced with a sharp rise in coronavirus cases, the Thai capital on Sunday announced a ban on indoor dining and gatherings of more than 20 people, in addition to the closure of construction sites and the sealing off of workers' quarters in Bangkok and nine other provinces.

The measures will remain for 30 days.

Thailand reported 3,995 confirmed cases and 42 dead in the last 24 hours. The numbers have doubled recently, and health officials blame a lack of cooperation from migrant workers employed in construction and in factories.

Camps were closed but workers sneaked out to markets and communities, and spread the disease," Apisamai Srirangson, spokesperson for the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration, said Friday. She said that bubble and seal disease control measures had proved successful within 28 days in handling clusters in Samut Sakhon province, south of Bangkok, but not in the capital.

The situation has become critical as the number of hospital beds in Bangkok for seriously ill COVID-19 patients is running short despite the creation of several field hospitals. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said Friday that a proposal for a seven-day curfew for all of Bangkok has been rejected for the time being.

Under the new restrictions, construction workers will be isolated in camps in Bangkok and five neighboring provinces, and in the countrys four southernmost provinces, all virus hotspots.

Department stores and malls in Bangkok can stay open until 9 p.m., but food and drinks in restaurants are allowed only for takeaway. Seminars, meetings and parties are canceled. If more clusters are discovered, the governor can seal off those communities.

Travelers from the 10 provinces, including Bangkok, will be isolated and quarantined.

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.

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.
Lithuanian border guards have intercepted a wave of asylum seekers arriving from the Belarusian border - Getty

The embattled Belarusian dictator has made good on his threat to flood the European Union with migrants by sending hundreds of Iraqis on package holidays to neighbouring Lithuania in retaliation for sanctions.

Lithuania, an EU nation which shares a 700-kilometre border with Belarus, felt the pain days after Alexander Lukashenko issued the threat in late May.

Local border guards, who used to catch a few dozen trespassers a year, started to stumble upon groups of several dozen people every day, who would surrender and say they were looking for refuge in the European Union.

Lithuania this year received over 507 migrants, mostly Iraqi men, from Belarus, six times higher than last year's number. Most of them arrived over the last three weeks.

We see that this flow of migrants is regulated by Belarusian authorities as a tool of political pressure, a means of hostile hybrid warfare, Mantas Adomenas, Lithuanias deputy foreign minister, told the Sunday Telegraph.

Were dealing with a dictator who is increasingly on the edge of madness and is prepared to do absolutely unspeakable and unpredictable things.

Mr Lukashenko was re-elected last year in a rigged vote that triggered months of unprecedented protests in the former Soviet country.

His crackdown on the opposition reached a new low at the end of May when Belarusian authorities forced a Ryanair flight to land in Minsk, arresting a dissident journalist who was on board.

Europe responded with tough sanctions, including banning Belarusian flights from EU airspace. Mr Lukashenko said he would have his revenge.

We used to catch migrants in droves here, he told parliament last month. Now, forget about it. Youll be catching them yourself.

ithuanian foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said the Belarusian leader is using migration as a weapon against the European Union - Getty

Lithuanian border guards have been detaining groups of asylum seekers, mostly from Iraq and Afghanistan, every day since then.

Authorities in Lithuania had to pitch dozens of heated tents in a makeshift migrant processing centre to accommodate the asylum seekers and are now considering building a wall with Belarus which will cost about 15 million.

Story continues

Ingrida Simonyte, the Lithuanian prime minister, has publicly accused the Belarusian government of orchestrating what her country views as a migrant crisis.

Its not just an episode of illegal immigration like we see on the other borders of the European Union, the prime minister told reporters on a trip to the sparsely populated border area with Belarus.

Four flights from Baghdad land in Minsk airport every week, and some of the planes carry as many as 600 passengers each.

There is no explanation why the capital of the former Soviet republic suddenly became such a tourist magnet for the insurgency-ravaged country.

A top Belarusian lawmaker was at the city airport in May to welcome the maiden flight by Fly Baghdad, telling state TV that most of the passengers were tourists who are coming here to learn about our culture and civilisation.

Belarusian journalists who went to the airport earlier this week saw that passengers from the Baghdad flight were mostly men who were greeted by minders and boarded in groups on two large buses into town.

Belarusian media claimed state-owned travel agency Tsentrkurort is providing package tours for asylum seekers from Iraq.

Arnoldas Abromavicius, Lithuanias deputy interior minister, told the Telegraph that his countrys intelligence has reports, lots of indirect evidence and some documents showing that the Belarusian authorities are involved in facilitating the passage from Baghdad to Minsk through Tsentrkurot.

The company did not reply to requests for comment.

'We used to catch migrants in droves here,' embattled Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko told parliament last month. 'Now, forget about it. Youll be catching them yourself.' - AP

Some of the asylum seekers caught at the border had their Belarusian visas dated that same day, leading the Lithuanians to think that the visas could have been issued on the plane before being dropped at the Lithuanian border.

Lithuanian authorities who have interviewed the migrants say that they paid unnamed individuals in their home countries between $2,000 and $4,000 for a package trip from Baghdad to the EU border.

Belarusian border guards have for weeks ignored desperate pleas and questions from their counterparts. Some of them told the Lithuanians of the asylum seekers: Maybe those people fell from the sky, Mr Abromavicius said.

As the Lithuanian interior minister was talking to the Telegraph on the phone, he was told a group of 42 people had been spotted near the border.

Let's imagine how difficult it would be to cross (into Lithuania) unnoticed by the Belarusian side.

Belarusian border guards deny the claims, saying that they comply with all the regulations and agreements with the border guard agencies of the neighbouring states.

Rights activists who work with refugees in Belarus describe the sudden surge in asylum seekers from the Middle East as unprecedented and point to the hallmarks of an organised effort.

It appears that someone in Belarus is promoting this as the route to Europe, Alyona Chekhovich, a lawyer at Belarusian NGO Human Constanta that provides legal help to foreign nationals in Belarus, told the Telegraph.

We have never seen a flow quite like this before.

While Lithuanian authorities have now launched talks with Iraq about a possible re-admission agreement and hope to dissuade the asylum seekers, who they say were duped by the regime, from traveling to Lithuania, Ms Chekhovich does not see how the EU can discourage people from flocking to Belarus

Its going to be hard to dissuade people from coming here, she said.

The Belarusian dictator, who has ruled the country since 1994, has hinted at weaponising desperate asylum seekers and dropping them on the EUs doorstep.

Theyre urging us to protect them against smugglers, drugs, Mr Lukashenko said of the EU in an emotional speech at a Second World War anniversary event in western Belarus on Tuesday.

I cant help but ask: have you gone crazy? You have unleashed a hybrid war on us and now you demand that we protect you as we did before?

He also referred to hundreds of millions of dollars that Belarus has been spending to safeguard the EU border.

Hes either lying or hes badly informed about his own countrys international obligations, Mr Adomenas, the deputy foreign minister, told the Telegraph, quoting an agreement on border control and re-admission of illegal migrants that Belarus signed with the EU exactly a year ago.

The surge of asylum seekers also seems to be curiously timed with EU discussions of sanctions against Belarus.

Lithuania did not see any illegal border crossings for several days before Monday, when the EU adopted its fourth package of sanctions against the regime, said Mr Adomenas, the deputy foreign minister. After that, theyve been getting 50 people a day again, which is more than a half of what we used to see in the course of a whole year, he said.

We know that Lukashenko will send in more refugees if he decides to punish Lithuania further.
iStock.com / iStock.com

If you earn $50,000 a year in San Francisco or New York City, you undoubtedly will need a roommate  or three  to make ends meet. But in many cities in the United States, $50,000 a year is plenty to live on.

From Alabama to Wyoming: The Cost of Living Across America

Learn More: The Cost To Own a 3-Bedroom Home in Every State

So what sort of enclaves against high costs are out there? GOBankingRates compiled the places in each state that are best suited to someone earning $50,000 a year  with a cost of living that will allow them to save for the future as well as cover costs in the present. The study identified towns with at least 5,000 households and a median income between $45,000 and $50,000 a year using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, then looked at the basic cost of living as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The city with the most left over from $50,000 after covering expenses in each state was selected. For Alaska, Hawaii, Maryland and North Dakota, income restrictions were relaxed.

Every state in the U.S. has options on where you can live on less than $50,000.

Take a look and see where you could live in your area to stretch your salary that much further.

Last updated: June 21, 2021

Montgomery, Alabama, USA - April 22, 2015: View of the Alabama State Capitol looking down Dexter Ave.

Montgomery, Alabama

Median income: $48,011

Total annual necessities: $20,775

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,225

Check Out: How Far a $100K Salary Goes in America's 50 Largest Cities

Fairbanks, AK.

Fairbanks, Alaska

Median income: $62,602

Total annual necessities: $30,786

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $19,214

Read: 35 Surprising Cities With Low Costs of Living

Rainbow over Kingman, AZ - Image.

Kingman, Arizona

Median income: $49,029

Total annual necessities: $23,723

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $26,277

Find Out: 50 Cities Where Its Cheaper To Buy a Home Than Rent

The St. Francis river in Arkansas in the late afternoon.

Paragould, Arkansas

Median income: $45,841

Total annual necessities: $20,140

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,860

Pictured: St. Francis River in Arkansas

Story continues

Whoa: The Cost To Own a 3-Bedroom Home in Every State

Carrot field in Indio Californian Desert in November.

El Centro, California

Median income: $47,864

Total annual necessities: $25,803

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $24,197

View of Grand Junction, Colorado With the Colorado River - Image.

Sterling, Colorado

Median income: $45,647

Total annual necessities: $22,545

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,455

Waterfront houses with scenic harbor view in New London, Connecticut.

New London, Connecticut

Median income: $46,298

Total annual necessities: $24,551

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $25,449

Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek.

Wilmington, Delaware

Median income: $45,032

Total annual necessities: $24,426

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $25,574

Tampa, USA - December 6, 2013: Large homes decorated during Christmas time in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Tampa, Florida, USA.

Myrtle Grove, Florida

Median income: $47,941

Total annual necessities: $22,900

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,100

Columbus Georgia

Columbus, Georgia

Median income: $46,408

Total annual necessities: $20,439

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,561

Important: Best Places in Every State To Live On a Fixed Income

house in Hilo Hawaii

Hilo, Hawaii

Median income: $63,283

Total annual necessities: $37,648

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $12,352

Pocatello, Idaho, USA Aug.

Pocatello, Idaho

Median income: $46,617

Total annual necessities: $23,443

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $26,557

Illinois, Peoria - Illinois

Lincoln, Illinois

Median income: $48,931

Total annual necessities: $19,515

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $30,485

Bridge-Iron Bridge and Waterfall-Kokomo Creek-Howard County Indiana.

Kokomo, Indiana

Median income: $45,797

Total annual necessities: $19,744

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $30,256

Des Moines, Iowa skyline from the state capital at sunset.

Burlington, Iowa

Median income: $47,540

Total annual necessities: $20,314

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,686

Pictured: Des Moines, Iowa

Wichita, Kansas, USA downtown skyline at dusk.

Great Bend, Kansas

Median income: $47,574

Total annual necessities: $20,053

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,947

Pictured: Wichita, Kansas

Royalty-free stock photo ID: 457981795 A waterfall at Saunders Springs in Radcliff, Kentucky.

Radcliff, Kentucky

Median income: $46,105

Total annual necessities: $21,461

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $28,539

Louisville Kentucky

Pineville, Louisiana

Median income: $45,088

Total annual necessities: $22,899

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,101

Pictured: Louisville, Kentucky

Historic Blocks at Main Street in downtown Bangor, Maine, USA.

Bangor, Maine

Median income: $46,625

Total annual necessities: $23,445

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $26,555

Baltimore, Maryland, USA skyline on the Inner Harbor.

Baltimore

Median income: $50,379

Total annual necessities: $23,787

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $26,213

PITTSFIELD, MA USA - SEP 22, 2017: view of historic building, city hall and methodist church in Pittsfield.

Gardner, Massachusetts

Median income: $49,679

Total annual necessities: $25,506

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $24,494

Pictured: Pittsfield, Massachusetts

Taylor, Michigan

Owosso, Michigan

Median income: $45,203

Total annual necessities: $20,829

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,171

Pictured: Taylor, Michigan

AUSTIN, MINNESOTA - JUNE 21, 2017: The Paramount Theater.

Albert Lea, Minnesota

Median income: $47,508

Total annual necessities: $19,432

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $30,568

Pictured: Austin, Minnesota

Tupelo is the county seat and the largest city of Lee County, Mississippi, United States.

Horn Lake, Mississippi

Median income: $48,622

Total annual necessities: $21,827

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $28,173

Pictured: Tupelo, Mississippi

Image of the St.

St. Ann, Missouri

Median income: $47,727

Total annual necessities: $20,234

Salary left over after annual necessities: $29,766

Pictured: St. Louis, Missouri

One of a series of 5 waterfalls that cascade over hydroelectric dams along the upper Missouri River in Great Falls, Montana.

Butte-Silver Bow, Montana

Median income: $45,797

Total annual necessities: $22,043

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,957

Pictured: Great Falls, Montana

Hastings Naval Ammunition Depot, Nebraska.

Hastings, Nebraska

Median income: $48,644

Total annual necessities: $22,502

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,498

Royalty-free stock photo ID: 379886149 PAHRUMP, NEVADA - JANUARY 31: Traffic passes a welcome to Pahrump sign in Pahrump, Nevada on January 31st, 2016.

Pahrump, Nevada

Median income: $47,535

Total annual necessities: $25,182

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $24,818

This is a panorama view of Claremont, New Hampshire, New England.

Claremont, New Hampshire

Median income: $47,649

Total annual necessities: $22,579

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,421

Millville, New Jersey

Lindenwold, New Jersey

Median income: $45,789

Total annual necessities: $22,719

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,281

Pictured: Millville, New Jersey

Good To Know: How Much You Need To Live Comfortably in 50 Major US Cities

GALLUP, NEW MEXICO - JULY 22: Welcome sign to Gallup, most patriotic small town in America on July 22, 2017 in Gallup, New Mexico.

Gallup, New Mexico

Median income: $48,065

Total annual necessities: $20,779

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,221

Batavia, New York

Median income: $47,712

Total annual necessities: $21,256

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $28,744

Pictured: Rochester, New York

The turnabout on Hay Street passes by a historic location in Fayetteville NC.

Fayetteville, North Carolina

Median income: $45,024

Total annual necessities: $21,940

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $28,060

Jamestown North Dakota

Jamestown, North Dakota

Median income: $51,789

Total annual necessities: $22,322

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,678

Cleveland, Ohio, USA downtown city skyline and harbor at twilight.

Defiance, Ohio

Median income: $49,628

Total annual necessities: $19,733

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $30,267

Pictured: Cleveland, Ohio

The city of Lawton is the county seat of Comanche County, in the State of Oklahoma.

Altus, Oklahoma

Median income: $47,691

Total annual necessities: $18,762

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $31,238

Pictured: Lawton, Oklahoma

Slow down with the small yet important town of Coos Bay Oregon and the alluring views it has to offer.

Coos Bay, Oregon

Median income: $48,919

Total annual necessities: $23,026

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $26,974

View from north Pittsburgh.

Munhall, Pennsylvania

Median income: $47,649

Total annual necessities: $21,296

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $28,704

Pictured: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Providence, Rhode Island, USA park and skyline.

Providence, Rhode Island

Median income: $45,610

Total annual necessities: $27,843

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $22,157

Drone Aerial View of Downtown Columbia, South Carolina, USA.

Florence, South Carolina

Median income: $49,525

Total annual necessities: $22,949

Salary left over after annual necessities: $27,051

Pictured: Downtown Columbia, South Carolina

Downtown Huron South Dakota

Huron, South Dakota

Median income: $46,106

Total annual necessities: $19,997

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $30,003

Chatanooga, Tennessee

East Ridge, Tennessee

Median income: $47,203

Total annual necessities: $22,364

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $27,636

Pictured: Chattanooga, Tennessee

Downtown Lubbock, Texas.

Plainview, Texas

Median income: $48,430

Total annual necessities: $19,226

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $30,774

Pictured: Lubbock, Texas

Ogden is a city and the county seat of Weber County, Utah, United States, approximately 10 miles east of the Great Salt Lake.

Cedar City, Utah

Median income: $48,346

Total annual necessities: $25,777

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $24,223

Pictured: Ogden, Utah

Vermont-Burlington

Rutland, Vermont

Median income: $48,212

Total annual necessities: $23,359

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $26,641

Pictured: Burlington, Vermont

Richmond Virginia

Highland Springs, Virginia

Median income: $48,886

Total annual necessities: $23,001

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $26,999

Pictured: Richmond, Virginia

Port Angeles, Washington, USA - June 19, 2015: View of Port Angeles from the pier, Washington.

Port Angeles, Washington

Median income: $47,256

Total annual necessities: $25,981

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $24,019

A view of the Veterans Memorial Bridge, a cable-stayed suspension that carries US 22 over the Ohio River between Weirton, West Virginia and Steubenville, Ohio.

Weirton, West Virginia

Median income: $49,496

Total annual necessities: $20,145

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $29,855

Downtown Green Bay - Image.

Two Rivers, Wisconsin

Median income: $47,228

Total annual necessities: $19,661

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $30,339

Pictured: Green Bay, Wisconsin

Downtown Laramie, Wyoming.

Laramie, Wyoming

Median income: $46,117

Total annual necessities: $27,966

Amount (from $50,000) left over after annual necessities: $22,034

More From GOBankingRates

Joel Anderson contributed to the reporting for this article.

Photo disclaimer: Photos are for illustrative purposes only. As a result, some of the images may not reflect the exact towns listed.

Methodology: GOBankingRates determined the best places to live on a $50,000 salary in each state by analyzing cities along these criteria: (1) a minimum of 5,000 households, sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey, (2) a median household income between $45,000 to $50,000, sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey, (3) itemized cost of living index for groceries, housing, utilities, transportation, healthcare and miscellaneous expenditure, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2019 Consumer Expenditure Survey (latest full year dataset) by income level ($40,000 - $49,999), which were adjusted to each city's local cost of living, sourced from Sperling's Best Places. In order to qualify as a "best" city, the total cost of living expenditures could not exceed $50,000, and the city with the lowest overall total cost of living expenditures was declared the best. For Alaska, Hawaii, Maryland and North Dakota, income restrictions were relaxed. All data was compiled on and up to date as of April 6, 2021.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Best Places To Live On a $50,000 Salary in Every State
By Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will meet Israel's outgoing president, Reuven Rivlin, at the White House on Monday for a broad discussion about U.S. efforts to re-enter the Iran nuclear deal and Israel's formation of a new government.

The meeting takes place just weeks after Naftali Bennett took over as Israel's new prime minister, replacing Benjamin Netanyahu. U.S. officials are working on setting up a meeting between Biden and Bennett in coming weeks.

Biden's meeting with Rivlin comes amid concerns in Israel and Arab capitals about U.S. efforts to re-enter the Iran nuclear deal because of fears a resumption of the accord may eventually allow Tehran to acquire atomic weapons that would leave them vulnerable to Iranian intimidation or military threat.

U.S. attempts to revive the Iran nuclear deal, after then-President Donald Trump abandoned it in 2018, have been slow to make progress with Tehran insisting the United States lift all economic sanctions.

A source familiar with the Biden-Rivlin meeting said Biden is expected to tell Rivlin that the United States and Israel share the same objective, that Iran not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, and that Biden would stress U.S. support for Israel's right to defend itself.

The two leaders are also expected to discuss Israel's 11-day war with Gaza. The United States has pledged to resupply Israel's Iron Dome defense system, which got heavy usage during the Gaza conflict.

Rivlin is to leave office on July 7 after a seven-year term, with Jewish Agency Chairman Isaac Herzog taking over as Israeli president.

Rivlin is on his final foreign trip as president. He will meet officials at the United Nations in New York and congressional lawmakers in Washington.

(Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
A Facebook post by a professor at UNC Wilmington sparked a debate last week among the university Board of Trustees over free speech and how the university should respond.

A conservative website reported last week that Dan Johnson, an associate professor at UNCWs School of Health and Applied Human Sciences, posted the phrase, Blow up Republicans, on his personal Facebook account in May.

After the report by the website, Campus Reform, which says it exposes liberal bias and abuse on the nations college campuses, a spokeswoman for UNCW told WECT News that the university was aware of the post and had acted on the information.

UNCW was made aware of a now-deleted social media post made by a UNCW faculty member on a personal platform. The university acted on the information in a timely and appropriate manner. The faculty member expressed deep remorse and deleted the post, the university said in a statement, according to WECT News.

The university and Johnson did not respond to News & Observer requests for comment Sunday afternoon.

In an emailed statement Sunday, Board of Trustees member Woody White told The N&O that UNCW Chancellor Jose Sartarelli had confirmed Johnson made the post on a Friday phone call.

White added he would like to see an explanation of the post by Johnson, and for the university to conduct a survey to determine whether conservative-leaning students feel unwelcome on campus. If they do, he said the university should take steps to address it  including recruiting more conservative faculty.

White also shared emails with The N&O of a trustee discussion Thursday and Friday prompted by reports of the post.

In them, he argued the university has given lip service that we value free speech for years and we have tried to create an environment where it is protected.

The problem at UNCW, and at nearly every other University across the nation, is the double standard, he said. Free speech is tolerated  even celebrated  when it condemns conservative thought and speech. When it goes the other way, conservatives are shamed, cancelled and bullied.

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White referred to Mike Adams, a former UNCW professor who died last year from what authorities said was a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and Sartarelli as two examples.

Adams was set to retire early after reaching a settlement agreement with the university to pay him more than $500,000. White said Adams statements were distasteful, but added he never suggested blowing up anything.

In December, a faculty group censured Sartarelli after the university removed Black Lives Matter banners, and Sartarelli said it would be hard for him to publicly support the BLM movement because I believe all lives matter, N.C. Policy Watch reported at the time.

But Robert Fensom, student body president at UNCW, said as part of the email discussion among trustees he was concerned about the effect an investigation into Johnsons post could have.

My understanding of the status of Mr. Johnsons communication is that it is constitutionally protected speech, he said. If that understanding is correct, then we should also acknowledge the chilling effect caused by investigations, an impact that would be felt both by Mr. Johnson and the entire campus community.

White said in the email exchange that he did not believe Johnson should be fired for his post, but that he should face other repercussions  like students choosing to avoid his classes, sensitivity training or the university hiring a notable conservative voice.

The situation also drew the attention of some elected officials, with Republican U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn of Western North Carolina condemning the post in a tweet Saturday evening.
MAIDUGURI/ABUJA (Reuters) - A group of fighters from Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram pledged allegiance to rivals the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) weeks after the former group's leader died, according to a video seen by Reuters.

The video fuels fears that ISWAP is consolidating control of the insurgency in northeastern Nigeria following the death of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau last month. But not all observers are convinced the video is proof that all Boko Haram fighters are ready to join ISWAP.

The groups engaged in a violent rivalry for years, and if ISWAP absorbs Boko Haram fighters, it could focus attention on attacking the Nigerian military.

Some 350,000 people have died as a result of the 12-year insurgency and subsequent humanitarian crisis, the United Nations said this week.

The video, produced by Islamic State's official media arm, showed clips of several hundred men, many of whom were armed, gathering in the bush. Several made statements to camera.

"We will unite together to fight the (unbelievers)," one Boko Haram fighter said in Hausa. "What will happen now will by far exceed what transpired in the past now that we're united."

Vincent Foucher, a researcher at the French National Centre for Scientific Research who is an expert on the conflict, said the video adds to evidence that ISWAP was gaining control.

"It is one more indication that ISWAP has won," he said.

Foucher said other indicators of ISWAP's consolidation of power included its claims of attacks in areas that had been Boko Haram zones of influence and a significant drop in violence against civilians in areas where Boko Haram operated.

However, Bulama Bukarti, a senior analyst with the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, dismissed the video as propoganda, noting that it did not feature senior Boko Haram leaders.

"I think Boko Haram is still very much divided and they will continue to fight each other," Bukarti said.

(Reporting By Maiduguru newsroom and Paul Carsten in Abuja. Additional reporting by Ardo Hazzad in Bauchi. Writing by Libby George, Editing by Nick Zieminski)
A bizarre shooting incident outside of Boston has left three people dead, including a suspect, after a stolen delivery truck plowed into the side of a house in Winthrop and its driver allegedly hopped out and gunned down two people before being fatally shot by police, authorities said.

According to Massachusetts State Police, a male suspect, whose name has not been released, had stolen a plumbing and draining company's truck before plowing it into the side of a building on the corner of Shirley and Cross Streets in Winthrop, located six miles northeast of Bostons city center.

Winthrop police Chief Terence Delehanty said his department received a call about a motor vehicle crash at the intersection around 2:43 p.m. Saturday. Officers found the first victim, a female, on Shirley Street about a half block up from the accident scene. She was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, where she was later pronounced dead, WCVB reported.

NEW HAMPSHIRE FELON OUT ON SUPERVISED RELEASE ON WEAPONS CHARGE SHOOTS BOSTON FATHER IN FRONT OF KIDS: POLICE

A second victim, a male, who Delehanty said "engaged with the suspect in an alleyway between two houses," was pronounced dead at the scene. Officers engaged the suspect  "armed with approximately two weapons"  and "ended the threat" at the intersection of Shirley Street and Veterans Road, he said. The officer who shot the suspect has been placed on administrative leave as part of standard protocol.

Massachusetts State Police Superintendent Col. Christopher Mason said authorities know the names of the victims but are not releasing that information until next of kin are notified. Two more people  who were inside a vehicle that was struck during the crash  remain hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, WBTS-CD reported. Authorities said no one was inside the home at the time of the crash.

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The incident remained under investigation by the Winthrop Police Department, Massachusetts State Police and Suffolk County District Attorney's Office. Boston and Revere police are also assisting.

Aerial footage over the scene showed the crashed truck belonged to Rapid Flow Inc., a sewer and drain cleaning company in Revere, Massachusetts. The connection between the gunman and victims remains unclear.

Sources told WCVB that the female victim was a bystander and the male victim was a retired Massachusetts State Police trooper who attempted to intervene.
Binance CEO, Changpeng Zhao. REUTERS/Darrin Zammit Lupi

Britain's financial regulator has ordered Binance to stop all regulated activity in the UK.

The watchdog also issued a warning to potential crypto investors, telling them to be "wary" of promises of big returns.

Binance's CEO has previously said the company is "very regulated."

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Britain's financial watchdog warned that cryptocurrency exchange Binance is not permitted to be operating in the UK without its express approval.

The Financial Conduct Authority, the regulator for some 60,000 financial services firms and financial markets in the UK, said Saturday that "Binance Markets Limited is not currently permitted to undertake any regulated activities without the prior written consent of the FCA."

Binance Markets Limited is part of the wider Binance Group, operating the world's largest cryptocurrency exchanges.

The watchdog also issued a warning to potential crypto investors. "Be wary of adverts online and on social media promising high returns on investments in cryptoasset or cryptoasset-related products," it advised.

"While we don't regulate cryptoassets like Bitcoin or Ether, we do regulate certain cryptoasset derivatives (such as futures contracts, contracts for difference and options), as well as those cryptoassets we would consider 'securities,'" the FCA statement said. "A firm must be authorised by us to advertise or sell these products in the UK."

In an email to Insider, Binance said "We are aware of recent reports about an FCA UK notice in relation to Binance Markets Limited (BML). BML is a separate legal entity and does not offer any products or services via the Binance.com website."

"We take a collaborative approach in working with regulators and we take our compliance obligations very seriously. We are actively keeping abreast of changing policies, rules and laws in this new space," the statement said.

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The ban in Britain comes a day after Japan's financial regulator, the Financial Services Agency, warned that Binance is not registered to do business in that country.

Earlier this year, Germany's financial watchdog, BaFin warned the company may have breached securities trading rules after it allowed non-US users to trade tokenized versions of some US stocks, including Tesla, Coinbase, and MicroStrategy.

Binance, which does not have a single location for its headquarters, typically allows users to trade crypto derivatives - including futures and options. But as retail traders warmed up to round-the-clock stock trading in the past year, the exchange offered investors the option to trade fractions of shares using a German broker as an intermediary, according to the Financial Times.

CEO Changpeng Zhao has previously said in a Bloomberg interview the company is "very regulated."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Jacob Anthony Chansley, the "Q Shaman," was one of several protestors to confront Capitol police officers at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, in Washington, DC. - Demonstrators breeched security and entered the Capitol as Congress debated the a 2020 presidential election Electoral Vote Certification. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

Jacob Anthony Chansley, known as the 'Q Shaman', will undergo a psychological test in prison.

The test is aimed at establishing if he can stand trial.

Chansley, who wore horns and fur during the riot, is among the most recognisable faces of the January 6 insurrection.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Jacob Anthony Chansley, the January 6 Capitol rioter dubbed the 'Q Shaman', will take a test in prison aimed at establishing if he is fit to understand the legal case against him, according to court records.

In a filing Saturday, US attorneys said that Chansley would take the test at the Colorado federal prison in Littleton, where he is being detained.

Shirtless and wearing a horned helmet and fur as he walked through the halls of Congress on January 6, Chansley is one of the most recognizable members of the mob of Trump supporters who breached the US Capitol.

He had long been known as an influencer in the QAnon conspiracy theory movement.

Chansley, also known as Jake Angeli, faces six federal charges over his alleged role in the unrest in the Capitol on January 6, including violent entry and disorderly conduct. He denies the charges.

In May, US District Judge Royce Lamberth ordered Chansley to undergo a psychological evaluation.

The test, said Lamberth, would establish if Chansley is "presently suffering from a mental disease or defect rendering him mentally incompetent to the extent that he is unable to understand the nature and consequences of the proceedings against him or to assist properly in his defense."

His lawyer, Albert Watkins, has claimed that his client is autistic, and believed that he was acting on the orders of President Donald Trump when he entered the Capitol that day. He said his client did not engage in violence and that his mental condition had deteriorated in jail, where he was held after his arrest in January.

Watkins had described many of the January 6 rioters as "f---ing short-bus people," who have "brain damage" and had been manipulated by years of relentless propaganda by Trump in comments to Talking Point memo.

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Chansley was transferred from Alexandria Detention Center in Virginia to the Colorado correctional facility to undergo the test, NBC News reported earlier in June.

The test will seek to establish if he is mentally competent to answer the charges against him in court. If it's found that he isn't he'd likely be spared a jail sentence, and would instead be treated at a prison hospital if found guilty.

Read the original article on Business Insider
BARCELONA, Spain (AP)  Supporters of independence for Catalonia protested Sunday against a visit to its regional capital Barcelona by Spains King Felipe VI, as high-level efforts to allay tensions there gain new momentum.

The king was in Barcelona to help mark the opening of a major international wireless trade fair, called Mobile World Congress, which begins Monday.

Demonstrations against visits to Catalonia by the monarch, who is a symbol of rule from Madrid and who has criticized separatist movements, are common.

But despite the entrenched and confrontational positions, recent developments have raised the possibility that senior officials might find a path to some degree of compromise. Scores turned out for Sundays demonstrations  a number far lower that in some protests in recent years.

The Catalan regional president, Pere Aragones, who supports Catalan independence, is due to meet in Madrid on Tuesday with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. It will be their first encounter since Aragones became regional chief earlier this year.

The talks come exactly a week after Sanchezs government pardoned nine Catalan separatists who were in prison because of their attempts to break their region away from Spain.

The pardons were seen as a goodwill gesture by Sanchez as he seeks a breakthrough on an issue that has dogged Spain for decades.

Catalonias separatist movement, which is supported by roughly half the 7.5 million residents in the region, wants to create a republic for the wealthy northeast corner of Spain.
A makeshift bomb exploded inside a Catholic church in the city of Beni in DR Congo's conflict-plagued east on Sunday, injuring two women just an hour before a children's confirmation ceremony was due to be held.

The attack marks the first time a Catholic building has been targeted in the region, which has declared a "state of siege" due to rising violence from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militia accused of killing thousands.

The head of police in Beni's town hall Narcisse Muteba Kashale told AFP that the explosion occurred at 6:00 am (0400 GMT), and that the homemade bomb had been "set up for an ambush".

Beni's vicar general Laurent Sondirya said two women were injured in the blast, which went off shortly before crowds were due to start gathering for the confirmation ceremony.

"They were targeting a large crowd because the ceremony would bring together children, their parents and the faithful," he told AFP.

The mass to "administer the sacrament of confirmation would not be postponed", he added.

Traces of blood could seen at the entrance to the church in the aftermath of the explosion, an AFP reporter said, while shards of glass where scattered inside and the sound equipment was destroyed.

"I had just entered the church, I hadn't even managed to sit down, I heard 'Boom'... Blood started flowing from my mouth," one of the injured women, Antoinette Kavira, told AFP from her hospital bed.

"I lost four teeth and was injured in the arms," she added.

The second victim still in shock after being wounded in the leg.

The explosion was heard around the Emmanuel Butsili parish in a working-class neighbourhood of Beni, witnesses told AFP.

Experts from the UN's MONUSCO mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo went to the scene and secured the perimeter.

Parish priest Isidore Kambale said a security commission had been set up. "We have to be vigilant," he told AFP.

Story continues

- Second blast in 24 hours -

The latest violence came just a day after another bomb exploded next to a petrol station on the outskirts of Beni without causing any damage.

Muteba Kashale said the "home-made bomb was hidden under a truck's trailer when it exploded, but my services thought it was a puncture.

"But this morning I saw there were shards exactly like those in the church."

Catholicism is the city's largest religion and it is the first time one of the church's building has been hit in Beni territory, where the ADF militia is accused of having killed 6,000 people since 2013, according to the Catholic episcopate.

The ADF were suspected of kidnapping three priests from Beni in 2014 -- they remain missing and no one has claimed the abduction.

Two imams in Beni known for speaking out against the ADF violence were shot dead in May this year, one inside the city's mosque and the other after evening prayers.

The ADF is the deadliest of an estimated 120 armed militia groups in the mineral-rich east of the vast central African country, many of them a legacy of two regional wars from 1996 to 2003.

Historically a Ugandan Islamist group now based in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo since 1995, it is accused of having killing hundreds of civilians since launching operations from a base in the jungle around Beni in November 2019.

Beni is in the North Kivu province, which along with neighbouring Ituri province, was placed under a "state of siege" on May 6 by President Felix Tshisekedi in a bid to clamp down on militia violence in the east.

str-bmb/jj/dl
(Bloomberg) -- A record burst of sales in the priciest corners of the global property market may be ushering in a post-pandemic era of exuberance in real estate -- with Dubai among the front-runners.

The Middle East business hub is the latest city to light up with what Knight Frank LLP called a spectacular post-Covid rebound in luxury home sales. In the first five months of the year, 22 properties worth more than $10 million found a buyer, the most since 2015 and up from a total of 19 last year.

Far from being an isolated hotspot, the emirate may mirror a pattern seen in other global cities, the consultancy firm said on Sunday. Homes in the wealthiest areas of London are selling at the fastest rate in seven years, according to LonRes data.

The rebounding of Dubais super prime market echoes a wider global trend, signaling the start perhaps of a Roaring Twenties for global real estate, said Faisal Durrani, head of Middle East Research at Knight Frank.

The uber luxury end of the market is a terrific barometer for general market sentiment, Durrani said. Homebuyers are clearly oozing with confidence when it comes to the emirates uber luxury homes market.

Most of the transactions in the highest price bracket were on the citys artificial island of Palm Jumeirah, with a total of about $770 million paid for properties in the $10 million range between January and May, according to Knight Frank.

Economic activity in Dubai, particularly tourism, has rebounded in the past six months as the emirate rolled out one of the worlds fastest vaccination campaigns and opened its doors to foreign visitors sooner than most other countries.

But even as luxury property appears to flourish in Dubai, other parts of the emirates real estate sector are struggling. State-linked developers Limitless and Meydan are restructuring debt, while one of the top realty firms, Damac Properties, sought to de-list its shares after posting hefty losses. The founder of Damac postponed the effort this month when the regulator started a review of the transaction.

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Read more: Dubai Left Behind as Worlds Prime Property Hotspots Thrive

And Dubais years-old property glut may also continue to put pressure on the value of high-end residential homes, Knight Frank recently warned.

Different Buyers

For all the similarities between major cities around the world, the differences are also telling.

Its Brits who are driving the market in the wealthiest areas of London, with the portion of U.K. buyers currently at 62%, the highest in at least a decade, Knight Frank numbers show.

By contrast, Dubai -- where foreigners already account for about 90% of the population -- emerged as a haven while the most affluent home buyers fled virus lockdowns from Europe and elsewhere.

With much of the citys real estate still working through an oversupply that drove down values by over a third since 2014, it may be a challenge to sustain demand for luxury homes while the United Arab Emirates, of which Dubai is a part, struggles to bring down the number of coronavirus infections thats kept it on the U.K.s red list.

Dubai has over 42,000 homes valued at $1 million or more, second only to London, according to Knight Frank. At the same time, prime residential properties are far more affordable in Dubai than in London, New York or Singapore.

Investor sentiment has clearly been influenced by the way in which Dubai managed the impact of the pandemic, said Durrani. The worlds wealthy have their eyes firmly set on the city.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

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2021 Bloomberg L.P.
BAGHDAD (AP)  Egypt's president arrived in Baghdad on Sunday on a first official visit by an Egyptian head of state to the country in over 30 years, for tripartite talks with Jordan and Iraq to deepen economic and security cooperation.

Abdel Fattah el-Sissi was greeted by Iraq's President Barham Salih upon arriving Sunday morning. It marked the first time Egypt's president paid an official visit to Iraq since the 1990s when ties between both countries were severed after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait.

Jordan's King Abdullah II arrived shortly afterwards, he and el-Sissi then met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi. The meetings are seen largely as an attempt to neutralize Iran's influence across the region.

Al-Kadhimi also aims to shore up regional alliances and bolster Iraq's standing in the Middle East as a mediator, after it recently hosted talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia focusing on the war in Yemen.

This visit is an important message to our people that we are mutually supportive and unified to serve our people and the people of the region, al-Kadhimi said, according to a statement from his office.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said in a press conference following the meeting that a wide range of topics had been discussed, including economic and political cooperation, large-scale industrial projects, and trade in medicine and agricultural pesticides.

The talks, which were welcomed by the U.S., also covered regional issues including the Syria crisis, the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, and the war in Yemen.

Iraq must be isolated from regional interventions Jordans Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi told reporters after the meeting, in an apparent reference to Irans powerful influence.

Ethiopias Grand Renaissance Dam project, which Egypt fears will imperil its water supply, was also discussed, he added, and all three countries agreed that a political solution and the return of refugees was needed to end the Syrian crisis.

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The message from the leaders is we stand together in the face of these challenges, he said.

Iraq has already signed key economic and trade agreements with both Jordan and Egypt.

In November, Egypt signed 15 memoranda of understandings that spanned sectors from oil to construction and trade. Jordan imported 10,000 barrels a day of oil from Iraq, but this was halted due to coronavirus restrictions. The two countries were also in talks to build an oil export pipeline from Basra to the port of Aqaba.
Violence against women and girls has increased 83 per cent from 2019 to 2020, and cases reported to the police have grown by 64 per cent (UN)

As the world grapples unevenly with the effects of Covid-19, a parallel and equally horrific pandemic has threatened half the worlds population.

In the early months of the pandemic, the United Nations projected that quarantines and lockdowns could lead to a shocking 15 million additional cases of gender-based violence every three months. Sadly, those predictions appear to be coming true.

This week, world leaders and others will gather at the Generation Equality Forum in Paris and online in a massive push for gender equality. At that meeting, I will call on states, companies and individuals to join in a global initiative, with proven results, to end the fear and insecurity that threaten the health, rights, dignity and lives of so many women and girls.

From domestic violence to sexual exploitation, trafficking, child marriage, female genital mutilation and online harassment, violent misogyny has thrived in the shadow of the pandemic.

Full data will take time to collect and assess, but the trends are clear. In twelve countries tracked by the United Nations, the number of cases of violence against women and girls reported to various institutions, and published in the Spotlight Initiative Global Annual Report, increased 83 per cent from 2019 to 2020, and cases reported to the police grew by 64 per cent.

In the first months of the pandemic, calls to helplines increased by an average of 60 per cent across the European Union. Calls to Perus sexual violence hotline almost doubled in 2020 compared to 2019. In Thailand, the number of clients visiting domestic violence crisis units in hospitals in April 2020 was more than double the number from the same time period of the previous year.

Such statistics and stories span the world, adding to an existing epidemic of violence against women and girls. Before the pandemic, the World Health Organisation estimated that one in three women would experience male violence in their lifetime.

Just over a year ago, I raised the alarm. Echoing my call for a global ceasefire, I appealed for peace in the home  an end to all violence everywhere, from war zones to peoples homes  to allow us to face the pandemic, humankinds common enemy, with solidarity and unity.

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More than 140 countries expressed support. Some 800 measures have been adopted in 149 countries, the majority focused on shelter, legal assistance and other services and support.

But, in many cases, these actions have been limited and short lived. Worse, other countries are retreating, rolling back legal protections and standing by as violence is used to target women, including human rights defenders protesting these reversals.

The pervasiveness of violence against women and girls has led to acquiescence that it is somehow inevitable or impossible to end. This is as outrageous and self-defeating as it is plain wrong. Despite the challenges of the past year, the United Nations, with significant funding from and partnership with the European Union, has demonstrated that change is possible.

Over the course of 2020, the Spotlight Initiative to eliminate violence against women and girls has delivered notable results in 25 countries. Eighty-four laws and policies to protect women and girls were adopted or strengthened. Prosecution of perpetrators increased 22 per cent. Some 650,000 women and girls received services despite lockdowns and mobility restrictions. Close to 900,000 men and boys  including traditional leaders, heads of religious institutions, male taxi drivers and young gamers  were engaged to be allies in finding solutions. And across these countries, national budget allocations for preventing and responding to violence against women and girls increased by 32 per cent, a clear indication of future sustainability.

By coming together, in Paris, around a proven model, we can begin to ensure that the next generation of girls will not be expected to live with fear simply because we didnt act. In time, there will be many lessons learned about what the world got right and wrong in handling this pandemic. One of the first must be to ensure that this disgraceful hidden pandemic facing half our population ends now.

Antonio Guterres is secretary-general of the United Nations

Read More

Ordinary people sacrificed everything during the pandemic  this government has laughed in our faces

Could we embrace the four-day working week and all that it brings?

Education should work for all children  a one size fits all approach isnt helping those in need
SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP)  When a father and son rushed to the site where a Florida condominium tower had collapsed, they hoped for any sign that their family's 92-year-old matriarch, Hilda Noriega, had somehow survived.

Among the flying debris, they stumbled across mementos that bore witness to Noriega's life on the sixth floor of the 12-story building known as Champlain Towers South: an old picture of her with her late husband and their infant son, and a birthday card that friends from her prayer group sent two weeks earlier with the acronym ESM, Spanish for hand-delivered, scrawled across the yellow envelope with a butterfly etching.

There was a message in the mess of all this, said Mike Noriega, who last spoke with his grandmother the day before the disaster. It means not to give up hope. To have faith.

The death toll from Thursday's collapse of the beachfront condo building in Surfside has risen to nine, and authorities and loved ones fear the toll will go much higher. More than 150 people remained unaccounted for as of Sunday.

The Noriega family described Hilda as a fiercely independent and vivacious retiree  in Mikes words, the youngest 92-year-old I know ... 92 going on 62.

Hilda Noriega had called Champlain Towers South home for more than 20 years. But six years after her husbands death, she was ready to leave. The condo was for sale, and she planned to move in with family.

She loved living near the ocean and friends, but when you lose a spouse, you want to be surrounded by family ... and she wanted to spend more time with her family and grandchildren, said Sally Noriega, Hildas daughter-in-law.

Hilda Noriega was a loving person who built a life with her husband and raised a family after coming to the U.S. from Cuba in 1960, her daughter-in-law said.

She was just one of those people who from the first time she met a person she instantly loved that person, and that person instantly loved her, Sally said.

Carlos Noriega, Hildas son and police chief of nearby North Bay Village, was one of the emergency responders atop the pile.

The Noriegas dont entirely know what to make of the treasured mementos found amid the chaos, but Sally said: We are a family of faith. Well just leave it at that.
The Daily Beast

YouTube/Rise of the MoorsA cadre of armed men from a militia group called the Rise of the Moors shut down a highway outside of Boston for more than nine hours on Saturday morning after allegedly refusing to comply with police orders and taking off into the woods with guns.The group says on their website that theyre Moorish Americans dedicated to educating new Moors and influencing our Elders. In YouTube videos of the incident, they claimed they were only trying to travel peacefully to their 
Elizabeth Ferrer is chief curator at BRIC, a nonprofit arts and media organization in Brooklyn. Shes also the author of Latinx Photography in the United States: A Visual History. Ferrers family is Mexican American, and she was born and raised in Los Angeles. She loved art as a kid, and growing up during the rise of the Chicano civil rights movement, she saw how life shaped art firsthand. One of the things I remembered seeing when I was in elementary school was the murals going up in the neighborhood. I didnt have a lot of access to museums when I was a kid, but I certainly saw that and I saw the way that art can be used for social change and for community.

She carried this idea of art for social change with her through school and into her career as a young curator, and a champion for Mexican American and Latin American art. We spoke with her about how discovering underrecognized Latinx photographers as a young woman led to a platform for her and the artists themselves.

How did you become interested in photography?

I gravitated toward photography in high school and started taking a lot of pictures. I went to Wellesley for art history, and then to Columbia. When I was studying art history, there was very little in terms of Latinx art, Chicanx art, or Mexican art, which I was very curious about. When I moved to New York and began to work with contemporary art, I became very interested in the art scene, and I started traveling to Mexico City. I started getting to know artists there and curated a number of exhibitions on Mexican art and photography for venues in the U.S. beginning in the 1990s. I love Mexican photography, and I still follow it, but I started to realize that there were Latinx photographers closer to home making important work. I started working with an organization called En Foco in New York, which was founded in the 1970s by a group of Nuyorican photographers. Through En Foco I became aware of numerous Latinx photographers across the US who, by and large, were being excluded from the discourse on the medium. Their work is largely excluded from museum collections, they werent seen in big survey shows of American photography nor in photo galleries. There was simply very little visibility for these photographers. I decided to work on this book to address this gap in the way the history of American photography is understood.

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What stood out to you during your work with Mexican photography?

I went to Mexico as a young curator, thinking I would curate an exhibition of contemporary Mexican artists that would be seen in the United States. I was pretty green. I didnt really know people there but I started going to the galleries. There was one gallery that had a solo exhibition of photos by Flor Garduno, and she was this young, up-and-coming traditional photographer, very much in the school of a modernist, black-and-white photography that was very strong in Mexico for much of the 20th century. Its very poetic. I was struck by her photography and bought a photo from the show.

Did you feel like you had to fight to get museums or galleries in the United States to recognize this work?

Earlier in my career, I was fortunate that there was a strong interest in the United States in Mexican art. The Columbus Quincentennial happened in 1992, I had also been involved in a major exhibition by the Museum of Modern Art where I was co-editor of a catalog for a blockbuster exhibition, Latin American Art of the Twentieth Century. Basically every museum wanted a show of Mexican art or Latin American art. I was fortunate, it was the right place at the right time and I was able to do a lot of exhibitions and projects. But there was much less interest in Latinx art and photography in that era; thats taken a lot of time. The interest just wasnt as strong, and that took a lot of time. Certainly in the last few years there has been a growing interest in African American art and, to a certain extent, in Latinx art as well. People are beginning to realize this gap between what they know and what they dont know, and there is a thirst for knowledge of all things Latinx.

En Foco was started by a group of Puerto Rican photographers in 1974 who were experiencing these same issues with visibility. They were knocking on doors but not getting assignments from the mainstream media. And they certainly werent getting their work in museums, but they saw white photographers who were. A great case in point is Bruce Davidson, whose book East 100th Street, documenting an impoverished block in Harlem, was published when at the same time there were African American photographers that had been covering this very community. The same thing was happening in East Los Angeles, where I grew up. During the 1960s civil rights era, there was a lot of protest and demonstrations, along with a drive for ethnic pride and greater political consciousness among Latinx people. And you know, the magazines were covering a lot of these demonstrations, but they were sending Magnum photographers into these neighborhoods. The local photographers who were spending their lives day in and day out photographing these communities were also covering these things, but their work was not seen nationally.

When I got involved in En Foco in the 1990s, they were very active and organizing exhibitions, giving photographers fellowships to make new work, publishing Nueva Luz magazine. As important as En Foco is, its still not mainstream. Getting that mainstream coverage is still a big challenge. I hope that my book helps gives these photographers great exposure, but its only a start.

Many of these photographers in the book should have a monograph written about them, should have solo exhibitions. Many of these photographers are quite successful, but a lot of the glamour that has been associated with Latin American art and that has been adopted by major institutions like MoMA, that has not happened for Latinx photographers.

A lot of organizations exist today to connect mainstream media with lesser-known photographers, Diversify Photo and Indigenous Photo come to mind. Can you see the difference over the last few years?

I think its changed a lot as weve moved from emphasizing print to digital. That has been a huge change. In print, there was always a gatekeeper. There were smaller publications like Nueva Luz, but that could never compete with glossy mainstream publications.

Once the digital space opened up, with the proliferation of online news sites and blogs, an organization, for example, dedicated to Indigenous rights is more likely to hire an Indigenous photographer who is perhaps living in that community or having a long-term residence in that community. Of course the other huge shift is the rise of social media, and so many of the photographers, even the older ones, have Instagram feeds and can use that as a platform without a gatekeeper, without a filter, to present their work.

One thing that is always a worry for me as far as the visibility of these photographers is the photography market. There are several Mexican photographers, figures like Manuel Alvarez Bravo or Graciela Iturbide, who have a strong market, whose work you see in commercial galleries. But Latinx photographers are largely excluded from commercial galleries, theres just a few. Especially for photographers who emerged in the 1980s and 1990s, that was just not part of their experience. They were able to make a living by teaching or getting grants, but not by selling their work. The gallery thing is important because a good gallerist will be the person who will help you get the museum shows, who will help place the work in permanent collections. The exclusion of Latinx work from galleries and from those aspects of commercial photography is something that hinders their ability to have long-term, enduring presence of their work. When artists die, what happens to those bodies of work? What happens if this work is not appreciated from a commercial perspective?

Going back to what you said about Latinx photographers putting their lens behind social issues of the day. What do you think that the role is that Latinx photographers play today in covering these ongoing political issues?

Its the border, but its also the status of Puerto Ricans. Its issues of migration and equity. There are photographers in the book who were putting their lens in service of the farmworkers pushing to unionize in California in the 1960s. or someone like Hiram Maristany in New York, who was the photographer of the Young Lords, the Puerto Rican activist group. But I find that all of these photographers, even those of more recent generations who are working with more consciously artistic or conceptual approaches, still maintain that political stance, that desire to reflect their community. I would especially mention Harry Gamboa and his major series Chicano Male Unbonded. He began this series after hearing a radio announcement that the police were looking for a Chicano male. That stereotyping of the Mexican American young man as criminal, much in the same way that young African American men are demonized, was the spark for him to create this large series of portraits of Chicano men of different ages and professions, just standing in the frame. Some of them are actors, lawyers, dancers, judges, priests, and he purposely photographed them at dusk, sometimes looking aggressively or assertively at the camera, forcing you to confront your stereotypes.

What do you want readers to gain by understanding the importance of seeing a visual history of the US through a Latinx lens?

This book profiles 80-plus photographers, it relates a history that goes all the way back to the nineteenth century. Its important for people to see that we were not only a part of that history, but we were innovating within that history. For example, there's a good number of Latinx photographers working in the 1980s and 1990s whose work is really prescient in terms of how digital tools are now used by photographers. I want people to see and get to know the individual photographers and appreciate their work. I felt that it was important to write a book of Latinx photographers because they had been so invisible, but ultimately these Latinx photographers need to be seen as American photographers. They are part of the history of American art, of American photography. I dont think that the whole history of photography has been written, there is so much that is left out.

For this richer, more vibrant history of American photography to be written, it must include more Latinx photographers, African American photographers, Asian American photographers, Queer photographers. That history so far has been too narrow in its definition.
LONDON (Reuters) -Britain's financial regulator has ordered Binance, one of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchanges, to stop all regulated activity and issued a warning to consumers about the platform which is coming under growing scrutiny globally.

In a notice dated June 25, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said Binance Markets Ltd, Binance's UK entity, "must not, without the prior written consent of the FCA, carry out any regulated activities...with immediate effect".

Binance did not respond to a request for comment on Sunday.

While trading of cryptocurrencies is not directly regulated in Britain, offering services such as trading in cryptocurrency derivatives does require authorisation.

The FCA has told Binance that by June 30 it must display a notice stating "BINANCE MARKETS LIMITED IS NOT PERMITTED TO UNDERTAKE ANY REGULATED ACTIVITY IN THE UK" on its website and social media channels.

It must also secure and preserve all records relating to UK consumers and inform the FCA this has been done by July 2.

The regulator did not explain why it taken the measures against Binance, which has said previously that it takes its legal obligations "very seriously" and engages "with regulators and law enforcement in a collaborative fashion".

The FCA is stepping up its oversight of cryptocurrency trading, which has soared in popularity in the Britain along with other countries around the globe.

Since January, the FCA has required all firms offering cryptocurrency-related services to register and show they comply with anti-money laundering rules. However earlier this month it said that just five firms had registered, and that the majority were not yet compliant.

Japan's regulator said on June 25 that Binance was operating in the country illegally, a notice posted on Japan's Financial Services Agency website showed.

Last month, Bloomberg reported that officials from the U.S. Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service who probe money laundering and tax offences had sought information from individuals with insight into Binance's business.

In April, Germany's financial regulator BaFin warned the exchange risked being fined for offering digital tokens without an investor prospectus.

(Reporting by Derek Francis in Bengaluru and Rachel Armstrong in London; Editing by Toby Chopra and Alexander Smith)
Five people are dead in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after a hot air balloon crashed into a power line and caught fire on Saturday morning, police said.

Four of the victims, two men and two women, were declared dead at the scene, Albuquerque Police Department spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos told BuzzFeed News. A fifth victim, a man, was taken to the hospital in "critical and unstable condition" but later died of his injuries.

All five of the victims had ties to Albuquerque Public Schools, district administrators said Sunday in an emotional press conference.

Susan Montoya, 65, had always wanted to go on a hot air balloon ride, so when the assistant principal was preparing to move to another school, teachers and staff surprised her with the ride as a goodbye gift.

She brought along her husband, 61-year-old John Montoya, a special education assistant at a local high school. The couple was joined by their friends Martin Martinez, 63, a sergeant with the APS Police Department, and his wife, Mary Sisneros-Martinez, 59. The pilot of the balloon was Nicholas Meleski, 62, the father of a school and crisis counselor.

"In their many capacities, they impacted the lives of thousands of students, staff, and others," APS superintendent Scott Elder said.

It is not yet known how the deadly accident happened. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will conduct an investigation into the cause, Gallegos said.

Video taken by an onlooker showed the deflated balloon plummeting out of the sky. (Warning: this video may be disturbing.)

Hot air balloon rides are a popular tourist attraction in New Mexico's largest city, particularly in October, when the city hosts its annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

Gallegos told the Associated Press changes in wind can make hot air balloons difficult to control. Our balloonists tend to be very much experts at navigating, but sometimes we have these types of tragic accidents, he said.

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Power was out in much of the area for several hours due to the crash, with nearly 14,000 households affected, according to utility company PNM.

On Sunday, school district administrators said crisis counselors will be available to students and staff, a particular challenge since one member of their team has a direct connection to the tragedy.

Susan Montoya was remembered as a gifted administrator, who also loved to get involved with school spirit days and classroom reading. She and her husband were involved in their church and loved Zumba classes.

In his work, John Montoya dealt with some of the most vulnerable students in the district, associate superintendent Troy Hughes said.

"He was the kind of person that made you remember that there was kindness in this world," he said.

Martinez, who went by Marty, previously served in the Albuquerque Police Department, where his son currently works. Marty loved talking about his kids, his wife, and his dogs, APS Police Chief Steve Gallegos said.

So far, staff has been in disbelief that someone so full of life and passionate about his work could be gone, Gallegos added, growing emotional as he spoke.

"He was probably the most honest guy I ever met in my life," he said.

Though APS is the largest school district in the state, its employees are a tight-knit community, Elder said. They all tend to know each other, and they share a purpose.

"We want to work with kids, we want to make a difference in students lives," he said, adding that the scope of the tragedy has been difficult.

"Its just extremely difficult all in one time."

UPDATE

Jun. 27, 2021, at 19:25 PM
David Lauriston was sentenced to 20 months in prison. Robert Smith/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

David Lauriston attacked fellow passengers and cabin crew members on a Jet2 flight last year.

Cabin crew members attempted to lock Lauriston in the aircraft toilet after his violent attacks.

Lauriston was sentenced to 20 months in prison earlier this week.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

A drunk Jet2 passenger who had to be locked in an aircraft toilet and physically restrained after he launched a series of violent attacks on female cabin crew members has been jailed for 20 months.

David Lauriston, from Lesmahagow in Scotland, was on board a Jet2 flight from Glasgow to Bodrum, Turkey, on September 21, 2020, when he began to hurl slurs at fellow passengers on the plane, Manchester Crown Court heard earlier this week.

Lauriston was heard calling an Irish couple "Fenian b------ds," an offensive sectarian slur used in reference to the 19th-century Irish republican movement. Prosecutor Megan Tollitt told the court that the 39-year-old became violent and started making punching actions as the cabin crew intervened.

"He attempted to push past cabin crew," Tollitt said. "[One member of the crew] described him repeatedly poking her in the face and pushing her in the shoulder."

Tollitt said the defendant was then threatened to bite a cabin crew member whilst he motioned towards her. The cabin crew and the captain on board decided to divert the plane to Manchester Airport due to the safety risk posed by Lauriston. However, the defendant's aggressive behavior continued.

After Lauriston indicated that he needed to use the toilet, the cabin crew locked him inside. But he began to kick at the bottom of the door.

"Cabin crew then cleared three seats at the back of the plane. They directed him towards the seats and he continued to be abusive towards staff. He called one a 'slut and a cow,'" Tollitt said.

"As staff tried to physically restrain him using restraining straps, he grabbed [her] neck scarf and pulled down. He punched the right-hand side of [her] face."

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All members of staff on the flight were put on leave after the incident, according to The Sun newspaper.

In a victim impact statement, one cabin crew member said they had "never experienced this level of violence" in their career.

They said: "I'm unsure whether I will return to flying. It's been really hanging over my head. I will never forget the crying children and the frightened look on the passenger's faces."

Read the original article on Insider
Within 48 hours of the CCTV images of the Health Secretary in a passionate embrace with an aide becoming public, he was forced to resign

On Thursday evening, Matt Hancock apparently told his wife, Martha, he had something to confess.

The Health Secretary, 42, admitted he had been having an affair with his aide and old Oxford university friend Gina Coladangelo, 43, and that he had decided to leave her.

Then, while Mrs Hancock was presumably still reeling from the shock, came The Suns front page, with that image of her husband and Ms Coladangelo, herself married, in a passionate embrace, the looming publication of which had clearly forced his hand and his confession.

It now seems premature if not outright wishful thinking for Boris Johnson to have declared that he considered the matter closed within hours of those now famous CCTV images of his Health Secretary becoming public.

Indeed within 48 hours, Mr Hancock had been forced to resign from his Cabinet position, the pressure from both the public and a small but growing number of fellow Tory MPs making his position untenable.

His downfall began when he received a telephone call from The Sun at around 6pm on Thursday evening, setting out details of the leaked images obtained by the newspaper which would expose his affair with Ms Coladangelo.

On Friday morning, the newspaper published a cringe-inducing set of CCTV stills, showing Mr Hancock in an embrace with his senior aide, who had been appointed as a 15,000 non-executive director in the same department he oversaw.

Jaws fell slack around the country at the sight of the pair kissing passionately on May 6  at the time when Mr Hancock was urging the public to maintain social distancing to help stem the spread of the new Covid variant.

The scandal only worsened when even more embarrassing moving images from the same CCTV were released by the Sun on Friday night.

By Saturday morning, the clamour for Mr Hancock to go was growing, despite the Prime Ministers protestations of support.

Backbenchers round on Health Secretary

Behind the scenes, Tory backbenchers bombarded whips with messages demanding that Mr Johnson sack Mr Hancock. But the dam began to break when Duncan Baker, a member of the 2019 intake of MPs, issued a statement calling for the Health Secretary to quit  the first Tory to say publicly what so many were saying privately.

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Mr Baker told the North Norfolk News: In my view people in high public office and great positions of responsibility should act with the appropriate morals and ethics that come with that role. Matt Hancock, on a number of measures has fallen short of that.

As an MP who is a devoted family man, married for 12 years with a wonderful wife and children, standards and integrity matter to me. I will not in any shape condone this behaviour, and I have in the strongest possible terms told the Government what I think.

Asked whether Mr Hancock should resign, Mr Baker responded: Yes.

As the day went on, he was joined by Esther McVey, the former minister, and Christopher Chope, another backbencher.

William Wragg, the chairman of the Commons public administration committee, said Mr Hancocks actions highlighted how the Covid-19 regulations had created a dystopian world of denunciation, finger-wagging & hypocrisy, adding that the revolution always consumes its own.

One former minister said: If anything I think its worse than the Cummings episode because here you have got the Cabinet minister overseeing the lockdowns himself quite blithely doing what he was telling everyone else they shouldnt do.

By now all the parties involved had gone to ground.

Shockwaves among the families

Mr Hancock was nowhere to be seen, apparently having retreated to his Suffolk bolthole. Ms Coladangelo was thought to have sought refuge at her wealthy fathers home in Oxfordshire.

Outside Mr Coladangelos home in Steeple Morden, a family friend said: I am in communication with them. Its tough. Gina is not particularly happy. She does not want to talk to anybody, it is all just too soon. It is all just a shock to us all, everybody, friends and family actually.

Martha Hancock endured her husband's confession, then the publication of picture of his infidelity in a tabloid newspaper

As the fallout over those incriminating images continued, flowers were delivered to the house Mr Hancock shares with his wife, Martha. The pink peonies in a glass vase were placed on the front doorstep by a delivery man who arrived just after 10am.

Mrs Hancock has remained at the home in London with their children. From here she emerged early on Saturday morning to take her dog for a walk.

Later that day, a friend of Mr Hancock claimed: Matt and Gina are in love. It started in May but it is serious.

As the day wore on, a growing number of Conservative MPs who had begun to take the measure of their constituents feelings were beginning to report the bad news to senior party figures.

Among voters, including many Tories, the anger at what they regarded as Mr Hancocks hypocrisy, his apparent one rule for them, another for me attitude to people who had spent months not being able to hug elderly or vulnerable loved ones, was palpable. If Mr Hancock and Downing Street failed to get the message, Sir Graham Brady, who chairs the 1922 committee of backbenchers, was preparing to tell the Chief Whip that the Health Secretary must go.

He had to go. And by early Saturday evening it was announced he had.
The IRS is still paying out third stimulus checks, and you could get more cash

More than three months in, the IRS is still churning out checks from the third round of stimulus payments, which were included in President Joe Biden's COVID relief bill from back in March.

The tax agency says it continues to send out millions of "bonus" payments, based on updated information provided in recently filed tax returns. Also, many Americans who never got any Round 3 stimulus check are finally receiving their payouts, thanks to their taxes, too.

If you submitted your 2020 tax return in the last few weeks, a full or supplemental stimulus check may be on its way  to help you pay off debt or bills, or give you some cash to save, invest or splurge with.

New checks still going out weekly

l i g h t p o e t / Shutterstock

The IRS says it's continuing to send out stimulus checks "on a weekly basis." Most recently, the tax agency made another 2.3 million direct payments, worth around $4.2 billion, within a two-week period.

More than 1.1 million of those fresh stimulus checks were what the IRS calls "plus-up" payments: bonus money for people who previously got third-round stimulus checks, but not the full $1,400.

If you received only a partial payment, it may have been based on your 2019 tax return. If the IRS now has your 2020 return and it shows you made less last year than you did in 2019, you might qualify for a plus-up.

So far, more than 8 million of those supplemental payments have gone out this year, the IRS says.

169 million payments and counting

24K-Production / Shutterstock

The tax agency has yet to say it has wrapped up the most recent stimulus disbursement.

Officials have been known to make formal announcements once a round of payments is done. In February, the IRS issued a news release saying it had finished sending out all the stimulus checks to eligible families from the pandemic's first and second rounds.

The first, which was launched in the spring of last year, included 160 million payments, worth more than $270 billion. The second, which kicked off in the final days of 2020, distributed 147 million payments, worth more than $142 billion.

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Round 3  which began rolling out on March 12  has already involved more than 169 million payments, valued at around $395 billion.

A recent census survey found nearly half the recipients of third-round checks have used the money to pay down debt. A third put the cash into savings, and the rest spent it on other things  which, for many, may have included affordable life insurance. Demand for policies has seen a surge through the pandemic.

How to make sure you get your cash

Africa Studio / Shutterstock

Most households haven't had to do anything to receive their stimulus checks, particularly if they submit tax returns each year.

But if you dont usually file taxes, and the IRS likely doesnt have your banking or mailing information, youll want to do your taxes immediately, so you'll you get a Round 3 stimulus check and any other COVID relief money you deserve.

That might include the upcoming "family stimulus checks": monthly payments of up to $300 per child under a temporary expansion of the child tax credit. Those checks are set to start flowing in mid-July and run through the end of the year.

What to do if won't be getting more money

Just Life / Shutterstock

There's been a lot of talk about a fourth stimulus check, but no action so far. If you've already received all the Round 3 money you're entitled do and could use a little more help right now, here are some places to find it on your own.
Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2005 - Patrick McMullan /Getty Images

Ghislaine Maxwells friendship with disgraced paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein began years earlier than previously believed, a documentary has claimed.

It had been thought that Maxwell, who is currently being held in a New York City jail awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, began her association with Epstein following the death of her father, newspaper tycoon Robert Maxwell, in November 1991.

Epstein, who was found dead in his prison cell in 2019, was believed to have filled a chasm in Maxwells life as she mourned her father.

However, researchers for the documentary Ghislaine Maxwell: Epsteins Shadow found that her famous and wealthy friends, including Prince Andrew, were becoming part of Epsteins network in the late 1980s.

The information was gleaned from more than 200 interviews as well as scouring court documents.

We were able to use court documents which are full of redacted names. There is always a reason for that, and it certainly set us looking into things, Emma Cooper, executive producer of the documentary told the Observer.

Ghislaine Maxwell - Court handout

Interviews with so many allowed our team to do an amazing amount of cross-referencing of testimony, and so we started to suspect that she had known Epstein longer, right back in the late 1980s when he was doing business in London.

Eventually we got to the point where we could assert this fact, although we still dont know exactly when they met or when their relationship started.

The documentary takes a longer look at Maxwells life, going back to her days at Oxford University.

Former staff interviewed allege she would be chauffeured around New York in a limousine as she scoured the city for young girls to bring back to Epsteins Manhattan mansion.

Ghislaine Maxwell - Jane Rosenberg/Reuters

Maxwell, 59, has denied charges of recruiting and grooming teenage girls from 1994-1997 to provide sexual massages for Epstein.

She has made repeated unsuccessful applications for bail, with her legal team describing conditions at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Centre where she is being held as Kafkaesque.

Trial judge Alison Nathan has accepted the prosecution argument that the socialite, who has French, British and American citizenship, represents a significant flight risk.

Her trial is expected to take place in the Autumn.
Ones Catholicism must come first

In response to Karen Tumultys June 23 commentary, In pressuring Biden, Catholic bishops forget lessons of JFK, (17A) I suggest that for those like her and me who are both American citizens and Catholics, the latter is infinitely more significant.

I doubt that documentation of our nationality or citizenship will be required at the judgment. But to be in full union (in other words, communion) with the church will indeed matter.

To receive Holy Communion is an expression of that perfect union; otherwise, it is to act without integrity. And this union includes humble submission to the churchs authoritative teaching  which, since the first century has held that abortion is a very grave moral evil.

- Father Allan Hawkins, Fort Worth

Hardly all wearing MAGA gear

Your June 24 front-page story Critical race theory foes speak out at Fort Worth school board meeting about the parents expressing their opinions to the Fort Worth ISD about critical race theory stated that some wore Make America Great Again hats and T-shirts and were draped in American flags. The reporter seemed to be casting aspersions on that. But the vast majority werent, anyway. Are we supposed to believe your reporter or our lying eyes?

- Leslie Phillips, Fort Worth

A pretty simple station solution

Want to make the Fort Worth T&P Station readily accessible on the Lancaster side without waiting for a $2 million renovation? How about we just unlock the door? (June 23, 1A, Entrance for T&P Station set for $2 million redo)

When the Trinity Railway Express started running years ago, that door was always unlocked and accessible. Why is it locked now? Just unlock it and quit frustrating people like me who wish to use the train and access the station from the Lancaster side.

- Dave Bodden, Fort Worth

Mattie Parker has what it takes

Luke Rankers June 20 front-page story, Family, small-town roots shaped Fort Worths new mayor, about Mayor Mattie Parker was an expertly written chronicle of her achievements and positions in government agencies.

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What a resume. Her political training and education will serve her well. Hailing from Hico and making the big leap to being elected in Fort Worth is quite a testament to what can happen to someone from Small Town, USA. Parker has poise, confidence and charisma. She is well-equipped to tackle inequities and racism and ultimately will reconcile our neighborhoods and politicians.

Welcome, Mayor Parker, to the mayorship of our great and growing city.

- Delores Cantrell, Fort Worth

Dogs will suffer, Gov. Abbott

Gov. Greg Abbotts veto of Texas dog cruelty bill is a tragedy for Texans and their pets. (June 24, 2A, Reaction to Abbott veto swift, sharp) It would have set basic standards to prevent dogs from being left outside on heavy chains or without access to shelter and water.

This bill was popular with lawmakers of both parties, law enforcement officers and constituents. It would have saved many outdoor pets from the tragedies we see every year in Texas, especially in extreme weather.

The governor should use his veto power sparingly and only after making an informed decision. It is apparent from Abbotts veto proclamation and characterization of the bill as micromanagement that he asked few if any questions about it before killing it.

- Rebecca Whitehouse, Little Elm

A way to fight weather extremes

In the June 23 front-page story, A hot Texas summer could be bad for your health, Haley Samsel and Ciara McCarthy highlight the impact to public health that we all suffer as a result of climate change.

When I check the weather forecast during these Texas summers, air quality alerts are no longer a surprise. Unfortunately, extreme weather is most harmful to those who are least equipped to protect themselves or empowered to speak out for their causes.

Something that stood out to me was the description of the lose/lose situation we face, in which air conditioning saves lives while creating even more pollution through the processes used to power it.

One way we can address climate change is to encourage our legislators to support bills such as the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, which has broad backing from economists and climate scientists.

- Zaid Ward, McKinney
Halle Berry (pictured at the Oscars in April) went topless to show support for Pride. (Photo: Matt Petit/A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images)

Halle Berry is making a style statement in honor of Pride.

The 54-year-old Oscar winner slipped into a sheer, rainbow-striped skirt  and nothing else  to show support as LGBTQ Pride Month wraps up its final celebrations. The topless star kept her back to the camera, but flashed her rarely seen butt tattoo on the revealing shot. (Berry reportedly had first husband David Justice's name covered with a sunflower design after their split, "because when darkness descends they close up to regenerate... but I really wish I'd never had the tattoo in the first place.")

"Love is ALWAYS the answer," the actress captioned the sexy shot, which wowed her fans online.

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Berry  who also went topless in a Valentine's Day post alongside boyfriend Van Hunt  isn't the only celebrity to use rainbow-inspired style to celebrate Pride this month. Actor Luke Evans, who is gay, flashed his rainbow-print underwear (and chiseled abs), while Megan Fox showed off her colorful manicure in a post embracing her identity as a bisexual woman.

Video: Halle Berry relaxes on beach in barely-there bikini

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HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong police arrested a former senior journalist with the now-closed Apple Daily newspaper on Sunday night on a suspected national security offence as he was trying to catch a flight out of the city, media reported.

Police, who typically do not identify arrested people, said in a statement that a 57-year-old man had been arrested at the airport for "conspiring to collude with foreign countries or foreign forces to endanger national security". The man had been detained and investigations were continuing, police said.

Hong Kong media identified the man as Fung Wai-kong, an editor and columnist at the now-closed newspaper. If confirmed, he would be the seventh staffer at the pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper to be arrested on national security grounds in recent weeks.

Reuters could not independently confirm that the arrested man was Fung. He could not be contacted for comment and it was not immediately known if he had legal representation.

The Hong Kong government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Next Digital, the publisher of Apple Daily, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

The Apple Daily, a popular tabloid, was forced to fold following a raid by 500 police on its headquarters on June 17 and the freezing of key assets and bank accounts. It printed its final edition last Thursday.

Authorities say dozens of the paper's articles may have violated a national security law that Beijing imposed on the financial hub last year, the first instance of authorities taking aim at media reports under the legislation.

Critics of the law, introduced last June, say it has been used to stifle dissent and erode fundamental freedoms in the former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Authorities say the law has restored stability after months of often-violent pro-democracy protests.

Officials in Hong Kong and China have repeatedly said media freedoms are respected but not absolute and they cannot endanger national security. Police have said the action against the Apple Daily was not targeting the media industry as a whole.

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Hong Kong government leader Carrie Lam said last week that criticism of the raid on the newspaper amounted to attempts to "beautify" acts that endangered national security. Chinese officials have denounced the criticism as interference.

'BEIJING CRITIC'

The shutdown of the Apple Daily is the latest setback for media tycoon Jimmy Lai, the newspaper's owner and a staunch Beijing critic, whose assets have been frozen under the legislation and who is serving prison sentences for taking part in illegal assemblies.

Lai is also awaiting trial under the national security law after being charged with collusion with foreign forces. If convicted, he can be sentenced to life in jail.

The Hong Kong Journalists' Association, reacting to reports of the airport arrest, condemned the police for targeting journalists again, and asked them to explain the incident.

The shutdown of Apple Daily has sent a chill through the city's media. Online pro-democracy outlet Stand News said late on Sunday it would stop accepting monthly donations from readers and had taken down commentaries from the platform.

It said in a Facebook post its action was aimed at protecting supporters, authors and editorial staff and reducing risks of all parties, adding that "speech crimes" had come to Hong Kong. It did not elaborate.

Lam Yin-pong, assignment editor for Stand News, told Reuters the precautions were partly a response to the arrests at Apple Daily.

"This was one of the main motivating factors, he said. "But having these precaution measures doesnt mean that we think weve done anything illegal."

He said most Stand News staff would continue reporting independently and he had not heard of any specific warnings from authorities.

The Hong Kong government did not respond to a request for comment about Stand News.

Founded in 2014, it said most of its directors, including barrister Margaret Ng and singer Denise Ho, had stepped down. Two founding directors, Tony Tsoi and chief editor Chung Pui-kuen, would remain, it said.

Stand News management did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Its charter states that it shall be independent, autonomous and non-profit. It says Stand News is committed to safeguarding Hong Kong's core values of "democracy, human rights, rule of law and justice".

(Reporting by Jessie Pang, James Pomfret and Anne Marie Roantree; Writing by Marius Zaharia; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan, Robert Birsel)
Indonesia set a new record for daily coronavirus cases on Sunday with more than 21,000, as hospitals are flooded with patients in Jakarta and other Covid-19 hotspots across Southeast Asia's hardest-hit nation.

The figure brings the country's tally for the pandemic to more than 2.1 million coronavirus cases with 57,138 deaths.

But the real number is believed to be much higher due to low testing rates for the deadly respiratory illness.

Indonesia's Covid-19 case rates have soared in recent weeks after millions travelled at the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in May, and as authorities identified the presence of highly infectious newer virus strains.

"We predicted there would be a surge in the number of cases," said Covid-19 taskforce spokeswoman Siti Nadia Tarmizi.

"The peak is expected in the next two to three weeks," she added.

Fears are growing that Indonesia's creaky health system could collapse and there are reports of some overflowing hospitals being forced to turn patients away.

Hospitals in the hard-hit capital Jakarta as well as West and Central Java have been flooded with patients, including those infected with the highly transmissible Delta variant, first identified in India.

Indonesia's government, widely accused of responding inadequately to the pandemic, has moved to temporarily beef up restrictions on movement, but it has so far held off imposing strict lockdowns seen in some other virus-wracked nations.

The country is aiming to inoculate more than 180 million of its 270 million people by early next year, but only about five percent of the population has so far been fully vaccinated.

On Saturday, the government said it had reached its goal of inoculating more than one million people in a single day.

pb/axn
CAIRO (Reuters) - Islamic State claimed responsibility for a rocket attack on a power station in Iraq, the group's Nasheer News said on its Telegram channel.

Iraq's Ministry of Electricity said on its Facebook page that Salah al-Din Power Station in the city of Samarra was targeted with Katyusha rockets, causing severe damage to parts of the generating unit.

(Reporting by Omar Fahmy; Writing by Nayera Abdallah; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
By Daniel Trotta

(Reuters) - The Israelis come trained by war. The Mexicans, by natural disaster.

Search-and-rescue teams from Mexico and Israel have joined the phalanx of local firefighters and other specially trained experts combing the rubble for survivors where a residential high-rise collapsed near Miami on Thursday, killing at least nine people with about 150 still missing as of Sunday.

When it comes to collapsed buildings, there is a cadre of international rescue workers willing to cross borders at a moment's notice. Many from the Miami-Dade County team have experience abroad themselves, notably during a devastating earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010.

The cooperation reflects the international nature of the Miami area, which is home to both Jewish and Latin American diasporas. Official briefings are delivered in Spanish and Haitian Creole in addition to English. Among those missing are relatives of Paraguay's first lady.

The exact roles of the Mexican and Israeli teams have not been detailed. Local officials say they have plenty of help on hand and are rotating the rescue teams to keep personnel fresh. If nothing else, the international presence is symbolic and may offer some solace, particularly to the local Jewish community.

"We did get a small team from Israel to come. A lot of the families who have unaccounted-for loved ones, wanted that," Florida Governor Ron DeSantis told a news conference on Sunday.

More than two dozen of the missing were Jewish and had links to Israel, according to an Israeli official.

"It's really painful," Maor Elbaz-Starinsky, the consul general of Israel in Miami, told WPLG television. "I for one can identify (with the families), from the Israeli experience."

MOLES

Mexico's "Topos," the Spanish word for moles, are treated like heroes at home, earning fame for burrowing into piles of rubble in disasters the world over, including the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City.

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They were on the ground in Florida on Friday, a day after the disaster, Miami-Dade officials said.

The Topos formed as a volunteer search-and-rescue group in the aftermath of a massive earthquake that devastated Mexico City in 1985, saving lives in the working-class neighborhood of Tlatelolco where there had been a poor government response.

They became known as fearless workers, putting their lives at risk to help others and traveling to disasters as far afield as Haiti, Nepal and the Philippines.

After a 2017 earthquake that leveled parts of Mexico City, they carried out their job before hundreds of people who gathered around destroyed buildings.

Easily spotted by their bright jumpsuits and helmets, they would be greeted with cheers and applause when arriving at a scene. But the crowds would also turn silent when asked, at moments when the rescuers needed quiet to listen for any buried survivors.

The Israeli rescuers come from the Israeli Defense Forces, the country's military, including about 10 reserve officers from the Home Front Command, along with Foreign Ministry personnel, the IDF said in a statement.

Nachman Shai, Israel's minister for diaspora affairs, tweeted a picture of himself meeting with U.S. officials and the rabbi of the local synagogue near the disaster scene.

Charles Burkett, the mayor of the Miami suburb of Surfside where the disaster struck, described a meeting between the Israelis and families of the missing.

"They wanted to know if the Israeli team thought that the Miami-Dade team had been doing the right thing," Burkett told reporters on Sunday. "The commander from the Israeli team did not hesitate, turned around and said, 'They've been doing exactly the right thing.'"

(Reporting by Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, Calif.; Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
Kaiser Permanente and the Sacramento Kings came together Saturday in a first-of-its-kind 'Your Shot Counts' COVID-19 vaccine clinic -- free to the public. Open to those 12 years old and up, Kaiser nurses and doctors, alongside the National Guard, administered hundreds of COVID-19 vaccines in the foyer of the Golden 1 Center. "What a better way to use Golden 1 Center for good and get our community involved," said John Rinehart, president of business operations for the Sacramento Kings They're encouraging those ages 12 through 17 to get vaccinated this summer while making the process simple, by providing free parking and opening vaccine availability to family members of all ages. See more in the video above.
BET

This past week, a two-minute clip of an unhinged white woman menacing Black folks set the internet ablaze. It was a trailer for Karen, an upcoming suspense-thriller starring Taryn Manning as a racist white lady who sets her sights on Malik and Imani (played by Cory Hardrict and Jasmine Burke), a young Black couple that moves into the same Atlanta suburb, and makes their lives a living hell.

It is, of course, a play on Karendefined as a pejorative slang term for an obnoxious, angry, entitled, and often racist middle-aged white woman who uses her privilege to get her way or police other people's behaviors. Its a term thats risen in popularity following a number of viral incidents of white women caught on camera calling the police on innocent Black people, from Permit Patty to BBQ Becky to Amy Cooper, or flying into anti-mask rages in public places during the pandemic.

Bill Maher and Quentin Tarantino Believe Movies Have Become Too PC

In America, white women are often believed and protected at all costs, even at the expense of Black lives, wrote The Washington Posts Karen Attiah. In 1955, it was a white woman who falsely accused 14-year-old Emmett Till of whistling at her in Mississippi, which led to him being brutally beaten and killed. Fast-forward to recent years and we still learn about black people being arrested or assaulted because a white woman called the police unnecessarily. Becky and Karen memes and jokes should be understood in this context, part of a long tradition to use humor to try to cope with the realities of white privilege and anti-Blackness.

When the Karen trailer dropped, it provoked a great deal of backlash from Black Twitterthe term, after all, has fallen out of cultural favor, deemed too cutesy given the very real dangers involved. Writer Roxane Gay wondered if it was an SNL thing, while NPRs Aisha Harris wrote, So were just taking rejected premises for INSECURES show-within-a-show parodies and turning them into actual bad movies now?

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I need people to understand my motivations, Karens writer/director Coke Daniels tells me. This is my ninth film. Ive been in the business for twenty years. Ive worked with some of the best and brightest in this business. Im not some novice filmmaker who got thrown a budget by Hollywood and thought, Wouldnt it be cool to poke fun at Karens?

The first of those films was My Babys Daddy, a 2004 comedy he wrote and co-produced that was distributed by Miramax, and that he maintains was homogenized and turned it into something horrible, and thats why Ive been an independent filmmaker ever since. Daniels says he specializes in comedy, like his N.W.A-spoofing Gangsta Rap: The Glockumentary, and views Karen as a satire on modern-day race relations in America. The film will air on BET in the fall and also receive a limited theatrical release, as well as hit Prime and iTunes.

Critics of Karen have quite loudly branded it a lame rip-off of Get Out, Jordan Peeles Oscar-winning social thriller. We talked about all that and more with Coke Daniels, L.A. rapper turned filmmaker.

How do you feel about the reaction to the Karen trailer? Its certainly been passionate.

I mean, Im gonna be honest with you: I loved it. I fully expected this when I wrote that ominous word on the title page. Whats amazing about it is, the point of us making this film was to spark dialogue and continue conversations about social injustice and racism in this country, and with all the hype, hysteria, love, hate, everything, it just creates the perfect platform for us to really set the stage for that discussion. I knew this was coming. Its a delicate subject matter and these are very trying times, so I respect everyones opinioneven if I dont necessarily agree with thembecause I want to have dialogue. We need to talk about some ugly truths, and if it takes my movie to be the Trojan horse to get us into those conversations, then Im all for it.

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And nobodys seen it yetincluding myself. [They would not provide me with a screener.]

Nobodys seen the film. Ive never seen this much hype or hysteria behind an independent film. This is an independently produced and developed film by a Black independent filmmaker. This is not Hollywood. This is not Hollywoods version of social injustice. This is by somebody whos part of the culture. The film is amazing. The film is everythingand morethan people think it is. I come from a comedy background, so obviously theres a bit of satire to the film. I hear the audience when theyre saying, Is this funny? Is this serious? Its all of that, because these are the times we live in and art should reflect the times. We laugh at Karen videoswe laugh at some of these racist confrontations that happen online every daybut deep down inside its not funny, and then when they turn leftand turn violentits not funny anymore. Thats the tone of the film: youre gonna laugh, youre gonna cry, youre gonna get angry.

There was a viral tweet about the Karen trailer that said, Jordan Peele only has two films under his belt as a director and he already has people trying to copy his formula. Talk about impact.

I think a lot of the narrative going on with the whole Jordan Peele rip-off thing is an attempt to dilute the actual message of the filmbecause for one, these are two totally different films. Theyre in a similar genre, but to say that I totally ripped off Jordan Peele is insane, because the storyline and characters are nothing alike. Jordan Peele is a dope filmmaker and Get Out is a dope filmI want to get that out therebut I think theres enough room for a Jordan Peele and a Coke Daniels. I want to make sure people understand that this isnt somebody outside of the culture capitalizing on Black pain. Thats not it. This is somebody whos part of the culture, who felt the pain, and who wanted to find a positive outlet and platform to start talking about this stuff. This came after George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arberythats what inspired me to write this script.

There are obviously far worse people to be compared to than Jordan Peele, but Im curious why you think people made that comparison and accused you of biting his style?

I think that this film and this subject matter is so shocking and jarring that people fear what they dont understand. Chuck D, one of my idols in hip-hop culture, put on his Instagram page: Is this real? Its just so crazy how so many different people have had so many different reactions. The comparison is legitimate in that theyre similar in tone and theyre both suspense-thrillers, but I think why Karen is more offensive and polarizing than Get Out was is because were dealing with the reality of things going on today. Jordan Peeles film was brilliantly executed, written, and directed, and Im not knocking his filmits brilliant, and I love that filmbut it was more psychological and a science-fiction-type thing. This is real. The tone of the films is the same, and I think thats whats drawing the comparison, and from an audience standpoint, they dont know how to differentiate between a similar tone and plagiarism.

It is just a trailer and nobodys seen the film yet. But Im curious why you think it provoked such a negative reaction?

Even the people that hate it are going to watch it to talk trash about it, and we accept that. Im an artist, and I dont expect unanimous love and admiration across the board. I dont need it. Thats not my purpose in life or my motivation. Honestly, it doesnt bother me. As to why they responded that way? I cant speak on all of it, but maybe fear of what they dont understand. Theres a lot of pain from the Black communityand sufferingthats been going on for decades. More recently, its been an ugly past couple of years for Black people in this country, and thats why I felt as an artist, with the climate that was going on, I would not have felt right just writing another romantic comedy and something that didnt speak to these issues or speak truth to power. Its jarring. Its in-your-face. I went for the jugular. I didnt pull any punches and didnt talk about racism from a safe place; I went into the belly of the beast and addressed the issues. Im from the hip-hop generation, and much like when N.W.A came out and there was backlash and people were picketing, thats the kind of art that I want to create. It helps expose the wicked underbelly of racism in this country, and the Trump administration in these past few years has brought to the forefront in America how real racism is. I live in the South and still see people hang Confederate flags in front of their houses, and drive trucks by that are waving Confederate flags.

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Im curious when the film was shot and what inspired it. You mentioned George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, but were you also inspired by some of these viral Karen incidents, like BBQ Becky or Permit Patty?

Oh, absolutely. I wrote this film about a year ago, at the height of the pandemic. I saw the protests going on in Atlanta, but I have two young kids and thought that I couldnt take them out there, and I was so frustrated because I wanted to do or say something. I felt hopeless. And then it hit me like a ton of bricks: you make movies, so write something about this stuff.

As far as the casting of actress Taryn Manning as Karen, shes someone whos voiced support for both QAnon and Trump, and has claimed that Black Lives Matter protests are funded by Sorosin other words, sought to undermine Black Lives Matter protests by calling them a liberal conspiracy. So, was that casting intentional given her beliefs?

Those are questions youve probably got to talk to Taryn Manning about. As far its relationship to me, if you look at any actors past and tweets you know, this is the cancel culture. We find things and say, Oh, youre canceled. You cant do this. Im hearing about a lot of that for the first timeI was aware of some of itbut again, shes an actress. She was right for the role. I didnt hire her for her political views; I hired her to play Karen. And she did an incredible job. There are a lot of artists and actors in this game who have some wild personal beliefs, and Im not familiar with all the things that youre talking aboutand those are Taryn Manning questionsbut as far as being an actor in the film, from day one she showed nothing but care and empathy for people. Shes a very loving and caring person and she lives out lout and expresses her opinion. We all have different opinionsand I cant talk about that, because Im not familiar with thatbut I hired her for the role because shes an incredible actress, and shes also one of the only actresses in this business bold enough to take this role and deliver the goods.

Well, she has voiced support for Trump and criticized Black Lives Matter protests, so Im curious if you had conversations during the course of filming with her about the films content and some of these issues?

Nah. She just liked the material. She did it from the heart and wanted to spark change. I dont think if she was a legit Trump supporter she wouldve taken on this film, because shes probably pissed all of the Trump supporters off. And Im sure those in the business whove worked with Taryn know that shes a great artist because shes sensitive and she feels things. Social media is a new animal where sometimes you may feel something and post itand then regret posting it. Ive never seen or heard anything from Taryn Manning that led me to believe that she has a racist bone in her body. She was in Atlanta with a largely Black cast, a Black crew, and shooting in Black neighborhoods in Atlanta, and I never saw anything funny from Taryn Manning toward anyone in any way. All I can speak to is the Taryn Manning I know, and she signed on after reading the script, I didnt have to deal with a rep, and she said she signed on because she wanted to help and affect change.

And you were in a hip-hop group, Mad Kap, in the 90s.

We were the first group signed to Loud/RCA Records. They went on to sign Wu-Tang Clan, Big Pun, Akon, Mobb Deep, the list goes on and on. We toured extensively with Wu-Tang, Pac, and Biggie, and we were on MTV. We were part of the L.A. underground rap renaissance. I ended up walking away from music when Pac and Biggie got killed, because it was really jarring for me. Initially, music was an outlet for me to get out of the streets, but then rappers were getting killed like they were gang members. I didnt like where the industry went. Thats what makes me different from a lot of other filmmakers. Not a lot of people can say they went on tour with Wu-Tang, and opened up for Tupac, and stole Biggies bottle of champagne and almost got beat up.

You almost got beat up by Biggies crew?

[Laughs] Yeah. Thats for another interview! Ill tell all my hip-hop stories another day. But Ive been part of this culture forever. Im not some trust-fund baby and I didnt go to film school. I went straight from rap to filmmaking, and I had to learn by trial and error.

Im curious What is a Karen to you?

A Karen to me is an entitled, middle-aged white woman who uses race and class as a weapon at her disposal aimed, more times than not, against minorities. I also want to say: we are by no means villainizing white people. We have very strong white characters in the film that come at pivotal points to show the opposite side of the conversation, because we dont believe all white people are like this or all Black people are like that. And in the end, its a feel-good film. Its about redemption. Its educational but its also entertaining. The spotlight is on us, so now lets have some discussions.

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When Cathy Cowan walked into a downtown Kansas City job fair on Thursday, she was shocked to find Municipal Auditorium nearly empty of candidates.

Forty-five hospitality businesses from across Kansas City had set up tables. But the restaurants and hotels looking for workers far outnumbered the handful of potential candidates that milled about.

This is totally different than any job fair Ive been to in Kansas City, Cowan said.

This mismatch is becoming increasingly common here and across the United States as employers struggle to find and retain workers in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Cowan came to the job fair searching for a job in food service or event planning. Like countless others, the pandemic caused her to reevaluate her priorities in where she worked. She left a job in marketing to pursue something that ignited her passion while allowing more time for her family  and, of course, paid her a decent wage.

She dismissed the idea that unemployment benefits were pushing people out of the workforce. Really, its that people are more concerned than ever before about quality of life, she said.

I think people just want to be able to work a job where theyre respected, that gives them a pay that they can live on and be able to support and enjoy their families, she said.

The current labor market means workers like Cowan can afford to be picky.

While employers furloughed and laid off millions of workers last spring at the outset of the pandemic, they are now scrounging for talent. The labor crunch has hit nearly every industry, though service and retail employers are particularly struggling.

The balance of power has shifted toward the workers, said Frank Lenk, economist at the Mid-America Regional Council. Demand has snapped back faster than supply.

The shortage has put employees in the enviable position to demand higher wages, better benefits and hours.

In the professional world, counter offers are increasingly common: one local recruiter recounted the story of a worker whos salary went up nearly $20,000 in a day as two employers competed for her.

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Nebraska Furniture Mart last week announced it would raise wages for all of its warehouse workers. The Omaha-based chain said existing staff would receive a pay hike of at least 9% with starting pay for new warehouse workers now ranging from $18.30 to $22.77 per hour.

Restaurants across the area have had to cut hours and postpone new openings as their inability to find staff increases customer wait times.

Many of those who left the workforce through the pandemic have yet to return. And now with consumer confidence rising, many are emboldened to quit existing jobs or switch careers entirely.

Thats actually a sign of labor market health that people feel confident enough to quit. The labor market is actually healing, Lenk said. In some sense, this is to be expected, but that doesnt mean employers arent having trouble finding the workers they want at the price they want to pay.

Competition pushing wages up

Lenk said many of the available jobs in the region tend to be in low-paying sectors.

Most people want that stable, relatively decent paying job thats full time, he said. So if those were being offered, people would jump at those. But if those are not being offered, people are going to wait and see what else they may be offered.

In April 2020, nearly 150,000 workers across the Kansas City area were unemployed, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But those numbers have consistently decreased as the economy has rebounded. This April, fewer than 48,000 people were unemployed locally.

Likewise, the unemployment rate for the Kansas City metro area has plummeted from a high of 13.2 % last April to 4.1 % this April.

But many people are still on the sidelines. Virtual schooling created childcare challenges for many families and the pandemic prompted many Baby Boomers to retire.

Conservative lawmakers have pushed for an end to the enhanced unemployment benefits provided by the federal government to help displaced workers. Politicians and businesses have said the extra $300 a week in unemployment checks deterred people from returning to work.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson withdrew the state from that program early, causing workers to lose those benefits after June 12. In Kansas, those benefits are available until early September.

Lenk thinks the $300 per week could have persuaded some workers to stay home. But it doesnt explain the entire labor shortage.

It also tells you that the economy is kind of hooked on having access to a very low-wage workforce, he said, if ($300) is all it takes for people to decide whether they want to go back to work or not.

Like many others, the Independence School District is finding it hard to hire support staff like bus drivers and paraprofessionals.

For bus drivers, the district provides all training in house for those with commercial drivers licenses. The full-time positions include benefits and wages have recently increased to a minimum of $15.79 per hour.

The school board also recently approved a new employee benefit that covers 75% of childcare cost for full-time workers.

But longtime Superintendent Dale Herl said he still needs to find 18 drivers before school starts in the fall. Across Independence, the district has covered parked buses with signs advertising the openings and a new $1,000 signing bonuses for drivers.

Its always a tough position to fill, but weve always been able to fill them in the past, Herl said. This has been the most challenging hiring period that Ive experienced since Ive been superintendent.

Workers rethink priorities

When Ramiro Murillo was searching for a job at the beginning of the year, he had trouble finding positions in his field of hospitality.

He picked up a retail job. But, feeling overworked and underpaid, he decided to explore his options in the wide open job market.

(Im looking for) something that I enjoy doing, something that I dont have anxiety when I have to go in, something that I can make connections with other people, and also something that pays well, Murillo said.

Many low-wage workers dont want to return to the same menial hourly jobs as before. The pandemic allowed many to reconsider their options and find other opportunities.

A lot of people were forced to say, Whats my passion in life? What do I really want to do? What are my choices? said Pat Sullivan, vice president of HR for the Raphael Hotel. And theyve gotten on with their lives and lasted so long, and most people have found a different choice than what they were doing originally, so they arent coming back.

That shift in priorities is forcing businesses to reconsider what they offer workers, whether thats better pay, better benefits or a better work environment.

I think you have to be on your Ps and Qs as a business, because theres not as many people as we have a need for and they gravitate toward the businesses that treat them well, Sullivan said. We need to be one of those businesses.

David Betts, right, talked with hospitality business representatives at an industry job fair Thursday at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City. More than 40 hotels, casinos, suppliers and restaurants were looking to hire employees. Betts had three to five years of hospitality experience before COVID-19 began.

Its not just service sectors that are struggling to find workers.

Aside from retirements and career changes, Overland Park-based staffing firm Morgan Hunter has seen many corporate professionals launch their own businesses or move to freelance work during the pandemic. The problem was exacerbated as many companies held back on filling positions last year during the pandemic.

But Morgan Hunter, which specializes in human resources, accounting and IT, cant fully explain the shortage of candidates.

Overall were still trying to scratch our heads to see where these people are, said Carol Schmidt, a senior director for the human resources recruitment team. Weve done this for 25 years and weve never seen the market like this.

She likens it to the frenzied real estate market, where prices are skyrocketing as home buyers outnumber sellers.

We call it a candidates market, she said. It is a good time to look because theres plenty of jobs to choose from and you might get in a bidding war.

One recent Morgan Hunter recruit was earning $57,000 as a payroll administrator. That worker was offered a salary of $70,000 elsewhere. The job offer prompted her current employer to raise her salary to $75,000 and offer a $7,000 bonus to stay.

With the changing power dynamics, employers now must work to stand out in a crowded field. Candidates increasingly care about company culture and work-life balance, Schmidt said. And many want the option to work from home at least some of the time.

The labor market requires employers to act fast and many have to lower expectations. For instance, a job thats posted as requiring several years of experience may be filled by a recent college graduate.

A big one is to move quickly in the hiring process, Schmidt said. The days when I wanted to interview 10 people and pick the best one  that just doesnt happen because candidates have multiple options now.

A small pool of candidates

A search of all the jobs posted on Missouris online job board returns 1,000 pages of results.

In Jackson County, where nearly 20,000 positions are posted, there are more than twice as many job openings as candidates to fill them.

The story is the same across the state line in Kansas, where the number of new job postings has been increasing by about 2% every week. Last week, there were more than 52,000 openings posted in the Sunflower State.

But the pool of candidates is hardly keeping up, said Mike Beene, director of employment services for the Kansas Department of Commerce.

Its all sectors of the economy that are needing talent, he said.

While this environment is driving wages up, Beene said higher pay isnt the only answer to finding workers. He said employers need to help overcome obstacles like childcare and transportation challenges. And flexibility is key to wooing back those whose lives were upturned by the pandemic.

Theres not one thing I can point at for why people may have left the labor market, Beene said. Theres just so many factors.

The shallow labor pool can threaten a business ability to meet basic customer demands. For restaurants, it might mean losing money by turning diners away or providing a poor experience that convinces guests to not return.

So far, customer satisfaction hasnt dropped much at Lenexa-based Westlake Ace Hardware, but the chain of hardware stores is finding it hard to hire everyone from entry-level cashiers to managers.

Its definitely more challenging now than in my 22 years in human resources, said Curt Hoy, senior director of human resources. But with that said, were still seeking and able to find top talent and always looking to add more.

Westlake, the largest retailer of the national Ace cooperative brand, employs nearly 4,000 people across the country, including about 625 in the Kansas City metro area, where it has 27 retail stores and its headquarters operation.

With hardware and home improvement items in high demand through 2020, Westlake never decreased its employee headcount, but actually hired more staff during the pandemic. Coy said the company is currently looking for about 250 workers across its 12-state footprint. Like other brands, it has increased pay to stay competitive.

With so many jobs open, many companies are struggling to attract initial applicants. But even when they apply, it can be hard to keep them in the pipeline.

Grace Frofunga, human resources coordinator for food delivery service Menufy, said prospective employees are sometimes swept up by other employers faster than she can schedule an interview.

We get candidates applying all the time. Its just the responding aspect that comes in where its a little difficult, Frofunga said. It takes a while for candidates to respond, sometimes you get ghosted, sometimes they do respond but then they dont show up to the actual interview. Its been rough.
Thierry Neuville, who had led the Safari Rally in Kenya in his Hyundai since Friday, was forced to retire on Sunday morning because of a broken right rear shock absorber.

The retirement came after SS14, the first of Sunday's special stages, which was won by Toyota's Sebastien Ogier.

Neuville, who held a 57-second lead overnight over Takamoto Katsuta, also in a Toyota, arrived at the end with a severely damaged right rear suspension, having lost one minute over 11 kilometres.

"Its heartbreaking to end the WE (weekend) like this," said Neuville on Twitter.

"We had to retire after our suspension broke in SS14 this morning. This is how it is but I feel sad for us & the team.

"I think we all did the job and everybody is working very hard. Theres no one to blame and we will continue to push."

Neuville's retirement leaves the field open for the two Toyotas with Katsuta four seconds ahead of Ogier.

Hyundai still have Ott Tanak in the race. The Estonian is third but more than a minute behind the Toyotas.

dlo/jf/bsp
Jun. 26For a church that has been worshipping together since the town's early days, it seemed only fitting to mark a milestone like 200 years with a special event.

Lebanon First Baptist Church will officially cross into its third century on Wednesday, and that's got church historian Sherrie Green thrilled. She has created a walk-through museum in the church that traces its humble origins right on up to present day.

There are photographs over a hundred years old so guests can literally see how the church has evolved into its current form. For instance, the church used to have two towers, but a fire destroyed one and the church decided to go a different direction with the rebuild.

In the museum on Tuesday, Green proudly displayed a table she had arranged in the museum that chronicled the aftermath of that devastating fire through a unique lens. What made the items here special is what was represented. Each piece of paper documented donations made by congregants in the wake of the fire. "People donated whatever amount or items they had to donate," said Green.

These donations were often made in memory or honor of other individuals, as indicated by many of the pages.

"We are very blessed to have some old ledgers," Green said, pointing to one from 1885. Documents from this era also included minutes from church meetings. One thing that has changed is how the pastor is paid. As Green made clear, early pastors at the church weren't salaried and instead relied on what little bit congregants could give. Green showed one contribution of $5 and another for $2.

"It's a town that is very generous and service minded. People here want to help other people," said current Pastor David Freeman. "It's part of the heartbeat of the community."

Freeman has served at Lebanon First Baptist for 14 years. "It's an honor first and foremost" to lead congregants at a place with so much history, he said.

Story continues

The pastor said he's been looking forward to the bicentennial since he joined the church

"I consider it a stewardship of a very important aspect in our church's history and story," he said.

Freeman is very relieved that the 200 year anniversary fell in 2021 and not 2020, pointing to another Baptist church in Nashville that was set to celebrate their bicentennial last year before the pandemic brought restrictions on public gatherings.

The pastor is relinquishing service duties this week to a former leader of the flock, Ray Cleek, who currently preaches in Hendersonville. When Freeman found out Cleek would be attending the bicentennial service, he asked him to lead it.

Freeman said that Cleek is worthy of the honor and that a lot of people in the church would remember him. "He was part of a special group of pastors and people during his time here."

The church will hold a special event on Wednesday called Light Up Lebanon to commemorate the official 200 year anniversary. The church service being held Sunday is just the kick start to the week.

On Wednesday, there will be fireworks, live music, food trucks and a bounce house at the church located just off Lebanon's square at 227 E. Main St.

As for Sunday, there will be a revised schedule for the special day. The museum will be open all day.

SCHEDULE

9 a.m.-10 a.m. Sunday School

10:30 a.m.  Bicentennial Committee Presentation & Special Recognitions Worship Service, Commemorative Photograph on Sanctuary Front Steps

Noon  Dinner on the Grounds, the west lawn, (Drop off a side dish and/or dessert to The Rock building prior to Sunday School or Worship Service.)
Houston Methodist Hospital nurse Jennifer Bridges, right, leads a COVID vaccine protest earlier in June. (Los Angeles Times)

To the editor: Well, the 153 Houston hospital workers fired for refusing to get a COVID-19 shot are taking a stand  for stupidity.

Vaccines have risks but, interestingly, not long-term risks. Vaccine reactions occur within a month and not after that. The risks so far pale in comparison to the carnage that the COVID pandemic has left in its wake.

These workers are dishonoring their profession by neglecting patient safety and showing their ignorance of basic scientific facts. I have confidence that this group of people will not get their shots after the vaccines win full approval from federal regulators and will join other anti-vaxxers in spreading dangerous COVID variants.

David Hurwitz, M.D., Calabasas

..

To the editor: I have no sympathy for fired healthcare workers who refuse vaccinations.

I worked in healthcare all my adult life, both in hospitals and in medical offices. At various times I have been required to get flu shots, the measles vaccine (or blood test showing antibodies) and other inoculations meant to protect patients, colleagues and me.

Yes, these workers could stay home if sick, but asymptomatic people can spread COVID-19 without any idea they are infected. How would they feel if their mother or child seeking care for something unrelated to the virus got sick and died due to an unvaccinated caregiver?

If you don't believe in medical science and the safety practices of the profession, then a career in medicine is not for you.

Christin Rubesh, Port Hueneme

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The scores of people missing in the collapse of the beachfront condo building in Florida are no longer just a dry number but have names and faces thanks to a makeshift memorial erected nearby.

On a chain link fence at a site serving as a staging ground for rescue teams and equipment, photos of some of the missing illustrate the desperation of their loved ones, waiting for news after the sudden and still unexplained tragedy in the wee hours of Thursday.

Behind the fence, a block away, smoke drifts up from the rubble of the Champlain Tower South building, half of which fell like a house of cards, while cranes and other heavy machinery groan with the work of moving concrete and steel rubble.

As of Saturday night, five people are confirmed dead and 156 who may have been in the building when it came tumbling down in the middle of the night in this beach town near Miami are unaccounted for.

One photo on the fence shows a father and his adolescent son -- Alfredo, in glasses and bearded, and young Lorenzo -- with the word "MISSING" and this note: "A family friend tells me they were in unit 512."

Other photos show an older couple seated at a restaurant, a young man in suit and bow tie, and a couple standing on a beach -- identified as Ilan Naibryf and Deborah Berezdivin.

Passages from the Bible are written on Post-its attached to some of the pictures.

Beside the photos, well-wishers have stuck flowers in the fence and set candles on the ground.

"You can see the smoke off in the distance, and here the faces of the missing. Now they are unforgettable," said Olivia Ostrow, a French woman who has lived in Surfside for 20 years.

"These parents, these children. They are people just like us," Ostrow told AFP, her eyes filling with tears.

Gina Berlin, who has lived in the neighborhood for nearly 30 years, said she came to the memorial to pray for the missing.

"I am still in shock," said the 54-year-old, who has two friends who live in the part of the building that remained standing and were able to get out safely.

Story continues

- Peace and meditation -

The memorial went up in a noisy and bustling spot as electrical generators from the rescue effort hum and trucks come and go. At one point police even barred people from stopping at the memorial fence.

A few blocks away, a quiet park has also become a memorial for the missing.

On the corner of a street with small houses, people have posted more photos and flowers on the fence of a dog park, again with names of missing people, their apartment numbers and messages of support.

Dana Culvin, 53, said she had the idea to do this on Friday. "I just want to send thoughts and prayers and love to the whole community and specifically those waiting for answers," she said.

Daniela Calzadilla, 48, sits on a bench as her dog Paco plays nearby.

"It's a place where you can find peace," she said. "I know a lot of families from the area that are missing, meditation is always good to feel calm in your mind and body."

As he walks past the park, Raphael Amar, a 63-year-old Jew who was born in Morocco and has lived in Surfside for 20 years, pauses at the memorial.

He is returning from synagogue, where he says the atmosphere is quiet and sad because of all the people still unaccounted for. Many of them are from the local Jewish community.

The memorial at the park, he said, "shows that we are one community in a small town. We are all neighbors. That creates an extraordinary sense of unity."

cyj/seb/dw/acb
A male was found fatally shot late Saturday in the Shannon Park area of northeast Charlotte, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police.

The case is being investigated as a homicide, according to a news release.

The victim was identified as Jarvis Massey, 42, CMPD said.

Investigators say the shooting happened around 11 p.m. Saturday in the 700 block of Vanderbrook Road. The residential neighborhood is just south of The Plaza near Eastway Park.

Officers located a male victim with an apparent gunshot wound. The victim was pronounced deceased on scene by Medic and officers, officials said.

Homicide detectives are speaking with all parties involved and are not looking for any additional suspects at this time.

Tips in the case can be offered to CMPD at 704-432-TIPS or through Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.
A male was found fatally shot late Saturday in the Shannon Park area of northeast Charlotte, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police.

The case is being investigated as a homicide, according to a news release.

The identity of the victim has not been released.

Investigators say the shooting happened around 11 p.m. Saturday in the 700 block of Vanderbrook Road. The residential neighborhood is just south of The Plaza near Eastway Park.

Officers located a male victim with an apparent gunshot wound. The victim was pronounced deceased on scene by Medic and officers, officials said.

Homicide detectives are speaking with all parties involved and are not looking for any additional suspects at this time.

Tips in the case can be offered to CMPD at 704-432-TIPS or through Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.
Massachusetts police are investigating a crime scene where a man reportedly stole a truck, crashed into a home, and shot two people dead. (Mike Steinhoff via Wikimedia Commons)

Police are investigating a chaotic crime scene in Massachusetts where a man reportedly stole a semi truck, crashed it into a home, and fatally shot two people before police killed him.

On Saturday afternoon in Winthrop, Massachusetts, a small beachside community on the outskirts of Boston, a man stole a box truck from a plumbing company before going on a rampage, according to police, hitting another driver before ploughing the car into a house.

A preliminary investigation indicates that the male suspect allegedly stole a box truck owned by a plumbing and drain company and then crashed into a residential building on Veterans Road, Winthrop Police chief Terence M Delehanty said in statement. Following the crash the suspect emerged from the truck and fled on foot. At some point shortly thereafter, the suspect, who was armed with a firearm, is believed to have shot the two adult victims.

Neighbours reportedly rushed outside after hearing the crash, and the driver began shooting, killing a man and a woman whose names havent been released.

Police located the suspect near the scene and began shooting. The driver reportedly died later that day at a hospital. The people in the car that the truck struck as well as a police officer were taken to a hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

Officials including the Winthrop Police, state police, and SWAT teams reported to the incident, a sprawling crime scene that stretches across multiple blocks and vehicles.

He started jogging, then I heard the boom, boom, boom, boom, Robert Harrington, who lives in the area, told NBC Boston.

I looked down and the next thing I saw is the body in the middle of the street, said Robert Harrington. So, I ran down, got behind the car cause the shots were still going. You could see the smoke from the gun.

Authorities have not released the identity of any of the victims, but CBS Boston reports that one is a retired Massachusetts State Police trooper.

Story continues

Video of the scene showed a demolished home with a truck crashed into it, with some sections having little more than doorframes still left standing.

The officer who fired at the suspect is on administrative leave, while the Suffolk County District Attorneys Office investigates the shooting, as is standard procedure.

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Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell urged former attorney general William Barr to speak out against Donald Trumps outrageous claims about the 2020 election in the hopes of avoiding a loss for the contested Senate seats in Georgia. (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

At the end of 2020, as Donald Trump continued to make false claims about a supposedly rigged election, Mitch McConnell reportedly urged then attorney general William Barr to publicly speak out, worried that trashing the electoral process could hurt the Republican partys chances in upcoming runoff elections in Georgia which would determine who controls the Senate.

Look, we need the president in Georgia, Mr McConnell told Mr Barr, according to interviews for Betrayal, a new book from journalist Jonathan Karl, about the final days of the Trump administration, and so we cannot be frontally attacking him right now. But youre in a better position to inject some reality into this situation. You are really the only one who can do it.

At the time, neither the Senate leader, who confirmed Karls account, nor the attorney general, believed Mr Trumps debunked claims about the election.

My attitude was: It was put-up or shut-up time, Mr Barr told the reporter. If there was evidence of fraud, I had no motive to suppress it. But my suspicion all the way along was that there was nothing there. It was all bulls***.

That led the attorney general, normally a staunch Trump defender who stuck by the president and echoed his talking points on other issues like the Mueller investigation, to go out against his boss in a 1 December interview with the Associated Press, where he told the news agency: To date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election.

Neither GOP leaders warnings were enough though. Both Republican candidates in Georgia lost in a historic upset, with Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossof becoming the first Democrats to win a Senate race in the state since the 1990s.

GOP officials had warned that the presidents repeated attacks on the integrity of the election, especially in swing states like Georgia, could hurt the party.

You cant say the system is rigged but elect these two senators, Eric Johnson, a campaign adviser to Kelly Loeffler, one of the defeated Republican Senate candidates, told The New York Times in November. At some point he either drops it or he says I want everybody to vote and get their friends to vote so that the margins are so large that they cant steal it.

Story continues

Mr McConnell didnt speak out against Mr Trumps election claims until the morning of 6 January, telling his colleagues in the Senate he wouldnt join them in opposing the results, the most important vote Ive ever cast.

Nothing before us proves illegality near the massive scale that would have tipped the entire election, Mr McConnell said. The Constitution gives us here in Congress a limited role. We cannot simply declare ourselves a national board of elections on steroids.

Later that day, a mob of Trump supporters whod been fed months of lies about a rigged election stormed the US Capitol.

The Senate leader later acknowledged that Mr Trump and his election conspiracies were to blame, telling Congress the man was practically and morally responsible because of the crescendo of conspiracy theories leading up to 6 January, though he declined to impeach the outgoing president over the Capitol attack.

And Mr Barr, despite his one-time stand against the president, has previously backed some of his other debunked election claims, telling CNNs Wolf Blitzer that expanded mail-in voting would cause voter fraud, an essentially non-existent problem according to experts.

"Were a very closely divided country here," the former attorney general said. "People trying to change the rules to this, to this methodology  which, as a matter of logic, is very open to fraud and coercion  is reckless and dangerous and people are playing with fire.

Mr Barr may reveal more about behind-the-scenes discussions following the election, as it was recently announced hes working on a memoir, one of the few Trump officials to secure a book deal after the attack on the Capitol.

Read More

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By Humeyra Pamuk

ROME (Reuters) -Israel has serious reservations about the Iran nuclear deal being put together in Vienna, new foreign minister Yair Lapid told his American counterpart, as he pledged to fix "the mistakes made" in U.S.-Israeli relations in recent years.

In their first face-to-face meeting since Israel's new government was sworn in two weeks ago, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Lapid had a very positive and warm discussion, according to U.S. officials.

The main topics were the nuclear deal and Israel's normalisation accords with Gulf Arab states, as well as humanitarian aid to Gaza and the status of East Jerusalem, a topic that helped fuel the latest wave of violence between the Israelis and Palestinians in May.

"Israel has some serious reservations about the Iran nuclear deal that is being put together in Vienna. We believe the way to discuss those disagreements is through direct and professional conversations, not in press conferences," Lapid said in brief remarks ahead of the meeting in Rome.

Iran and the United States have been holding indirect talks on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers that imposed restrictions on Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for lifting international sanctions.

The United States, under former President Donald Trump, abandoned the deal and reimposed harsh U.S. sanctions, prompting Iran to respond by violating many of its restrictions.

Blinken told Lapid that Washington would remain in close contact with Israel over the Iran negotiations, U.S. officials said.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, a nationalist atop a cross-partisan coalition, has hewed to the opposition of his conservative predecessor, Benjamin Netanyahu, to the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, whose caps on projects with bomb-making potential Israel deemed too lax.

Netanyahu's particularly close ties with Trump followed an acrimonious relationship with his predecessor Barack Obama, which some critics said had alienated Democrats and compromised U.S. bipartisan support for Israel.

Story continues

Biden, since taking office on Jan. 20, has repeatedly expressed Washington's support for Israel but has been more measured in his approach than Trump.

Lapid acknowledged the need for repair. "In the past few years, mistakes were made. Israel's bipartisan standing was hurt. We will fix those mistakes together."

Blinken also reiterated to Lapid Washington's concerns over Israeli attempts to evict several Palestinian families in East Jerusalem, and the status of the city's al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third holiest site, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, U.S. officials said.

Blinken also conveyed to Lapid the necessity of getting humanitarian assistance into Gaza, where 250 Palestinians were killed and scores of buildings were destroyed last month by Israeli air strikes.

Biden has worked to repair ties with the Palestinians and abandon what they said was the one-sided U.S. policy towards the conflict. His administration has pledged to resume hundreds of millions of dollars in economic and humanitarian assistance and work toward reopening the Palestinians' diplomatic mission in Washington.

Israel's normalisation agreements with various Arab countries were also discussed. In his opening remarks, Blinken said he hoped more participants would join.

The UAE and Bahrain established ties with Israel last year in U.S.-brokered deals called the Abraham Accords, becoming the first Arab states in more than a quarter of a century to break what had been a long-standing taboo in the region.

Lapid, who also met in Rome with Bahrain's foreign minister, Abdullatif Al-Zayani, is due to visit the UAE on Tuesday and Wednesday. Lapid described the accord as historic and said, "I hope it will be the first of many."

(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk in Rome; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Lisa Shumaker)
The Miami-Dade condominium building that partially collapsed on Thursday never received upward of $9 million in needed repairs, new emails revealed, as experts continue to speculate on the cause of the catastrophe.

Champlain Towers South, a 12-story structure that contained 136 units, was quoted for approximately $630,000 in electrical repairs, $254,000 in structural costs, nearly $3.2 million in remediation of the buildings facade, and $3.8 million pertaining to repairs of the garage and pool deck, according to emails from Morabito Consultants in 2018 released by the city of Surfside.

The correspondence also pointed to failures in concrete structural slabs on the pool deck and said that a lack of action could have led to extensive deterioration" in the building that dates back to the 1980s.

FIRE PREVENTS RESCUE EFFORTS AT COLLAPSED MIAMI CONDOMINIUM COMPLEX: OFFICIALS

The failed waterproofing is causing major structural damage to the concrete structural slab below these areas. Failure to replace the waterproofing in the near future will cause the extent of the concrete deterioration to expand exponentially, the emails read.

The new records follow the public release of a report from the same construction firm that suggested major structural damage existed on the property in October 2018.

The major structural damage was in the concrete slabs below the pool deck, and there was abundant cracking in the columns, beams, and walls of the parking garage, which is under the 13-story building, Morabitos report found.

More than 150 people are unaccounted for and five have been pronounced dead after 55 units within the building crumbled to the ground, in an alarming scene caught on video. Dozens of fire rescue officials and paramedics have since swarmed the area to parse through the 30-foot high pile of rubble as anguished family members await news of their loved ones.

Fire and smoke complicated the rescue efforts of authorities on Saturday, though it was extinguished by the end of the day.

Story continues

Buildings dont fall down in America, that is a third-world phenomenon, Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said on Sunday.

Its very disturbing, he added. There was obviously something very, very wrong with this building, and we need to get to the bottom of it. Not today, not tomorrow, and not for a long time because our first priority and our only priority is to pull our residents out of that rubble.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Four of the five deceased victims have been identified as Antonio Lozano, 83, Gladys Lozano, 79, Manuel LaFont, 54, and Stacie Fang, 54. Authorities have employed DNA testing to determine the identities of the dead.

The cause of the structure collapse has yet to be determined.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Florida, Miami, Construction

Original Author: Jake Dima

Original Location: Miami condo building needed $9 million in repairs prior to collapse, emails show
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) declared a state of emergency Saturday over what she called "extraordinary flooding," which caused power outages, sewer backups and left dozens of drivers stranded.

Driving the news: Flood watches were in place through Sunday, after up to 7 inches of rain fell in some parts of the state over the past few days, per the National Weather Service.

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The big picture: More than 47,000 customers were without power in Michigan as of early Sunday, per the national tracking system PowerOutage.US.

The flooding saw some 350 vehicles damaged and resulted in about 50 drivers having to be rescued after becoming stranded in parts of the state including Detroit and Wayne County, per the New York Times.

Detroit Water and Sewage Department director Gary Brown told a news conference Saturday that the "intensity of these storms exceeded the design standard for pump stations and combined sewer overflow facilities."

"With this much rain, there is nowhere for the water to go other than flooding streets and basements," Brown added.

What to watch: "Additional rain tonight will prolong these flooding conditions," the NWS said in its report late Saturday.

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Go deeper: Pacific Northwest heat dome roasts more than 25M

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Canadian firefighters (File photo)

Two more Catholic churches burned down in indigenous communities in western Canada early on Saturday.

The fires at St Ann's Church and the Chopaka Church began within an hour of each other in British Columbia.

Officers said both buildings were completely destroyed, and they were treating the fires as "suspicious".

Last Monday two other Catholic churches in the province were destroyed in fires, as Canada marked National Indigenous People's Day.

"The investigations into the previous fires and these two new fires are ongoing with no arrests or charges," Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sgt Jason Bayda said.

It comes after hundreds of unmarked graves were discovered at sites of former residential schools in Canada.

The government-funded compulsory schools were run by religious groups in the 19th and 20th centuries with the aim of assimilating indigenous youth.

Indigenous groups have demanded a nationwide search for more graves.

Lower Similkameen Indian Band Chief Keith Crow told public broadcaster CBC he had received a call early in the morning saying that the Chopaka Church was on fire. It had burned to the ground by the time he arrived half an hour later.

"I'm angry," the chief told CBC. "I don't see any positive coming from this and it's going to be tough."

Many in the community are Catholic Church members and are very upset about the blaze, he said.

In May, the Tk'emlups te Secwepemc First Nation announced the discovery of the remains of 215 children at a school in British Columbia.

They found them at the Kamloops Indian Residential School, which was opened under Roman Catholic administration in 1890 and closed in 1978.

And on Thursday, the Cowessess First Nation said it had found 751 unmarked graves at a former residential school in Saskatchewan. The Marieval Indian Residential School was also operated by the Roman Catholic Church.

Story continues

Deaths in Canada's compulsory boarding schools were due in large part to the squalid health conditions inside. Students were often housed in poorly built, poorly heated, and unsanitary facilities.

Between 1863 and 1998, more than 150,000 indigenous children were taken from their families and placed in these schools throughout Canada.

A commission launched in 2008 to document the impact of this system found that large numbers of indigenous children had never returned to their home communities. The commission's landmark report said the practice had amounted to cultural genocide.

The Canadian government has formally apologised for the system.
The two British Columbia churches, St Anns Church and Chopaka Church were completely destroyed (AFP via Getty Images)

Two more Catholic churches have been burnt down within Indigenous communities in west Canada on Saturday.

The two British Columbia churches, St Anns Church and Chopaka Church were completely destroyed by fires which started within an hour of each other. Officers are calling this suspicious.

The destruction of these two churches comes after two other churches in the province, the Sacred Heart Church and St. Gregorys Church, were both destroyed last Monday as Canada celebrated National Indigenous Peoples Day. Liquid accelerants are believed to have been used, one fire official said.

The investigations into the previous fires and these two new fires are ongoing with no arrests or charges, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sgt Jason Bayda said.

Lower Similkameen Indian Band Chief Keith Crow told Canadian public broadcaster CBC that he heard early on Saturday about the fire at the over 100-year-old Chopaka Church. He said that many in their community were members at the church and were very upset.

Im angry, he told CBC. I dont see any positive coming from this and its going to be tough.

Crow said it was a hard time for his community as they are only just dealing with the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves at the sites of religious residential schools which were government-funded and tasked with the forces assimilating of indigenous peoples in the 19th and 20th centuries.

According to the Calgary Herald, Crow was on his way to the Kamloops Residential School to support the community after the remains of 215 Indigenous children were found there last month.

A further 751 unmarked graves were found in Saskatchewan at the site of the Marieval Indian Residential School which was also operated by the Roman Catholic Church.

Indigenous groups have demanded a nationwide search for more graves. More than 150,000 children were taken from their homes and placed in these school between 1863 and 1998.

If youre hurting at this time, please reach out to somebody and make the call, Crow told the Herald. There is a lot of upset people and its heartbreaking.

Story continues

Luckily, no one was injured and the fire here was contained before it spread to any of the neighbouring homes.

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Pope Francis arrives for his weekly general audience at the Vatican on Wednesday. (Associated Press)

When he meets with Pope Francis on Monday, the United States top diplomat will try to avoid the elephant in the room.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken intends to speak to the pontiff about shared values and ideas  fighting climate change, people trafficking, violence and racism.

But on the minds of many involved is a festering dispute that has pitted Francis against a group of conservative American Catholic bishops who want to deny full church participation to Americas top Catholic: President Biden.

Led by Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez, a majority of the bishops voted earlier this month to advance a document, still being drafted, that could potentially deny Communion to Biden and other Catholic politicians who support reproductive rights, including the right to abortion, in violation of church doctrine.

Gomez, who launched the anti-Biden effort in January shortly after Inauguration Day, said the president has pledged to pursue certain policies that would advance moral evils.

Biden is only the second Roman Catholic to be elected president of the United States, after John F. Kennedy, and is arguably one of historys most pious presidents. He attends church regularly, sometimes Saturday and Sunday, and has included priests or cited Scripture in numerous public events.

Francis expressly told the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to defer the Communion document, saying more time was required to examine the issues. The group initially ignored the pope, but has since signaled the document would not explicitly target politicians.

This is not territory that Blinken would want to wade into.

The United States and the Holy See enjoy a very close partnership, acting Assistant Secretary of State for Europe Philip Reeker said in a briefing before Blinkens trip, wherein he carefully evaded questions about the dispute with the bishops. And together we seek peaceful solutions to a number of crises around the world.

He noted that the Vaticans network of diplomats and on-the-ground expertise rivals only that of the U.S. and has taken particular leadership on the climate change movement. Francis has often been called a green pope.

Story continues

His Holiness the Pope, Pope Francis, has shown long-standing leadership on the imperative to tackle the climate crisis as well, so Id like to underscore that, Reeker said. Hes called on political leaders and civil society to take care of the environment, and we see working together with the United States and the Holy See as an opportunity to raise countries collective ambition and to address the climate crisis by raising and implementing national emissions reduction targets.

The last time a U.S. secretary of State went to Vatican City was September 2020. Francis would not grant an audience to then-Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo.

Before his arrival, Pompeo chose an anti-Francis U.S. journal to publish his essay critical of the pope for his dealings with China.

The Vatican has always chosen to tread carefully where China is concerned, wanting to make it possible for the Catholic Church to operate there, which has meant avoiding a full challenge to the Chinese Communist Party. Pompeo criticized that position; the Blinken team has not publicly voiced an opinion one way or the other.

The Eucharist, or Holy Communion, is one of the most important sacraments in the Catholic Church. Catholics are taught to believe that the wafer is Christs body and the wine his blood.

Former secretary of State and presidential candidate John F. Kerry was denied Communion in some churches when he crossed the U.S. on campaign tours. Bidens home parish in Delaware permits him to take Communion, and Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the archbishop of Washington, D.C., has said he would not exclude the president from the rite.

But the Catholic Church in the United States, like the rest of the country, is deeply divided. Conservative bishops have taken a more partisan line, arguing that a leader who supports abortion rights, among other issues, is out of communion with the church and therefore should not partake in its most sacred rituals.

The same bishops largely turned a blind eye to former President Trumps flouting of religious values because they favored his willingness to pursue a conservative social agenda.

Still, it is remarkable that the American bishops would so overtly ignore Pope Francis admonition. The Holy See wrote the bishops saying their pursuit of the Communion document would become a source of discord rather than unity.

The Argentina-born Francis, the first pope from the Americas, comes from a Jesuit upbringing and is more liberal socially than his recent predecessors. He values social issues such as climate change and poverty over the bedroom issues  such as gay marriage, abortion and contraception  that seem to preoccupy Gomez and the American conservatives.

For Blinken, though, hands-off may be the best policy.

I think he is wise not to raise it with the pope, said veteran Vatican commentator Father Thomas Reese, a Jesuit, like Francis. The Communion issue is between the bishops and Biden as a Catholic. Having the government asking the papacy to rein in the bishops is a slippery slope that would lead to state interference in religion.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Jun. 27Kerry Group plc, the global taste & nutrition company, has announced that it has reached agreement to acquire Niacet Corp. from Sk Capital Partners for $1 billion.

Following the acquisition, expected later this year, according to published reports, Niacet will be integrated into the Irish ingredients company's global food protection and preservation platform.

Niacet is a global market leader in technologies for preservation with cost-effective low-sodium preservation systems for meat and plant based food across both conventional and clean-label solutions. The business has customers in over 75 countries and key manufacturing sites in Niagara Falls and Tiel in the Netherlands.

This year, Niacet is expected to have sales of approximately $220 million, according to a release from Kerry.

"The acquisition of Niacet's complementary product portfolio enhances our leadership position in the fast growing food protection and preservation market and significantly advances our sustainable nutrition ambition," Edmond Scanlon, CEO of Kerry, said in a release. "Niacet is a business with market leading positions, differentiated technologies and a strong and highly experienced management team. We are pleased to welcome the Niacet team to Kerry and we are excited at the potential the combination of our two businesses offers to outperform in this important and attractive market."

Added Kelly Brannen, CEO and significant minority owner of Niacet, "We are proud of the rich heritage we have built in Niacet, dating back to when my family purchased Niacet in 1978. This transaction affirms the reputation we have developed as a trusted industry leader with a long-dated track record of making the highest quality products in the market. Our constant focus on innovation has been key to the development and success of our new clean label products. I'd like to thank our employees for their dedication and commitment and SK Capital for its support throughout its ownership period. In partnership, we have strengthened and grown the company substantially, while establishing the next phase of Niacet's growth. We view the sale to Kerry as a perfect fit. It will allow Niacet to grow at a much faster rate and sell in new markets around the world. We are very pleased to become part of the Kerry family."

The transaction is expected to close by the end of the third quarter of 2021 subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
The grim task of recovering the bodies of victims at the site of the collapse of the Champlain Towers South condo in Surfside began overnight and continued into a somber Friday in an unfolding tragedy that is feared to be the worst building failure in Florida history.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said Friday morning that the number of people who are unaccounted for in Thursdays building collapse increased to 159  dramatically higher than the 99 reported earlier. The official death toll rose to four, as three more people were found in the rubble.

On Friday afternoon, the Miami-Dade Medical Examiners office identified the first of the deceased victims as Stacie Fang, 54, who died at Aventura Hospital. The cause was blunt-force injuries. Her son was rescued by firefighters on Thursday morning.

She said 120 people are now accounted for but stressed that all the numbers are fluid because some residents may not have been in the building when it collapsed.

Unfortunately, this has been a tragic night, Levine Cava said, while stressing that rescuers will continue searching because we still have hope that we will find people alive.

The list of unaccounted people was compiled from missing person reports and data collected at the reunification site at the Surfside Community Center, which was emptied Friday afternoon as family members transitioned to a new center at the Grand Beach Hotel one block north.

Demanding answers

Returning to Surfside for the second day on Friday, Gov. Ron DeSantis addressed mounting questions about the absence of any explanation for the collapse of the beachfront condominium that has left so many still unaccounted for.

Ive also been talking with Mayor Cava and we both agree. We need a definitive explanation for how this could have happened. And thats an explanation that needs to be an accurate explanation, he said. Its an explanation that, you know, we dont want to get wrong, obviously, but at the same time I do think its important that its timely because you have a lot of families here  you have families that lost loved ones in this building collapse. They have a right to know.

Story continues

Daniella Levine Cava, Mayor of Miami-Dade County, talks to family and friends of victims during the search-and-rescue operation after the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside on Thursday June 24th., 2021.

He added that he was aware the question is haunting many in Florida.

I think theres a lot of other people throughout this community and really throughout Florida who want to know: How could a building just collapse like that? he asked.

To that end, he said he spoke with President Joe Biden who reiterated his administrations full support and offered investigative personnel. DeSantis also offered the states full cooperation to find answers.

Well support whatever we can to do this right, but also to do it timely, so that we get the answers to the families, and then we get the answer to that to the people of Florida, he said.

Relief for the rescuers

As the Surfside building collapse response entered its second overnight operation, Miami-Dade County was preparing for larger pieces of equipment and more relief crews.

An international squad of rescue workers from Israel and Mexico were taking shifts Friday night, county spokesperson Rachel Johnson said. She said the team could be identified by green shirts. Theyre part of a broader roster of rescue crews who stepped in after the first wave of shifts Thursday and Friday by county crews.

Details remained scarce on the specifics of Miami-Dades rescue operation, but Fire Chief Alan Cominsky said roads are being cleared to make way for large cranes that havent been wanted during the early phase of the rescue.

Were bringing in equipment that can move the debris, he said at an evening press conference. This is a very strategic process. ... With this type of collapse, its extremely difficult. As this equipment comes in, well use it to assist moving certain pieces of debris. We cant just move it all at once.

The new equipment was cited by police evicting media crews from their perches on Harding Avenue, a block away from the collapse with a backdrop of the rubble. Cominsky said the area is needed for new equipment. Miami-Dade police also closed Byron Avenue to northbound traffic at 85th Street, temporarily ending the last northbound route on the barrier island that includes Surfside. Police said local traffic could pass through, but traffic was stalled after 7 p.m. for five blocks before the checkpoint.

Traffic patterns are changing as new equipment comes in, county Police Director Freddy Ramirez said at the press conference.

A new reunification center

At midafternoon, a county bus idled outside the Surfside Community Center, where families lugging tote bags emerged in small groups to board it. Families and friends missing loved ones have been there at the former family reunification center for more than 24 hours, and the mood was more exhausted and despairing than the day before.

From left to right, Fayzah Bushnaq and Maria Fernanda Martinez comfort each other next to the Champlain Towers South Condo in Surfside, Florida, Friday, June 25, 2021. The apartment building partially collapsed on Thursday, June 24.

After several people got on, the bus made the one-block venture north to the Grand Beach Hotel, a luxury property and the site of the new reunification center. A valet service parked and retrieved vehicles for other people who were also making the hotel their uncertain home until search and rescue crews find signs of their family members and loved ones.

Some hotel employees wheeled in supplies  trays of bagels and boxes of tissues  but large trash bags of donations carried by volunteers were turned away due to a lack of space to put everything.

As a morose Shabbat approached, families emerged from the hotel wearing kippot and sunglasses to walk north toward the small strip of businesses on Harding, past a throng of media cameras. Some whispered in hushed tones about potential signs of life in the rubble, clinging to hope that a miracle would bring their loved ones back home.

The missing

Among those still missing are Cassondra Stratton, who lived in the Champlain Towers South condo with her husband, Mike Stratton. A political strategist, he had left Monday on a business trip for Washington, D.C., where he got a frantic call from his wife early Thursday morning about their condo building shaking. Then the line went dead.

It was 1:30 a.m., Ill never, never forget that, he said.

Now Cassondra Stratton, a 40-year-old model, actress and Pilates instructor, is one of the unaccounted for  feared to be trapped under the rubble as Miami-Dade search and rescue teams continue looking for those still alive.

She was the most fun, vivacious person you could ever imagine, he said, his voice cracking with emotion. She was full of life, we were always doing something.

Fayzah Bushnaq, 27, from Virgina writes a message on the sand close to the Champlain Towers South Condo in Surfside, Florida, Friday, June 25, 2021. The apartment building partially collapsed on Thursday, June 24.

Latin American victims

About 30 people from Latin America and the Caribbean  including Colombia, Cuba, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and Argentina  are among those reported missing by friends and family following the collapse, highlighting the international reach of the tragedy.

While the cause of the 12-story oceanfront condo towers collapse remains unknown, Levine Cava and other county officials confirmed that there was no sinkhole under the building.

State Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, who also serves as the state fire marshal, said on CNN early Friday morning the rescue mission would continue into the day, with search and rescue teams from Naples and Orlando coming to relieve Miami-Dade searchers who had been working their way through the rubble for more than 24 hours.

He said search and rescue teams were using everything at their disposal in the desperate search for life, cutting into the concrete with saws and using infrared cameras after boring through holes in the rubble, along with sonar and specially trained dogs. And when they think they have heard a noise, often the dozens of workers on site will go still and silent in the hope of figuring out where it came from, he said.

The live active rescue will continue, Patronis said without going into how long he thinks a person can survive under the debris. The families deserve it.

So far, since a child and his mother were rescued on Thursday morning, workers had not found any survivors under the tons of shattered concrete and rebar at Champlain Towers South condo.

Rescuers battled intermittent fires in the rubble pile Friday, hampering retrieval efforts and clouding the area with thick smoke.

Assistant Miami-Dade Fire Chief Ray Jadallah said crews brought in heavy machinery overnight to remove rubble from above. The rescuers boring through the concrete from the garage under the building are only entering the passageways after structural engineers determine what is safe and where pylons should be placed to bolster support.

Asked if he believes there is a chance of anyone still being alive, Jadallah would only say, We have hope.

He said crews underground are also now using jackhammers to break through the concrete.

He said workers heard sounds overnight, and while using sensitive equipment they stood silent as they tried to determine just what those sounds were. He said he didnt believe any of them were from survivors.

Its not necessarily human sound, Jadallah said. It could be twisting steel.

Search and rescue personnel with dogs search for survivors through the rubble at the Champlain Towers South Condo in Surfside, Florida, Friday, June 25, 2021. The apartment building partially collapsed on Thursday, June 24.

Even as the outlook of finding survivors grew more grim, eight search and rescue teams from around the state were standing by to help teams who had worked the past 24 hours from Miami and Miami-Dade. Homicide detectives also began working with the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner overnight in the hope of being able to identify any recovered victims.

Miami Beach Sen. Jason Pizzo was at the scene overnight Thursday and into early Friday morning, where he watched as tactical teams of six worked to extricate bodies from the rubble.

He saw one body taken in a yellow body bag and another that was marked.

A homicide unit tent was set up along the beach, Pizzo said, and staff under Medical Examiner Dr. Emma Lew were carrying the yellow bags.

Community vigil

A short distance away at the Surfside Community Center, dozens of families kept an informal vigil at the family reunification site 24 hours since the building partially collapsed. A gust of wind and rain forced people seated outside the center to take refuge under the buildings central walkway.

Rabbi Sholom Lipskar, spiritual leader of the Shul of Bal Harbour, prays during the search-and-rescue operation after the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside on Thursday night June 24th., 2021. At left are Rabbi Mendy Levy, Chabad Chaplaincy Network Chaplain -- Mount Sinai Medical Center and Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.

Close to midnight, it was a soggy scene. Some relatives of the victims, who had been there since Thursday morning, were awaiting results to DNA swabs that would help identify their loved ones. Volunteers continued to bring in food, and others offered T-shirts, towels and blankets.

On television, Local 10 cameras captured the scene as one body wrapped in a yellow bag was brought out of the debris.

After the rain subsided, dust and smoke from the ongoing work on the debris pile had not settled.

At about the same time, President Biden signed an order declaring a disaster in Florida and authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide financial and logistical support to local officials and individuals. Earlier on Thursday, Levine Cava and Gov. Ron DeSantis signed their own disaster declarations, triggering the process for the president to activate FEMAs response.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration may help determine the cause of the Surfside building collapse.

The agency, which also investigated the Florida International University bridge collapse in 2018, was on the scene hours after the Surfside building fell on Thursday.

Erika Ruthman, an OSHA spokesperson, said the agency remains in Surfside and is working with local authorities to gather information to determine if the event is related to any active construction or maintenance operations on the structure.

Surfside is now a warren of coned-off streets, one-ways, and detours as crews limit access to the site. Harding Avenue, the usually bustling commercial southbound route parallel to Collins Avenue, was completely cleared of any parked cars.

Day began breaking over the site around 6 a.m., the rising sun partially obscured by plumes of dust and ash as crews continued to try to drill their way into the collapsed structure. Another small fire appeared to have broken out, filling the air with an acrid, smoky scent.

About 70 of the Champlain Towers Souths 136 apartments were destroyed or damaged, according to Frank Rollason, director of Miami-Dade Emergency Management.

The property, at 8777 Collins Ave., a block north of Miami Beach, was completed in 1981.

Previously, the worst building failure in Florida happened that same year.

The five-story condominium called Harbour Cay in Cocoa Beach collapsed March 27, 1981, due to multiple construction and design problems just as workers were pouring concrete for the roof slab, according to Florida Today. The building pancaked, killing 11 people and injuring 23 others.

Late Thursday, a lawyer representing a proposed class of Champlain Towers South homeowners filed a lawsuit in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, claiming the condo association failed to secure and safeguard the lives and property of lead plaintiff Manuel Drezner and other residents. Drezner was not in the condo building when it collapsed.

As a lawyer, I cant fix what is irreparable, said attorney Brad Sohn. But what I can do is fight to immediately fully compensate these victims so that they can focus all of their energy on healing as best they can. Our investigation continues, but we strongly believe this was preventable.

Faith groups

Meanwhile, religious organizations offered their assistance to victims of the disaster, which struck at the center of a strong Jewish community.

Two faith-based groups of note were represented at the Surfside Community Center on 93rd Street and Collins Avenue

One, Israel-based Hatzalah (Hebrew for rescue or relief), has been in operation in South Florida for 13 years and, according to Coordinator Andre Roitman, was among the first groups to be on the scene of the disaster site early Thursday. A bill signed into law June 14 by Gov. Ron DeSantis authorized Hatzalah ambulances to use flashing lights and sirens when responding to disasters.

Roitman said about a dozen Hatzalah volunteers continue to circulate between the site and the center, bringing supplies like pallets of bottled water and prescriptions, which many survivors inside the building had left behind as they rushed to safety.

Family and friends wait for for updates at a reunification center at 9301 Collins Ave in Surfside during the search-and-rescue operation after the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside on Thursday June 24th., 2021.

Another faith-based group was also present at the center Friday morning: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, better known as the Mormon Church. Eight young men on mission in South Florida congregated outside the reunification center around 8:45 a.m. Two of them, identifying themselves as Elder Tarter, 19, and Elder Merrill, 21, said providing comfort to victims and their families was part of their calling.

Were here to try to take some of that pain away, Merrill said.

A steady flow of donations has been pouring into the Shul of Bal Harbour, where a group of around 20 volunteers unloaded crates of food, blankets, and more to be distributed to community members displaced by the condo collapse.

Isack Merenfeld, a member of Skylake Synagogue, an Orthodox shul in North Miami Beach, said he quickly rented a U-Haul after he got a call from his rabbi, and brought his two sons along to help unload the donations. Skylake served as a drop-off point for anyone who wanted to donate.

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.

Every food and drink item transported in his rented truck was kosher, Merenfeld said. Other trucks were also headed for the Surfside Community Center now being used as a family reunification center.

Among non-food items were air mattresses, pillows, clothing, and electronics like phone chargers.

Asked whether community members like him plan to invite displaced Jewish neighbors to their for Shabbat tomorrow night, Merenfeld said, Obviously that will happen. Without question.

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A legislative package signed by South Carolina lawmakers earlier this month will increase fishing license fees and attempt to rebuild the states flounder population.

Anglers in South Carolina will have their saltwater fishing license fees increased from $10 to $15 starting July 1, according to a press release from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR). The increase came about after Gov. Henry McMaster signed a legislative package geared toward alleviating overfishing of the local flounder population. The money will go toward rebuilding population efforts, according to the press release.

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A study conducted by researchers in 2019 from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina shows the southeast flounder population is declining and has been for years. SCDNR conducted their own research following the study and found that not only was the population in decline, but the average size of the fish was also taking a hit.

Our results also suggest the average size of flounder encountered in our surveys has declined by over an inch over the last 10 years or so, Dr. Joey Ballenger, associate scientist at SCDNR, said after the study. This is often a sign of heavy fishing pressure, since people are removing the fish as soon as they reach minimum size requirements, with very few bigger fish remaining in the population.

In an effort to better these numbers, the legislation has set out a minimum size limit of 16 inches and a minimum catch limit of five fish per person and only 10 fish per boat a day. Before the change, anglers could keep 15-inch flounder and the catch limit was set at 10 fish per person with 20 per boat per day.

These new management measures will end the over harvest of flounder, allowing the fishery to begin to rebuild, Phil Maier, who oversees the agencys Marine Resources Division, said in a press release. Were grateful to the angling community for sharing their vision for the fishery and to the leaders who worked hard to craft this solution. We look forward to seeing this popular fish become a more common catch along the South Carolina coast.
Three people, including a gunman, were killed Saturday after a man stole a plumber's truck, crashed it into a house and opened fire on two bystanders before being felled by police, authorities said.

The large truck struck a vehicle before crashing into a house in Winthrop, Massachusetts, just outside Boston, Winthrop Police Chief Terence Delehanty said at a news conference.

Two people in the vehicle that was hit were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, he said. No one was inside the home at the time, he said.

After the second crash, the suspect fled on foot and shot a male and female, Massachusetts State Police said in a statement.

"We are investigating whether the male may have been trying to engage the suspect to end the threat," state police said.

Delehanty said the suspect was armed with "approximately" two weapons when he went down the block and opened fire on the two bystanders.

Winthrop police opened fire on the suspect, killing him, they said. The male and female also died, according to Massachusetts State Police.

A Winthrop officer was hospitalized "but was not seriously injured," the Winthrop department said in a statement.
Matt Hancock leaves 10 Downing Street with aide Gina Coladangelo - Getty

Matt Hancock resigned as Health Secretary and Gina Coladangelo is quitting her job as a non-executive director for the Department of Health and Social Care after pictures emerged of the pair embracing in a breach of social distancing guidance.

The saga has reignited concerns about the appointment of Mrs Coladangelo, a friend of Mr Hancock from Oxford University, in the first place.

Labour has demanded the Department of Health's most senior official release all documents relating to the recruitment of Mrs Coladangelo to a 15,000-a-year position supposedly holding the former Health Secretary to account.

And the pairs relationship is facing further scrutiny over two Department for Health and Social Care contracts awarded during Mr Hancocks tenure as Health Secretary.

Justin Madders, Labours shadow health minister, has called for further investigations into the contracts. Mr Madders said: Each new day seems to bring a new level of cronyism and sleaze for this government.

Anyone who has a passing connection to the Health Secretary or the Conservative Party can seemingly bag themselves an NHS contract."

Follow the latest updates below.

05:57 AM

Doctor expresses anger at hypocrisy but MP stands by 'friend'

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05:54 AM

The diverse Cabinet line up

05:01 AM

Covid, pay rises and social care to greet Javid

Sajid Javid's previous Government roles - that of chancellor and before the home secretary - were great offices of state, traditionally thought of as more prestigious than his new job as Health Secretary.

But since the coronavirus pandemic hit last year, the profile of the person tasked with keeping the nation healthy has been shot to the top of the agenda.

Story continues

Matt Hancock was a regular face at press briefings and in the Commons, giving updates to the nation on the coronavirus.

But it is not only the pandemic Mr Javid will have to deal with, his in-tray will be full of challenges for the health and social care sector, some of which predate Covid-19 and others caused by it.

The most immediate test for Mr Javid will be continuing the country's progress in lifting lockdown measures and vaccinating the rest of the population.

Read more: Javid to replace Hancock as new Health Secretary

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04:25 AM

Comment: Hancock's behaviour was an insult- he had to go

I'm not looking for sympathy when I tell you that, for much of the past year, I have not been able to hug my kids. I have leukaemia, and as such did not need to be convinced of the need for shielding back when Covid-19 was raging and we had no means of combatting it other than lockdown.

I dont want sympathy because I know I was far from alone. Well over a million people shielded  indeed, some are still doing so because they are understandably nervous about the delta variant. And almost everyone in the country had their own, private, torment of some sort. So we really were in it together.

No, I tell you my story only so you can get some understanding of the rage that had seethed inside me since Friday morning, when the news of Matt Hancocks behaviour broke, and why I am so delighted that he has now resigned.

Read Stephen Pollard's opinion piece in full

03:23 AM

Today's top stories
A team of archaeologists and forensic scientists investigating gravesites that may be connected to the Tulsa Race Massacre announced Friday that they found the skeletal remains of children and a Black man with multiple gunshot wounds.

The investigation by the 1921 Graves Investigation team began in July 2020 when archaeologists examined sites potentially linked to the massacre. The team found 12 graves in October 2020 in the area of the "Original 18," where funeral home records show at least 18 Black victims were buried. The team began to exhume graves from the site June 1.

The team announced on Friday that a total of 35 graves were found. From those graves, 19 individuals were taken for forensic analysis, nine of which have been completed.

"Five of those nine were juveniles, and the remaining four are adults," said forensic anthropologist Phoebe Stubblefield, a descendant of a survivor of the massacre who is assisting in the search. She said one individual was an older female, and the remaining adults' ages ranged from 30s to 40s.

USA TODAY Opinion: 100 years after the Tulsa Race Massacre, one womans family is still tormented by racial injustice and police brutality

Stubblefield said the team examines the shapes of skulls to determine their ancestry.

"So far, when we can detect it, has been of African descent, she said.

One Black man was found in a casket who still had a bullet lodged in his left shoulder.

Members of the excavation team and the public oversight committee carry a grave out of the unmarked site.

"He does have associated trauma," Stubblefield said. "He has multiple projectile wounds ... it affects his cranium and possibly his left arm."

Oklahoma state archaeologist Kary Stackelbeck said that of the 35 graves, only one was marked; the rest have no record of name, age or cause of death.

It's unknown exactly how many Black people died as a result of the Tulsa Race Massacre, which began May 31, 1921, and lasted two days. As many as 300 Black residents were killed and more than 35 square blocks of the area of Greenwood, known as "Black Wall Street," was destroyed.

Story continues

Destroying Black Wall Street: An illustrated history of the Tulsa Race Massacre

A rumor, then a gunshot: How Black Wall Street was destroyed in the Tulsa Race Massacre

Once scientific analysis of the bodies is completed, the Mass Graves Public Oversight Committee will recommend where to permanently bury the people.

Kavin Ross, chair of the Mass Graves Public Oversight Committee and a descendent of a survivor of the massacre, said the process was a "very sobering and very powerful experience," and he hopes for more findings.

"There was no documentation of the few that we did find, by the city or anywhere else. But I'm so happy that we did find these folks," Ross said. "I'm anxious to put them in a proper rest."

Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jord_mendoza.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tulsa Race Massacre site: Skeletal remains of children, adults found
San Ysidro port of entry in San Diego. Gregory Bull/AP Photo

Southern California lawmakers called for Homeland Security to end pandemic border restrictions.

Last Sunday, the department extended COVID-19 restrictions through July 21.

San Diego's mayor said he saw no reason to continue restrictions when COVID cases were plummeting.

A group of southern California lawmakers, including San Diego's mayor, called for an end to pandemic restrictions along the border with Mexico as part of an effort to boost the local economy.

"As the rate of COVID-19 cases continue to plummet, and other restrictions have been lifted, I see no reason to continue selective restrictions that impact our cross-border community," Mayor Todd Gloria said in a press release.

The border has been closed to non-essential travel since March 2020. The Dept. of Homeland Security last Sunday extended through July 21 those restrictions for all land or ferry crossings into the US.

San Diego's San Ysidro district, which touches the border, saw retail sales drop to $250 million in the 12 months ending in March, according to the local chamber of commerce. That was down from nearly $900 million in the same year-earlier period, the chamber's Juan Miguel Hornedo told San Diego Red.

About 200 businesses in San Ysidro closed last year, he said.

"Over the last year, we've lost 1,900 jobs. Those are 1,900 families that counted on their jobs to feed their children that no longer have that option," the chamber's Jason Wells told San Diego's KGTV last week.

Non-essential travel to Canada and Mexico will continue to be restricted, while "ensuring access for essential trade & travel," Homeland Security said on Twitter. But the department also said it had seen "positive developments" that might lead to easing restrictions.

"I welcome this note of hope but every day legal border crossings are limited is extremely harmful to San Diego's economy and the small businesses that power it," Gloria responded.

San Diego supervisor Nora Vargas said: "Any delay only exacerbates the impacts of the pandemic."

Read the original article on Business Insider
LONDON (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has released two women's rights activists detained nearly three years ago after they had served their time, London-based Saudi rights group ALQST said on Sunday.

Samar Badawi and Nassima al-Sadah were detained in July 2018, along with more than a dozen other activists, on suspicion of harming Saudi interests, a move that drew international condemnation.

The Saudi government's media office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Few details have been provided by authorities on the charges against the women or on sporadic trials that have been closed to the public.

Their release follows that of prominent activist Loujain al-Hathloul in February who had served half of her custodial sentence on broad cybercrime and counterterrorism charges. She still faces a five-year travel ban.

Human Rights Watch welcomed the report by ALQST on Twitter of the release of Badawi and Sadah: "These brave women should have never been detained in the first place. They should have been appreciated for leading change in Saudi Arabia."

Badawi received the United States' International Women of Courage Award in 2012 for challenging the Saudi male guardianship system, and was among the first women who signed a petition calling on the government to allow women to drive and to vote and run in local elections.

Sadah, from the restive Shi'ite-majority Qatif province, has also campaigned to abolish the guardianship system.

CRACKDOWN

The women's rights activists were detained before and after the kingdom in 2018 lifted a ban on women driving as part of social reforms that have been accompanied by a crackdown on dissent that has also netted clerics and intellectuals.

Badawi's former husband is serving a 15-year jail sentence for human rights activism. Her brother Raif Badawi, a prominent blogger, is serving a 10-year sentence on charges of insulting Islam and for cyber crime.

U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has taken a tough stance over Saudi Arabia's human rights record, which came under the spotlight after the October 2018 murder of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom's Istanbul consulate.

Story continues

Washington in February released an intelligence report implicating de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Khashoggi's killing. The prince denies any involvement.

In April, the State Department voiced concern about the sentencing of a Saudi aid worker by a counterterrorism court to 20 years in prison followed by a 20-year travel ban.

(Reporting by Marwa Rashad; Editing by Gareth Jones)
(Bloomberg) -- Saudi Aramco outlined plans to invest in blue hydrogen as the world shifts away from dirtier forms of energy, but said it will take at least until the end of this decade before a global market for the fuel is developed.

Were going to have a large share of the market for blue hydrogen, Aramcos chief technology officer, Ahmad Al-Khowaiter, said in an interview with Bloomberg Television on Sunday in Dhahran, eastern Saudi Arabia, where the companys based. The scale up isnt going to happen before 2030. Were not going to see large volumes of blue ammonia before then.

Hydrogen is seen as crucial to slowing climate change since it emits no harmful greenhouse gases when burned. The blue form of the fuel is made from natural gas, with the carbon emissions generated in the conversion process being captured. The hydrogen is sometimes converted again into ammonia to allow it to be transported more easily between continents.

The state energy firm may end up spending roughly $1 billion on capturing carbon for every 1 million tons of blue ammonia produced, Khowaiter said. That would exclude the expense of producing the gas, he said.

Demand Driven

Aramco, the worlds biggest oil company, sent its first shipment of blue ammonia in September to Japan, a pilot project to show the fuel could be exported. Aramco will decide on further shipments depending on the level of demand, Khowaiter said.

He declined to comment on how much gas Aramco was planning to produce for its blue-hydrogen efforts or on whether the company had abandoned plans to make liquefied natural gas.

The kingdom said in 2019 it aimed to double gas output to 23 billion cubic feet a day this decade. At the time, it said it would use the extra supplies to wean local power plants off oil and export the rest by pipeline or as LNG.

While Aramco predicts demand for oil will remain high for years, if not decades, the company is positioning itself to develop newer types of fuels. Blue hydrogen is in its infancy and will take years to produce on a mass scale given the expense and complications involved with the technology.

Story continues

Long Cycle

Aramco needs to make deals with buyers before investments in blue hydrogen can begin properly, said Khowaiter.

From the time you make clear off-take agreements, youre talking about a five- to six-year capital cycle to invest in the production and conversion requirements, Khowaiter said. Youre talking about a pretty long time scale.

The company has not ruled out producing green hydrogen, which is made from renewable energy, typically wind or solar, and leads to no carbon emissions. Pennsylvania-based Air Products & Chemicals Inc. and Saudi firm ACWA Power International are leading the kingdoms efforts with green hydrogen, constructing a $5 billion plant in the north-eastern city of Neom.

Aramco is looking into synergies between the two types of hydrogen, Khowaiter said. Still, he emphasized that costs for producing blue hydrogen are probably around one-fifth of those of green hydrogen, at least at todays solar and wind prices. Many analysts expect green hydrogen to become as cheap or cheaper within the next decade.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

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CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi arrived in Baghdad on Sunday, becoming the first Egyptian head of state to travel to Iraq since former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990, rupturing diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Relations between the two countries have been steadily improving in recent years, with many senior officials from both countries exchanging visits.

Sisi's visit to Iraq is part of a summit between Egypt, Jordan and Iraq meant to strengthen security, economic, trade and investment cooperation between the three Arab countries.

(Reporting by Amina Ismail; Editing by Toby Chopra)
D Cafe and Catering / D Cafe and Catering

We here at GOBankingRates want to help get our nations small businesses back on their feet after the COVID-19 pandemic. To do that, were highlighting readers favorite small businesses around the country, and shining a spotlight on what makes them special to their customers and their towns.

In this edition of our Small Business Spotlight series, were featuring D Cafe & Catering, a soul food restaurant located in Atlanta. Owner Devotis Lee, aka Mrs. D, opened the cafe to form a community that brings people together with fresh, healthy food. Here, we chat with Lee about what the American dream means to her, her dedication to positively impacting others and the silver lining of being a business owner during the pandemic.

2021 Small Business Spotlight: Check Out Our Small Business Stories, Plus the Nominated Businesses Near You

Was there a particular moment or experience that inspired you to start your business?

Yes, I started my business after [being exposed] over and over to how I could reach for more of the American dream: independence, freedom, wealth and a legacy.

See: A Family-Run Cafe in West Texas Transforms Into a Legendary Country Music Venue

What did you take from past experiences or jobs that you knew you wanted to be a part of your new business?

Value, respect of others, integrity and transparency. To use my platform to help improve the lives of individuals, which improves the lives of families, which equals better communities.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of being a business owner?

Looking at the past, when we were just a building that had one stove in it and a few tables, and looking at how we have grown in our building now, with style and substance  how far we have come. Understanding my real worth  no longer wanting to fit [in], yet wanting to make an impact and difference in this world. Looking around and no longer accepting peoples doubt.

More Small Businesses: A Zero-Waste Store Grows in Brooklyn

Story continues

How has the pandemic affected your business?

The pandemic kicked us hard, as it did many small businesses that struggle day-to-day. Even though it was a black cloud hanging over for a long time, the silver lining was it forced you to take a look at your business. You could then see a better picture of what works and what doesnt.

Check Out: Atlanta Childrens Theater Trains the Stars of Tomorrow

How can people continue to support your business during this time?

People can continue to support us by using our catering services, dining in, renting our event space, and using our pick-up and delivery services. We have a new service that is really beneficial to customers: A Message With a Meal. Send a meal to someone, just as if you were going to send flowers.

Check Out: Arizona Couple Turns a Family Ranch Into a Lavender-Filled Oasis

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own business?

If you are thinking about opening a business, do it.

I knew nothing about running a business. I went to work in the industry first because I never had experience [working in the restaurant industry] before. Then, I went to learn how to run a business, then how to survive running a business, then how to succeed in running a business.

Dont get stuck on what everybody else is doing. Understand your business and where you really want it to go. Someone said to me that youve got to just do it. Be willing to listen and learn  know nothing and everything can be improved.

Do it, go for it. You only have one life  embrace it! Life treats you the way you treat life!

More From GOBankingRates

This interview has been edited for clarity.

Last updated: June 2, 2021

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: A Soul Food Cafe in Atlanta Serves Up a Sense of Community
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -South Africa will tighten COVID-19 restrictions for 14 days as current containment measures are insufficient to cope with the speed and scale of new infections, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday.

The country, the worst-hit on the African continent in terms of recorded cases and deaths, is in the grip of a "third wave" of infections.

It recorded almost 18,000 new cases on Saturday, approaching the peak of daily infections seen in a second wave in January, and local scientists say the Delta coronavirus variant first identified in India seems to be spreading fast.

"Additional restrictions are necessary... Our focus is on limiting social contacts while preserving the economy," Ramaphosa said in a televised address to the nation.

Under the measures announced, all gatherings will be prohibited, there will be a curfew from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. and the sale of alcohol will be banned.

Schools will start closing from Wednesday but beaches and parks will remain open. Restaurants will only be able to sell food for takeaway or delivery.

"We will assess the impact of these interventions after 14 days to determine whether they need to be maintained or adjusted," Ramaphosa said.

South Africa recently received 1.4 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine via the COVAX Facility and an additional 1.2 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the president added.

So far the vaccine rollout in South Africa has been slow, with only around 2.7 million doses administered among a total population of 60 million.

Faced with opposition protests, the government has set a target of more than doubling the rate of daily vaccinations over the next month.

(Reporting by Alexander Winning and Tanisha HeibergEditing by Gareth Jones)
Timothy Short had to give up being a pilot and become a train driver

Timothy Short loves flying and has dreamt of being a pilot since he was a child.

It's seen by many as being a glamorous and exciting job, flying to beautiful locations with a big salary.

But like many other qualified pilots, he is no longer in the aviation industry, which is now facing a very different reality after the devastation caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Pilots have been made redundant or had schedules reduced, while there are few new opportunities.

What's more, the training costs a lot of money - and newly qualified pilots have been telling BBC Radio 4's You and Yours programme they are now in significant debt, with no jobs to go into.

"There's an urban myth that all pilots' mums and dads are multi-millionaires," says Timothy.

His training cost more than 70,000, but he's been hit twice by turbulence in the industry.

First, his employer Flybe went into liquidation in 2020. Then, just as he changed jobs to British Airways, flights were grounded by the global pandemic and the work dried up.

Timothy took out loans to pay for his training and is now paying back 800 a month.

Salaries squeezed

According to a survey conducted in January this year, by aviation publisher FlightGlobal and Goose recruitment, only 43% of the world's pilots are still flying for a living.

Things have got so bad that the industry is advising would-be pilots to consider another profession.

Phil Flowers, from the Independent Pilots Association (IPA), says: "I wouldn't advise anyone to be a pilot. Frankly, don't do it.

"We estimate that the overall reduction in UK pilot numbers at the moment to be between 15% and 20%. In short, there's probably been a loss of around 5,000 pilots."

Timothy says that, contrary to popular belief, pilots do not earn a lot of money when they qualify. He says that's because of the rise of low-cost airlines that pay lower salaries.

"Most First Officers earn less than 40,000 a year. For Flybe, I was earning less then 30,000 when I started and a maximum of 45,000 a year," he says.

Story continues

There's also a myth that pilots have their training paid for by the airlines. In fact, many pilots pay for training themselves, with loans and help from families. It's common for parents of trainees to remortgage their homes and take out loans to pay for the qualifications.

Pilots say the aviation charity Pilots Together has helped them when they've struggled during the pandemic. The charity helped Timothy find a new job as a train driver.

Katy Lee is still flying, but much less than before the pandemic

Katy Lee is a pilot and trustee for Pilots Together. She says her flying schedule has halved: "Realistically, I fly maybe once a month. None of us are totally confident we will have a job in six months' time."

Katy is advising young people who want to become pilots that there's no future in aviation at the moment.

She advises not to spend tens of thousands of pounds on training and licence fees, especially if it means your parents are remortgaging their house to pay for it.

Mr Flowers of the IPA says it's difficult to put an exact figure on the devastation the pandemic has done to the aviation industry.

However, he adds: "If we assume that the 20% figure of pilot job losses translates into similar financial losses, then the economic loss is about 10.4bn, tax loss 1.74bn and total employment loss across aviation is currently 200,000 jobs."
(Bloomberg) -- South Africas President Cyril Ramaphosa raised the nations coronavirus alert status to its second-highest level, banning all gatherings and closing schools for two weeks. Luxembourgs prime minister tested positive for Covid. In Australia, officials expect the number of infections in Sydneys outbreak to increase in coming days, even as the city is now in a lockdown.

Hospitalizations and the number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care units across New York state have fallen to the lowest level since the pandemic began. AstraZeneca Plc started trials of a new variant vaccine that will be tested on people fully inoculated with two doses of Vaxzevria or an mRNA shot.

Chinas influence on The World Health Organization needs to be reined in, according to U.S. Senator Mitt Romney.

Key Developments:

Global Tracker: Cases top 180 million; deaths at 3.9 millionVaccine Tracker: About 2.9 billion doses administeredDelta variant threatens to destroy another European summerWhere can you fly right now? The race is on to save summerCan I be required to get vaccinated against Covid-19?: QuickTakeHeart problems, blood clots and other vaccine fears: QuickTake

Arkansas Governor Blames Conspiracy Theories (3:30 p.m. NY)

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson blamed his states rising hospitalizations in part on conspiracy theories about the effectiveness of vaccines.

Weve used incentives that have not been very successful, Hutchinson, a Republican, said on CBSs Face the Nation on Sunday. Weve obviously done marketing for our vaccines. We are educating, doing everything that we can.

The biggest concern is people who dont believe in the efficacy of it, he said. They believe in the conspiracy theories. I had emails today from a business person who was discouraging vaccines.

Slightly more than 52% of Arkansas adults have received at least one shot, compared with a national average of 66%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Story continues

S. Africa Raised to Second-Highest Alert Level (2:37 p.m. NY)

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa banned alcohol, outlawed public gatherings and closed schools to curb surging coronavirus infections.

The country will move to alert level 4, the nations second-highest, from level 3 with effect from midnight Sunday and the restrictions will remain for 14 days, Ramaphosa said in a televised address to the nation. Other restrictions include limiting travel to and from Gauteng, the nations commercial hub thats been hardest-hit by a third wave of Covid-19 cases.

We are in the grip of a devastating wave that by all indications seems like it will be worse than all those preceded it, its peak looks set to be higher than the previous waves, Ramaphosa said. The measures we are putting in place now are designed to allow as much economic activity to continue as possible while containing the spread of the virus.

Luxembourg PM Tests Positive, Soon After Summit (2:19 p.m. NY)

Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday, just days after he met face-to-face with the other 26 leaders of the European Union for a summit.

Bettel tested negative just before the two-day European Council began on Thursday and he wasnt in close contact with any of the leaders, an EU spokesman said on Twitter.

During the European Council, all sanitary measures were in place and the meeting was organized so as to ensure that social distancing could be observed at all times, the spokesman wrote.

Cases in Turkey Decline to 2021 Low (12:51 p.m. NY)

New infections in Turkey fell to less than 5,000 for the first time since November, according to official data.

NY Says Hospitalizations Now at Pandemic Low (NY 12:35 p.m.)

Hospitalizations, the number of patients in intensive care and intubations across the state of New York are all at their lowest levels since the pandemic began, governor Andrew Cuomo said.

Some 346 New Yorkers tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday, with 198 of that total in New York City.

Almost 70% of state residents aged 18 and older have had at least one vaccine dose.

Saudi Arabia Wants Hajj Pilgrims to Have Two Vaccine Shots (12:10 p.m. NY)

Saudi Arabia stressed the importance of getting two vaccine doses for all those attending Hajj this year, the Hajj and Umra Ministry said on Sunday.

The Arab kingdom earlier said it will only allow 60,000 nationals and residents to attend the annual pilgrimage for the second year in a row, in an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Russian Tourists Face Extra Hurdle to Visit Greece (11:56 a.m. NY)

All tourists from Russia will need to present a negative PCR or rapid test for Covid-19 to enter Greece as of June 30, even if they are vaccinated.

Greece amended its policy given the rise in delta variant cases in Russia, the tourism ministry said Sunday. All tourists from Russia will also be tested for coronavirus upon their arrival.

The decision comes after a two-day EU summit in which southern European countries came under fire for letting in tourists whove had unauthorized vaccines.

China Shouldnt Be Big Part of WHO, Senator Romney Says (11:20 a.m. NY)

Mitt Romney, Republican Senator of Utah, said he doesnt know the origin of Covid-19 virus, but is against China playing an important role in the World Health Organization.

Chinas effort to play a more and more assertive role in international bodies has to be pushed back or, in some cases, eliminated, Romney said on CNNs State of the Union. They really shouldnt be part of WHO in any significant way. And I think its because they have not been open and transparent.

China has rejected the theory that the virus originated in a lab in Wuhan, and a WHO report released in March called a lab leak unlikely. President Joe Biden has ordered the U.S. intelligence community to increase efforts to determine where the coronavirus came from.

U.K. New Cases and Death Numbers Decline (11:15 a.m. NY)

The U.K. reported the fewest daily coronavirus cases in five days and the number of deaths fell by half, a potential sign that the recent surge in cases linked to the delta variant may be nearing its peak. A total of 14,876 new cases were reported Sunday, down from 18,270 on Saturday, with deaths declining to 11 from 23 on Saturday.

The success of the countrys vaccine campaign -- more than 84% of adults have had at least one shot -- has limited the impact of the latest outbreak with fewer people getting serious cases or requiring hospitalization than in the previous waves.

South Africa Likely to Raise Coronavirus Alert Level (10:33 a.m. NY)

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is likely to move the country to coronavirus alert level 4, the countrys second highest, to curb a rapidly escalating number of Covid-19 infections, Timeslive reported, citing people it didnt identify.

The move may result in a ban on alcohol sales and an increased night-time curfew, the news website said. Other measures could include closing public parks and beaches, as well as a ban on public gatherings apart from funerals, it said.

Ramaphosa is scheduled to address the nation on Sunday at 8 p.m. in Pretoria.

AstraZeneca Vaccinates First Subjects in New Trial (8:54 p.m. NY)

The first participants in a Phase II/III trial for the new Covid-19 variant shot AZD2816 were vaccinated on Sunday to assess its safety and immunogenicity in both previously vaccinated and unvaccinated adults, AstraZeneca said in a statement.

The trial will recruit about 2,250 participants across the U.K., South Africa, Brazil and Poland. The vaccine will be administered to individuals whove previously been fully vaccinated with two doses of Vaxzevria or an mRNA vaccine, at least three months after their last injection.

Ireland to Decide Soon on Possible Reopening Delay (8:52 a.m. NY)

Irelands prime minister said the government will decide early this week on whether to delay a planned reopening of indoor hospitality venues beyond July 5 over concerns about the delta variant.

Nphet, the Irish public health agency, is likely to meet on Monday in advance of a planned Tuesday Cabinet meeting, Taoiseach Micheal Martinsaid Sunday on RTE Television, according to the Irish Independent newspaper.

Martin said the nations calculus is different now from when it locked down over Christmas. Data from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control show Ireland has the highest uptake in Europe of Covid vaccines among people 50 or older.

Bangladesh Halts Public Transport as Virus Deaths Mount (8:50 p.m. NY)

Bangladesh will halt public transport from Monday as the daily Covid death count surges to a record, the Cabinet Division said in a notice on Sunday. All shopping malls, tourist sites, resorts and places of entertainment will also remain closed under the new rules.

The country on Sunday reported 119 deaths from Covid-19, the highest daily count since the start of the pandemic; the caseload surged by 5,268 in the same period to 888,406.

U.K.s Javid Says Priority Is Getting Country Back to Normal (7:08 a.m. NY)

The U.K.s new health chief Sajid Javid, a former Chancellor of the Exchequer, said his top priority is ending the pandemic amid a surge in virus cases thats delayed the easing of restrictions. Javid was named to the post Saturday by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The latest official figures show new coronavirus cases in the U.K. have climbed to their highest level since early February, with 18,270 new infections reported Saturday.

Indonesia Reports Record Daily Cases (5:56 p.m. HK)

Indonesia reported a record number of daily Covid-19 infections, with 21,342 positive cases on June 27 taking the number of people whove been infected at any point to more than 2.1 million. As many as 409 people died, bringing the total death count to more than 57,000.

The country innoculated 1.3 million people on June 26, according to a statement posted on the cabinet secretarys website. More than 27 million people have had their first vaccine shot and about 13 million people their second dose.

Denmark Records First Case of New Delta-Plus Variant (4:46 p.m. HK)

Denmark recorded its first case of the delta-plus variant, a mutation of the strain first discovered in India, the state agency dealing with infectious diseases said in a statement. The variant was brought in by an infected passenger traveling from Portugal by plane. The passenger and the other people on board the plane are being tracked down and will have to go into isolation, the agency said.

Sweden Sees Removal of Restrictions by November (4:32 p.m. HK)

Swedens state epidemiologist said he expects all virus restrictions will have ended by November. By then, Sweden will probably have removed its work from home recommendation and social distance requirement, Anders Tegnell said in an interview published in the DN newspaper.

Sweden is entering a more stable phase, Tegnell told the newspaper. One of the remaining threats are pockets of people who remain unvaccinated, a problem best solved by local authorities rather than the central government, he said.

Russia Cases Drop First Time in Five Days (4:30 p.m. HK)

In the past day Russia reported 20,538 new confirmed coronavirus infections, the first drop in five days, raising the total to 5.45 million, according to data from the governments virus response center. In the past day, 599 people died of the disease, the first decline in deaths in six days. That brings the total death toll to 133,282.

Johnson & Johnson Vaccine to Arrive in India (1:30 p.m. HK)

Johnson & Johnsons one-shot vaccine could be available in India as early as July, India Today reported, without saying where it got the information. The Association of Healthcare Providers is privately procuring the vaccine, which will be priced at $25, the publication said. The vaccine will have limited supply, however, with only a few thousands thousand available initially.

Malaysia to Extend Total Lockdown, PM Says (1:05 p.m. HK)

Malaysia is set to extend a nationwide lockdown as the number of new Covid infections still remains elevated, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said.

The movement restrictions will now stay in place until the nations daily caseload falls below 4,000, Muhyiddin said on Sunday, according to a tweet from the Bernama news agency. The government will announce more comprehensive assistance to all groups of society on Monday or Tuesday, he said during a visit to a vaccination center in the state of Selangor.

Australias Darwin Joins Sydney in Lockdown (11:30 a.m. HK)

The Australian city of Darwin joined Sydney in lockdown as the nation grapples with a widening Covid-19 outbreak that includes the highly contagious Delta strain.

Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory, was put into a snap, 48-hour lockdown starting Sunday after four new local cases were detected. Earlier, officials in the state of New South Wales warned they expect the number of infections in Sydneys Delta-variant outbreak to increase over the next few days.

New Zealand Extends Wellington Curbs (10:25 a.m. HK)

New Zealand extended restrictions in the Wellington region for two days despite finding no evidence yet that an Australian tourist with Covid-19 spread the virus while visiting the city last weekend.

Gathering limits and social distancing requirements will remain in place until at least midnight on June 29, Covid Response Minister Chris Hipkins told a news conference Sunday in Wellington.

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A group wait in line to enter the Sutherland Springs Baptist Church to view a memorial, Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017, in Sutherland Springs, Texas. AP Photo/Eric Gay

In 2017, a gunman killed 25 people at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas.

Families of the victims sued the gun store where the he purchased the weapon.

The Texas Supreme Court dismissed the suit, citing a law that protects gun makers and retailers.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

The Texas Supreme Court ruled the families of victims killed during a mass shooting cannot sue the gun store where the suspect purchased the weapon he used.

The lawsuit was brought in 2019, nearly two years after Devin Kelley gunned down 25 people at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, before killing himself after a chase. It was the deadliest mass shooting in Texas history.

Family members of the victims filed a lawsuit against Academy Sports & Outdoors, a sporting goods chain, where Kelley had purchased the AR-556 semi-automatic rifle, ammunition, and high-capacity magazine used in the shooting. The lawsuit argued the store wrongfully sold him the gun because he presented an ID from Colorado, where it's illegal to sell high-capacity magazines.

Read more: These 7 federal judges have had past brushes with Trump and are now helping to decide the Capitol rioters' fate

After two lower courts declined to dismiss the case, Academy Sports appealed to the Texas Supreme Court, which ruled the lawsuit couldn't go forward due to the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which protects gun retailers and makers when their products are used to commit crimes.

The court also said the sale was legal despite Kelley's Colorado ID. The US Gun Control Act required the retailer to comply with Colorado laws, but the court said it only applies to firearms, not the magazine.

Families of the victims are also suing the US Air Force. Kelley was convicted of domestic violence in a military court while serving in the Air Force. The Air Force later admitted it failed to divulge the conviction to the proper FBI crime database, which would have prevented Kelley from purchasing the weapon.

Story continues

The Air Force said at the time it launched a review into how the records were handled.

Have a news tip? Contact this reporter at kvlamis@insider.com.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Three people, including a 13-year-old boy, were wounded in a drive-by shooting Saturday night outside the Pike Outlets. (Los Angeles Times)

Three people, including a 13-year-old boy, were wounded in a drive-by shooting Saturday in downtown Long Beach outside the Pike Outlets, a popular waterfront restaurant and retail center, police said.

The shooting occurred about 7:30 p.m. near Shoreline Drive and Aquarium Way, Police Chief Robert Luna told the Long Beach Post. Two men and the young boy were wounded in the shooting.

One of the victims was in critical condition, according to the Post.

The shooting occurred in front of a Hooters restaurant, with at least one bullet entering the building, Luna said.

Surveillance video helped police detain three people for questioning. No motive was given for the shooting.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Photo credit: Michael Steele - Getty Images

UPDATE: The spectator at the Tour de France who caused the crash during the first stage has been arrested, according to sources within the investigation.

During Stage 1 of the Tour de France, a fan caused a huge crash that took out the majority of the peloton.

Tour de France organizers have said they will sue the spectator who caused the massive pileup.

The roadside fan who caused a giant crash in the first stage of the 2021 Tour de France on Saturday will be sued by the organizers.

A woman held up a banner while standing on the edge of the road and was looking straight at the television motorbike cameras, with her back turned on the speeding peloton.

How to watch the 2021 Tour de France

German rider Tony Martin of Jumbo Visma brushed past her and was knocked off balance near the head of the peloton, and when he fell it caused a horrifying domino effect, creating a tangle of bikes and bodies.

DSMs German rider Jasha Sutterlin was the only one who had to pull out at that moment but several people were hurt, including spectators.

We are suing this woman who behaved so badly, Tour deputy director Pierre-Yves Thouault told AFP.

We are doing this so that the tiny minority of people who do this dont spoil the show for everyone, he said.

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Italian champion Sonny Colbrelli of Bahrain-Victorious and Dutch rider Wout van Aert of Jumbo Visma, who ran over Martin before falling head over heels, had both been amongst the favorites to win the first stage hilltop finish, but both were badly delayed.

Two Ineos riders, Richie Porte and Tao Geoghegan Hart, both lost time, while champion Tadej Pogacar saw his righthand man Marc Hirschi badly hurt.

According to regional newspaper Ouest France the woman who was wearing a yellow jacket fled the scene and has yet to be found.

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Former President Donald Trump speaks to supporters during a rally at the Lorain County Fairgrounds in Wellington, Ohio, on on June 26, 2021. Scott Olson/Getty Images

Trump said military leaders were more concerned about being "woke" than "fighting enemies."

In his first rally post-White House, Trump branded military leaders as "weak and ineffective."

His comments come after top military officials voiced their support for critical race theory.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Donald Trump mocked "woke" military generals and critical race theory on Saturday as he addressed thousands of supporters at this first post-White House rally in Wellington, Ohio.

The former president accused the country's "weak and ineffective" military of becoming more concerned about being politically correct than they are about "fighting their enemies," the Telegraph reported.

"The Biden administration issued new rules pushing twisted critical race theory  into our military," Trump said, according to the Telegraph. "Our generals and our admirals are now focused more on this nonsense than they are on our enemies."

Read more: How Trump could use his relationship with Putin and Russia to skirt prosecution back in the USA

"You see these generals lately on television? They are woke," he continued. "Our military will be incapable of fighting and incapable of taking orders."

Trump's comments come in the same week the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Gen Mark Milley, defended the study of critical race theory in the military, saying he wanted to "understand white rage," the Guardian reported.

"I personally find it offensive that we are accusing the United States military  of being 'woke' or something else because we're studying some theories that are out there," Miley told the House armed service committee on Thursday, according to the Guardian. During the remarks, was joined by the defense secretary, Lloyd Austin.

Critical race theory is an academic field that seeks to understand systemic racial prejudice and combat it.

Story continues

In recent weeks, it has become a lightning-rod issue for some conservatives, who claim that it is divisive and presents a distorted picture of American history.

Trump made an appearance at Saturday night's rally to show support for Max Miller, his former aide who is now challenging Republican incumbent Anthony Gonzalez in Ohio's 16th congressional district.

He also used the opportunity to bash President Joe Biden's immigration policies, hint at his 2024 presidential run, and to (once more) criticize the Supreme Court for not supporting his claims of election fraud.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Former President Donald Trump took a victory lap during his first rally since departing office, saying of President Joe Biden, "I told you so."

Trump expressed vindication during his Saturday rally in Wellington, Ohio, held to support Max Miller, a Trump-endorsed candidate running a primary challenge to Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, an incumbent Republican who voted in favor of impeaching Trump on the charge of inciting an insurrection.

"The media and the Democrats are now admitting that I was right about everything. ... Now they're saying, 'Well, you know, he was right about these things. That's all right. Big deal, right?'" he said. "They lied about so many things before the election."

TRUMP ANNOUNCES FIRST RALLY SINCE LEAVING THE WHITE HOUSE

Trump pointed to the media's shifting tone on the origins of COVID-19, the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine in combating the virus, and the use of Lafayette Park as the backdrop for a photo-op amid racial unrest last year as evidence that the press was unfair in its coverage leading up to the 2020 presidential election.

Despite most legacy media outlets initially dismissing the theory that COVID-19 originated in the Wuhan Institute of Virology, evidence has mounted in support of the lab leak theory in recent weeks, and Biden has directed authorities to investigate the possibility within 90 days.

Several news outlets were also dismissive of the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine in treating COVID-19, but a study published earlier this month found the drug, along with azithromycin, could increase the coronavirus survival rate by as much as nearly 200% if distributed at higher doses to ventilated patients with a severe version of the illness.

On June 9, a government report from the Department of the Interior said that U.S. Park Police did not clear Lafayette Park, situated near the White House, and its surrounding areas of protesters on June 1, 2020, for Trump. Instead, the Park Police learned of Trump's interest in the site several hours after they had already started plans to clear the area to put up new fencing.

Story continues

Trump, who is believed to be a 2024 contender, also expressed vindication regarding his campaign predictions about his successor.

"Biden is going to drive our economy and our country into ruin," he said, slamming the president for helping to kill the planned Keystone XL pipeline and accusing him of imposing a "devastating" tax hike on U.S. industries.

Trump said Biden's performance has been "embarrassing" on the world stage, accusing him of kowtowing to China.

"Joe Biden is squandering all of this hard-earned respect that we have or had, bowing down to America's enemies, and embarrassing our country on the world stage," he said.

The Save America PAC, a Trump-affiliated political action committee, announced his first post-presidency rally earlier this month.

"President Donald J. Trump, 45th President of the United States of America, will hold a major rally in Wellington, Ohio on Saturday, June 26, 2021 at 7:00PM EDT," the PAC said in a statement.

The PAC said that the rally to support Miller "marks President Trump's first of many appearances in support of candidates and causes that further the MAGA agenda and accomplishments of President Trump's administration."

Ohio's 16th Congressional District, where Miller and Gonzalez are running, is Republican-leaning, with a partisan voter index of R+8, according to the Cook Political Report. The district supported Trump over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by more than 15 percentage points in the 2016 presidential election.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Gonzalez was one of 10 House Republicans who voted in favor of the "incitement of insurrection" article of impeachment after the Jan. 6 breach of the Capitol, saying Trump "helped organize and incite a mob that attacked the United States Congress in an attempt to prevent us from completing our solemn duties as prescribed by the Constitution."

Trump was previously impeached on two Ukraine-related charges in 2019 before being acquitted in the GOP-led Senate.

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Tags: News, Donald Trump, Campaigns, Ohio, Congress, Joe Biden, Republican Party

Original Author: Carly Roman

Original Location: Trump at Ohio rally: 'I told you so'
Former President Donald Trump has offered a new explanation for his claims of voter fraud, saying his political opponents "used COVID" to change the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

The former president, who has made frequent claims of widespread voter fraud despite federal and state election officials assuring that the votes were secure, said the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic afforded his foes the opportunity to cheat.

"They used COVID in order to cheat. They used COVID in order to rig the election and in order to steal the election. They used COVID," he said during the Saturday night rally in Ohio. "That's as simple as it gets."

TRUMP SLAMS WISCONSIN GOP LEADER WHO HIRED RETIRED POLICE TO INVESTIGATE 2020 ELECTION

Several states took steps toward allowing for remote voting, such as vote-by-mail, in the 2020 election in an effort to curb the transmission of COVID-19, which the former president argued allowed for malfeasance because mail-in ballots are "treacherous."

Trump praised the new moves taken by Republicans in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin to reexamine the results of the 2020 presidential election, calling those leading the investigations "patriots."

"I hear now that Wisconsin is looking very, very seriously [into the allegations of voter fraud], and I respect Wisconsin so much. It's a great state. They're looking very seriously. Pennsylvania is really starting to take this very seriously," he said, thanking legislators in both states for their efforts.

Pennsylvania has signaled an openness to ordering an audit of its 2020 election results, with state Sen. David Argall, who heads a committee that oversees elections, telling local outlets last week that a forensic audit similar to the one being conducted in Arizona is now a "very real possibility."

Wisconsin's state Assembly Speaker Robin Vos announced in May that he would hire police officers and an attorney to investigate parts of the November 2020 general election. Contracts obtained by the Associated Press reported this week show that he has already hired some people to investigate "potential irregularities and/or illegalities" in the 2020 presidential election.

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Trump's support for the Wisconsin investigation was an apparent reversal from his position on Friday, when the former president chastised Vos by name for "working hard to cover up election corruption in Wisconsin."

Trump contrasted his praise of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin with condemnation for other states, such as Michigan, where "the [Republicans in Name Only] in the Michigan Senate" recently released a report confirming Biden carried the state in 2020.

"Michigan is not [taking the allegations of voter fraud seriously]. You can't get those Republicans. Some are great, by the way, but Michigan is not doing the job. ... How do you win Ohio by so much, record numbers, and lose Michigan?" he said during the rally, suggesting that the only way would be through voter fraud.

Trump also singled out Georgia for criticism, saying Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger's decision to remove 100,000 "out of date" names from the state's voter rolls came too little, too late.

"Now, they're saying they're going to delete over 100,000 names. I said, 'Why the hell didn't you delete them before the election, not after the election?'" he said of Georgia.

The former president accused his political adversaries of a double standard, saying former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Georgia's Democratic gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams did not attract the same criticism for failing to accept their electoral losses.

"Stacey Abrams goes around saying she won the election. Nobody says anything. Hillary Clinton says she won the election. Nobody says anything. I say we won the election. 'That's terrible. That's terrible,' [they say]," he said. "Isn't it a terrible situation?"

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Both Clinton and Abrams contested their respective losses, with Clinton calling for recounts in several swing states after her 2016 loss and Abrams refusing to use the word "concede" when acknowledging that Brian Kemp would become the governor of Georgia following the state's 2018 election.

Trump, who continues to assert there are "mountains of evidence" of widespread cheating in the 2020 presidential contest, filed several claims alleging massive voter fraud, most of which were tossed by federal courts.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Donald Trump, Campaigns, Ohio, 2020 Elections, Vote Recounts, Voter Fraud, Coronavirus, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin

Original Author: Carly Roman

Original Location: Trump says opponents 'used COVID to steal the election,' applauds election investigations in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin
Tunisia's defence ministry said Sunday that its navy had rescued 178 migrants who were trying to cross the Mediterranean from Libya to reach Europe.

Two bodies were recovered and 178 migrants rescued during three operations off Tunisia's south coast, a ministry statement said.

The migrants, who the ministry said were from Egypt, Tunisia, Syria, Ivory Coast, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Mali and Ethiopia, had set off from the Libyan port of Zuwara overnight Friday to Saturday.

Tunisian authorities on Thursday intercepted 267 would-be migrants who had also begun the sea crossing from Libya, most of them Bangladeshis, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said.

Red Crescent official Mongi Slim warned Thursday that centres set up to house migrants in southern Tunisia were full.

According to IOM figures, more than 1,000 migrants hoping to reach Europe had set off from Libya and ended up in Tunisia since January, and the number of departures is rising.

There have been 11,000 departures from January to April 2021 from Libya, over 70 percent more than in the same period last year, according to UN refugee agency UNHCR.

The agency said the "deteriorating" conditions of migrants in Libya were pushing many to make the dangerous crossing from the North African coast to Europe.

According to the UN, at least 760 people have died trying to make the Mediterranean crossing between January 1 and May 31.

ayj/hj/lg/hc
By Phil Stewart

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States said on Sunday it carried out another round of air strikes against Iran-backed militia in Iraq and Syria, this time in response to drone attacks by the militia against U.S. personnel and facilities in Iraq.

In a statement, the U.S. military said it targeted operational and weapons storage facilities at two locations in Syria and one location in Iraq. It did not disclose whether it believed anyone was killed or injured but officials said assessments were ongoing.

Iraqi militia groups aligned with Iran in a statement named four members of the Kataib Sayyed al-Shuhada faction they said were killed in the attack on the Syria-Iraq border. They vowed to retaliate.

The strikes came at the direction of President Joe Biden, the second time he has ordered retaliatory strikes against Iran-backed militia since taking office five months ago. Biden last ordered limited strikes in Syria in February, that time in response to rocket attacks in Iraq.

"As demonstrated by this evening's strikes, President Biden has been clear that he will act to protect U.S. personnel," the Pentagon said in a statement.

The strikes came even as Biden's administration is looking to potentially revive a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. The decision to retaliate appears to show how Biden aims to compartmentalize such defensive strikes, while simultaneously engaging Tehran in diplomacy.

Biden's critics say Iran cannot be trusted and point to the drone attacks as further evidence that Iran and its proxies will never accept a U.S. military presence in Iraq or Syria.

Iran called on the United States to avoid "creating crisis" in the region.

"Certainly what the United States is doing is disrupting security in the region, and one of the victims of this disruption will be the United States," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Monday.

In an apparent indication that Baghdad is determined to avoid getting sucked into a U.S.-Iran escalation, Iraq's military issued a rare condemnation of the U.S. strikes. The Iraqi and U.S. militaries continue close coordination in a separate battle in Iraq, fighting remnants of the Sunni extremist group Islamic State.

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Biden and the White House declined comment on the strikes on Sunday. But Biden will meet Israel's outgoing president, Reuven Rivlin, at the White House on Monday for a broad discussion that will include Iran and U.S. efforts to re-enter the Iran nuclear deal. Those efforts have raised serious concerns in Israel, Iran's arch-foe.

U.S. officials believe Iran is behind a ramp-up in increasingly sophisticated drone attacks and periodic rocket fire against U.S. personnel and facilities in Iraq, where the U.S. military has been helping Baghdad combat the remnants of Islamic State.

Two U.S. officials, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said Iran-backed militias carried out at least five drone attacks against facilities used by U.S. and coalition personnel in Iraq since April.

The Pentagon said the facilities targeted were used by Iran-backed militia including Kataib Hezbollah and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada.

One of the facilities targeted was used to launch and recover the drones, a defense official said.

The U.S. military carried out strikes with F-15 and F-16 aircraft, officials said, adding the pilots made it back from the mission safely.

"We assess each strike hit the intended targets," one of the officials told Reuters.

Iraq's government is struggling to deal with militias ideologically aligned with Iran which are accused of rocket fire against U.S. forces and of involvement in killing peaceful pro-democracy activists.

Earlier in June, Iraq released Iran-aligned militia commander Qasim Muslih, who was arrested in May on terrorism-related charges, after authorities found insufficient evidence against him.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart in WashingtonAdditional reporting by Steve Holland in Washington, John Davison in BaghdadEditing by Matthew Lewis, William Maclean)
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) of the U.K. has issued a consumer warning against Binance Markets. Their warning also extends to the Binance Group.

As of June 26, Binance Markets Limited is no longer permitted to conduct any regulated activity in the UK, according to the FCAs warning. Unless it gains prior written consent from the financial authority beforehand.

The warning also advised users to be wary of adverts online or on social media involving crypto assets. It reminded users that the FCA does not regulate most firms that advertise or sell crypto investments. However, they also stated that, while they do not regulate assets such as bitcoin and Ether, they do regulate crypto asset derivatives. More specifically things like futures contracts, and also crypto assets they classify as securities.

A firm must be authorised by us to advertise or sell these products in the UK, the warning stated. It also highlighted that neither Binance Markets, nor any other entity in the Binance Group holds any form of UK authorisation, registration or licence to conduct regulated activity in the UK.

Other nations crack down on Binance

The FCAs move comes very shortly after the revelation that Binance could no longer offer services in Ontario, Canada. A statement on the Binance website said that Ontario had become a restricted jurisdiction. As such, any users of the exchange based in the Ontario region were advised to take immediate measures to close out all active positions by December 31, 2021.

Canada and the UK are not the only nations making moves against Binance. On June 25, reports revealed that Japans Financial Services Agency (FSA) issued a warning to the exchange about operating in the country without a proper license. This is the second such warning the FSA have issued Binance, with the first delivered in 2018. Japan is one of the first countries to require exchanges to register with the FSA before operating.

Binance has also reportedly come under scrutiny in other parts of the world. Suspicious or unlicensed operations were reported in countries such as Hong Kong and Germany.

Meanwhile, Binance themselves have stated they have always adhered to the financial regulations of the countries in which they operate.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets Israel's new top diplomat Yair Lapid on Sunday, in the United States' first face-to-face meeting with the freshly installed government that seeks a less combative approach with its main ally Washington.

Lapid, a centrist who delayed his own plans to be prime minister as he masterminded a coalition to unseat veteran leader Benjamin Netanyahu, is flying to Rome to see Blinken, who arrives in Italy on Sunday on a three-nation tour of Europe.

The meeting comes as President Joe Biden's administration moves ahead with fresh talks on reviving a 2015 accord with Iran -- strongly opposed by Israel -- in which Tehran drastically scaled back nuclear work in return for promises of sanctions relief.

Biden and Blinken are also eager to preserve a fragile ceasefire that took effect on May 21 between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, after the worst fighting since 2014.

The bloodshed triggered some of the strongest criticism of Israel in memory in the US Congress, with some members of Biden's Democratic Party accusing Netanyahu of excessive force and of triggering the crisis by backing far-right Jewish groups that want to change the delicate status quo in the holy city of Jerusalem.

Lapid, who took office on June 13 under Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, a nationalist, has accused Netanyahu of jeopardizing Israel's once rock-solid support in the United States by openly rallying behind former president Donald Trump's Republican Party.

The new coalition government still sees Iran as the major threat to Israel, and has launched its own strikes on the Gaza Strip -- but has pledged to put the alliance with Washington first and to try to keep differences private.

After one of Lapid's telephone conversations with Blinken, the Israeli foreign ministry said that the two agreed on no surprises in the relationship.

Netanyahu quickly pounced, posting a video in English on social media calling the new government "so dangerous" and speaking of how he as premier would sometimes not inform the United States of pending Israeli actions.

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- Modest goals on Middle East -

With tensions still high after last month's violence, a motley coalition getting its bearings in Israel and political uncertainties lingering within the Palestinian Authority, the Biden administration has made clear it is not rushing to make any grand Middle East peace initiatives.

Blinken, speaking in Paris at a forum on the youth-oriented Brut network, said the immediate priority was finding ways to bring humanitarian and reconstruction aid into the densely populated and impoverished Gaza Strip.

Also critical is to "avoid provocations and incidents over the coming days, weeks and months that could reignite the violence and then to work to create a bit more confidence between the Israelis and Palestinians," Blinken said.

The hope is that "there can be conditions, which do not currently exist, to allow perhaps a relaunch of the peace process and the establishment of two states, Israel and Palestine," Blinken said.

"I don't think the conditions are there yet. We have to work on them and we will."

He reiterated that the Biden administration plans to let the Palestine Liberation Organization reopen its office in Washington, which was closed under former president Donald Trump in one of the first of many decisions welcomed by Netanyahu.

The Biden administration has hoped to be less involved in Middle East hotspots and to repair rifts created under Trump with European allies as part of a strategy to focus long-term attention on managing the rise of China.

In his three days in Italy, Blinken on Monday will see Pope Francis, the pontiff's first meeting with a high-ranking Biden administration official.

Blinken will also take part in meetings hosted by Italy of the Group of 20 major economies and of the coalition to defeat the Islamic State extremist group.

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US Navy aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford during shock trials in the Atlantic Ocean, June 18, 2021. US Navy/MCS3 Riley B. McDowell

The Navy's newest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, went through shock trials on June 18.

Shock trials are meant to test how a warship's systems handle the stresses of combat.

It's the first time a US carrier has undergone these tests since the USS Theodore Roosevelt in 1987.

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This month, the US Navy released images and footage of its newest carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, going through shock trials 100 miles off the Florida coast.

The tests, done with the crew aboard, involved detonating a 40,000-pound explosive off of Ford's starboard side. The explosion was so strong that it registered 3.9 on the Richter scale - roughly equivalent to a small earthquake.

It was the first of three such trials for the Ford - the next two will feature detonations closer to the ship - and was the first time a US carrier has undergone these tests since the USS Theodore Roosevelt in 1987.

While the US Navy is debating the usefulness of shock trials, the fact that they are being done on the Ford indicates that the Navy is serious about maximizing the ship's survivability against 21st-century threats.

Old tests for new threats

Ford during shock trials on June 18, 2021. MCS Seaman Jackson Adkins/US Navy

Shock trials are meant to test how well a ship's systems and components hold up during combat and are not uncommon.

USS Jackson and USS Milwaukee, both littoral combat ships, underwent shock trials in 2016.

The amphibious transport dock USS Mesa Verde and the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp, both of which carry aircraft, went through shock trials in 2008 and 1990, respectively. USS Arkansas, a nuclear-powered guided-missile cruiser, did them in 1982.

What is unusual is the fact that the Navy conducted the shock trials on the first Gerald R. Ford-class carrier in service. The Navy typically conducts shock trials on later vessels of a given class.

A 10,000-pound charge rocks USS Mesa Verde off the Florida coast, August 16, 2008. US Navy/PO2 David R. Quillen

The decision to subject Ford to the trials may be motivated by the Navy's desire to ensure that the carrier is combat-ready the moment it begins its first deployment, which is expected to be in 2022.

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US Navy officials have acknowledged the increasing prevalence of modern anti-ship weaponry, particularly China's DF-21D "carrier killer" and DF-26 "Guam killer" missiles.

A recent Congressional Research Service report on the Ford-class cited China as an adversary "with highly capable anti-ship missiles" that raised questions about "the prospective survivability" of carriers in a conflict.

The same report also noted that live tests had shown that Ford "has limited self-defense capability" against anti-ship cruise missiles.

New systems and capabilities

Ford during shock trials, June 18, 2021. US Navy/MCS3 Zachary Melvin

The Ford also has a number of new systems and capabilities that aren't on its Nimitz-class predecessors and haven't faced combat conditions.

A new weapons elevator system, designed with modern munitions in mind, is meant to reduce how long it takes to arm aircraft.

The new Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System uses linear induction motors instead of steam to power the carrier's catapults, ensuring faster, smoother, and more efficient takeoffs for fixed-wing aircraft.

Ford's new arresting system, known as Advanced Arresting Gear, also uses electromagnetic technology. In addition to decreasing the stress on landing aircraft, the new arresting gear allows larger unmanned aerial vehicles like the MQ-25 Stingray to land on the Ford.

US Navy guided-missile cruiser USS Arkansas during a shock test, March 17, 1982. US Navy/PH1 Toon

Ford also has a new Dual Band Radar system. While Nimitz-class carriers have multiple rotating radars, Ford has one stationary multi-purpose radar that is more sensitive to aerial threats and easier to operate and maintain.

The Navy says that the new systems together allow the Ford's air wing to conduct 33% more sorties and reduce the number of crew needed to run the ship to about 4,500, down from the roughly 5,000 needed aboard Nimitz-class carriers.

Ford's two A1B nuclear reactors, which are of totally new design, generate almost three times more power than the A4W reactors used on Nimitz-class carriers, increasing Ford's electrical power capacity and generation substantially.

That power capacity allows Ford to reliably power all of its new high-tech systems and leaves the door open for possible upgrades to add systems like direct-energy weapons.

Carriers of the future

Ford during shock trials on June 18, 2021 US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Riley B. McDowell

While the capabilities of the new systems are impressive, Ford has faced a number of setbacks, and a lot of work remains ahead.

Ongoing delays on the weapon elevators meant that not all of them were ready when the shock trials started, which means they won't be fully tested during the trials.

Moreover, the Navy accepted the new carrier without it being able to handle the F-35C, which was supposed to be the backbone of the Ford's air wing.

The jet still can't fly from the Ford, but Navy officials say they hope to have at least six air wings with F-35s by 2025.

The aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy is launched into the James River on February 28, 2020. Ashley Cowan/Huntington Ignalls Industries

Despite the setbacks, the Navy hopes that Ford, which was commissioned in 2017, will start its maiden deployment in 2022.

Once the shock trials are finished, the Ford is expected to enter a month-long maintenance period, the carrier's sixth so far, which will fix any damage from the trials and install the final upgrades.

A second Ford-class carrier, the John F. Kennedy, is currently being fitted out, while a third, the Enterprise, is in the early stages of construction. Those carriers are scheduled to be delivered to the Navy in 2024 and 2028, respectively.

The fourth Ford-class carrier was ordered in 2019 and is scheduled for delivery in 2032. It will be named after Pearl Harbor hero Doris Miller, the first Black recipient of the Navy Cross.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The Telegraph

British Special Forces are being lined up to remain in Afghanistan after soldiers withdraw, The Telegraph can reveal. Boris Johnson is expected to make a final decision on Monday at a meeting of the National Security Council. However, one former SAS soldier who was recently in Afghanistan told this newspaper that the decision was as good as done and a small number of troops will remain in the country as an advisory group. He added the role of the SAS in Afghanistan will be to provide training
The road to passing the bipartisan infrastructure deal negotiated by senators and agreed to by the White House this week is proving to be a rough one.

On Friday, the White House sought to repair some frayed nerves over President Joe Biden's pledge to link the bipartisan deal to Democrats' attempts to pass a larger, sweeping human infrastructure package by way of reconciliation.

Steve Ricchetti and Louisa Terrell, two members of the White House team working on the bipartisan negotiations, reached out to the group of senators they struck the deal with to express Bidens continued enthusiasm for it, according to a White House aide.

They added Biden would soon be taking his case for the deal directly to the American people, hitting the road to gin up support.

PHOTO: President Joe Biden speaks about infrastructure negotiations, in the East Room of the White House, June 24, 2021, in Washington. (Evan Vucci/AP)

The calls highlight the White House's efforts to mitigate the fallout from Biden's comments on Thursday, when he signaled that passing a smaller, bipartisan package focused on physical infrastructure would be contingent on passing his American Families Plan that focuses on progressive priorities like child care, health care, and education.

"If this is the only one that comes to me, I'm not signing it. Its in tandem, Biden told reporters Thursday, referring to the newly negotiated deal.

Along with the behind-the-scenes assurances, Biden also spoke with Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema, a moderate Democrat leading the negotiations, on Friday -- a possible hint of concerns, even among Democrats, that support for the deal could be crumbling after his pledge.

Biden "reiterated his strong support for the compromise agreement, and they discussed his plan to try to build support for the Agreement among both Democrats and Republicans," according to a readout from the White House.

MORE: GOP senators reject Biden tying bipartisan infrastructure deal to bigger spending package

Biden also "reiterated strong support for both the Bipartisan Infrastructure bill and a reconciliation bill containing the American Families Plan moving forward on a two-track system, as he said yesterday when meeting the press with the bipartisan group of ten Senators," the White House added.

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White House press secretary Jen Psaki argued that Biden's pledge to work in tandem shouldn't have come as a surprise and was always the plan.

Psaki did not, however, draw the same sharp line in the sand as Biden, who threatened to withhold his signature if both bills were not on track. When pressed on how the president practically planned to ensure both deals reached his desk together, Psaki punted "the timeline and the sequencing" of the legislation to Congress.

PHOTO: President Joe Biden, with a bipartisan group of Senators, speaks Thursday June 24, 2021, outside the White House in Washington. (Evan Vucci/AP)

Still, Biden's comments drew sharp backlash from Republicans like Sen. Lindsey Graham, who was initially involved in bipartisan negotiations with a larger group of 21 senators. The South Carolina senator accused the White House of getting a deal "by extortion," following criticism from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

"It almost makes your head spin," McConnell said on the Senate floor Thursday. "An expression of bipartisanship and then an ultimatum on behalf of your left-wing base."

The administration was prepared to have some Republicans outside the negotiating group oppose the deal no matter what, according to a White House aide. At her briefing Friday, Psaki brushed off the criticism, pinning blame on Republicans for objecting to the mechanics of getting the bipartisan infrastructure bill passed rather than opposing the bill itself.

MORE: Biden, bipartisan senators say they have $1.2 trillion framework infrastructure deal

"That's a pretty absurd argument for them to make. Good luck on the political front on that argument," Psaki said. "The Presidents going to continue to advocate, educate, convey to everyone directly why this needs to move forward. And he stands -- he plans to stand exactly by the commitment he made yesterday to them. And he expects theyll do the same."

The White House says it remains confident that the plan will be passed, and an aide sought to downplay the concerns. But the swift action by the White House to assure things remain on track just one day after the deal was struck highlights the challenges it faces.

White House tries to quell concerns over bipartisan infrastructure deal originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Its hot. Hes not.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is getting dragged on Twitter for bragging about enjoying the Big Apples summer weather as violent crime soars and residents are moving out in droves.

"The future of New York City is so bright I gotta wear shades!" the progressive politician tweeted, days after city primary voters appear to have rejected his legacy by choosing a moderate, ex-NYPD captain as their next likely mayoral candidate. (The primary vote is not fully tabulated, with the city's new ranked-choice votes not yet counted.)

It was de Blasio's second attempt on the subject, after deleting a similar tweet and being mocked over the reflection of what appeared to be a woman's T-shirted chest reflected in his mirrored sunglasses.

"The future isnt so bright for these kids," one Twitter user replied, linking to a news story about a horrific daylight shooting in which a masked gunman murdered a man on a public street just inches away from two terrified children. "But for a pompous blowhard like you, Im sure its great."

NYC MURDER CAUGHT ON VIDEO IN BROAD DAYLIGHT

In Brooklyn, four suspects are being sought for allegedly vandalizing a George Floyd memorial with White nationalist graffiti. The citys famous Pride parade banned gay police officers from participating this year. And a city gang boss wanted for murder since March allegedly killed another man on Tuesday.

The only thing bright is arguably the broad daylight under which many of these crimes have taken place.

A Jeep veered onto a Bronx sidewalk last week, mowing down a family of six, according to the New York Post. A fight in Manhattan that same day left a man with a stab wound to the stomach before the suspect hopped in a car and crashed it four blocks away.

Not to mention a campaign volunteer for Eric Adams, the ex-cop and leading Democratic mayoral primary candidate, was stabbed in the Bronx over the weekend.

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And the storied Greenwich Village neighborhood, where an average home costs $1.3 million, police say crime and anarchy are rampant: A bike-riding bandit allegedly snuck into an apartment through a 10-year-old girls window and rubbed his penis on her feet.

Not even the area around Central Park is safe. Surveillance video recorded the afternoon execution of a 20-year-old man in a car between Lexington and Park Avenues just a few weeks ago.

But de Blasio didn't appear to have any of that on his mind when he was photographed wearing a peach-colored Hawaiian shirt and Bermuda shorts in a series of photos celebrating the reopening of the citys public pools.

Another photo showed him playing a leisurely game of cornhhole with a couple of children, showing off his suntan, or lack thereof.

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"You should consider bleaching your teeth too," one Twitter user replied. "#cornnuts."

De Blasios office did not immediately respond to a Fox News request for comment.
Falls said the militia aims to operate responsibly, and its members go through training. Falls estimated the Bedford County Militia has between 60 and 80 members.

Go to church, go to Walmart, go to the mall, go to the movie theater, go anywhere in public and thats who were made up of, he said. We are the public.

Rep. Bob Good, R-Campbell, spoke at the event, saying he was happy to be there with proud patriots and constitutional conservatives who are doing their part to help strengthen our nation and to fight for the things that we believe in.

Good said he is an advocate for the Second Amendment and has sponsored legislation to protect what he described as a God-given right.

John Sharp, a member of the board of supervisors, said Bedford County was one of only two localities in the commonwealth to formally recognize its militia. Sharp said he supported doing so because he felt it might give members of the militia additional legal standing to challenge gun control measures that were being considered by state lawmakers.
RICHMOND  Kisare Bundy had been on probation for most of his adult life when, at 22, a marijuana possession charge sent him to prison for just under a decade.

An ounce and a half in his car toppled his probation status, altering the course of his life and that of his three children, he said in an interview from the Haynesville Correctional Unit 17, one of the states minimum-security prisons.

Once the shock faded, Bundy said he tried to focus his energy on being a model inmate and his job. Through the Department of Corrections, Bundy works in a warehouse and is pursuing the certification to drive a forklift. Outside of prison, the job pays well. State records online show his scheduled release date is Jan. 13, 2025.

When Bundy and his mother, Marilyn, heard the state was considering legalizing marijuana, they built up hopes that he would come home sooner.

The news about legalization quickly soured for her when lawmakers voted to legalize marijuana possession on July 1 but failed to pass a provision that would have allowed judges to revise sentences for those already incarcerated. In the past two years, about 300 people have been sentenced to prison for sale or possession of marijuana for amounts that will soon result in minor penalties.
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.
People in parts of Japan are enjoying their first weekend since authorities lifted a coronavirus state of emergency. But even as crowds return to shopping districts experts warn the capital may be facing another uptick in cases.

Tokyo is one of 9 prefectures where the emergency declaration was lifted on Monday. One of its landmark sites, the Tokyo Skytree tower, has reopened on a weekend for the first time since May.

Visitors have to get their temperatures checked and sanitize their hands on the way in.

The building operator has shortened the hours of operation and limited the number of people allowed on the observation deck.

A man in his 30s said that it was his first visit and that he was very happy the tower has reopened on weekends.

A woman in her 40s said her family had ridden on a train for the first time in a year and a half as they have been avoiding trips.

However, authorities are already warning of a steady rise in cases.

On Friday, they recorded 68 infections from the more contagious Delta variant, which was first identified in India. That's the highest figure for one day.

Japan's health minister says the government may consider imposing another state of emergency if necessary.
Emperor Naruhito delivered a keynote address at an online U.N. session on water and disasters Friday.

Using photos and diagrams, the emperor delivered his 25-minute speech, titled Passing on the Memory of Disasters, in English.

The emperor touched on the importance of passing on the records and stories of the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami to future generations.

He noted there are people working as storytellers who are passing along their experiences during the disaster and discussed related remnants and monuments.

The emperor pointed to the need for people to find out what our ancestors experienced during the 1918 influenza pandemic and other pandemics in order to overcome COVID-19.

As we pass on the memories of disasters and pandemics to our posterity, we can improve our preparedness for forthcoming catastrophes, the emperor said.

In this way, we can help to build a society in which everyone, with no one left behind, will be able to enjoy daily lives filled with health and happiness.

I, together with you, will pursue my efforts toward this end, he said.

Making it his lifes work to study issues associated with water, the emperor has attended all past U.N. special sessions on water and disasters except for one in 2019, the year he ascended to the throne.

He delivered speeches on two such occasions at the U.N. headquarters in New York and made an appearance via a video message once. - Japan Times
Although it opened during the dark days of the pandemic, Wendays Kitchen Boutique, located on the ground floor of the Park Building, 500 Willow Ave., has always served up sunshine to its customers.

The local business, owned and operated by Wenday Cooper, will celebrate its one-year anniversary Tuesday.

In spite of the difficulty the pandemic has caused many small businesses, Cooper went ahead and launched the enterprise she had been planning since November 2019  and it has come through in good shape.

To be honest, I felt we should open just to be a ray of sunshine to the rest of the community, she said. We have been super busy, so my loyal customers we now consider friends.

The kitchen part of the boutique offers coffee, desserts and French food creations, as well as sandwiches and more traditional fare, Cooper said.

Im known for my cakes and my cupcakes, she said.

Cooper doesnt think of her business as just a restaurant, though. She also teaches cooking classes, sometimes designed for children.
Debris must be stabilized and shored up as they go.

If there is a void space, we want to make sure were given every possibility of a survivor. Thats why we cant just go in and move things erratically, because thats going to have the worst outcome possible, he said.

In meetings with authorities, family members repeatedly pushed rescuers to do more. One asked why they could not surgically remove the largest pieces of cement with cranes, to try to uncover bigger voids where survivors might be found.

Theres not giant pieces that we can easily surgically remove, replied Maggie Castro, of the fire rescue agency.

Theyre not big pieces. Pieces are crumbled, and theyre being held together by the rebar thats part of the construction. So if we try to lift that piece, even as carefully, those pieces that are crumbling can fall off the sides and disturb the pile, Castro said.

She said they try to cut rebar in strategic places and remove large pieces, but that they have to remove them in a way that nothing will fall onto the pile.

We are doing layer by layer, Castro said. It doesnt stop. Its all day. All night.
Two professional fireworks displays will be offered as part of Council Bluffs Independence Day Celebration over the holiday weekend.

Friends of Lake Manawa will sponsor a $20,000 fireworks show at dusk on Friday, July 2 at the beach at Lake Manawa State Park.

Admission is $3 per person. Children younger than 2 will be admitted free. The beach will close immediately following the show.

The event is supported by private and corporate donations. To contribute, go to friendsoflakemanawa.org and click on become a member/donate. In case of rain, the event will be held on July 5.

Free Speech America will host a celebration of our nations independence with a community event on Sunday, July 4 at Westfair. The organization is a nonpartisan network of patriotic Americans educating, organizing and activating in order to uphold the ideals of the First Amendment, especially the Freedom of Speech.

Activities will begin at 6 p.m. at the fairgrounds about five miles east of Council Bluffs on Highway 6.

The family-friendly event will feature live music by Nebraska Showdown and a performance by comedian Johnny Beehner. There will be bounce houses and other childrens activities.
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.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP)  Federal regulators have ordered a Nebraska rancher and county officials to clean up a remote stream after it was deluged with enough sand and sediment to change the shape of the waterway.
Alexis Brian struggled with questions of her sexual identity while growing up in a rural town in western Nebraska and felt like she had few people to turn to.

Its a situation the 25-year-old Gothenburg native wants to help others avoid.

To further that goal she organized a Community Pride Fest Saturday afternoon at Cody Park. The event continued into the night with a gathering at Kelseys Place, where Brian works.

Some people are really not supportive around here, said Brian, who also scheduled the event to coincide with the six-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling to legalize same-sex marriage. My whole goal around this is to show the younger community is that they dont have to think that they are alone. There are people who care, there are people who love them and want to see them be happy.

Ive had a (teenager) tell me, Im excited to find a safe place since I came out. She was like, It was really dark in the closet and Im excited. Brian said. That honestly is what Im excited for  to see the littles who have light restored back on their faces because there is a community for them now.
I was looking over a private pond of a friend recently for signs of a fish kill. There was no sign of run-off from neighboring areas adjacent to the pond or no excessive vegetation growth, so Im thinking lack of oxygen. Our hot weather has caused a few ponds in the area to become low in oxygen and that leads to fish dying off.

While I was looking around, I came face to face with one of the greatest predators in the region  not a mountain lion, not a black bear or a grizzly, it was a dragonfly. As with many creatures of nature, dragonflies fascinate me.

An adult dragonfly is a top hunter in its domain. Dragonflies are superbly designed predatory machines and they like to hunt one insect we can do with fewer of this summer: mosquitoes.

Ive spent hours watching dragonflies hunt. They form a basket or scoop with their six legs and swoop in to catch their prey. They will eat gnats, mayflies, flies, mosquitoes, almost any flying insect, and will even take an occasional butterfly or bee. Ask a beekeeper about dragonflies and youll probably get a stern look. A squadron of dragonflies can wipe out a colony of bees in a couple days.
Community college seems like an oasis of affordable opportunity: Its cheap! Its nearby! And you can just see the number in your bank account ballooning with the salary boost from your new degree or certificate! But proceed with caution. Without a strategy, community college can also be a bonfire of wasted time and money.

The key, says Pamela Eddy, a professor of higher education at William and Mary, is to articulate your motivations and goals, and then  this is the hard part  see if they realistically line up with a community college program near you. If youre keen on enrolling, do so for one of these five reasons, which typically provide the most bang for your buck:

1. You want to nail down an avocation

Not sure whether youd like nursing or pipefitting or paralegaling? Community college is the place to affordably sort that out. We often see first-time college students that are coming directly out of high school, unsure of the area that they want to go into, so they go to a community college to experiment and take a number of different courses to figure out where that fit is, Eddy says.

2. You need a workplace credential or skill
He is such a cold piece of shit in every interview I've ever seen.



The Ryan Gosling movie also is sad, creepy.

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I still cant believe he got away with killing his neighbor (and all the other murders as well of course, but it was especially obvious in the neighbor case). This pos needs to be locked up for good. The HBO doc had such beautiful cinematography/visual effects by the way.



Edited at 2021-06-27 12:15 pm (UTC)

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I know everyone's brain works differently, but if my friend told me they pretended to be the missing wife of a suspected murderer that friend hung out with, and then was murdered herself, I probably would not forget that!

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Im with you. That is really just. Wow.



I can sort of see where its possible with her cause she had some hard living years with people who were probably drunk or high and like to talk shit, people apt to tell stories to make themselves sound more interesting and in a profession where people did the same.



Im glad shes come forward now.

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I've been meaning to rewatch The Jinx. It's crazy all the shit he got away with

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The jinx blew my mind. I remember my boyfriend came over and we were like ok well watch 1 episode since it was already late. We finished the series at 3 am and had to be up at 6. IT WAS WORTH IT.

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It's a wild ride from start to finish. I'm really hope the doc makers didn't sit on that soundbite and shared it with attorneys before airing the last episode

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I forget what channel I watched but there is at least one disappearance that could be connected to him. I think this person worked at the store he had or visited it.



I always got him and Phil Spector confused for some reason.

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I mix him up with Robert Blake. Too many shady old guys..



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I was just about to mention Robert Blake.

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SAME. I thought The Jinx was about Robert Blake at first.

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You're thinking of Lynne Schultz who visited his store the day she disappeared.

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Its been years since I saw The Jinx but its wild how many people he has killed and people who disappeared around him (so you know he likely killed them too) and he got away with it. We joke about rich white guys getting away with murder but this dude was a serial killer and its like everyone shrugged.



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Imagine all the things other rich people have done.

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Im sure rape and murder are way more common than we think. I honestly wouldnt be surprised if things like the most dangerous game which has been adapted into a variety of movies, wasnt true. Thats the story where some rich hunters decide to hunt a human who may or may not have a chance of fighting back. I could absolutely see the former guy/ his family having done that.



I know not every rich person has direct done some shit but I really do think the number is a bit higher than we know.



Hell Norman Mailer stabbed his wife (she lived) and William S Burroughs killed his and they are taught in universities.



Life has always been cheap to far too many.

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It was wild especially when it's blatant af with the neighbor alone.



IIRC, Durst's own brother believed he was fully capable and guilty of everything Fred was accused of. It's not even that your family has to have your back, though I'm sure that helps- you just need to be rich and white and male.

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what is the significance of her saying she imitated his first wife? im not at all familiar with this case.

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Kathleen had gone missing, so Susan was presumably covering for Fred, knew what had happened, and posed as* Kathleen to get people off Freds trail, pretending to be alive. Susan was later killed.



Havent had any coffee yet, I think this is a better phrase for it.



Edited at 2021-06-27 01:18 pm (UTC)

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Thats gonna derail Limp Bizkits comeback for sure











(Im sorry)



Edited at 2021-06-27 01:32 pm (UTC)

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oh damn. thank you! that clears that up. yikes.

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They also speculate because Berman had mob connections that she may have helped him bury/get rid of the body.

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Its crazy how much shit he got away with for so long and then he gets arrested for trying to steal a sandwich. Like of course he thought he could steal a sandwich.



The Jinx was really well done, Ill occasionally get the song from the opening credits stuck in my head. I was yelling at the end when he was muttering to himself while still micced.

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Damn, thats a wild thing to just forget. I feel like even if I was high af that would have stuck me.



I think its time for a rewatch of The Jinx.



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Wait, I somehow totally missed that a bad movie starring Ryan Gosling and Kirsten Dunst inspired Durst to contact the documentarian whom he ended up bathroom--confessing to.



I think they might be my favorite actors now

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The thing that gets me about this case is that this man could have continued to get away with his crimes if he had just kept his mouth shut. Literally it was just his own need for attention thar landed him in jail. He wanted to do the interviews and the documentary, and its like bruh, legit all you had to do was not speak and you were probably gonna be good. Literally the easiest thing, just dont say anything.



Phenomenal dumbass.

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You'd be surprised how many serial killers end up getting caught because they want attention.

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Shout out to Dennis Rader for getting caught because he asked the authorities if a floppy disk can be used to trace him and they said no lol

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I dont know anything about this case but how do you just forget that someone told you the covered for a murderer???

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I, too, forget when my friends tell me about their murder coverups, so I get it. #relatable

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mte. if a friend told me that, i would be asking a million questions and never letting it go.



idk how ppl can sit there and be like its ok, nbd.

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I'm still pissed at the jurors from his first murder trial who let him go because they were so starstruck by him. And his team was able to paint the prosecutor as a bitch, so their misogyny played into it.

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I have never followed this case or anything so Im going off this post but I wonder if it was that she didnt forget but maybe was scared of revealing that info?



If my friend were to tell me that she is impersonating a missing woman by making phone calls as hera lot of questions, alarms, and a sense of uneasiness would be going through my mind.



I dont think that Id randomly forget unless I dont wanna get involved~



Edited at 2021-06-27 05:22 pm (UTC)

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I'm physically shaking reading this. What the fuck

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At the hearing, Mr. Ingham addressed that Ms. Spears believed the conservatorship did not allow her to retire, get married and have children. Former judge on the case, Reva G. Goetz, said I dont recall that we made any orders about the right to marry, but you may not want to tell her that.



jesus christ

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That judge is pissing me off. If it was brought up that she didnt fully understand the conditions of the conservator ship, the judge should have made it a priority that she understand. Either assign a guardian or new lawyer to help her understand her rights. Instead, the judge is oh lol, just dont tell her.

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it sounds like the conservator system is corrupt (obviously) and to me it seems like the judges were in on it too. i feel like i remember reading somewhere that Lou Taylor developed relationships with or picked the judges but don't quote me on that.



i naively thought judges were impartial, but the mess with Tom Girardi showed me that they actually aren't - they get wined and dined and courted by lawyers behind the scenes.

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this wtf how is this legal, they're fucking colluding to make money off her, too, and they're supposed to be representing her best interests, ugh!

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I feel like I'm in the twilight zone. How is any of this legal and just being passed off as ok?



Edited at 2021-06-27 10:23 pm (UTC)

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They acted like she was a danger to her children because she used a cuss word one time? Oh my god what motherfucking assholes holy SHIT.



Also, more evidence that she does not control her instagram. Holy shit.



Also, I didn't think about it before, but what if this takes so long to resolve that she NEVER gets to have another kid like she wants? :(

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She'll be 40 in December so even if it were to all end right now, she'd probably need some fertility assistance in getting pregnant.

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my mom had me when she was 40, she got pregnant on accident.

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I hope she is able to have her baby girl



I cant believe shes 40 already. It feels like just yesterday she was 27 and starting the circus era

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it's possible she may not. my grandmother got pregnant with her last child in her 50s. blows my mind.

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Thats not necessarily true. A lot of women can still get pregnant the natural way at 40.

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Not probably.



I know that fertility declines after 30, but getting pregnant at 40 is perfectly possible without ivf or anything like that.

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this, it's censorship and completely disgusting.

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this is all so disturbing and at the end of this jamie spears should be fucking jailed and forced to pay back all the money he's stolen from her

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hostile, aggressive, and extremely threatening toward the conservatorship



Oh no what's she gonna do punch the abstract concept of conservatorship in the face?

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And can you blame her? Wtf.



She cant trust anyone in her life and they run out anyone that she could have leaned on.

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this. more like she was hostile, aggressive, and extremely threatening toward him making money off her. lol

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Right? That statement is so damn weird. It doesn't even say the "conservatee", just the conservatorship, and why wouldn't she be hostile about it given the conditions? If I'd been in her position, I would have lost my shit at everyone involved a long time ago. I think the reason she's held it together for so long (aside from sheer personal strength) is for her kids, honestly.

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I hate it when rich people respect other rich people's NDAs. Once it's out, it's out, and it can't ever go back into secrecy. I could maybe get it if there was some way to break an NDA, have to pay the money AND somehow have what you disclosed scrubbed from everyone's consciousness but there isn't. Once you say "Britney Spears' dad uses Britney's anger at the conservatorship to make her conservatorship more strict" it's out, forever. You can't pluck that from people's minds.



Give the sad little man his money and air it out.

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Not just that but any activity considered illegal would not be protected by an NDA if Im remembering correctly. I know law isnt always just or moral but theres some shit that aint right going on so I feel like Iggy and others may be able to speak up if somehow someone can come out on Brits behalf. I dont begrudge any of this people and especially being in the entertainment business people are very litigious.

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Ingham used the word formally. What does that even mean when someone calls you four times a week [asking], How do I end this?  I hope she sues the st out of them for this. I will testify if it comes to that.



This is oddly very nice of him to say lol.



God, I hope she gets out of this and gets to live her life.

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this, i was like, wow, good guy ex.

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Great, informative post. Thanks, op.

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Jesus christ everyone involved is such a piece of shit. What the fuck was that judge doing?

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This is horrible.



Anyone seen the movie "i care a lot"? So much in common

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Yeah, this whole case is reminding of that wretched movie.

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I saw it a few weeks ago. I felt so uncomfy while watching it, because how unscrupulous rosamund pikes character was.

But some of the similitary with britneys case & movie, might give us a glimpse, what britney get/got through. It sadden me.

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Id like to add that I am distraught at the things I learned about her case and the people involved. The fans online have done a good job compiling the information. It is clear that she was set up to be placed in this arrangement. I could bet that the financial gain was the priority and not her mental well-being. This is clear from her testimony. They have done nothing but neglect her mental health over the 13 years and if anything her condition has worsened under their watch. It upsets me that the general public is not aware of this miscarriage of justice. The focus is rightfully on her father but it is a shame that we have not heard more about the professionals skilled in their craft who aided her father in setting up this arrangement. I dont post as much anymore but I am so outraged that I may take it upon myself to make a post shedding light on the history using sources already available online. Whatever brings more eyes to this story the better. This is such a shame and demonstrates once again how the justice system has failed those who live with mental illness. The judges, the lawyers, the management, the family all failed her.





Edited at 2021-06-27 03:14 pm (UTC)

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Yup. It's clear that when Britney needed support in 2007, her father used that as an opportunity to insert himself into her financial affairs. She should have been able to disappear from the public eye and receive care, whether that took her out of the entertainment industry for a few years or not. Britney's dad just wanted a quick fix so that she could get back out there and make him more money. It's awful and, like you said, he didn't do this alone. A number of people were willing participants.

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the way they had her doing Circus promo like 6 months after being hospitalized.

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MTE. It is bad enough her father and the rest of the family is trash, but there are so goddamn many people involved in enabling them.



They all need to be held accountable. In this life and if there's an after life.

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please make a post

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I think her family wanted to help her but what happened it's that Lou Taylor weasel her way into the family, I'm 100% sure she is the person behind the conservatorship, she wanted to control her and her money. Then her asshole dad got drunk from the power as Britney herself said, Jamie is evil but he's also dumb, Lou is moving the strings, look at how easy she got him to paid her $500k.



And with her mom, I think she's really naive but that's also no excuse. To me her family has a toxic dynamic all because of Jamie and I guess for them this is just how its always been. Britney seems to be the scapegoat of the family.



I hope that when all of this is over (I have faith) she sues all of them and gets a shitload of restraining orders.



Edited at 2021-06-27 07:06 pm (UTC)

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Please do, your comment is very well put and compassionate

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so my question is, they have all this control over her, how is she finding men? Like how did Sam get approved to be with her. I mean he had to be approved didnt he.



hmm

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I know everyone loves him for some reason, but I completely agree. I dont trust this dude either, and like everyone else around her I think he sees her as $ instead of an actual person.

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Ah yes. Another person who thinks hes evil because he wants to be with Britney Spears and supposedly use her for her for money. He has been with her for years and years, has always advocated for her, and didnt even put any pictures of her on his social media for years after they were together. He speaks out against her father and has never acted like any of her boyfriends in the past that clearly were with her for her fame and her money.



Yall think youre slick with the shit you say about Sam when it really comes down to you not believing that someone young, fit, attractive, etc., would want to be with Britney Spears without having a motive, because why else would someone like her. Its gross af

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There was a rumor a LONG time ago that she loves dating so they would set her up with various men that were approved to keep her happy, but that none of them were ever meant to last or be actual relationship. It was dismissed at the time, but I wonder if he was approved and then they started an actual relationship and now it would prove Britney right if they tried to force them apart?

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They met on set of one of her music videos. Her boyfriends probably do have to get approved but I wouldn't be surprised if her team does it because it's good for her image and makes her seem less lonely and restricted under the conservatorship.

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I've wondered this myself. How can these men be trusted? Why would her dad allow someone who was not, in a sense, on his pay role near Britney?



Edited at 2021-06-27 03:25 pm (UTC)

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He was in one of her music videos. The ex bf in this post was obviously approved and is speaking out against what happened to her. What makes you think that someone who passes their background checks or whatever they do also cant actually love her? Its really telling how people are so insistent that she cant be actually loved by the man shes spent years with and is so very clearly in love with

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at the same time i think sam just really liked her/fell in love and decided to stick around. that's the vibe i get. that he was pre-approved, yes, b/c she was allowed to talk to him and text him - but that he's now "team britney"



Edited at 2021-06-27 03:30 pm (UTC) i was reading about this stuff the other day and found a really disturbing article from the daily mail basically talking about how her dad sets up her dates and boyfriends and i buy into it. it was written in like 2014 so i'm sure at the time it was written off as bs. i don't think they get paid but i do think there's a strict process before they're allowed to be alone w/ herat the same time i think sam just really liked her/fell in love and decided to stick around. that's the vibe i get. that he was pre-approved, yes, b/c she was allowed to talk to him and text him - but that he's now "team britney"

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I've been wondering that. Maybe they start off not knowing much about Britney's situation and choose to stay (or not).



But it makes me think about all the trauma and pain that comes with seeing someone you love suffer so much. :( Not trying to say the SO's pain is more important, but just the whole scale of shit that comes because so many people are greedy af.

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i've always been highly suspect of her boyfriends but i hope for her sake that Sam genuinely cares about her. One of her exes saying he'd testify for her does make me happy to hear.

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they probably met in an more 'organic' way for britney, being that he was hired for her music video. he was really quiet for the first couple of years so im sure the family approved of him up until now.

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He was in the music video for that song she did with Tinashe, Slumber Party. That's probably how they met. Not sure how someone under dad's thumb like she is is allowed to have a boyfriend of her own choosing, though.

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She has that IUD so I guess they feel safe that their workhorse will keep working and only have to support her 2 boys. I think that makes them ok with her dating sadly.

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Im not sure of the timeline but it very much could have been when her brother was the conservator because Jaimie got sick or something right when Glory dropped. That was the time when she was traipsing around London doing promo looking happy, healthy, wearing cute clothes and having fun in interviews. Bryan could have approved of it which would have been a perfectly time loophole for her instead of her father. He said she reached out to him three months after they exchanged numbers or something so maybe thats it. 



This also could explain why it seemed he thought her conservatorship was simply having people making appointments and reservations and handling stuff like he said in his interview last year. He very well (Im not excusing her brother btw but just speculating) could have just did those things as his role instead of the intense abusive tactics and shit their father does to her. This just popped in my head btw.



Edited at 2021-06-27 07:03 pm (UTC)

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They met on set of her music video. I do think he cares about her, yes he definitely had to pass some checks but apparently around this time is when Bryan, her brother, was acting more like her conservator than her dad so maybe that's how he got approved. With the years he has gotten more hostile towards the conservatorship and I think maybe that and the free Britney movement was the push she needed to fight back. To be honest the only boyfriend I don't like is Jason as after they got engaged, he became a co-conservator and she looked sad around that time.



Edited at 2021-06-27 07:17 pm (UTC)

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evil

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The conversation on conservatorships this started is so important, and the ableism in all of this is so glaring. But I also think there's an interesting conversation to be had on how the family unit is very often bound together by money ties. Exploring her since her childhood (by having her sell sex appeal for most of her life nonetheless) really brought her whole family together. It's not just that they are awful but that some level of control over female bodies is normalized in the family institution because it's a institution bound in legal possessions. This case just blows it up to a level that we don't really see in pop culture but sure happens a lot. Wish someone would write a good think piece from this perspective.

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Yeah there was a part of me who really didn't want to believe that her family would be straight up forcing her to work for their own gain. But in a way a lot of stage parents are doing that to a less extreme degree. Like I know she wanted to be a performer from a young age but she wouldn't have gotten to where she was without her parents seeing her career as viable.



The more I think about it the more tinhatty I get suspecting that the family set the conservatorship into motion way earlier than any of the public knew because they were worried that if her career ended they'd lose their cash cow. Like my memory of that time is that the conservatorship happened really fast and was just meant to be an emergency thing, but 13 years later it's pretty clear you don't oopsie your way into a legal arrangement that allows you to both force someone to work and fully control their finances.

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I think they probably knew beforehand what sort of diagnosis they could get for her and had at the very least looked into their legal options. It seems that her family always felt 100% entitled to her money (and probably, at first, thought emotional manipulation would be enough to keep it coming). Yeah, and with her it's about her money as a celebrity. But making sure woman are helpless so they have to perform work for the financial gain of the family unit (be it care work or even sex work) is usual in our culture. It's a #metoo scenario in the sense that this is the rich people version of a very common and horrible problem. And Britney seems to be somewhat aware of this! I hope she really gets support to unpack all of this.I think they probably knew beforehand what sort of diagnosis they could get for her and had at the very least looked into their legal options. It seems that her family always felt 100% entitled to her money (and probably, at first, thought emotional manipulation would be enough to keep it coming).

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You are on the money. From what I have gathered this was possibly years in the making. Every major player involved either were estranged from Britney prior to the 2007 public breakdown or were brought on by her family members. Her life is being controlled by individuals that she spent years getting away from. This was no temporary fix. The intent was for it to be permanent and it required that all players be in agreement. It is very sinister.





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If I'm not mistaken, Britney had cut them off around the time of the conservatorship and had fired Larry Rudolph, he got immediately rehire after the conservatorship was granted.

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I remember Melissa Joan Hart said she felt sorry for her when she worked with her on the Drive Me Crazy video. She basically said Britney was always working, even as a teen.



"We did a lot together, a ton of awards shows and stuff. But yeah, I snuck her away from her bodyguard to take her because she just looked liked she needed to be around people her own age."



And



".. she was very protected by a lot of people and I was always trying to be like, 'You need to let loose, you're, like, 17. You need to not always be, like, in the gym, working, doing your Pepsi commercials. Like, let's go out and go dancing.'"



Edited at 2021-06-27 06:51 pm (UTC)

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I think the deference given to the family unit is wrapped up very deeply in disability discourse. The law operates from the assumption that all family units are the same, loving and willing to the put the needs of the 'incapable' person above their own when families are often messy and complicated. Because those with disabilities are often legally and socially treated as children, there's a level of primacy given to family members and especially parents. Britney even said herself, if she was subject to an evaluation to end the conservatorship, a 'concerned family member' could always trigger another evaluation and send her right back where she started.

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It somehow just keeps getting worse. Im glad her medication was brought up, I wouldnt put it past these people to have her on meds that keep her more subservient and unable to function properly. There are times, like that director mentions, the she is just so clearly out of it.

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Yeah this is like the true life story of that Miley Black Mirror episode.

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i think that sam lufti guy would give her uppers and downers to mess with her, hide her pets around the house etc to make her feel scared. with that, and this information regarding the doctors drugging her for such a long period of time im surprised shes never accidentally had an overdose or has a severely degraded mental capacity.

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Yep and when / if shed appear out of it to the public, it just made the public think oh shes not well to make them keep thinking the c ship is justified. Very sinister

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yeah that sucks that this practice is still going on in Hollywood just like what happened to Judy garland. Mischa Barton also just came out and said that she was given drugs by her management to continue working. Luckily her parents stood up for her and tried to go against the managements wishes. Too bad britneys family seem like leeches. Also ppl are speculating that the conservatorship tried to make her look less stable and put together to the public by not letting her get her hair, makeup, and nails done by a professional. Which is a messed up way to think but i guess because shes rich and famous the public expects her to look put together all the time



Edited at 2021-06-28 05:21 am (UTC)

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Silicon panels pretty much rule the solar energy sector, with more than 90% of panels manufactured using the versatile element.

This is not by chance; Si PV cells are cheap, robust, relatively easy to install, and perform reliably for decades.

Unfortunately, they also come with a major drawback: Silicon PV panels are quite inefficient, with the most affordable models managing only 7%-16% energy efficiency depending on factors like placement, orientation, and weather conditions. Indeed, solar cells have been around for more than six decades, yet commercial silicon has barely scraped into the 25% range.

Even the much-hyped perovskite solar cells have just barely managed to break the efficiency glass ceiling, with scientists recently setting a new efficiency record for a single-junction perovskite solar cell at 25.6%. To complicate matters, sunlight is a diffuse form of energy.

This makes solar panels unsuitable for hard-to-decarbonize sectors such as steel, heavy industries, marine, and aviation.

Fortunately, concentrated solar power (CSP) is proving to be a viable solution for the solar power and green energy conundrum.

CSP technology employs large revolving mirror arrays, also known as heliostats, to reflect and concentrate sunlight onto a receiver. The mirrors are angled to reflect the sunlight onto a large solar receiver. This heat--also known as thermal energy--can be used to spin a turbine or power an engine to generate electricity, and also power a variety of industrial applications, including enhanced oil recovery, mineral processing, water desalination, chemical production, and food processing far from the harvesting point.

Concentrating solar-thermal power systems are generally used for utility-scale projects that can be configured in different ways, such as Power tower systems that arrange mirrors around a central tower that acts as the receiver; Dish-engine systems whereby mirrors are distributed over a parabolic dish surface to concentrate sunlight on a receiver fixed at the focal point, Linear systems that have rows of mirrors that concentrate the sunlight onto parallel tube receivers positioned above them or Parabolic- trough systems that use curved mirrors to focus the Suns energy onto a receiver tube that runs down the center of a trough.

CSP comes with major advantages: The thermal energy concentrated in a CSP plant can be stored and used to produce electricity when it is needed--day or night--with bedrocks usually used to store the thermal power to be used to power industrial processes when the Sun goes down.

Energy 101: Concentrating Solar Power (Video)

Source: U.S. Department of Energy

CSP might sound quite quixotic, but many readers might be surprised to find that the idea isn't particularly new--the first commercial CSP plant was developed in the 1960s. Indeed, there are ~1,815 megawatts of CSP plants in operation in the United States today, enough to power about 1.5 million homes.

Related: How Much Oil Can Saudi Arabia Really Produce?

CSP plants in the United States:

That revelation naturally begs the question: If CSP tech is so hot, why has it failed to achieve mainstream adoption the way solar panels have?

CSP comes of age Actually, the simple answer to that question is that fossil fuels have, for decades, remained much cheaper than CSP when deployed at scale. The fact of the matter is that in the past, CSP has not been cheap enough to implement on a massive scale.

A CSP plant operates most efficiently, and thus most cost-effectively with built-in sizes of 100 MW and higher. A typical CSP plant requires 5 to 10 acres of land per MW of capacity, with the larger acreage accommodating thermal energy storage.

Luckily, as with other conventional renewables energy technology such as solar panels and wind, CSP is now pretty close to reaching a tipping point where it will become competitive with fossil fuels in power generation costs thanks to major advances in technology.

Bill Gates-backed renewable energy outfit Heliogen is perhaps the most famous CSP startup. Heliogen has a mission to completely replace fossil fuels with solar thermal energy. What makes the company unique is that its making the process of reflecting and storing sunlight more predictable, controllable, and streamlined.

Related: Rising Demand Closes The Gap Between WTI And Brent Prices

Previously, CSP companies were able to generate heat anywhere from 400 to 500 degrees centigrade. Heliogen has more than doubled that output by successfully building a solar thermal system that's capable of producing temperatures up to 1,500 degrees centigrade.

To achieve this feat, the Heliogen team employs machine learning to get the angle of the mirrors as precise as possible, down to a twentieth of a degree. All of the collected heat gets funneled down an insulated steel tube to a bed of rocks where the heat is retained as thermal energy well after the Sunsets.

Heliogen has an award-winning test facility in Lancaster, California, with 400 heliostat mirrors but says it needs to scale that up to a system with 40,000 mirrors. A few weeks ago, Heliogen managed to reel in $108m from two funding rounds to push its sunlight refinery concept through to commercialization. The construction of its giant sunlight refinery will be highly automated, with robotic tractors deployed to place the heliostat foundations and set the mirrors efficiently. The companys dream is to have thousands of sunlight refineries operating across the southwest United States, Australia, and the Middle East-North Africa region by the turn of the decade.

If Heliogen manages to achieve its goal to make CSP cheaper than fossil fuels, the technology will no doubt make major waves in the manufacturing industry and help mitigate climate change.

CSP: Making Fuel From Sunlight and Air

The aviation industry is one of the worst offenders as far as GHG emissions go. In fact, a one-hour flight on a twin-engine jet aircraft adds almost 19,000 pounds of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, with the global aviation industry emitting so much CO2 and other harmful greenhouse gases that if it was a country, it would rank among the top 10 emitters.

Aviation biofuels have been touted as a viable solution to curb this runaway pollution.

However, 13 years since Virgin Atlantic flew a Boeing 747 between London and Amsterdam partly powered by a biofuel made from Brazilian babassu nuts and coconuts, aviation biofuels still account for less than 1% of the 1.5 billion barrels of aviation fuels (15% of global oil supply) that commercial airlines burn through in a typical year.

Luckily, scientists have now developed a carbon-neutral fuel that uses the Suns energy to pull carbon dioxide from the air and turn it into fuel.

Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology have developed a solar technology that is able to produce liquid fuels using just two ingredients: solar energy and ambient air, with the resulting hydrocarbon fuels releasing only as much carbon dioxide during combustion as was previously extracted from the air thus making them carbon neutral.

It may initially seem like alchemy, but the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology has developed an elegant CSP technology whereby heliostats track the Sun, boosting the sunlights intensity by a factor of 2,500 to 2,700 degrees Fahrenheit while reflecting it onto a 50-foot-high tower.

The thermal energy heats a reactor with a core made of cerium oxide, an inexpensive compound often used to polish glass. The high temperatures lead to oxygen being liberated from the cerium, after which its mixed with water and carbon dioxide captured from the air in the reactor. As the reactor cools, the reduced cerium claws back oxygen molecules from the added material, leaving a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide called syngas. This is funneled into a second reactor, where the syngas is converted into kerosene molecules. Two years ago, the Mostoles refinery announced its first trickle of solar kerosene.

The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology researchers believe that with a modest boost in current efficiency, solar refineries with a heliostat array the size of Indiana could supply the entire worlds jet aviation fuel demand. At the moment, solar kerosene is likely to ring up around $9 per gallon, about 3x more expensive than gasoline in the United States. But you can expect costs to fall as the technology improves in efficiency and grows in scale.

Solar kerosene will probably find a ready market.

Last year, aircraft manufacturers and other aviation organizations committed to a net-zero emissions target by 2050, effectively cutting CO2 emissions from 30 million tonnes per annum to zero despite a projected 70% increase in passenger numbers over the timeframe.

To achieve this target, they plan to use a mix of cleaner aircraft, sustainable fuels, and better air traffic management.

For aviation fuel to be considered renewable, about half of its contents must be derived from biofuels such as ethanol made from corn or wood chips.

The biggest reason why most airlines continue giving biofuels a cold shoulder is due to their higher costs. Fuel costs constitute the biggest line item for airlines, typically accounting for ~22% of their overheads.

Using renewable air fuel would likely necessitate passing the extra costs to customers by increasing ticket prices, something that would not work well unless everybody did it at once because airline-specific fare changes are highly price elastic. On average, renewable jet fuels would need oil prices ~$65-per-barrel oil for them to become cost-competitive, a level lower than current WTI oil prices of $72 per barrel.

By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com



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Higher oil prices and capital expenditure discipline are setting the stage for the highest free cash flow on record for the worlds exploration and production companies this year. And U.S. shale firmsset to generate $60 billion free cash floware primed for playing a key role in the record-breaking free cash flow from global upstream operations. The U.S. shale patch is expected to be the biggest beneficiary of capex discipline and high oil prices, as well as the largest contributor to the highest-ever free cash flows from the upstream business globally, independent research firm Rystad Energy said in a new report.

$70 oil can certainly help a lot, but it is also capital discipline at every single oil companyfrom supermajors to U.S. independentsthat is contributing to record cash flows this year.

Free Cash Flow Set To Hit Record-Breaking $348 Billion in 2021

The worlds public oil firms are set to see their combined free cash flowall cash flows from upstream activity excluding such from financing or hedging effectssurge to a record-breaking $348 billion in 2021. According to estimates from Rystad Energy, this would be $37 billion higher than the previous all-time high of $311 billion, which was generated in 2008. Back then, just before the financial crisis, oil prices averaged $100 a barrel that year.

The key driver of record cash flows would be the U.S. shale patch, which is estimated to rake in nearly $60 billion in free cash flow before hedging effects, Rystad Energy forecasts.

This would be quite a U-turn in the financial fortunes of U.S. shale drillers, which have struggled to generate positive free cash flow for a decade since the shale revolution began.

The Dawn of New Shale Era

According to Bloomberg Intelligence estimates, U.S. shale producers are expected to generate a combined $30 billion in free cash flow in 2021 amid disciplined capital spending and higher oil prices. Thats so different from the past boom and bust cycles where the U.S. shale patch loaded up on debt to drill and produce as much oil as possible, contributing to sinking oil prices.

This year, however, could turn out to be the beginning of what analysts have started to call a new era for U.S. shale, where returns to shareholders and paying down debts take precedence over production growth and record output.

The expected windfall from free cash flow this year is just one-tenth of the $300 billion in net negative cash flow the U.S. shale industry has lost in the 15 years since the first shale boom, per Deloitte estimates from last year.

Nevertheless, the expectations of free cash flow this year make analysts optimistic that the shale patch is at a turning point and will keep discipline for at least another year or two.

According to Rystad Energy, shales free cash flow in 2021 is expected to exceed the free cash flows from both the deepwater and shallow water segments.

Related: Rising Demand Closes The Gap Between WTI And Brent Prices

The conventional onshore supply segment will earn the biggest share of free cash flow, at $160 billion, but this will still be lower than the record from these upstream activities set in 2011, the intelligence company said.

Oil Firms Primed For Super-Profits

Gross revenues at all public upstream firms are set to surge by 55 percent, or by nearly $500 billion, this year compared to last year, thanks to higher oil prices, rising global demand, and a tighter market. Considering that spending levels of listed E&P firms globally are set for just a 2-percent increase this yearcourtesy of still strong capital discipline across the boardproducers are set for materially higher profits, Rystad Energy reckons.

Oil demand has gradually increased after the initial shock of the Covid-19 pandemic, and OPEC+ continues to hold back volumes from the market. The consequent high price movement has been further supported by a slow ramp-up in US tight oil activity. In conjunction with the persisting low investment environment, E&Ps are enjoying super-profits, Espen Erlingsen, head of upstream research at Rystad Energy, said.

Income at the supermajors, for example, nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of this year, thanks to dramatically higher oil prices. Further upsides in earnings are on the horizon with this quarters oil price rally, analysts say.

Higher oil prices, conservative spending, and the benefits of the massive cost cuts from last year are setting the stage for record cash flows at Big Oil this year if the price of oil averages $55 per barrel, Wood Mackenzie said at the start of this year.

This forecast could even turn out to be quite conservative, considering that investment banks and forecasters now see oil prices averaging at least $65 a barrel this year, and a growing number of analysts and top executives at Big Oil arent ruling out a brief spike to $100 per barrel in coming quarters.

The immediate priority for E&P firms, including in the shale patch, will be to use the expected super-profits and record cash flows to pay down debts and reward shareholders. Capital discipline will likely hold this year, but upstream investment will need to rise if the world is to avoid sleepwalking into a supply deficit within a few years.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Just when it looked like Iraq was becoming a regional leader it decided to halt a $2 billion pre-paid oil supply deal with China's state-owned Zhenhua Oil Co. despite aims to strengthen ties with China.

Iraq decided to end a deal with Zhenhua and sell its crude supply to other customers as oil prices continue to rise. The deal with the Chinese company, that was agreed upon earlier this year, would have seen 4 million bpd of oil supplied each month. The oil was expected to be destination free, meaning Zhenhua could sell it to other companies.

However, government officials in Iraq are making the countrys budget priority clear as the State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO) deputy director-general Ali al-Shatari stated, "For the time being we may say it is not applicable at this stage because of oil prices, which are high and we are in a better position and we are even generating additional profits in excess of what the Iraqi budget needs."

The end of the Zhenhua deal follows recent announcements of big oil backing away from Iraq. Earlier this month, oil super-major, BP, said it wanted to change its operations in Iraqs supergiant Rumaila oil field, to create a stand-alone company.

U.S. super-major ExxonMobil announced its intention to withdraw from Iraqs West Qurna 1 oil field. And Royal Dutch Shell got out long ago, ceasing operations in Iraqs supergiant Majnoon oil field in 2017 and West Qurna 1 in 2018.

Related: U.S. Agrees To Lift Iran Oil Sanctions There are several reasons for the Western supermajors exit from Iraq, including the movement away from traditional oil and gas towards low-carbon projects, persistent corruption in Iraqs oil industry, and Chinas dominance of Iraqi oil.

However, we mustnt overlook the fact that oil prices in Iraq have been steadily increasing since the beginning of the year, as the government promises higher export levels. SOMOs crude was going for $65.842 a barrel in May, up 23.5% from January. And now Iraq is expecting as much as $80 a barrel, although no timeframe has been given for this confident prediction.

Iraqs oil exports have been strong in 2021, as the third-largest oil exporter to China, after Saudi Arabia and Russia, and the top supplier to India last month. Iraq has been setting its sights on China and India, as oil demand from the two Asian giants looks set to continue well into the next decade.

As the countrys Basrah Medium crude grows in popularity and production picks up after a recent agreement with OPEC+ on supply, export levels will steadily increase throughout the rest of the year. Iraq exported 1.013 million bpd of Basrah Medium in May, up from 891,000 bpd exported in January, around a 14% increase.

OPEC restrictions on output had limited Iraqs oil exports, but the easing of these constraints will allow Iraq to produce 4.016 million bpd in July, an increase from 3.954 million bpd in June and 3.905 million bpd in May.

Related: Rising Demand Closes The Gap Between WTI And Brent Prices

But Iraq will have to maintain its competitive position in the market if it wants to maintain its regional reputation as a key oil and gas exporter, with neighboring Iran expected to take center stage upon a nuclear agreement with the U.S.

Just this week, Iran announced that the U.S. had agreed to remove all oil sanctions on Iran, although Washington has not yet confirmed this move. If this were true, it would unlock Irans 208.6 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, allowing it to become a major international player once again.

As Iraq focuses its exports on China and India, following the distancing of Western supermajors from the country, it will have to foster these relationships well if it wants to maintain its competitive edge in the region before Irans oil operations get back into full swing.

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

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And when vaccination began, health officials featured community members, including the veteran, getting the shots and talking about the importance of the vaccine.

Mona Zuffante, Winnebago public health administrator, said one of the tribes most elder elders told how she was able to finally meet a grandchild born during the pandemic after getting vaccinated.

Health officials connections in the community also helped. Danelle Smith is a Winnebago Tribe member and grew up in Winnebago. Zuffante is a longtime resident and a Native American. Many health system employees are part of the community.

The tribe opted to get its vaccine directly through the Indian Health Service, Smith said, and never ran out of shots. With its own ultra-cold storage on-site, it could take large shipments of vaccine.

Smith said more remains to be done to reach the 30% of residents who still are not vaccinated. Zuffante said health officials will continue to work with those who are hesitant, taking vaccine to homes or giving shots after hours if need be.

The longer we continue our vaccine campaign, the more receptive (theyre) going to be, she said.
The Parmelee-Keeler feud also had intensified. Keeler allegedly attacked several of Parmelees neighbors and friends for much of 1873 and 1874 over the land disputes and was convicted several times with Parmelee assisting in the prosecution.

On that fateful day, a Saturday, Keeler was said to have been drinking in an Elkhorn saloon and Parmelee was at the grain elevator. If you believe the lore, their paths crossed at some point during the afternoon.

According to the Bee account of the duel, around 5 oclock Parmelee headed home first in a wagon behind farmhand William Philpot, who was driving a team of mules with a load of cobs. Keeler soon drove his team ahead of Philpot.

The Bee wrote: Parmelee came up and told Philpot to stop, when Keeler asked Parmelee if he wanted to fight, and told him to say yes or no. Parmelee replied, Go to h-ll.

Both parties continued north for a short distance before stopping again. Parmelee picked up his rifle, a 16-shot Winchester that he was carrying because of the many threats by Keeler, hopped off the wagon and ran around to the right side. Keeler was armed with a revolver and also had a double-barreled shotgun loaded with buckshot. When Keeler got out, Philpot was caught between the two men  he wasnt harmed.
Trooper Green was widely respected and well-liked by his fellow Troopers, several of whom yesterday described him as a true gentleman and always courteous to the public and meticulous in his duties," Mason said in an emailed statement. From what we learned yesterday, he was held in equally-high regard by his neighbors and friends in Winthrop.

A state police spokesperson said Saturday that officials are investigating whether the male victim may have been trying to engage the suspect to end the threat.

On Sunday, mourners gathered at the scene while some residents left flowers near the destroyed building, The Boston Globe reported.

Brian Marks, who owns the building that was destroyed, told the Globe that he was in utter shock" when he saw what happened Saturday.

I rushed down and came to what, to me, looked like something out of a movie or something, he said.

Bob Harrington, who lives across from the building, said he heard loud crashes, saw the man get out of the truck and walk down the street and then shortly after heard gunshots. He then saw a woman lying on the ground, he said.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Five years ago: The U.S. Supreme Court issued its strongest defense of abortion rights in a quarter-century, striking down Texas widely replicated rules that sharply reduced abortion clinics. The Supreme Court overturned the bribery conviction of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, sending the case back to a lower court. (Prosecutors ended up deciding not to retry McDonnell.)

One year ago: Florida set another daily record for the state in the number of daily confirmed coronavirus cases, with more than 9,500 new cases. Thousands of people gathered outside a police building in suburban Denver to call for justice in the death of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man whod been put in a chokehold by police in August 2019; he suffered cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital and was later declared brain dead. Princeton University said it would remove the name of former President Woodrow Wilson from its public policy school because of his segregationist views. French cosmetics giant LOreal said it would remove words like whitening from its skin care products following criticism of the company amid global protests against racism.

Todays Birthdays: Former Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt is 83. Singer-musician Bruce Johnston (The Beach Boys) is 79. Fashion designer Vera Wang is 72. Actor Julia Duffy is 70. Actor Isabelle Adjani is 66. Country singer Lorrie Morgan is 62. Actor Brian Drillinger is 61. Writer-producer-director J.J. Abrams is 55. Former Sen. Kelly Ayotte (AY-aht), R-N.H., is 53. Olympic gold and bronze medal figure skater Viktor Petrenko (peh-TREHN-koh) is 52. Latin singer Draco Rosa is 52. Actor Edward Grapevine Fordham Jr. is 51. TV personality Jo Frost is 51. Actor Yancey Arias is 50. Actor Christian Kane is 49. Actor Tobey Maguire is 46. Gospel singer Leigh Nash is 45. Christian rock singer Zach Williams is 43. Musician Chris Eldridge (Punch Brothers) is 39. Reality TV star Khloe Kardashian (kar-DASH-ee-uhn) is 37. Actor Drake Bell is 35. Actor Sam Claflin is 35. Actor India de Beaufort is 34. Actor Ed Westwick is 34. Actor Matthew Lewis (Film: Harry Potter; TV: Ripper Street) is 32. Actor Madylin Sweeten is 30. Pop singer Lauren Jauregui (Fifth Harmony) (TV: The X Factor) is 25. R&B singer H.E.R. is 24. Actor Chandler Riggs is 22.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
In April, a search of a prison in Clarinda, Iowa, found 60 inmates involved in consuming or possessing K2, prompting new precautions to keep the liquid form from being smuggled in.

At the Nebraska Corrections Department, Frakes said a surge in K2 issues earlier this year might have been associated with inmates receiving COVID-19 stimulus checks, and thus having extra money to spend.

Among the precautions taken by the state, he said, has been to monitor inmate financial accounts to look for unusual deposits or spending that could be associated with purchases of K2 and other contraband.

At the Douglas County Jail, which houses an average of about 1,200 inmates, all mail not from lawyers is now checked and copied, with the photocopies given to inmates. Nebraska prisons are implementing a similar system.

At the Douglas County Jail and at the maximum-security Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln, letters from attorneys are being checked. Inmates open them in the presence of corrections officers, then copies are made and given to the inmate. Douglas County immediately shreds the original, Meyers said, to comply with confidentiality requirements for attorney-client correspondence. The state holds onto the originals for several days in a secure location before destroying them.
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 Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties 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 that the Board of Regents should use that power to stop critical race theory from being taught at NU.
During a recent congressional hearing, Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, defended critical race theory. Whats wrong with having a situational understanding, he asked, of the relevance of race in the U.S.? Contextually, Gen. Milley understood the importance of race in the attempted Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

I have spent more than 30 years studying the ideology and construction of race, particularly as it relates to U.S. American history and culture. I majored in Black Studies as an undergraduate and made race my research area. My doctoral dissertation and post-doc research examined the effects of race on Black female beauty perceptions, specifically skin color and hair texture. As a professor, I have developed and taught courses with race in the title. In 30 years of researching and teaching about race, however, I have never discussed critical race theory.

The U.S. is a country where race is written into the Constitution and included in every census. Race-based policies influence every aspect of U.S. American culture and social norms. The decades-old critical race theory, which calls out systemic racism in the U.S, has been pulled off of academic shelves, dusted off and weaponized. Proponents of white privilege are using critical race theory as a distraction.
CRT deeply concerning

After reading your editorial of June 23, I have to wonder what the writer actually knows about critical race theory and its adoption by many K-12 schools across the country as part of their civics curriculum. It is certainly accurate that Americas past unfair treatment of our Black citizens needs to be discussed in the context of the historical and civics education of our children, including recognition of current advantages some of us enjoy, while others do not.

You say that critical race theory is uncomfortable for many White people, but the fact is that many Black Americans also think it is entirely wrongheaded. CRT posits that all White people are inherently racist, and all Black people (and other non-whites) are victims. It thus divides us into two classes of either oppressors or oppressed. This theory might be appropriate for adults to study in post-secondary classes, but isnt something to foist on young children who arent yet capable of a full understanding.

The outrage over CRT is not manufactured; it stems from children coming home from school and expressing feelings of guilt and worthlessness to their parents. This is completely unacceptable, and is happening in all quarters of the country, although you dont hear about it on the TV news, or, for that matter, in the Omaha World-Herald.
Since opening in 2014, Generation V Vape + CBD Shop has quickly become Omahas favorite vape shop.

Generation V was named Omahas Choice for Vape Shop three years in a row by World-Herald readers, taking home first place again this year.

Generation V Vape + CBD Shop Four metro area locations; Lincoln; Beatrice; Davenport, Iowa; and Brookings, South Dakota www.generationv.com

Our success is a direct result of our teams dedication to providing exceptional service to help adults quit smoking, says Sarah Linden, founder of Generation V. We specialize in educating the beginner and pride ourselves on offering a money-back guarantee. As a family-owned business, we put our guests first and genuinely want to help them live better.

All stores are designed with a vape bar where patrons can test the wide array of e-liquids while socializing with their team and other vapers.

Generation V has locations in Omaha, Bellevue, Lincoln and Beatrice, as well as Council Bluffs, Davenport, Iowa, and Brookings, South Dakota.
A team of police detectives from Assin Adadientem and personnel from the Ghana Medical and Dental Council last Wednesday embarked on an operation to arrest an alleged quack doctor in the Assin Adadientem community in the Central Region.



Samuel Odartei, 56 and his daughter, 30-year-old Alberta Lunuekor, who was also found operating as a paramedic at the facility being used as a clinic, were arrested and put in police custody to help with investigations.



The Deputy Central Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Sergeant Isaac Evans Ettie, confirmed the incident and told the media that on June 23, 2021 at 9:30 a.m., a team from the Complaints and Investigations Unit of the Ghana Medical and Dental Council in Accra, with a team of police personnel from the Assin Adadientem Police Command, stormed the residence of Odartei, which doubled as a health centre, at Assin Adadientem.



Years of practice



Odartei has over the years been practicing as a medical professional from his residence at Assin Adadientem No. 2.



His patients reportedly come from the Assin Adadientem community and several other surrounding villages.



Sgt Ettie stated that the team chanced on Odartei's daughter, Alberta Lunuekor, in a pair of gloves busily dressing a patient's wound, while other patients waited to be attended to.



He added that the team also took video shots of the operations at the facility.



The team retrieved a variety of medical operating items as well as prescription and over-the-counter medicines.



Later the same day, Sgt Ettie said Odartei reported himself to the Assin Adadientem police and was arrested.









Source: graphic.com.gh









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Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, Volta Regional Minister, has said that the accelerated growth the Region is yearning for could be achieved through a collaborative effort, urging all to come onboard.



He said we are in this business together, but with different roles and responsibilities to contribute to push our development forward...we are in a chain and if one link breaks the entire system will grind to a halt.



Dr Letsa said each and everyone had a part to play in promoting the development of the Region and it was essential that the roles were not carried out in isolation but collectively to improve on the well-being of all.



The Minister was speaking at the first meeting of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC) which was in line with Sections 191(1) and 191(2) of the Local Government Act 2016, Act 936.



He said his outfit was determined to create an enabling environment that would encourage people to strive to achieve their full potential, promote investments and growth, and build a healthy, prosperous and inclusive and united region and country for future generations.



Dr Letsa affirmed his pledge to provide a transparent, accountable, participatory and all-inclusive leadership that would make the average person in the Region have faith in the country's democratic dispensation.



He said his second term in office would be used to correct the shortfalls and build on initiatives, create unlimited opportunities to make the region an oasis of prosperity.



The Minister said the role of the Council in the next four years was clearly cut, and charged members to see through the implementation of government policies and programmes and encourage people to take advantage of them.



He urged Voltarians both home and abroad to be citizens and not spectators and participate in the progress of the region as the task ahead was not for one person or a group, saying we all have a contribution to make and no contribution is small.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Deputy Minority Chief Whip, who is also the Member of Parliament for Banda Constituency, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim believes the 2021 population census exercise is politically motivated to favour the ruling New Patriotic Party (NDC) in the 2024 general elections.



According to him, the exercise has been designed in such a way by the Akufo-Addo government to place certain communities in other juridictions considered to be the strongholds of the ruling NPP.



The reason why they are embarking on 2021 population census political is that they are doing it to create the 25 constituencies in the strongholds of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) before the 2024 general elections, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim posited.



The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has scheduled the 2021 Population and Housing Census for Sunday, June 27, 2021. The census was expected to take place in 2020 but had to be rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.



The exercise, which will run till July 11, 2021, is meant to generate data that will be used in decision-making and planning for the development of the country and its citizens.



Currently, the Ghana Statistical Service is numbering various structures nationwide.



Speaking on Okay FMs "Ade Akye Abia" Morning Show, the NDC MP opined that the intended census exercise has created problems in some communities as some chiefs have expressed their dissatisfaction about the arrangement which they believe is politically tinted.



He added that the next President might not be able to embark on a correct development plan for the country due to the wrongful implementation of the 2021 population census.



Whiles accusing the ruling NPP government of sidelining perceived NDC activists as enumerators and replacing them with NPP sympathizers, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim further asserted that the political connotation surrounding the 2021 population census has killed the zeal of Ghanaians to fully show interest and participate in the exercise.



There was a national engagement in the voter registration exercise but with the 2021 population census, on the quiet, we heard that the enumerators who were considered NDC members have been driven out and replaced with NPP membersthe publicity is down as compared to the voter registration exercise because with the voter registration we all knew how the exercise was going to pan out, but not with this exercise, he asserted.



Watch Video Below





Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com









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The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has ruled that the Ministry of Works and Housing and the Ministry of Transport be surcharged with the cost of organising its sitting on Thursday, June 24, 2021.



This was after the two ministries had failed to appear before the committee without any prior notice.



The two ministries have also been asked to bear the cost of the days live broadcast of the sitting on national television and media coverage aimed at bringing the Committee's work closer to the public.



Ruling



The Chairman of the Committee, Mr James Klutse Avedzi, who gave the ruling, also warned ministries, departments and agencies that take the work of the committee for granted.



He reminded them that Article 103 (6) of the 1992 Constitution granted the Committee, like any other Committee of Parliament, the powers, rights and privileges of a High Court in relation to enforcing the attendance of witnesses and examining them on oath, affirmation or otherwise.



He said the Public Accounts Committee and the Committee on Subsidiary Legislation were the only Committees of the House chaired by a Member from the Minority side of the legislative body and that was to deepen the mandate of the Committee in scrutinising properly the audited accounts of government institutions.



National reclamation scheme



Meanwhile, at the sitting of the PAC yesterday, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR), Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, disclosed that the government would roll out a comprehensive national reclamation scheme and plant different species of economic trees to replenish vegetation cover across the country.



The scheme, which was being finalised, was expected to start from July this year.



Job losses



Under the scheme, he said, former illegal miners, who lost their jobs due to the governments clampdown on galamsey, would be recruited to plant millions of trees in degraded mining communities and depleted forests.



He said special attention would be paid to the southern part of the country, including the Eastern, Central, Western and the Ashanti regions, where the entire landscape had been badly degraded.



I had an opportunity to go on an aerial tour and you will see that the whole landscape has been degraded and we are now working to roll out a national reclamation programme which will see us reclaiming all the lands, and hopefully in the process, the young men and women who have fallen out of the crackdown on illegal mining can be recruited to reclaim these lands and plant economic trees, he said.



The minister, who was accompanied by the officials of the various agencies under the MLNR, particularly the Lands Commission, was before the committee to respond to questions raised by the Auditor-General on the operations of agencies in the lands and natural resources sector.



He and other accompanying officials answered questions pertaining to the activities of the Lands Commission, the granting of licences and permits for natural resource exploitation, abuse of the ban on rosewood export, measures to sustain trees planted under the Green Ghana Day (GGD), fundraising for the GGD and youth in afforestation.



He also answered questions on the national afforestation and reclamation programme, illegal mining, alternative livelihood for former illegal miners and the management of the Achimota Forest enclave.



Alternative livelihood



Responding to a question on the governments support for formal illegal miners, Mr Jinapor, who is also the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Damongo, said the Presidents vision and strategy for the small-scale industry was not to just clamp down on galamsey but the provision of alternative livelihood which was dear to the heart of the President.



In his view, the government was determined to make it a viable industry which would employ the youth and contribute to the economy.



Small scale mining



He told the committee that the small-scale mining sector contributed 40 per cent of the countrys gold output last year and we are not at all against small-scale mining.



What we are against is illegal small-scale mining and the efforts we are making now, which has got the Ghana Armed Forces involved, exclusively is in respect of the red zones  the water bodies and forest reserves of our countries, he said.



Survival of trees



On how to nurture to maturity tree seedlings planted during the Green Ghana Day, Mr Jinapor said there was a whole strategy to ensure the survival of the over five million trees that were planted on June 11, this year.



He pointed out that from now till the next Green Ghana Day next year, a programme would be rolled out to ensure that more trees would be planted, especially in protected forests and major highways.



On the flouting of the ban on the harvesting, transportation and export of Rosewood from Ghana, the minister said matters of the natural resource sector and issues about Rosewood, which was one of the sought-after species of wood everywhere in the world, had become a complicated issue.



He, however, gave an assurance that adequate measures had been put in place to actively police the activities of those harvesting and exporting Rosewood in the northern part of the country.



To fortify the ban on Rosewood exports, the minister said the MNLR had also entered into partnership with chiefs from the northern Ghana, particularly those from the Savannah Region, who had placed a total ban on the harvesting of shed trees and Rosewood.



With regard to the mechanism for auctioning illegally harvested woods, he expressed worry about the manner in which individuals and groups behind illegal logging formed criminal cartels to benefit from the auctioning of confiscated illegal logs.



What I have found personally as minister is that in many cases, the criminal cartels involved in this illegal logging find other unorthodox means of participating in the auctioning.



The enforcement regime we have now is deterrent enough. So, we are examining it at the level of the ministry and to decide whether we should, for instance, begin to burn what we confiscate or give them to other institutions. These are questions which need answers to, Mr Jinapor added.

Source: graphic.com.gh









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A dozen of the world's smallest pigs have been released into the wild in northeastern India as part of a conservation programme to boost their population.

A dozen of the world's smallest pigs have been released into the wild in northeastern India as part of a conservation programme to boost the population of a species once thought to have become extinct.

The pygmy hog, which has the scientific name porcula salvania, lives in tall, wet grasslands and was once found along plains on the Himalayan foothills in India, Nepal and Bhutan.

Its population declined in the 1960s, leading to fears it had become extinct until it was rediscovered in India's northeastern state of Assam in 1971, conservationists say.

By 1993, it was only found in a few pockets of Assam's Manas National Park, which borders Bhutan.

The Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme, involving several organisations including from state and national governments, established a captive breeding scheme with six hogs in 1996 to try and revive their population.

"This time we are releasing 12 pygmy hogs including seven male and five female," the programme's field scientist Dhritiman Das told AFP at the release site in Manas National Park on Saturday.

Eight of the hogs were released in Manas on Tuesday and four more on Saturday. Some 14 were released last year.

The programme looks after around 70 captive hogs and is breeding more to be released.

The pygmy hog, which has the scientific name porcula salvania, lives in tall, wet grasslands.

The past week's releases take the number of pigs reintroduced into the wild by the programme to 142.

The wild population is estimated to be less than 250, conservationists say.

"In next four years, we target to release 60 hogs... so that they can build their own population in the wild," Das added.

The programme has also sought to rehabilitate the grasslands home to the tiny creatures, which measure about 25 centimetres (9.8 inches) in height and 65 centimetres in length and weigh around 8-9 kilogrammes (17.6-19.8 pounds).

The species' survival has been threatened by the loss and degradation of its habitats due to human activity such as settlement and agriculture, and the improper management of such areas, experts say.

Explore further Virus lockdown for world's smallest and rarest wild pigs

 2021 AFP
The number of New Yorkers hospitalized with COVID-19 has hit a new low, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Saturday.

The state reported 371 hospitalizations on Friday, the most recent day statewide data is available. The previous low was 410 and recorded last September.

There were 92 patients in the intensive care unit and 45 people were intubated, according to state data.

Cuomo, in a statement, encouraged unvaccinated New Yorkers to get the shot so the downward trend can continue.

Were finally putting the COVID-19 pandemic in the rear-view mirror, and more New Yorkers are getting vaccinated every single day as the numbers continue to come down, he said. Getting shots in arms is the key to our future.

Warren County Health Services will be hosting a series of vaccination clinics in the northern and western portions of the county beginning Tuesday.

The clinics are open to anyone 12 and over who lives, works or studies at a college in New York.

For additional information on the clinics, visit: https://bit.ly/3mu4n4D.
FORT EDWARD  Ideas for how to redevelop the former dewatering plant site is the subject of a virtual informational meeting set for Tuesday.

The Warren-Washington Industrial Development Agency is conducting a study on how to reuse the property, which is located on Lock 8 Way in Fort Edward.

The IDA is seeking input from the public as it assesses the strengths and constraints of the site, which the agency has named the Fort Edward Industrial Park.

The meeting will begin with a presentation and then be followed by public input.

It will take place at 6 p.m. People can join through Zoom. The Meeting ID is 880 9176 3808 and the Passcode is 757775. People can also join in by phone by calling 1-646-558-8656 and entering that same meeting ID and passcode.

Chester Supervisor Craig Leggett, who is on the IDA board, said the agency has been awarded a combined total of $190,000 in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and National Grid to complete the study.

The study will review the existing conditions, recommend upgrades to the site and identify market opportunities.

Leggett said the former dewatering site has a lot of potential.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  Gov. Andrew Cuomo's political star was dimmed by allegations he sexually harassed women and misled the public about COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes.

But will that hurt him with campaign donors?

Some of the Democrat's most reliable political contributors  including unions, wealthy executives and Democratic Party officials  say they still plan to give money to his expected campaign for a fourth term in office.

The governor is planning a $10,000 per-person fundraiser for June 29 in New York City. It will be one of his first big, in-person events to raise money for his campaign since the coronavirus pandemic began. Hes also hosting a $25 per-person virtual fundraiser in July.

The full picture of whether the allegations hurt Cuomo with contributors might become clearer on July 15, when his campaign has to disclose donations made since January.

At least some donors say they are sticking with him.
The resolution to eliminate mileage payments for Warren County supervisors when they drive to the municipal center in Queensbury for meetings would have been a lot more persuasive if it had come from a supervisor who didnt live in Queensbury.

The resolution was defeated  not even all the supervisors in the Queensbury/Glens Falls region voted for it  and it should have been. The argument advanced by Doug Beaty, a supervisor from Queensbury, was that the municipal center should be considered the supervisors office, and employees almost never get mileage for commuting to their office.

Mr. Beatys home office scenario may be true for him and the other at-large county supervisors from Queensbury, and it may also be true for the ward supervisors from Glens Falls. They do not have their own offices, and since they are close by, they may spend more time at the municipal center than supervisors from towns to the west and north.

But the 11 town supervisors on the board do have their own offices in their towns, and that is where they spend most of their time and do most of their work. Those are their home offices. Its reasonable for them to get reimbursed for the miles they drive back and forth to the municipal center to fulfill their county duties.
Anela Stavrevska-Panajotova, an International Union for Conservation of Nature expert, says the country is witnessing a historic opportunity, after 60 years, to have a new national park, which is the missing piece for protected areas in the Balkans.

Together with other protected areas in other neighboring countries, we will have the largest trans-boundary protected area in all of Europe. And we are very proud about it! she said.

Since 1994, authorities have been trying to figure out how best to protect Shar Mountain's over 62,000 hectares in North Macedonia from further devastation. Some support has come from the U.N. Environment Program. North Macedonia is also trying to meet the European Union's target for joining the block, which says nations must protect at least 12% of their territory. North Macedonia now has an estimated 9% protected, and with Shar Mountain National Park that will rise to over 13%.

The area will be divided into four zones: one strictly protected that makes up 27% of the park; an active management zone; another for sustainable use; and a buffer zone.

Naser Xhemaili, the 32-year-old owner of a company that offers mountain tourism programs and horseback rides, expects many benefits from the national park designation, including improved infrastructure such as roads.
SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST: RING OF HONOR TV REPORT

By Anthony Pires on 2021-06-27 13:00:00

Quinn McKay, our host, welcomes us to this weeks big Ring of Honor episode. Tonight is the finals of the Survival of Fittest Tournament. We see the closing moments of each first round match headed into tonight.

Matt Taven vs. Dutch w/Vita Von Starr & Bateman

Von Starr and Bateman head to the back immediately. He fires away at Dutch but Dutch lowers the forearms. Taven tries for a DDT and gets thrown off. Taven with a charge but gets taken down via a tackle. Crossface forearms by Dutch. Dropkick by Taven, Dutch doesnt register and fires away as we go to commercial.

Taven is slumped on the outside and Von Starr emerges and attackes. This brings out Maria Kanellis and orders Von Starr to the back. Remember that Kanellis was threatened with being thrown out of the Womens World Title Tourament.

Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman, wonder why Von Starr would sacrifice her opportunity.

Tope suicida to the outside by Taven. Taven returns to the ring and hits the Flight of the Conqueror. Taven throws Dutch back in the heads to the top. Frog Splash by Taven, kick out at one. Taven looks stunned. Taven with a DDT and here comes Vincent, wearing one of Tavens suits. Taven goes after Vincent and Bateman tackles him from the blindside. Referee Todd Sinclair has no choice but to call for the bell.

WINNER BY DISQUALIFICATION: Matt Taven

Mike Bennett comes out for the save and ROH security separates them.

L

Vincent has the mic. He mocks Taven, doing his pose. Vincent says Taven is so very close to irrelevancy. Taven sits there dejected.

We go to Jay Briscoe on the Farm, getting ready for the big Fight with his brother Mark

Survival of the Fittest Final: Demonic Flamita vs. Brian Johnson. Bandido vs. Chris Dickinson vs. Rhett Titus vs. Eli Isom

This is being fought under Lucha rules, tagging in and out as well as claiming the ring when someone exits. Flamita and Bandido battle on the outside, Dickinson with a front facelock on Titus, Titus reverses into a short arm scissors. Headlock by Titus into a foreman carry. Titus with a powerslam for 2 and he kicks Dickinson to the floor.

Isom claims the ring and he and titus exchange rollups. Titus nails Dickinson on the floor with a tope.

Johnson claims the ring. Back elbow by Isom into a Mexican Arm Drag. Isom to the arpon, he hits Titus and Dickinson with a moonsault.

Bandido and Flamita claim the ring and Flamita fallaway slams him onto the entire group. All 6 are down. Back in the ring, Bandido cradles Flamita for the pin.

Demonic Flamita is eliminated.

Flamita with a post elimination attack on Bandido. He sends Bandido through a table and nails him with a series of chair shot. Rey Horus makes the save. The ROH medical staff check on Bandido as we go to commercial.

Were back and the medical staff is still there. Isom and Johnson are working. Bearhug by Isom, ear clap escape. Johnson scores a 2 with a Perfect Plex. Johnson with a knee strike to Isom in the corner. Johnson mocks Isom being from Indiana. Rip cord into a Northern Light by Isom. Johnson escapes and rakes Isoms eyes and hits a spike cutter into The Process. Isom wisely escapes and Dickson takes over for him. Titus tags in via Dickinson.

Johnson chokes Titus on the rope, he hits a clothesline. Titus escapes a neckbreaker and nails a dropkick. Titus hits a pair of running kicks in the corner and hits a knee from the top rope and pins Johnson.

Brian Johnson is eliminated.

Dickinson takes over on Titus and immediately works over the knee. Dickinson applies a deep knee bar and Titus taps out.

Rhett Titus is eliminated.

Bandido has returned to the match. Dickinson works him over but Bandido with a forearm. Dickinson knocks him down. Arm twist into a Saito Suplex by Dickinson for 2. Double wristlock by Bandido. Isom saves Bandido, odd strategy to be sure. Dickinson, unfazed, goes to work on the arm and hyperextends it. Dickinson mocks him. Ian and Caprice believe Isom made the save as he wants the weakened Bandido to be the last man in. Arm drag by Dickinson, he goes for the cross armbreaker and Isom makes another save. Isom claims the ring against Dickinson. They trade punches and forearms. Enziguiri by Isom. Dickinson with a rear naked choke, Bandido with a dropkick to Dickinson, Isom falls to the floor. Bandido hits the 21 Plex on Dickinson for the pin.

Chris Dickinson is eliminated.

Its down to Isom and Bandido. They exchange forearms. Cartwheel dropkick by Bandido, Isom with a sidewinder for 2. Isom applies the rings of Saturn. Ian and Caprice cant contain the excitement. Bandido gets to the ropes. Bandido escapes the brain buster and hits the G2S. Bnadido tries the 21Plex but the arm gives up. Death Valley Driver for 2 by Isom. Kick to the face by Bandido. Backbreaker by Isom for 2. Spin kick by Bandido. They exchange kicks. Bandido locks in a headscissors armbar combo and Isom is in AGONY. He finally taps out.

WINNER AND SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST WINNER: Bandido

Its Bandido vs. Rush for the World Title at Best in the World.

Instead of We go to credits, Im going to say WOW! GO OUT OF YOUR WAY TO WATCH THIS ONE

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!
Iowa Department of Corrections Director Beth Skinner has said her agency will expand use of body cameras at Iowas nine prisons after two offenders at the Anamosa State Penitentiary were accused of bludgeoning to death a correctional officer and a nurse March 23.

Before the attack, only some staff at the Anamosa prison and the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison have worn cameras, but with some of the $10 million in discretionary money provided by the Iowa Legislature, the Corrections Department will provide body cameras to staff in specific positions at all nine institutions, spokesman Cord Overton said.

Cameras not activated

Body-worn camera recordings can be key in situations where the core facts of what occurred are in dispute. But cameras dont help if officers dont turn them on.

In the widely-publicized arrest last year of Des Moines Register reporter Andrea May Sahouri  who was charged with failure to disperse and interference with official acts while she was reporting on racial justice protests  Sahouri said she was complying with police orders, but a police officer alleged that she tried to pull away from the officer with the help of her boyfriend.

The officer had not activated his body camera in violation of his departments policies.
No one injured in fire at school

No one was injured in a small fire at McKinley Elementary in Davenport Thursday night.

The Davenport Fire Department responded to an alarm at the school, 1716 Kenwood Ave., at 10:05 p.m., according to a news release from the fire department.

Fire fighters found the fire within a doorway at the back of the building. The fire was quickly extinguished and damage was limited to the immediate area around the doorway.

Crews used positive pressure fans to remove the smoke from the area and check for fire extension. There were no injures reported and the scene was turned over to Davenport School officials, the release states.

The fire is suspicious and is under investigation by the Davenport Fire Marshals Office.

Non-farm jobs increased, jobless rates down

Non-farm jobs increased and unemployment rates decreased in the Quad-Cities over-the-year in May, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Illinois Department of Employment Security.
Teen faces first-degree robbery charge

A Davenport teen has been arrested for allegedly assaulting a person and threatening him with a handgun in order to steal the mans vehicle.

DeShawn Lamont Davis, 18, is charged with one count of first-degree robbery. The charge is a Class B felony under Iowa law that carries a prison sentence of 25 years, 70%, or 17  years, of which must be served before parole can be granted. Davis committed the crime in April when he was still 17.

According to the arrest affidavit filed by Davenport Police Officer Daniel Brody, on 2:04 a.m. on April 17, officers were sent to the 100 block of North Elmwood Avenue to investigate a report or an armed robbery.

Davis is alleged to have assaulted the victim and threatened the victim with the display of a firearm. During the assault, Davis allegedly took the victims car keys and the left in the victims vehicle.

An arrest warrant was issued in April and Davis was arrested on the charge Wednesday.

During his first appearance in Scott County District Court, Scott County District Associate Judge Christine Dalton released Davis from the Scott County Jail without bond. He is to be supervised by the Iowa Department of Corrections until his trial or plea.
An exit off Interstate 95 in Florida had to be closed for three hours after 100 homing pigeons fell off a truck and refused to move, posing a 
Megan McArdle, in a column published in this newspaper two weeks ago, states that tax hikes wont fix inequality. Towards the end of the column, she suggests perhaps the "best way to reduce the pernicious effects of unequal wealth might be aggressively taxing consumption." A little further into the column she manages to admit that consumption taxes are usually regressive. Well, yes, indeed they are, and so why is McArdle positing that perhaps they could be helpful in reducing inequality? Then she goes on to talk about a "highly progressive, revenue neutral consumption tax." Ive never heard of a progressive, consumption tax. By definition they are regressive, hurting the poor who have little to spend and have to spend it on the basics of life.
"Thats where youre seeing a little bit of pause in movement on the congressional front, but I dont think that means we wont have a candidate," Scott County Democratic Party Chairwoman Elesha Gayman said. "The most vulnerable you are is after your first term, and when you win by only six votes in a contested process, that does not spell shoe-in or anointed candidate. That doesnt, to me, spell a recipe for victory."

Additionally, while Republicans may have benefited from increased turnout with Trump on the ballot, the electorate will likely look different than it did last cycle. And even last cycle, Iowas second district had a razor-thin margin, Gayman said.

"I do not write off a Democrat coming in and being able to take that congressional district," Gayman said. "I wouldn't write it off completely yet. There's folks having conversations. ... Democrats dont feel defeated. If anything, everyone is more fired up that ever."

Johnson County Democratic state Sen. Kevin Kinney, who eyed a run for Loebsack's 2nd district seat in 2019, said he was approached by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to run for the seat, but is not interested.

"I dont want to go to Washington, D.C.," Kinney said. "I like it here I Iowa and feel I can be much more productive here in our state legislature."
LaMetta Wynn, who in 1995 was elected to become Iowas first Black woman mayor and served for three terms as Clinton mayor, died Thursday at High Plains Specialty Care Center, Lincoln, Nebraska. She was 87.

When elected mayor, Wynn had lived in Clinton for 34 years. Quad-City Times reporter Holly A. Smith profiled Wynn after her election in November of 1995, reporting that Wynn and her husband Tom raised 10 children. She worked nights as a nurse and he worked days as a laborer at the Rock Island Arsenal.

Smith wrote that Wynn was also a baker, a chauffeur and a member of several PTAs. At one point, she had children attending five Clinton schools. Instead of slowing down as the children grew up and moved out, she ran for school board in 1983.

Wynn spent 12 years on the Clinton School Board, eventually becoming board president.

As Iowa's first Black female mayor, Wynn caught the attention of the national media. But, she said, Other people are more interested in that than I am. If I can be a role model I will be that. People can look at me however they want.

Wynn was 62 when she won the mayoral race in November of 1995, defeating four candidates, all white males. It was her second attempt as she ran for the position in 1993.
The Linn County Courthouse can only do so many evictions per day so that will also help stifle the flow a little bit, she said. However, that doesnt change the fact that right now, were looking at August. It is going to be a difficult month. I think there will be a lot of people in and out of units so we are trying to set things up so we dont see a substantial increase in our homeless population.

The county will aim to get millions of dollars from the assistance program in the hands of renters and landlords.

Like homeowners, landlords were affected by the derecho too and had to pay a lot of money for repairs and may have not been getting income during that time, Balius said. Some are in precarious situations as well, especially those smaller landowners so they are critical partners in this too.

Cedar Rapids community development director Jennifer Pratt said the city has spent about $1 million to help more than 650 households through its eviction prevention program, which provides low- to moderate-income households grappling with the impacts of COVID-19 with rent and utility payment assistance. The city launched the program last April.

The city has more than a year to spend the remaining money -- about $550,000 currently allocated to Cedar Rapids, Pratt said.
Knowing how crowded national parks are these days, Nickerson plans on arriving at parks she visits super early and possibly visiting less-popular parks.

"So many people are getting out and enjoying the parks," Nickerson said. "The goal is not to be in a long line."

Nickerson still intends to visit national parks, she said during the show.

"It might change how we go about our hikes," she said. "I don't think it'll change the fact that I want to go to all of the national parks, but it does requires more planning."

A doctor of audiology who now lives in Phoenix with her husband, Brandon Nickerson, Alissa Nickerson said visiting the parks and taking in the beauty of what the country has to offer is one of their favorite hobbies.

"I enjoy seeing all the diverse geography," she said. "Driving one hour can make such a difference."

Being interviewed remotely from her kitchen table for the "Today" appearance, Nickerson wasn't nervous, she said. At least, she doesn't think she was.

"It was a great experience," she said.

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The 2022 election is off and running and, in some quarters, being decided in advance. Thats not the way its supposed to work, but the Trump Party seems determined to "rig the election," to borrow a phrase from the Big Guys fevered fantasies.

Across the 23 wholly-owned Republican states, legislatures are not only erecting barriers to likely Democratic voters, but in Georgia and Arizona, setting up a means to reverse the election if they should lose. Similar laws have been proposed in 20 additional states, but there is little chance those will pass.

All this in response to what even Trumps administration admitted was the most honest and secure election in our history. Officials from both parties were scrupulous in making it possible for as many citizens who wished to cast a ballot to do so. But Trump, as expected, lost, so that made it "rigged."

Whatever else you may say about our former president, you have to admit that he blurts out things that a more controlled person would never utter: e.g., "If everyone votes, Republicans will lose." That wasnt quite true. Down-ticket Republicans did rather well in 2020; it was the man at the top of the ballot who was shellacked.
A frequent contributor to this page wrote a letter thanking President Joe Biden and other national Democrats for helping advance conservatism. I guess I am curious as to what that even is today. Is conservatism supporting the belief that denying the right to vote to those opposed to you is better than democracy? Is it the full-throated support of right-wing zealots attacking police officers at our nation's capitol and attempting to overthrow the government? Maybe its the way a couple of our local Republican legislators do absolutely nothing to contribute to legislative talks, but instead sit outside of the chambers holding inflammatory Facebook Live events. Nope, I got it, its using the United States Senate to write, rewrite and rewrite again their rules to benefit only the the Republican Party, whether or not the people would prefer they be in the majority or the minority.
For all of these reasons, I think Mount Rushmore might be the best possible Shrine of American Democracy.

Today, there are two camps. Some want to whitewash history and fetishize the founding fathers. They want to teach a myth that George Washington couldn't tell a lie when he chopped down a cherry tree but not the truth that he owned slaves even while serving as the first President of the United States. Others want to disqualify all of the great things Washington did to help establish the framework of the executive branch of the government because he was not a perfect man by cultural standards almost 250 years later.

When Jefferson wrote, "...all men are created equal" in the Declaration of Independence, he didn't mean "all people" like we do today. He meant all white men who owned enough property to qualify.

Because of how this country was founded, black people were bought and sold for almost all of its first century. Women weren't even allowed to vote for about 50 years after slavery ended. The founding document had to be amended multiple times to atone for our nation's original sins.

Until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, many of the ideas encapsulated in the writing of imperfect men in the late 1700s weren't available to everyone.
A heat wave forecast across the western United States for next week includes 100-degree-plus days for most of Montana. That week culminates with the Fourth of July holiday, when Americans haul their fireworks to public lands and firefighters cringe.

Im about to head out to Miles City, DNRC engine crew boss Jonkar Arceniega said. Eight years ago, we had 22 (fire) starts by this time of year. So far in 2021, weve had 131 starts that burned about 15,000 acres.

Arceniega has spent 13 years fighting fire with DNRC, on top of 16 years teaching at Hellgate Elementary School. The men and women milling around him at the helitack training ranged from rookies to 30-year veterans with gray beards to match.

This is two great careers  teaching and being a wildland firefighter, Arceniega said. Its the family mentality that I love.

DNRC helicopter manager Egil Estovold kept a family casualness in his tone of voice despite the deadly seriousness of his lessons. Every gallon of water in that Bambi Bucket weighs eight pounds. The full load can knock a firefighter to the ground.

Weve seen it blow tree tops off, Estovold said of the falling waters impact. Weve seen 10-foot logs do cartwheels down a mountain slope after a drop.
What is the biggest challenge/opportunity in the next two to five years: Solidifying my path to retirement, and making sure I can work because I want to, not because I have to.

First job after college: My first job after cosmetology school was in my kitchen. I was still working a full-time corporate job and hadnt landed a salon job yet, but I still wanted to do what I loved until I did.

If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently: I would have not allowed fear to cripple me for so long, and left the corporate world much sooner than 35.

Movie or book that inspired you the most, and why?: I dont know that theres a movie or book that has inspired me more than the women with whom I engage every day in my chair, my inner circle, and just Black women in general who go out and do meaningful work in their respective fields. They push through the expectations and the microaggressions and show up in excellence, and that has always inspired a sense of fearlessness in me.
Butner officials reached out to prosecutors and Lapps attorney to tell them why they werent accepting Lapp but never notified the judge directly.

Ellis accepted a measure of responsibility himself; Lapps attorney, Joseph Flood, filed a motion with the court informing the judge that Butner was refusing to accept Lapp. But Ellis said Friday that he wasnt 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 Lapps 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. Lapps suicide is a tragedy we ought not to repeat, Ellis said.

Lapp lived in a wealthy neighborhood outside the nations capital and owned a $1.3 million home there at the time of his arrest.
FAIRFAX  A judge in Virginia is weighing whether to throw out criminal charges against a white police officer accused of using excessive force on a disoriented Black man, a decision that hinges on complaints about prosecutors conduct in the case.

Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Brett Kassabian told prosecutors Friday that he would rule within seven to 10 days on whether to take the draconian measure of dismissing the misdemeanor charges against Fairfax police officer Tyler Timberlake.

The Washington Post reported that Kassabian accused prosecutors of failing to disclose evidence to the officers attorney and making statements that appeared to be misleading.

Body camera video shows Timberlake using a stun gun on La Monta Gladney, punching the man, and sticking his knees on the mans neck without any apparent provocation after the officer responded to a call in June 2020.

Timberlakes attorney, Brandon Shapiro, said prosecutors from Commonwealths Attorney Steve Descanos office withheld a lengthy report by the cases lead detective, as well as a 911 call, a bystanders video of the encounter, and an interview with the victim posted on YouTube.
The drop in Asian American representation was anticipated: A group of parents has sued the School Board in federal court, claiming that 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 systems new policies.

He sounded skeptical when lawyers for the school system insisted that 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 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 that the geographical set-asides essentially function as a proxy for racial quotas.
VIRGINIA BEACH  A man who helped save his colleagues during the 2019 mass shooting in Virginia Beach has received a posthumous medal from the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission.

The Virginian-Pilot reported Wednesday that Ryan Keith Cox got the Carnegie Medal.

The medal is awarded to people throughout the U.S. and Canada who risk their lives for others. Its considered North Americas highest civilian honor for heroism.

Cox, 50, directed seven of his colleagues to barricade themselves inside an office during a gunmans rampage at a Virginia Beach municipal building in May 2019.

He refused the pleas of his colleagues to join them because he wanted to help others.

Cox, who worked as a public utilities account clerk, was one of 12 people killed that day.

We would not be in here today if Keith had not forced us into that room and made us stay in there. He gave his life so that all seven of us women could have ours, Tara McGee, one of Coxs co-workers, told The Virginian-Pilot after the shooting.
Mainstream candidates crowed that they had delivered painful blows to the far-right party previously named the National Front. No region changed camps, with the right keeping the seven it had previously and the left still in control of the other five, according to official results and polling agencies' projections.

On the right, winning incumbent Xavier Bertrand crowed that the National Rally wasn't only stopped in his region, the Hauts-de-France in the north, but we made it retreat greatly.

Another winner on the right, Laurent Wauquiez, said the far right had been left no room to prosper in his region, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes.

Although focused on local issues, and marked by record-low turnout, the regional voting was scrutinized as a test of whether the National Rally is gaining in acceptability. Le Pen has spent a decade trying to cast off the extremist reputation that repelled many French voters in the party's previous guise as the National Front. The party's renewed failure to win a region suggested that Le Pen and her party remain unpalatable to many before the 2022 presidential vote.
LONDON (AP)  Sensitive defense documents containing details about the British military have been found at a bus stop in England, the BBC reported Sunday.

The papers included plans for a possible U.K. military presence in Afghanistan, as well as discussion about the potential Russian reaction to the British warship HMS Defenders travel through waters off the Crimean coast last week, the BBC said.

The broadcaster said a member of the public who wanted to remain unnamed contacted it when they found the pile of documents  about 50 pages in all  in a soggy heap Tuesday behind a bus stop in Kent, southeast of London.

The Ministry of Defense said an employee had reported the loss of the documents last week. It did not provide details about the incident or confirm the documents were found at a bus stop.

The Ministry of Defense was informed last week of an incident in which sensitive defence papers were recovered by a member of the public," it said in a statement. The department takes the security of information extremely seriously and an investigation has been launched."

The department takes the security of information extremely seriously and an investigation has been launched, it said in a statement. It would be inappropriate to comment further.
But the legalization of marijuana may prompt employers to make some changes. They might decide not to look for convictions related to cannabis during background checks. Testing for cannabis is tricky because of how long it can stay in a persons system. As a result, Latsko said, some employers may choose to drop it from drug-testing panels.

If its legal to possess, you could have done it on your own time and yet its still in the system. There is no real good test about the impairment of marijuana, he said.

While the law has changed, that doesnt necessarily mean the views of hiring managers have, Latsko said. He noted that there may be generational differences of opinion and social stigma around cannabis.

Companies likely will watch their peers to see how they respond to the legalization of marijuana, Latsko said, looking to see who will be the first mover, making a dramatic change.

If there starts to be this snowball effect of organizations that drop testing for this and it seems to be getting groundswell among social media, popular media, what have you, then of course other people are going to jump on the bandwagon, he said. That may then sway even more states or even the federal government to consider the issue a little more closely.
Brands juxtaposes the bellicose actions of radical abolitionist John Brown with those of the careful thinking of a pro-Constitution lawyer who was opposed to slavery. Elder explores the life of an ambitious politician who was pro-slavery and a follower of the Thomas Jefferson belief that the Constitution had not created a new nation but continued a loose association of sovereign states.

By the time Brown and his followers attacked the U.S. arsenal at Harpers Ferry, he had already murdered pro-slavery settlers in Kansas. He was leading an insurrection aimed at abolishing slavery, and like many zealots, he was committed to die for the cause, as Thomas Jackson (later called Stonewall) observed prior to Browns death by hanging. Jackson had led Virginia Military Institute cadets to Harpers Ferry to help keep order during Browns trial and execution.

Brown was not alone in feeding factional bickering. Roger B. Taney, chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, fanned the flames with his Dred Scott decision. When Lincoln had a Maryland man arrested because he was raising an army to attack U.S. troops, Taney showed his loyalty to the insurrection by ordering the president to free the man. Lincoln ignored the order.
The problem is scar tissue on both of her stumps, according to letters from doctors that Wall shared with me. The reddish-purple patches of damaged skin are easy to distinguish from her paler, healthy skin. The bad-skin areas larger on her left stump.

Even wearing the artificial legs for a few minutes causes severe blisters on the compromised skin. Those can grow to the size of a small water balloon, Wall said. When they pop, it creates fresh wounds on her stumps. Those take weeks to heal before she can try the prosthetics again.

For six months, she endured repeated cycles of blistering and healing as she tried to get used to her new legs. Her prosthetist, Phillip Call, repeatedly adjusted the upper sockets of her artificial legs  thats the part into which her stumps fit.

When the blisters continued, Call built a new pair of custom sockets, at no charge. But those gave her blisters, too. Walls been unable to make any progress toward walking again.

She keeps the artificial legs in a beach bag, in a downstairs den of the split level home she shares with her husband of 32 years, Tom Wall, a retired journalist. He estimated the total time shes spent wearing her prosthetics at no more than 90 minutes over six months. The blisters were too severe.
CHRISTIANSBURG  Town council has passed its budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1, a period during which town officials are bracing for lower revenue than expected due to the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The council, on a 6-0 vote this past week, approved a budget with total expenditures of $75.2 million. While that amount is more than a $20 million increase from the current fiscal years expenditures, a chunk of that difference is tied to trails- and streets-related capital projects.

One major project that was approved several months ago and will continue throughout the following year is the construction of a multi-purpose park off of Peppers Ferry Road in Christiansburgs fast-growing northwest section. The project is budgeted to cost nearly $18 million, $9.3 million of which is to be borrowed.

Town officials said they have reduced expected revenue in 2022 based on their experience with revenues in 2021. The categories they said have been most affected by the pandemic are primarily revenues from meals, lodging and sales taxes and business and occupational taxes.

Throughout 2021, the town has experienced a 50% drop in lodging revenue, 15% drop in meals revenue and an approximately 3% drop in sales tax revenue, according to the towns budget summary.
In the New River Valley, about 46% of people have received at least one dose, while 39% have been fully vaccinated.

Its challenging because these targets are all somewhat arbitrary, Bissell wrote in an email this week. Those under 12 are not yet able to get vaccinated, so to achieve any given goal for the total population you would need a higher percentage of those eligible to be vaccinated.

Bissell pointed out that its even unclear what percentage of the population must be vaccinated to achieve so-called herd immunity.

Herd immunity varies by disease, with some infections requiring higher levels of immunity for overall protection. To achieve herd immunity for measles, according to the World Health Organization, about 95% of a population needs to be vaccinated. For polio, it drops to about 80%.

Herd immunity for the novel coronavirus is not known, according to WHO, but experts estimate it will require at least 70% of the population to be fully vaccinated. And new, more transmissible variants, like the delta variant that has recently been detected in Virginia could complicate the picture.

Neither Virginia, nor the U.S. overall is near the level of 70% fully vaccinated.
The problem is that schools are now so expensive thats hard for many localities  and not just rural localities.

Many urban areas are in the same fiscal bind, which sets up the opportunity for a grand coalition between central cities (generally represented by Democrats) and rural areas (largely represented by Republicans).

Making that happen has been harder than it should be. To his credit, Gov. Ralph Northam persuaded the General Assembly last year to use some of the state tax revenue from casinos for school construction.

He anticipates that after several years of operation, the casinos could generate enough tax revenue to allow the state to issue up to $1.5 billion in bonds for school construction. Thats half the $3 billion Stanley proposed but still not an insignificant amount.

The problem is that it might be 2025 before the state can even do this. Is there any candidate who can come up with a shorter time frame? And whether they do or not, those future revenues for school construction depend on future governors and future legislatures not changing the rules.

Will the candidates pledge to carry this through? And will either endorse Stanleys call for a bond issue or find some way way to fund school construction?
Last January I decided it was time for me to quit as a member of the Christiansburg Town Council.

It was for a number of reasons. I guess being old, 77, was one of them. Being old you often dont understand things that are going on in the world. For an example three stories that appeared in The Roanoke Times on June 18 were hard for me to follow.

The first one was: A law has been pasted in Texas that permits people in the state to carry handguns without background checks or training. So, if you want to carry a gun in Texas, fine not a problem. Texas will be like Dodge City back in the old West. They dont need police protection, just shoot it out.

The next article stated President Trump had nothing to do with the assault on our nations capital on Jan. 6, 2021. His words at a rally before the attack, You need to fight like hell meant nothing. Many people agree, but seven people died and portions of the U.S. Capitol were destroyed.
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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.
FILE PHOTO: Boeing stages the first flight of its 777X plane outside Seattle

By David Shepardson

(Reuters) -The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has told Boeing Co that its planned 777X is not yet ready for a significant certification step and warned it "realistically" will not certify the airplane until mid- to late 2023.

The FAA in a May 13 letter to Boeing seen by Reuters cited a number of issues in rejecting a request by the manufacturer to issue a Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) Readiness. "The aircraft is not yet ready for TIA," the FAA wrote, declining to approve "a phased TIA of limited scope with a small number of certification flight test plans."

The letter, which had not previously been made public, cites numerous concerns about lack of data and the lack of a preliminary safety assessment for the FAA to review.

The FAA will not approve any aircraft unless it meets our safety and certification standards," the agency said in a statement Sunday.

Boeing has been developing the widebody jet, a new version of its popular 777 aircraft, since 2013 and at one expected to release it for airline use in 2020.

A Boeing spokeswoman said on Sunday that the company "remains fully focused on safety as our highest priority throughout 777X development. As we subject the airplane to a comprehensive test program to demonstrate its safety and reliability, we are working through a rigorous development process to ensure we meet all applicable requirements."

The 777X will be the first major jet to be certified since software flaws in two Boeing 737 MAX planes caused fatal crashes and prompted accusations of cozy relations between the company and FAA.

European regulators have said in particular that they will subject the 777X to extra scrutiny after the fatal crashes prompted the 20-month grounding of the 737 MAX.

The MAX crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed 346 people within five months in 2018 and 2019.

The letter cites a number of issues that still need to be addressed, including an "upcoming major software update with the software load of flight control... The FAA understands that there are many significant problem report items that will be addressed by that version of the software load, including the software fix for the un-commanded pitch event that occurred on December 8, 2020."

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The agency added that "software load dates are continuously sliding and the FAA needs better visibility into the causes of the delays."

It said that "after the un-commanded pitch event, the FAA is yet to see how Boeing fully implements all the corrective actions identified by the root cause investigation."

The agency said it wants Boeing to "implement a robust process so similar escape will not happen in the future and this is not a systemic issue."

The FAA said in its letter certification date for the 777X "is realistically going to be mid to late 2023 (>2 years from now."

Boeing Chief Executive Dave Calhoun said earlier this month that "we are still confident" it will be certified in the fourth quarter of 2023.

The letter was reported earlier by the Seattle Times.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Lisa Shumaker, Nick Zieminski and Daniel Wallis)
SINGAPORE (EDGEPROP) - A 9,617 sq ft landed housing plot at 34 Jansen Road has been put up for sale via an Expression of Interest (EOI) exercise. Colliers is the sole marketing agent for this 999-year leasehold site. The property has a guide price from $10 million. (See also news about Hillside Drive Singapore)

The north-south facing plot in the mature Kovan estate has a plot ratio of 1.4 with a height control limit of five floors under the 2019 Master Plan. The existing 2 -storey detached house is currently tenanted and has a built-up area of about 4,800 sq ft consisting of five bedrooms, and the site also features a swimming pool.



The existing 2  -storey house at 34 Jansen Road has five-bedrooms and is currently tenanted. (Picture: Colliers)

This is a good investment opportunity in a convenient location where amenities are readily available, and there is excellent connectivity via public transport or by car. Investors can expect a reasonable quantum for this site which has the potential for self-occupation or redevelopment into a large, detached house for multi-generational families, says Steven Tan, executive director, Investment Services. He adds that the market for landed housing tenants in this area is buoyant due to its proximity to schools.

The EOI exercise will close on July 22.

Check out the latest listings near Jansen Road

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Its common for children to be afraid of storms. Storms can be scary. For children who are particularly sensitive to noise or light, thunder and lightning can be particularly challenging. For some children with a significant fear of storms, the problem comes not so much from a storm itself, but from the anticipation of a storm, resulting in ongoing stress and anxiety.

Kids may be hesitant to leave the house if they think they may get caught in a storm and may try to avoid outdoor activities. This stress can get in the way of other aspects of their lives, such as schoolwork, because the fear makes it hard for them to concentrate. It can be wearing on parents, too, as children look for constant reassurance that there is not going to be a storm.

There are several things you can try to ease your childs fear of bad weather.

Make severe weather plans

For some children, it is comforting to know the plan for staying safe in a storm. Talk to your child about what your family will do during a storm  even if you are outdoors or away from home. Reassure them that you will do whatever you can to keep them safe.

Learn more about storms
Proactive steps have been taken across the area since 2011.

Brown said many of those levees industries erected in Port Neal remain in place. Communities have raised water well heads so they wouldn't be endangered during flooding, upgraded pumping equipment, increased their stockpiles of sandbags to protect critical infrastructure and sent employees to flood-fighting training classes.

In Sioux City, berms blending into the landscape remain in place to protect city infrastructure. A flood wall now protects the Chris Larsen Park boat ramp parking lot. Kelly Bach, Sioux City parks maintenance field supervisor, said plans are in place to protect infrastructure when the next flood comes.

"If we had a similar event to what happened (in 2011), we'd know what's happened and what's going to happen. We look at where we've been and what we can do," Bach said. "We continue to have those talks. Is there something we can do to mitigate those situations now rather than last-minute when we have a flood?"

The high-water event in 2019 exposed a weakness in Dakota Dunes' flood protection, Dooley said, and another 500 feet of levee were added.

"The improvements in 2012 helped. After 2019, we saw some things we needed to improve, and we did," he said.
USA Track and Field spokeswoman Susan Hazzard said "the national anthem was scheduled to play at 5:20 p.m. today. We didn't wait until the athletes were on the podium for the hammer throw awards. The national anthem is played every day according to a previously published schedule." On Saturday, the music started at 5:25.

And so, while winner DeAnna Price and second-place finisher Brooke Andersen stood still on the podium with their hands over the hearts and stared straight ahead at the American and Oregon flags, Berry fidgeted and paced on the third step. Then turned away. And finally grabbed her T-shirt.

"They said they were going to play it before we walked out, then they played it when we were out there," Berry said. "But I don't really want to talk about the anthem because that's not important. The anthem doesn't speak for me. It never has."

Berry's gestures drew virtually no reaction from the still-filling stands. And they were something far less than two summers ago, when she raised her fist on the podium after winning the Pan-Am Games.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  South Dakota's most populous city is staying in-house to replace its outgoing police chief.

Sioux Falls Police Lt. Jonathan Thum, who has been with department for 16 years, was recommended for the top job by a hiring panel of community members and other organizations, city officials said. He replaces Matt Burns, who announced his retirement last month.

Lt. Thums extensive law enforcement experience, genuine passion for public service, and his dedication to the Sioux Falls Police Department will serve our city well in his new leadership role, Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken said. As a Sioux Falls native, Lt. Thum is incredibly respected in our community and leads with a collaborative and inclusive approach."

Thum started his career with Sioux Falls police as a patrol officer in 2005. He has worked as a field training officer, department training officer, sergeant, lieutenant and SWAT commander.

TenHaken said Thum helped lead the departments response to the civil unrest during summer 2020 and has represented police in many community forums designed to engage residents in constructive dialogue.
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.

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Biden recognizes the political danger. He is old enough to recall what the law-and-order issue did to his party in 1968.
Child care did get significant attention during the past Iowa legislative session. Getting less attention, however, was the fact that early childhood and child care providers also face a labor shortage. If we were really serious about the workforce and ensuring children make the most of their talents, there would be a whole-of-society effort on this sector of the economy. We would encourage people to get into the field and ensure they had pay and benefits commensurate with the responsibility.

Another factor that was mentioned was business culture. One of the tri-state workforce presenters highlighted the owner of a fast food restaurant in their state. That employer said that he did not have significant challenges in retaining his employees. That may be due to rewarding his employees for meeting personal and business goals with items such as shoes or concert tickets that are valued by the individual employee.

In contrast, the New York Times published an analysis showing a personnel turnover rate averaging three percent a week at some Amazon warehouses. The company frequently posted job schedules the day before, making family life difficult. This is similar to what I have heard from some people employed locally. Employees were constantly tracked electronically, resulting in one being fired for having difficulty finding a job station within the warehouse without telling her where it was.
The past few years have been difficult for the agriculture industry, but we are now finally seeing new hope on the horizon as farmers are expecting a profitable harvest this season. Data released by the Department of Agriculture revealed farmers will earn $11.8 billion more from selling crops this year than in 2020. This positive trend is, in part, a result of increased exports to China at a high price.

Our state lawmakers must focus on building on this movement, not passing fruitless legislation like right to repair that would hinder the agriculture industrys upcoming success. Right to repair legislation would force agriculture equipment dealers and manufacturers to release their proprietary information and back-end code to the public. This move opens the door for bad actors to tamper with farm equipment to potentially violate federal safety and emissions standards.

This legislation is also unnecessary given that farmers have access to repair manuals, replacement parts, and diagnostic information to make a vast majority of repairs on their equipment.

There is a lot of misinformation being spread about the benefits of right to repair legislation, but in reality, it has significant safety and security implications that could derail the agriculture industry. Nebraska lawmakers should understand that this legislation may harm farmers future harvest and should say no to right to repair. Brad Cummings, Orchard, Neb.

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Browning onions is a matter of patience. My own patience ran out earlier this year while leafing through the New York Times food section. There, in the newspaper of record, was a recipe for savory scones with onions, currants, and caraway. Though I wasnt particularly interested in making savory scones, one passage caught my eye:

Add the onions to the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook until they begin to turn dark brown and somewhat soft, about 5 minutes. Add the oil and a pinch of the fine sea salt; continue cooking until the onions are soft and caramelized, about 5 minutes longer.

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Soft, dark brown onions in five minutes. That is a lie. Fully caramelized onions in five minutes more. Also a lie.

There is no other word for it. Onions do not caramelize in five or 10 minutes. They never have, they never willyet recipe writers have never stopped pretending that they will. I went on Twitter and said so, rudely, using CAPS LOCK. A chorus of frustrated cooks responded in kind (Thats on some bullshit. You want caramelized onions? Stir for 45 minutes).

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As long as Ive been cooking, Ive been reading various versions of this lie, over and over. Heres Madhur Jaffrey, from her otherwise reliable Indian Cooking, explaining how to do the onions for rogan josh: Stir and fry for about 5 minutes or until the onions turn a medium-brown colour. The Boston Globe, on preparing pearl onions for coq au vin: Add the onions and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until golden. The Washington Post, on potato-green bean soup: Add the onion and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.

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If you added all those cooking times together end to end, you still wouldnt have caramelized onions. Here, telling the truth about how to prepare onions for French onion soup, is Julia Child: [C]ook slowly until tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. Blend in the salt and sugar, raise heat to moderately high, and let the onions brown, stirring frequently until they are a dark walnut color, 25 to 30 minutes. Ten minutes plus 25 to 30 minutes equals 35 to 40 minutes. That is how long it takes to caramelize onions.

Telling the truth about caramelized onions would turn a lot of dinner-in-half-an-hour recipes into dinner-in-a-little-over-an-hour recipes. I emailed Sam Sifton, the Times food critic turned national editor, to ask if the Recipe Writing Guild had some secret agreement to print false estimates of onion-cooking time. He wrote back: I can reveal that onion caramelization takes longer than the Guild believes. But it need not take as long as you believe it to take! You can speed it up with butter, so long as you are careful not to burn.

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Could onions be browned, at all, in 10 minutes? I embarked on a quest to find out. Someone on Twitter had suggested things would go faster with sweet onions. This seemed a little like pepping up a bread pudding recipe by treating sliced pound cake as a kind of bread. But I bought a Tampico sweet onion, chopped half of it into tiny bitsonly half, so as not to crowd the panand turned my biggest burner as high as it would go. Butter seemed a little risky at that temperature, so I went with olive oil, in a cheap, lightweight nonstick skillet. In five minutes, a few flecks of brown had appeared among the otherwise raw-looking onion bits. After eight minutes, some of the onion had begun to take on the scorched aspect of the unfortunate onions stuck to bagels. At the 10-minute mark, the brown flecks had turned black, in a mince that was a mix of brown and still-pale bits. The onion was done cookingthat is, it was beginning to be ruinedbut it was not very well caramelized. At 11 minutes, I scraped an inedible mess out of the pan.

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But the onion lies had not yet been fully refuted. Melissa Clark, the author of the Times scone recipe, claimed in a Diners Journal post that she relies on a somewhat unusual technique, one that takes less than half the time of the traditional slow-cooked method of caramelization and makes for sweeter, more intensely flavored onions with a complex, chewy texture. The secret, she writes, is starting the onions in a dry pan, and adding the oil later.

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Note that half the time of the traditional method is still 20 minutes, not 10. Nevertheless, I decided to follow her instructions to the letter. I used a red onion, as Clark specified, halved through the root and thinly sliced crosswise. I started slicing it paper-thin. Not good enough? I got out the knife sharpener and touched up the edge on the cleaver. Now it was tissue-paper thin. I heated the pandryover a generously medium-high flame, then added the onions.

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After five minuteswhen according to Clark, it would begin to turn dark brown and somewhat softthe onion was resolutely white and pink, and only slightly translucent. I added the oil: one tablespoon, extra-virgin. The white parts turned the color of extra-virgin olive oil.

At 10 minutes, when it was supposed to be done, the onion was translucent and soft, with only a tinge of gold. Soon after, one golden speck appeared. By 15 minutes, the onion was even softer and more golden. At 20 minutes, there were deep brown patches, and I was afraid they would scorch while I set down my spatula to take notes. At 24 minutes, the risk of scorching forced me to lower the heat to medium. By 25 minutes, they were pretty well caramelized, and at 28 minutes they were as done as Id want.

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So Clark was only off by 180 percent on the cooking time. You can save 12 minutes off caramelizing onions, provided you pin yourself to the stove.

That is the deeper problem with all the deceit around the question of caramelized onions. The premise is wrong. The faster you try to do it, the more you waste your time. This isnt some kitchen koan. Its a practical fact. The 10-minute-cum-28-minute caramelized onion is all labor and anxiety. Give yourself 45 or 50 minutes to brown onions, working slowly on a moderate flame, and its an untaxing background activity. You can chop other vegetables, wash some pots, duck out to have a look at the ballgame on TV in the next room. Keep half an eye on the pan. It will only need close tending toward the end.

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Recipe writers approach kitchen time with a stopwatch. The Times scone recipe, as written, claimed to take 45 minutes. Once you subtract out the (fictitiously shortened) onion-cooking time, the one-minute caraway-seed-toasting time, the 15-to-17 minute baking time, and the 10-minute cooling time, that leaves the cook seven to nine minutes in the middle to mix the dough (including grating frozen butter into it), shape it, cut it into scones, and lay the scones out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Oh, and somewhere in there, the onions needed to cool completely. Isnt home baking soothing?

In truth, the best time to caramelize onions is yesterday. Often enough, you need to have them ready before you can start on the rest of the dish. Thus the recipe-writers impulse to deceive. Browning onions is slow work, and it comes first. So get a pan going after dinner, and theyll be ready when you need them. Or throw the onions in a crock pot and go to bed. In recipe time, thats hours and hours. In your time, the time that matters, its less than five minutes.
Former Attorney General Bill Barr is working hard at reputation damage control and is now opening up about his fights with former President Donald Trump near the end of his presidency. In a series of interviews with ABCs Jonathan Karl, Barr said he suspected that Trumps claims of election fraud were bullshit from the start. My attitude was: It was put-up or shut-up time, Barr said in the piece published in the Atlantic under the headline William Barr Speaks. If there was evidence of fraud, I had no motive to suppress it. But my suspicion all the way along was that there was nothing there. It was all bullshit.

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Barr said he was long suspicious of the then-presidents fraud claims in part because he expected Biden to win the election. But he still allowed prosecutors to investigate allegations of irregularities, and also opened up his own unofficial investigation into the claims. But not because he believed them, he insists, but rather to be able to better counter the claims. On the oft-repeated allegations of rigged voting machines, for example, Barr said that we realized from the beginning it was just bullshit.

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As the weeks passed after the election and Trump continued to espouse lies about election fraud, Barr was under increasing pressure from inside the Justice Department and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to speak up against the false claims. McConnell was afraid of doing it himself because he thought it could get the president angry and he would refuse to campaign in Georgia. Look, we need the president in Georgia, McConnell said, according to Barr. And so we cannot be frontally attacking him right now. But youre in a better position to inject some reality into this situation. You are really the only one who can do it.

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That is when Barr decided to tell an Associated Press reporter in early December that to date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election. Trump was livid. How the fuck could you do this to me? Why did you say it? Trump asked. Barr said he was only telling the truth. You must hate Trump. You must hate Trump, the then-president said. Barr allegedly pushed back, accusing the president of putting together a clown show rather than an organized challenge to the election. Thats why you are where you are, Barr claims he said. You may be right about that, Trump said. Two weeks later, Barr resigned.
People in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia are suffering through an extremely hot weekend as temperatures in several areas are set to reach unprecedented levels Sunday and Monday. Things already got off to a chart-topping start on Saturday as Seattle reached 97 degrees Fahrenheit, making it the hottest June day on record. Other cities and towns are also going to be breaking records as temperatures in many areas will be as much as 30 degrees above normal, a dangerous situation for a region where many dont even have air conditioning. If youre keeping a written list of the records that will fall, you might need a few pages by early next week, National Weather Service Seattle tweeted on Friday.

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The extreme heat wave is going to stick around the area for several days with little relief in an unusual weather pattern that is known as a heat dome. What exactly is a heat dome? It is effectively what it sounds like, explains National Geographic, an area of high pressure that parks over a region like a lid on a pot, trapping heat. This heat wave is particularly notable because its taking place so early in the summer and will be one of the most extreme and prolonged heat waves in the history of the Northwest, the National Weather Service in Spokane warned.

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Seattle is expected to get over 100 degrees over the weekend and Portland could very well break its all-time record of 107. Farmers worried about the potential for crops to rot, stores sold out of fans and portable air conditioners and cities opened up cooling centers as officials warned people of the dangers of the extreme weather. Heat at this level is something that will kill people and will get lethal very quickly, Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon said.

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Residents of the area better get used to it because this could be the new normal as extreme heat waves are likely to become more frequent due to climate change. We know from evidence around the world that climate change is increasing the frequency, intensity and duration of heat waves. Were going to have to get used to this going forward, Kristie Ebi, a professor at the University of Washington who studies global warming, said. Experts say the region isnt ready for such extreme heat, and few air conditioners is only part of the story. Unfortunately were not well-prepared, generally speaking in the Pacific Northwest, for heat, Vivek Shandas, a professor of climate adaptation and urban policy at Portland State University, told CNN. Our [power] grids are largely taxed during the wintertime for heating purposes, but in the summer, theres a lot less capacity in the grid to be able to actually manage some of the major drains on cooling infrastructure thats needed.
The Tour de France will be filing a lawsuit against the spectator who caused a massive pileup when she stepped onto the road in the first stage of the race on Saturday. The woman was apparently eager for the TV cameras to capture her holding a large sign with the words ALLEZ OPI-OMI, a mixture of French and German that translates to come on grandpa-grandma! so she stepped onto the road and didnt realize the peloton was fast approaching. German cyclist Tony Martin hit the spectators sign and went tumbling to the ground, causing a chain reaction that led many others to fall off their bicycles. It was the first of two crashes in that leg of the race.

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The Tour de France says the woman will face consequences for her actions. We are suing this woman who behaved so badly, Pierre-Yves Thouault, the organizations deputy director, told AFP. We are doing this so that the tiny minority of people who do this dont spoil the show for everyone, he said.

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in an attempt to get a cardboard sign on tv, a spectator has taken out the entire peloton - maddening #TourDeFrance2021



pic.twitter.com/CM0x0ZKvS3  Rob Ralston (@PolicyRelevant) June 26, 2021

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One rider, Jasha Sutterlin, was injured and had to pull out of the race. Several others were hurt, including spectators. Among the ones that were hurt were Italys Sonny Colbrelli and Dutch rider Wout van Aert, both of whom looked as favorites to win the first leg of the race but suffered delays after they fell over. The rider who eventually won, Julian Alaphilippe, did so with blood dripping from his knee. I hope everyone is OK. Im calling on the fans to be careful. Its nice to see the fans back on the side of the road, but please be careful, Alaphilippe said.

If the Tour de France is going to sue the spectator, though, officials will first have to find her. As of Sunday, police in France were still looking for the spectator who fled the scene after the crash.
Bratislava Zoo director resigns due to her foreign citizenship

After parliament adopts legislation enabling dual-citizenship in Slovakia, she might return.

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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. The Bratislava City Council accepted her resignation on Thursday, June 24. At the same time, it entrusted deputy director Tomas Hulik as the temporary director of the zoo.

Related article Rules for granting Slovak state citizenship receives green light from ministers Read more

Hanuliakova has lost her Slovak citizenship as a result of the still valid dual citizenship legislation, as she acquired US citizenship during her stay in the United States, noted Bratislava spokeswoman Katarina Rajcanova for the TASR newswire.

An amendment to this law, which is intended to eliminate the unfair deprivation of the citizens of the Slovak Republic of their citizenship, has been announced for a long time but has still not been passed, said Rajcanova, adding that her foreign citizenship formally prevents her from holding her position.

When Hanuliakova took the post, the city was not aware of her change in citizenship. Hanuliakova herself took up her position in good faith that there would be no obstacles. Once the situation with her citizenship has been resolved, the city council will be able to return her to office.

Related article Unprecedented Bratislava zoo set for overhaul as new boss takes the reins Read more

The cabinet greenlighted the change to the State Citizenship Act in late February while the amendment should have become effective as of July 1, 2021. But the parliament has not passed the amendment yet.

Hanuliakova won a competition to become the new director of the Bratislava Zoo last year. She replaced Miloslava Savelova, the long-time head of the zoo.

Related article

Related article Julia Hanuliakova: From campaigner against animal captivity to zoo director Read more

25. Jun 2021 at 12:59 | Compiled by Spectator staff
It was all systems go for Day Delight as he scored in a photo finish in the Saturday evening (June 26) feature at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

Gilles Barrieau was in the bike in the $3,000 feature as Day Delight guarded the rail from the beginning, going to the lead and tripping the first quarter in :28.1. Barrieau continued his forward motion to the half-mile marker in :57.1, then hit three-quarters in 1:26.2.

Rose Run Quest came calling in the final panel but fell short at the finish as Day Delight prevailed in 1:55.1. Rose Run Quest was second with third going to Cowboy Logic.

Barrieau trains Day Delight for owners Victor Puddy, Wayne MacRae, Howmac Farm Ltd., and Lloyd Stone.

Zendayacougarbeach became the first two-year-old pari-mutuel winner of the Red Shores Charlottetown season in a $1,900 maiden event as Dave Kelly, Sr. steered the son of Cougar HallSunset City to a 2:01.4 victory for owner Juanita and Alan MacLeod of Brackley.

Elliot Moose found his third-straight victory when taking Race 7 for trainer-driver Jason Hughes and owners Donald, Melissa and Bryan MacRae. The Malicious three-year-old stopped the clock in 1:57.3 in his $2,350 event for his fourth victory.

Live racing continues at Red Shores this coming week with a Thursday (July 1) program at Red Shores Summerside while the lone card at Red Shores Charlottetown will be held Saturday evening (July 3) before the beginning of Governors Plate Week action on Sunday (July 4) in Summerside.

Total handle for the card was $53,414.

(Red Shores)

To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Charlottetown Driving Park.
A front-end speed duel was just what the doctor ordered for Johnnie Jack, who was able to pounce on tired pacesetters and capture the Saturday (June 26) feature at Northside Downs.

A field of five pacers went postward in the $1,500 Winners Over Pace, with Southwind Ricardo (Gerard Kennedy) using his rail position to make the lead and control the tempo. His lead was contested immediately by Runaway Mystery (Harold Leblanc Jr.) and with last week's winner Accelerator (Greg Sparling) keeping the pocket closed, those two veterans slugged it out through opening fractions of :27.4 and :56.4.

Sensing a golden opportunity, driver Ryan Campbell had Johnnie Jack positioned second over behind Runaway Mystery from the three-eighths point and flipped the switch three-wide at the five-eighths mark. Johnnie Jack cleared a fading Runaway Mystery and then collared Southwind Ricardo through a 1:26.2 third station. With a three-length advantage turning for home, Campbell shut down Johnnie Jack and coasted home in :31.1 for the 1:57.3 decision over Accelerator and Hotlikewasabi (Richie Baryluk).

Travis Campbell of Gardiner Mines, N.S. owns and trains four-year-old Johnnie Jack (Westwardho Hanover - Water Sprite), now an 11-time winner in his career with $16,387 in earnings.

Ardon Mofford came into the Saturday card with four lifetime driving wins and the local horseman / restaurateur added substantially to his totals by scoring a hat trick on the afternoon. The third of those wins came aboard pacing veteran Bet On Art  a horse that he owns and trains  for the pacer's 50th career victory.

To view the results for the Saturday card, click the following link: Saturday Results - Northside Downs.
It was an instant replay of last week's $12,300 Class AA-Open Handicapped Pace on Saturday night (June 26) at Buffalo Raceway. As was the case last Saturday, Saulsbrook Deputy laid low for much of the mile but then roared down the stretch to stun Iluvtomakemoney and collect the victory.

SM Timmy was the commander of the fractions in the early going, notching reasonable splits of :28.2 and :57.2 to the half. But the first-over Iluvtomakemoney took control at the three-quarter marker in 1:26.1 and looked free heading for home.

But Saulsbrook Deputy had other ideas.

Sitting fifth past the final pole, Saulsbrook Deputy looked like he was shot out of a cannon and blitzed his way to the line a length in front of a disappointed Iluvtomakemoney while Endeavors Pride was third.

Owned by Mark Keller and conditioned by Jennifer Giuliani, it was the fifth win in 23 tries for the 7-year-old gelded Saulsbrook Deputy (Western Paradise-Racino Star). The victory upped his seasonal bankroll to $40,676 and $254,711 lifetime. Kevin Cummings drove the $15.20 winner.

Sanchez Rocks "stoned" the field in the Class A-Open Handicapped Trot with a solid gate-to-wire win over Tartufo Lindy in 1:58 while favoured Keystone Apache took the show spot.

Firing out of post 4, Sanchez Rocks had little trouble in establishing the lead, rolling to fractions of :30.1, :59.1 and 1:28.1. In the race to the wire, no one could cut into the advantage of Sanchez Rocks, who strolled to the line 1 1/4 lengths in front.

Owned by Marie Houghtaling and trained by Angelo Nappo, it was the fourth win in 22 starts for the 5-year-old gelded Sanchez Rocks. The victory took his yearly winnings to $26,302 and $59,771 in his career. Drew Monti sat in the sulky.

On the undercard to the main events, Southwind Onyx went a lifetime best of 1:53.2 and put away Thor De Vie by a half length in the $10,500 Class A Pace. London Seelster rounded the top three.

Co-owned by trainer Tammy Cummings and Michael Blidy, it was the third victory in 15 outings for Southwind Onyx. The 6-year-old gelding has produced $29,688 in earnings in 2021 and $144,494 in his career. Kyle Cummings drove the $4.40 winner.

Kevin Cummings topped the drivers with five victories while Monti had a double. Gerry Sarama posted a training double.

Racing resumes on Wednesday evening (June 30) at 5 p.m. (EDT) with a 12-race card set. The New York Sire Stakes will take the spotlight on the program as the 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers will battle in three divisions worth approximately $33,000 apiece. There will also be a pair of $15,000 Excelsior A events along with one $6,800 Excelsior B race.

(Buffalo Raceway)
The pandemic precipitated a lot of life-changing decisions. For Tyler Jones, it meant giving up a government job in youth-protection services in Sherbrooke, Que. and choosing the horse racing industry full-time.

He gave his notice a month ago and recently moved to Guelph to start work at the stable of his father, accomplished horseman Dustin Jones, with the goal of making a name for himself at tracks large and small in southern Ontario.

"I worked three years (for youth-protection services), the last two as a case worker, and I was feeling a bit burned out," said Jones, 27, who has a criminology degree from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ont. "With COVID, no sports, no outside activities, everything shut down, I just kind of got sick of it."

What he wasn't sick of was harness racing. He grew up in the sport and, upon returning to his native Quebec after graduation, began to drive part-time at Hippodrome 3R in Trois-Rivieres and Rideau Carleton Raceway in Ottawa, learning the hard way against seasoned sulky veterans like Pascal Berube, Stephane Gendron, Guy Gagnon and Stephane Brosseau.

"They're top-level drivers. Pascal is extremely good at making speed with a horse. I had many quarter-mile battles with him. Stephane Brosseau shows you the value of patience. On the half-mile track, you've got to get out of there, get position, know which horses to follow and which not to. I was often first-over, but that's the learning curve."

Jones, whose first win was five years ago was at Georgian Downs, has had a few memorable victories already. He won an Ontario Sires Stake Grassroots event at Rideau Carleton with one of his father's trotting fillies and the $55,000 Quebec Series final for two-year-old trotting fillies at Trois-Rivieres in 2019 with Emotions Durables for trainer Cassandra Lecourt.

But it's hard to advance when it's more hobby than job, Jones said.

"I was a bit of a late starter anyway, it wasn't my plan initially to be in the horses. I was doing it more as a hobby, an escape. But when you get into racing, you get the bug. I'm competitive. At 27, I felt it was time to go for it. I made my pitch to my dad when he came back from Florida this year and things fell into place. I've been helping him in the mornings. He's got mostly stakes horses, but I hope to drive a few for him as well as for other trainers.

"I've picked up a few drives already. I'll take as many as I can. It's what I want to do. I have a couple of wins at Kawartha Downs and I plan to drive there every Saturday. Driving an hour-and-a-half from Guelph to Kawartha isn't bad at all when you're used to driving three-and-a-half-hours from Sherbrooke to Rideau."

(A Trot Insider Exclusive by Paul Delean)
As soon as an Ohio foundry can cast it and dignitaries can dedicate it, a state historical marker in Culpeper will tell the intriguing story of Dangerfield and Harriet Newby.

Last week, Virginias State Board of Historic Resources approved the marker to honor the African American blacksmith and his wifean idea born from a Black History Month contest sponsored by Gov. Ralph Northam.

Three students from Kings Glen Elementary School in Springfield nominated the Newbys, and their entry was one of five winners statewide.

Some of the couples descendants still live in Virginia.

Born into slavery in the Culpeper area, Dangerfield Newby died during John Browns Oct. 16-17, 1859, raid on Harpers Ferry while trying to free his wife and children from bondage.

The well-built, 6-foot-2 Virginian was the first of Browns men to die in the fighting as Brown tried to seize rifles and muskets from the U.S. Armory and equip a runaway-slave army and wage a holy war on what the fiery abolitionist termed the great sin against Godslavery.
Now, 600,000 Americans have died in a pandemic that began under suspicious circumstances in China and about which the Chinese government is stonewalling all meaningful investigation. 600,000 dead -- that is a lot bigger than a few Russian Facebook ads in Wisconsin. And yet leading figures in the Biden administration and the Democratic Party seem to have far less zeal about pursuing the origins of a disease that killed 600,000 Americans than they had in investigating what Russia did in the 2016 election.

It doesnt make sense. Everyone involved, scientist and non-scientist, agrees it is important to know the real origins of COVID. The Americans who want more investigation are not accusing China of deliberating loosing the virus on the world, but they do think there is persuasive evidence that the virus escaped into the human population as a result of an accidental leak during research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. And they know that China has hidden the facts from the very beginning.
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Daisy wouldnt stay the only candidate for long. By the time the contest entrance date closed, Daisy was one of 85 seeking the office.

Maybe it was Daisys story or her cute photos that attracted the voters. Saragoni said shed recently lost her canine companion and really wasnt looking for another. She learned of a litter of mini Australian shepherd puppies and Saragoni checked out their pictures. A female sitting off by herself attracted Saragoni, and it was love at first sight.

Daisys name came from a discussion Saragoni had after her sister died of breast cancer 17 years ago. Daisies were her favorite flower, and I said if I ever got a female I would name her Daisy, she said.

Saragoni said shed forgotten about that conversation until her daughter reminded her about it. There was no doubt what she would name her new puppy. And now that female sitting alone in the corner is a social butterfly and has attracted lots of fans.

Atkins said he and his co-mayor have made a couple of appearances already and are planning many more during Daisys year in office.
Lopez Werth said the council used the grant to hire people who are bilingual, speaking English and Spanish or Chuukese. Language has been a barrier, as well as confusion over eligibility, finding time to get the vaccine and concerns about citizenship and health insurance, she said.

Weve made it clear that it doesnt matter if you are a citizen or what your immigration status is, Lopez Werth said. You dont need ID or insurance. Its just show up and you can get a vaccination.

At the clinics, the staff and volunteers welcome people and make them feel comfortable, Lopez Werth said. For those with limited English, translators help the medical staff ask registration questions, review health information and explain to attendees what is going on.

When Annette Sinem brought her brothers to the vaccine clinic at St. Rose in early May, she left with a job as a vaccine outreach specialist for the council. Sinem, who speaks Chuukese and English, was translating for people at the clinic, she said.

Sinem said she enjoys helping people and has been encouraging others in the Chuukese community to get the vaccine.

Its good to get vaccinated to get rid of these masks and so well all be safe, she said.
Apple, like other manufacturers, creates a wide range of products including smartphones, computers, fitness trackers and wearable audio equipment. Just like other hardware, the companys products can be risky when exposed to critical medical equipment such as pacemakers and defibrillators used by patients. This is because components in these devices can cause magnetic interference that can disrupt the operation of medical equipment.

In order to protect its customers from any potential interference from its devices, the company has updated its support document to list out devices that it says customers should keep away from their medical devices. The changes were spotted by MacRumors, and contains a list of over 25 devices manufactured by the company, that could possibly affect medical devices.

Apple, like other manufacturers, creates a wide range of products including smartphones, computers, fitness trackers and wearable audio equipment. Just like other hardware, the companys products can be risky when exposed to critical medical equipment such as pacemakers and defibrillators used by patients. This is because components in these devices can cause magnetic interference that can disrupt the operation of medical equipment.

In order to protect its customers from any potential interference from its devices, the company has updated its support document to list out devices that it says customers should keep away from their medical devices. The changes were spotted by MacRumors, and contains a list of over 25 devices manufactured by the company, that could possibly affect medical devices.|#+|

If you have the following Apple products and you wear a pacemaker or a defibrillator, read on to know which devices contain magnets and how to stay safe while using them.

These devices with magnets should be kept at a safe distance

According to Apples support document, the following devices could possibly affect the previously mentioned medical devices: AirPods and Charging Case, AirPods and Wireless Charging Case, AirPods Pro and Wireless Charging Case, AirPods Max and Smart Case, Apple Watch, Apple Watch bands with magnets, Apple Watch magnetic charging accessories, HomePod, HomePod mini, iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, iPad Pro, iPad Smart Keyboard and Smart Keyboard Folio, Magic Keyboard for iPad, iPhone 12 models, Mac mini, Mac Pro, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Apple Pro Display XDR, Beats Flex, Beats X, PowerBeats Pro, UrBeats3.

How should users operate these Apple devices if they have a medical device?

According to Apple, users who own these devices manufactured by the company should avoid any potential interactions with these types of medical devices by keeping these products at a safe distance. This means more than 6 inches (or 15 cms) apart, or 12 inches (or 30 cms) apart if theyre charging wirelessly. The company also advises users to consult with their physician and the medical device manufacturer for any specific usage guidelines.

Are other Apple devices safe to use with a pacemaker?

The Cupertino company says that some other Apple products (not included in the list above) contain magnets, but they are unlikely to interfere with medical devices. It also points users in the direction of its user guides for Apple products, where safety information is provided under the Important Safety Information section. However, it is probably best to consult with your doctor as well, just to be ensure that the functioning of your medical equipment isnt hampered by your other devices.
World MSME Day 2021: WhatsApp Business has helped businesses leverage the platform to connect to consumers and sell their products in an easier and faster way. It is a tool to reach out much more directly and effectively to promote business. WhatsApp Business currently has over 15 million monthly users in India. Facebook has also been introducing new features to make WhatsApp Business more accessible to businesses and users, including rolling out new features such as alerting people when a popular item is back in stock.

International Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) Day is all about celebrating the role of entities that boost economic growth - as much as 90% of business is generated via MSMEs and the segment is also a massive generator of jobs.

WhatsApp Business Labels

The WhatsApp Business app offers labels that can help businesses easily find their chats and messages and arrange them. Labels can be created using different colours or names, and can be added to either a complete chat, group or specific message in a chat as well.

WhatsApp lets you create a maximum of 20 labels. You can swipe left, then go to More > Chat Labels for a single chat or group chat. For a single message in a chat, tap and hold the message then go to More > Labels. You can also edit labels by going to the top of the chat tab and swiping down to manage your labels.

WhatsApp Business QR Codes

QR Codes are an easy and simple way for consumers to connect with businesses. By simply scanning the QR code that is on a storefront, product packaging or receipt, consumers can directly chat with the business. You can create a QR code for your business by going to the settings menu, then going to Business Tools > Short Links. Then select the View QR Code option.

WhatsApp Business Messaging tools

There are different messaging tools designed to help business owners streamline their operations and also save time. Features like quick replies allow businesses to prepare automated responses for frequently asked questions. Then there are away messages as well so businesses can inform customers when they can expect a reply.

WhatsApp Business sticker packs

WhatsApp stickers are popular and widely used. This year WhatsApp launched business-themed sticker packs as well. The Open for Business sticker packs feature stickers with messages such as Sorry Closed, Shop Local, Free Delivery, and more. These stickers can be used for a more fun conversation between business owners and consumers.
Volkswagen's electric push has been accelerated by the "dieselgate" scandal, which and cost the company dearly in both cash and reputational harm.

Volkswagen said Sunday it plans to stop producing cars with internal combustion engines in Europe for its eponymous flagship brand between 2033 and 2035, as the Germany auto giant accelerates its drive towards electric vehicles.

Carmakers around the world have started setting timetables to phase out combustion engines in the face of increasingly strict anti-pollution standards put in place to fight climate change, with Volkswagen's electric push also following lingering reputational harm from the "dieselgate" scandal.

Klaus Zellmer, board member for sales and marketing at Volkswagen's passenger cars brand, told the Bavarian newspaper Muenchner Merkur that "we will make our entire fleet CO2 neutral by 2050 at the latest".

"In Europe, we will leave the combustion engine vehicle market between 2033 and 2035," he said in a interview published online Sunday.

He added that the change will take place "a little later in the United States and China. In South America and Africa, due to the lack of political framework conditions and infrastructure, it will take a little longer."

Volkswagen's flagship brand had already said in March it was aiming for electric vehicles to account for 70 percent of its European sales by 2030.

Zellmer said that "as a mass-market manufacturer, VW has to adapt to different speeds of transformation in different regions".

"Our competitors who sell vehicles mainly in Europe, for example, will certainly have to face a far less complex transformation."

Audi, a subsidiary of Volkswagen, announced last week it would launch only fully electric vehicles from 2026 and halt manufacturing cars with internal combustion engines by 2033.

Sweden's Volvo has said it plans to sell only electric models from 2030.

The European Union will unveil tougher 2030 CO2 emissions targets and regulatory proposals on July 14, which are expected to force carmakers to speed up the transition to electric cars.

Volkswagen's electric push has additionally been accelerated by its "dieselgate" scandal, which rocked Germany's car industry and cost the company dearly in both cash and reputational harm.

Legal cases grind on over Volkswagen's admission in 2015 that it illegally fitted 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide with software to make them appear less polluting.

Explore further Audi to stop making fossil fuel cars by 2033: CEO

 2021 AFP
A dozen water fountains in Bryan and College Station parks were found to have water with lead in it, but one of the researchers who discovered the issue said there is not currently a reason for residents to be alarmed.

The recently published study found that out of 56 parks across the two cities, a dozen samples that were gathered last summer had lead levels of two micrograms per liter or more. The Environmental Protection Agency has set 15 micrograms per liter as the level of contamination where action should be taken while the World Health Organization says that action should be taken if there are 10 micrograms per liter or more. All parks that were found to have lead in the drinking water were under these action levels. However, the EPA has a contamination level goal of zero.

Garett Sansom, who co-authored the study, said that there are no safe lead levels for children and that lead exposure can be associated with things like cognitive issues, decreased ability to do well in school and aggression. However, he said that since the levels that were found in the parks were low and it isnt known how many people regularly drink out of the fountains, it is hard to tell if anyone who has consumed water from those parks is at risk of such issues.
The proposed high-speed rail connecting Houston and Dallas  with a stop in the Brazos Valley  could be closer to becoming a reality.

Earlier this month, the Texas Supreme Court decided not to review a May 2020 Texas 13th Court of Appeals ruling that said the Dallas-based company Texas Central had a right to use the states eminent domain laws. Texas Central plans to build a 236-mile train line line that would use Japanese bullet train technology to take riders between Houston and Dallas in approximately 90 minutes, at top speeds of 200 miles per hour, with one stop in Roans Prairie. Some Brazos Valley business organizations have vocalized their support for the project, arguing it would increase local commerce and further connect the region to the states biggest metro areas.

The high-speed rail project also has intense and organized opposition. Texans Against High-Speed Rail and ReRoute the Route, among other groups, have cited private property loss and environmental concerns, as well as potential costs to taxpayers, as reasons to oppose the high speed train.
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.
Political emails are ridiculously rigid: Even 42 months before the next presidential election there is no middle ground, no semblance of open-mindedness. As an experiment, I submitted contrary votes in both polls, giving President Biden an A in the RNC survey and a No in the Democratic poll. It didnt matter. Both of my votes opened pages that pushed toward the same pre-determined conclusions.

Are you concerned that Donald Trump will run for president again? was the follow-up query in the Democrats Biden poll. Will you invest $100 to help Democratic governors stop Trumps hateful agenda?

The Republican survey wasted little time getting to its point: Please contribute any amount right now to directly fund our efforts to defeat Biden! (Remember, I had just voted to give Joe Biden the highest possible grade.) The suggested donations were $45 to $2,900.

A simple course for those of us who hate this email nonsense would be to unsubscribe. But concerned voters understandably want to hear what their party has to say. I dont want to cut off my nose just to stop the stink of foolish emails.
In his 1995 adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnetts 1905 novel A Little Princess, director Alfonso Cuaron set the story at a boarding school in New York City instead of in London. I saw this version when I was quite young, and remember being struck by the beauty of the set design and costumes, particularly the rich use of color to set the mood.

The 1973 novel and 1987 movie versions of The Princess Bride, both written by William Goldman, are fantastic. All your favorite lines from the film are in the book, along with Goldmans tongue-in-cheek account of how S. Morgensterns classic tale of true love and high adventure came into his hands, and his assuring the reader that he abridged the Florinese original to include only the good parts.

(It should be noted that while the movie is rated PG, the ironic tone of the book may be more suited to the high-school-aged and older. Youll find the novel version of The Princess Bride in the adult fiction section of our library.)

Several of legendary Japanese animator Hayao Miyazakis films have origins in English-language literature. Mary Nortons 1953 childrens novel The Borrowers was the basis for The Secret World of Arrietty (2012). And Howls Moving Castle (2004) was originally a 1986 YA novel by Diana Wynne Jones.
The March to May 2021 Nebraska pig crop, at 2.26 million head, was up 2% from 2020. Sows farrowed during the period totaled 195,000 head, down 3% from last year. The average pigs saved per litter was 11.60 for the March to May period, compared to 11.10 last year.

Nebraska hog producers intend to farrow 200,000 sows during the June - August 2021 quarter, up 10% from the actual farrowings during the same period a year ago.

Intended farrowings for September to November 2021 are 200,000 sows, up 5% from the actual farrowings during the same period a year ago.

The United States inventory of all hogs and pigs on June 1 was 75.7 million head. This was down 2% from June 1, 2020, but up 1% from March 1.

Breeding inventory, at 6.23 million head, was down 2% from last year, but up slightly from the previous quarter.

Market hog inventory, at 69.4 million head, was down 2% from last year, but up 1% from last quarter.

The March to May pig crop, at 33.6 million head, was down 3% from 2020. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 3.07 million head, down 3% from 2020. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 49% of the breeding herd. The average pigs saved per litter was 10.95 for the March to May period, compared to 11.00 last year.
Types of positions include nursing, culinary and a variety of leadership opportunities, with many opportunities for career growth and development. They estimate the average wages falling within the $23 per hour range and in general between $13 to $50 per hour, based on the position.

Founded and based out of Lincoln since 1886, Tabitha is a purpose-based, not-for-profit business.

We all have someone in our lives, who all we want is the best for them  for their entire lives, said Hinrichs. We need to lift up and honor the people we love, especially as they get older.

She said that at Tabitha, they care for and about seniors.

We think big about what we can do to enhance their lives, Hinrichs said. To find the gaps and fulfill them in visionary ways. Each of us has a fire in our hearts for something. Yet sometimes as we age, we have more questions than answers about lifes journey causing us to lose sight of our purpose and the feeling of joy. Tabitha is your answer for senior care. We are fearless in the pursuit of what sets seniors souls on fire.

Bold and innovative

She said Tabitha is committed to being bold and innovative to ensure we do our part in bringing joy to life.
The two measures were always expected to move together through Congress: the bipartisan plan and a second bill that would advance under special rules allowing for passage solely with majority Democrats' votes and is now swelling to as much as $6 trillion. Biden reiterated that was his plan on Saturday but said he was not conditioning one on the other.

So to be clear, his statement said, our bipartisan agreement does not preclude Republicans from attempting to defeat my Families Plan; likewise, they should have no objections to my devoted efforts to pass that Families Plan and other proposals in tandem.

Still, it remained to be seen what impact Biden's comments would have on progressive lawmakers in the House and Senate, who have pushed Biden not to moderate his agenda in pursuit of bipartisanship. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has said her chamber would not take up the bipartisan proposal until the Senate first acted on the larger Democrat-backed bill.

I think its very important for the president to know that House progressives, and I believe, you know, the Democratic Caucus, is here to ensure that he doesnt fail, New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said on Meet the Press. And were here to make sure that he is successful in making sure that we do have a larger infrastructure plan."
Less than a month before all U.S. troops will be out of Afghanistan, there is still no administration plan to rescue around 18,000 translators who worked for the U.S. military and are prime targets for revenge.

There is lots of talk on this issue, in Congress and from administration officials, but no White House action that will save those Afghans before its too late.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, whose department is in charge of issuing special immigrant visas (known as SIVs) for the translators, a program authorized by Congress, has told legislators hes increased the number of staff in Washington and Kabul dedicated to issuing the visas and is streamlining the process.

Thats fine, since State Department personnel were gutted by the last administration, and U.S. embassies were further downsized due to COVID-19. But, as Rep. Michael McCaul told Blinken, Theres no way special immigrant visas can be processed that quickly [before the pullout].

Blinken has shown intense interest in the SIVs issue in the past, as it applied to Iraqi translators, but in this case, his moves are too little, too late.
Company B is our nations news publishers, and Company Bs product is all of the local, regional and state news their staff members produce.

News publishers have been suffering in recent years because of lost revenue at the hands of Google and Facebook.

According to the News Media Alliance, nearly half of the counties in the country have only one newspaper left, while almost 200 counties have no local newspaper at all.

Publishers are providing the must-have content for the online platforms to capture viewers and, in turn, to grow.

Google and Facebooks duopoly ties the hands of publishers, who deserve fair compensation for the value they offer every day with the news they produce.

We believe the passage of the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act is the first step.

News publishers are seeking support for this legislation currently before Congress (H.R. 1735 in the House and S. 673 in the Senate).

JCPA would allow news publishers to collectively negotiate with Google and Facebook for fair compensation for the use of news content. This market-based legislation is the only appropriate way to correct the competitive imbalance that existing antitrust laws do not address.
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The continuing BBB- rating is the result of what Fitch called a long record of structural imbalance and irresolute fiscal decision making that has resulted in a credit position well below what the states broad, but slow-growing economy would otherwise suggest. It also reflects the states large, long-term liabilities such as pension obligations that will continue to put stress on the states finances.

But the agency also said that the states revenue base, primarily income and sales taxes, are expected to grow as the states economy grows, while recent improvements, such as paying down the states bill backlog and its plan to pay off its federal pandemic borrowing early, are signs of improved budget management.

The action by Fitch follows similar moves earlier this year by the states other two rating agencies, Moodys and S&P, which revised their outlooks from negative to stable.

In its announcement, Fitch listed a number of things Illinois could do that might lead to a credit upgrade. Those include continuing to pay down the bill backlog, continuing the recent pattern of passing balanced budgets on time and narrowing what Fitch called a structural budget gap by matching recurring revenues with recurring expenses, including funding its pension obligations at actuarially determined levels.
CHICAGO  A gay pride march was held Sunday in Chicago that organizers said was meant to focus on political protest, in contrast to the more commercialized and well-known Pride Parade.

Pride Without Prejudice is an ad hoc group of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer activists who had planned to march without a permit on streets through Lakeview to the Town Hall police station, beginning at noon.

The march was intended to revive the grassroots protest movement of the Stonewall protest in New York City in 1969, which the Pride Parade is meant to commemorate.

We want to take Pride back to its roots, which was (to) protest against police brutality, racism and war, said Andy Thayer, co-founder of the Gay Liberation Network. It was truly a peoples uprising, as opposed to a parade of bar floats and banks and politicians.
Those virulent variants may be beginning to cause havoc in Illinois. The Alpha variant from the United Kingdom caused a small surge in cases in the spring, but it fizzled out thanks to vaccinations.

Now comes another threat: the Delta variant, coming from India, home to a massive outbreak in the spring that caused the deaths of thousands of people across the subcontinent. Delta 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.

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What could this mean for Illinois? Much like other states, while Illinois has crossed the 70% threshold when it comes to getting at least one shot into adults, it hasn't done enough to reach herd immunity with 47.26% of the population being vaccinated. That is well below the 70-80% mark most medical professionals feel is needed to protect the broader population from outbreaks.

Dr. Vidya Sundereshan, chief of the Infectious Diseases division at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and the medical adviser for the Sangamon County Department of Public Health, said a Delta variant-fueled outbreak is something the state should try to avoid through continued vaccination.
Allen University in South Carolina, which the company formed a partnership with last year to establish the Boeing Institute on Civility, will also be represented. The institute will be a national hub for teaching and programming aimed at advancing civil discourse in America and across the globe.

A few additional universities Boeing has recruitment partnerships with also are represented.

The higher education mementos will be part of the approximately 760 pounds of cargo flying inside the Starliners crew module when it launches to the International Space Station for OFT-2, which is targeted for July 30. The end-to-end test is a critical developmental milestone on the company's path toward flying crew missions for NASA.

NASA cargo, weighing approximately 440 pounds, includes food and crew preference items for the current Expedition crew members, as well as a commemorative U.S. flag that will remain aboard the space station until it returns to Earth on Starliner's Crew Flight Test (CFT). Starliner will also carry provisions, like clothes and sleeping bags, for CFT astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore, Nicole Mann and Mike Fincke in anticipation of their upcoming mission to the station.
The hospital has received a total of about $26.5 million in CARES Act money since the pandemic began. The amount it has received in PPP was not immediately available.

Trustee Boyd McLeod asked if the hospital has applied for forgiveness for the PPP loan. RMC Vice President for Physician Practice Operations Sabrina Robinson confirmed that it has.

We have not used the money yet, Robinson explained. I dont know if we received the confirmation of the approval of forgiveness, since we have not used it yet but I can follow up.

Trustee Dr. Vann Beth Shuler said, I dont see how you can get forgiveness because what they ask is that you document how you spent it. Then they decide if they want to forgive it.

We have to do something so we can spend it and then have the information to meet the deadline here. If not, we are going to have to pay it back.

Trustee Dawn Robinson said, As long as you meet the criteria with the payroll and the utilities and expenditures there, we can leave that money in an account and use your other reserves and then apply for forgiveness. You just have to show that you have met the expenses.

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"The high schoolers, they are leaving high school and embarking on a new endeavors and being away from home," Walker continued. "It is important they have the values and to take the life skills with them."

Holloway says she was looking forward to the other life skills she will learn during the week and that she is ready to continue to honor her mother through her life.

Holloway said she is in the process of transferring to Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School en route to become a cardiothoracic surgeon.

"My momma always told me if you want to do something like me just do it better than me," Holloway said.

During the program's first day, Holloway learned about domestic violence and how to handle various situations involving domestic violence.

Shamia Davis, formerly a Howard Middle School student, said the program "has been very educational," yet fun at the same time.

"It shows me how do deal with the situation of domestic violence and how if you want to leave at some point," Davis said, noting she is looking forward to other aspects of the program as well. "It is very fun and I get to meet new people and have new friends."
Convincing more people to get vaccinated starts with some CDC answers to questions to dispel myths.

Can receiving a COVID-19 vaccine cause you to be magnetic? No. Receiving a COVID-19 vaccine will not make you magnetic, including at the site of vaccination which is usually your arm. COVID-19 vaccines do not contain ingredients that can produce an electromagnetic field at the site of your injection.

Is it safe for me to get a COVID-19 vaccine if I would like to have a baby one day? Yes. If you are trying to become pregnant now or want to get pregnant in the future, you may get a COVID-19 vaccine when one is available to you. There is currently no evidence that COVID-19 vaccination causes any problems with pregnancy.

Can CDC mandate that I get a COVID-19 vaccine? No. The federal government does not mandate vaccination for people. Additionally, CDC does not maintain or monitor a persons vaccination records.

After getting a COVID-19 vaccine, will I test positive for COVID-19 on a viral test? No. None of the authorized and recommended COVID-19 vaccines cause you to test positive on viral tests, which are used to see if you have a current infection. Neither can any of the COVID-19 vaccines currently in clinical trials in the United States.
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Outdoors

topical alert top story

Felicia the grizzly draws a crowd. A long-term solution for keeping her and the public safe is proving elusive.

Seventeen days ago, rangers equipped with rubber bullets, beanbags, paintballs and noisemakers descended upon a popular grizzlys favorite roadside hangout and created an uproar. The action, intended to keep the bear and the public safe, sparked criticism from wildlife advocates, particularly after officials raised the possibility of euthanizing the bear if hazing did not work.

Felicia the grizzly bear spends her days grazing on the clover planted along Togwotee Pass, not far from Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. She and her cubs have become an inadvertent roadside attraction. Visitors who come to Wyoming for its wildlife pull to the side of the highway and, ignoring the signs warning them not to, leave their cars to get a closer look at what is often the first grizzly theyve seen.

I think human nature is, they want to see the bear, said Savannah Rose Burgess, a wildlife photographer who often documents Felicia from the safety of her appropriately parked car. Burgess feels a close connection to the bear and is sympathetic to the excitement of those stopping to see her.

I dont think theres anything wrong with that, she said. I dont think we should be shaming people because they want to see a grizzly bear. The problem is the failure of passersby to behave safely. Growing numbers of tourists mean even more danger, for humans and Felicia alike.

Bradley J. Boner, Jackson Hole News & Guide The grizzly sow known as Felicia and her cub of the year saunter down the highway on Togwotee Pass in 2019. A multi-agency effort is underway to haze the grizzly away from the roadside due to regular traffic jams.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says Felicias allure is a traffic accident  or a mauling  waiting to happen. On June 10, they began hazing her in an attempt to drive her away from the highway, out of view of the misbehaving public.

Felicias fans, meanwhile, argue that the bear jams and unsafe behaviors are a people, rather than bear, problem. Everyone involved agrees that hazing is far from an ideal solution, and euthanasia  which officials considered a last resort  is off the table for now. But nobody can seem to agree on a permanent fix.

Most of the people causing problems are from outside the region, making any sort of education campaign  one of the many proposed solutions  impossibly complicated.

The problem is stemming from the fact that people just dont have daily interactions with wildlife, said Kristin Combs, executive director for Wyoming Wildlife Advocates, and then when they see wildlife in a place like the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, theyre uncertain about how to behave around that wildlife.

A protective mother

This isnt the first time Felicia has caught the attention of wildlife agencies. She first attracted their notice in 2015, when she was found with a sibling in the Shoshone National Forest. At the time, she was only known by her number  863. Within a year, her habit of loitering near roads led the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to trap and relocate her near Grand Teton.

Back then, before she became Felicia, 863 was known as Clover, after her habit of grazing on the clover and sweetgrass planted to stabilize Togwotee Pass. She was named Felicia by a photographer who has since passed away.

Felicias age is a matter of some debate: While records indicate that she was identified as a 2-year-old subadult, others contend that she was actually an orphaned yearling. Its generally accepted that she is between 7 and 8 years old.

Her story attracted widespread interest in 2019, shortly after she gave birth to her first litter of cubs, Salt and Pepper. Because female grizzlies can only breed when theyre not caring for cubs, male grizzlies will attempt to kill cubs so that they can breed with their mothers. Salt fell victim to a male bear soon after leaving the den.

Mother bears like Felicia are believed to seek out roads for exactly this reason. Male bears prefer to remain in the backcountry, farther from humans.

Ryan Dorgan, Jackson Hole News & Guide The grizzly known as Felicia crosses a road in Teton County in 2019. The bear can draw large crowds of spectators and photographers.

Its pretty well established that a handful of bears with cubs will live near the road for the safety of their cubs, because the males arent going to come around, said Jack Bayles, a wildlife photographer who guides photo workshops and tours in Grand Teton and Yellowstone.

Shes doing what shes always done, and the next thing she knows shes getting shot with rubber bullets, Bayles said.

Felicias fondness for the road has led to her being hazed numerous times over the years. In one instance of hazing a few weeks after Salts death, a male grizzly showed up to the chaos. Apparently attempting to protect her cub, Felicia fled, leading the other bear on a miles-long chase before he finally stopped following. When she returned hours later, she couldnt find Pepper.

It took them a month to reunite. As the weeks stretched on, most observers expected the defenseless cub to succumb to the countless dangers of the wilderness. But somehow, against all odds, Pepper survived. The two spent the rest of the season safely together, but when Felicia emerged from her den in early 2020, she was alone.

No one knew what happened to Pepper. Felicia didnt spend much time near the road that year.

Back at the highway

This winter, Felicia emerged from the den with two new, yet unnamed cubs, and went right back to the highway, where she felt safe, and where she has successfully kept her new cubs alive. People once again gathered to watch the bears, which prompted the Fish and Wildlife Service to start hazing her.

Wildlife officials can employ several different tactics when trying to convince a grizzly to go somewhere else. They may attempt to drive them away with loud sounds, trained dogs, or projectiles such as paintballs or beanbags fired from a shotgun. With that method, rangers will aim at large areas of fatty tissue, like a bears rump, to avoid causing injury. Cubs, officials say, are never targeted.

The hazing of Felicia and her two cubs was supposed to last for two weeks, pending the outcome of a follow-up review by the Fish and Wildlife Service. Officials long-term approach to managing Felicia should be announced early next week. But two weeks of intensive hazing are already an unsustainable practice for the agency, said Hilary Cooley, the grizzly bear recovery coordinator for the Fish and Wildlife Service.

We cannot do this for every bear, and I really would like to get the message across to people: We care more about conservation of the species, and its just not practical to manage every single bear in this way, she said.

Ryan Dorgan, Jackson Hole News & Guide Wildlife watchers pull off along the side of U.S. Highway 26/287 east of Moran to catch a glimpse of grizzly bear 863, known as Felicia.

Hazing is often an ineffective strategy, said David Mattson, a retired grizzly bear researcher. If the hazing is short-lived, many bears eventually return to their original location. Bears are highly intelligent, too, and some learn to leave only when official vehicles show up.

Without changes to the speed limit, enforcement of parking violations and other interventions, I think its basically a no-win situation for her, Mattson said. Its an incredibly hazardous place for her to live, that is to say, along the highway there. Either she ends up being seen as a fundamentally unresolvable problem by managers and killed because of that, or she ends up exhibiting behaviors that puts her at risk of being hit, like rushing across the road without looking both ways, or becoming more active at night, when cars are harder to see.

Impermanence is the most immediate concern. After this hazing program stops, how long will it be before she starts showing up along the roadside again? Mattson said.

But hazing is one of the only methods the Fish and Wildlife Service has at their disposal to influence bear activity, short of euthanasia, which is done when a bear has been fed by humans, harmed cattle or demonstrated extreme aggression. This frustrates bear advocates, because many cases in which a bear is killed are the result of human misbehavior, including a 2-year-old male grizzly south of Grand Teton that began seeking out human food and was euthanized as a result last month.

You might be in the park for a day, and toss some potato chips to a bear, and then you drive away, and you never get to see the effects of that, Combs said. But what happens when 10 people feed that bear?

Jurisdictional challenges

Felicia isnt Wyomings only famous roadside bear, but shes the only one living outside park boundaries. That complicates her situation.

Inside Yellowstone and Grand Teton, the National Park Service has jurisdiction over wildlife management. But outside the parks, oversight and enforcement are more complicated. As a member of a protected species, Felicia herself is under the authority of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which delegates some supervision to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. She spends most of her time on public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service. The Wyoming Department of Transportation is in charge of the highway next to that land. And the Wyoming Highway Patrol is responsible for enforcing the rules of the road.

If she was in the park, she would be an asset, Burgess, the wildlife photographer, said. She would be a wonderful contribution to what they have going there. But because shes outside the park, shes considered a nuisance, which is just incredibly sad.

Dan Cepeda file, Star-Tribune Park rangers control traffic and tourists as a bear and her yearling cross the road while foraging for food in 2016 at Yellowstone National Park. Bear sightings can result in traffic jams in the park.

Grizzlies are protected under the Endangered Species Act, which prohibits humans from feeding, pursuing or otherwise harassing a grizzly bear  a law wildlife viewers can avoid violating by remaining at least 100 yards away from any bear. Many of the people who approach Felicia dont know about the rule, or dont care.

Enforcement of the Endangered Species Act is another complicating factor. While the responsibility falls to the Fish and Wildlife Service, citing someone for harassing a bear isnt as straightforward as issuing a traffic ticket. For every violation, the agency must conduct an investigation and prove that the action in question was done knowingly and actually affected a protected animal. The investigation is then passed on to the U.S. Attorneys Office in Wyoming, which decides whether or not to prosecute.

Jurisdiction issues aside, in a situation like Felicias, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Forest Service lack the resources to consistently enforce the restrictions set forth by the Endangered Species Act, much less form a new position to protect a single bear.

Weve dedicated a whole ton of resources to manage the people and the bear jam, and try and change her behavior, Cooley said. And its just that trying to continue this effort for the rest of the season, not only on Togwotee, but everywhere else in the grizzly bear range, where you have an issue like this, its not really practical to do the single bear management for the season anytime there is a problem like that.

Grizzly management is a contentious issue in Wyoming. The species, which once numbered in the tens of thousands in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, was driven to the brink of extinction by hunting and habitat loss. Since grizzlies were listed as a threatened species in 1975, their population has slowly recovered. There are now an estimated 800 to 1,200 grizzlies in the region.

More grizzlies will eventually mean more roadside bears, Combs said.

This is a long-term problem. Its not like this is just going to go away, she said. Even if we never saw Felicia again, another bear would fill her space here because theres great food, great water. Its wonderful habitat.

As the bears numbers have expanded, their range has, too. Grizzlies spread beyond park boundaries has fueled a push for the Fish and Wildlife Service to remove grizzly bears from the list of endangered species and allow some hunting. The agency attempted to delist the species in 2017. That decision was overturned in court the following year, when a federal judge ruled that the grizzly bear population was still extremely vulnerable.

Before the decision to delist was overturned, the Fish and Wildlife Service held a lottery for a handful of grizzly hunting tags. Opponents of the hunt entered the lottery in protest. Wildlife photographer Tom Mangelsen was among the winners.

To shoot a bear is, I think, cruel, inhumane, barbaric, Mangelsen said. I drew a tag, and I was going to hunt my 10 days with my camera. I got death threats. Just because I won one of the tags.

Whos the problem?

Hazing is working for now, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service. But everyone admits its not sustainable. Earlier this month, the Fish and Wildlife Service suggested that euthanasia was an option. But officials quickly backtracked in the face of public outrage.

People were very emotional about it, Combs, from the Wyoming Wildlife Alliance, said. And when the word euthanize was kind of tossed out there first, I think people really reacted to that  had like a visceral reaction to that, of like, Whoa, we have to do whatever we got to do to save these bears.

Even with euthanasia off the table, Felicias fans arent satisfied.

The Associated Press Tourists and photographers line the highway to catch a glimpse of a grizzly foraging with her two cubs in 2016 in Grand Teton National Park. The park employs a wildlife brigade to keep the public and the bears safe.

When the hazing began, it just seemed like a great injustice was going on, Burgess said. Most people didnt know what was happening. So the idea was to get a large group of passionate people together and just try to keep people educated and in the loop.

Burgess and several others launched the #SaveFelicia movement, a social media campaign that included a Facebook group, an Instagram page and a petition that has amassed more than 70,000 signatures in just two weeks. Even the bears fiercest supporters are grappling with their roles in the Fish and Wildlife Services decision to haze. Ultimately, they hope to see a management strategy that allows them to maintain the connections they share with Felicia without putting her at risk.

Her advocates want to see an ambassador program for Felicia modeled after Grand Tetons Wildlife Brigade, in which trained volunteers make sure visitors know, and follow, the rules. That suggestion, while well received, is complicated by the patchwork of agencies responsible for her.

For now, relocation is still a possibility, but it poses a risk to her cubs, too. Her supporters want to see humans managed  not the bears.

She has never done anything wrong by any of the formal rules of fair conduct, Burgess said. She has not raided trash cans. She has not pursued food rewards from cars. She has not charged people. She is very passive, and she minds her own business. Shes not meddling with people. Theres nothing about her that warrants punishment.
Editor:

It is unbelievable the media is daring and shaming Americans who question whether fraud occurred in the 2020 election. In doing so, they brand these individuals with participating in the big lie. Such hypocritical conduct from a media who after all, are responsible for acting as super spreaders in promoting the real big lie of the 21st century when they obediently repeated false leaks and claims from corrupt government intelligence officials that Trump committed treason and conspired with Russia to win the 2016 election.

If challenging the results of an election were a crime, then many in the media, Hillary Clinton and Adam Schiff would be in jail. Clinton claimed Trump was an illegitimate president. Jimmy Carter stated that Trump was aided by Russia and didnt actually win. Many democratic members of congress skipped the inauguration. Yes, even the media printed lie after lie that Trump colluded with Russia to steal the 2016 election which made him an illegitimate President. Now they dare you to question whether fraud occurred in the 2020 election
And be willing to leave: As important as it is to know water temperatures, you also need to be willing to leave and fish another day. Le left the banks of the Madison that moment. It was tempting to stay, but trout need cold, oxygenated water to survive. Any additional stress from someone fishing could be the tipping point for an already exhausted cutthroat trout. Water temperatures are typically cooler in the early morning and late evening. Consider checking the weather before you head to the river and fish somewhere else if its going to be a hot day.

Use proper facilities: Theres a lot of freedom that comes with a national forest. You can do a lot of things that maybe you cant do in areas with other land management status, like dispersed camping, Voos said. Its something people take advantage of in national forests. Pitch your tent and build a fire but along with that is human waste and trash. But it doesnt have to be that way. Use proper bathroom facilities when possible. When not possible, plan to bury your human waste as deep as possible. But also know some areas, like the Cloud Peak Wilderness, require you carry out your poop. Dispose of your garbage in bear proof garbage bins, and if the bins are full, take your garbage home with you instead of piling it on top.

Follow fire restrictions: The Medicine Bow National Forest is already under stage 1 fire restrictions, which means no campfires outside of designated campsite rings. Other land management agencies are following suit as the state continues to dry and fire officials predict an above average fire season. The next step is stage 2, where no campfires or charcoal grills are allowed. If conditions worsen, and visitors violate fire restrictions, forests can eventually move into stage 3, which means the forest is closed to all visitors. Last year we went to stage 1 on July 3. We started to have human caused starts and dry weather and fuels, and this year we were trending in that exact same direction, Voos said. We cant control the weather forecast or dry fuels, but what we can do is control how we educate and manage for human starts.

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WHY do we do the things we do? Whats fuelling our choices?

Both introspective, soul searching questions are at the heart of Lisa-Anne Juliens first novel If You Save Me published by Kwela Books. The novel revolves around four men and a little girl and spans three countries: T&T, the UK and South Africa. It centres arounds Carl, a South African, London-based surgeon who performs living donor liver transplants.
The multimillion-dollar fees paid out to attorneys and firms under the Peoples National Movement (PNM) Government are no longer secret, having been revealed by Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi.

Last month, the AG was adamant that he would not disclose the fees of attorneys who do work for the State.
Sometimes the black sheep is the only one telling the truth.

As I read the Express Editorial dated Sunday July 4, that phrase came to mind.

The editorial chose to defend the Ministry of Healths medical team, unceremoniously attacked the Leader of the Oppositions stance of questioning the competence of the medical team in their response to Covid-19 over the past 15 months.
THERE is much talk about returning to normal after the pandemic. I suspect people envision the frenzied activity that had become a characteristic of modern life; the rushing here and there and getting fundamentally nowhere; the obsession with materialism and its unending push to acquire; and the pursuit of pleasure as a principal purpose producing the superficiality that abounds.
The trends in temperatures we see in the Southwest just raise the floor. As the floor gets higher, its easier to reach those extreme temperatures. The trend basically gives us that extra little boost to be able to reach these absurd temperatures, he said.

The kinds of high pressure systems that cause heat domes occur with some regularity whether you are in a cooler or warmer climate, said Jane Baldwin, a postdoctoral research fellow at Columbia University.

What is happening with global warming is that because we are starting from a warmer baseline, when that ... high comes in, it can just reach even more extreme temperatures than if we were in a cooler climate, she said.

Plus, she said, the Intergovermental Panel on Climate Change, a global body of climate scientists organized through the United Nations, has produced a report saying the extreme weather event most clearly tied to global warming is a heat wave.

The mechanism is very direct, Baldwin said. When the temperature warms, all the day-to-day wiggles in temperatures we experience in cooler climates start to cross over into thresholds where rather than the temperature being just a little bit warm, it might be dangerous for human health.

It does feel absurd
A lot of times, these dogs live out in the hills, in the canyons, so they dont know any other way except to be feral, Pahe said.

Jimmy Begay, who lives in the Sundance community, said he was relieved when animal control officers hauled away a dog that showed up at his doorstep. But he's contacted officers before about free-roaming dogs and got no response.

There's just dogs everywhere, he said.

Unincorporated areas and cities that border the Navajo Nation also are understaffed and trying to avoid tragedy, said Tiffany Hubbard, an animal control officer in Gallup, New Mexico. But, she said, someone is always on call.

Hubbard said her agency has received calls for help from the Navajo Nation but cannot respond, other than to take in animals when there's room.

We have to explain to them we have no jurisdiction, she said.

Individuals and animal shelters outside the reservation have rescued stray animals at times. Hubbard said state, local and tribal governments need to direct more funding for animal control.

It doesn't pop into people's heads until something bad happens that they need to help these guys out and give them the funding, give them the tools that they need to do their job, she said.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
OPINION: With the differential water rated approved our letter writers are sharing ideas on how it could done in a better way. What are your thoughts? Submit a letter to the editor at tucson.com/opinion.
Tucson ice cream and gelato shops are known for more than chocolate and vanilla. Here's a look at some of the most unique flavors found at local shops like The Screamery, Frost Gelato, Blue Ice Gelato and Hub Ice Cream and Sullivan's.
Tourism is booming in Tibet as more Chinese travel in-country because of the coronavirus pandemic, posing risks to the region's fragile environment and historic sites.

The number of visitors is limited to 5,000 per day at the Potala Palace, the former home of the Dalai Lamas. Balancing tourist demand with the need to minimize wear and tear on the massive hillside structure is a constant challenge, said Gonggar Tashi, the head administrator.

"The biggest challenge for us is the contradiction between the protection and usage of the cultural relics," Tashi told journalists in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital.

Millions of visitors come to Tibet every year, and 2020 saw a 12.6% increase from the previous year, said Ge Lei, deputy director of the China Tourism Marketing Association. He expects the amount of visitors to roughly double by 2026.

Tourists are drawn to the "mystique and myth of Tibet as a remote snow-bound land," said Travis Klingberg, a cultural geographer at NYU Shanghai. "But Tibet has become a place of beautiful natural landscapes meaningful to the Chinese nation."
The FAA announced a zero-tolerance policy against disruptive behavior on flights back in January. The agency is attempting to levy fines that can top $30,000 against more than 50 passengers and has identified more than 400 other cases for possible enforcement.

U.S. airlines have banned at least 3,000 passengers since May of last year, and that doesnt include two of the largest, American and Southwest, which decline to provide figures.

Airlines have stripped some customers of frequent-flyer benefits, and in rare cases pilots have made unplanned landings to remove unruly passengers. Pilots and flight attendants now routinely make pre-flight announcements to remind passengers about federal regulations against interfering with crews.

All of that is helpful, and if we didnt have that I can only imagine how much worse it would be, said Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, but this is clearly not taking care of the whole problem. We have to do a lot more. I have never, ever seen an environment like this.
Dunham began small, striping parking lots with equipment he bought from his brother. In 2007, he incorporated the asphalt plant, Quattrocchi said.

Since then, the company has only grown. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, we put down 300,000 tons of asphalt in 2020, he said.

Quattrocchi said the company has a full estimating team plus three asphalt-paving teams and works primarily on commercial projects.

We work with a lot of general contractors, he said. We do a lot of stuff for the counties and area municipalities but not a lot of residential work because its usually cost-prohibitive.

Quattrocchi said the company completed all the paving at Keystone Lake for the recent Ironman Tulsa competition, where asphalt ramps allowed athletes to get into and out of the lake for the swimming portion of the triathlon.

Dunhams currently makes six to eight asphalt mixes for different needs, Quattrocchi said, adding that everything the company does at the plant is 80% or more recyclable.

Everything that we mill out when taking up old asphalt goes back to the plant to a rock crusher to go back into and be remixed with new asphalt oil, he said.
You dont have to look far to see the impact that Claude Neon Federal Sign Company has had on Tulsa.

There are signs literally all around you.

We spoke to employees Pete Webb and Joe Kesterson about the companys history and current work. It was impressive and eye-opening to learn how many signs here boast the CNF brand.

They explained that CNF Tulsa was opened in 1926 as a branch office with an additional branch office in Oklahoma City. The home office originated in Wichita, Kansas.

What does the name Claude Neon Federal refer to? Heres the history.

In the early 1920s, a French scientist named Georges Claude filled a glass vacuum tube with a rare gas called neon. He connected this tube to high voltage electricity by means of an electrode on each end, causing it to glow with a brightness. Georges Claude obtained international patent rights for his discovery, which bore the name Claude Neon.
PAWHUSKA  The Water Bird Gallery pops with color as the history and culture of the Osage Nation combine in a charmingly beautiful mix of offerings.

In the middle of the store is owner Danette Daniels, making friends out of new visitors. Shes a chatty, self-styled ambassador welcoming newcomers to her hometown and tribal nation.

Going through her gallery, she talks about the Indigenous artists whose works for sale hang from the walls. She explains reasons behind the designs in clothing, jewelry and blankets. She displays century-old photographs and proudly points to an etching of her father, an elder in the Osage Nation.

Her enthusiasm becomes an education about what makes the Osage Nation unique.

The Osage are known for finger weaving and ribbon work. We have bright colors like purples, reds and yellows, she says while showing a handmade, wool broadcloth blanket accented with silk ribbons.

Just down the street gathers a crowd trying for a glimpse of stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, who are filming Killers of the Flower Moon. Its based on the David Grann book about the 1920s systematic murders of Osage Nation members for their wealth, focusing on the deaths in Mollie Burkharts family.

Its an emotional, painful story many in the Osage Nation are now revisiting. In the beginning, Daniels, like many of her fellow citizens, had concerns.

As it became clear the film was to be made, an invitation was extended to the film crew to meet at the Gray Horse community, one of three districts of the Osage Nation.

We decided to do what we do best and put on a feast and talk about it, she said. With our tribal cooks, about 300 Osage citizens gathered and director Martin Scorsese and his crew came. He shook every persons hand. That took an hour.

The community had chosen several speakers, including Daniels, to address their apprehensions.

We aired our issues, worried about the stereotypes of Indians, like drunkenness, she said. We felt like Mr. Scorsese was sincere, open and listening to us. So far, they have practiced what they said they would do and collaborated with many in our community.

Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear recalls having similar conversations with movie executives even before Scorsese took the project.

We didnt want it to be just the FBI story or just the Osage who were deceased, said Standing Bear. We wanted them to see our culture and see as us people. We want to hear our language.

I understood they were going to tell this movie through the eyes of Mollie (Burkhart), and it would be a movie the Osage would be proud of. That turned it for me. When Scorsese got it, he picked up on that, and it has gotten better and better.

Authentic Osage Nation 1920s-era items used in the film are coming from local residents. Its been a word-of-mouth search, with neighbors referring neighbors and families referring families.

Daniels has been a collector of Osage pieces her entire life. Two cradle boards and a purple ribbonwork blanket in her collection were loaned to the film crew and might make it onto the big screen, she said.

Other Osage citizens have loaned things such as dishes and furniture. What cant be found, like vintage clothing or blankets, is being made with advice, and sometimes help, from Osage citizens.

There are Osage consultants on set, and they are tapping into the community, Daniels said. I feel good about it. Sometimes they are reaching out to me on a daily basis. They really want period pieces from the 20s quite a bit. They really are educating themselves about this.

Daniels posts updates regularly on her gallerys Facebook page about the film and other Osage news.

There are so many Osage people extremely excited about this, Daniels said.

The Osage Nation government has stayed out of the film production but encouraged communication with its program leaders and elders.

Johnny Williams, a member of the Osage Nation Government Affairs Advisory, serves as a film adviser. He and others cannot say much due to contractual agreements.

But he said more than 1,000 Osage citizens auditioned as extras, and many have been called to the set in crowd scenes. He said the film crew is in constant contact with Osage citizens.

They are not hesitant to ask questions or look for consultants to get answers, Williams said. They are trying to live up to the promise they made the Osages.

Indigenous nations have differentiating cultural aspects.

For the Osage Nation, red is associated with the firstborn, often worn in blankets by women and in clothing by men. The bright colors tend to be in geometric patterns, but some floral designs date to the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The family dinner table of that era would feature Spode dishes, an English brand of china, and silver utensils. A set of red Spode china is seen in a scene photo released by Apple Original Films to the Osage Nation showing DiCaprio and actress Lily Gladstone sharing a meal.

I love Spode china, Daniels said. Traditional Osage women always loved Spode, and many families handed it down through their families.

The china reflects the prosperity among Osage Nation citizens from oil royalties, said Jessilyn Addie Hudgins, Osage Cultural Center director.

It was something they saw and liked it. They bought it and had the money to do what they want, Hudgins said.

A traditional meal may include fry bread, meat gravy, corn soup, squash, grape dumplings and strip meat soup. Some citizens remember eating a type of small potato growing in the area and water lilies, said to be good for the heart.

About 100 years ago, Im sure it was whatever rations were brought. Thats where it came from  rations from the federal government, Hudgins said. If it was 200 years ago, you wouldnt have fry bread because we wouldnt have oil.

The 1920s era was one of melding the old traditions of the Osage citizens with new luxuries afforded by their wealth, such as Osage women wrapped in customary blankets sitting in expensive cars.

The film crew created the facade of train station with a section of track. Its something Standing Bear would like to see remain.

We, as a nation, would take care of it as a memento of this, said Standing Bear. Thats something political leaders and the Osage Congress would want. Its about having a good relationship with the movie.

Reviving the Osage language has been a project of the nation for years, with no fluent speakers left. To strengthen the endangered language, the nation has created an immersion school, online and virtual platforms and other classes.

For me, I remember going to dinner and it was all in Osage until about 1965, said Standing Bear. Then one day, it was all in English. It was fast. Im trying to learn the language, but the kids now are getting really good at it.

To make sure the Osage words are correct in the film, those who have mastered the language are on set, said Vann Bighorse, Osage Language Department director.

They have been really respectful about coming to us, Bighorse said. They havent been making up their own gibberish. In the past, thats probably what they did. They are wanting to be accurate about the language. They come to ask us about the translation.

We still have our language; we still have our culture; we are still alive and well and have been able to overcome those things that happened in the 20s. Its good for people to know on this worldwide platform that our language and our tribe are alive, and were still vibrant.

Joe Conner talks about Fairfax and Killers of the Flower Moon

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With summer ahead, Silver Dollar City Attractions in Branson, Missouri  just a three-to-four-hour drive from Tulsa  offers a family getaway full of adventure.

Now celebrating a 60th Diamond Jubilee, The City offers 40 rides and attractions, a resident crafts colony 100-strong, nine world-class festivals or events and award-winning home-style foods.

Ozark history and legacy come to life in the new Rivertown with a $23 million river rafting adventure, Mystic River Falls  the tallest drop of a water raft ride in the Western Hemisphere, themed after a mysterious river found in the Citys massive Marvel Cave. Other highlights are the new Rivertown Smokehouse and a new cinnamon bread bakery. Guests can eat their way through the park with the just-introduced Tasting Passports  sample everything from BBQ to specialties created by the parks culinary team.

For your thrill seekers, the roller coasters dont disappoint, including the fastest, tallest, steepest spinning roller coaster in the world, Time Traveler, and the wood coaster, Outlaw Run, known for a massive drop and a double barrel roll finale. For more information, go to silverdollarcity.com

And what could be better than a relaxing ride on Showboat Branson Belle? Enjoy a four-deck reimagining of an authentic 1880s paddle wheeler of yesteryear, celebrating a quarter-century on Table Rock Lake. The Showboat Branson Belle offers noon, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. cruises.

Passengers can explore scenic decks, enjoy award-winning magician Christopher James and a high-energy variety show. Each cruise offers a three-course meal prepared in the Ships Galley. Premium seating with a chef-crafted menu is also available. For more, go to showboatbransonbelle.com

For the water park lovers in your family, White Water features 2 million gallons of fun and 13 acres of water rides, slides and waves. Enjoy the high tide of the 500,000-gallon Surfs Up Wave Pool, float your cares away on the Aloha River or splash with little ones in Coconut Cove. For high thrills, take a 70-degree, 40-foot plunge at a screaming 26 feet per second on KaPau Plummet or brave the side-by-side freefall drop slides at Kalani Towers.

Silver Dollar City Contest

Silver Dollar City is celebrating a 60th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee with a contest that could bring your family to the 1880s-style theme park in the Ozarks to make memories that will last a lifetime.

For a chance at winning the Silver Dollar City 60th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee Family Adventure Prize Package valued at more than $1,500, send us your favorite family memory of Silver Dollar City or a memory you would like to make. Include a telephone number and an email address, if you have one.

The amazing trip package includes:

Up to six tickets to Silver Dollar Citys 1880s theme park, including lunch and front-of-the-line passes.

Up to six tickets to White Waters 2 million gallons of fun and 13 acres of water slides, rides and waves or another seasonal attraction.

A Showboat Branson Belle cruise for up to six with three-course meal, panoramic views of Table Rock Lake and high-energy show.

One family-sized cabin for two nights at the Silver Dollar City Campground or comparable lodging.

The deadline for contest entries is July 25. Send your story to Attn: Nicole Marshall Middleton, P.O. Box 1770, Tulsa, OK, 74102 or email them to scene@tulsaworld.com. Winners will be announced in the Aug. 8 edition of the Tulsa World Scene section.

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Thomas Gilcrease once posed for a snapshot along the banks of the Avon River with the steeple of Holy Trinity Church standing in the background on the opposite side of the water. William Shakespeare has been buried there since the 17th century, the church tower casting a long shadow across the small graveyard.

The landmark inspired Gilcrease, then only 35 years old, to ponder his own mortality, according to an inscription he wrote on the back of the photo itself, now preserved by the Tulsa Historical Society.

Mr. Gilcrease stands upon the east bank, the caption says, facing the rising sun with the realization that he too will soon cross over to the west bank and join that endless march of numberless folk gone.

Born in Louisiana, Gilcrease was 5 years old when his family moved to what is now Oklahoma in anticipation of receiving allotments in the Muscogee Nation, where he qualified for citizenship thanks to his mothers tribal heritage. Fortuitously, Gilcreases 160-acre tract sat within the famous Glenn Pool, where the Tulsa oil rush began in 1905. He was just 15 when he began receiving royalties from oil production, and Gilcrease eventually had 32 productive wells on his property, which was enough to accumulate a small fortune.
Its really incredible, its fascinating, said Miles McAnally, a first-time pride attendee. Ive been in the (LGBTQ+) community for six years, and this just shows that our city and country are ... places that support this, instead of just being boring, average places. Why not make who you are exciting, you know?

The festival also attracted LGBTQ+ community members from outside Tulsa  and even Oklahoma. Jeyree Chamberlain, a resident of Frontenac, Kansas, said she and her parents made the 115-mile drive and rented a hotel room to enjoy the weekend.

Chamberlain, who was also attending her first pride festival, said seeing the support for LGBTQ+ people in Tulsa was particularly important for her after living in a town she described as less open.

Its not really (supportive) at all ... everyone in our town is kind of still in the closet still, because its kind of scary to be out in Kansas, Chamberlain said. But its been so great to see all different kinds of people  white people, Hispanic people, Black people, people of different sexualities  everyone just being different and accepted, and I like that.
PEA RIDGE, Ark.  A northwest Arkansas police officer was killed when he was struck by a vehicle in a convenience store parking lot and two people are in custody, according to police.

Pea Ridge officer Kevin Apple died Saturday after being struck by the vehicle that matched the description of a vehicle sought by police, according to police Lt. Michael Lisenbee.

The vehicle was parked at gas pumps at the store about 155 miles northwest of Little Rock, when Apple and another officer approached it to speak to the occupants, Lisenbee said.

As a result of the contact the officers were attempting to make with that vehicle, an altercation erupted, Lisenbee said.

The driver of the vehicle rammed into a patrol car and left the scene, striking and killing Apple, according to Lisenbee. No other injuries were reported.

Pea Ridge is about 10 miles northeast of Bentonville.

Lisenbee declined to say why the vehicle was being sought, citing the ongoing investigation.
During the recent litigation, Alderman said that OHP enacted policy in April 2014 that precludes troopers from completing use-of-force reports in instances of serious injury or death, as well as the attempted or actual use of deadly force.

I cannot explain why (the Tulsa World) was given a Use of Force Report in previous cases that involved serious injury or death, because those forms never should have been completed in the first place, Alderman wrote.

Stoughton said he would want to know what the point is of not requiring a use-of-force report or a statement. Even if a use-of-force report isn't filled out by the officer who used force, he said he would still expect a supervisor to do it as part of normal protocol.

He called it "pretty standard" for an officer who uses force to fill out a report by the end of shift or to at least offer an informal statement on scene to help initially inform investigators.

"If the point is to protect them from liability or to prevent them from getting into trouble, then that's really problematic because that's not the agency's job," Stoughton said. "It's not the agency's job to protect an officer from liability.

"It's the agency's job to make sure that the officer does their job the way that they're supposed to."
Tulsa Police have not yet returned a request seeking comment about the court ruling. Sarah Stewart, a spokeswoman with the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, said Friday the agency would not comment but that an Oklahoma Highway Patrol leader indicated the ruling affirms exactly what we do today.

For those without a patient card who can cite a medical condition, state law indicates the penalty for cannabis possession consists of a fine but no jail time. Others can still be subject to jail time because of laws created following the passage of State Question 780, Fetgatter said.

(My adult use bill) is still eligible to be heard next session, but there is no appetite in my opinion in the Legislature to run an adult use bill until we can rein in the nefarious activity going on within our rural communities with the medical program, he said, referencing a series of recent Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics raids.

To be clear, an adult use program does not fix the issue of people being pulled over with the smell of burned or unburned marijuana in their car. Thats going to have to be something thats addressed in DUI laws, which is something Ive tried to work on in the past and I actually received a lot of pushback on from industry activists.
More than six inches of rain has fallen in some areas of central and eastern Oklahoma since Saturday, and flooding is expected with additional rain in the forecast all week.

Both flash flooding and mainstem river flooding are expected, the National Weather Service in Tulsa said.

An additional 2 to 4 inches of rain is expected in the Tulsa area through Monday night, forecasters said.

More than 4 inches has fallen at the Oklahoma Mesonet site in Tulsa, about two miles west of Tulsa International Airport, from Saturday through early Sunday afternoon.

Tulsa Fire Department spokesman Andy Little on Sunday issued a statement reminding parents to keep their children out of flowing water and motorists not to drive into it.

Due to the recent rain weve received, its important that we tell our children to stay out of the water, he said.

Excessive water flow can be extremely dangerous. While it doesnt always appear to be hazardous, several inches of fast moving water can easily move a vehicle.

A flash flood watch is in effect for Tulsa and surrounding counties until 7 a.m. Monday.
The investment account has a baseline return rate of 7.5%, but in the market upturn, investors are making in the mid-twenties, Sigler said. So far, the rate topped out in April at 26.67%, and, to officials surprise, May closely followed at 26.5%.

The cost-of-living adjustment was just the icing on the cake. Benefits increased by 2% if a person was retired for between two and five years as of July 1, 2020, and by 4% if the person was retired for five or more years as of July 1, 2020.

Sigler called the timing a wonderful coincidence for those already thinking of heading out the door.

The guys that were pretty close to retiring anyway, they all pulled the trigger so they could get these big market rate returns, Sigler said. Were just excited for them. This is just one little thing we can do to thank them for what they do for us.

Big shoes to fill, fewer feet

Twenty years ago, hundreds of people were vying for a spot in the Tulsa Police academy. Now, administrators consider themselves lucky if a dozen make it there, Meulenberg said.
A few years ago, lawmakers appropriated additional dollars to give staff with direct inmate contact a $2 an hour raise, Crow said.

The agency, he said, is reestablishing a retention and recruitment unit.

A few years ago, the agency decided to rely more on social media for retention and recruitment, Crow said.

While the agency will continue to rely on social media, it will also seek applicants at job fairs and through career techs and colleges, Crow said.

Crow said he is monitoring staffing levels at each of the facilities. If staffing gets critical, Crow said he can move staff temporarily from other facilities to assist.

I have my finger on the pulse of what is going on in those facilities to reinforce what we need to do, Crow said.

Rep. J.J. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane, chairs the House Criminal Justice and Corrections Committee.

He said the staffing shortage crisis has been going on for decades.

The staffing shortage creates a dangerous atmosphere for employees, inmates and the public, Humphrey said.

It is a very serious condition, he said.
Dots and dashes: Inhofe said letters from top brass were not reassuring that moving prosecution of sex offenses outside the usual military justice system would be effective. ... Lankford criticized the administrations initiative against violent crime, which features a crackdown on illegal gun sales, but that Lankford said limits law-abiding citizens Second Amendment rights. ... Fourth District Congressman Tom Cole charged that the World Health Organization and the Chinese Communist Party must answer for their handling of the COVID-19 pandemics early stages and lack of transparency in identifying the virus origins. ... Lucas reportedly was among the 62 founding members of the Conservative Climate Caucus. ... Second District Congressman Markwayne Mullins bill giving tribes greater access to public health data passed the House. ... Lucas, the top-ranked Republican on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, urged steady funding and direction for the U.S. manned space flight program during a hearing on the matter. ... Inhofe and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, both senior Republicans on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, pressed the administration for information about its decision to rescind a Trump administration water rule favorable to agriculture, industry and mining. ... Second District Congressman Markwayne Mullin published a piece on the Washington Examiner website critical of Bidens performance at his recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. ... Inhofe basically said Ill believe it when I see it when told by the chief of naval operations that the problem-plagued Gerald R. Ford supercarrier will be fully operational within a year. ... Lankford said he voted against confirmation of Office of Personnel Management Kiran Ahuja because she supports abortion rights and racial awareness training.
Nickles and dimes: Changes to the states tax code this past legislative session erased nearly $150 million in revenue, according to figures released last week by the state Board of Equalization.

The board  made up of the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, state superintendent of public instruction, state auditor and inspector, state treasurer and president of the state board of agriculture  met last week to adjust revenue projections to account for legislative changes.

The net reduction was a shade less than $148 million. Because only 95% of projected revenue can be appropriated, the difference to state government in fiscal year 2022, which begins Thursday, will be $140.6 million.

That might seem like a lot of money, but amounts to only 2.2% of the original estimate of $7.1 billion.

Even with the reductions, the Office of Management and Enterprise Services said the states total budget actually increased by $308.3 million since February.

Reductions in all income tax brackets account for $142 million of the reduction, but a new law exempting commercial trailers from a portion of state sales taxes is expected to cost more than $6 million.
ROME (AP)  Police in riot gear on Saturday blocked streets to try to thwart gay Pride marchers in Istanbul, while thousands turned out joyfully in Paris and elsewhere in Europe after pandemic privations  although setbacks against LGBT rights tempered some of the celebratory air.

Authorities have banned Istanbul Pride events since 2015, citing public security, and more recently, COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. The Cumhuriyet newspaper said at least 25 people were detained.

Pandemic concerns forced cancellations of Pride events in Lisbon and postponement of London's usually heavily attended event.

In Berlin, demonstrators set off on three routes toward the central Alexanderplatz in a format meant both to avoid bigger gatherings during the pandemic and to reflect the diversity of the LGBT community.

In Italy, thousands of Pride celebrants rallied in Rome and in some smaller cities.

With a proposed law to combat hate crimes against LGBTQ people stalled in the Italian Senate for months, the Vatican and right-wing political leaders have been lobbying to eliminate some of the provisions, citing fears the legislation will crimp freedom of expression.
Now, a few weeks removed from the formal completion of the 100th anniversary events commemorating the Tulsa Race Massacre, I felt compelled to use this Tulsa World Community Advisory Board article to share two connected simple questions, one reflective and the other prospective.

I am extremely aware that the broad range of topics and issues connected with Tulsa and the race massacre is almost unlimited and way beyond my knowledge, so I write this from my personal perspective.

For context, I believe it is important to say that my wife and I moved to Tulsa 32 years ago. Neither of us had ever heard anything about the Tulsa Race Massacre. And, sadly, we have three adult children who completed their primary education in Tulsa within the last 10 years. During those formative school years, we still never became aware, much less, had any dialogue on this critical topic in our communitys history.

In the last year or two, through the encouragement of our oldest daughter and the emergence of general local publicity, we began our education about the events, people, impact and damage the race massacre had, and continues to have, on the city we love.
She is known as a 'steel rose' of Vietnams southern seas. Breaking down the long-held belief that women bring bad luck for voyages, she commands an all-men fishing crew.

She is Nguyen Thi Phuong, 50, from Tan An Commune, Ngoc Hien District, located in the southernmost Vietnamese province of Ca Mau.

Amidst indistinguishable voices blending in a walkie-talkie of a fishing boat bobbing on the sea, a womans voice cut through. She asked whether they could catch any big fish and need any help.

Fishermen told her about the boats conditions as well as the updated market prices of fish and squids.

It is big sister Phuong. For this trip, she heads to Hon Khoai Island. She cares for us very much. There are not many fisherwomen like her, said a helmsman.

Rach Goc is one of Ca Mau Provinces three biggest estuaries. From the center of Ngoc Hien, water flows through mangrove forests to the southern part of the East Vietnam Sea, bringing fishing crews from Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Ben Tre, and Kien Giang to the countrys richest fishing ground.

For every tide, there are hundreds of ships going in and out Rach Goc Estuary to sell seafood and prepare for the next trip.

Hua Minh Quang, head of Tan An Commune Womens Union, said the local sea was home to fierce women. Among all, Nguyen Thi Phuong is the most respected, not only because she embraces credibility but also dares to sail a ship.

After the devastating storm Linda in 1997, many ships never returned. The rest were severely damaged. The southern fishing grounds witnessed a fall in the number of fishing boats.

At the time, Phuong rowed a wooden boat through mangrove forests to buy shrimps and fish from farms to retail at the district market. After her husbands death, Phuong became the familys breadwinner.

The small business earned little profit while the competition among fish traders was fierce. In 2007, Phuong withdrew and opened her own kiosk at the market. Her suppliers were mostly off-shore fishing crews.

She was favored by them for being generous and kind. Thanks to good word of mouth, more and more fishing crews started to save their best catches to sell to Phuong.

However, due to the distance and sluggish traffic, seafood delivered from Rach Goc Estuary turned bad when it reached wholesale markets and restaurants.

In 2017, when a section of Ho Chi Minh Highway connecting Ca Mau Provinces Nam Can District to Dat Mui Commune across Rach Goc was opened, the market for Rach Goc seafood was unlocked.

I have to buy seafood right after the catch, preserving and delivering it right away to consumers for the highest possible prices, recalled Phuong.

She asked for advice from veteran fishermen to build her own boat in order to procure seafood offshore and provide fuel for fishing ships.

She finally acquired a ship equipped with all necessary equipment for a voyage of hundreds of nautical miles. However, who would ride it was another question.

Phuong needed someone who knew the sea well enough to avoid entering neighboring countries seas. The daily pay of VND500,000 (US$22) was not enough to attract a professional helmsman.

She decided to operate the ship by herself as a result.

Nguyen Thi Phuong waves at a fisherman. She is loved by her fellows. Photo: Huynh Lam / Tuoi Tre

A 'steel rose'

Fishermen believe that letting women board their ships before departure will bring bad luck.

In Phuongs case, she is the commander, knowing stormy days are real challenges for even professional helmsmen who call the seas their homes.

Following her are seven men.

Together they sail to waters around the islands of Con Dao, Bai Can, Nam Du or Phu Quoc, no matter how the weather is, following good catches.

My first trips were arduous," she said.

"I could buy nothing then.

"However, I refused to buy seafood from illegal fishing boats.

"Border guard and seafood resource protecting forces showed me which fishermen I could rely on.

That helped a lot. I could buy fresh, legally caught, and well preserved seafood.

"They, conversely, had enough fuel and food for long-day trips without returning to the shore.

As Phuong got used to the sea, her companions started leaving.

They prefer working on fishing boats to share profits to receiving fixed wages from her.

With fewer crew members, she still can manage a 30-ton ship, riding dozens of nautical miles to receive and deliver fresh catches to the shore.

Phuong said she feels most worried when the night falls.

It is dangerous," she said.

"Only me and the angry sea, how can I overcome it?

"There is a fight within me to become a stronger human being and to dare to conquer storms and waves.

In fishing grounds, there are all men.

"I have to be always on my game."

After graduating from college, Phuongs two daughters returned to Rach Goc District to assist her business.

They motivate me, making me feel safe whenever I go offshore, she said.

Phuong is now one of the most well-known seafood traders in Vietnam's southern fishing grounds.

A decade of sailing a ship makes Phuong a stronger woman, more than ever.

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Here are todays leading news stories:

COVID-19 Updates:

-- Vietnams Ministry of Health on Sunday morning confirmed 50 local COVID-19 infections, including 40 cases in Ho Chi Minh City, raising the national tally to 15,325, with 6,137 recoveries and 74 deaths.

-- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Saturday led a government delegation to inspect COVID-19 prevention and control efforts in Ho Chi Minh City, which is being hit hard by the pandemic.

-- The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health on Sunday put into operation two additional makeshift COVID-19 treatment hospitals, raising the total number of beds for patients to 10,000. The two new infirmaries will focus on treating patients with mild symptoms.

-- A social distancing drive has been implemented in the south-central province of Phu Yen from 0:00 Sunday as the locality has recorded 20 local infections during the current outbreak.

-- The Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control has set a goal to collect 500,000 COVID-19 test samples per day in five districts with the most cases in the city, namely District 8, Tan Phu District, Hoc Mon District, Binh Tan District, and Binh Chanh District.

Society

-- A 38-year-old police officer from the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh passed away due to a heart attack on Friday. Local authorities also ruled out postvaccinal reactions as a cause given the fact that the officer had received a COVID-19 vaccine shot on June 18.

-- Five people attempted to dodge inspection at a COVID-19 checkpoint between Hai Duong and Quang Ninh Provinces in northern Vietnam by traveling in an ambulance on Saturday.

-- Police in the south-central province of Ninh Thuan confirmed on Saturday they had arrested two Vietnamese men for transporting 10 Chinese border jumpers.

-- A man caused a forest fire in the north-central province of Nghe An on Saturday morning after throwing a cigarette butt on the ground during his jog.

Business

-- Overseas investment by Vietnamese firms neared US$547 million in the first half of 2021, nearly 2.5 times higher than the same period last year, the Vietnam News Agency quoted the Ministry of Planning and Investment as saying.

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The Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) has set a goal to collect 500,000 COVID-19 test samples per day in five districts with the most cases in the metropolis.

The list includes District 8, Tan Phu District, Hoc Mon District, Binh Tan District, and Binh Chanh District.

A total of 500,000 samples are set to be collected every day from June 26 to 30.

From July 1, authorities will began collecting 500,000 samples per day in other districts.

The municipal Peoples Committee on Saturday issued a plan to conduct COVID-19 testing on more than five million people over the next 10 days to soon control the pandemic, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

The targets of this plan include local residents as well as laborers at industrial parks, export processing zones, and high-tech zones.

From May 26 to June 26, health authorities collected more than 1.1 million samples, the HCDC elaborated.

The cluster at a religious mission in Go Vap District, which was the first major chain to be detected in the city during the current outbreak, has been put under control.

However, new infection sites have recently been recorded at a mechanical workshop in Hoc Mon District, Ehome 3 apartment complex in Binh Tan District, Hnam Mobile phone retail chain, Kim Minh Company in District 5, and Trung Son Food JSC in Binh Tan District.

Authorities have been exerting their best efforts to monitor and trace all people linked to the clusters.

Vietnam has documented 15,401 COVID-19 cases as of Sunday afternoon, with 6,137 recoveries and 75 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has recorded 12,071 local infections in 48 provinces and cities, including 3,123 cases in Ho Chi Minh City, since the fourth transmission wave began on April 27.

The metropolis previously logged 667 cases from 6:00 am Thursday to 6:00 am Friday, the biggest number of infections it has ever recorded within 24 hours.

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The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has set up two additional makeshift COVID-19 treatment hospitals which focus on treating patients with mild symptoms.

The decision came after the number of cases in the city exceeded 3,000 and is expected to continue rising in the coming time, said Nguyen Tan Binh, director of the municipal health department.

One of the two new infirmaries was established at the dormitory of the Center for National Defense and Security Training under the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City, located in Di An City in neighboring Binh Duong Province.

This facility has the capacity of 1,000 beds and was put into operation on Saturday.

The other makeshift hospital was set up at Zone A Dormitory of the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City in Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc City.

The venue offers 4,000 beds and will be put into operation in the future depending on the pandemic situation in the city.

The new facilities will treat COVID-19 patients with no or mild symptoms.

Those who develop more serious symptoms will be transferred to existing COVID-19 treatment facilities in the city.

The establishment of the two new hospitals will help doctors focus on treating seriously ill patients and thus minimize the number of coronavirus-related deaths.

Vietnam has documented 15,325 COVID-19 cases as of Sunday morning, with 6,137 recoveries and 75 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has recorded 11,995 local infections in 48 provinces and cities since the fourth transmission wave began on April 27.

Ho Chi Minh City ranks second in the table with 3,058 cases.

With the two new makeshift hospitals, the metropolis has a total of 13 COVID-19 treatment facilities, whose combined capacity is 10,000 beds.

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FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and First lady Michelle Obama congratulate Samar Badawi of Saudi Arabia in Washington

LONDON (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has released two women's rights activists detained nearly three years ago after they had served their time, London-based Saudi rights group ALQST said on Sunday.

Samar Badawi and Nassima al-Sadah were detained in July 2018, along with more than a dozen other activists, on suspicion of harming Saudi interests, a move that drew international condemnation.

The Saudi government's media office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Few details have been provided by authorities on the charges against the women or on sporadic trials that have been closed to the public.

Their release follows that of prominent activist Loujain al-Hathloul in February who had served half of her custodial sentence on broad cybercrime and counterterrorism charges. She still faces a five-year travel ban.

Human Rights Watch welcomed the report by ALQST on Twitter of the release of Badawi and Sadah: "These brave women should have never been detained in the first place. They should have been appreciated for leading change in Saudi Arabia."

Badawi received the United States' International Women of Courage Award in 2012 for challenging the Saudi male guardianship system, and was among the first women who signed a petition calling on the government to allow women to drive and to vote and run in local elections.

Sadah, from the restive Shi'ite-majority Qatif province, has also campaigned to abolish the guardianship system.

CRACKDOWN

The women's rights activists were detained before and after the kingdom in 2018 lifted a ban on women driving as part of social reforms that have been accompanied by a crackdown on dissent that has also netted clerics and intellectuals.

Badawi's former husband is serving a 15-year jail sentence for human rights activism. Her brother Raif Badawi, a prominent blogger, is serving a 10-year sentence on charges of insulting Islam and for cyber crime.

U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has taken a tough stance over Saudi Arabia's human rights record, which came under the spotlight after the October 2018 murder of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom's Istanbul consulate.

Story continues

Washington in February released an intelligence report implicating de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Khashoggi's killing. The prince denies any involvement.

In April, the State Department voiced concern about the sentencing of a Saudi aid worker by a counterterrorism court to 20 years in prison followed by a 20-year travel ban.

(Reporting by Marwa Rashad; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) announced it would suspend its medical care at two Libyan detention centres due to the unacceptable level of violence, and will not return until conditions improve, according to a statement.

"The persistent pattern of violent incidents and serious harm to refugees and migrants, as well as the risk to the safety of our staff, has reached a level that we are no longer able to accept," said Beatrice Lau, MSF's head of mission in Libya, adding that it was not an easy decision to make.

MSF documented acts of violence committed by the guards at the Mabani Collection and Return detention centre 10 days ago, witnessing guards indiscriminately beating people who attempted to leave their cells to be consulted by MSF doctors.

The previous night, the overcrowded detention centre erupted in mass violence as migrants, refugees and guards suffered multiple fractures, cuts and abrasions, including one unaccompanied child who was left unable to walk after suffering serious wounds to the ankles, according to their statement.

The medical charity said that the rise in violence in 2021 goes hand-in-hand with the rise in the number of refugees, migrants and asylum seekers intercepted at sea by the EU-funded Libyan coast guard."

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 14,000 people have been intercepted and forcibly returned to Libya since the beginning of 2021.

This exceeds the total number of forced returns for all of 2020from 13 June to 19 June, nearly 1,600 people were picked up and returned.
The first train jointly operated by the Azerbaijani, Russian, and Iranian railway companies left this week the Finnish capital Helsinki for Indias largest port of Nhava Sheva via the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), Caspain News reports.

The container block train will reportedly travel through these three Caspian Sea littoral countries to carry paper-based products in thirty-two 40-foot containers to the final destination in India.

ADY Container LLC, the Azerbaijani operator of the train, said the pilot project was implemented to assess the transportation results, which could help organize regular cargo deliveries along the corridor.

The rail platforms, which were sent to Finland for container loading, are owned by ADY Container LLC, the company said in a statement.

Such an act for the implementation of this project has been undertaken by the company in order to stimulate the organization of regular transcontinental block trains within the INSTC.

Multimodal transportation means, including rail, road, and ship, will move the containers to the Nhava Sheva Port, the largest container port in India.

The International North-South Transport Corridor is a 7,200 km (4,474 mi) multimodal network of rail, road, and sea routes. The route is supposed to shorten the length of time it takes to transport cargo between South Asia and Russia and the Baltic Sea area, from six to three weeks, and open an all-new distance, which is 3,000 km (1,864 mi) shorter than conventional routes.

The estimated annual capacity of the corridor is 20-30 million tons of cargo. The two dry runs operated in 2014 from Mumbai to Azerbaijans capital city of Baku and from Mumbai to Russias Astrakhan city via Irans Bandar-Abbas port confirmed a $2,500 cost reduction per every 15 tons of cargo supplied through the corridor.

All countries involved are expected to benefit from the route. Located between Iran and Russia, Azerbaijan will expand its transit potential as a critical hub situated at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. In addition, the INSTC is expected to facilitate the integration of landlocked Central Asian countries into the global trade and transport network.

In 2017, Azerbaijan and Iran put into operation the 8.3 kilometer-long Astara-Astara railroad, which forms part of the INSTC by linking the two frontier towns in Azerbaijan and Iran. In 2019, Azerbaijan and Russia launched a highway bridge over the Samur River along the state border between the two countries. The bridge is seen as an integral part of the INSTC.

Meanwhile, the corridor is believed to become an alternative to traditional intercontinental cargo transportations over time in the light of the one-week blockage of Egypts Suez Canal, which has paralyzed global trade in billions of dollars in March.

The North-South corridor is a great option to replace the Suez Canal with a reduction in travel times to 20 days and savings of up to 30 percent, Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali wrote on his Facebook after the incident at the Suez Canal.

He further added that the billions in a loss increased the importance of the INSTC as an alternative to the global trade route.
The speaker of Iran's parliament said on Sunday Tehran will never hand over images from inside of some Iranian nuclear sites to the U.N. nuclear watchdog as a monitoring agreement with the agency had expired, Reuters reports citing Iranian state media.

"The agreement has expired ... any of the information recorded will never be given to the International Atomic Energy Agency and the data and images will remain in the possession of Iran," said Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf.

The announcement could further complicate talks between Iran and six major powers on reviving a 2015 nuclear deal. Three years ago then U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the pact and reimposed crippling sanctions on Tehran; Iran reacted by violating many of the deal's restrictions on its nuclear programme.

The IAEA and Tehran struck the three-month monitoring agreement in February to cushion the blow of Iran reducing its cooperation with the agency, and it allowed monitoring of some activities that would otherwise have been axed to continue.

Under that agreement, which on May 24 was extended by a month, data continues to be collected in a black-box-type arrangement, with the IAEA only able to access it at a later date.

On Friday, the IAEA demanded an immediate reply from Iran on whether it would extend the monitoring agreement, prompting an Iranian envoy to respond that Tehran was under no obligation to provide an answer.
I chose to stay in the UK, not because I can find a good job here, but I believe that I still need more time to accumulate experience and money before I return to Vietnam and do something bigger, said Trinh Quang Vu.

Trinh Quang Vu

Vu, 31, is currently a lecturer of finance and accounting at Newcastle University in the UK.

He was a student at HCMC Economics University, obtained a masters degree in finance administration from Northumbria University and a doctorate in finance from Newcastle University in 2019.

He has published articles in finance, accounting and banking in the worlds prestigious journals. His major research field relates to corporate governance, CEO management, CEOs and boards of directors' work in relation with financial indexes and companies important policies.

After receiving his doctorate when he was 28 years old, Vu decided to stay in the UK instead of coming back to Vietnam.

Except for people who study abroad on state-granted scholarships and have to return to Vietnam after graduation, 90 percent of young people want to stay and work in foreign countries, he said.

To become a lecturer in the UK

Its not easy to find a job at a university in the UK, according to the 9X lecturer, because of the fierce competition. A doctorate is the minimum degree required by most schools in the UK. Therefore, all candidates have very good CVs and special abilities.

I chose to stay in the UK, not because I can find a good job here, but I believe that I still need more time to accumulate experience and money before I return to Vietnam and do something bigger, Trinh Quang Vu

Before he set to work on his doctoral dissertation, Vu tried to apply for the post of lecturer at some universities. However, as the CV was not strong enough, he failed. This helped him realize what schools were seeking from candidates and prompted him to focus on building the virtues that schools wanted.

After obtaining a doctorate and publishing some scientific articles, an opportunity came to him.

Before getting the opportunity of becoming a lecturer at Newcastle University, Vu worked for Huddersfield University for one year.

According to Vu, no matter which school lecturers work for, they will be highly appreciated if they have articles published in prestigious academic journals. This is not only an obligation, but also a driving force for the career development of every researcher.

When Vu applied for Newcastle University, he knew that his competitors were impressive as they had many years of working experience. Finally, he was the one chosen by the school, thanks to the articles published in prestigious journals as the first author.

High-quality scientific articles on prestigious journals is a great advantage, but this was not enough.

Another important factor is your presentation before the board of recruitment. A progressive attitude, confidence, right attitude and thinking, and sincerity will help candidates succeed, he said.

When interviewed, candidates need to show most clearly who they are, the plans they have, and if they can contribute to the schools development.

He had two days of interviews with different boards. In general, the strict recruitment process was necessary to be sure that the school can find the right people who can contribute to the school brand and development. Each school follows its own recruitment way and procedure.

Stay overseas if you have opportunities

Asked what he thought when deciding to stay in the UK, Vu said he did not have to spend too much time wavering between staying in the UK and returning to Vietnam.

He said the brain drain concept seems to be no longer applicable to the modern "flat" world.

Some people can make direct contributions to the country when they return to their homeland with the knowledge they receive overseas. Meanwhile, others can also make their contribution to the homeland in their own way, though they stay overseas. While the ways they follow are different, they will still reach the goal.

According to Vu, there are many talented Vietnamese scientists living and working in foreign countries. At top-tier universities in the UK, they are leading professors and influential lecturers.

Overseas Vietnamese can develop well, and are full of energy, work hard and seek opportunities, so the image of Vietnamese is highly appreciated, especially in the academic environment.

When Vietnamese people work overseas, they, with their different perspectives, can act as advisors to Vietnam. Moreover, when they rise to fame overseas, they can make great contributions to the homeland, not only in scientific knowledge, but also in financing.

Some people think that Vietnamese students prefer staying overseas because of good jobs and high pay. But I believe that talented people can earn a lot of money, no matter where they are, he said.

They choose to stay overseas because they want to promote themselves, study the things they want, and then bring that value when returning to Vietnam and contributing to homeland development.

Young people make choices depending on their conditions and viewpoints. But I believe that staying overseas to accumulate experience is the optimal choice for them, he said.

Lecturers can accumulate experience in researching and working at universities in the world. When the right time comes and they become strong enough and have international relations, they should come back to Vietnam, he said.

Thuy Nga

Former literature student graduates in computer science from US Tran Kha Vy, 23, has had quite an experience studying abroad at Minerva Schools at KGI (USA), which has an acceptance rate of only 1.8%.
Since August 2020, Vietnam has been actively negotiating with various partners to buy vaccines.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long receives 1 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine provided by Japan.

To have 150 million doses to vaccinate 70% of the population, in addition to promulgating policies and preparing funds to buy vaccines, Vietnam has to seek sources of vaccines. However, it is a hard road for Vietnam to purchase the vaccines, as the source of supply of Covid-19 vaccines in the world is limited. Moreover, Vietnam is not prioritized in vaccine supply because it is seen as controlling the disease well so far.

Vietnam's senior leaders have made effort through diplomacy and lobbying governments and international organizations on the implementation of fair vaccine distribution and the transfer of vaccine production technology.

Resolution 21

Flight NH897 carrying this batch of vaccines from Narita Airport, Tokyo landed at Noi Bai International Airport, Hanoi at nearly 10 pm on June 16.

At a cabinet meeting in January, former Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who is now the President, proposed purchasing vaccines against Covid-19. On February 26, 2021, the Government issued Resolution 21 on purchasing and using Covid-19 vaccines.

In particular, the Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Health to assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related ministries, agencies and localities in purchasing, importing, receiving aid, sponsoring, managing and using Covid-19 vaccines in 2021 for people aged 18 and older, with the total amount of about 150 million doses, enought for vaccinating 70% of the population.

The resolution also names the nine groups of people who are prioritized for free vaccinations.

Presiding over the first meeting of the new Government in April, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also emphasized the purchase of vaccines as a strategic issue.

In the short term, due to the scarce supply of vaccines on a global scale, the Ministry of Health needs to urgently implement Resolution 21 of the Government in order to have vaccines as soon as possible; to develop mechanisms, policies and guidelines for eligible businesses to import vaccines and offer vaccination services," the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister also assigned the Ministry of Health to urgently complete the plan and implement the "vaccine passport", and at the same time develop a specific plan to create the most favorable conditions for the testing and production of Made-in-Vietnam vaccines.

On April 27, the Standing member of the Secretariat of the Central Party Committee sent a telegram to the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control; provincial and municipal Party Committees; and party committees, party cells of agencies under the central government on strengthening the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic. In particular, the Standing member of the Secretariat of the Central Party Committee directed to urgently organize vaccination against Covid-19 under Resolution 21 of the Government.

High-level phone calls

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visits the Vaccine and Biological Products Company Limited No. 1 (VABIOTECH).

On May 30, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc sent a letter to US President Joe Biden to welcome and thank the US for its contribution to the Covax Facility program and ask the US to continue to support Vietnam and other countries in terms of vaccine supply.

On June 1, at a meeting with Mr. Giorgio Aliberti, Ambassador, Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Vietnam, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc thanked the EU for supporting Vietnam through the Covax Facility and the "European Group".

He hoped that the EU would continue to pay attention to supporting Vietnam in accessing the supply of Covid-19 vaccines and sharing technology and techniques, strengthening the capacity of vaccination as well as vaccine production in Vietnam.

On June 2, the Vietnamese President sent a letter to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to discuss bilateral relations. In particular, the President thanked President Putin and Russia for giving Vietnam 1,000 doses of vaccines and many other anti-epidemic medical supplies.

The President also expressed his wish that Russia would support and create priority conditions for Vietnam to have access to Russian vaccine sources, as well as cooperate in vaccine production in Vietnam.

Most recently, the Japanese Governments aid of 1 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine after a meeting between Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Yamada Takio and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proved the Vietnamese governments determination in implementing the Covid-19 vaccine strategy.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his sincere thanks to his Japanese counterpart, the Government and people of Japan and emphasized: "This is a precious, timely gift, a noble gesture of sympathy, mutual sharing in difficult times, demonstrating the friendship between the Governments and peoples of the two countries."

During his phone calls with leaders of many countries (Canada, Australia, France, China, and others), the Prime Minister also asked for their cooperation and support to Vietnam in accessing sources of supply of Covid-19 vaccines.

At the same time, the National Assembly issued a resolution on May 18 approving the use of VND 12,100 billion of the state budget to buy Covid-19 vaccines. This amount of funding is equivalent to 50% of the estimated capital to buy 150 million doses of vaccines.

Over the past few days, through phone talks with his foreign counterparts, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue repeatedly suggested that these countries support equitable access to vaccines and transfer of technology to produce Covid-19 vaccines for Vietnam.

On June 7, during an online talk with Australian House of Representatives Speaker Tony Smith, Mr. Hue suggested that Australia support equitable access to vaccines and transfer of vaccine production technology for Vietnam.

During a phone talk with the Chairwoman of the Federation Council  Valentina Ivanovna Matviyenko, Vietnams National Assembly Chairman thanked Russia for giving Vietnam 1,000 doses of Sputnik V vaccine and pledging to provide 20 million doses of Sputnik V vaccine for Vietnam. He hoped that Russia would cooperate and transfer vaccine production technology to Vietnam.

While talking with the President of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) and Speaker of the Legislative Council of Brunei Darussalam Abdul Rahman Taib, Mr. Hue also proposed sharing and equitable access to vaccine resources as part of the agenda of the AIPA General Assembly 2021, which will take place in August 2021.

He called on the AIPA to unite and share the determination to have equal access to vaccines, and support the sharing of vaccine production patents for less developed countries so that the region and member countries will soon achieve herd immunity.

Vaccination campaign

Photo: National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue has asked the Military Medical Academy to speed up the production of Nanocovax vaccine.

Conclusion No. 07 of the Politburo dated June 11 once again affirms the determination to carry out the Covid-19 vaccination campaign to soon create herd immunity, and stabilize life and production.

Accordingly, obstacles in policies must be removed to mobilize all the possible resources for the purchase of Covid-19 vaccines and the Covid-19 vaccine fund must be developed to provide the vaccines for residents, prioritizing frontline workers and laborers at industrial parks as well as children.

Vaccination programs with specific roadmaps must be designed and publicized at the earliest. Meanwhile, the domestic research and production of Covid-19 vaccines should be encouraged and supported. The competent agencies should foster international cooperation to access more Covid-19 vaccine sources.

More than 200 meetings, both direct and online with organizations and vaccine manufacturers, have been carried out by officials and the Ministry of Health since mid-2020 to help Vietnam get 130 million doses of vaccine in 2021.

On May 26, the Prime Minister decided to establish the vaccine fund for Covid-19 prevention and control to mobilize donations and financial contributions from domestic and foreign organizations and individuals to purchase and import vaccines, research and produce vaccines domestically, and use vaccines.

The Covid-19 Vaccine Fund was officially launched on June 5 and has received committed donations worth VND6,600 billion from domestic and foreign organizations, individuals and businesses. In addition, the fund also received VND17.7 billion contributed by individuals via switchboard 1408.

As of 5pm on June 25, the Covid-19 Vaccine Fund had received VND 7,610 billion (nearly $331 million).

Thu Hang

Businesses seek sources to buy vaccines for their workers The electronics, textile and garment, footwear, wooden furniture and dairy sectors have proposed that the Government allow them to seek vaccine sources and pay for vaccinations at their enterprises so they can maintain production.
Instead of luring customers to shops, American fast-food brands nowadays are looking for customers by selling pizza and fried chicken on pavements as sales have dropped during the Covid-19 pandemic.

It was late afternoon and the traffic was busy. Nguyen Thu Thuy in Hoang Mai district in Hanoi stopped her motorbike at a crossroads and went to the sidewalk to buy three pieces of fried chicken. This was chicken of a brand favored by her children.

Each of the steaming hot fried chicken pieces was priced at only VND22,000. Thuy felt satisfied about the price. She also felt happy because she could buy things her children like, and did not have to spend time parking and queuing at shopping centers. For busy women like Thuy, buying food on the sidewalk is convenient.

Previously, you had to park your motorbike, enter shops to order food and wait quite a while. Now you just sit on your motorbike and sellers will give food to you, she explained.

Not only fried chicken, but pizza brands now are also selling this way. In Linh Dam residential quarter, small-size pizzas bearing famous brands now sell on sidewalks, which can more easily attract buyers. One pizza sells for less than VND100,000.

Analysts noted that there is a "going down the street" trend, with one well-known cafe chain and one fried chicken and pizza brand now selling products in containers in residential quarters.

McDonalds applied the model even before the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in HCM City. It set a kiosk selling hamburgers and coffee in front of its shops on Hoang Dieu Street in district 4.

Otoke Chicken has also set up some stalls in front of its shops in HCM City to serve breakfast, where it mostly sells hamburger and coffee.

Unlike their shops, the kiosks on the sidewalks only open at certain hours and target busy customers such as office workers. There are also fewer choices on the menus. However, sidewalk kiosks have their own advantages, including reasonable prices and convenience.

Popular fast food brands, from KFC to McDonalds, from Otoke Chicken to Pizza Hut, are selling food both directly to customers on sidewalks and at shops located in the most advantageous positions in the city.

Unlike their shops, the kiosks on the sidewalks only open at certain hours and target busy customers such as office workers. There are also fewer choices on the menus. However, sidewalk kiosks have their own advantages, including reasonable prices and convenience.

Pavements are usually the places for small retailers and street shops only, while large premises are reserved for big brands who have enough money to pay for high rentals. However, things are different now.

As fast-food chains are now under pressure from increasing rents and a decreasing number of customers, they have no other choice than to try a new sales model to improve their income. They sell food on streets, neglecting the whispers about strong brands having to struggle to survive.

Analysts say that fast food brands are facing difficulties. A South Korean newspaper reported that the Lotteria fast food chain was planning to withdraw from Southeast Asia. Lotte GRS stopped its fast food chain in Indonesia. The food material supplier of Lotte in Vietnam, established in early 2020 with an aim of expanding Lotte GRS operation in neighboring countries, was also in a closure process. However, this information was denied by Lotteria.



Joining the Vietnamese market early, in 1998, Lotteria was one of the fastest growing fast food chains in Vietnam.

Burger King entered Vietnam in 2012 with a plan to open 60 shops nationwide. Two years later, McDonalds turned up with a plan to open 100 shops within 10 years. However, Burger King has shut down five shops in Hanoi, HCM City and Da Nang.

Going down the street appears to be a trend when competition becomes stiff and sellers have to find ways to reduce expenses amid Covid-19. Mobile sales have become the choice of many food chains because it allows them to save money on rent.

According to JLL Vietnam, many big Vietnamese food chains are also trying to sell products via kiosks and vending machines on streets as a way to pilot the sale of takeaway food items. With this trial, they dont have to worry too much about money to hire workers and rental space.

Ong Bau coffee chain is an example. From the very beginning, the owners of Ong Bau planned to sell coffee from vending machines. There are now 39 such machines bearing Ong Bau brand, mostly in Hanoi, HCM City and Can Tho.

However, an analyst noted that the new sales model is ineffective as it depends too heavily on the positions of shops. Such kiosks have not nee' replicated by other chains.

However, he stressed that as the model has a lot of advantages, including convenience which is highly appreciated by busy customers, including young people, and it will continue to develop in the time to come.

Duy Anh

Foreign food chains unable to sustain in Vietnamese market Vietnam has for many years been considered as an attractive market for the retail industry, including fast foods and beverages.
President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and former President Nguyen Minh Triet on June 26 sent profound condolences over the Hero of People's Armed Forces Kostas Sarantidis passing.

Kostas Sarantidis (R) meets with then Foreign Minister of Vietnam Pham Binh Minh in 2018. VNA/VNS Photo

The same day, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh also did the same, while Minister of National Defense Senior Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, and President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations Nguyen Phuong Nga sent messages of condolences to the family of the 94-year-old deceased.

Sarantidis, was born in 1927 in Athens. The Greek was 16 when he was sent to the German army in 1943. After World War II, he could not return home for having no identity documents and later joined the French Foreign Legion and was mobilised to Indochina.

Since Sarantidis set foot on Sai Gon (now Ho Chi Minh City) in 1946, he decided to follow the Viet Minh (the short name for Vietnam Doc Lap Dong Minh or Vietnam Independence League) as he had witnessed invaders crime to innocent Vietnamese and realised the aspirations of the Vietnamese revolution

The soldier, with the Vietnamese name of Nguyen Van Lap, had made various accomplishments during his service and was presented with awards from the Party and State.

He was honoured with the Friendship Order and received Vietnamese citizenship in January 2011.

In 2013, Lap was awarded with the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces of Vietnam.

Source: VNA
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered the establishment of a task force in charge of assisting the study, transfer and production of made-in-Vietnam vaccines to boost local vaccine manufacturing.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visits Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC on Saturday.  Photo Government Portal

He made the order on Saturday while visiting Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC in HCM Citys high-tech park. The company is conducting the clinical trial phases for the domestically-produced Nanocovax vaccine.

The ongoing trial phase of Nanocovax has been tested on more than 13,000 volunteers and will be tested on another 1 million people. This is one of the largest scale vaccine studies in the world, according to Ho Nhan, Nanogens general director.

The company is now able to produce 8 to 12 million doses per month. By September, its production capacity could be increased to 30 to 50 million doses per month, Nhan said.

The general director said the company had proposed the World Health Organization consider putting the Nanocovax vaccine in the COVAX programme. Dozens of countries have signed agreements on vaccine technology transfer with Nanogen.

The most important requirement of the Nanocovax vaccine is to be safe and provide good immunity. Each dose costs about VN120,000 and this price will not change, Nhan said, proposing the Ministry of Health follow up and send a task force to assist the company in handling related administrative procedures.

Health minister Nguyen Thanh Long pledged to cut down on administrative procedures on the vaccine and create favourable conditions for the vaccine's clinical trial phases, which must ensure safety.

PM Chinh praised Nanogen for investing in the COVID vaccine in a very strict manner.

The vaccine research and production must comply with strict processes and regulations, ensure safety, and prove efficiency at a competitive and acceptable cost, he said.

He urged the company to accelerate the vaccine trial phases while pledging the Governments support to reduce administrative procedures that hinder vaccine study, production and transfer as much as possible.

He ordered agencies and local authorities to complete regulations, mechanisms and policies to support businesses in conducting vaccine trials.

Ensuring vaccine supply to give it for free to the whole population is a long-term strategy for not only this year but also for the coming years, he said.

Chinh said he would hold more meetings with vaccine transferring, researching, producing and distributing facilities, scientists and managers to continue to address obstacles and accelerate vaccine production.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Sunday paid a visit to Vietnam Dairy Products Joint Stock Company (Vinamilk) in My Phuoc Industrial Park in southern Binh Duong Province and the province's general hospital to inspect pandemic prevention and control measures.

The same day he held a working session with local authorities to discuss solutions to realise the dual goals of fighting the pandemic and maintaining business and production.

As Binh Duong is a key economic zone of the southern region, he said the province must take pandemic preventive measures, protect public health and at the same time maintain socio-economic development.

He urged local businesses not to suspend production during the pandemic. Continue production to fight the pandemic and step up COVID fight to continue production, he said.

Visiting Binh Duong Province general hospital, the Cabinet leader urged doctors and nurses to strengthen connections to conduct COVID consultations with other healthcare facilities.

The hospital must strictly follow COVID-19 protocols in order not to be overwhelmed by the pandemic and avoid cross infection at the hospital, he said.

Source: VNS
Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh has given the green light to HCMCs plan of closing down wet markets in an attempt to curtail the spread of Covid-19, as the pandemic is breaking out on a large scale citywide.

Speaking at an online Covid-19-related meeting on June 25, Deputy PM Binh said that 68% of Covid-19 patients were asymptomatic or showed mild symptoms, but the authorities must stay alert as some countries have faced a Covid-19 resurgence even after vaccinating two thirds of their population.

In HCMC where the disease has spread rapidly, more drastic anti-virus measures should be taken to combat the disease, Binh added.

If the city fails to bring the disease under control, it would spread to the neighboring provinces. I approve of the plan to shut down wet markets; delivery services can remain operational but they must be well monitored.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son said, Wholesale markets are trading locations and wet markets are places where local residents frequent daily for shopping. We had better shut down these places for several weeks than let them become transmission clusters.

The authorities also need to monitor people who had bought over-the-counter medicines to check whether they developed symptoms of the respiratory disease, Son added.

According to the deputy minister of health, the number of people in direct contact with coronavirus patients in the city is on the rise, resulting in an overload at the concentrated quarantine center located in the dormitory of the Vietnam National University-HCMC. The ministry decided to allow those in direct contact with confirmed cases to quarantine at home if their houses meet quarantine requirements.

HCMC should ramp up efforts to allow those in direct contact with coronavirus patients to undergo home quarantine to ease the pressure on the citys quarantine centers, he added.

Following the Deputy PMs order, Nguyen Thanh Phong, chairman of the municipal government, asked districts and Thu Duc City to speed up efforts to ensure compliance with anti-virus measures in the city and tackle violators.

The authorities could consider and apply District 8s model to the wet markets. According to this model, traders will offer services in rotation, while more detailed measures should be worked out for wholesale markets, Phong stressed.

The HCMC Department of Industry and Trade has to work with districts that have wholesale markets to ask traders to commit to following anti-virus regulations. Or else, they would be forced to suspend their business, said the chairman.

Source: SGT
Similarly, Pham Thi Hue, a 23-year-old nurse, cut her favourite long hair to facilitate the care of COVID-19 patients.

Temporarily putting aside responsibilities to their families, thousands of doctors and nurses at many hospitals from central to local levels have been volunteering to go to pandemic hotspots and make an important contribution in preventing the coronavirus from spreading and fighting against the pandemic.

Journalist Vu Xuan Tien and healthcare workers do their duty at a Ho Chi Minh City pandemic hotspot. Photo: Le Toan

Nearly a month has elapsed since doctor Hoang Van Tiep received a new assignment in Bac Giang province. The 26-year-old, the youngest member of the medical support team from Yen Bai province, has gradually gotten used to the feeling of heat when wearing tight protective suits and working continuously from early morning until late at night.

It has been many days since he entered the pandemic prevention centre, and he has not had much time to call or visit his loved ones. Even before leaving, he did not have time to go to his parents because he only had one hour to prepare his belongings, while his home was nearly 200km from the new workplace.

Tieps story is typical for hundreds of doctors and nurses who have volunteered to go to Bac Giang to support. After COVID-19 began to spread strongly in four industrial zones, causing the number of infections to spike every day, Bac Giangs health authorities received timely support from many medical delegations from many different localities.

Doctors and nurses appeared from all parts of the country. Many of them are unmarried, but there are also those who were willing to give a baby just a few months old to their parents. Most of them, when applying to volunteer in Bac Giang, left the return date blank. Their silent sacrifice has made the fight against COVID-19 in pandemic-hit areas like Bac Giang less painful.

Dr. Du Le Thanh Xuan from the Hospital for Tropical Diseases delayed her wedding to join the COVID-19 protection team

Silent sacrifices

Responding to the Ministry of Healths call for the health sector to work with Bac Giang, doctor Phan Van Chung, head of the delegation of Danang Hospital C, and six other doctors and nurses were present at the intensive care unit located at Bac Giang Psychiatric Hospital in early June.

Chung confided that he regularly monitored news from the pandemic centre, so he understands the complexity of the outbreak in Bac Giang. That is why, when he heard that Danang Hospital C would send a medical team and doctors to support Bac Giang, he volunteered to participate.

The group left the next day and drove in their own cars to the pandemic centre. The trip had no return date, but Chung and his colleagues agreed to stay in Bac Giang to support until the pandemic is completely controlled. Before leaving, the male members of the delegation decided to shave their heads to reduce heat and entanglement when wearing protective suits, and also to be safer and avoid infection when working for a long time, said Chung.

Similarly, Pham Thi Hue, a 23-year-old nurse, cut her favourite long hair to facilitate the care of COVID-19 patients.

Hue is a nurse at Quang Ninh General Hospital. She started treating F0 patients at the intensive care unit at Bac Giang Psychiatric Hospital from the beginning of June.

She shared, I used to wear tight protective gear and work from 6am to 2pm, so I would be able to adapt to the upcoming work. However, some doctors who treated COVID-19 patients said that long hair needs to be cleaned and washed a lot every time they go in and out of the ward. Therefore, I decided to cut my hair short for convenience.

Meanwhile, the clip of a 20-month-old girl crying when hearing her mothers voice on TV received much attention. The mother of the baby in the clip is Phung Thi Hanh, a nurse from Hanois Military Hospital 103 who has been on duty at the No.2 field hospital in Bac Giang since mid-May.

In the early days, she constantly felt ill due to blocked breastmilk and missing her child. But the intensity of working for nearly 12 hours a day made her gradually calm down. Hanh said that normally she is not a weak person, but when she saw the tears of her children, she could not bear it.

When I am working, I miss my baby and cry. I have never been away from my child for a day, so it was very heartbreaking, the nurse confided.

Proud to be out in battle

The spirit of dedication and personal sacrifice to focus on the fight against COVID-19 is not only common among the medical staff working at hospitals but also medical students who are participating.

COVID VUTM hunting squad is the name of a group of 37 lecturers and students from the Vietnam Academy of Traditional Pharmacy who were sent to Bac Giang to support the fight against the pandemic. For them, the summer of 2021 concludes their most meaningful days.

The temperature of nearly 40 degrees Celsius during these days is the biggest obstacle for the group. Multilayer protective clothing makes outdoor sampling extremely difficult. The phenomenon of dizziness due to heat shock is inevitable, but they always encourage each other to try to overcome the situation.

Meanwhile, Bac Ninh province also recorded enthusiastic support from groups of volunteering medical students. From the beginning of the year, Ngo Thi Ngoc Bien, currently a third-year student at Hai Duong Medical Technical University, has had two volunteer trips to Hai Duong and is currently in Bac Ninh.

Bien said, I think youth is fleeting, so you have to go out and do meaningful things. As the COVID-19 pandemic has not ended, my hometown has not been safe. But this is a small step forward in my medical career.

Perhaps, the ideals of youth and the desire to devote themselves to in order to return a peaceful life is a source of strength for these frontline soldiers. But, it goes without saying, Vietnams future doctors will continue to constantly toil and sweat in order to win the race against the pandemic.

Source: VIR
Vietnamese Ministry of Health has decided to implement the pilot of the vaccine passport program in the Northern Province of Quang Ninh.

According to the Ministrys guidance of the month-long vaccine passport program trial in Quang Ninh Province, foreign arrivals who have received two Covid-19 jabs or recovered from the coronavirus disease will be quarantined seven days in centralized isolation facilities instead of the usual 21 days.

Noticeably, the RT-PCR test results of these foreigners must be negative for SARS-CoV-2 in their first test. They will have to take another seven days in self-isolation after finishing seven days in centralized quarantine camps.

The remaining people will be kept 14 days in centralized camps instead of 21 days like the present.

The new regulations said that foreign arrivals ought to have vaccine passports approved by their authorities and the vaccine must be accepted by either the World Health Organization, the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC), the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or Vietnam.

Moreover, they have been given the final shot between 14 days and 12 months before the date of entry.

Furthermore, these arrivers must have a certificate provided by qualified bodies of the country providing treatment for them.

The discharge date must be within 12 months before the date of entry.

Last but not least, the Ministry requested foreigners must fill their health declaration electronically through Bluezone or website https://tokhaiyte.vn in smartphones within 36 hours before their entry. Experts and their relatives, international students must state which approved hotels or places they would stay in for isolation.

Source: Sai Gon Giai Phong

Vietnam to welcome foreigners with vaccine passport under new pilot scheme The north-eastern border province of Quang Ninh has been selected to receive foreigners, providing that they hold a vaccination certificate known as a vaccine passport.
Covid-19 vaccine developer said it will conduct clinical trials on one million people in the north and the south in July.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh checks the fights against Covid-19 in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Zing

A delegation of the World Health Organization (WHO) experts will come to Vietnam in the next few days at the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to check a locally-made Covid-19 vaccine candidate, which is in phase 3 clinical trials.

The WHO representatives will cooperate with the Ministry of Health (MoH) to give objective and helpful advice for the trials of the Nano Covax Covid-19 vaccine developed by Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC (Nanogen).

Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long gave the information during the Prime Ministers visit to Nanogen in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday morning [June 26].

At the meeting, Nanogens General Director Ho Nhan said the company will complete phase 3 clinical trials of Nano Covax on 13,000 people in the next 10 days and on one million people in the north and the south in July.

Earlier this month, Nanogen sent a letter to Prime Minister Chinh asking his approval for Nano Covax, which is now in the first stage of phase 3 clinical trials.

Nhan explained that all Covid-19 vaccines in use in the world such as those developed by India and the US are licensed with conditions of authorization. That means they produced vaccines while conducting clinical trials with a sufficient number of volunteers as prescribed.

He said Nano Covax has shown safety, immunogenicity, and being highly protective after phases of trials.

Nhan said Nano Covax is a type 1 of 15 vaccines from 15 countries entering clinical phase 3 with the companys own technologies. Its production capacity is now at 8-12 million doses per month and can reach 30-50 million doses in October. The price would be VND120,000 (US$5.2) per dose, among the lowest in the world and it will be unchanged.

According to Nhan, Nano Covax samples have been sent to WHO for the check while dozens of countries, including India, have signed a memorandum of understanding with the company for supply once the trials come to completion.

Speaking at the meeting, Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long said Nanogens vaccine technologies are pretty good and about 130 other vaccines of the same technologies are under clinical trials.

Nano Covax has been given good remarks by the Research Ethics Committee.

PM Chinh said its necessary to shorten the trials amid the widespread transmission of Covid-19.

He asked the MoH to set up an action group to support the research, transfer, and production of Covid-19 vaccine to facilitate businesses working in this field to serve the countrys anti-pandemic strategies.

Administrative procedures that hinder vaccine production must be minimized. The MoH needs to support businesses as much as possible to solve the most concerning issue, Chinh noted.

Rapid test for Ho Chi Minh City

Chinh urged Ho Chi Minh City to boost rapid tests on a large scale when he worked with the local authorities.

Sharing the same idea, Health Minister Long said antigen rapid test will enable the populous city to soon detect community transmission sources and have timely preventive measures. Rapid test every three and five days plus polymerase chain reaction (PCR) will cut cost, save time, and find index cases quickly, he said.

To boost the testing capacity, Chinh asked the health minister to immediately allocate test kits to the city, saying that the Government will spend resources for Ho Chi Minh City in the fight against Covid-19. Yesterday, Chinh visited a Hanoi-based antigen rapid test maker with a capacity of 120,000 kits per day.

Upon the PMs request, national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has transported the test kits within the day to the southern hub.

Regarding the quarantine, Chinh warned of cross-infection in the centralized quarantine zone when he visited the dormitory of the Vietnam National University  Ho Chi Minh City which is now used to accommodate first-generation contacts of confirmed cases.

The PM has asked Minister of Public Security To Lam to deploy policemen to ensure security for Vietnam's largest city while it is under social distancing measures.

Ho Chi Minh City is now facing a rising number of infections, including many found in the community through testing. The city ranks second for the number of confirmed cases (2,960) behind Bac Giang (5,560).

Source: hanoitimes
Future visitors to Baylor Universitys Mayborn Museum on University Parks Drive will find their arrival welcomed by a towering bronze mammoth and her calf.

A towering bronze Columbian mammoth, to be specific, like the living ones that grazed near the Bosque River more than 65,000 years ago and whose fossilized remains are the centerpiece of the Waco Mammoth National Monument.

It will be the first sculpture commissioned by the museum, and the search is underway for a sculptor who can create it. Mayborn director Charlie Walter said it may be 18 months or more before a finished work stands in place.

The mammoth bronze will serve as a marker of sorts: a symbol of the museums holdings and exhibits in natural history; an explicit reminder of its connection with the Waco Mammoth National Monument; and a visual waypoint for passersby and tourists.

It creates an iconic look, something someone would look at and say, Thats a museum, Walter said.

The museum has taken part in the excavation and research at the Waco mammoth site almost from the beginning, he said. It serves as a repository for the fossils of more than 16 mammoths from the site and actively collaborates in the ongoing research there.
According to the city of Waco website, tethered dogs must have a constant source of water and a dog house, and the tether must be at least five times the length of the dog from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail or 10 feet, whichever one is longer  a length standard similar to the one in the bill Abbott rejected. In addition, tethered dogs may not wear a pinch or prong type collar, according to the city website.

Sabido said the animal welfare board would be proposing increasing the minimum tether length from 10 feet to 15 feet and adding a requirement that a dog cannot be able to jump over a fence while tethered. The board is also considering a recommendation to require a swivel device to prevent tethers from becoming tangled.

Paula Rivadeneira, executive director at the Humane Society of Central Texas and a member of the Animal Welfare Board, said as long as tethering is done properly it is not an issue.

We want people to do it safely, Rivadeneira said. Its important for us as a community to think about those dogs that are in backyards and give them a little bit of a better life.

She said she is disappointed in the governors decision to veto a bill that would extend protection to animals.
Her boyfriend moved to Las Vegas for work, and Bender begged to go with him, not knowing that there he would begin trafficking her. It would be six years, multiple arrests and getting a handle on a drug addiction before Bender would be able to escape the world of trafficking.

A self-proclaimed good kid growing up, Bender was a varsity athlete and honor student, far from the idea of what people might imagine when they think of who would become a sex trafficking victim.

What we know to be true about human trafficking is that it is very in front of us every day, Mills said. You will see it at gas stations, you will see it at truck stops, you might even see it in schools. We have cases where trafficking is done student to students.

The perpetrators do not always match Hollywood portrayals. Many are not foreign mafia men with thick accents who will kidnap victims who are on vacation, as in the 2008 film Taken.

Mills recalls the story of a local McLennan County high school student who began to be trafficked by a popular cheerleader who lured her with promises of shoes, clothes and other items teenagers want.

Welch knows the befriending a little too well, saying those people are the ones who are hired by the big bosses to find the victims.
Total costs assessed, including many items that appeared to be for aesthetic purpose: $15 million.

Engineers and construction experts say the Morabito documents that focused just on the structural work make clear there were several major repairs that needed to be done as soon as possible. Other than some roof repairs, that work had not begun, officials said.

The cost estimate emailed by Morabito Consultants to Surfside officials was among a series of documents released as rescue efforts continued at the site of the collapsed building, where more than 150 people remained unaccounted for. At least nine people were killed in the collapse, authorities said Sunday.

Another 2018 Morabito report submitted to the city said waterproofing under the pool deck had failed and had been improperly laid flat instead of sloped, preventing water from draining off.

The failed waterproofing is causing major structural damage to the concrete structural slab below these areas. Failure to replace the waterproofing in the near future will cause the extent of the concrete deterioration to expand exponentially, the report said.

The firm recommended that the damaged slabs be replaced in what would be a major repair.
GREENBELT, Md. (AP)  Less than two months after a judge rejected a plea deal, federal prosecutors say they have an agreement to resolve a case against a man whom they have described as the worlds largest purveyor of child pornography.

In a court filing Thursday, prosecutors notified U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang that they have reached a proposed resolution with Eric Eoin Marques for the judge to consider.

The one-page letter doesn't disclose any terms. The court scheduled a telephone call on Tuesday for the judge to discuss the status of the case with prosecutors and defense attorneys.

During a May 12 hearing, Chuang rejected a plea agreement that called for Marques to be sentenced to 15 to 21 years in prison. The judge said he was inclined to give Marques a longer sentence for operating a web hosting service that enabled users to anonymously access millions of illicit images and videos, many depicting the rape and torture of infants and toddlers.
When Democratic lawmakers, one by one, slipped out of the Texas House of Representatives on the evening of May 30, they scuttled chamber quorum and killed Republican legislators so-called election integrity bill in the waning hours of the 87th Legislature. Democrats quickly settled on a tightly coherent message justifying their action, one dispatched to the Biden White House and Democrats in Washington, D.C.: Pass the For the People Act in the U.S. Senate  even if it means scuttling the Senates filibuster rule.

Which proves Democrats can be as delusional as Republicans, at least those Republicans who believe that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from President Trump, that he remains rightful president of the United States and that antifa  er, check that, the Deep State incited the violent Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol to halt congressional certification of Electoral College votes. But as we saw last week, the For the People Act isnt going anywhere. Its a wish list of liberal wants in election reform, many admittedly worthy of a proud and healthy democracy.

But a week before the Fourth of July 2021, were no longer a proud and healthy democracy.
His goal  to raise $55,000 for the same two charities.

Last year it was difficult at times getting through that run, especially the last 1.5 days when I was battling a swollen and tender lower leg and ankle. But remembering why I was doing the run, offering up the suffering for the cause, and God giving me the strength and grace to carry me through, I was able to get to the finish. And the real reward came when I was able to present both charities with the funds all the generous people donated to RUNBORN. Definitely two very joyful days in my life, Sousek stated.

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Sousek was so energized after presenting the check to the Womens Care Center on his drive home he was inspired with the idea of running the Ironman Triathlons for RUNBORN 2021.

It all started by thinking I was going to be 55 years old this year, maybe I could do something themed around that. I kept thinking about how I enjoy biking, too, so I kept thinking what I could do for a run/bike event. Then it came to me  do a triathlon, he said.

Sousek has never completed a triathlon, let alone in five in five days, and there is one other hurdle, he just learned how to swim in February.
SAN DIEGO (AP)  Authorities raided an illegal marijuana farm in northern San Diego County on Friday, seizing 15,000 plants and 9 1/2 pounds of pot products with an estimated street value of more than $7.5 million, authorities said.

Detectives also detained seven people during the operation in unincorporated Valley Center, a rural and agricultural community northeast of San Diego, according to a statement from the Sheriff's Department.

Photos showed thousands of plants in a greenhouse along with trays of processed marijuana.

San Diego Gas & Electric, the county's code compliance team, the California Water Board and the state Department of Fish and Wildlife helped in the operation and found fire dangers and health and safety risks at the farm, according to the Sheriff's Department.

It is not uncommon for investigators to find dangerous chemicals, illegal pesticides and other hazardous materials used at unlicensed marijuana grow sites," the department's statement said. These dangerous materials may enter the local ground water supply and streams, creating extreme environmental hazards."

The marijuana may have been intended for sale at illegal dispensaries, authorities said.
State-and-regional

alert top story

40,000-plus Iowans fear eviction as moratorium deadline looms

Jim Lo Scalzo, Associated Press The Biden administration has extended the nationwide ban on evictions for a month to help tenants who are unable to make rent payments during the coronavirus pandemic but says this is expected to be the last time it does so. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky extended the evictions moratorium from June 30 until July 31.

DES MOINES  Nearly 41,000 Iowans face eviction or foreclosure when a federal moratorium is lifted, according to federal census survey data.

The situation has community leaders on edge over a possible explosion of evictions.

Weve been talking to Iowa Legal Aid and Shelter House. Theres a concern, said Tracy Hightshoe, neighborhood and development services director in Iowa City.

Those worries spurred Iowa Legal Aid and area social service providers to start a help desk for tenants and landlords involved in the eviction process beginning July 12 at the Johnson County Courthouse. The idea is to work with the parties to prevent evictions, Hightshoe said.

If you work with us, if you work with the tenant, well try to get back rent paid if you dont evict, Hightshoe said.

More than 84,000 Iowa adults say they live in a household that is not current on rent or mortgage payments, according to federal census survey results. Of those households, nearly half  almost 41,000  say it is somewhat or very likely they will be evicted in the next two months. That is the sixth-highest rate in the country, according to the survey data.

The data is taken from the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey, produced every two weeks to show real-time snapshots of how American households are being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

While Iowa has a high share of households worried about eviction, the state has the lowest rate in the country  11.5%  of adults who are behind on rent or mortgage payments or are worried about making their next payment.

In other words, Iowa has the lowest share in the country of adults who are behind or worried about their mortgage or rent payments. But among those who are behind, Iowa has one of the worst rates for those who fear eviction or foreclosure.

A federal moratorium on evictions for renters behind on payments was scheduled to expire at the end of this month. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week extended the moratorium, now scheduled to expire July 31.

The federal moratorium has been in place since September. Iowa also had a state moratorium, but that was lifted by Gov. Kim Reynolds in May 2020, leaving the federal moratorium as the only protection for renters facing eviction.

Alex Kornya, general counsel at Iowa Legal Aid, said hes concerned that evictions will spike in Iowa once the CDC moratorium ends, particularly because the state quit participating in enhanced unemployment benefits this month, depriving recipients of $300 a week in federal aid.

We see enough out there to be extremely worried about what the future will hold, Kornya said.

Some local officials are already seeing the effects. Stephanie Pickinpaugh, manager of the Coordinated Entry system with the Institute for Community Alliances office in Sioux City, said roughly a dozen people have approached her organization seeking help.

Weve already had a few people that havent paid, or havent been able to pay or are behind, coming with their three-day notice to quit, Pickinpaugh said. So landlords are already starting that process of documenting their efforts, so that when the eviction moratorium does end, they can move right into the eviction process.

Some local leaders said the eviction moratorium has been helpful.

In Scott County, the number of writs of possession  essentially a legal eviction notice  issued during a 15-month period from March 2020 through June 2021 was roughly half what it was in the 15 months prior to that time period.

Linn County community outreach and assistance director Ashely Balius said the moratorium has helped keep people housed during a shortage.

Weve always known we needed more housing and affordable housing, but man, we have been thankful for the moratorium, Balius said. Its hard for local programs who are housing folks to get people housed because there are no vacancies.

Balius hopes the county will be ready with programs and help from the emergency rental assistance program before the moratorium expires to stall evictions so there isnt a mass exodus.

The Linn County Courthouse can only do so many evictions per day, so that will also help stifle the flow a little bit, she said. However, that doesnt change the fact that right now, were looking at August. It is going to be a difficult month. I think there will be a lot of people in and out of units, so we are trying to set things up so we dont see a substantial increase in our homeless population.

The county will aim to get millions of dollars from the assistance program in the hands of renters and landlords.

Like homeowners, landlords were affected by the derecho too and had to pay a lot of money for repairs and may have not been getting income during that time, Balius said. Some are in precarious situations as well, especially those smaller landowners, so they are critical partners in this too.

Jennifer Pratt, Cedar Rapids community development director, said the city has spent about $1 million to help more than 650 households through its eviction prevention program, which provides low- to moderate-income households grappling with the impacts of COVID-19 with rent and utility payment assistance. The city launched the program last April.

The city has more than a year to spend the remaining money  about $550,000 currently allocated to Cedar Rapids, Pratt said.

Cedar Rapids also leverages efforts from Linn County, the Iowa Finance Authority and local nonprofits to avoid duplicating resources and provide aid where it is needed, Pratt said.

As the end of the CDCs moratorium on evictions looms, Pratt said the city has urged people to seek eviction prevention assistance now and not wait until the moratorium expires.

We would love to get people in as soon as possible so theres not a big rush or push at the end. So at this point we have everything in place ready to go, Pratt said.

Some organizations that help Iowans in need of housing are worried about an influx of new people in need once the moratorium lifts. The Salvation Army of Waterloo/Cedar Falls recently noted it was forced to combine its womens and mens shelters into one facility, citing a critical staffing shortage. Its looking for two full-time employees and at least four part-timers to be able to adequately staff two shelters again 24 hours a day.

Until the positions are filled  hopefully by the end of summer  Major Shannon Thies said the organization is leaning on its partners, like Operation Threshold and Jesse Cosby Center, for help for families before they get to the point of needing shelter.

Were thankful it has been extended another month to help them get through difficult times, Thies said.

Not all local officials agree the eviction moratorium has been helpful. Justin Stotts, executive director of the North Iowa Regional Housing Authority, said the program may just be kicking a problem down the road.

I feel that a moratorium is not really beneficial unless you provide some type of support to help tenants get out of a situation where theyre facing eviction because of an inability to pay rent, Stotts said. Just keeping landlords from being able to evict tenants without helping those tenants pay the rent is not a workable situation long-term. It makes the landlord suffer, and that could be why landlords dont want to participate with low-end clients.

Karen Mackey, executive director of the Sioux City Human Rights Commission, also noted the problems landlords face as a result of the eviction moratorium, although some resources have been made available to landlords in addition to renters.

This has been a problem for not just tenants, and not just homeowners, but landlords  theyre still trying to make payments. Often they dont own the property free and clear, and maybe now their tenants cant pay the rent because theyve been impacted by COVID, Mackey said. So its been a problem for a lot of different folks.

Reporters who contributed to this story: Amie Rivers, Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier; Mason Dockter, Sioux City Journal; Jared McNett, Mason City Globe Gazette; Lee Hermiston, Gage Miskimen and Marissa Payne, The Gazette in Cedar Rapids; Tom Loewy, Quad-City Times; and Josh Funk, The Associated Press.
WATERLOO  Kimberly Ann Henny worked with disabled residents at a nonprofit she started.

Now she is going to prison for allegedly stealing almost half a million dollars from her husbands elderly aunt, who was blind, had difficulty hearing and suffered from diminished cognitive abilities.

On Friday, Judge C.J. Williams sentenced Henny  who had operated Healing Harvest Ministries, Special Needs Services and Perspectives Behavioral Health  to five years and 10 months in prison on one count of wire fraud in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids.

Henny, 53, will be on supervised release for three years following the prison time. She was also ordered to pay $494,724 in restitution.

Court records indicate Henny had power of attorney for the aunts medical decisions, and was able to expand that to cover the financial decisions, apparently without the knowledge of the aunts children, who lived out of state.

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When her charities fell on hard times over a Medicaid dispute  the government ordered her to repay almost $200,000 because it wasnt accredited  she allegedly claimed the aunt let her use the money to prop them up, prosecutors said.
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 Iowa:
In farming, the late Farm Journal economist John Marten liked to say, we keep score with acres.

Right or wrong, acres  and the wealth they represent  have always been a measure of personal and professional success. The converse is true, too; the lack or loss of acres usually implies failure of sorts.

That critical measure is at the center of the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture effort to remedy its well-documented, vast and systematic discrimination against minority farmers through Section 1005 of the recently enacted $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, commonly referred to as the 2021 COVID relief package.

In the new legislation, Congress set aside as much as $4 billion to address the devastating impact USDAs failure to fully implement and fairly administer color-blind, government ag lending programs. That failure can, as usual, be found in the numbers.

According to USDA, 949,889 Black farmers worked 41.4 million acres in 1920. Today, just 48,697, or only 1.4% of Americans 3.4 million farmers, own or rent 4.7 million acres, a staggering 88% less than a century earlier.

By any measure  acres, farmers, percentages  thats a virtual wipeout.
Biden stood in the hot sun and glaring lights, in a coat and tie, coherently and intelligently answering difficult and complex questions. His response about ransomware attacks originating in Russia was beautiful. He said he asked Putin what he would think if two groups of hackers in America attacked an important Russian sector, like oil (oil and gas exports are the biggest earners for the Russian economy). He thinks that Putin got the message.

Just the thought of having such an agenda for a single day made me want to take a nap, but I watched the press conference and the Bloomberg analysis following it. I realized this day came after a visit to a U.S. Air Force base in England; bilateral meetings with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (who I always want to recommend Brylcream. Just a little dab will do you) and the queen of England (he is the 13th U.S. president she has met with); meetings and negotiations with the G-7 group of chiefs of state and then with NATO members; and flying to and from Europe. I have to congratulate President Biden. He is resetting our partnerships with our allies; he is asserting our priorities of freedom and democracy to our adversaries. He has energy, intelligence and is quick of wit. He is off to a good start. It is shocking to me that Sen. Mitch McConnell has proclaimed his priority to be the defeat of Bidens priorities. The attitude of my way or the highway served us poorly in international relations and obstructs national progress.
The third factor is the slight possibility that Sen. Joe Manchin and other moderate Democrats who support the filibuster would agree to carve out an exception for a carefully tailored measure that focuses on just one clear goal  to make voting easier. Manchin has outlined just such a compromise, which drops the more controversial elements of the Democrats original bill and even includes a favorite GOP proposal, encouraging the use of voter IDs at the polls.

Manchin has long insisted that any voting bill should be bipartisan  a worthy goal. But since its now obvious that goal is impossible, Manchin and others are left with only two choices: amend the filibuster, or allow the Republican assault on voting rights to go unchecked.

Unfortunately, Manchin has backed himself into a deep corner, with repeated statements against any alteration in the filibuster. But that rule has actually been amended 161 times previously, according to the Brookings Institution, and numerous exceptions exist. Federal judgeship nominations cannot be filibustered, nor can some budget bills or trade deals. Certainly, guarding the sacred right to vote is just as deserving of special treatment.
Sometimes we dont know whether to laugh or cry. Some day a movie will be made of this time in history, but its so unbelievable that nobody will go to see it. We have a president that people all over the world are laughing at (Dr. Ronnie Jackson, White House physician to three different presidents is very concerned about President Bidens mental capacity). The vice president is so incompetent she couldnt make a profit on a Kool-Aid stand. We will probably get 2.5 million illegals coming across the southern border this year (not counting the drug dealers with enough drugs to kill everybody in the country ). Our big cities sound like shooting galleries. Businesses are begging people to come back to work. Our highways/bridges/sewer systems are falling apart. Before cancel culture" we could at least discuss these things. Bidens solution: pretend he knows what he is doing, tear down the wall, legalize drugs, get rid of the police, take guns away so people cant defend themselves, pay people not to work and take money away from the infrastructure and waste it on climate change. Hopefully people are beginning to wake up!
What do we know about Antifa, BLM and the mainstream media? The mainstream media -- silent on the Marxist ideology, violence, and militancy of groups like Antifa and Black Lives Matter -- deceptively reported that the protests they inflicted on more than 200 U.S. cities in 2020 were mostly peaceful. It deceitfully transformed the mayhem into a summer of love. Widespread rioting, looting, arson, murder, assaults and destruction of property and businesses went unreported. Such abject failure explains why polls consistently rank the media among Americas least trusted institutions.
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Albuquerque will host a hiring event for multiple positions this week, and is offering a $1,000 sign-on bonus for some full-time roles.

The event will be held from 7 to 10 a.m. and from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday at 7000 Jefferson NE, according to a release from the company.

Available positions include cooks, maintenance mechanics, van drivers, floor techs and housekeeping staff. Interested applicants should bring their resume and be ready to be interviewed. Resumes may be submitted ahead of time to Lori.brackett@encompasshealth.com. Attendees may RSVP ahead of time via Indeed.com, but walk-ins are also welcome.

Social distancing and masking will be observed. More information is available at encompasshealth.com.

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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

As the summer skies start to roil with thunderstorms, New Mexicans get a front-and-center seat to some spectacular lightning displays. We may even count the time between spotting the flash and hearing the roar, a means to calculate the distance of the lightning that ensures were a safe distance from the strike.

In most cases, if the flash of light and clap of thunder are more than 30 seconds apart, it usually indicates enough distance from the storm to avoid being struck. But this applies only to normal thunderstorms that are small and send bolts vertically from the cloud directly to the ground. For one in ten lightning flashes, globally, this is not the case.

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In the early 1980s, an astronaut looked down upon the Earth from the Space Shuttle and saw a massive flash of lightning that seemed to grow horizontally through the cloud cover, spreading in a long web  long enough, obviously, to be seen by the naked eye from space. These long horizontal flashes have been observed periodically since the 1970s and given such descriptive names as spider lightning or anvil crawlers, but our understanding of them has been incomplete.

Recently, however, weve made great strides in documenting and analyzing this spectacular type of lightning. We now know that the largest of these flashes  termed megaflashes  can exceed 62 miles in length and occur throughout the southern Great Plains in North America and the La Plata basin in South America. Previously, we could detect these large flashes only if they happened to occur in specific regions monitored by a special type of sensor called the Lightning Mapping Array, invented at New Mexico Tech. But now, thanks to a set of new geostationary satellites developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, we can identify megaflashes wherever and whenever they occur over most of the western hemisphere.

Last year, the World Meteorological Organization confirmed two new record-setting megaflashes. The first was for the longest bolt, which stretched horizontally from the coast of Brazil 440 miles into Argentina, roughly equivalent to traveling from Albuquerque to Denver. The second record was for duration of flash, another bolt detected in Argentina that lasted for 16.7 seconds, or about the time of a short television commercial.

These records more than doubled anything previously documented. And from analyzing these and other megaflashes, weve been able to learn more about our global climate and the nature of lightning worldwide. It has also led to important safety realizations that should change how people respond to these electrical storms.

Specifically, weve learned that these unique flashes are produced by mesoscale storms, weather systems that can cover entire regions of a continent. The La Plata Basin in South America and North Americas Midwest prairies are ideal megaflash zones in the western hemisphere due to a favorable set of environmental conditions  including interactions between the atmosphere and terrain, and transport of moist air from the Gulf of Mexico or Amazon rainforest  that allow storm events to grow into massive systems that span the horizons.

What weve found is that raindrops and ice crystals in these massive weather systems collide as they are lofted upwards, and they become electrified as electrons are transferred from one to the other during the collision. Once the charged precipitation particles reach the cloud-top, they can no longer continue their ascent and are blown horizontally into the clouds surrounding the storm core. Charge builds up in these clouds as the electrified precipitation particles accumulate. Then a spark occurs. A bolt flashes horizontally, spreading outward to fill as much of these electrified clouds as it can access, consuming the built-up charge along its meandering path.

These megaflashes curve for hundreds of miles through the stratified clouds like a defined river, sending off thousands of small electrified tributaries. From the ground, a megaflash might appear as a crackling glow high above, muted by cloud cover. A series of cloud-to-ground strikes may also be visible, so far apart they seem to be completely separate bolts of lightning. We now know these disparate bolts are all, in fact, connected within the clouds.

On average, a 180-mile megaflash will create 20 cloud-to-ground bolts. This increases exponentially with the length of the megaflash. Weve also learned that, unlike typical lightning, these bolts will often be positively charged, which tend to deposit more energy for a longer duration into whatever they hit.

In a practical sense, this research means that, in areas prone to megaflashes, we may need to improve engineering codes to account for more intense lightning phenomena. It also means people shouldnt always depend on the 30-30 rule, which says that if the time difference between a visible flash and the audible crack is less than 30 seconds, people should seek shelter in their home for 30 minutes.

The 30-30 rule might be suitable in most scenarios, but perhaps not during storms that produce megaflashes, when one bolt can generate multiple strikes that range hundreds of miles apart.

While were finally gaining deep insights into the cause of megaflashes, much more work remains to be done. But, for now, we can venture to warn that if you live in an active megaflash zone and an organized storm system is in the area, its safest to heed another popular rule of lightning safety: if thunder roars, go indoors.

Michael Peterson is a remote-sensing scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
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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?

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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 that 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.

The bishops are in a crisis much of which they brought on themselves, said a friend of mine with a devout lifetime of experience serving the church and its many missions. People are leaving the Church in droves, and (the bishops) only hope is now to require that we give the Eucharist only to the deserving? What of those who come to be fed at the table of the Lord? Jesus did not ask for perfection; he asked that we try hard to do our best. Joseph Biden Jr. fits that bill.

This would seem a curious time for Catholic bishops to start harassing the U.S. president. Biden is only the second Catholic in the White House and the first, John F. Kennedy, helped the church gain wider cultural acceptance.

Prejudice against Catholics declined and millions were exposed to church rituals, tweeted Larry Sabato, the University of Virginia political scientist. Church leaders welcomed the JFK effect. Now, at last, there is a second Catholic @POTUS, and what do some in the hierarchy do? Ruin it.

The hierarchy, of course, isnt what it used to be. Part of the reason Pope Francis remains mute in the wake of last weeks vote is that his own attempts and more widespread Vatican efforts to moderate the deeply conservative U.S. bishops has been met with an intransigence worthy of the congressional nutbag caucus.

The arguments run along political parallels.

Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, who leads the bishops Committee on Pro-Life Activities, was quoted by NPR this week as saying hes disturbed by Catholic officials who flaunt their Catholicity while publicly taking positions on abortion that conflict with those of the church.

(Im more disturbed with the term Catholicity, which sounds like a high school musical. Catholicism will do.)

Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago apparently disagreed, warning that Bishops now want to talk about excluding people at a time when the real challenge before them is welcoming people back to the regular practice of the faith, and rebuilding their communities.

While all this is going on, Pope Francis goes humbly about the business of exemplifying a church that serves the people rather than the other way around. He eschews the palatial trappings of the Vatican; sneaking out at night to minister to the homeless, converting a luxury hotel in St. Peters Square to a homeless shelter, an endless quotidian process of egalitarianism much of the hierarchy secretly resents him for.

The Popes feelings on last weeks vote need no amplification. In his writings, hes explained that the Eucharist  is not a prize for the perfect, but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak  . The Church is not a tollhouse, it is the house of the Father, where there is a place for everyone, with all their problems.

Thats why some 60 Catholics in Congress drafted a document emphasizing that any punishment-by-sacrament caper the bishops want to move forward would be politically unprecedented: No elected officials have been threatened with being denied the Eucharist as they support and have supported policies contrary to Church teachings, the document says, including supporting the death penalty, separating migrant children from their parents, denying asylum to those seeking safety in the United States, limiting assistance for the hungry and food insecure, and denying rights and dignity to immigrants.

Finally, the bishops have to know that adherence to church policy is a difficult topic when its being taught by the same entity thats been moving hundreds of pedophile priests around some psycho-sexual chess board for the past six or seven decades.

The bishops best option right now, in lieu of penalizing a devout president, might be to find the humility to ask how they might restore any moral authority they once had. That should hold em for a couple of hundred years.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Something big is happening in Santa Fe in the states effort to fight crime.

Its a 44,000-square-foot, $21.9 million forensic lab for New Mexico to be located at the southern end of Galisteo Street near the magistrate courthouse. Construction workers broke ground in February and the lab is set to be completed by fall 2022.

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This lab will replace the old 10,000-square-foot lab that was built in the 1970s, said Katharina Babcock, the Department of Public Safetys forensic laboratory director.

Were looking at quadrupling the size of the lab and actually being in a building that is meant to be a forensic laboratory, she said. Everybody was able to provide input using their experience in this lab.

The department has three labs  in Santa Fe, Las Cruces and Hobbs  that serve over 300 law enforcement agencies across.

The only law enforcement agency that has its own forensic laboratory is the Albuquerque Police Department, DPS spokesperson Herman Lovato said.

I think thats really important for people to know that we dont just serve Santa Fe, Babcock said. And the services that we provide are free to our client agencies.

In fiscal year 2020, the laboratory received 17,930 items for analysis from 8,609 cases, according to a press release.

The lab will continue to offer its latent print (fingerprinting analysis), firearms and tool marks, controlled substances and biology  which includes DNA testing, she said. Babcock said its not out of the question to potentially add more accreditation areas in the future, but, right now, that lab is looking to move into the new space under its current disciplines.

In addition to more space, the lab will also add more equipment and personnel to increase evidence processing times, she said.

We do have backlogs, Babcock said. I would hope that, when we are in the new facilities with additional personnel, we will be able to manage those backlogs a little better.

In addition to the increased space, the lab also recently implemented RFID  Radio Frequency IDentification  monitoring technology to help keep track of evidence and preserve the chain of custody, she said.

This means the officer can submit the evidence and attach a barcode with the RFID to it. This way, all the lab has to do is scan the code and the information will immediately upload to the system.

Babcock also said it allows the lab to track evidence to make sure it doesnt enter an area where it isnt supposed to be.

We can actually watch the movement of evidence throughout the lab and, if something were, to say, pass a critical point, an alarm would sound, she said.

But the new space isnt the only thing the lab is accomplishing.

Every few years, the lab must go through an accreditation process that involves a thorough and complete review of all laboratory operations, Babcock said.

The lab was recently accredited for International Organizations for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission standards under the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation.

This means the lab operations are compliant with national and international standards for forensic labs. Accreditation is an ongoing process, Babcock said, but the current accreditation is valid until the fall of 2022.

Getting accredited during the pandemic wasnt an easy task, Babcock said, and it involved a lot of virtual meetings and paperwork deadlines. Although, Babcock noted the process was just as rigorous, if not more so, than it would be if the accreditation was conducted in person.

The work that we do here in the lab is very important not only to the citizens of New Mexico, but also the entire criminal justice community, Babcock said. And I think that the public deserves to know that the forensic laboratory that is providing services throughout the state of New Mexico is operating at the highest level.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Eugene Pickett remembers driving up to his small, 2-acre farm outside Belen in 2017 and seeing waters flooding the area five feet high. It seemed like water was everywhere, including the inside of his home and cars.

I opened the door to my truck and water just gushed out, Pickett said. I was like, Ah, this aint good. 

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Like many other farmers in the wake of disaster, Pickett decided to apply for relief, specifically a $7,500 grant for senior farmers. However, when he went to apply, he found the official trying to dissuade him.

Shes like, That wont be enough. You shouldnt even look at that,  he said. Do you realize my house is under water?

Pickett, who represents Black Farmers and Ranchers New Mexico, is one of just 60 Black farmers in the state, and said it was another example of how farmers of color can be discouraged and prevented from accessing relief and federal programs.

Farmers of color in the country have long voiced concerns about discrimination in federal programs and relief funds by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In New Mexico, farmers of color have much smaller plots of land compared to white farmers, making it harder to eke out a living in an industry running on small margins.

Now, the federal government is attempting to right that history.

Included in President Joe Bidens American Relief Plan (ARP) was around $5 billion for farmers of color, which includes debt relief if the farmers had taken out loans from the federal government.

The addition to the ARP was based on the Emergency Relief for Farmers of Color Act, which advocated for debt relief for farmers who qualify. U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico joined Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia in sponsoring the bill.

Lujan told the Journal in a phone interview that discrimination against farmers of color has long been an issue in the United States, including in New Mexico, where more than half of all agricultural producers are people of color, according to the most recent farm census.

There needs to be assurance that every farmer and rancher across America has the same access to these programs, he said.

He said a recent case of discrimination occurred when the Farm Service Agency (FSA) told farmers and ranchers relying on acequias to irrigate their fields didnt qualify for federal drought relief funds. Acequias have been used for irrigation for hundreds of years, especially in northern New Mexico.

That would disqualify predominantly Hispanic and Native American farmers in New Mexico from  that program, Lujan said.

One of those farmers was Tony Casados, who raises cattle in Tierra Amarilla, a small village in northern Rio Arriba County. Like many farmers and ranchers across New Mexico, Casados operation was hit hard by record-breaking drought thats been persistent for more than a year.

Casados said he didnt understand why acequias were disqualified from drought relief.

I would tend to believe that we here in the north have been discriminated against, he said.

The FSA has since reversed the decision, although Casados said he still hasnt received any drought relief funds thus far.

While New Mexico has one of the highest percentages of minority farmers of any state, its unclear just how many in the state will qualify for debt relief.

Pickett said many farmers of color, who didnt trust the government based on decades of discrimination, never took out those loans in the first place and therefore dont qualify for assistance. He estimated only around 800 New Mexicans will qualify.

Rudy Arredondo, president of the National Latino Farmers & Ranchers Trade Association, said the legislation, while helpful, needs to be the first of many steps to help smaller producers compete with larger farms with more resources.

He said his group would like to see a moratorium on farm payments for smaller producers, both white and of color, to help them survive, especially in regions plagued by drought.

They should be given a reprieve in order for them to be able to figure out how theyre going to maintain their farming operations, Arredondo said.
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  George Blue Spruce Jr. wakes up every weekday and heads to work, a typical routine for most adult Americans.

Whats not typical is that Blue Spruce turned 90 in January.

Blue Spruce, the first Native American dentist, and now assistant dean at A.T. Still University School of Dentistry & Oral Health in Arizona, said he tried to retire many years ago, but found it didnt suit him, so he went back to work. Those who know him or know his life story were probably not surprised.

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The Laguna Pueblo member never lived in a way others might have expected.

He would go on to work with the World Health Organization in South America, and to serve as an assistant surgeon general and director of Indian Health Service for the Phoenix area.

My parents emphasized formal education, which they did not have, he said. They knew I would need it to succeed in the dominant society.

The Macy Foundation recently bestowed upon him the Lifetime Achievement Award for his service to the country and the field of dentistry. The Macy Awards for Excellence in Social Mission celebrates leaders who have advanced the social mission of health professionals.

(Dr. Blue Spruce) has been recognized as the first American Indian dentist in the United States, and realizes that as a trailblazer he bears the responsibility of illuminating the health professions pathway for American Indian and Alaska Native children who are unaware this path exists, said a Macy Foundation announcement by the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University and the Beyond Flexner Alliance. He has dared American Indian and Alaska Native individuals to recognize the importance of dentistry, and his unique leadership has left a legacy of promoting social mission in health professions education.

Blue Spruce was born at Santa Fe Indian School Hospital on Jan. 16, 1931. His father was a faculty member at the school teaching cabinet making and his mother was a cook. He attended St. Michaels in Santa Fe and went on to college at Nebraskas Creighton University of School of Dentistry, where he was the first American Indian to ever graduate from a dental school.

Blue Spruces parents grew up during an era that would having lasting, tragic cultural consequences for the countrys American Indians.

My mother and father were of the generation that was forced into the federal boarding school to be assimilated into the mainstream of society, he said. They didnt speak, read or write in English, the language of the dominant culture.

Blue Spruce said his parents were determined he didnt face the same challenge, so his first language was English. While he can speak some of his parents pueblo languages of Tewa and Keres, he was never fluent in either.

That didnt stop him from maintaining a closeness and pride in his roots. He founded the American Indian Dental Association, and has worked to recruit and train other American Indian people in the practice of dentistry, which led him to his current job.

He said even though his parents assimilated into mainstream America, they remained proud of their culture and continued to practice their traditions. They encouraged him to do the same, allowing him to succeed without ever losing sight of who he was.

Im very, very proud of my heritage and close to my heritage, he said. And Im proud of my accomplishments.

According to a 2006 New York Time article, the dentists son Duane Blue Spruce, who grew up on Staten Island, not really knowing his father after his parents divorced, has also gone on to success. He earned an architecture degree from Syracuse University and is the facilities planning coordinator at Smithsonian Institution. The two reconciled as adults.

A chance meeting as a teen with a dentist, who became a mentor inspired Blue Spruce to pursue dentistry. Once he spoke his dreams out loud, he said there was no turning back. Even if he had wanted to give up, he couldnt let down his parents or everyone else. Being the only Native person on campus in college put him under the spotlight, but it was attention he was happy to embrace. It gave him a chance, he said, to teach others about himself and his people.

Everybody was watching my every move, he said. I had to learn about my own tribes history. Everybody was asking me questions and I had to have the answers.

Blue Spruce said he has no plans of retiring and that being around the students keeps him feeling young.

Ill tell you a funny story, he said. We have a museum at the school and the equipment I used when I was going to school is now in that museum. The students cant believe it. They like to hear my stories of the old days.
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  In 1964, French President Charles de Gaulle visited Martinique, Guadeloupe and French Guiana on official state business.

While he flew over the Caribbean, he described the islands as dust specks on the sea.

The quote illustrates both an otherwordly aerial view and a deep-seated hierarchical perspective of the region stemming from French colonization.

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Open at 516 ARTS, Dust Specks on the Sea: Contemporary Sculpture from the French Caribbean & Haiti aims to overturn that colonial bias with 27 works from the Caribbean archipelago.

Its very under recognized, even in the world landscape, curator Arden Sherman, director of the Hunter East Harlem Gallery at Hunter College, New York. These are citizens of France, they use Euros there, everybody speaks French.

This isnt folk art. Many of the artists studied at French universities, she added.

The French Caribbean includes the of two islands  Guadeloupe and Martinique  and the state of French Guiana. Haiti shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. In 1804, after more than a decade of slave-driven rebellion, Haiti gained independence.

These historic currents ripple throughout the exhibit.

Theres like this feeling of calm, of place-making in almost every work, Sherman said, whether its very apparent or abstract.

Guadeloupes Ronald Cyrilles (aka B. Bird) Key Escape (2018) is a mixed-media piece featuring a boat with cartoonish waving hands sporting hot pink nails. Run aground on Guadeloupean sand, green moss-like material fills the crafts interior, affirming its uselessness as a vessel. The work and its title recall the transatlantic slave trade.

Merchants kidnapped millions of Africans, forcing them to the Caribbean and elsewhere, where they were enslaved on British and French plantations.

Julie Bessards The Wings could represent a bird or an angel. The shadow on the wall behind it dances in a contrast between darkness and light.

Theres definitely the feeling of flying away or leaving, Sherman said. Her work is very gestural and colorful.

Made of industrial material, when lit by a spotlight, it reflects and redirects light, casting a shadowy presence. For Bessard, wings are a symbol of rebirth.

Jean-Marc Hunts Bananas Deluxe (2013-2018) is a chandelier dangling bananas instead of crystals.

The real bananas are meant to rot during the course of the show, Sherman said.

The piece references the 1939 Billie Holiday anti-lynching yowl Strange Fruit, as well as the skirt Josephine Baker wore when she was a 1927 Paris sensation at the height of French colonialism.

Viewers may also read the bananas as symbols of lust, the wealth of imperialism, and the vanity that grew out of Caribbean exoticism in postcolonial conditions.

Edouard Duval-Carries tinted fiberglass Ogu Feraille (2015) speaks to the complexities of the Caribbean diaspora with a focus on Miamis Haitian community.

That is the head of one of the Haitian gods; the god of steel and war, Sherman said. The Haitian artists tend to give tribute to their culture. (The piece) is really big and it glows really bright.

Colonialism is a common thread running throughout the exhibit.

Its undeniable, Sherman said. All of these artists are of color and theyre all descendants of a very complicated history.

If you go

WHAT: Dust Specks on the Sea: Contemporary Sculpture from the French Caribbean and Haiti

WHERE: 516 ARTS, 516 Central SWWHEN: Runs through Sept. 18HOW MUCH: Free at 505-242-1445, 516arts.org
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Unfortunately, New Mexico still has steep taxes on Social Security benefits earned by hard-working New Mexicans.

In fact, New Mexico is among the last of the states to tax Social Security benefits to the fullest extent allowable under federal law. At AARP, we do not believe that the argument for tax relief for moderate income taxpayers is ever misplaced. This is particularly true in the case of repealing the states tax on Social Security benefits, a reform that was challenged by Dick Minzner and Jim ONeill in a recent guest editorial June 7.

With the decline of traditional pension plans, for too many New Mexican workers, Social Security is the only source of a stable and guaranteed retirement income. At the same time, older New Mexicans are using their fixed income to care for their children and, more and more often, their grandchildren. This situation has become even more acute in the wake of the pandemic. In 2018, New Mexico seniors contributed $5 billion in unpaid caregiving for parents, spouses, aunts, uncles and our states children.

Imagine a single New Mexico grandmother who has stepped up to become the primary caregiver for two of her grandchildren because their parents are struggling. Across New Mexico, 55,000 grandparents have done this, raising one out of every 10 children in our state.

This grandmother has $38,000 in annual retirement income, including $14,000 in Social Security benefits, and she struggles every day to afford her grandchildrens needs while paying the rising costs of rent, utilities, food and medicine. Because her relationship with the childrens parents is difficult, she has not sought legal custody of her grandchildren, and she may not be able to claim them as dependents or receive any sort of tax credits intended to help parents. New Mexico taxes 85% of this grandmothers Social Security income.

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What is important to recognize is back in 1984, when Congress started taxing Social Security benefits, taxpayers with income below $25,000  $32,000 if married  did not pay taxes on their Social Security benefits. At the time, the median household income in New Mexico was $20,630, a figure less than the tax exemption threshold of $25,000. Yet by 2019, the median household income in New Mexico reached $53,113. Meanwhile, the taxation thresholds did not change at all.

Between 1996 and 2018, the number of New Mexicans with taxable Social Security income increased by 245%, and the amount of taxable benefits by 643%. Over 52,000 New Mexico seniors with incomes of less than $50,000 paid tax on their Social Security in 2018.

Social Security tax reductions, along with creating a new state-facilitated work and save retirement savings program are part of AARPs overall strategy to improve financial security for New Mexicans. That is why AARP New Mexico is partnering with key statewide organizations to urge New Mexicos elected officials to repeal the states outdated tax on Social Security income during the 2022 legislative session. New Mexicos elected officials should not miss this chance to help protect our seniors and their families.
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The images from Elephant Butte Dam are stark and frightening. Water levels have dipped to about 8% to 10% capacity and are projected to drop by a foot a day after the Fourth of July. Lines in the lakeside rock formation far above the current water level call back to years New Mexico had good snowmelt, monsoon seasons and full reserves.

But those days are in the rear view mirror and arent expected to return in any sustainable way in the near future. While marina owner Neal Brown says he tries not to slip into doomsday mode, water levels at Elephant Butte, a Bureau of Reclamation dam built between 1912 and 1916, could fall as low as 1% of capacity by the end of the summer. That could spell disaster for farmers below the dam who depend on annual releases for their crops.

As bleak as all this is, its perhaps not the most frightening aspect of the challenges facing Elephant Butte and the New Mexicans whose livings depend on it for agriculture and recreation. More chilling is the fact that whats happening at Elephant Butte is symptomatic of the growing water crisis facing the West  and the fact too little is being done at the regional and state levels to cope with dwindling supplies and rising demand for water.

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Elephant Butte isnt an outlier. Hoover Dam on the Colorado River is seeing record-low water levels, leaving it just 37% full. The dam creates Lake Mead, which provides water to 25 million people in the West.

History shows us this part of the world has had devastating droughts before  including the Great Drought of 1276-99 that according to Britannica led the Anazasi to abandon their communities around 1300 AD. The drought is thought to have caused massive crop failure, and rainfall continued to be sparse and unpredictable until approximately 1450.

Today, climate change fueled by carbon emissions has exacerbated the problem. And the current drought is complicated by the fact burgeoning cities and agriculture mean a lot more people and demands on water sources.

The Colorado River, which feeds Hoover Dam, is severely over-allocated. Politicians in the 1920s ignored science and promised more water to the cities and farms of the West than the river can deliver, John Fleck, director of the University of New Mexicos Water Resources Program, told the Hill newspaper. Warming temperatures are making the problem worse, by increasing evaporation so less water can make it to downstream users.

Water expert Kathryn Sorensen says the only viable long-term solution is we collectively use significantly less water from the Colorado River. Cities cannot solve this problem alone, she said, because something like 75-80% of Colorado River water is used by agriculture. Everyone must contribute.

Here in New Mexico, the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Authority has had the foresight to do long-range planning, with its 2120 water outlook. The ABCWUA has done a remarkable job of conservation initiatives in recent decades  our use has fallen dramatically even as population increased  and of recharging the aquifer under the metro area. But the plan doesnt call for acquisition of new resources in the next century  an aspect that may need to be revisited given that one of our key water sources is surface water diversion from the Colorado basin via the San Juan Chama Diversion project.

And at the state level? The appropriate grade in the face of this real crisis would be somewhere around a D minus.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and the Office of State Engineer in January 2020 requested a modest $750,000 to develop a 50-year water plan. But the Legislature rejected that, only allowing the hiring of two staffers  and that plan scrapped as agencies made budget cuts amid the coronvirus pandemic.

Now, the water planning program is operating with one staffer and a budget of $350,000 for FY21.

Yes, we have a massive 2018 water plan, more than 200 pages detailing water law, management and technical reports. A 50-year plan, presumably, would be targeted to future supplies and uses. It could discuss, for example, massive reservoirs of brackish water below surface in parts of the state. Is it time to begin considering whether those can be tapped  along with enhanced conservation? We cant quit growing crops  and we just legalized a new cannabis industry that will require a whole lot of water.

Dave Gutzler, a climate scientist and professor at UNMs Earth and Planetary Sciences Department, says the key to a long-term plan is acknowledging that future water supplies may be unreliable in the face of climate change.

As a society, well need to think about how were going to cope with either intermittent or long-term water shortages in a way that minimizes conflict, he said.

Regulations and laws governing water use were developed when there were fewer people and a different climate, Gutzler said. Going forward, we must adapt those to the hydrologic reality in the 21st Century.

Thats not a science problem, Gutzler said. Thats a values and social science problem.

And its one we cant afford to put off planning for. Its time for the federal government, the governor and our lawmakers to get moving in earnest.

JOURNAL

Elephant Butte Dam and reservoir.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
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FARMINGTON  The Grand Canyon is known first and foremost for its enormity, and Farmington artist Marilyn Taylor acknowledges that its sheer size, especially when viewed from the perspective of the rim, can be overwhelming.

But when Taylor chose to paint a series of scenes from her 2018 trip down the Colorado River through the canyon, a collection being featured in a new exhibition at the Farmington Museum at Gateway Park, it was the little things that caught her eye.

Taylors The Inner Canyon: Rafting Down the Colorado River is a series of 28 oil paintings that capture the canyon from perspectives large and small.

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Taylor said she already had visited the rim probably 15 times. But when she had a milestone birthday approaching a few years ago, she decided to pull the trigger on a long-held dream and signed up for a 10-day, 276-mile river trip through the canyon on a pontoon boat.

That allowed her to see the canyon from the bottom up, instead of the top down. It also provided her with access to many of its lesser-known charms, especially its plant and animal life that she never could have seen from the rim. Taylor brought along a camera, of course, and captured images from throughout the trip because she said she knew she would want to paint many of the scenes she came across.

But she said it wasnt until she got back home and started working that she decided to create enough paintings from the trip to make up an entire show.

It was like I was still in the canyon, she said of the way she immersed herself in the project.

Taylor originally was scheduled to show the work at the San Juan College Art Gallery. But with that facility still closed because of the pandemic, she happily accepted an invitation from Farmington Museum Director Bart Wilsey to move the exhibition to that institution.

Most of the paintings in Taylors show focus on terra firma, rather than the river itself. And she said her apprehension about the rapids she would encounter certainly gave her pause.

I never had a desire to do the rapids, she said, laughing.

Taylor made the trip in a large pontoon boat, so the experience wasnt quite as adventurous as it would have been in a typical, smaller raft.

At one point, the boat did get lodged between two rocks, but the three women guides who were leading Taylors 12-person group quickly righted the craft.

Being on a pontoon boat instead of a raft not only allowed Taylor to feel safer, it afforded her the opportunity to fully take in the beauty of the canyon without being distracted, she said. She marveled at the perfection of the light during certain times of the day and the way the towering canyon walls were reflected in the water.

Her favorite spot in the canyon was at the confluence of the Colorado River and the Little Colorado River, she said. She described the water as a stunning aqua blue and said the inflow from the Little Colorado was so warm, she was able to get out of the boat and swim, even though it was only April. The confluence also features several waterfalls, she said.

One of the more enjoyable aspects of the experience, she said, was the simple pleasure of sleeping outside. Like the other members of her group, Taylor had brought a tent, but found it too warm, even when the sun set. So she simply curled up in her sleeping bag on the bare ground.

She was almost dissuaded from doing that when another member of the party felt a snake slither across her sleeping bag one night. Taylor vowed to spend the next night in her tent, but reconsidered.

I thought, Thats not going to happen two nights in a row,  she said, chuckling. What are the chances of that?

Taylor has been painting for nearly a dozen years, with former Farmington gallery owner and artist Rod Hubble serving as her mentor.

She said the most valuable thing he taught her was to trust her instincts as an artist.

Have a little bit of faith in what youre doing, she said he told her. If it feels right, go for it.

The two sometimes get together to do plein air paintings, and Taylor said she still tries to emulate Hubbles approach whenever she can.

Taylor said she enjoys becoming engrossed in the experience of painting.

When youre going through rough times, it can take you to another place, she said.

It gives you time to let that other stuff go away for a while.  I relived my experiences (in the canyon) doing such a variety of paintings from that trip.
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New Mexicos most notorious cowboy earned a couple head shakes and eye rolls during a recent national television appearance, when he was interviewed by CNN for a special report on the pro-Trump mob that swarmed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin, the founder of Cowboys for Trump, is facing charges of disorderly conduct and entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds in connection with that day, when he tried to pray with the mob through a bullhorn from the steps of the building.

Im really hoping that the judge will dismiss the charges, Griffin told the Journal. What I was a part of on Jan. 6 wasnt a violent mob or anything that looked like an insurrection. What I was a part of was a peaceful protest where I joined shoulder-to-shoulder with like-minded patriots who have concerns about election integrity.

I went with the heart to pray with people, and thats what I did.

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The CNN special aired last Sunday and included an interview with Griffin in a barn in southern New Mexico and footage of Griffin feeding Henry, his mule.

Sporting his Cowboys for Trump shirt and a cowboy hat, Griffin questioned whether people actually died during the January riot.

Im not even so sure that Officer Sicknicks even dead, Griffin said, referring to Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who suffered a stroke and died the day after protesters stormed the building. I hate to be so crazy conspiracy minded. Im not even so sure that Ashli Babbitt is dead. I mean, have you seen anything of her family?

Babbitt, a protester, was shot and killed by a police officer as she tried to climb through a door where the glass was smashed out inside the Capitol building. Her family has given several interviews about her death and the U.S. Department of Justice has released some of the details of the investigation into the officer who shot her.

Griffins remarks astonished the interviewer, and they drew a rebuke from New Mexico Democrats.

There is no reason that GOP leaders should hesitate to condemn this behavior or call for Couy Griffins resignation as county commissioner, said Jessica Velasquez, the chair of the state Democratic Party. The GOP has stood by silently for too long. Their cowardice makes it clear that Griffins unhinged beliefs are not so out-of-line with those of their own party.

Griffin said in an interview with the Journal that he made his remarks because he has questions about what has been reported about the deaths. He said originally it was reported that Sicknick died of blunt force trauma, when he actually died of natural causes. And Griffin said he traveled to San Diego, California, to meet with Babbits family and friends but couldnt find them.

I dont believe anything, at this point, that the media tells us, or, unfortunately, what the government says, he said. Thats why I stand on the ground that I do. I just dont know.

BRING TRUMP ALONG: Vice President Kamala Harris visited the southern border in El Paso, on Friday. New Mexico Rep. Yvette Herrell, an advocate for tighter controls at the border, has been asking the VP to make such a trip for more than a month.

The lone Republican member of the states congressional delegation, Herrell has written two letters to Harris inviting her to New Mexicos southern border, including one sent last week recommending Harris bring a visitor.

May I also suggest you visit the border with former President Donald Trump, Herrell wrote. President Trump can provide you with an in-depth briefing on the programs that led to the most secure border in decades.

Suffice it to say, that didnt happen.

RESTAURANT RESCUE: Sen. Martin Heinrich is continuing to try to help restaurants affected by the pandemic.

The New Mexico Democrat was part of a bipartisan group of senators who sponsored a bill last week that would provide an additional $60 billion in relief for restaurants and other eligible businesses. There was about $28.6 billion in aid included in the American Rescue Plan for such businesses.

As New Mexicans, we know the value of good food and good company  its why our local restaurants are such anchors in our community, Heinrich said in a prepared statement. Thats why Im dedicated to securing additional relief so that our smallest, locally-owned food trucks, bars, and restaurants keep their doors open and their employees on payroll.

Ryan Boetel: rboetel@abqjournal.com
TBS TV

Earlier this month, it was confirmed that the 58-year-old TV host would be ending his show, which premiered in 2010 on TBS, due to poor ratings in 2020-21 season.

Jun 24, 2021

AceShowbiz - Ahead of the finale of his long-running late night show, Conan O'Brien is letting himself loose on TV. In a new episode of "CONAN", the 58-year-old TV host shared a joint with guest Seth Rogen as one of his shenanigans leading up to the finale of his TBS series.

During the Wednesday, June 23 episode, Conan shared that he would be having a lot of free time in hand after wrapping up his talk show. He asked Seth to recommend things which he could do to kill time. The "Superbad" actor, who is known for his cannabis-centric comedy, suggested him to try smoking pot before handing weed over to the host. Before lighting it up, Conan joked, "This is the kind of thing you do when you know it's over for you."

"I don't smoke any weed, and that's not a judgement. It's not that I have any problem with people smoking pot--I think it actually seems to be a fine herb," Conan explained. "But the couple of times I've tried it, nothing really happened But I know that you own a weed company so you might be able to tell me, maybe I was smoking the wrong stuff."

Of the weed that he gave to Conan, Seth said, "I think you should take one hit of that weed, and I think youll have a really good time." Feeling eager to get high, Conan asked, "When does this thing that's gonna happen happen?" To that, Seth replied, "Well, we'll wait a few minutes and see how you feel and then maybe you have a little bit more if you're still functional. I'm so happy with what just happened."

Earlier this month, it was confirmed that Conan would be ending his show, which premiered in 2010 on TBS. The decision was made allegedly due to poor ratings in 2020-21 season. The finale will air on Thursday, June 24 at 10 P.M. with Jack Black appearing as the guest.
NBC TV

The Elizabeth Keen depicter marks her final episode on the NBC crime drama series with an emotional post, thanking the cast and crew members for their support.

Jun 27, 2021

AceShowbiz - Megan Boone is sharing the love after her final episode of beloved TV drama "The Blacklist" aired in America on Wednesday (23Jun21).

The actress, who played Liz Keen in all eight seasons of the show, bowed out with an emotional Instagram post, thanking the cast and crew for their friendship and support.

"This experience, for me, has been an entire life inside of my own life," she wrote alongside a shot of herself and co-star James Spader, who is now one of only three original stars returning for season nine. "These eight years playing Liz Keen have helped me better define the world and myself, as she set out to do the same."

"Liz sought incorruptible familial bonds, and collided with powerful forces to reveal the boundaries where a cruel, indifferent world ended and she began."

"The Blacklist" creator and executive producer Jon Bodenkamp, who has also bowed out of the show after eight seasons, called Boone "an incredible collaborator" and "a tireless partner" on Twitter, adding, "I couldn't be more proud of what we've built together."

Meanwhile, Boone has launched a production company, Weird Sister, signing a first-look deal with Sony Pictures Television. She will develop and produce new series projects for the TV studio.

The actress also starred in an episode of limited series "The Underground Railroad". After her portrayal as Miss Lucy in the series, she wrote on Instagram, "It's the kind of creative challenge I've always wanted, and I'm so proud to be a breath in the body of this epic masterpiece."
WENN Celebrity

The former 'Parks and Recration' actress recalls her surprise visit to a sex club in Texas during her early career, jokingly saying that it was her 'kind of scene.'

Jun 27, 2021

AceShowbiz - Funnywoman Amy Poehler once visited a "tired" sex club by mistake - but found it was her "kind of scene."

The "Parks and Recreation" star began her career with the Second City improvisational comedy troupe in Chicago, Illinois and, when the castmembers were once on tour in Texas, they "stumbled" on an unusual night spot.

"I love Texas, I love Texans..., because they tell it like it is and they like to party and they like to have a good time," Amy tells America's "The Kelly Clarkson Show".

"We just stumbled across a weird place one night, and when I say stumbled, I have no memory of how we got there or who told us about it."

"It was an S&M (sadism and masochism) club but everyone was a little tired. So there was a really nice like, older lady, smoking a cigarette, kind of very lazily hitting some guy with a whip..."

And after she'd got over the initial shock of finding herself at such a raunchy venue, Poehler decided the place wasn't so bad.

"It was my kind of scene," she quips. "Everybody looked like they had had a long day but they were so nice."

Amy Poehler has since won numerous prestigious awards including Emmy and Golden Globe for her multiple movie and TV projects.

Her latest movie is a comedy drama called "Moxie". She also served as a director for the Netflix film. It's her second directorial project after 2019's comedy "Wine Country".
WENN Celebrity

The composer and musical theater veteran joins a group of people who take legal action in an effort to force British government to reveal the results of public event trial amid pandemic.

Jun 27, 2021

AceShowbiz - Andrew Lloyd Webber is among a group of people taking legal action against the U.K. government in a bid to force them to reveal the results of their live event pilot scheme.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Events and Research Programme (ERP) had been allowing audiences to attend events such as the FA Cup Final and the BRIT Awards to gauge whether or not such occasions contributed to the spread of the coronavirus.

While it had been expected that the ERP would reveal their findings last week - allowing people to make plans for the rest of the summer - the publication of the results was delayed without explanation.

Following the delay, Lloyd Webber, theatre producer Cameron Mackintosh, and the live music industry announced their legal action in a statement, saying, "The short-term hit is stark. Research indicates that the potential four-week delay to reopening will lead to about 5,000 live music gigs being cancelled, as well as numerous theatre productions across the country, costing hundreds of millions of pounds in lost income."

Lloyd-Webber added, "The government's actions are forcing theatre and music companies off a cliff as the summer wears on, whilst cherry-picking high-profile sporting events to go ahead. The situation is beyond urgent."

"We simply must now see the data that is being used to strangle our industry so unfairly."

In response to the legal challenge, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said, "We understand a delay to full reopening is challenging for live events but we are helping our creative industries and sporting bodies through it."

They added that the results from the ERP would be published "before the move to step four" of the end of lockdown restrictions, which is now expected to take place in July (21). Lloyd Webber had previously been offered the chance to open his musical "Cinderella" as an ERP event, but declined, and said he'd be willing to go to prison if it meant he could open his show as planned.
Click here for updates on this story

ALFRED, Maine (WMTW) -- The administrator of the York County Jail has been fired as a result of a COVID-19 outbreak at the jail last summer.

After 10 months on paid leave, Michael Vitiello was let go on Friday by York County Commissioners after an investigation and at the recommendation of Sheriff Bill King.

Vitiello ran the jail since it opened 13 years ago.

In a letter King sent to Vitiello last month, King blamed Vitiello for the COVID-19 outbreak last August. There were at least 96 cases of the virus involving jail staff and inmates.

The virus was brought to the jail by a guard who attended a super-spreader wedding in the Millinocket area.

One of the key issues, according to the investigation, was that no masks were required inside the jail. King said in the letter to Vitiello that Vitiello was adamant masks not be worn.

"You told me and several others in no uncertain terms that masking inmates would cause a panic and 'frighten' them, leading to disruption, King said.

Corrections officers at the jail questioned the policy, according to their unions regional director, William Doyle.

"They were very concerned, and they shared those concerns with management; they shared their concerns with me, Doyle said.

As of last January, masks were recommended for first responders and were required as of last June.

As King showed WMTW News 8 in April of last year, the jail had taken precautions, including spraying disinfectant where prisoners use phones, testing new arrivals in the intake area, housing them alone and serving meals in their cells.

"There's no vendors coming into the secure area with the exception of the food service people and the officers, King said at the time.

In the letter, King said Vitiello balked when he suggested corrections officers wear masks.

The masking issue, which was in fact crucial, left us vulnerable, King said.

"I think there were failures all along the line, and I wouldn't put it on any one person in particular, Doyle said.

WMTW went to Vitiellos home on Tuesday but no one was there. His lawyer did not respond to a request for comment. King and York County commissioners would not speak about the firing.

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With more than 81.4% of all eligible people in Vermont having had at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose, no one would blame health officials if they wanted to take it easy, but the easy path is not a part of Dr. Mark Levine's pandemic plans.

The Vermont health commissioner says he's proud of the Green Mountain state ranks first in the US for Covid-19 vaccinations, but with the variant threat, Levine wants even more people protected. To do that, he's going to have to figure out how to reach the one demographic that's holding out, not just on him, but on public health leaders throughout the country -- Gen Z.

"They're a tough nut to crack," Levine said.

President Joe Biden's administration acknowledged Tuesday that it would fall just short of its goal of getting 70% of adults in the US at least partially vaccinated by July 4. Wide swaths of the South have been slow to vaccinate. Three Southern and one Western state still have fewer than half of their adult population protected with one dose. But across the country, the one demographic that's dogged health officials are people in that 18-to-29 age range.

"The trouble is they feel like they are invincible and that makes them a tough group to reach," said Lori Tremmel Freeman, the CEO of the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO).

The Biden administration said it will beef up its efforts to get this group vaccinated. Freeman said it will take a variety of efforts from federal, state, and local governments to do it.

She's seen the challenge in her own household. Her own twins who just graduated from college haven't gotten the Covid-19 vaccine.

"I'm still working on them and I shame them every day," she jokes.

Young adult vaccinations by the numbers

Generally, vaccine coverage among young adults has been lower and increasing more slowly over time, compared to other age groups, according to a report published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday. Their intent to get vaccinated is also lower. If the weekly pace of vaccinations continues at the rate from the week of May 22, only 57.5% of people under the age of 30 will have received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine by the end of August.

States are trying a wide variety of tactics to reach this population. In many states like Hawaii there are cash incentives. California is vaccinating people at McDonald's and offering food coupons. In New Jersey, there's Rock the Shot a vaccination event at a balloon and rib festivals. West Virginia offered $100 savings bonds for residents 16 to 35 who get vaccinated.

The more traditional approach

States are also trying techniques straight out of the classic public health handbook. In Colorado, the health department is calling all residents 18 and older who haven't received the vaccine yet, providing them information and scheduling an appointment.

In Arkansas, where 51% of adults have had just one dose, the health department is tackling vaccine misinformation common on social media where many young adults get their information.

"We do not go head to head with the misinformation. We try to make messages available for people to provide accurate messages that are easily understood," said Dr. Jennifer Dillaha, the department's medical director for immunizations.

Flood the zone

Even with Vermont's success, the public health commissioner says there has to be this extra effort to vaccinate the 18 to 29 year olds who've been tricky to get, but not impossible.

"Most of them are not a truly vaccine resistant group," Levine said. "They don't have that strong polarized view. They're mostly in the category where it's just not at the top of their list right now."

The vaccine is available at nearly all pharmacies in the state without an appointment and Levine said Vermont plans to put the vaccine "everywhere it can be."

"So that literally they could stumble over it," Levine said, "And then they'll say, 'oh, well, sure, I'm here, why not.' "

North Dakota, where little more than 55% of adults have had one vaccine, is taking a similar approach. Vaccinators are everywhere this younger demographic may be, Molly Howell, the department of health immunization program manager, said. She's sent vaccinators to concerts, college campus events, a food truck festival, and to the LGBTQ Pride event on the Capitol lawn.

"I think bringing vaccine to the people can work," Howell said.

Awareness about the vaccine and the disease

To raise vaccine awareness, they've recruited local influencers like college athletes. Howell thinks it's also important to raising awareness about the disease itself. Even a year into the pandemic, she thinks some young people don't take Covid-19 seriously. Since they typically experience milder symptoms, they may not be as motivated to get protection.

"I think there is a bit of denial there," Howell said. North Dakota is creating a memorial wall and a campaign about long Covid.

For people with vaccine safety concerns, North Dakota has worked with colleges to help educate younger people. They've also sent more vaccines to local doctors, so people can get questions answered from providers they trust.

In Louisiana, where less than half the adult population has had one dose of the vaccine, Dr. Joseph Kanter, the state health officer, said the state has grown its presence on social media. He expects its Shot at a Million lottery initiative with $2.3 million cash prizes and scholarships will increase young adult interest. Louisiana also paired up with 25 community organizations to go door-to-door to answer questions and sign people up for vaccine appointments.

"This is a more deliberate process, this is a slower process, but it's every bit as important," Kanter said.

Making it mandatory

What ultimately may speed efforts with this age group is college. More than 500 universities and colleges are requiring students to get the Covid-19 vaccine before they come back to class, according to a tally kept by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

"My feeling is that the requirement is going to be a positive piece of this puzzle," said Gerri Taylor, co-chair of the Covid-19 task force of the American College Health Association. In April, her association recommended all colleges and universities require the vaccine for all faculty, staff, and students, except for those with medical or religious exemptions. With in-person school starting in back in the fall, more students will need to start the vaccination process in July, if they haven't already.

For colleges that don't require the vaccine, students will see more campaigns that encourage them to protect their friends on campus.

"Messages that emphasize that they may not be doing it for themselves, because maybe they feel invincible, but if they can do it for their families, their grandparents, their friends," Taylor said.

Unfortunately, the experts say, there's no one magic formula to reach this population.

"I don't think there is just that one grand thing that we have, because everyone has their own reason for not getting vaccinated and some of this is out of our control," Howell said. "I think it's just for some people going to take some time, but I also think that's where the struggle is, since a lot of us feel like there isn't time."

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RALEIGH, North Carolina (WRAL) -- State lawmakers are debating whether the state should be able to require masks in schools.

Rep. David Willis, R-Union, stripped out language related to occupational therapists from Senate Bill 173 and replaced it with what he called the "Free the Smiles Act."

The proposal would let individual school districts determine mask policies for students and staff in their schools during the upcoming school year.

Gov. Roy Cooper's ongoing state of emergency order requires students to wear masks in schools at least through the end of July.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends masks for school children because most are too young to be vaccinated.

But Willis said data suggest children aren't at high risk for serious illness from coronavirus.

"It's to give our children the opportunity to return to normal [and] to remove the masks," he told members of the House K-12 Education committee.

Local school boards know the needs of their communities better than the state, he said. Cooper would still be able to order masks in a particular school in an emergency under the proposal.

Democrats on the committee said the state should continue to follow CDC guidelines, adding that they worry that some school districts might ban masks outright, which could put high-risk students in danger.

Willis said that parents who want their children to continue wearing masks if a district drops a mask mandate would be given that flexibility.

He brought an unusual witness to testify in favor of his bill  his youngest son, Jackson Willis, a rising eighth-grader in Union County.

"We know that masks have impacted learning, but they have also impacted our mental health," Jackson Willis said. "I can no longer receive reassurance from our teachers, not even a simple smile. I cannot see or hear my friends with their masks on."

The younger Willis said the mask requirement violates the Declaration of Independence.

"As legislators, your power is given to you by the people, and we do not consent to giving you this power over us," he said.

A spokeswoman for the state Department of Health and Human Services said officials would prefer students keep their masks on this fall.

"We need to prioritize protecting the children who have either not yet had the chance to be vaccinated, or are not yet eligible due to being under 12 years old," DHHS spokeswoman Catie Armstrong said in an email to WRAL News. "While our trends have been moving in the right direction, we are still seeing unvaccinated people hospitalized and dying from this virus."

Senate Bill 173 passed the committee on a party-line vote and could be on the House floor by Wednesday.

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PARADISE, Calif. - It was a special day for some in Paradise as Our Savior Lutheran Church officially celebrated its grand opening.

Im shaky inside, June Abercrombie, one of the original founding members, said. Its so amazing.

After the Camp Fire destroyed nearly everything, June experienced something that took two and a half long years to accomplish.

The opening of the new Our Savior Lutheran Church.

The people here have done an amazing job, June continued. Amazing job. I dont know how they did what they did but they did it.

Very few items remained from the fire, including the large wooden cross outside the building, a small stained-glass flower and an iron cross found buried underneath a thick layer of ash.

While these symbols of the fire are scattered throughout the church to remember that day in 2018, Saturday morning was about gathering once again as a community.

Seeing everyone getting the opportunity to experience what theyve dreamed about for a long, long time," said Kevin Wilcox, the architect of the project. "It was critical for us to ensure that what they have is what they envisioned and wanted. Its really their design, not ours.

With God, he gathers with us wherever it is, but God also gives us a place to call home," said Pastor Brandon Merrick. "Its special for us to have this part of Paradise.

Its wonderful to be back in the church, June explained. Another charter member however many years later. Oh, my word!

Our Savior Lutheran Church now becomes the newest example of peoples dedication to rebuilding the Ridge.

The church is hosting its dedication service Sunday afternoon starting at 4 p.m.
While various other commodities appear more impacted by recent weather events, that isnt the case with durum, at least so far, as prices have remained steady in that mid-$7 range.

In terms of prices, most cash durum bids in the region are still around the $7.50 mark, according to Erica Olson, market development and research manager for the North Dakota Wheat Commission, adding that every once in a while theyll see an $8 bid, and occasionally some down at $7.25.

We just havent seen as much price movement in durum compared to spring wheat. Its a bit less of a weather market right now because a lot of the durum area has seen okay precipitation, she said.

Were not expecting a bin buster crop by any means, she continued, noting that the early planted durum really struggled with uneven emergence and adverse effects from heat stress. Nonetheless, a lot of producers say they might pull off an acceptable crop if the rains continue, especially in the northwest part of (North Dakota) where theyve seen some heavier precipitation. Of course, theyre still dry, but that moisture has been helpful. The key thing is theyre going to need continuous moisture.

USDA released an updated crop progress report on June 28, which caught Olson a bit off-guard.

I was a bit surprised to see for North Dakota that theyre still showing about 10 percent of the durum crop still hasnt emerged, and 3 percent of it is headed out already, so its quite variable, she said.

Crop condition ratings also dropped a little. According to the report, about half of the crop is still rated in good-to-excellent condition. Thats much better than spring wheat where only 19 percent is rated in good-to-excellent condition, but durum condition ratings are still below last year.
https://www.aish.com/jw/me/Differentiating-between-Demonizing-and-Critiquing-Israel.html

What does legitimate criticism of Israel look like?

The fundamental principle of Zionism  the belief in the Jewish peoples right to self-determination in their native homeland  is growing increasingly provocative. I cannot think of another state and army more heavily scrutinized and its right to exist questioned so consistently by the international community than the State of Israel. The struggle in protecting the Jewish states right to exist is unprecedented, spurring Zionists to constantly protect their identity. Anti-Zionism is gaining a louder voice, becoming more acceptable to those in the middle of the political spectrum and not just among the far left and the far right.

The escalating demonization is impacting our ability to engage in constructive conversation where criticism of Israeli policies should take place. The continued attacks on Zionism have made our responses instinctively defensive, and differentiating anti-Zionism from legitimate criticism is becoming increasingly challenging. This threatens our opportunity to create positive and constructive change. With emotions running high it is easy to see any criticism as an attack on Israels entire foundation, limiting everyones capacity to critique policy.

But what does legitimate criticism of Israel look like? More importantly, how do we respond to it in a healthy manner? How can we actively support Israels right to exist while also contributing to a sound debate without getting caught in the hostile crossfire between those demonizing and those defending?

First, we must understand how to properly recognize anti-Zionism in order to differentiate it from critique. If the premise of an argument being made or its conclusion rejects the right of the Jewish people to self-determinization in their ancestral home, then it is anti-Israel and it comes in different forms.

Well often hear Zionism being equated with racism which ignores important nuances, painting the conflict in black and white. This argument distorts the pluralism that thrives there, the democracy and active civil society that are essential to elements just as much as its Jewish nature. This narrow-minded approach villainizes and demonizes Israel.

Those who offer solutions to the conflict by calling for a bi-national or entirely Palestinian state is assuming the destruction of the Jewish nature of the state, making it anti-Zionist. Abba Eban spoke at the UN saying to question the Jewish peoples right to national existence and freedom is not only to deny to the Jewish people the right accorded to every other people in this globe, but it is also to deny the central precepts of the United Nations. However, it is important to note that being pro-Palestinian or advocating for a Palestinian state neighboring Israel is not inherently anti-Zionist. A Palestinian state will not take away Israels Jewish character.

Does calling out Israels faults constitute a form of demonization? No, it is impossible to assume every action the state takes will be just, ethical, or fully thought through. Israels relationship with the Palestinians has been filled with violence and adversity and there will always be ways to improve, which is exactly why criticism is so important. Our right to defend ourselves does not take away our responsibility to develop in the best possible manner.

Israels imperfections, however, do not remove its right to exist. The double standard is a magnifying glass that seems to willfully ignore the terrible tragedies in surrounding countries but judges Israel with extreme prejudice. But is it possible that some of these judgments hold merit?

Trying to understand who is demonizing and who is criticizing can often get emotional and divisive. My personal answer is simple and straightforward (and probably something youve heard before): engage criticism and opposing ideas by asking questions. A seemingly obvious and easy solution on the surface, but actually an incredibly demanding challenge. Instinctively, our first reaction is to explain the truth as we see it and expect the other side to readily see the light and come to their senses.

Trying to get to the heart of someones opinions does not diminish your own.

By engaging in the Socratic method, we uncover hidden truths and create better solutions. From the wise words of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks zl, It is the people not like us that make us growif we surround ourselves with people like us, we get more extreme. I feel it is important to note that this has nothing to do with neutrality. Trying to get to the heart of someones opinions does not diminish your own.

We must put in the hard work to understand who is criticizing for the betterment of Israel and who is demonizing the Jewish state. Engaging with criticism by asking questions forces both parties to reflect on fundamental issues and each others beliefs. Most often criticism comes from a place of love and as a Zionist I hold the right and responsibility to pursue what I believe is better for the future of the state. We must reinvigorate our passion for dialogue because without it we decay. There is a quote by James Baldwin every democratic citizen should live by: I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.

Let's listen to the people we dont always agree with. Criticizing Israeli policy is not the same as refusing the right of the Jewish people to self-determination. We have the chance to educate others and be educated in return. Understanding the difference between critique and demonization can give us the space we need to move forward constructively so that we can bridge the gaps growing between us. At the end of the day, we are stronger together.

Photo Credit: Jason Rosewell, Unsplash.com
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
The Fourth of July holiday was marked with somber tones in South Florida, where a collapsed building has left at least 24 dead and more than 120 missing under rubble.
SULPHUR, La. (AP)  More than 45 years ago, Anita Statum essentially stumbled into working as an election commissioner, filling in for a woman who had cancer. Unlike todays rules, the job was simply given to her.
Early on June 17, Elsa Mikeska was shot and killed outside a Houston gym. The 62-year-old grandmother had just pulled into the gym parking lot when two men in an older Chevy Suburban got out, apparently demanding money, and then shot her dead as she fled toward the gym entrance. At this point, one of those responsible, a 16-year-old now charged with capital murder, has been apprehended, while two others remain at large.

It appears that the same persons who killed Mikeska may have attempted a carjacking an hour earlier and that same night shot through the window of a nearby home  into the bedroom of a 16-year-old girl.

It goes without saying that Mikeska's killers must be caught and punished. But these killers, described by police as young Hispanic men, are just two or three out of a brutal underclass that threatens the conduct of everyday life everywhere in America. Though it includes whites as well, a disproportionate share of that underclass is Black and Hispanic  the same groups that are now flooding into America across our southern border.

According to 1991 Bureau of Justice Statistics, 4.4% of white males, 16% of Hispanic males, and 28.5% of Black males have spent time in state or federal prison. According to a study based on more recent 2010 data, 8% of the U.S. population overall and 33% of Black males have been incarcerated. In 2019, Blacks committed 5,660 murders and non-negligent manslaughters, while whites were responsible for 5,070, despite the fact that Whites constitute 60.3% of the population and Blacks 13.4%. In other words, Blacks commit approximately five times as many murders per capita as Whites. Yet Biden believes they are overrepresented on death row.

Obtaining current data on such a straightforward question as the number of U.S. felony convictions is not easy, since Google search frontloads the answers with "felony disenfranchisement" responses. I am not interested in felony disenfranchisement  I am interested in punishment and deterrence via incarceration and execution of violent felons.

Liberals do everything possible to muddy the issue, pointing out for example that large numbers of felons are nonviolent drug-related offenders. That may be, though it takes only a second for a "nonviolent drug-related offender" to become a murderer. But it doesn't change the fact that there were more than 20,000 murders and perhaps a million shootings in the U.S. last year. This is another statistic that is difficult to locate on Google search. Ask how many shootings took place in the U.S. in any one year, and you will be met with pages filled with "number of mass shootings." Again, I'm not interested in mass shootings  I want to know how many people shot other people. The FBI's UCR site, which reveals that a violent crime occurs every 25.3 seconds (2010 data) is not that much easier to use. A bit of math reveals that 1,246,482 violent crimes were reported in 2010 (actual numbers, though the large number of crimes that go unreported would be significantly higher).

Media like to describe murders such as that of Elsa Mikeska as "senseless" and "tragic." In fact, it was horrific, brutal, vicious, and pitiless. It was a violation of all that is civilized and humane, and the perpetrators, whoever they turn out to be, deserve expeditious capital punishment, not after decades of appeal, but promptly following a fair trial and appeal. Their continued existence sullies the earth.

The fact that media distort and cloak information, make excuses for criminals, and attack the police is part of the problem. That behavior has emboldened criminals and contributed to a 25% increase in murders in 2020, a rise that is continuing in 2021. If a criminal believes there is no publishment or that punishment will be weak, that criminal will commit more and more violent crimes.

If the actual number of violent crimes is 3,000,000 per year, as it may well be, it means that almost 10% of Americans could be the victim of violence sometime in the next decade. It also means that one has a nearly 80% chance, on average, of being victimized in one's lifetime (10% times the average eight decades of life, though perhaps somewhat less, taking into account those who are repeatedly victimized).

The fact that we must go through life knowing that, at any point, we may be shot, stabbed, beaten, or raped even at familiar places of business, and in our own homes, should be unsettling. Just the anxiety of having to live like this  double-locked in our homes, fearful every time we leave, watchful when we step out of our vehicles to enter a store or gym  is unacceptable.

The solution to this problem is not, as Joe Biden says, "helping criminals transition back into their communities." It is to lengthen jail time and demand the ultimate punishment for the most violent. It is to face the situation with realism and to do whatever is necessary to make society safe.

It is ironic, and disgusting as well, that Biden proclaimed April 2021 "Second Chance Month" for felons, including violent offenders, just two months before Elsa Mikeska's murder. Biden believes we should spend a month "focusing on prevention, re-entry, and social support, rather than incarceration"; "eliminating exceedingly long sentences and mandatory minimums"; and "rethinking the existing criminal justice system."

This is not the first time Biden has spoken up for violent criminals. So far, Biden has said nothing about Elsa Mikeska's killing, nor to my knowledge that of any of the other 8,000 persons who have been murdered since he took office  except for those criminals killed by police while violently resisting arrest. When Biden finally acknowledged rising crime rates under his watch, his "solution" was taking guns away from lawful owners  and getting at the "root causes" of crime by handing more money to criminals.

The Mikeska murder is just one of some 80,000 that will occur during Biden's first term. Every one of those deaths is horrific, brutal, vicious, and pitiless, and none of them, other than celebrity minority police killings, will likely be publicly lamented by the president. Biden has stated his belief that convicted felons are spending too long in prison and that many billions need to be spent "rehabilitating" them. Meanwhile, he will not "spend" one breath on the victims of crime.

Americans deserve the chance to live safe from violent criminals. No one should be killed just for going to a gym at 5:00 A.M. No one should be carjacked just because her car breaks down. And no one should be robbed or murdered  for any reason.

Biden does not appear to believe this. His administration has spent a great deal of time on matters like "second chances" for felons, proclaiming an entire month in their 'honor." What month has Biden proclaimed to honor those like Elsa Mikeska, murdered while stepping into a place of business near her home? What has Biden done to promote justice? What is he doing to make America safe?

Jeffrey Folks is the author of many books and articles on American culture including Heartland of the Imagination (2011).

Image: Marc Nozell via Flickr, CC BY 2.0.

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Not a week goes by that I don't read one or two letters to the editor of our local newspaper decrying the supposed effects of man-made climate change. The fear is palpable, the proposals sincere, but the misunderstanding hurtful. Writing as a retired pastor, I would like to address this issue from a biblical perspective.

Presently, a naturalistic worldview dominates public policy on climate change, both in Washington and in many blue states. Modern naturalism posits that the universe evolved through random physical processes. This hypothesis entails that our Earth is extremely fragile and that man, often viewed as a clumsy Johnny-come-lately, could completely destroy it if he's not careful. Therefore, an observed trend toward global warming, possibly caused by us humans, generates existential alarm in naturalistic scientists and the people who listen to them.

The biblical worldview (BWV) posits that God is the creator, sustainer, and ruler of all things, including the weather. It also posits that man is his vice-regent on Earth, specially appointed to develop and care for the home he has given us. Because of man's fall into sin, God has temporarily burdened his originally perfect creation with various natural evils such as extremes of heat and cold, drought, storm, earthquake, etc. Ultimately, these "severe mercies" are wake-up calls designed to discourage nature-worship and bring the wanderers home.

Sinful man can and does damage his environment, but the Bible assures us he can never destroy the Earth. That prerogative is reserved for God alone, who has explicitly said he will preserve the Earth in its regular cycles until the return of Christ (Gen. 8:22). Only then will he destroy it, after which he will create new heavens and a new earth, the eternal home of the redeemed (2 Pet. 3). Knowing all this, Christian citizens are indeed concerned about environmental abuse, but also confident that man can never "destroy the planet."

With these thoughts in mind, let's look at climate change.

Christians acknowledge that for the last 100150 years, there has been a modest warming trend. They point out, however, that within this time frame, and also throughout prior centuries, there have always been climatic fluctuations. Following the Medieval Warm Period, there came the Little Ice Age. Back in the 1970s, a brief cooling trend engendered fears of a new Ice Age. A few winters back, a Polar Vortex clobbered the Midwest with record cold. Polar ice caps wax and wane. The BWV predicts such changes. They are normal for a world under divine care and discipline. Good and bad weather happen. We should try to hear what God is telling us in both.

Christians go on to emphasize what all honest scientists admit: it is difficult to ascertain the precise causes of climate change. To say the recent warming trend is caused solely by man-made CO2 is simplistic and highly improbable. Ninety percent of greenhouse warming  so vital for life on Earth  is due to water vapor and clouds. As one scientist puts it, "CO2 is a bit player." Furthermore, most CO2 is generated by sunlight interacting with the oceans. Human activity accounts for a minuscule 5%. If our contribution were truly significant, why the constant fluctuations of the last 150 years?

Knowing all this, researchers now look elsewhere for the causes of climate change. Many cite a demonstrable correlation connecting sunspots, solar radiation, oceanic warming, and patterns in the weather. Others ponder the effects of natural weather cycles (e.g., El Nino), clouds, and volcanic emissions. Dr. Roy Spencer thinks climate change is normal, the result of "the climate system itself." Christians conclude: whatever the complex causes of climate change, they are in God's hands, not ours.

Such considerations will shape our response to climate change. Here are a few policy suggestions I think would serve us well.

First, let's lay aside all the climate alarmism and doomsaying. According to the Bible, they are not based in reality (or on faith), but only terrify the Greta Thunbergs of the world. God has said to the proud waves of the sea, "Thus far, and no further" (Job 38:11). They will obey.

Secondly, let's keep in mind the upside of global warming: increased global greening and decreased desertification, relief from deadly winter cold, reduced energy consumption, and greatly improved quality and quantity of agricultural products. The folks at the CO2 Coalition invite us to see global warming as a blessing. Imagine.

Finally, and most importantly, let's swiftly rethink our current attitude toward fossil fuels. From a biblical perspective, they are a fabulous gift of God, laden with manifold benefits. If we turn our back on them, we will increase the cost of energy; curtail technological advances; and condemn the 2 billion people living in undeveloped countries to poverty, disease, injury, environmental degradation, and death. Oh, and one more benefit of using fossil fuels: we can get rid of those horrid windmills that blight our landscape and kill millions of our birds!

Here is a solemn tautology: our worldview has a profound influence on the way we view the world. It determines how we see, think, feel, love, fear, hope, choose, and live together in our precious home. As we think about climate change, let's think carefully about our worldview as well.

Image via Max Pixel.

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Maybe Ive been too engrossed in Charles McCarrys wonderful spy novels, but this week the story of the disappearance of Chinese vice-minister of State Security (the Guoanbu) Dong Jingwei strikes me as the most fascinating report of the week. While we are unlikely to get the full story for a while -- if ever -- I think hes in the U.S. under deep cover and that has to concern both the leaders of China and any CCP operatives there may be in the Deep State.

Background

As the rumor goes (first reported in Spy Talk), Dong and his daughter, Dong Yang, in mid-February defected by private plane out of Hong Kong and were taken in by General Michael Flynns old agency the Defense Intelligence Agency because they did not trust the FBI or CIA. Dongs daughter is or was married to Jiang Fan, president of two partners of the Alibaba Group, the most powerful Chinese e-commerce group, who was removed from those positions in April of last year ostensibly as punishment for marital infidelity.

I dont think people just hop on a plane out of Hong Kong and show up at DIA headquarters. If the rumor is true, Id imagine contact was made in Hong Kong in advance, and that would be some amazing bit of spycraft given the extent of surveillance the CCP places on both Chinese citizens and foreign visitors.

The earliest report I can find of the reported defection was on June 4 from former Fox Reporter Adam Housley, who tweeted US intelligence has a Chinese defector with Wuhan info. And China is trying to produce variants that suggest it came from bats to cover up that coronavirus originally came from a lab.

Red State amplified this report on the same day. Describing Dong as one of the highest-ranking Chinese defectors, the publication added details about the information he was said to have provided and the role of DIA in the defection.

Sources tell RedState the defector has been with the DIA for three months and that he has provided an extensive, technically detailed debrief to US officials. In DIAs assessment, the information provided by the defector is legitimate. Sources say the level of confidence in the defectors 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.

Further, Red State explained why the defector sought out the DIA, instead of the FBI or CIA:

FBI Director Christopher Wray was ambushed with the information, they say, and Langley was also unaware. Sources say DIA leadership kept the defector within their Clandestine Services network to prevent Langley and the State Department from accessing the person, whose existence was kept from other agencies because DIA leadership believes there are Chinese spies or sources inside the FBI, CIA, and several other federal agencies.

Spy Talk, citing an account by Han Lianchao, a former Chinese foreign minister who defected after 1989, reports that Chinese officials at the Sino-American summit in Alaska demanded that the Americans return Dong, and secretary of State Anthony Blinken refused. Other accounts say Blinken was unaware of the defection at the time as DIA had kept the news secret and the defector hidden. Of course, Blinken may have known and was pretending not to for strategic reasons. After all, if he admitted Dong was here, demands for his return would certainly have escalated.

Is Dong Here?

Both China and the U.S. deny Dong is here. Moreover, people with experience in such matters remind us that there are rumors of defections that do not pan out regularly. The State Department last week denied the defection report, asserting Dong was still in China. Still, Dong hasnt been seen in public in China since September 2020, according to Han. Other evidence that this may be more than a rumor is:

1. The Biden Administration has just made a rapid about-face on the source of the COVID-19 virus. After regularly claiming it was of natural origin, it is suddenly endorsing calls for a thorough investigation and conceding it may have been a Wuhan lab leak.

2. China could put an end to the speculation by posting a current picture of Dong but hasnt.

Chinas officially sanctioned media reported last Friday that Dong had appeared at a MSS seminar on the mainland where he urged the countrys intelligence officers to crack down on enemy spies, according to an account in Hong Kongs South China Morning Post. But the reports did not say where the seminar took place, nor did they include photos or video of Dongs supposed appearance, further raising suspicions about his status. Dongs identity is not secret: In 2018, Beijing released a photo of him and other members of a Chinese delegation attending Sino-German security talks.

3. Reading tea leaves I suppose, but Gordon G. Chang tweeted about another defector:

If the Rumors Are True, Why Deny the Reports?

As head of internal security (counterintelligence), Dong would have a lot of information damaging to the Chinese government which would be invaluable to learn. He would be a clear target of assassination and must be kept well-hidden by us. He may even know of persons in our government working with the CCP and those people have every reason for concern. Then theres the administrations desire to keep U.S.-China tensions from escalating over this. We may never know if the rumors are true or false, but I am inclined to think there is something to them.

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Recently, Steven Colbert talked about the U.S. Catholic bishops denying communion to Catholic politicians as punishment. Many recent headlines use the word denying in reference to the U.S. Catholic Bishops, communion, and Catholic politicians supporting issues that go against Church teachings, namely abortion rights. Perhaps a better word is withholding. Withholding communion is a most compassionate act and showers these politicians with the utmost pastoral care and provides them the opportunity to model exemplary leadership. Likewise, withholding communion demonstrates true pastoral concern on the part of pastors, priests, and bishops.

As Christians, we are called to live out our faith in every facet of our lives. We are also called to go and make disciples of all nations; that is, we are called to evangelize no matter what our state or position in life. Regular prayer and reflection help us to root out those areas where we are not allowing our faith to permeate. Our pastors, priests, and bishops accompany and guide us on that journey.

We have politicians who publicly profess their Catholic faith and at the same time, publicly profess their support for abortion rights because they dont want to impose their faith on others. As public leaders, the message they communicate to their fellow believers, as well as to all their constituents, is that our faith and convictions must be kept to ourselves, that these are not to inform our public decisions for the good of society. These same politicians then go to Mass, receive Communion, and all is well, except, its not.

Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, states Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. (1 Corinthians 11: 28-29). It seems that pastors, priests, and bishops have been turning a blind eye for too long and allowing these men and women to receive judgment on their souls and influence others to do the same, thereby also reflecting poorly on them. If anyone causes one of these little ones, those who believe in me, to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. (Matthew 18: 6).

Imagine someone, a child or adult, riding a bike. To bring it to a stop, the person rams it against a wall, tree, or some other obstacle and ends up skinning an elbow or a knee. Now imagine that this person keeps doing this over and over because they dont know about the brakes, and the injuries keep coming. Would you stand by as they continue hurting themselves and potentially others because you dont want to interfere with their way of doing things, or you dont want to hurt their feelings? Or would you tell them about the brakes and encourage them to use them? Better yet, would you offer to teach them to use the brakes?

A good leader would. Faithful pastors, priests, and bishops would. They might suggest you get off your bike for a while or even withhold it from you, so you can learn about these brakes and have some time to contemplate the benefits of using them for yourself and for others. They would guide you, advise you on how to properly use that bike to get you to your destination. Keeping you off it for a while, withholding communion, would give you time to heal and to further reflect on the truth to make the right choices, rather than let you keep on receiving judgment against yourself, rather than standing by watching you hurt yourself over and over.

This is what the U.S. Catholic bishops are trying to do, and these politicians would do well to fully embrace this opportunity. The bishops are not withholding from any of them the ability or the right to attend Mass and participate and pray in both the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the two main parts of the Mass. They would only be keeping them off the bike for a while providing the opportunity to reflect, learn and properly act on the convictions of their faith. Our Catholic politicians could set the example for the rest of us and refrain from going to Communion instead of scoffing at their pastors, daring them to withhold Communion, and even demanding it as some sort of right.

Much has already been written about the U.S. bishops potentially withholding communion to Catholic politicians supporting abortion rights, analyzing different angles from which to look at this. Looking at it as an act of compassion forces us to reflect deeply on our own faith and our actions in daily life. True compassion can hurt as we grapple with ourselves. President Biden, Speaker Pelosi, and Representative Lieu are gifted with an excellent opportunity here; they publicly declare their faith, they publicly support issues that are contrary to their Christian faith, now they can publicly accept their pastors withholding of communion and publicly demonstrate mature reflection and growth. They could demonstrate true leadership and concern for the public. Do they have the courage to do so? Do we?

Image: Photo Stock Editor

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As the newspaper business collapses, even its stars  the kind of writers that people buy a newspaper specifically to read their work  are getting downsized. And its happened to John Kass, one of the best columnists in America, in the wake of his newspaper, the Chicago Tribune, being acquired by a hedge fund that is attempting to downsize its way to viability.

Tom Jones of the Poynter Institute describes the bloodbath at the Trib:

Sadly, we feared this would happen. But it doesnt make it any less of a gut punch. And, even more sadly, the citizens of Chicago, and consumers of good journalism, are worse off because of it. Almost 40 journalists at the Chicago Tribune are taking buyouts and leaving the paper, according to a report in the Tribune. Almost 40! That number includes some of the most talented voices in the business and some of the most influential writers in the Windy City. But as I said, this is no surprise. The buyouts come not long after hedge fund Alden Global Capital acquired Tribune Publishing, owner of the Tribune and other publications, for $633 million. Buyouts were first offered to nonunion editors and support staff, and more than a dozen accepted. Then another 24 newsroom union employees applied for and were accepted for buyouts. Many include some of the highest-profile names at the paper, including columnists Mary Schmich, whom I mentioned in the newsletter earlier this week, Dahleen Glanton, Steve Chapman, Heidi Stevens, Eric Zorn and John Kass.

I am familiar with the fine work of a number of these columnists, but Kass stands out as the inheritor of the role played by Tribune giants of the past like Mike Royko, writing with a common guys perspective on the corrupt and colorful ways of Chicagos pols, never losing sight of their effect on the ordinary folks.

I hope that Kass got a decent buyout sum, and I am very glad that he just started his own blog. Robert Feder, who covers Chicagos media, writes:

In the week since he launched his independent website at johnkassnews.com former Chicago Tribune columnist John Kass says hes already picked up 35,000 email subscribers. Asked whether hell try to monetize it through selling advertising or charging for subscriptions, Kass told Sun-Times City Hall reporter Fran Spielman in a podcast interview: That will be determined, but I assume it will be some hybrid of both. (Here is the link.) When you go into business for yourself, its exhilarating and exciting. Im totally pumped for it. Kass, who turns 65 today, was among about 40 journalists to exit the Tribune in the current round of buyouts. The onetime radio host also hinted at a future on the air: Im in meetings now with various broadcast entities to continue talking to people in Chicago, he said. I think they might want to hear what I have to say. Spielman, razor sharp and still at the top of her game, pressed Kass on how it felt to be stabbed in the back by some of his Tribune colleagues, who publicly accused him of invoking an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory in a column and challenged him on other issues. I think what happened generally is that clearly I offered a dissenting voice. I am conservative, Kass said. I cant speak to the minds of those who disparaged me and defamed me, but I think that they didnt like the fact that I refused to join the union. They repeatedly asked me to join. So they defamed me. . . . I wasnt happy about it. But, you know, we move on. So I moved on.

Accusing Kass of Jew-hatred is absurd. The excuse they used was his attacking George Soros. Feder earlier covered that scurrilous charge:

Under the headline Something grows in the big cities run by Democrats: An overwhelming sense of lawlessness, the column blamed Soros for spending millions of dollars to help elect liberal social justice warriors as prosecutors [including Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx], adding: He remakes the justice system in urban America, flying under the radar. (Here is the link.)

And, just as I expected, Kasss work on his new blog is up to his usual high standards. Here is a link to The Unbearable Lightness of Lightfoot.

I wish Kass the best of luck in making his website economically viable. With Google and Facebook grabbing the lions share of ad revenue, supporting a website on ads alone just wont work for most of us, including American Thinker. Without our subscribers and readers' donations, we'd be toast. But I suspect that Kass will find enough readers willing to lay out cash to keep on hearing his unique voice.

Hat tip: Peter von Buol

Photo credit: Twitter icon

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Lots of powerful people want you to stay scared about COVID, even as the toll in terms of death and hospitalization continues to plummet in the United States and other advanced countries. Because viruses naturally evolve rapidly, they have a new variant, at first called The Indian variant because it was first spotted there. But it has now been renamed the delta variant, perhaps to be able to continue to maintain that calling COVID the Chinese virus, or the Wuhan flu, is racist. The normal practice of naming new diseases after the place they were first identified (German measles, Hong Kong flu, Lyme disease) had to be suspended to protect Chinas interests (as the W.H.O. so assiduously does) and to demonize Donald Trump as a racist.

The response of the scaremongers to the delta variant has predictably been to try to scare people and use their fright as a bludgeon to continue, expand, or restore limitations on their freedoms such as lockdowns, mask-wearing, and restrictions on public gatherings.

Last Friday, for instance:

The World Health Organization on Friday urged fully vaccinated people to continue to wear masks, social distance and practice other Covid-19 pandemic safety measures as the highly contagious delta variant spreads rapidly across the globe. People cannot feel safe just because they had the two doses. They still need to protect themselves, Dr. Mariangela Simao, WHO assistant director-general for access to medicines and health products, said during a news briefing from the agencys Geneva headquarters.

And Dr. Fauci issued a carefully worded statement that included the words greatest threat in discussing the delta variant:

"The Delta variant is currently the greatest threat in the U.S. to our attempt to eliminate COVID-19,"

Pay close attention to the care with which Fauci specified that our attempt to eliminate COVID-19 was what was threatened. The delta variant is even more transmissible than earlier versions of the virus, but the other side of that coin is that it is weaker, less lethal. All those people driving around with Darwin fishes with legs displayed on the bumpers should be able to follow the evolutionary logic. The virus, like all life forms, wants to reproduce to survive. But if it kills off its hosts, it cant do so. Thats why as viruses mutate, they become less lethal and more transmissible.

By specifying that the object is our attempt to eliminate COVID-19, Fauci is positing an impossible goal. We havent eliminated the common cold or any of the flu variants that plague us every year. The best we can hope to do is minimize their impact as they burn themselves out. Fauci knows that the delta variant is less lethal than the first viruses, so he highlights its transmissibility as the greatest threat to an unrealistic goal of complete elimination. The headlines all feature the scary words greatest threat with no attention to the diminished lethality. In fact, greater transmissibility of a milder variant helps natural herd immunity, rendering potential hosts nearly immune to further viral infections.

Update: This is just disgraceful! Joe Biden claimed that the delta variant is "deadlier."

Heres the deal: The Delta variant is more contagious, its deadlier, and its spreading quickly around the world  leaving young, unvaccinated people more vulnerable than ever. Please, get vaccinated if you havent already. Lets head off this strain before its too late. pic.twitter.com/9gBeRpvCe8  President Biden (@POTUS) June 24, 2021

Americas Frontline Doctors, that brave group of physicians who have resisted the enforced party line on COVID, has published a video from Britain that takes 3 minutes to show that the appearance and rapid spread of the delta variant in England has led to a decline in hospitalizations and deaths. It is well worth watching as it methodically graphs the data on Covid there, proving that the scaremongering is deceptive propaganda.

Here is the video:

And here is a graphical summary:

YouTube screengrab

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In 1894, Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish officer in the French army, was convicted of treason  despite it being obvious that he was not guilty but was being railroaded. Four years later, once the facts were fully known, Emile Zola, the famed novelist, famously wrote an open letter under the headline JAccuse, accusing the French military of a deliberate cover-up. I cant help but see parallels to that in Derek Chauvins railroading in a Minneapolis courtroom.

As French Jews discovered when the Nazis invaded, while many French people disliked the Nazis, they disliked the Jews even more. From the collaborating Vichy government on down, a disgraceful number were happy to connive with the Nazis to get rid of the Jews in their communities. The Jews should have expected this because they had a foretaste of French antisemitism in 1894 with the infamous Dreyfus affair.

The bare bones of the story are that Alfred Dreyfus was born into an affluent and assimilated Jewish family. He attended the famed Ecole Polytechnique and, after graduating, joined the military. He achieved the rank of captain and ended up serving in the War Ministry.

In 1894, Dreyfus found himself accused of selling military secrets to the German military attache. He was arrested in mid-October and, by mid-December, hed been convicted and given a life sentence. Four months later, he was off to the heinous penal colony on Devils Island, in the waters off French Guiana, which had a mortality rate that reached 75%.

Dreyfuss conviction and imprisonment might not even have made the local papers were it not for the fact that the entire case was driven by virulent anti-Semitism, which was the Critical Race Theory of its day. It was obvious to all involved in the case that the evidence introduced against him was always weak and often implausible. Even the meanest intelligence could see that he was being railroaded because he was Jewish. Britannica sums it up thusly:

Although he denied his guilt and although his family consistently supported his plea of innocence, public opinion and the French press as a whole, led by its virulently anti-Semitic faction, welcomed the verdict and the sentence. In particular, the newspaper La Libre Parole, edited by Edouard Drumont, used Dreyfus to symbolize the supposed disloyalty of French Jews.

Almost immediately after Dreyfuss conviction, it became apparent that the real culprit was Major Ferdinand Walsin-Esterhazy, who was distantly related to the prominent Esterhazy family, although through an illegitimate branch. (He had no right to the Esterhazy name but tacked it on for the cachet.) It was he who wrote the damning letter offering the German Embassy various confidential military documents.

Although Dreyfuss handwriting was allegedly similar to Esterhazys, the reality  and everyone knew it -- was that the drive to convict Dreyfus came about because he was Jewish and, therefore, genetically guilty.

As I noted above, most knew that Dreyfus wasnt guilty of anything other than being Jewish. However, it took another four years before people of goodwill finally accepted that Esterhazy was the guilty party and that the military had long known the truth but covered it up.

Armed with that knowledge, Zola wrote his famous JAccuse letter, in which he informed the world that the French military had covered up its knowledge about Esterhazys guilt, going so far as to acquit him of espionage charges when he was finally tried. Zola was indicted and found guilty of libel but the truth was out. Many French people rallied to Dreyfuss cause.

Dreyfus was re-court martialed, found guilty again (another stain on the anti-Semites in the military), but a new ministry pardoned him in 1899, releasing him after five years imprisonment. In 1904, a civilian tribunal tried him again and, in 1906, his conviction was finally reversed. Dreyfus died in 1935. The French army waited another sixty years for its official declaration that he was innocent.

(As a coda, the Dreyfus case deeply divided Frances Third Republic. In 1899, the hard left gained power and purged the French military. This fatally weakened the military, making it an easy mark for Germany in 1914. After quickly losing 250,000 military men in WWI, France was again vulnerable in 1940.)

The parallels between Dreyfus and Chauvin cry out for justice. Dreyfus was convicted, not because hed done wrong but because the mob was baying for his Jewish blood. The same is true in Chauvins case.

George Floyd, a thug by any standard, who had just committed another crime (passing fake bills), and who was hopped up on three illegal substances, violently resisted arrest. Chauvin restrained him in textbook form. John Dale Dunn shows irrefutably, based on uncontroverted evidence, that Floyds system couldnt handle the drugs, his obesity, his advanced heart disease, and the stress he was experiencing. The result was that a fatal heart arrhythmia, not Chauvin, killed Floyd.

Nevertheless, to sate the mobs race-based bloodlust, Chauvin faced a kangaroo court that a judge, afraid of the mob, helmed. Now, Chauvins sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison  assuming hes not killed or driven insane by being kept safe in solitary confinement. This isnt justice. This isnt due process. And this surely isnt America.

JAccuse!

IMAGE: The degradation of Alfred Dreyfus by Henri Meyer. Public domain.

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A 49-year-old grandmother named Anna Morgan-Lloyd was directed by her attorney to denounce her whiteness prior to appearing before a federal judge to account for her crime of January 6th, 2021, in which she stands accused of paradingyes, parading-- through an open Capitol door. Shes lucky she didnt get the death penalty, considering the vicious clowns in charge of Washington, D.C.and therefore the rest of the formerly United Statestoday.

Anna Morgan-Lloyd (Photo credit: Greene County Sheriff's Office)

Uncle Sam, who has looked the other way for 13 months as Antifa, BLM, and assorted anarchists and lowlife thugs engaged in violent riots, burning, looting, and laying waste to Americas big cities is now throwing his full weight behind prosecuting the 500 or so unarmed people who strolled through open Capitol doors on that fateful day. The vast majority of the aforementioned 500 did nothing wrong during their short stint inside The Capitol. However, authorities and the media are bending over backward to disparage them, sap their finances-- and ruin their lives.

Not only was Morgan-Lloyd charged with trespassing, as the others have been or will be, but she was also advised by her court-appointed public defender to denounce her white privilege. The defense attorney also gave her a reading list to help her reprogram her political views in exchange for potentially avoiding prison time for her heinous acts. With public defenders like that, who needs prosecutors?

Grandma Morgan-Lloyd is the first of the trespassers to be sentenced. We can only guess what will befall the others. Will they be forced to read The Communist Manifesto? After all, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff bragged about doing so. Or perhaps theyll have to watch 10 consecutive episodes of The View and write Don Lemon is the best 1,000 times in a spiral notebook?

Threats from the government to the American people are getting out of hand. President Biden recently noted, while mocking the Second Amendment, that if you wanted, or if you think you need to have weapons to take on the government, you need F-15s and maybe some nuclear weapons. Yet, as brilliantly parodied by the Babylon Bee, the same government claims the 500 completely unarmed citizens who paraded through The Capitol constituted an insurrection that nearly toppled the government.

As someone once said, there can be only two types of societies: ones in which the people are afraid of the government (Soviet Union, China, North Korea, etc.) and ones in which the government is afraid of the people. Sadly, as I wrote in a previous American Thinker post, the biggest and most existential threat to our way of life emanates from our own government  our supposedly duly elected leaders, who are willing to release convicted terrorists while simultaneously branding patriotic citizens as the biggest threat to the republic.

We cannot logically denounce what we have no control over. If we must denounce our skin color, should we also denounce our sex, our species, our physiology? That is the opposite of sciencenot to mention reason and morality.

There is an insurrection occurring. Democrats and their elite leftist enablers have essentially overthrown the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the rule of law, and the concept of representative republican government. They would dispense with or repeal Natural Law, too, if they could. But they cant, as it is granted each of us by our Creator. Which is why they disdain the concept of a higher power.

Before you and I get charged with parading and sentenced to prison, or worse, we need to help re-establish a government of, by and for the people. The only way to do this is to never back down, never stay silent out of fear, never cowernever surrender.

We used to have the confidence of learned adults. The Founders didnt care what those who would abuse them thought. They would not have denounced themselves no matter the cost. American troops were not demoralized by the Tokyo Roses and Axis Sallies mocking and debasing them during World War II. No one in their right mind would denounce themselves for their skin color, whatever that color may be.

The next time a would-be tyrant attempts to oppress and/or indoctrinate you or your kids, look them in the eye and recite a line from Dirty Harry, Youve got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do you punk?

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In Chicago, the murder rate is skyrocketing -- and splintering off into some sickening new directions.

Such as the crime in this instance from yesterday:

Last June 30, Chicago police pursued a car allegedly used in a shooting earlier in the day. After the vehicle crashed, all of its occupants bailed out and ran. Cops arrested one of them, Angel Ayala, and allegedly found a loaded AR-15 rifle behind the seat he had been riding in. But prosecutors declined to file a felony gun charge in the case. Instead, Ayala was charged with misdemeanor reckless conduct, and he went home from the police station on a recognizance bond, CPD records show. Ayala, 22, went AWOL and never showed up for a single court date, prosecutors said Saturday as they charged him with shooting a tourist and murdering a passerby during last weekends Puerto Rican Day festivities.

And this instance from three days ago:

Jackson yelled that Earl "needed to learn how to drive and needed to be taught a lesson," then fired two shots from his car window and hit Earl in the chest in the 1600 block of South Kostner, prosecutors said. Earl, of West Garfield Park, died at Mount Sinai Hospital. Earls passenger gave police a description of the shooter and his truck, leading Chicago police officers to pull Jackson over later that day, prosecutors said. Jackson was arrested after officers found a 9mm handgun in his truck and the shell casings matched those recovered at the scene of the shooting, prosecutors said. Police said Jacksons two children, ages 2 and 3, were inside his car at the time of the shooting. Jackson has previous convictions for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a controlled substance, prosecutors said.

And this instance from less than a day ago:

Gold Coast business owners and residents, watch out. There's a group of men who have been targeting shops and stealing merchandise. There were similar burglaries in the afternoons on June 8 on East Delaware Place and June 13 on North Michigan Avenue near Superior. In both cases, up to four men entered the store, grabbed purses and ran out. They hopped into a waiting car and took off.

And this instance, from March:

At least two Gold Coast high-rises in the same block along Lake Shore Drive have been damaged by gunfire in shooting incidents in mid-February and early Thursday, according to authorities. Police were asking anyone who might have surveillance footage or other information about the gunfire to give detectives a call or provide an anonymous tip, according to a police alert.

These are far from the gang-on-gang violence reports in bad areas where lowlife and drug-dealing have the run of the streets. This is the kind of crime that's spilling into law-abiding areas with non-criminal victims with each instance having the knock-on effect of spreading terror.

What's Joe Biden's solution? Not to stop criminals, who clearly have zero fear of the law in the current climate.

He's planning to spend COVID cash to target guns and gun dealers:

The federal government will deploy a group of so-called strike forces to major cities, aiming to increase enforcement on those gun dealers, and to try to cut down on illegal gun trafficking. Folks, this shouldnt be a red or a blue issue. Its an American issue, Biden said. More funding for law enforcement was included in the proposal, along with enhanced technological cooperation between local police and the FBI. Biden also promised that community-based anti-violence programs would be part of the plan, and cited Chicago programs as examples of what he intends to promote. A study found that a program offering high school students in Chicago a good summer job, and an adult mentor and behavioral therapy, led to a 45% drop in violence, the president said. Chicago officials will work with the White House to track the progress of the program, according to the White House.

And rather expectedly, he's using 21-year-old data as the basis of his claim that 90% of illegal guns recovered in crime comes from 5% of gun dealers. Even the now-left-wing Voice of America has noticed the outdatedness of that Biden data:

The figures come from a widely cited study by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) that showed a relatively small number of firearms dealers accounted for a large proportion of crime guns traced by the ATF to their original licensed sellers. ATF uses tracing to link a suspect to a weapon used in a crime and to identify gun traffickers. The bureau traces about half a million crime guns a year. At the time of the study, there were more than 80,000 federally licensed firearms dealers and pawnbrokers in the country, according to ATF data. The study looked at about 56,000 guns traced to dealers in 1998, finding that 7.2% of all dealers with two or more guns traced to them were responsible for selling 89.5% of guns recovered at crime scenes.

Here's a far more significant and recent study:

A 2016 Bureau of Justice Statistics survey of prisoners who possessed or carried a firearm during their offense found that just 7% had purchased it under their own name from a licensed dealer. Among the rest, 6% had stolen it, 7% had found it at the crime scene, 43% had acquired it off the street or from the underground market, and 25% had obtained it from a family member or a friend or as a gift.

The gun-dealer crackdown is crap. Here are the more likely reasons crime is spilling over out of control in Chicago: Leftist prosecutors who don't prosecute. The Soros-financed Kim Foxx, running the Chicago prosecutorial shop is Exhibit A. Here's a Chicago Tribune report about her record when she's not hunting down phony race-hate crimes from mendacious fools like Jussie Smollett:

Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx is dropping felony cases involving charges of murder and other serious offenses at a higher rate than her predecessor, according to a Tribune analysis that comes amid a growing debate over criminal justice reform. During Foxxs first three years as the countys top prosecutor, her office dropped all charges against 29.9% of felony defendants, a dramatic increase over her predecessor, the Tribune found. For the last three years of Anita Alvarezs tenure, the rate was 19.4%. In all, a total of 25,183 people had their felony cases dismissed under Foxx through November 2019, up from 18,694 for a similar period under Alvarez.

Note that the first creep in the four crime examples cited above got let out by cops who declined to jail him, sending him off to go shoot a tourist and kill a bystander even though the cops had plenty to charge and jail him with back in the car crash incident. They let him out, and off he went to kill an innocent woman walking down the street. Note that the second creep had a long criminal record, and did his crime right in front of the small children in his own car, a sign of some amazingly practiced callousness. The third group of creeps cited clearly have no fear of police and have had time to hone their organized crime "skills" with little to worry about from police surveillance. Problem two is police who won't police. Officers are now retiring at their desks, waiting for their pensions rather than stick their necks out. They declined to jail the freak in that first instance because why bother when the prosecutor is just going to let them out?

This comes as a result of the demonization of police forces, derived from the instance in distance Minneapolis surrounding George Floyd, which the Chicago cops had nothing to do with. The mayors proposed budget includes an $80 million reduction in tax dollars going to CPD, but only about $34 million will come from cuts in vacant positions, according to figures provided by the Mayors office to City Bureau and Injustice Watch. The rest will either be offset by grant funding or will be reallocated to the citys Office of Public Safety Administration to fund clerical jobs once held by cops.

So they're forking over police enforcement money to do-nothing social welfare bureaucrats and refusing to hire new recruits. That's very bad news because Chicago has one of the nation's biggest police retirement rates. Cops are taking their pensions and fleeing in droves, some to other departments in the city, some to police departments in other places, and some to the fishing hole. According to the Chicago Sun-Times in a report dated June 18:

More Chicago police officers have retired this year than in all of 2018. Thats according to the latest figures from the police pension board, which show that, from January through June, 363 officers have left the Chicago Police Department, and another 56 are expected to retire in July. We are on track, I believe, to have one of the highest retirement numbers in the citys history, says Ald. Ray Lopez (15th), a frequent critic of Mayor Lori Lightfoot. The department  which has roughly 13,000 sworn officers  had 560 retirements in all of 2020, 475 in 2019 and 339 in 2018.

And for cops it's bad out there, they have their reasons for making their exits:

John Catanzara, president of the Chicago police union, says theres also been an exodus of young cops who havent been with the department long enough to qualify for retirement benefits. Some have fewer than 10 years on the job but want to move to other police departments because theyre absolutely miserable, according to Catanzara. He says those young officers take leaves of absence until they can get hired elsewhere because theyre sick of working 12-hour shifts, having days off canceled and being under what he describes as a constant threat of punitive action. You are literally treated like a rented mule and ridden until you cant go any more, the union president says. Todays hero, tomorrows zero.

And it doesn't help that Chicago's insane-ish mayor, Lori Lightfoot, a leftist woman clearly in over her head, is constantly fighting with the police and the police unions in Chicago. Last May:

The [Chicago Frateral Order of Police police officer's union] FOP recently issued a vote of no confidence in Lightfoot and police Superintendent David Brown. Lightfoot, who previously called Catanzara a clown and a total fraud, told reporters shell wear the vote like a badge of honor.

She's lovely. Actually, she fights with everyone who asks an uncomfortable question. Here's her snappish fight with a NewsMax reporter just yesterday. Not surprisingly, Chicagoans are moving out, voting with their feet to get the heck out of Chicago, which has become a crime-infested hellhole:

CHICAGO, Ill. (WBBM) - Nearly twice as many people moved out of Illinois last year as those who moved in, according to the latest migration study from moving company United Van Lines, ranking the Land of Lincoln as No. 3 among Most Moved From States in 2020. Approximately 66 percent of United Van Lines moves in Illinois last year were outbound, with only 34 percent inbound, according to their annual study. New Jersey topped the list, with 70 percent of moves outbound, followed by New York, with 67 percent outbound. Illinois ranking actually improved slightly from 2019, when the state came in at No. 2 among Most Moved From States. Illinois has topped that list as recently as 2017. Chicago, Joliet, and Lake County also ranked among the top 25 metropolitan areas nationwide for outbound migration. Chicago came in at No. 6, with 69 percent of moves outbound; Lake County was No. 10 with 68 percent of moves outbound; and Joliet was No. 12, with 67 percent of moves outbound.

Who'd want to live in a place where crime is not reliably enforced? It's actually a sea change, given that in the past, one could always expect that if you called the cops, they'd come and catch the crook. These days, these things are not happening, even when the crimes are brazenly done, are egregiously horrible, and are easy to match with laws on the books. Today, none of those things can be relied on to work for people who become victims of violent crime. Which brings us back to Joe, who says the problem is guns. His 21-year-old plan is to target gun dealers instead of left-wing DAs who refuse to prosecute, and police who feel so embattled they decline to catch crooks out of simple self-preservation is where the real problems are. Joe just sees guns. Like everything else he does, he's going for a Leonid Brezhnev-style solution, which is to pull down the shades and tell people to bump up and down on the seats to make it seem like the stopped train is moving, rather than coming up with real solutions. This will fail like everything else he does fails. He's so out of touch he can't even recognize that some things work and some things don't work, and root causes do mean something. Not to him. He just wants to look good for the cameras by pretending to be doing something as the media constantly flatters him.

Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License

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Many, if not most, colleges and universities are requiring students to be vaccinated before resuming classes in the fall. The two largest university systems in the country, California State University and the University of California, both have mandatory vaccination policies.

But we have data that show this policy inflicts more harm than good on the young age cohort that attends college. Sundance at The Last Refuge explains:

According to the CDC data for every 100,000 young people vaccinated 700 will require medical care and 200 will be hospitalized. Put another way, 200 young people will suffer side-effects that require hospitalization for every 100,000 vaccinations administered. However, also according to the CDC data, the CDC estimates that only about 50 out of 100,000 adolescents have EVER been hospitalized for Covid-related illness.

Four times the rate of hospitalization for vaccine side effects than for the virus itself. This is a classic case of the cure being worse than the disease, though we are finding other examples of this, including the horrendous cost of unnecessary lockdowns and school closures.

The FDA is starting to recognize and warn against at least one of the negative side effects of some vaccines:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday added a warning to the literature that accompanies Pfizer Inc/BioNTech and Moderna COVID vaccine shots to indicate the rare risk of heart inflammation after its use. For each vaccine, the fact sheets for healthcare providers have been revised to include a warning that reports of adverse events suggest increased risks of myocarditis and pericarditis, particularly after the second dose and with onset of symptoms within a few days after vaccination, the FDA said. (snip) The cases appear to be notably higher in males and in the week after the second vaccine dose. The CDC identified 309 hospitalizations from heart inflammation in persons under the age of 30, of which 295 have been discharged.

A group of students in the California State University System who have recovered from COVID and have antibodies is suing to escape the vaccination mandate that they face if they want to return to class:

Three California State University, Chico, students who have recovered from COVID-19 are suing the school, saying the California State University system's requirement that they receive a COVID-19 vaccine before returning to class in the fall places them at risk of dying. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Sacramento on behalf of Austin Higley of Grass Valley and Kyle Clark and Ryan Clark, both of Rocklin, says all three students contracted COVID-19 in January 2020 and subsequently recovered from the virus. On April 22, the students received emails from the university informing them that once federal authorities officially license vaccines now being administered on an emergency-use basis "students, faculty and staff must be vaccinated or they will be precluded from the campus for the fall semester," the lawsuit states. The suit claims that individuals who have recovered from COVID "are at substantial risk of serious illness, including death," if given the vaccines, which the lawsuit contends are not safe and names federal officials, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, as defendants.

Ill keep an eye on this lawsuit. Given the vagaries of assignment of judges, it could be tossed out before any evidence is allowed to be presented. But I would welcome a careful examination of the risks of vaccines especially in young people and consideration of the constitutionality of imposing an experimental drug on people as a condition of enjoying the benefits of a state-sponsored program such as a university. Whatever happened to My body, my self?

Photo credit: US Secretary of Defense (cropped) CC BY 2.0 license

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New York Democrats trying to figure out why minorities are rejecting all those marvelous progressive policies that White leftists are imposing upon them. Shocked by Eric Adamss successful race to be the Democrat candidate for mayor, the New York Timess Lisa Lerer examined the fact that progressives  that is, the hard leftists among the Democrats  arent winning over minorities.

Lerers analysis begins with Adams explicitly denouncing the policies that leftists from DeBlasio to AOC are promoting:

In a contest that centered on crime and public safety, Eric Adams, who emerged as the leading Democrat, focused much of his message on denouncing progressive slogans and policies that he said threatened the lives of Black and brown babies and were being pushed by a lot of young, white, affluent people. A retired police captain and Brooklyns borough president, he rejected calls to defund the Police Department and pledged to expand its reach in the city. Black and brown voters in Brooklyn and the Bronx flocked to his candidacy, awarding Mr. Adams with sizable leading margins in neighborhoods from Eastchester to East New York.

Adamss success is not anomalous, writes Lerer. Instead, it points to

a disconnect between progressive activists and the rank-and-file Black and Latino voters who they [i.e., progressive activists] say have the most to gain from their agenda. As liberal activists orient their policies to combat white supremacy and call for racial justice, progressives are finding that many voters of color seem to think about the issues quite a bit differently.

I could have told Lerer why: Its because every progressive policy that the left implements hurts American minorities. Open borders take jobs from those Blacks and Hispanics who were born here or are here legally. They crowd American minorities out of their neighborhoods and flood them with gangs. The George Floyd riots destroyed minority neighborhoods. Abortion offends Hispanics and most minorities arent in love with the whole LGBTQ+ madness.

But most importantly, as Lerer admits, the defund the police and end cash bail policies that those young, white affluent people have achieved have caused crime in every Democrat-run city to soar. Moreover, if you drill down, the rates arent soaring in White, affluent neighborhoods. Theyre soaring minority neighborhoods. For all the Leftists talk about White supremacy, feral minorities have taken advantage of progressive policies to attack their law-abiding minority brethren.

It no doubt resonated with New Yorks minorities that the man who almost shot two kids to death in the Bronx, just because they got between him and his intended victim, was a man with an extensive criminal history, with five arrests including attempted murder, robbery, conspiracy, criminal possession of a weapon and revenge porn. He is on parole through 2023 for a conviction in a Harlem shooting that was nearly fatal. Whats even more shocking is that his parole wasnt revoked even though he was arrested in January for robbing someone at knifepoint in the subway.

As I said, you and I know this intuitively. Lerer, however, had to talk to Hakeem Jefferson, an assistant professor at Stanford, who said Black people talk about politics in more practical and everyday terms. Ya think? After all, its minorities who must live with the consequences of academias dangerous, crackpot theories.

The article is honest about Trumps huge gains with minorities  something that should cause sensible people (to wonder how Biden could have a huge drop-off in the minorities so necessary to Democrat victories and yet still win. Theres something funny going on there if you pause to think about it.

Its true, Lerer notes, that young minorities are more likely to be leftists. That, of course, is a consequence of indoctrination in education. Lerer writes that Younger voters and those with college degrees are more likely to trend left than their older parents. As people get further from the schools and deeper into living their lives, reality is going to hit them in the face when theyre mugged, their kids shot, their fuel prices unaffordable, or the jobs sent to China.

While Progressives try to figure out where they went wrong, Republicans must capitalize on what they got right. One of Trumps genius moves was to recognize that Democrat policies are so bad that minority votes are in play. As Democrat policies get even worse, Republicans ought to be beating down the doors to talk to Blacks, Hispanics, and other minorities.

After all, to conservatives, Blacks and Hispanics arent weird, fragile people who need special policies that isolate them from America. They are part of the great American tapestry. Conservative policies  Trumps policies  benefit all Americans, regardless of race, color, creed, or any other artificial distinctions.

CORRECTION: An earlier edition of this post referred to Eric Adams as the "Republican" candidate. He is, of course, a Democrat.

IMAGE: Black Trump supporter in a MAGA hat. Photo by Black Trump Supporters. CC BY-SA 2.0.

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On Friday, the Department of Justice, through its Civil Rights Division, which is headed by an anti-White, antisemitic radical, sued Georgia, claiming its new voting laws are racist. The suit is a patent attempt to achieve through lawfare what the Democrats were unable to do via legislation; namely, federalize voting laws across America and build into them easy ways to commit voter fraud. On close review, the suit is even more ridiculous than it first appeared. The allegations make clear that the law is above reproach. Its just that the DOJ is darn sure that Georgias legislators had racist hate in their hearts.

Margot Cleveland, law professor and lawyer who worked for around twenty-five years in the Seventh Circuit, was the first to figure out how utterly ludicrous the complaint is. Based on the paragraphs she highlighted, it should instantly be dismissed at the pleading stage without ever really revving up the case.

Before getting to Clevelands finding, a word about one aspect of Civil Rights law. A law or rule that is racist on its face is obviously invalid (e.g., a rule saying only Black farmers can get federal funds.). It is true, though, that a law can be facially neutral but nevertheless violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The question is whether it has a disparate impact on minorities.

For example, a law that redistricts a community may look neutral insofar as it just describes streets and boundaries. However, if plaintiffs allege that the laws practical effect is to destroy a specific races ability to vote, that claim, if proven, will justify striking down the law (as the Supreme Court held in Gomillion v. Lightfoot, 364 U.S. 339 (1960).)

Its apparent that the DOJ is trying to make that case: Namely, that the Georgia voting act may look innocent, but its intent is racist. However, as Margot Cleveland discovered, the DOJ cannot allege that the law, which is manifestly neutral on its face, is racist in its effect  because it isnt. Instead, all that the DOJs complaint manages to assert is that bad people wrote the law. Therefore, the DOJ contends, even though the law is neither racist in language nor in effect, its still racist.

As I said, this case shouldnt make it past the pleading stage because its a joke. When I studied law, a first-year student would have known better than to write that, but its now coming out of the United States Department of Justice, which has effectively and officially announced that it is now a subsidiary of the Democrat party  and staffed with clowns.

Because Clevelands Twitter thread is acting funky when transferred to our server, Ive run it through Spooler to make it more readable.

The DOJ's complaint against Georgia is surreal. So, basically, the DOJ is now litigating because legislators opposed to the legislation lost. OMgosh....Maybe the guy who called the law Jim Crow 2.0 wasn't invited for a reason??? And, sure, GA is responsible for some wacko white supremacist group that everyone denounced! WTFudge? And finally the substantive claim: "with the PURPOSE of denying or abridging..."

If this is an example of the quality of Bidens DOJ, they all should be summarily disbarred for incompetence.

IMAGE: Kristen Clarke (cropped), Senate Democrats CC BY 2.0; Merrick Garland (cropped), public domain.

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The EU must back up its words about showing flexibility on the Northern Ireland Protocol with actions, Brandon Lewis has said.

The Northern Ireland Secretary made clear the Government would act to rectify the big disruption caused by the post-Brexit Irish Sea trading arrangements.

Mr Lewis blamed the problems attributed to the Protocol on the EUs purist implementation.

However, Irelands premier Micheal Martin insisted EU leaders had no desire to implement any trade restrictions that dont make sense and were willing to resolve the dispute over the Protocol.

Taoiseach Mr Martin said the UK had to show a similar willingness to find workable solutions and expressed concern that domestic politics in Britain was getting in the way of that.

Their comments come amid ongoing talks between the UK and EU to hammer out ways to reduce the burden of red tape required to move goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

Mr Lewis told the BBCs Andrew Marr Show on Sunday: Weve got to make sure that we are delivering for people in Northern Ireland, that we get the flexibility so that people in Northern Ireland have the same experience as they would anywhere else in the United Kingdom in terms of being able to receive products and goods.

Now thats a two-way thing and the EU needs to show the flexibility that they keep talking about.

The Protocol, which was agreed by the EU and UK as a way to keep the land border on the island of Ireland free-flowing, has created a series of new checks and restrictions on goods moving from Great Britain into Northern Ireland.

A prohibition on GB chilled meats entering Northern Ireland is due to come into force this week, though the EU has indicated a willingness to grant a UK request to extend a temporary exemption period from the ban for a further three months to provide space to try to find an alternative solution.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin (Liam McBurney/PA)

Mr Lewis later told Times Radio that he was cautiously optimistic that the three-month extension would be granted however he said, as of Sunday, the UK had not yet had a formal response from the EU on the request.

Were coming very close up against the deadline now and weve not yet formally heard back from the EU, he said.

They need to come back to us. I am hopeful they will come back in a positive way.

Mr Martin indicated the EU would respond favourably but he said the UK Government would need so show reciprocity in working to resolve the issues with the Protocol.

He said there was a willingness among EU leaders to find resolutions.

They dont want to be imposing restrictions that dont make sense, but they want to see that similar sense of resolve from the United Kingdom Government as well and Ive made this point to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Mr Martin told RTE.

The Taoiseach suggested that domestic politics in the UK had hampered efforts to reach consensus.

I think sometimes domestic politics can get in the way in terms of whats appealing in terms of articulation of various issues about Europe in Britain, he said.

Mr Martin said he had a good personal relationship with Mr Johnson but declined to say whether he trusted the UK Prime Minister.

The UK/EU talks are playing out as tensions among Northern Ireland loyalists mount over the arrangements they claim have driven a constitutional wedge between the region and the rest of the UK.

European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic will face questions on the Northern Ireland Protocol from Stormont MLAs on Monday (European Commission/PA)

There are concerns that loyalist anger could boil over during Northern Irelands sensitive loyal order parading season during the summer.

European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic is due to appear before a Stormont committee on Monday to face questions on the EUs stance on the Protocol.

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Lewis again acknowledged that a tweet he sent when the Protocol came into force at the start of 2021, in which he declared that there was no sea border, had not aged well.

Actually on the 1st of January we were very clear that we wanted to have no sea border and whats happened since then is what weve seen is the implementation of the Protocol, the outworking of it, the purist way the EU want to see it, has meant that weve seen disruption in Northern Ireland, that not only isnt what people foresaw but goes against the Protocol itself  thats why we need flexible solutions, he said.

Mr Lewis said while there was not a sea border by the traditional definition of what a border meant, he acknowledged there were barriers to trade.

If youve travelled to Northern Ireland, as I do regularly, when you go through the airports, youre not going through a border in the sense that anybody expects the border, but Im not denying the fact there is big disruption in Northern Ireland to businesses and consumers.

We need to rectify that and we will do that.
Wally was pictured trying to board boats. (SWNS)

Marine managers have warned that Wally the Walrus is being put at risk by boats and members of the public.

The walrus has spotted travelling across the world since March, stopping in countries like Ireland, Wales, France and Spain.

The walrus has been seen on boats and rocks on the Isles of Scilly.

But some people have been getting up too close to the animal.

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) reminded people all walruses were protected by law.

A from the MMO said: "We have received messages that the walrus currently on the Isles of Scilly is regularly being disturbed by vessels and the public.

The walrus has clocked up significant sea miles in recent months with visits to Ireland, Wales and France. (SWNS)

"Walruses are protected from disturbance under section 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. So please keep your distance and do not approach."

On Wednesday, St Mary's harbour towed a RIB (Rigid-hulled Inflatable Boat) Wally had climbed aboard to a safer position.

They asked people to "give this vessel a wide berth."

Watch: Wally the walrus rests after swimming to multiple countries

The Isles of Scilly Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority said on Twitter: "please use common sense, binoculars and zoom lenses and give the walrus plenty of space."

Lucy Babey, head of science and conservation at the Orca charity which protects marine wildlife, explained why the animal was behaving the way he is.

Wally the Walrus has been pictured finally getting some rest - after crawling onto the rocks to sunbathe on the Isles of Scilly. (SWNS)

She told the BBC: "Walruses spend 25% of the time resting so Wally is going around trying to find resting places.

"He is building up his energy reserves as he has done a lot of swimming to get here from Spain, and has a lot more swimming to do to get home."

She said it was hoped he would continue to make his way to the Arctic, but "judging by what has happened over the last few months he might take a leisurely swim back north and so we might see him around the UK for a little while yet."

Boats and members of the public have been getting up and close to Wally the Walrus. (SWNS)

She added that he was being monitored and appeared to be healthy but "he probably hasn't come into contact with humans before so is curious - another reason to keep a distance is for our safety, as well as his".

A petition has also been set up entitled "Get Wally the walrus home."

It suggests "perhaps a large boat with a flat and large enough rear access deck for Wally to come and go as he wished with zero human contact could work?"

Animal welfare groups Wally initially came across the North Atlantic ocean from Greenland on an ice floe.

He was first seen in Ireland before taking up residence in Tenby, Pembrokeshire in March.

Watch: Wally the walrus tries to board tourist boat near Isles of Scilly
When Syrian badminton player Aram Mahmoud fled his home country six years ago, he left everything behind  including his family.

"It was a very difficult decision for my family, for my father and mother and for me also," Mahmoud said.

But he knew it was the only way to pursue his dream of playing badminton at the highest level.

"When I left Syria and went to the Netherlands, I found a safe place. And after that, I also started playing the sport I love."

His dream will come true this summer in Tokyo.

Mahmoud is one of 29 refugee athletes selected to compete at the Olympic games under the Olympic flag.

The team includes a wrestler from Iraq, a cyclist from Afghanistan and a runner from South Sudan.

"When they announced my name that I was in the team, it was one of the best moments in my life, actually," he said.

The Olympic refugee team, which first competed five years ago in Rio de Janeiro, is meant to send a message of "solidarity, resilience and hope" at a time when a record number of people are fleeing war and persecution around the globe.

"I'm very proud, actually, to be able to represent millions of people to make them feel that they can also reach their goal if they believe in themselves," Mahmoud said.

Mahmoud fled Syria alone when he was a teenager amid a civil war. The conflict, which started 10 years ago, has left 500,000 people dead and 13 million displaced.

When he arrived in the Netherlands in 2015, Mahmoud struggled to prove himself.

"I had like two years where I was in Syria and I couldn't practice. So my level was a bit down," he said.

Due to his refugee status, he was unable to compete internationally for the next three years. But since then, he's wasted no time climbing the world rankings.

"Now I am like No. 2 or 3 in the Netherlands. So it's like it's quite a big improvement for me," Mahmoud said.

Though he's far from a favorite, Mahmoud is ready to make the most of his time in Tokyo.

"It's a very huge me for my family, for my father. They know that I deserve this kind of chance. And I think I will also do my best there. I'm not just going there to participate."
SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP)  Families around the world remained stuck between waning hopes and widening fears Saturday, two days after the stunning collapse of a 12-story condominium near Miami.

At least four people were killed and more than 150 people remained unaccounted for as rescuers continued to dig through the rubble of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside. The building was home to an international mix of foreign retirees, South American immigrants and Orthodox Jews, all with anxious loved ones across the globe.

Here are the stories of some of the missing:

DAVID AND BONNIE EPSTEIN

David and Bonnie Epstein lived in unit 901 with their dog Chase, said Bonnies cousin Joey Feldman.

David was a retired successful real estate investor who loved to jet ski and kite surf. The couple have a son who lives in New York.

Feldman said the family is very small.

Bonnie was like my sister growing up, said Feldman, who lives in Los Angeles. She took me to my first concert.

He said he is devastated but is praying for a miracle.

I am holding out hope, he said. I came into work to get my mind off of it. But no sleep.

___

HILDA NORIEGA

Hilda Noriega had called Champlain Towers home for more than 20 years. But six years after her husband died, the 92-year-old was ready to leave.

We were going to move her into our home and her condo was up for sale, said Sally Noriega, her daughter-in-law.

Sally Noriega said her mother-in-law was extremely active and loved living so close to the ocean and to her friends. But, she said, when you lose a spouse you want to be surrounded by family ... and she wanted to spend more time with her family and grandchildren.

Hilda Noriega's daughter-in-law described her as an extremely loving and sweet person, who built a life with her husband and raised a family after coming to the U.S. from Cuba in 1960.

She was just one of those people who from the first time she met a person she instantly loved that person and that person instantly loved her, said Sally Noriega, who rushed to the scene of the collapse with her husband, Carlos Noriega.

There, they found a reminder of the particularly strong bond Hilda Noriega shared with members of her church group. As they stood trying to hold onto hope amid the rubble, Carlos Noriega noticed an envelope peeking out from under his shoe.

On the outside it was addressed to Hilda and the card had butterflies on it and it was a birthday card signed by her prayer group, said Sally Noriega. They had taken her out for her birthday and they all signed the card.

Sally Noriega said the family does not know what to make of the card found among so much debris and chaos.

But, we are a family of faith," she said. "Well just leave it at that.

___

MYRIAM CASPI NOTKIN and ARNOLD NOTKIN

Myriam Caspi Notkin, 81, and her husband, Arnold Arnie Notkin, 87, married about 20 years ago after losing their spouses, according to a family friend.

They were a happy couple. Were hoping for a miracle, said Fortuna Smukler, a North Miami Beach commissioner who grew up with Myriam Notkins three daughters. When they ran into each other as adults, Notkin always recalled her friendship with Smuklers mother, who died 40 years ago.

Every time Myriam would see me, she always had to make a point of saying how wonderful my mother was, Smukler said. She was very thoughtful.

Smukler also knew Arnie Notkin dating back to his days as a physical education teacher and coach at Leroy D. Fienberg Elementary School in South Beach in the 1960s. He had an engaging personality and always had a story to tell.

He had students who became famous, and he had to tell me about them, how they were good or mischievous, she said.

___

MARIA THERESA AND RICKY ROVIROSA

Maria Theresa and Ricky Rovirosa are a perfect match who support each other and others, according to longtime friend Monika Mucarsel Gressier.

The couple has two grown children they raised in their South Miami home, and used their Surfside condo as a part-time summer getaway. Gressier was living in California when she met Maria Theresa, whom she called Maituca, through work.

We became instant friends, Gressier said in a text message. She was one reason that gave me security and support for accepting a relocation to live in Miami. Maituca became my family support and always gave me and others the resources and guidance to navigate through the city of Miami.

Gressier described Ricky as charming and his wife as stunningly beautiful inside and out.

When I think of them, I think of one of my favorite memories of the times I watched them dance salsa and how loving they were always to each other, Gressier wrote. I am praying and hoping that they will survive this tragedy, as I know the strength, they both carry within, and I also know that their tremendous love for their girls and family will keep them fighting to survive this.

___

CASSONDRA BILLEDEAU-STRATTON

Cassondra Billedeau-Stratton, 40, has worked as an actress, model and Pilates instructor, bringing a vivacious love of life to everything she does, her husband said in a statement.

Cassie is a wife, mother and true friend to so many, said Michael Stratton, a Democratic political strategist from Colorado. He told Denvers KMGH-TV that and his wife spent much of their time during the coronavirus pandemic in the condo they have owned for four years.

Billedeau-Stratton loved walking and biking along the beach, her sister, Stephanie Fonte, told the New York Times. When the sisters were together, she often would make them pose for photos on the beach or near a burst of flowers.

Michael Stratton said he and his wife were talking on the phone when the building collapsed.

She described that the building was shaking and then  the phone went dead, he said.

___

ILIAN NAIBRYF

Ilian Naibryf has been an active member of the Jewish community at the University of Chicago since arriving at the school three years ago, said Rabbi Yossi Brackman of the school's Rohr Chabad.

Naibryf, who just finished his junior year, served as the president of the Chabad Houses student board for the past year. He and his girlfriend were in Florida to attend a funeral of a friend who had died of COVID-19, his parents told CNN.

He is a really great guy, very friendly, always has a smile on his face and is just a really all-around well-liked person, Brackman said.

Brackman said the Rohr Chabad community is distraught but hopeful.

Our message is one of hope and we encourage everyone to pray and be kind at this difficult time for many people, he said. We believe in miracles, seen them and hope to see them again.

___

Associated Press writers Travis Loller in Nashville, Tennessee, Colleen Slevin in Denver, Don Babwin in Chicago, Denise Lavoie in Richmond, Virginia, Kelli Kennedy in Miami and Holly Ramer in Concord, New Hampshire, contributed to this report.
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

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No, people are still catching the virus

No, there are new variants and unvaccinated people

I'm not sure

We are getting close to normal

Yes, all the restrictions are gone or coming off

There never was a pandemic

It's just the flu!

Vote

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The question of J&Ks statehood remains on the table and none less than Shah gave assurance that statehood would be restored at some point

Our democracys biggest strength, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted hours after his meeting with 14 senior political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, is the ability to sit across a table and exchange views. Regrettably, that thought had not occurred to the leadership of the BJP when they chose to boycott the three all-party roundtables on Kashmir that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had convened during 2006-07. The need to sit across a table and exchange views had also not been felt when the Union government took momentous decisions with respect to Kashmir in August 2019.

Far too much pain has been inflicted on the Kashmiri people over these past two years before the dawning of this new wisdom that both Dilli ki doori and Dil ki doori have to be bridged. While a total of 14 leaders attended Mr Modis meeting last week, close to 30 had attended Dr Singhs roundtables. The 2006-07 process reached out to a wider cross-section of Kashmiri public opinion than last weeks meeting which was dominated by what Prime Minister Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah have pejoratively dubbed the Gupkar gang. The Abdullah and Mufti families and the likes of Ghulam Nabi Azad have been discredited by decades of misgovernance. It remains to be seen if the new process restores public faith in the electoral process given that it is being initiated with their imprimatur.

In his opening remarks at the 2006 meeting Dr Singh had called the roundtable a dialogue of equals that would achieve historical importance provided we are able to unleash a process by which we can arrive at a workable blueprint that can help create a new chapter in Kashmirs history. Not by compromising on ones ideals, but in a spirit of mutual tolerance, understanding and accommodation. That sentiment did not come through clearly in Mr Modis recent initiative.

An important difference between the 2006-07 meetings and last weeks is that Article 370 of the Constitution, granting a special status to the erstwhile state of J&K, stands repealed and J&K reduced to the status of a Union territory, minus Ladakh.

The repeal of Article 370 was in accordance with the BJPs long-standing electoral commitment and has since become a non-issue. While many non-BJP parties did not support that decision in August 2019, most have reconciled to the change.

The question of J&Ks statehood remains on the table and none less than the Union home minister, Amit Shah, gave an assurance to Parliament that statehood would be restored at some point. A new round of elections to local bodies and a UT government will not, however, address the real challenge facing New Delhi in J&K. Neither the repeal of Article 370 nor the question of statehood are really at the centre of what may be called the Kashmir conundrum. The core issue remains the status of Kashmir and the equation with Pakistan.

Even if Kashmir is denied its own flag and nomenclature for the head of the government, some elements of its special status will have to be preserved. In theory this is not a problem since there are other border states with special status.

Continental nations with far-flung regions have to extend some form of special status to border areas in the interests of national unity and integrity. India is still a 70-year-old republic and extending benefits to certain regions to facilitate their fuller integration is not a big price to pay.

The question remains if New Delhi is any closer to a resolution of the Kashmir conundrum as a result of all the steps taken by the Modi-Shah team or whether the delimitation exercise and election process that is to follow will continue to feed dissension in the Kashmir Valley. Over the past three decades state Assembly elections and delimitation exercises have been held several times and their validity internationally endorsed.

This new round of delimitation must inspire the confidence of all if the elections following it have to acquire legitimacy. Even after all that the Kashmir problem would not have been resolved if all stakeholders are not party to the final solution.

Dr Manmohan Singh and Gen. Pervez Musharraf worked towards a final solution that the BJP has repeatedly rejected. Yet, given its U-turn on so many issues, it remains to be seen if on this issue too the BJP will take a different view in future if the current process does not yield results. Dr Manmohan Singh summed up his approach pithily when he said that borders cant be changed but can be made irrelevant; if there was trust between India and Pakistan and the assurance of peace and security.

Dr Singh and Gen. Musharraf came to an understanding on resolving the

Kashmir issue but the matter was never clinched. Early resumption of cross-LoC trade and traffic can help in building confidence.

How things evolve will also depend on the response of regional and global actors. Many analysts have suggested that last weeks meeting was part of an elaborate exercise orchestrated by the United States to facilitate its peaceful retreat from Afghanistan. It may be recalled that in his first term in office President Barack Obama had named Richard Holbrooke as the US special envoy for Afghanistan and Kashmir, linking the American exit from the former to a resolution of the latter. The Manmohan Singh government flatly refused to allow Mr Holbrooke to land in New Delhi till President Obama delinked the two.

President Joe Biden, who comes from the same stable, has been cleverer.

Without making any explicit link between the two he is seen as having pushed India and Pakistan into addressing both issues together. This would explain much toing and froing by the external affairs minister and the national security adviser to countries that are obviously involved in facilitating the transition in Afghanistan.

That the United States, China, Russia and Pakistan would have an interest in stabilising Kashmir as part of the transition in Afghanistan is entirely understandable. But the question that still remains is if half-hearted and self-serving initiatives pursued through some discredited leaders will be welcomed in the Valley. The challenge of winning the hearts and minds of the Kashmiri people and finding a final solution acceptable to all concerned remains.
The NICD on Friday said nationally there had been 18,762 new COVID-19 infections and 215 COVID-19 related deaths overnight

Johannesburg: The Delta variant of COVID-19, identified in at least 85 countries and first detected in India, is likely responsible for the exponentially rising daily number of virus cases in South Africa's economic hub, Gauteng province, a leading epidemiologist has said here.

Official data would be released by the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) next week, but it is likely to show that there had been an increase in the transmission of the Delta variant, which is 60 per cent more transmissible than the Beta variant -- first identified in South Africa, Shabir Madhi, director of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytical Research Unit at Wits University, told news channel ENCA.

Madhi's comments came as hospitals reported a shortage of beds and burial organisations in Gauteng, especially affecting the Indian community.

"The only way to explain what we are currently seeing is the seeding of a new variant coupled with the waning of immunity.

"Those individuals that have been infected (in the first two waves) are still susceptible to being re-infected, especially when there is a new variant that evolves that is relatively resistant, but they still remain protected against severe infection," Madhi said on Saturday.

The NICD on Friday said nationally there had been 18,762 new COVID-19 infections and 215 COVID-19 related deaths overnight, with 63 per cent of cases in Gauteng province.

Madhi said the current third wave, which is causing more infections and deaths than the previous waves, had surprised him and many others.

"All indications are that we are probably dealing with a spread of a new variant, the Delta variant in particular.

"The magnitude of this is completely unexpected and the worst part is that this is not yet the peak of these hospitalisations. In all likelihood, the peak of the hospitalisations will only occur in the next 23 weeks, including the number of people that are dying. That number is going to continue increasing, which is really concerning," he said.

Madhi called for a ban on all mass gatherings as the most important way to reduce the number of infections.

That is the bottom line. It doesn't matter whether you're ten or fifty people  in a poorly ventilated space those ten or fifty people are going to contribute to hundreds of other infections if they are not cautious at those mass gatherings and particularly if they're not wearing face masks, he said.

A number of schools in Gauteng province have been shut down as teachers and learners increasingly test positive for COVID-19.

The government started a mass vaccination programme for educators on Wednesday. The plan expects to vaccinate 582,000 teachers for COVID-19 protection within a fortnight.

The Education Ministry said on Friday that more than 105,000 people had been vaccinated across the country in the first two days alone.

South Africa has so far reported over 19 lakh cases of the coronavirus with more than 59,000 deaths.
This new Civic generation is supposed to be more upmarket, probably because Honda wants the broadest possible appeal. But that doesn't work well with the hatchback, which is seen as this sportier model that's almost European in nature.We're not just talking metaphorically, as being made in Britain was a major part of the appeal for the outgoing model. And they took away some things we liked. For example, the hatch opening now has just one simple piece of glass. And the sedan will apparently be the only Civic Si body style available. What is even the point here? Well, if you ask us, Honda deliberately tries to make the Civic hatch less interesting so it can discontinue it. And it all has to do with the model no longer playing a major role in Europe or Asia.In his latest YouTube redesign video, artist TheSketchMonkey criticizes the 2022 Civic for not looking like a real hatchback and attempts to do something about it. He argues that there's not enough separating the two body styles, which is obviously true since the hatch now has the same rear doors. They basically just chopped off a bit from the back and called it a day.Before deciding what needs to be done, the artist also looks at the previous generations of the hatch, which are icons in their own right. Many of them had practical, square rear ends. If you'd like to know a little more about the Type R versions of these older cars, check out this drag race. Because it's got a long body, when the Civic hatch is made square, it ends up looking like a small wagon. There are other small changes, like the shoulder line and the narrower taillights. It's a bit like a Subaru in shape, and we believe some customers might appreciate it. What do you think about Honda's 2022 model and this digital redesign? Let us know in the comments.
Some of the exhaust gases flow into the resonator at low speed, generating a beefier growl. Highway speeds translate to backpressure, which diverts the gases into the outer muffler to reduce unwanted noises on the long haul.The Ferrari-inspired exhaust design is a low-cost alternative to active valves that add complexity and weight, and the Civic Type R also stands out in the crowd with its three-outlet setup. Recently spied in Germany with a makeshift center-exit pipe, we still dont have a clue what kind of exhaust system well see on the series-production version of the next-gen hot hatchback.Pixel artist Kleber Silva imagined the 2023 model with the same layout, and at first glance, this design fits perfectly with the corner-carving machine. The rear wing, however, looks exaggerated in comparison to the rear wing of the prototype featured in the photo gallery. The front- and rear-end garnish also looks unwarranted, but in truth, the Civic Type R isnt a subtle car at all.As opposed to the sedan-only Civic Si , the brand-new Civic Type R will be offered exclusively as a five-door hatchback. Greensburg, Indiana will handle production duties because the Swindon, UK assembly site was recently sold to a logistics company. The uncertainty brought by the Brexit debacle can be blamed for the sale, but looking at the bigger picture, Honda is actually trying to improve its manufacturing operations with an eye on efficiency.On the suck-squeeze-bang-blow front, the successor of the FK8 will rely on a K-series engine with 2.0 liters of displacement with a little more than 306 ponies and at least the same 295 pound-feet (400 Nm) of torque as the current model. And yes, a manual will be the only transmission choice.
A bulletin released earlier this month by the safety agency states that the emergency (plastic) jack [] can fracture while in use, if not positioned as directed in the vehicle owners manual, as its construction may not be sufficiently robust.If the jack fails while under load, then the car could collapse, which would injure people near or under the vehicle. The Detroit giant did not say whether they are aware of any injuries related to this problem, blamed on the supplier, Taejung Industrial, of South Korea.There are 135,000 vehicles in total, with a 100% estimated defect rate, that will have to be driven back to the dealers, including 55,996 Buick Encore GX crossovers, made from March 23, 2020, to June 3, 2021, and 79,404 Chevrolet Trailblazers, assembled between March 16, 2020, and May 8, 2021. GM claims that they have started using a different jack design in production on April 26.Dealers will replace the jack with a new one free of charge. Vehicles that havent been sold already and feature this potentially dangerous accessory will have it removed prior to delivery. As all cars are covered by the manufacturers warranty, so owners who have bought a new jack because the old one failed will not be reimbursed.The automaker has already informed its dealer network nationwide earlier this month, and will reach out to the owners by or on July 26, which is also when the recall is expected to kick off.The GM number for the safety campaign is A212335470, and those who want to get in touch with them will have to use it. Buick can be reached at 1-800-521-7300, and Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020.
Despite warming up the tires on their Charger Redeye , the person behind the wheel of this super sedan failed to beat a BMW X3 M down the quarter mile. When the lights turned green, both rides set off, and thanks to that brilliant M-tuned xDrive all-wheel drive system, the Bimmer crossed the finish line first.Now, we have no idea whether it has been modified in any way, yet we wouldnt be surprised if it was, because it is a 10-second car, having completed the quarter mile in 10.893 seconds, at almost 126 mph (203 kph). The Dodge wasnt that far behind either, as only a couple of tenths of a second, and about 1 mph (~1.5 kph), separated it from the its ad-hoc challenger.The latter was on the prowl on that day, as besides the Charger Redeye, it also lineup at the start line next to other machines. In the next race, it went head-to-head with a C5 generation Chevrolet Corvette , in yet another Germany vs. America comparison, and it completed the run a bit quicker than before, at a slightly higher top speed.The X3 M in question wasnt going to settle for that, as it also tried its luck against a Challenger Hellcat, but did the two-door Dodge revenge its slightly longer sibling from before? Or did the high-riding BMW simply annihilated it? The answer lies below on video, so you know what to do.
Presently handled by McDonnell Douglass new master, Boeing , the plane is in the service of several nations, with the U.S. Air Force (USAF) owning the bulk of the about 1,500 active ones.The American variant of the plane has a few tell-tale traits, like dark camouflage, conformal fuel tanks (additional tanks located close to the profile of the aircraft), and a tandem-seat layout.The fighter is a mechanical wonder, capable of flying at speeds of more than Mach 2.5 and for distances that can reach 1,381 miles (2,222 km). The highly-capable war machine can climb to an altitude of 60,000 feet (18.2 km) and carry 29,500 lbs (13.3 tons) of weapons, including precision-guided munitions, missiles, and bombs.It got to use some of its weapons in the conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Libya.Absolutely none of these traits can be admired in the shot captured by Airman 1st Class David Lynn (main photo) as two of these planes were flying over Clayton, North Carolina, earlier this June, during a Flags for Heroes event held there. Thats because the image (click photo to enlarge) shows the planes from underneath, with the bright blue sky behind them making it impossible to distinguish anything.But it is exactly this approach that makes this image perfect for our Photo of the Day section because the same sky that prevents us from seeing anything makes every edge of the two airplanes clearly visible, as if their contours were perfectly cut, or imprinted, on a blue canvas.
When a former chef named Fredrik Pal Persson decided to pursue his true passion and make the art of custom two-wheelers his primary occupation, PAAL was founded in the coastal Swedish city of Malmo. Ever since the companys birth back in 2013, weve been stunned by dozens of bespoke gems bred on their premises, and it doesnt look like theyll be slowing down anytime soon.The project were featuring today is PAAL Motorcycles 30th undertaking. It all started with a complicated, yet equally interesting design brief and a neglected 1983 Honda CB750 Nighthawk thats been left outdoors on a Norwegian farm. Needless to say, Scandinavian weather tends to get rather nasty during winter, so the bikes condition was absolutely dreadful.As such, its framework proved to be the only usable component, giving Swedens moto architects no choice but to discard everything else. Next, the team went about outsourcing a 79 MY CB750s inline-four powerplant, which theyve honored with a comprehensive rebuild and fresh Mikuni RS34 carburetors. Additionally, the stock exhaust system was removed to make room for a complete one-off alternative thats been manufactured in-house. Suzuki GSX-R1000 donated its top-grade Ohlins FGRT 205 forks, while rear suspension duties are handled by dual STX piggyback shocks. For the bodywork, Persson and his crew tasked Britans TAB Classics with creating a new aluminum gas tank thatll give the machine a retro English vibe, thus satisfying one of their clients requests.At the rear, you will spot a stealthy tail section and one classy leather saddle rounding things out. To top it all off, Cognito Motos inventory was raided for new triple clamps and a pair of laced wheels, whose rims are enveloped in grippy Shinko rubber. Earlier, we mentioned that PAAL s customer had an unusual vision for the motorcycles cosmetics.As a diehard enthusiast for steam-powered trains, he wanted Malmos specialists to somehow reflect a vintage locomotives design elements on their unique CB750. The experts achieved this by installing an aftermarket speedometer that resembles a retro pressure gauge, while the black and gold color scheme enhances the desired theme even further.
Weve nothing but love for builders who will take a modern motorcycle and transform it into a rolling piece of retro-style artwork. At the same time, theres just something about the design elements found on an old-school endurance racing bike thats always fascinated us, so we were rather intrigued to stumble upon Francis Von Tutos heavily reworked 2006 Honda CBR600RR.The Italian craftsman prides himself with over two decades of experience in the moto industry, but his sheer passion for custom exploits has only revealed itself a few years ago, while Francis was living in Australia. He recently moved back to Italy, and the beast youre seeing here is the final project completed by this fellow on Australian soil, where hes been living for the past eight years.You ought to buckle up and take a deep breath, because the extent to which this CBR was customized is nothing short of mind-boggling. With its lightweight construction, a healthy top speed of 160 mph (257 kph) and no less than 117 feral ponies on tap, Hondas mechanical samurai is one hell of a starting point for an outstanding venture thatll make gearheads go weak at the knees.Since the Japanese superstar hadnt been ridden for a fair chunk of time, Von Tuto began by honoring its liquid-cooled 599cc inline-four powerplant with a comprehensive service. When the engine work was complete and the suspension refurbished, the moto doctor moved on to the cosmetics. Upon inspecting the numerous aftermarket garments housed by his (former) workshop, Francis found a fiberglass Ducati 900SS replica front fairing developed by Paul Borowinski.After trimming it down, the solo artist fitted the fairing with a tinted windshield and an eccentric Koito H4 headlight. The predators original subframe was then amputated to make way for an aluminum alternative that hosts the bikes electrics, a pair of multi-purpose LED taillights and a lithium battery.Additionally, a handsome tail section can be seen taking pride of place atop the new subframe, along with a minute license plate holder and a simple, yet equally gorgeous saddle upholstered by David Webster. You will also notice hand-shaped side panels and a repurposed carbon fiber front fender that hails from a 2010 MY CBR600RR In terms of powertrain adjustments, the standard exhaust system was replaced with a modified Moriwaki four-into-two item, which exhales via custom mufflers. Rear-mounted foot pegs have been installed to bring about a tougher riding stance, appropriate for an endurance racer. The CBRs three-spoke wheels were retained, but their rims are now enveloped in high-grade Diablo Rosso Corsa II tires from Pirellis inventory.Lastly, the finishing touch consists of a timeless color scheme that adorns the machine from head to toe. It incorporates a stealthy black base, which is accompanied by a delicious mixture to yellow and silver accents. With projects like this breathtaking marvel , I think its fairly safe to say that Francis Von Tuto left his mark on the Australian custom motorcycle realm. Were seriously hyped to see what hell be coming up with following his relocation to Italy!
ICE

In an interview with Merkur published on Saturday, the Volkswagen brand sales chief, Klaus Zellmer, has announced that they wont have any-powered models in their portfolio by 2035 in Europe.The United States and China will follow, at a later, undisclosed date, while the lack of infrastructure in South America and Africa, means that these regions will still get vehicles powered by dead dinosaurs.In Europe, we will exit the business with internal combustion vehicles between 2033 and 2035, in the United States and China somewhat later, Zellmer told the German newspaper, according to AutoNews . In South America and Africa, it will take a good deal longer, due to the fact that the political and infrastructure framework conditions are still missing.Before the stop-sale of ICE-powered, VW-branded cars in Europe, the German automaker wants 70 percent of its sales in the Old Continent to consist of EVs by the end of the decade. This would apparently make them future proof in the wake of a possible tightening of the EUs climate targets. The company whole lineup will be carbon-neutral by 2050 at the latest, according to Zellmer.Volkswagens announcement doesnt come as a surprise, because several auto firms have already confirmed their intentions to render fossil fuels in their passenger cars useless in the near future.In other related news, Audi has recently said that it will pull the plug on ICE-powered rides, as from 2026 onwards they will only introduce EVs, but not in China, which is the biggest car market globally.
An FBI agents admission he baselessly targeted a Chinese Canadian researcher in an economic espionage probe is driving calls for a federal investigation into the Justice Department's conduct under the China Initiative.

Why it matters: Asian Americans, concerned about racial profiling amid heightened U.S.-China tensions, raised the alarm about the program early on as the DOJ has sought to root out the Chinese governments efforts to steal intellectual property.

Three House members sent a letter to the DOJ Inspector General last week, calling for a probe into "alarming" allegations of FBI misconduct.

Since 2018, when former President Trump officially launched the China Initiative, the DOJ has brought charges in over a dozen cases, mostly against researchers of Asian descent.

Catch up quick: Last week, FBI agent Kujtim Sadiku said he used a Google-translated webpage to implicate Anming Hu as having ties to the Chinese military in meetings with Hu's bosses at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

Hu had been fired as a result, Knoxville News Sentinel reports.

When asked if Hu was actually affiliated with a Chinese defense company, Sadiku said, "Based on that summary translation [shared with UTK] and my bullet point in my outline, no," court transcripts show.

Hu, a Chinese-born nanotechnology researcher, is the first person to stand trial as part of the China Initiative. The FBI spied on Hu for nearly two years but could not corroborate claims of spying.

He was instead charged with fraud for allegedly concealing part-time work for a Chinese university to secure federal funding. (UTK officials testified that they knew of the connection.)

His case ended in a mistrial. The DOJ has not said whether it will pursue a new trial.

What's happening: Civil rights groups are demanding the case be dropped.

When authorities are unable to pin a suspect on economic espionage, they turn to charges of fraud to convict them on "administrative errors or minor offenses such as failing to disclose information and other activities that are not illegal under the pretext of combating economic espionage," the group Advancing Justice-AAJC claims, noting that nearly 30,000 people have signed a petition calling on the Biden administration to halt the program altogether.

It's part of a larger pattern, the group says. Prosecutors have accused researchers of crimes like stealing trade secrets or federal funds before dropping the most serious, if not all, charges.

Scientists are concerned the initiative could have a chilling effect on academia.

The other side: Adam Hickey, the deputy assistant attorney general for the DOJ's National Security Division, did not comment on Hu's case but told Axios that economic espionage and the "failure to disclose foreign funding or foreign commitments" are both priorities for the DOJ.

The latter "implicates conflicts of interest that might undermine the research," Hickey said.

"This is not about finding Chinese people who are doing bad things," he said, pointing to some DOJ cases that investigated the Chinese government's alleged attempts to coerce people of Chinese descent. "[It's] about protecting everyone who's here from exploitative activity."

The China Initiative has successfully rooted out some researchers who pled guilty to stealing trade secrets.

The FBI declined to comment.

What they're saying: Revelations from Hu's trial have heightened criticism of the program.

Reps. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.) and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), in calling for an investigation into FBI conduct, said the program "can result in the unfair and unjustified suspicion of those who are of Chinese descent."

Amnesty International invoked the U.S's history of criminalizing Asians in a letter to the White House: The "use of generalizations" based on race, ethnicity, religion or national origin "is not only a counter-productive and ineffective form of policing, but also violates human rights."

Yes, but: Tech transfer is "very much a hazard for U.S. national security," says the Center for a New American Security's Ainikki Riikonen, whose research focuses on emerging technologies and international competition.

The DOJ's approach is key, she noted. Having a separate research security initiative not specific to China would help the DOJ "frame its work to the public in a way thats precise, proportional, and at a lower risk of stoking these harmful narratives" of Chinese disloyalty, she said in an email.

Worth noting: Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters this week that the DOJ will counter Chinese espionage while respecting the rights of Chinese people in the United States, per Bloomberg. He did not indicate whether the initiative would end.
A little more than a year after federal funding became available for gun injury research, scientists and advocates say they've seen flood of interest. The recipients of this new federal funding say their research will be critical start to understanding gun violence and injuries in the U.S.

Why it matters: Gun violence is the least researched of the 30 leading causes of death, largely because Congress had banned such research. But $25 million was made available last year.

That federal funding is now supporting a range of research projects, including studies that try to determine whether gun injuries would decrease if doctors asked their patients whether they own any guns.

Background: The Dickey Amendment banned the CDC from advocating for gun control, which effectively stalled research until Democrats in 2018 altered the language to explicitly allow the public health agency to study gun injuries.

What they're saying: "Its opening up whole new areas of junior researchers into the field," Emmy Betz, director of the firearm injury prevention initiative at University of Colorado and NIH grant recipient, tells Axios.

"When I started [12 years ago], I definitely got advice from well-meaning mentors who said dont go after gun violence. You cant get it funded," Betz said.

"Certainly the tides are changing," said Chethan Sathya, a pediatric general and thoracic surgeon who received NIH funding for the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research.

"This is very much a way to legitimize the work that we are doing in the gun violence prevention space as health care professionals and to make this a research priority for hospitals and systems," he added.

Projects include a $1.3 million award to Sathya's group at FIMR to study why health care settings do not acquire firearm ownership on patients, as well as whether screening makes a difference for those at risk of firearm injury.

Betz, of University of Colorado, received $1.5 million for two projects to assess voluntary gun storage among those with suicide ideation and focus groups on gun ownership among the aging population.

Craig Bryan, director of the Division of Recovery and Resilience at the Ohio State University College of Medicine, and his team was awarded more than $1 million to address the psychology of guns and if gun ownership plays a part in an increased risk of suicide mortality.

Yes but: Even though the new funding is an enormous percentage increase, researchers and advocates say its still too little compared to the size of the problem.

About 40,000 U.S. deaths  about 109 per day  are caused by firearms each year, according to the CDC.

 about 109 per day  are caused by firearms each year, according to the CDC. Funding for pediatric firearm injury prevention was only 3.3% of what would be predicted by the mortality burden. An analysis shows at least $37 million per year is needed to be commensurate with the mortality burden of pediatric firearm injuries alone.

What to watch: Advocates and scientists hope the funding will continue to grow. The Biden administration in its 2022 budget request doubled the funding to $50 million.

The bottom line: Guns are a consistently divisive issue in Congress, and while much of the debate is fueled by stronger background checks or assault weapons bans, funding gun research as a public health issue can be less politically charged.

"Funding as that has gone through a process vetting and checking for rigorousness and the research that comes out is seen as independent and robust. Thats very important especially in a field when there are a fair bit of partisan differences, Sarah Burd-Sharps, research director at Everytown, tells Axios.

Editor's note: If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (En Espanol: 1-888-628-9454; Deaf and Hard of Hearing: dial 711 then 1-800-273-8255) or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.
Israels ambassador to the U.S. resigned on Sunday, hours after welcoming Israeli President Reuven Rivlin to D.C., where he will meet on Monday with President Biden at the White House.

Why it matters: Gilad Erdan's decision comes as the Biden administration and new Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett feel each other out, particularly on the most contentious issues like Iran and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

" I believe it is up to the current government to appoint an ambassador that will represent it politically with the administration," Erdan tweeted on Sunday.

I believe it is up to the current government to appoint an ambassador that will represent it politically with the administration," Erdan tweeted on Sunday. Erdan had recently replaced Ron Dermer, Benjamin Netanyahus closest confidant who served as ambassador for eight years and became one of Washington's most influential and powerful diplomats.

A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted.

The big picture: This is a farewell tour for Rivlin, whose seven-year term ends next month. Isaac Herzog will become Israel's next president on July 9.

Rivlin met last week with Bennett and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid to coordinate the message to the U.S. on Iran, Axios reported.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Lapid in Rome on Sunday where they discussed regional stability, according to spokesman Ned Price following the meeting.

Erdan will continue to serve as Israel's ambassador to the United Nations.

Go deeper: In shift from Netanyahu, Israel tries diplomacy with U.S. on Iran deal
Microsoft said Friday it has seen new attacks from the Russia-based group responsible for the attacks last winter 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.

Microsoft refers to the attackers as Nobelium, and said the activity involved password spray and brute-force attacks.

The company 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.

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.

What they're saying: A U.S. government official told Axios that Microsoft has seen limited impact, and that it appears to be "largely unsuccessful run of the mill espionage."

Flashback: Nobelium recently targeted human rights and international aid groups.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to include information from a U.S. government official.
Bakersfield, CA (93308)

Today

Mostly clear. Low 71F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear. Low 71F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.
Robert Price is a journalist for KGET-TV. His column appears here Sundays. Reach him at RobertPrice@KGET.com or via Twitter: @stubblebuzz. The opinions expressed are his own.
Billy Preston (B.P. or Bill) Miller, age 91 of North Tazewell, VA passed away Friday, July 2, 2021 at his home. Born March 16, 1930 in Boissevain, VA he was the only son of the late Ernest and Willie Miller who were from Abbs Valley, VA. Bill was a member of Main Street United Methodist Chur
ExxonMobil and union representatives last week added another item to the list of things they cant seem to agree on  whether they met this week to continue negotiations.

Administration from the United Steelworkers Union, which represents more than 620 workers locked out of the companys Beaumont complex, reported that there had been no further negotiation meetings or even plans for meeting since both sides left the table more than a week ago without an agreement.

ExxonMobil on the other hand, told The Enterprise that its bargaining lead and the chair of USWs local bargaining committee met Wednesday.

Related: ExxonMobil, Union still far apart on key demands

ExxonMobil continues to meet and bargain in good faith with the Union, Nakisha Burns, a spokesperson with ExxonMobil Beaumont, said in an email to The Enterprise, which has been a common refrain from the company since the lockout began.

No new proposals were exchanged, she continued.

USW District 13 Staff Representative Richard Hoot Landry said the discussion simply was a sidebar for clarification on points from their last meeting and was far from any actual negotiation.

After turning down the unions June 17 proposals, the company reiterated that its offer still was on the table, but likely wouldnt budge on proposed changes that the company says are necessary for long-term stability.

Landry said the tone has stayed the same since that meeting, and there currently arent any plans to meet again  whether for a formal negotiation or otherwise.

EXCLUSIVE: USW alleges ExxonMobil broke labor laws before lockout

They will do what the law says  if we ask for a meeting, they will meet with us, Landry said. But, in my opinion, I do not believe that the company will move on anything.

In a statement to The Enterprise, representatives for the company reiterated their position.

After discussion, both sides remain far apart, Burns wrote in an email. The companys current offer remains available for a vote by the membership.

While progress to end the nearly two-month long lockout may be lacking at the negotiation table, USW has made legal moves.

Related: ExxonMobil explains potential to end union representation

On June 21, union lawyers filed official complaints regarding the lockout to the National Labor Relations Board. The complaint alleged that the company was engaging in bad faith bargaining or was refusing to bargain.

Filing a complaint to the NLRB is the first step in initiating an investigation into potential labor law violations, which begins when the agency agrees to assign an agent, typically from a regional field office.

The status of the case is open, according to the NLRB.

It is at least the third complaint the USW has filed against ExxonMobil Beaumont since the lockout began.

jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/jd_journalism
ExxonMobil has reported an operation upset that required flaring at the Beaumont refinery Friday afternoon.

Engineers with the company predicted the event lasted for about 15 minutes and released over 1,600 pounds if air emissions, including 833 pounds unspecified volatile compounds (VOCs) and 215 pounds of methane, according to an initial report filed to the Texas Commission on Environmental Policy on Saturday.

VOCs can cause irritation and breathing issues, especially for those with chronic conditions, and some are known to be highly cancerous. High levels of exposure to methane can cause some minor health effects, but it is also regulated as a major greenhouse gas.

According to engineers with the company, instrumentation tubing connected to equipment on the refinerys hydrocracker unit had a leak to atmosphere and required the company to initiate flaring.

The company reported that the event happened at around 3 p.m. and sent out an alert to on the Southeast Texas Alerting Network around 4:15 p.m. on Friday. The alert was still active until at least 5:25 p.m. on Saturday.

The company reported that there were no detentions of impact to the surrounding community in southeast Beaumont from its fence line monitors around the facility.

This story will be updated as more information comes available.

jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/jd_journalism
The Neches River gently  usually  flows past a high point once called Tevis Bluff where time, tide and flood keeps carving a new western bank below where Nancy and Noah Tevis first set up a home in 1834.

Less than a half-century after the Tevises, the first mayor of the City of Beaumont, John C. Craig, took office in July 1881.

Comes now Robin Mouton, Beaumonts 42nd mayor, who will take office Tuesday. She will be just the third woman to occupy the center seat of City Council, the second Black person in the chair and the only woman now on the elected body.

Mouton, 61, won the mayoral runoff on June 19  Juneteenth  which now is a federally-recognized holiday celebrating freedom. But it is so named for the enslaved people in Texas who, on June 19, 1865, had first learned of their emancipation from bondage.

Mouton first won election to city council in 2015 as the member for Ward IV, the historic Black neighborhood where Moutons grandmother, Ida Herbert, got to vote for her granddaughter as a council member.

She went from not being able to vote, to having to pay poll tax, to voting for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, to voting for me, Mouton said of her grandmother who lived to be 103.

Its another historic marker for Beaumont, which started amid early lumber fortunes and grew a century ago into a boomtown largely fueled by early oil fortunes but has found itself now with a stagnant population thats stayed nearly the same since Mouton was born at the Hotel Dieu hospital on May 1, 1960.

Some might use the term stagnant to describe Beaumont since the 1960 Census pegged the citys population at about 100,000.

Others might say it was intentional to keep the city small because the major landowners wanted it that way.

But downtowns fortunes ebbed and flowed west from the city in the mid-1950s to the early 1970s as its retail moved toward then-new shopping malls built on former rice fields.

Mayors and council members in the 1970s decided to build new city buildings along Main Street including a City Hall, Civic Center, library and police station.

Gulf States Utilities, then the locally-headquartered electric utility, built its 17-story Edison Plaza in 1979.

That shining new construction joined with the four-story AT&T Building at 555 Main St, built in 1971, as new anchors of private investment to join with the citys attempt at remaking downtown.

The AT&T Building is now a focal point for city council  as well as a point of contention  on whether the city should acquire it or knock it down and market the space for recreational use. Like urban pioneers Nancy and Noah Tevis, who built a little cabin 19 decades ago, the draw is the gently-rolling Neches River.

For Mouton, considering what to do with the AT&T Building is a bit of a homecoming as much as is returning to city council after giving up her Ward IV seat to run for mayor.

Mouton spent her career with AT&T, then known as Southwestern Bell, and worked for all but two months in the building at 555 Main St., which once saw 1,300 people working there.

I spent my whole 32 years there, said Mouton, who retired in 2010.

She hired on in 1978, having just graduated from the former Hebert High School, current home of Beaumont United High School.

I remember them telling us then that the city was going to buy the building for a river walk. There were rumors for years and that we would have to transfer. And now, my new career involves the AT&T Building and the riverfront.

But the city council likely will not take up the question of whether to acquire the former AT&T Building on Tuesday because Mouton has not been part of executive session discussions since she stepped down from the Ward IV seat.

Mouton said she hopes her victory as mayor will lead to a more unified city council that residents are confident is working in the citys best interests.

Even Ward II Council member Mike Getz, who has been sharply critical of the citys plans to acquire the AT&T Building and endorsed Moutons opponent for the mayors seat, said in a recent council meeting that he intends to support Mouton.

But he added that if Mouton doesnt do a good job, shell draw an opponent in the 2023 city election.

Ward III Council member Audwin Samuel, first elected in 1984, said he welcomes the fresh energy coming to council with Durio, Turner and now Mouton.

I think were in a good place, he said. She brings experience, and that will make a difference. I believe we will be more collaborative. I believe we will have a very good council.

Mouton said she is hoping all residents will give her a chance in her new role, which also includes that of chief emergency management officer.

The role includes making the ultimate decision on issues like evacuation when disasters, natural or not, threaten.

Mayor Becky Ames, who turns over her gavel Tuesday to Mouton, had to endure 19 such threats during her 14 years as mayor.

Ultimately, Mouton said she hopes people will see her as mayor for everyone.

I hope people will give me an opportunity before they pre-judge, she said. Give me a fair shot. They may find out, I like her!

Dan Wallach is a

freelance writer.
WASHINGTON (AP)  A half-dozen scientists and engineers who specialize in disastrous structure failures are headed to south Florida to collect firsthand information on the cause of the catastrophic Champlain Towers South collapse.

Their initial work will be used to determine whether to pursue a more thorough study,.

The first two members of the team arrived in Florida on Friday and four more will be there by Monday, said Jason Averill, an official at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. That agency also investigated disasters such as the collapse of the Twin Towers on 9/11, the 2011 Joplin, Missouri, tornadoes and Hurricane Maria's devastation in Puerto Rico.

Averill said the team will collect information over the next week to decide whether a more thorough investigation is warranted. The team's aim is to help determine what caused the collapse and suggest future steps to avoid another such disaster. He said the team will avoid getting in the way of efforts to rescue trapped residents and disaster response teams.

Earlier investigations have sometimes taken a couple of years or more and resulted in thorough recommendations of future steps, he said. Averill is chief of the materials and structural systems division at the institute.

The "experts will work with federal, state and local authorities to identify and preserve materials that might be helpful in understanding why the collapse occurred, said Jennifer Huergo, an agency spokeswoman.
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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.
Police say a man crashed a stolen truck into a building before fatally shooting two people and being shot by police in the Boston suburb of Winthrop on Saturday
Scott Stafford has been a reporter, photographer, and editor at a variety of publications, including the Dallas Morning News and The Berkshire Eagle. Scott can be reached at sstafford@berkshireeagle.com, or at 413-496-6301 and on Twitter at @BE_SStafford.
Derek Chauvins mom received blowback from social media commenters after she attempted to paint her son as a loving, and caring good man during her pre-sentencing testimony in an effort to soften the judges blow.

During her statement, Carolyn Pawlenty insisted that her son is not racist, uncaring or heartless, despite several reports that he failed to show remorse for kneeling on George Floyds neck for about 9 minutes and 29 seconds, which led to a third-degree murder charge, among others. She told Judge Peter Cahill that Chauvin has a big heart.

RELATED: Derek Chauvin Sentencing: Former Officer Sentenced to 22.5 Years Murder of George Floyd

Derek has played over and over in his head the events of that day, Pawlenty said during her five-minute-long speech. Ive 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.
This article is part of Business Buzz, a series designed to feature small businesses that make a big impact on the community. Participants featured will include the locally-owned businesses that make up the fabric of Big Rapids and the surrounding area.

BIG RAPIDS  Regretting a tattoo is a regular occurrence and getting them removed used to be impossible, but advancements in laser technology have allowed doctors to get rid of them with relatively ease.

No Regerts Tattoo Removal in Big Rapids is one business that helps individuals with this issue on a daily basis and utilize a high tech laser to fade tattoos in sessions, as well as using the technology to address other skin conditions.

A physician-operated specialty clinic, No Regerts was founded in 2020 by podiatrist Dr. Jeff Mossel, who serves as the business medical director and oversees all treatments.

All of the laser technicians at No Regerts received the designations of Certified Laser Specialist and Laser Safety Officer from the worlds leading laser tattoo removal training college, New Look Laser College.

Mossel grew up in Byron Center and achieved his Bachelor of Science at Central Michigan University and his doctorate at School College of Podiatric Medicine in Chicago, Illinois.

Mossel completed his residency at Cook County Hospital in Chicago and the VA and University of Arizona in Tucson.

Before No Regerts, Mossel founded Big Rapids Foot & Ankle, a podiatry practice that focuses on foot care and health. No Regerts is operated inside of Big Rapids Foot & Ankle.

I had an open room in my office, and was looking at new opportunities to bring business in, Mossel said. I did some research and saw that there was a laser that took care of nail fungus, and noticed that it also worked with tattoo removal, and when I saw that I figured Id check it out."

"There arent many tattoo removal places in the area, and the ones that are around are expensive, so I thought it would be a good idea to implement in my practice," he added.

No Regerts provides services for completely removing unwanted tattoo ink, fading for cover up tattoos, vascular lesion removal no-obligation, as well as complimentary consultations for all patients.

The consultations are designed to educate a patient about the laser tattoo removal process and provide an in-depth tattoo assessment to determine the number of treatments a given tattoo will need.

HOW IT WORKS

Laser tattoo removal works when the ink particles in the skin absorb the light energy from a state-of-the-art laser. The absorption is what causes an ink particle to shatter into tiny fragments that are small enough for the immune system to naturally remove.

If an ink particle reflects light energy, then it remains intact and permanently trapped in the skin. Successful laser tattoo removal relies heavily on the technology and wavelengths a laser produces.

Mossel said the lengthy process depends largely on the size and colors that are in a certain tattoo, and that some tattoos can be as fast as 20 seconds, while others take several treatments.

The process can be a bit slow, because were working in sessions to break down the pigment which can take time, Mossel said. The process isnt burning the tattoo off of your skin, but breaking up those ink particles to help your body take care of it naturally, so we dont usually see any scarring or blisters after its done, and out lasers can remove almost all color except for a few white pigments.

An average patient would usually take three to 10 visits for a full removal depending on their tattoo and preferences. No Regerts can do full removals, lightening tattoos in preparation for a cover up, and can remove or lighten certain areas of a given tattoo.

The business will remove hate- or gang-related tattoos for no charge.

As for the pain levels, the process of getting a tattoo removed is reportedly less painful than getting the tattoo itself.

Many of my patients describe it as feeling a burning sensation, Mossel said. Luckily the process can go much faster for removal than for tattooing and we are able to have less pain and remove the tattoo faster for the patient. We ice the area if needed and also have a numbing agent that we can use for patient who need it, but everyone has different pain tolerances, so we treat each patient and tattoo differently."

"The process isnt particularly pleasant, but it goes quickly, at least," he added.

Mossel said that since opening, the business has gotten positive reviews from patients. Winter is usually a busier time for tattoo removal, as the process requires that patients avoid high sunlight and wear sunscreen during and after the process to protect the skin from sun damage.

BEYOND TATTOOS

No Regerts also utilizes their laser technology to treat patients with vascular veins, or spider veins, such as telangiectasia on the face and legs. Vascular lesions are extremely common and appear on all parts of the body in various shapes and sizes. These unwanted blemishes usually develop with age and are also caused by activity level, hormones, and genetics.

During treatment, the laser emits light energy into the skin and onto the unwanted vascular lesion. The hemoglobin of the blood absorbs the light energy and causes the blood to be warmed significantly, leading to inflammation of the vessel. The inflammation causes the vessel to collapse and successfully cut off blood flow.

Most patients will see significant results after a single treatment while larger vascular lesions may require more. In the case that multiple treatments are necessary, treatments are spaced at least four to six weeks apart.

Side effects of laser vascular lesion removal are few. Patients may experience some slight bruising and redness following treatment. Over the weeks following treatment, the skin should heal and eventually reveal unblemished skin.

Mossel said the treatment has been positive for many patients who struggled with the appearance of the common skin blemish.

Weve had great reviews on our vascular removals, and are happy that we can provide two services in one with our lasers, Mossel said. The removal process is simple and fast, and at No Regerts, both tattoo removal and vascular lesion removal are much lower cost than other places.

Weve had some great success stories with our tattoo removals, one patient we treated had a teardrop tattoo that was preventing him from getting a job and we were able to remove that, and as soon as we did he was able to get a job which was great to see. For many of our patients, removal of tattoos can help them with improving their lives.

Recently in a new location at 103 S. State St. in Big Rapids, No Regerts has been seeing an increase patient. Mossel said he has no plans to make major changes or additions to the services, but looks forward to removing more tattoos and helping individuals with their skin concerns.

To learn more about No Regerts, how to book an appointment, and more on their laser technology, visit their website at www.bigrapidstattooremoval.com.
As part of reporting on President Biden, we list his official White House schedule on the No Spin News every day. We do this so Americans can understand that old Joe has a very soft day much of the time.



There are days when the President has just one item on the schedule. Rarely does he have more than two. Its the slow lane for Joe, the bunny slope.



This is not unprecedented. Back in 1857, the 15th president of the United States was a man named James Buchanan from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Jimmy did not load up on daily events. In fact, he almost totally ignored the threatened succession of the south, which was kind of a big deal. President Buchanan did not even put Union forces on alert. When southern troops attacked Fort Sumter, James might have said: really? Clueless doesnt even begin to cover it. Abraham Lincoln inherited a colossal mess in 1861.



So my question is - is Joe Biden the ghost of James Buchanan past? Is he the reincarnation of Emperor Nero, who fiddled while Rome burned?



The answer to that question is maybe.



Heres one vivid example of tactical avoidance. Mr. Bidens speech on violent crime last week was bizarre and disturbing. He didnt even mention the defund the police movement. Or no bail laws. Or drug gangs who are murdering thousands in cities like Chicago and New York.



Apparently, the President doesnt see those things as drivers of violent crime. Nope, Mr. Biden says hell use the full power of the federal government to crack down on gun dealers who violate the rules.



That, of course, will do little to stop the murder rampage in America. And expanding community programs will not help much either. The only solution to violent crime is to harshly punish the criminals who are hurting and killing people, as history has shown us.



But Joe Biden and his progressive left cadre will not do that because 40 percent of all murders are committed by African-Americans. Biden will never even acknowledge that stat much less attempt to confront black criminals or any miscreant for that matter. His equity philosophy forbids a realistic, problem-solving agenda and so tens of thousands of people are getting hurt.



Many consider James Buchanan to be the worst president is history. I do. He did nothing to confront the heinous slave situation and the growing rebellion below the Mason-Dixon line. He was MIA as the nation fell apart.



Will Joe Biden descend to the historical depths of Buchanan?



Could happen.
A panel discussion ensued among the above experts on the various aspects of oxygen technologies in the nation

A webinar on The Element of Hope in the COVID Era: Oxygen was organised by the Indian Chest Society in association with CSIR-CMERI. Prof Harish Hirani, Director, CSIR-CMERI, was the Chief Speaker for the virtual event. The webinar was attended by panellists comprising Dr Deepak Talwar, Dr Neeraj Gupta, Dr Subhakar Kandi and Dr Dhrubajyoti Roy, all eminent pulmonologists and senior members of the Indian Chest Society. Dr D Behera, moderated the entire virtual panel discussion, on behalf of the Indian Chest Society.



Prof Hirani said that the CSIR-CMERI Oxygen Enrichment Unit (OEU) encompasses the functionality and goes beyond that of an oxygen concentrator. As part of this initiative, the technology has already been handed over to several MSMEs across India, who in turn will help in the diffusion of the technology.



CSIR-CMERI is working upon an advanced oxygen mask technology that will protect this transmission of viral load.



Dr Deepak Talwar, Specialist Pulmonologist and Member of the Governing Body of the Chest Society discussed pneumonia-related hypoxia and the existing and chronic respiratory issues.



Dr Neeraj Gupta, Senior Chest Specialist Physician and Member, Governing Body of the Chest Society shared his ideas on different delivery methods of oxygen at low flow and high flow rates.



Dr Subhakar Kandi, Senior Chest Specialist Physician and Member, Governing Body of the Chest Society said the CSIR-CMERI developed indigenous device is the need of the hour. He spoke on the mechanism of hypoxia and various types of masks used for oxygen therapy.



Dr DJ Roy, Senior Chest Specialist Physician and Member, Governing Body of the Chest Society discussed the sources of medical oxygen. Dr Roy talked about the different sources of oxygen in hospitals like pressurised oxygen cylinders, liquid oxygen, concentrators etc. He also mentioned some of the disadvantages of oxygen concentrators.



Dr D Behera, Specialist Pulmonologist and President, Indian Chest Society while moderating the discussion talked about the history and discovery of oxygen by Joseph Priestley and said that its importance has been recognised by everybody in the pandemic. Dr Behera stressed the need for educating society particularly the nursing staff about the innovations and technology diffusions. For this, he wished to arrange similar awareness programmes for the benefits of the nursing staffs and the MSME sectors.



A detailed panel discussion ensued among the above experts on the various aspects of oxygen technologies in the nation.
Louisiana State Police announced today that they busted a serial sexual deviant that has preyed on multiple children over a five year period.

What is most alarming about the case is that the individual in question, 51-year-old David Harris, is an active duty FBI agent at the New Orleans field office.

According to charging documents, agent Harris is accused of numerous crimes across multiple parishes, including Aggravated Crimes Against Nature (which under Louisiana criminal code means forced sodomy or bestiality), Indecent Behavior with Children under the age of 13. Attempted Rape, Obscenity, and Witness Intimidation.

Agent Harris is the second FBI agent in two months to be charged for sodomizing children under the age of 13.

Recently, FBI employees have been arrested for grooming kids on the internet, using their authority and powers to sexually and financially extort women, and an attempted murder case in Washington DC where an off-duty agent shot an unarmed vagrant on a crowded public train because he was angry at the foul language the victim was using.

According to a press release from the Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations: Special Victims Unit, Harris rampage began in 2016, when he allegedly began committing sex crimes against multiple persons  adults and children. State police began investigating him in February when the victims began reporting Harris activity.

By and large, state detectives are at a disadvantage when trying to investigate FBI agents due to the immense power bestowed upon them that supersedes local law enforcement. The incredible surveillance powers, lack of oversight and powerful connections individual FBI agents have access to can also serve to intimidate both victims and witnesses into silence.

While there is no database keeping tally of FBI agents arrested for serious crimes, they appear to attract a higher than average rate of sexual deviants and criminals.

According to the latest employment data from the Bureau, there are 13,412 special agents operating nationwide, with over 20,000 support personnel.

The FBI employs roughly the same amount of people as the NYPD, but while comparatively rare cases of New York beat cops committing crimes against children enjoy widespread media attention and morally righteous Justice Department press releases, as with an incident last winter, the press is less eager to report on more frequent abuses of this type by federal agents.

The Bureau is known for being meticulous and rigorous in examining the minds, political views and character of recruits, which suggests that individuals prone to deviant behaviors are being selected for. With public confidence in the FBI at an all time low, arrests of agents like David Harris will only worsen the beleagured secret police agencys reputational crisis.
Over the course of the past century, a number of truly awe-inspiring heists have been carried out by con artists, whose modus operandi is to exploit human frailties such as credulity, insecurity and greed. Con is short for confidence, for the con artist must first gain the trust of his targets, after which he persuades them to hand their money over to him. A con job differs from a moral transaction between two willing, fully informed trading partners because one of the partners is deceived, and deception constitutes a form of coercion. In other words, the person being swindled is not really free. If he knew what was really going on, he would never agree to invest in the scheme.

The " Ponzi scheme " was named after Charles Ponzi, who in the 1920s persuaded investors to believe that he was generating impressive profits by buying international reply coupons (IRCs) at low prices abroad and redeeming them in the United States at higher rates, the fluctuating currency market being the secret to his seemingly savvy success. In reality, Ponzi used his low-level investors' money to pay off earlier investors, support himself, and expand his business by luring more and more investors in. More recently, Bernie Madoff managed to abscond with billions of dollars by posing as an investment genius who could deliver sizable, indeed exceptional, returns on his clients investments.

It is plausible that at least some of the early investors in such gambits, who are paid as promised, suppress whatever doubts may creep up in their minds as they bask in the splendor of their newfound wealth. But even those who begin consciously to grasp what is going on may turn a blind eye as the scheme grows to engulf investors who will be fleeced, having been persuaded to participate not only by the smooth-talking con artist, but also by the reported profits of previous investors. Eventually, however, the house of cards collapses, revealing the incredible but undeniable truth: there never were any investments at all. No trading ever took place, and all of the companys transactions were either deposits or withdrawals of gullible investors cash.

Before a con artist is unmasked, nearly everyone involved plays along, either because they stand to gain, or because they truly believe. Sometimes the implications of having been wrong are simply too devastating to admit, and these same psychological dynamics operate in many other realms where most people would never suspect anything like a Ponzi scheme. It is arguable, for example, that the continuous siphoning of U.S. citizens income to pay for misguided military interventions abroad constitutes a form of Ponzi scheme. If President George H. W. Bush had never used taxpayers dollars to wage the First Gulf War on Iraq in 1991 and to install permanent military bases in the Middle East, then Osama bin Laden would likely never have called for jihad against the United States. If the U.S. military had not invaded Iraq in 2003, then ISIS would never have emerged and spread to Syria and beyond. Such implications are deeply unsettling, and even in the face of mounds of evidence , most people prefer to cling to the official story according to which the 1991 Gulf War was necessary and just, while the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, were completely unprovoked, and all subsequent interventions a matter of national self-defense.

The series of bombing campaigns in the Middle East beginning in 1991 are plausibly regarded as a type of Ponzi scheme because the "investors" (taxpayers), have actually paid to make themselves worse, not better, off. Not only have the "blowback" attacks perpetrated in response to U.S. military intervention abroad killed many innocent persons, but the lives of thousands of soldiers have been and continue to be wrecked through dubious deployments abroad. Along with all of the blood spilled, much treasure has been lost. The more than $28 trillion national debt (as of June 2021) is due in part to the massive Pentagon budget, rubber-stamped annually by Congress, to say nothing of the many other "discretionary" initiatives claimed to be necessary in national defense. Afghanistan is a perfect example of how billions of taxpayer dollars continue to be tossed into the wind even as the formal U.S. military presence winds down. The reason why the War on Terror continues on is not because it is protecting the citizens who pay for it or helping the people of the Middle East but because it has proved to be profitable to persons in the position to influence U.S. foreign policy.

One might reasonably assume that anyone who stands to enrich himself from government policies should be excluded from consequential deliberations over what ought to be done, and in certain realms, the quite rational concern with conflict of interest still operates to some degree. With regard to the military, however, there has been a general acquiescence by the populace to the idea that because only experts inside the system are capable of giving competent advice, they must be consulted, even when they will profit from the policies they promote, such as bombing, which invariably increases the value of stock in companies such as Raytheon. Throughout history, there has always been a push by war profiteers to promote military interventions, but Dick Cheney, who served as Secretary of Defense under George H.W. Bush and vice president under his son, George W. Bush, took war profiteering to an entirely new level. By privatizing many military services through the Logistics Civilian Augmentation Program (LOGCAP), Cheney effectively ushered in a period of war entrepreneurialism, beginning with Halliburton (of which he was CEO from 1995-2000), which continues on today, making it possible for a vast nexus of subcontractors to profit from the never-ending War on Terror, and to do so in good conscience. When more people have self-interested reasons for supporting military interventions, then they become more likely to take place.

With the quelling of concerns that conflict of interest should limit the persons who advise the president on matters of foreign policy, the formal requirement that the secretary of defense be not a military officer but a civilian has been effectively dropped, with both James Mattis and Lloyd Austin easily confirmed as "exceptions" to the rule, despite the fact that, not only did both have significant financial interests in promoting war, but each also had a full career in the military before retiring and being invited to lead the DoD. Military men are inclined to seek military solutions to conflict, which is undoubtedly why high-ranking officers are invited to join the boards of military companies, making Mattis and Austin textbook examples of "revolving door" appointments.

Arguably even more ruinous to the republic in the longterm than the rampant conflict of interest inherent to "revolving door" appointments between the for-profit military industry and the government has been the infiltration of the military into academia, with many universities receiving large grants from the Defense Department for research. Academia would be a natural place for intellectual objections to the progressive militarization of society, but when scholars and scientists themselves benefit directly from DoD funds, they have self-interested reasons to dismiss or discredit those types of critiqueswhether consciously or notin publishing, retention and promotion decisions. In addition to the institutional research support provided by DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), successful academics may receive hefty fees as consultants for the Pentagon and its many affiliates, making them far more likely to defend the hegemon than to raise moral objections to its campaigns of mass homicide euphemistically termed "national defense".

As a result of the tentacular spread of the military, Cui bono? as a cautionary maxim has been replaced by Who cares? People seem not at all bothered by these profound conflicts of interest, and the past year has illustrated how cooption and corruption may creep easily into other realms as well. Indeed, there is a sense in which today we have two MICs: the military-industrial-complex and, now, in the age of Covid-19, the medical-industrial-complex. This latter development can be viewed, in part, as a consequence of the former, for in recent decades the military industrial complex has sprouted tentacles to become the military-industrial-congressional-media-academic-pharmaceutical-logistics banking complex. Long before Covid-19 appeared on the scene, the Veterans Administration (VA) adopted pro-Big Pharma policies, including the prescription of a vast array of psychotropic medications in lieu of "talk therapy" to treat PTSD among veterans and to preemptively medicate soldiers who expressed anxiety at what they were asked to do in Afghanistan and Iraq. The increase in the prescription of drugs to military personnel generated hefty profits for pharmaceutical firms, allowing them to expand marketing and lobbying efforts to target not only physicians but also politicians and the populace.

Since the initial launch of Prozac in 1986, the pharmaceutical industry has become an extremely powerful force in Western society, made all the more so in the United States when restrictions on direct-to-consumer advertising were lifted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1997. Already by 2020, about 23% of Americans ( nearly 77 million out of a population of 331 million) were taking psychiatric medications, and those numbers appear to have increased significantly during the 2020 lockdowns , which took a toll on many peoples psychological well-being. As medications are prescribed more and more throughout every sector of society, drug makers exert a greater and greater influence on policy, even as the heroin/fentanyl overdose epidemic , caused directly by the aggressive marketing and rampant overprescription of opioid painkillers, continues on.

Just as the military industry is granted the benefit of the doubt on the assumption that they are helping to protect the nation, the pharmaceutical industry accrues respectability from its association with the medical profession. Who, after all, could oppose "defense" and "health"? In reality, however, for-profit weapons and drug companies are beholden not to their compatriots, nor to humanity, but to their stockholders. War and disease are profitable, while peace and health are not. The CEOs of military and pharmaceutical companies, like all businesspersons, seek to ensure that their profits increase by all means necessary, the prescription opioid epidemic being a horrific case in point. Just as academics may enjoy Defense Department funding, many doctors and administrators of medical institutions today derive essential funding from drug companies and the government, whether directly or indirectly. These connections are immensely important because many politicians receive generous campaign contributions from Big Pharma , which by now has more lobbyists in Washington, DC, than there are congresspersons, and not without reason. Formulary decisions at the VA regarding the appropriateness of prescribing, for example, dangerous antipsychotic medications such as Astrazenecas Seroquel to soldiers as sleep aids are made by administrators who are political appointees, as are public health officials more generally.

Charles Ponzi. Image source: Wikimedia Commons.

With a functional Fourth Estate, it would be possible to question if not condemn the conflicts of interest operating in the for-profit military and medical realms. Unfortunately, however, we no longer have a competent press. Throughout the Coronavirus crisis, this has become abundantly clear as alternative viewpoints on every matter of policy have been squelched, suppressed, and outright censored in the name of the truth, when there may have been ulterior motives at play. In fact, the complete quashing of any directives regarding non-vaccine therapies for mitigating the effects of Covid-19including Ivermectin and Hydroxychloroquine may be best explained by the simple fact that FDA emergency use authorization of vaccines in the United States is possible only when "there are no adequate, approved, and available alternatives," as is stated plainly on the specification sheets for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

Regarding the origins of the virus, early claims by some researchers that Covid-19 may have been produced in the virology lab in Wuhan and released accidentally were swiftly dismissed as "conspiracy theories." Anyone who suggested this eminently plausible origin of the virus was immediately denounced by the media and deplatformed or censored by the big tech giants. "Gain-of-function" research, often funded by the military, involves making existent viruses deadlier to human beings and is said by its proponents to be necessary in order to be prepared for future natural pandemics or in the event that some enemy might use such a virus as a bioweapon. The latter is a familiar line of reasoning among military researchers, invoked also (mutatis mutandis) in nuclear proliferation and the military colonization of space: we must develop the latest and greatest nuclear bombs and effect total spectrum domination of the galaxy before any other government has the chance to do so! Many of the scientists involved in these endeavors may have the best of intentions, but that does nothing to detract from the propensity of human beings to commit errors.

Read the rest of the full essay here.
The Icelandic newspaper Stundin reports that a key witness in the US prosecution of Julian Assange has admitted in an interview with the outlet that he fabricated critical accusations in the indictment against the WikiLeaks founder.

A major witness in the United States Department of Justice case against Julian Assange has admitted to fabricating key accusations in the indictment against the Wikileaks founder, Stundin reports. The witness, who has a documented history with sociopathy and has received several convictions for sexual abuse of minors and wide-ranging financial fraud, made the admission in a newly published interview in Stundin where he also confessed to having continued his crime spree whilst working with the Department of Justice and FBI and receiving a promise of immunity from prosecution.

BREAKING: Lead witness in US case against Julian Assange admits to fabricating evidence against him in exchange for a deal with the FBI #Assange https://t.co/kZxsTi62q0  WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) June 26, 2021

This major witness would be Icelands Sigurdur Sigi Thordarson, a paid FBI informant who after his short-lived association with WikiLeaks has been found guilty of sexually abusing nine boys as well as embezzlement, fraud, and theft in his home country. A court-appointed psychologist has found him to be a sociopath.

The court found that Sigurur is by all definitions a sociopath, suffering from a severe anti-social personality disorder. However, the court found that he did know the difference between right and wrong and could not be considered insane and could therefore stand trial, Iceland Magazine reported in 2015 during Thordarsons child abuse case.

This was all public knowledge when the US government was building its case to extradite Julian Assange to America and try him under the Patriot Act for journalistic activity which exposed US war crimes, a prosecution for which Assange is still locked up in Belmarsh Prison pending Washingtons appeal of a UK courts denial of the extradition request. And now we know for a fact that the odious person whose testimony formed the basis for much of that prosecution was lying.

US officials presented an updated version of an indictment against him to a Magistrate court in London last summer, Stundin says. The veracity of the information contained therein is now directly contradicted by the main witness, whose testimony it is based on.

What this means is that the US decided to add more accusations to its previous indictment because charging a journalist for standard journalistic practices was too weak on its own, and now this decision has bitten them in the ass.

The articles authors explain that contrary to the claims in that indictment, Thordarson now admits to Stundin that Assange never asked him to hack or access phone recordings of MPs and further admits the claim, that Assange had instructed or asked him to access computers in order to find any such recordings, is false.

Thordarsons testimony was cited extensively by British Magistrate Vanessa Baraitser when she was providing her ruling on the extradition request which is currently under appeal, and it looks pretty silly now that we know it was bogus. Her ruling repeats the prosecutions claim that Assange asked Teenager [code for Thordarson] to hack into computers to obtain information including audio recordings of phone conversations between high-ranking officials, including members of the Parliament, but Thordarson has now recanted this claim.

While the judgement on the extradition request reads, It is alleged that Mr. Assange and Teenager failed a joint attempt to decrypt a file stolen from a NATO country 1 [ code for Iceland] bank, Thordarson told Stundin that this actually refers to a well publicised event in which an encrypted file was leaked from an Icelandic bank and assumed to contain information about defaulted loans provided by the Icelandic Landsbanki, and that Nothing supports the claim that this file was even stolen per se, as it was assumed to have been distributed by whistleblowers from inside the failed bank.

While the ruling repeats the claim that Assange used the unauthorized access given to him by a source, to access a government website of NATO country-1 used to track police vehicles, Thordarson told Stundin that Assange never asked for any such access.

These revelations are entirely damning.

This is the end of the case against Julian Assange, tweeted NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, adding, If Biden continues to seek the extradition of a publisher under an indictment poisoned top-to-bottom with false testimony admitted by its own star witness, the damage to the United States reputation on press freedom would last for a generation. Its unavoidable.

Now its time to have an international inquiry on how Sweden, UK, US, Ecuador and Australia have handled the Julian Assange case. My FOIA provides evidence nothing is normal in this case, tweeted investigative journalist Stefania Maurizi.

It just says so much that the most powerful government in the world, with all its essentially limitless resources, needed to build its case against Assange on false testimony from a diagnosed sociopath and convicted child molester. Thats how strong their case was against a journalist whose only crime was telling the truth about the powerful.

This after we learned that Assange and his lawyers were spied on by the CIA, that he is being tortured, that his seven-year de facto imprisonment prior to his two-year stay in Belmarsh was arbitrary detention and unjust from the very beginning, and that the pretext for keeping him there was itself fallacious.

This is a farce. The fact that this man remains behind bars is an outrage.

__________________________________

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SALT LAKE CITY (AP)  Many Americans aching for normalcy as pandemic restrictions end are looking forward to traditional Fourth of July fireworks. But with a historic drought in the U.S. West and fears of another devastating wildfire season, officials are canceling displays, passing bans on setting off fireworks or begging for caution.

Fireworks already have caused a few small wildfires, including one started by a child in northern Utah and another in central California. Last year, a pyrotechnic device designed for a baby's gender reveal celebration sparked a California blaze that killed a firefighter during a U.S. wildfire season that scorched the second-highest amount of land in nearly 40 years.

Some regions of the American West are experiencing their worst drought conditions in more than a century this year, said Jennifer Balch, director of Earth Lab at the University of Colorado. People setting off fireworks at home is a concern because of both the tinder-box conditions ripe for starting wildfires and the threat of injuries. Last year, injuries spiked to their highest level in 15 years after the pandemic canceled large gatherings, federal data shows.

As a fire scientist, Im bracing myself for this fire season because of how dry and hot it is already, Balch said. I think fireworks right now are a terrible idea.

Fireworks industry professionals, who also stressed caution in drought-prone areas, expect strong sales despite a shortage caused by pandemic-related manufacturing slowdowns and trade disruptions.

We think we're going to have a tremendous year, said James Fuller, a fireworks safety expert with Alabama-based TNT Fireworks.

While fireworks are integral to the country's Independence Day celebrations, they ignite thousands of fires a year  including one that burned Bobbie Unos home in Clearfield, Utah, on the holiday last year. She had to jump out of the way before it struck the side of her house.

Within five seconds, my house, from the bushes to the rooftop, it was burning, Uno said. The blaze caused $60,000 in damage and forced her family out of their home for weeks.

I want everyone to be aware of the danger, because its scary even in a small cul-de-sac, Uno said.

Several Utah cities are banning people from setting off their own fireworks this year during the record drought, but many Republicans are against a statewide prohibition. GOP Salt Lake County Councilwoman Aimee Winder Newton supports restrictions but thinks this year is a bad time for a blanket ban.

Were just coming out of this pandemic where people already felt like government was restricting them in so many ways, she said. When you issue bans arbitrarily, we could have a situation where people who werent going to light fireworks purposely go and buy fireworks to just send a message to government.

State fireworks laws vary considerably across the U.S., but local bans on personal fireworks are popping up from Montana to Oregon, which was stricken by massive wildfires last year.

In Arizona, which already is being scorched by more than a dozen wildfires, many cities have canceled their public fireworks shows. The Yavapai-Apache Nation typically hosts a display outside its casino near the central Arizona city of Camp Verde.

This year, with conditions being worse than last year, we decided in May that we would not have fireworks, said James Perry, a spokesman for the tribes Cliff Castle Casino Hotel. Based on the large fires currently burning in and around our community, were happy with our decision.

It's a similar story in Colorado, where dozens of shows have been scuttled, including in Steamboat Springs, a ski town where firefighters are already spread thin.

The grass always catches on fire ... why are we doing something that causes fire when fires our biggest issue? said Winnie DelliQuadri, town special projects manager.

But in neighboring Wyoming, business is booming at fireworks stores, including sales of products prohibited elsewhere. The parking lots fill on weekends, and many cars have out-of-state plates.

Its not just Colorado, said Ben Laws, manager of Pyro City. We see people from Nebraska, we see people from Montana, we see people from all over coming to buy.

Other cities, including Boise, Idaho, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, are working to ban personal fireworks while keeping their public displays, where safety precautions are often stronger and firefighters are on alert.

In North Dakota, where more than two-thirds of the state is in extreme or exceptional drought  the two worst categories  some areas are passing local bans. In South Dakota, where conditions are somewhat less dire, the governor is fighting the federal government to hold a fireworks display at Mount Rushmore.

A show that draws tens of thousands of people to Lake Tahoe, Nevada, near the California state line, was originally canceled for the second year in a row, but organizers later decided to mount a smaller, safe fireworks experience." Holding fireworks shows over water is one of the safer ways to celebrate, said Balch, the professor.

The industry urges people lighting their own fireworks to follow local restrictions, pick a flat location a safe distance from homes, have a water source at hand to douse used products and dispose of them carefully.

Some safety officials would rather see people avoid lighting their own fireworks all together. Michele Steinberg with the National Fire Protection Association pointed to federal data showing 15,600 Americans went to emergency rooms for fireworks-related injuries last year, thousands more than the year before.

I love watching the fireworks displays, but theyre honestly not safe in consumer hands," she said. Even a sparkler can get up to 1,200 degrees, which is actually how hot a wildfire burns.



Associated Press writers Felicia Fonseca in Flagstaff, Arizona; Mead Gruver in Cheyenne, Wyoming; Cedar Attanasio in Santa Fe, New Mexico; Scott Sonner in Reno, Nevada; and Associated Press/Report for America corps member Patty Nieberg in Denver contributed to this report.
SASKATOON - The front of a Saskatoon cathedral was tagged with graffiti Thursday following the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves at a former residential school site in Saskatchewan.

A sign with text related to the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves at a former residential school site in Saskatchewan is attached by orange ribbon to a tree across the street from the St. Paul Co-Cathedral in Saskatoon on Friday, June 25, 2021. Red hand prints and the words "we were children" were painted on the doors of the church following the discovery of the graves. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards

SASKATOON - The front of a Saskatoon cathedral was tagged with graffiti Thursday following the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves at a former residential school site in Saskatchewan.

Red handprints and the words "we were children" were painted on the doors of the St. Paul Co-Cathedral in the city's downtown.

Bishop Mark Hagemoen of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon says he was notified a demonstration took place outside the cathedral on Thursday afternoon.

"A lot of this news is catching people fresh and it's really hard for them, admittedly so," he said Friday.

Hagemoen added that he understands anger levels are high right now but hopes this doesn't result in escalated violence or destruction.

Police say they spoke with church leaders and demonstrators.

They believe two people were involved.

The graffiti has been cleaned up and no charges have been laid.

The Cowessess First Nation east of Regina announced Thursday that ground-penetrating radar had detected 751 potential graves at the former Marieval Indian Residential School.

A Catholic religious order called The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate operated Marieval and the Kamloops Indian Residential School in B.C., where unmarked graves have also been found.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2021.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version referred to the religious order that operated numerous residential schools as the Missionary of Oblates of Mary Immaculate. The order's name is, in fact, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
VANCOUVER - A prospective student from Pakistan who will be enrolling in Vancouver's Simon Fraser University says she's "freaking out step-by-step" as she navigates hurdles to get her education, made far more difficult by COVID-19.

Simon Fraser University students are reflected in a pond as they line up to receive their degrees during the fall convocation ceremony at the university in Burnaby, B.C., Friday Oct. 11, 2013. International students coming to Canada this year as COVID-19 cases rise and fall in various parts of the world face numerous barriers such as visa backlogs, vaccinations, quarantine measures and booking flights. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

VANCOUVER - A prospective student from Pakistan who will be enrolling in Vancouver's Simon Fraser University says she's "freaking out step-by-step" as she navigates hurdles to get her education, made far more difficult by COVID-19.

Zohra Shahabuddin said she spent sleepless nights worrying about putting together her documents for her student visa application to Canada.

Her visa was approved last week. She will be working toward her master's degree in publishing.

"I haven't had a chance to get excited about coming to Vancouver," she said with a laugh.

"My mind is occupied. First it was visa, now it is flights and quarantine.

International students coming to Canada this year as COVID-19 cases rise and fall in various parts of the world face numerous barriers such as visa backlogs, lack of vaccinations, quarantine measures and fewer available flights.

A spokeswoman for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said the department has continued to accept and process study permit applications throughout the pandemic.

It updated its website to show that complete study permit applications submitted for the fall 2021 semester by May 15 would be processed by Aug. 6. However, some applications may take longer because they are incomplete, said Nancy Caron in a statement.

"Against the backdrop of the global pandemic and its related challenges, we wanted to provide a target date for those planning to begin their studies in the fall," she said.

The department issued nearly 100,000 study permits in the first four months of 2021, up from about 66,000 during the same period last year and about 96,000 from January to April of 2019, she said.

Muhammad Saad has been admitted to Centennial College in Toronto for a diploma in project management, and had his first shot of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

He said he's worried about access to that second shot.

"It depends on supplies," he said. "My second dose is in mid-July. I hope vaccine will be available in Pakistan at that time."

Several universities will require students living in residence to be vaccinated against COVID-19 come September.

Students who are unable to access a vaccine before move-in will have 14 days to do so, said Sandy Welsh, the University of Toronto's vice-provost of students.

Western University also said those who can't access vaccines will have 14 days to get vaccinated on campus.

Those who aren't fully vaccinated will need to follow federal government requirements, said Caron.

To be considered fully vaccinated, those entering Canada will have to show they received both shots or a combination of the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca vaccines or one dose of Johnson & Johnson at least 14 days before entering the country, she said.

Shahabuddin said that means she'll have to find another $2,000 to stay in quarantine. She plans on getting her shots after coming to Canada.

"As an international student, I already pay a lot of money," she said. "This is an additional expense."

Many universities are offering accommodations for quarantine.

Welsh said students will be offered transportation from the airport, daily health check-in calls and other supports.

Shahabuddin's next concern is falling sick while travelling, along with the medical expenses that would follow.

They are the same worries the Canadian Federation of Students has heard from others, said Bipin Kumar, the international student representative for the organization.

"At least one of the things we are hearing is whether the additional health insurance offered by private companies would cover students, in case they get sick due to travel," he said.

"A lot of the travel would happen before they come to Canada, and usually the insurance is only after they enrol from 1st of September."

The federation is working with universities and the provincial governments to get more details, he said.

Ali Hassan, who has been accepted to York University in Toronto, said the visa process is moving slowly and he may not have it in time to travel, so he's glad the university is offering online classes.

"But I'm a little bit worried," he said, adding he checks his email several times a day for his approval.

"I'm hopeful," Hassan added. "I'm hopeful I can come to Canada this fall."

A number of universities will be offering a blend of online and in-person classes this semester as students navigate their way through hurdles caused by the pandemic.

Matthew Ramsey, a spokesman at the University of British Columbia, said students will have the option of online courses if they can't make it to Canada this semester.

"We will be working with them on a case-by-case basis ensuring that they are able to access their courses, whether that's online or in person."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2021.
OTTAWA - Like millions of Canadians, members of Parliament are contemplating with mixed emotions the prospect of returning to business as usual after 15 months of working from home.

Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland rises via video-link during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. MP's say they are eager for a return to normal in the House of Commons once the COVID-19 pandemic is over. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA - Like millions of Canadians, members of Parliament are contemplating with mixed emotions the prospect of returning to business as usual after 15 months of working from home.

For most MPs, a return to normal means gruelling travel, long stretches of time away from family and copious amounts of time spent warming seats in the House of Commons when they could be doing something more productive.

Even so, they seem surprisingly eager to get back to that routine once the COVID-19 pandemic is finally licked.

Since last September, the Commons and its committees have been fully operational in a hybrid format, with only a small contingent of MPs physically present while the rest participate and vote virtually from their homes or constituency offices.

Prior to that, the Commons had spent almost six months sitting only sporadically for a day or two at a time, with a minimum number of MPs in the chamber, to avoid spreading COVID-19.

Liberal whip Mark Holland says he's been "blown away" by how well Commons staff have been able to make the hybrid format work. But he still doesn't want to continue it once the pandemic is over.

"There's no doubt for me the importance of us getting together in person and how much has been missed in the inability to do that," he says.

"I really think that physical presence in Ottawa is so essential to the work we do. There's a lot of cross-pollenization of ideas, a lot of opportunities to talk that are spontaneous and connections that are made that I think are really important sauce in the business of making Parliament work that we've really been missing out on."

New Democrat MP Daniel Blaikie is similarly not keen to retain virtual proceedings, despite the advantages of working from his Winnipeg home.

"It's been really nice to be close to my kids for the last 15 months," he acknowledges. "It's nice to be in your own home and close to your creature comforts and it's been so nice not to be travelling for 10 hours a week in my case and much more for many other MPs and that's time you can't get back."

Nevertheless, Blaikie says, "I can't say that I'm a big proponent of the virtual Parliament."

"It's a totally different vibe and culture that's come with this Parliament and it's been very isolating in some ways, which is really antithetical to politics," he says.

"Like, politics is the art of figuring out how we can all get along, I think at it's best anyway ... and that's harder to do when you never see each other."

For Bloc Quebecois MP and deputy House leader Christine Normandin, "the remote Parliament has kind of become my reality."

Newly elected in October 2019, she had only a handful of weeks to experience a normal Parliament before the pandemic hit and changed everything.

Normandin says she's still managed to get to know her 31 fellow Bloc MPs but acknowledges "it's not the same as having in-person caucuses or being in the House all together and having side conversations all the time, things that you cannot really have while being in Zoom."

Blaikie too has "really missed the collegiality" of the NDP's 24-member caucus, noting that the "sense of solidarity" that normally prevails helps sustain MPs in what can be "sometimes a very thankless" and unforgiving job.

For Holland, whose job is to keep in line a much larger, 155-member Liberal caucus, the absence of in-person contact has made it "very hard to get everybody on the same page."

Rookie MPs especially, feel "like they didn't get a chance to participate" or get to know their colleagues, he says. And it's been even harder to get to know new MPs from other parties and make connections that can be vital to the survival of a minority government.

"Usually, you kind of get to know them in the hallways and in committee rooms and it hasn't happened. So there's a lack of cohesion in some ways that comes from not being able to establish those relationships," Holland says.

Normandin believes the virtual proceedings have made the government less accountable.

It's harder, she says, to press for answers from ministers who aren't actually in the Commons and impossible for journalists who would normally chase after them with questions following an appearance in the chamber or at a committee.

"If they're online, they just need to disconnect and then that's it, they're not accountable anymore and nobody asks them further questions."

Blaikie thinks virtual proceedings have also made it harder for the opposition-dominated Commons to command respect from the minority Liberals.

Having to "face down the House of Commons every day really does give the House a presence and a gravitas that's just hard to capture any other way," he says.

Conservatives were the most reluctant to adopt the hybrid format and are the most keen to see the end of it.

"Anyone who watched the proceedings over the past year will tell you that video conference debates are no substitute for the real thing," Conservative whip Blake Richards said in a statement to The Canadian Press.

"From the very beginning, we've held that these measures need to be temporary for the duration of the pandemic and that MPs should be getting back to work in person when it is safe to do so."

Still, there may be some aspects of the pandemic format that might be worth retaining at least in part. If so, Holland, Blaikie and Normandin all stress it should only happen with all-party consensus.

"There's definitely good things that came out of it," says Normandin.

For instance, she says some measure of remote participation may encourage people with young children or hoping to start a family to get into politics. She also wonders whether it might make sense to continue virtual participation in certain circumstances, such as a bad snow storm.

"Nobody will tell you, 'I want the House to become 100 per cent virtual,'" she says. "Nobody wants that. There will have to be a balance."

Holland vividly remembers late Liberal colleagues Mauril Belanger and Arnold Chan showing up for votes in the Commons despite struggling with painful, debilitating illnesses. Perhaps, he suggests, there could be an allowance in future for remote voting for MPs in ill health.

Although not enamoured with virtual proceedings himself, Blaikie is hopeful that the procedure and House affairs committee, on which he sits, will conduct a thorough review of what worked and what didn't during the pandemic and look ahead with a "willingness to try new things."

"I think one of the things we've learned in this pandemic is you can change the way Parliament does its business and the sky doesn't fall," Blaikie says.

"It would be strange to go through an experience like this and decide nothing should change at all. But picking the right changes is an art, not a science, and there's no right answer."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2021.
Driven to success and intent on making a difference in public policy, Avery McLean is on an ambitious path.

Driven to success and intent on making a difference in public policy, Avery McLean is on an ambitious path.

"Ive always had these strong female characters around me, so I know I can do what I want to do because they were able to achieve what they want," she said.

Avery McLean, originally from Pilot Mound, is seen with her bachelors degree in biology, with a minor in political science, which she recently earned from from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. (Submitted)

"I had that support system to know anything I wanted to accomplish was possible."

Her grandmother, Shirley Richards, was a nurse whose sister, Louise Johnson, was a teacher. McLeans mother, Mylia Richards, is a veterinarian.

The 22-year-old from Pilot Mound recently graduated with a bachelors degree in biology and a minor in political science from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Her story prompted the university to issue a media notice regarding a student news director Angie Faller referred to as "one of our top graduates."

McLean was on a full-ride academic scholarship throughout her four years of study, and has already shifted to Penn State University, where her law school studies are covered by a 90 per cent scholarship.

In addition to strong, female role models, McLean credits her involvement in competitive swimming with setting her on the right path.

"When I was younger, what really appealed to me was that I found my people in club swimming," she said, which included a time with the Brandon Bluefins Swim Club.

"The older I got, it was the values I learned from it  time-management skills. Its crazy-ridiculous the amount of things I can fit in a day, and I learned that through swimming."

In order to make early-morning swim practices, she enrolled in the Institut Collegial Vincent Massey Collegiate in Winnipeg at age 15, staying with a host family during the week and heading back home to Pilot Mound most weekends.

From there, she was recruited as a swimmer for University of Arkansas at Little Rock as a prestigious Donaghey Scholar, which covered not only tuition and some other expenses, but a summer 2019 study in Switzerland.

She could have sought a position at a Canadian university, but figured shed use it as an opportunity to broaden her worldview.

"Im very into learning from every experience Im in, and I know that if I could get somewhere else and experience maybe even a slightly different way of life, it would help make me into a more complete global citizen and someone who can look at issues from a variety of perspectives, and thats something I really value," she said.

This directive followed her to Switzerland, where she studied the World Health Organizations glyphosate research (Monsantos Roundup), and to Penn State University, where she is studying environmental law.

Her end goal has changed along the way, but her underlying motivation to make a positive difference in the world has remained constant.

"To be a part of the conversation would mean a lot, and I believe we need a lot more people to have global perspectives and more diverse perspectives, particularly in those decision spots," she said.

On this front, she credits Penn State with allowing her to study a broad range of topics, and not just one narrow field of focus.

Her advice to other young ambitious young people is to keep their eyes open to opportunities and diversify their education as much as possible.

"Always be willing to consider the other side of an argument and to practise an interdisciplinary life," she said, adding this tends to open up more doors.

"It really allows you to really get to where youre meant to be in life, whether thats where you originally thought youd be or not."

 tclarke@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB
Every week, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age asks key figures across corporate media, business, sport, federal politics, radio, television and culture to answer a series of questions about their life, careers, hobbies and news habits.

Welcome to Quick q  Monday Medias weekly Q&A series dedicated to finding out more about the personalities that matter most in the Australian media landscape.

I interned at The Australians Melbourne bureau while doing a graduate journalism diploma at RMIT in 2012, and never left. Then bureau chief Patricia Karvelas hired me as a cadet, and Ive since had a stint covering federal politics in Canberra before returning to Melbourne to begin my current role ahead of the 2018 state election. I fell into student journalism while aimlessly completing an honours degree in English Literature at Melbourne Uni, and ended up editing the student paper Farrago. A frankly terrifying proportion of the people I knew through student political and media circles back then have gone on to real jobs as politicians, staffers and journos.

What are your daily news media habits?

I alternate between Radio National and ABC Melbourne while exercising first thing in the morning, then read The Australian, The Age and Herald Sun over breakfast. Time constraints mean my weekday paper reading is pretty pragmatic and (state) politics-focused. Later in the morning I flit between Neil Mitchell and Virginia Trioli, then I often have Sky News on in the background while Im working. Ive also got Twitter alerts for all of the Victorian press gallery and other key Spring St accounts, so Im aware pretty much straight away if a story is breaking. I podcast PM on ABC radio on my way home from work, check the Seven, Nine and Ten Melbourne Twitter accounts to make sure Im across their top stories, then iView the 7pm ABC Vic TV news and 7:30 while cooking dinner & catching up on household chores.

Which living person do you most admire?

I covered Susan Kiefels swearing-in as Chief Justice of the High Court while in Canberra. Its hard not to be inspired by the achievements shes accomplished despite having dropped out of school at 15 in 1960s Cairns.
Mr McKenna responded that he had not been aware until two months ago that many workers had paid their Chinese recruiters large sums to secure a job. He said he and his company had contacted the immigration minister many times seeking assistance on behalf of workers, but, when a select representative group of workers threatened me I told them I would not support them as that is not how things are done in Australia. Australian Meat Industry Employees Union Queensland branch secretary, Matt Journeaux, said the fear was very real among foreign workers that their visas may be cancelled. Those people then have to find a sponsor in 28 days, he said. On the recording, Mr McKenna can be heard telling the workers that the Chinese worker involved in the incident, Benson Wang, had been sacked and would be charged by police. Mr Wang was taken to hospital suffering a black eye and possible concussion. Dean McKenna, whose family owns Midfield Meats. Credit:Anthony Brady Police did not charge Mr Wang, who had claimed to have been hit first by his supervisor after a dispute over a tool he was using. Mr Wang returned to China soon after the incident.

Benson assaulted a supervisor. The supervisor defended himself as anybodys entitled to and Benson come (sic) off second best. The police told myself ... they will be charging Benson, Mr McKenna said on the recording. He will be charged with assault. Not negotiable. He will be sacked. Not negotiable ... he will never work here again. He will, I would think, be removed from Australia. Australia does not want people like Benson. Mr McKenna also took aim at comments by the Chinese workers in mainstream and social media about their working conditions. Alan Tudge. Credit:Photo: Alex Ellinghausen To say that people dont get toilet breaks. To say that ... a worker got cuts, had nine stitches, had to come straight back to work? Bullshit. To say that were racist? Bullshit. To say that we dont support you? Bullshit, he was recorded saying.

During coronavirus, we were not obliged to pay one person. Everybody, everybody got paid ... the schools, we talk to the schools to get your children in the schools, because they didnt want them. Who done that? My wife. She got them in the schools. We give them donations. Chinese workers from Midfield have told The Age and the Herald on condition of anonymity because they are worried about their jobs that the company had helped them with schooling, housing and settlement in Warrnambool. But they also said they had experienced verbal abuse from supervisors, intensified workloads and occasional difficulties in dealing with workplace injuries. Mr McKenna said Midfields labour agreement was still yet to be approved by the federal government even though it was submitted two years ago. Without it, the company cannot sponsor anyone for permanent residency. Arthritis in the fingers of a Chinese meatworker who has worked for five years at Midfield Meats. Asked if he had heard anything recently from the government about the labour agreement, Mr McKenna said: None at all as I sense there are larger issues than Midfield.

Trade tensions with China means it has cancelled the valuable export licences of several Australian red meat processors and imposed crippling tariffs on other agricultural exports. Australia has also raised questions over Chinas human rights record in Xinjiang and Hong Kong. Some Australian abattoirs, including Midfield, are meanwhile facing scrutiny from the Australian Border Force over their foreign skilled worker arrangements and offshore assessment processes. To be eligible for a skilled migrant visa to work in an Australian abattoir, workers from countries such as China must have had three years experience and pass an English language assessment. Midfield and dozens of other abattoirs in at least four states have relied upon a recruitment and labour hire syndicate headed by alleged tax dodging Chinese businessman Zu Neng Shi, or Scott Shi, to provide more than 1100 workers per year between 2008 and 2017. A worker at Midfield Meats. Credit:Nicole Cleary Mr McKenna said labour hire companies did 90 per cent of the assessments on foreign workers supplied to Midfield.

They stated they know the market and would screen accordingly ... I must say we had no idea who we were dealing with hence we used who we thought were the experts as they were doing this for many others, he said. Australian meat processors say they have increasingly been forced to rely on overseas workers because few locals are applying for jobs in an abattoir. There are 36 separate labour agreements in force in Australia that allow meat processors to employ foreign workers. Loading Meat processing is very repetitive and some may say boring and there are many alternatives in our area as official unemployment is around two per cent, Mr McKenna said. But the reliance on foreign workers has led to claims by unions and workers of exploitation of a vulnerable group of people who rarely speak up because of their precarious visa status and close oversight by labour hire networks which reach back to their home countries.

The Australian Taxation Office alleges in Federal Court documents that 29 separate companies overseen by Mr Shi owe as much as $163 million in unpaid taxes. Search warrants executed on properties associated with Mr Shi allege he is suspected of money laundering, tax evasion, secret commissions and migration fraud. Mr Shi has yet to be charged with any offences. Mr Shi sourced workers from another man, Zhu Chao Ping, who goes by the names of David Zhu or Steve Chu in Australia. Midfield received some workers from Mr Zhus network in Fujian province. As well as supplying workers for Australian meat processors, Mr Zhu has occasionally arranged secret meetings in Beijing between Australian abattoir owners and senior Chinese customs official, Wang Gang. Loading Text messages seen by The Age and the Herald show Midfield owner Mr McKenna was taken by Mr Zhu to see Dr Wang in Beijing two to three years ago. Mr McKennas company has not been able to secure an export licence from China.
WA Premier Mark McGowan has announced a third case of COVID-19 will send the Perth and Peel region into a four-day lockdown from midnight on Monday.

He said genomic sequencing has confirmed that it is linked to the Delta variant from Sydney.

WA Premier Mark McGowan has announced a four-day snap lockdown.

Mr McGowan said people would be required to stay home unless they were essential workers, shopping for essentials like groceries, getting medical care, or caring for the vulnerable.

Other reasons people may leave home include getting vaccinated and exercising within a 5 kilometre radius of their home.

Weddings are restricted to five people, funerals to 10 people while gyms, beauty and hair salons, casinos and nightclubs must close. Schools and daycares will stay open.

The latest case is a man in his 30s who worked and dined at Perths northern suburbs Indian Ocean Brewery, where the original case  a woman in her 50s from Mindarie who had visited Sydney  dined on Tuesday, June 22.

Earlier on Monday, a 32-year-old woman who attended the Mobius Health and Performance Gym in Joondalup, where a case attended, also tested positive for COVID-19.

Were engaging in a lockdown to kill it as soon as we can, Mr McGowan said.

Any new positive case is not good. What is even more concerning is this most recent infection appears to ... have involved only fleeting contact with the original case.

We hope this will be a circuit [breaker] which will give our testers and contact tracers time to nail down a picture of how far this latest outbreak has spread.
A coronavirus outbreak in a Northern Territory gold mine has plunged Darwin and its surrounds into a two-day lockdown while threatening to spill over into the rest of the country.

Four new cases were reported in the territory on Sunday linked to a fly-in fly-out worker from the Newmont Corporations Granites gold mine, 550 kilometres north-west of Alice Springs, who tested positive to COVID-19 on Saturday after acquiring the virus in a Queensland hotel quarantine breach.

The outbreak has sent several state and territory health authorities scrambling to trace 900 contacts who have departed the mine site and dispersed across Australia since coming into contact with the infectious worker. A further 754 workers at the mine are in isolation.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said everything possible will be done to protect vulnerable remote Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory.
Police have made a plea for public help to find the 33-year-old woman they believe was behind the wheel of an allegedly stolen hire car that hit and killed an officer north of Brisbane early on Saturday.

Skye Anne Wallis, who last lived in the Caboolture area, was named as the suspected driver by Detective Superintendent Craig Morrow on Sunday, less than 24 hours after another woman, who police believe was the only passenger, was charged with murder over the incident.

Police are searching for Skye Anne Wallis in relation to the hit-and-run death of Senior Constable David Masters on Saturday morning.

Weve constantly  today and last night  attended a number of addresses of family, friends and associates, he said. Theres an opportunity for you to present to a local police station and hand yourself in.

Senior Constable David Masters, 53, died at the scene after being hit while trying to stop a suspected stolen vehicle with road spikes along the Bruce Highway at Burpengary just after 3am on Saturday.
Queensland has confirmed two people now diagnosed with COVID-19 spent a week in the community and are believed to be linked to the Four Points hotel quarantine leak, with a number of exposure sites across the south-east listed and some recently eased restrictions now winding back.

A third case reported late Sunday was detected in a mine worker, who returned from the Northern Territory through Brisbane on Friday before travelling to the Sunshine Coast, and will be included in Mondays official figures.

One of the two people infected worked at Brisbane Airport DFO. Credit:Robert Rough RNR

News of the initial infections  a cleaner who worked at the Brisbane Airport DFO and CBD police watchhouse, and her partner, who works on the Sunshine Coast  came just hours before parts of the Northern Territory were sent into lockdown in response to an outbreak at the mine sparked by a separate Queensland hotel quarantine breach.

In an eleventh-hour announcement, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said masks would be mandatory and provided to those arriving at Suncorp Stadium for Sunday nights State of Origin game. She said the masks were only to be removed while spectators were seated, in response to the increased risk of clusters now growing in multiple states.
Edition of edition was issued by The Age, and the sheets were seized with avidity as the runners left our office. The extraordinary occurrence, in a civilised and settled country, of a pitched battle between the police and a gang of desperados seemed to stagger the community. Portrait of Ned Kelly. As one startling item after another came through the wires the excitement increased  First the surrounding of the gang, then the wounding of Superintendent Hare, the injuries inflicted on the two unfortunate children, the encounter with Ned Kelly (which reads like an imaginative chapter from a romantic novel), his capture, the constant fusillade kept on the hotel, the death of Byrne, and the final tragic ending by the burning of the building in which the doomed outlaws were. From our special reporters: Glenrowan, 28th June, 9.30 a.m.  The special train arrived here at three oclock this morning. Owing to the courage of Constable Bracken the lives of the whole party who were in the train were saved. It was ascertained that the lines had been torn up, and that the Kellys had stuck up the whole of Glenrowan. The bushrangers, on the arrival of police, at once got into Joness Hotel, which is the most substantial building in the place, taking with them forty men and women. Firing then commenced, and has continued at intervals until seven oclock.

About seven oclock Ned Kelly was seen in the timber, where he fought valiantly for about half an hour. He was then shot down and brought into the township, evidently mortally wounded. Kelly was wounded at the first shot last night, and could have escaped in the darkness, but he stood to his comrades and fought to the last. The hotel which Hart, Dan Kelly and Byrne are in is completely surrounded, but the bushrangers still hold out. Superintendent Hare was shot in the wrist at the commencement of the firing, Kelly being within a few yards when he fired at him. It is stated that a boy in the hut has been shot dead.

The bullet punctured helmet Ned Kelly wore during his gangs last stand at Glenrowan in 1880. About fifty police are now on the scene and the firing is almost incessant. It is stated that some children have been killed in the hotel, but whether shot by the police accidentally or by the bushrangers cannot be ascertained yet. Glenrowan, 10.30 a.m.  Firing still continues. Dan Kelly and Hart still hold out. Byrne has been shot dead.

Beechworth, 12.20 p.m.  The most intense excitement prevails here in reference to the Kellys. As a special train conveying Superintendent Hare and a number of police were travelling from Benalla to Glenrowan at an early hour, it was stopped, and the occupants informed that the line had been pulled up by the Kellys a mile beyond Glenrowan. Superintendent Hare, on going to the stationmasters house, was informed by the latter that everyone in Glenrowan had been taken into the bush by the outlaws. The police were immediately ordered to leave the train, when Constable Bracken steeped on the scene and exclaimed, I have just escaped from Joness public house. For Gods sake go quickly or they will get away. Mr Hare, followed by two or three police, without the slightest delay proceeded to the place indicated, on nearing which a shot, which struck Superintendent Hare in the arm and wounded him, was fired from inside the house, which was immediately surrounded by all the police present. Hares wound was not serious. Contingents of police from Beechworth, Wangaratta and Benalla were telegraphed for and dispatched accordingly. Ned Kelly was shot by Sergeant Steele and mortally wounded. The rest of the gang were surrounded in Joness Hotel, Glenrowan.

Loading Byrne shot Jones, the landlord of the hotel. The inhabitants of Glenrowan who were shut in the hotel by the gang are now free. The firing between police and the outlaws continues. There is no chance of the outlaws escaping.

Glenrowan, 1.20 p.m.  The fighting still continues, and considerable anxiety is manifested at the result, inasmuch as it is feared that if night should come on before Dan Kelly and Hart surrender, they may escape in the darkness. All those who were liberated this morning report Byrne was shot dead in the hotel at five oclock this morning. His two companions at once covered up the remains and returned to their posts. The rest of the story has been damaged. REMOVAL OF NED KELLY TO MELBOURNE Ned Kelly was this morning removed by Captain Standish to the Melbourne Goal. Whilst in the lockup here last night and this morning he conversed freely with the police, Senior Constable Kelly had several conversations with him.

Loading The constable asked him, on behalf of the widow of Sergeant Kennedy, if Kennedy had given him a letter before he died. He replied, No, he fought to the last; and I had to shoot him or he would have shot either Byrne or myself. When he fall all he said was, God forgive you. Constable Kelly also said, Is Fitzpatricks story that you shot him true? and he replied, Yes it was I who shot him. He also said, I shot the police at Stringy Bark Creek because if I had not done so they would have shot me. We would have been fools to have let them do that. The body of Byrne was brought to Benalla, and at an early hour this morning it was photographed. Miss Lloyd and Miss McIlroy were permitted to see the remains. They also saw Ned Kelly prior to his departure. Miss Lloyd bade him an affectionate farewell, and at the station she appeared dreadfully agitated. INTENTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT
IVF clinics are being forced to destroy the embryos of grief-stricken families due to a Victorian law that lets sperm and egg donors withdraw their consent after fertilisation.

Its a situation that has prompted legal and fertility experts to call for changes to better protect the rights of those undergoing IVF, who invest time, money and emotional energy into the treatment.

One in 20 Victorian children are born through assisted reproductive treatment. Credit:Louise Kennerley

Leading fertility lawyer Stephen Page said he was aware of at least four Melbourne families who had been told this year that their embryos would be destroyed due to the law, which he described as unintentionally cruel and crushing.

It has caused a lot of grief, he said.
WA COVID-19 case timeline June 15  A woman in her 50s travels to Sydney for an event outside the city. June 18  The woman returns to Sydney and starts spending time in the Bondi area. June 19  She has brunch with her husband and son at the Lyfe Cafe. The WA Government brings in a new rule requiring recent arrivals from NSW to get tested and isolate until returning a negative test. People who have visited exposure sites have to stay quarantined regardless for 14 days. June 20  The couple returns home to Perth. June 21  The woman returns a negative test for COVID-19. Husband also tests negative June 22  She visits a small gym called Mobius Health and Performance, went to Coles at Ocean Keys in Mindarie and maybe an Ikea. June 23  Saw some clients and that evening attended Indian Ocean Brewing Co. June 24  The woman attended Burbidge School in Koondoola and saw some clients. In the afternoon went to Connolly Primary School and Coles and Woolworths in Ocean Keys. She starts getting symptoms. WA also goes to Phase 5 restrictions. June 25  The woman stays at home and realises the Lyfe Cafe is now an exposure site. June 26  Goes to get a COVID-19 test at Joondalup Health Campus and comes back positive. June 27  WA goes back to Phase 1 restrictions. The woman developed symptoms of the virus on Thursday but did not go to work or leave her home on Friday. Health authorities are assuming she was infectious from June 22 to 24, a time in which she visited the Ocean Keys shopping centre in Mindarie, the Indian Ocean Brewing Co, a gym, and a school. She also works as a physiotherapist and saw clients on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. No positive tests have come back for 252 West Australian workers who have returned from the Newmont Corporations Granite gold mine in the Northern Territory, where a man tested COVID-positive over the weekend.

WA Chief Health Officer Andy Robertson said information about exposure sites would be available soon and anyone who was at the venues during indicated times needed to isolate and get tested. He said there had been instances in Sydney where the Delta variant was spread just when two people walked by each other. Its a very transmissible strain, he said. If you were in those venues at the time you need to isolate and get tested. Health Minister Roger Cook urged West Australians to keep using the SafeWA App to help the contact tracing process. This is obviously a fast moving situation and the people of Perth have been wonderful at adapting to these rapid changes in the past and we thank them for their efforts, he said.

WA one of the most susceptible states to an outbreak WA removed its remaining COVID-19 capacity restrictions at hospitality venues and for festivals on Wednesday based on the strength of its contact tracing abilities in an outbreak, according to Dr Robertson. The state became the second jurisdiction after the Northern Territory to get rid of all its capacity limit and spacing rules by going to what is known as Phase 5 restrictions. Dr Robertson gave a warning in his health advice to the Premier on June 18 that going to Phase 5 came with risks, especially with the emergence of new variants of the disease. Modelling shows that WA in Phase 4C, even after the previous lockdowns and subsequent restrictions, remains one of the most susceptible of all the larger jurisdictions to a major outbreak, due to the increased numbers of people moving around in our society and the mixing between non-family groups, he wrote.

This susceptibility has continued to increase in recent modelling. Phase 5, which would remove the final restrictions on physical distancing and would significantly increase the numbers and mixing at high risk venues, including at bars, nightclubs, music venues and events, is anticipated to raise that susceptibility further. NT goes into lockdown The advent of four cases around the country linked to the gold mine has seen Darwin, Litchfield, and Palmerston go into a two-day lockdown from 1pm on Sunday. Two cases are in isolation at the mine, a third was recorded in Palmerston, and the last was a COVID-19 positive worker who is now in the NSW Hunter New England region.

The Palmerston case, a 64-year-old man, has not been out in the community since arriving in Darwin from the mine but 80 people who were also on the plane have been identified as close contacts and will go into isolation. Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the lockdown could go for longer than 48 hours depending on what happens next. There is a stronger chance that any new cases will have exposure sites which makes the job of tracing and testing much bigger, he said. If we wait and it gets worse it will be too hard to control. So we are taking extreme action right now to stop or slow any spread before the coronavirus is let loose in the territory and that means we need a lockdown. The NT has not been in a lockdown since the start of the pandemic and was the first jurisidiction to get rid of all its capacity rules.
Three northern suburbs schools will be closed on Monday after it emerged the COVID-19 community case that launched Perth and Peel into Phase 1 restrictions visited the sites while unknowingly potentially infectious with the Delta variant.

Connolly Primary School, Koondoola Primary School and Burbridge School in Koondoola will all be closed from Monday until further notice as the Health Department hurries to notify parents, teachers and students.

The schools were listed among exposure sites on Sunday afternoon that a woman in her 50s, who returned from New South Wales last Sunday, visited between June 22 to 24.

The entire year 5 student cohort at Connolly Primary have been listed as close contacts, while contact tracing is underway for casual contacts.
The Victorian Health Department said passengers on flights scheduled to depart before the cut-off time could enter Victoria under green zone permit conditions. South Australia closed its border to Queensland, Western Australia, the Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory, and requires everyone who has been in Victoria to get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result. Western Australia reinstated masks and crowd limits in the Perth and Peel areas and upgraded border controls with the Northern Territory, Queensland and the ACT, after a woman in her 50s returned from Sydney to Perth last Sunday before testing positive to COVID-19 almost a week later on Saturday night. Victoria recorded no new local cases in the 24 hours, but three were detected in hotel quarantine, after 20,700 test results were processed. Loading

Acting Premier James Merlino said the states public health team was on high alert and more than 200 police officers were patrolling the border to prevent people from illegally entering Victoria. Victorias public health teams are constantly monitoring the situation across the country and will make changes if theyre needed, Mr Merlino said on Sunday afternoon. Its a rapidly changing situation. Keeping Victorians safe is our top priority, and we wont hesitate to strengthen our borders if that is the advice from the public health team. Victorias COVID-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar earlier in the day said he was concerned about more coronavirus cases seeping into Victoria and flagged there could be further changes to border restrictions. If youre a Victorian in NSW and you need to be back in our state, then we would encourage you to do so promptly, Mr Weimar said.

And we would certainly encourage any Victorian, please do not travel to NSW at this time. It is an unpredictable situation and we want to ensure we protect our state and the wider Australian east coast. Australias big four banks have pledged to offer support including loan deferrals or waiving fees for customers under financial strain as a result of NSWs COVID-19 lockdown, amid warnings the cost to the economy could top $1 billion a week. AMP Capitals chief economist Shane Oliver estimated the toll of a two-week lockdown across Greater Sydney and surrounds would cost the economy about $2 billion. New South Wales recorded 30 new cases of COVID-19, all linked to the Bondi cluster. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned the outbreak was likely to increase. Australian Medical Association vice-president Chris Moy said the virulence of the Delta strain was a major factor in the national outbreak. Were basically having a cross-country seeding event, he said.

Dr Moy said states and territories had to go hard on restrictions early to minimise the spread after two separate coronavirus outbreaks have sparked cases in NSW, the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland. Its beaten the NSW contact tracers, and the reliance on contact tracers and holding out [on introducing a lockdown] for a few days has led to seeding across the country. This is a different beast. Youve got to go hard at this. Really, thats your best chance. Queensland recorded two new cases  a Brisbane couple who has the Alpha strain. The Northern Territory recorded four new cases of COVID-19 linked to a gold mine worker who acquired the virus in a Queensland quarantine hotel.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said everything possible would be done to protect vulnerable remote Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory. The Commonwealth has offered various supports to the NT, Mr Hunt said, including more than 4000 testing kits, and asymptomatic testing has been activated. The Royal Flying Doctors services is on standby for rapid deployment and there will be a briefing with the Aboriginal Health sector, Mr Hunt said. We have set up a national incident management team to support the Northern Territory response and that is hosted in the National Incident Centre and includes representatives from the National Indigenous Australians agency, he said. As of Sunday morning, Victorian health authorities had identified three miners in the state who worked at the Granites gold mine. They were isolating on Sunday.

We expect that number to grow as we work with other jurisdictions to identify where those other 900 mine workers have travelled to, Mr Weimar said. We understand they may have travelled fairly widely across Australia. If you were at the Granites gold mine between [June 18 and 25], please, stay where you are, isolate, get tested and contact us so we can support you during this isolation period. Victorian authorities were also racing to contact 128 passengers who were on a Virgin flight to Melbourne on Friday with a potentially infectious flight attendant. Loading AFL North Melbourne staff and players were sent into home isolation and told to get tested on Sunday after being at the airport on Saturday on the way to Hobart for their match against Gold Coast.

The Roos were at Melbourne Airport between 7am and 8am on Saturday, and now must await a negative result. AFL industry sources confirmed Brisbane Lions players who had planned to attend Sunday nights rugby league state of origin game in Brisbane have been told by the club not to attend as a risk mitigation strategy given the unfolding COVID-19 situation. The cabin crew member who tested positive to COVID-19 on Saturday evening flew into Melbourne on Friday on flight VA334 from Brisbane. She is Sydney-based and a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case from a known cluster in Sydney, according to Virgin. The woman stayed overnight at the Holiday Inn Express in Southbank. Mr Weimar stressed the woman, who was potentially very early in her infectious period, abided by strict coronavirus protocols during her time at the hotel. Authorities have identified 43 aircrew staff as primary close contacts of the woman, and listed all public areas of Melbourne Airport Terminal 2 as exposure sites between 6.30am and 7.30am on Saturday.

Terminal 3 is listed as being an exposure site between 5.20pm and 6.50pm on Friday, and between 8am and 9am on Saturday. Friday, June 25: VA939 Departed Sydney at 11.51am; arrived Brisbane at 1.25pm

VA334 Departed Brisbane at 2.59pm; arrived Melbourne at 5.16pm Saturday, June 26: VA827 Departed Melbourne at 9am; arrived Sydney at 10.14am

VA517 Departed Sydney at 11.14am; arrived Gold Coast at 12.40pm

VA524 Departed Gold Coast at 1.26pm; arrived Sydney 2.47pm
Loading He said it had felt like an eternity before Catherine found him because he struggled to yell and was forced to take painful, shallow breaths due to broken ribs. Ms Andrews said when she found her husband and called for an ambulance, it was awful because [he] was going blue. We were looking at each other, and I was thinking, Youre going to die here in Sorrento at this holiday house, and you were looking at me and you felt the same, she said in the video. This is the second time Mr Andrews has posted a video since his fall  the first was at 8pm on Sunday, June 12, to announce he would be returning to work on June 28.

On the morning of his fall, the Premier was due to attend a 9am press conference at Healesville, almost two hours away, to announce the Yoo-rrook Justice Commission  an Australian-first inquiry backed by royal commission powers to investigate the ongoing effects of colonisation on Victorias Aboriginal community and chart a path to reconciliation. Details about the Premiers condition were scant at the time of the fall and he has only provided a handful of updates since through his social media accounts. The information vacuum led to questions about the circumstances surrounding the fall, and prompted the Opposition earlier this month to ask a series of questions, including who owned the holiday home, who called the ambulance, and whether police had interviewed the Premier. At the time, acting Premier James Merlino and senior cabinet ministers accused the Coalition of peddling QAnon craziness and warned the Liberal Party was at risk of plunging into a Trump conspiracy theory wormhole. In his four-minute video, overlaid with piano music and shots of his family preparing food and hot drinks in the kitchen, Mr Andrews thanked his Victoria Police security detail, the ambos and healthcare workers who looked after him during his recovery, and those who sent their good wishes. He said while there had been some really vile stories put out about how his accident occurred, he was deeply grateful for the tens of thousands of messages he received from the public.

One of the most important messages he had received was from former Victorian Liberal premier Ted Baillieu, who injured his back 40 years ago and is still living with the repercussions of not recovering properly, Mr Andrews said. According to Mr Andrews, the former Liberal Premier urged him to take the time to completely heal. Premier Daniel Andrews has posted a photo of him and his wife Catherine Andrews out for a walk the day before he returns to work after his serious injury. Credit:Instagram As painful, as difficult, and as traumatic as it was, were very lucky, he said. The kindness of strangers, its a beautiful thing. Its the best medicine, in some ways. Shadow treasurer Louise Staley, who led the oppositions charge on the circumstances surrounding the Premiers fall, declined to comment. Earlier in the day, the oppositions leader in the upper house David Davis said there were a range of issues the Premier must attend to upon his return, including charting a COVID-19 recovery plan.

In his absence, cabinet ministers speaking on the condition of anonymity so they could discuss issues frankly, had lauded what they described as acting Premier James Merlinos conciliatory and collegiate style, compared with Mr Andrews controlling demeanour. A Resolve polling survey done for The Age revealed support slipping for Labor and Mr Andrews. Mr Andrews recorded a net likeability rating of plus 10 per cent, with 42 per cent of voters expressing a positive view of him, compared with 32 per cent feeling negatively towards him. Mr Merlino out-polled his boss with a likeability score of plus 15 per cent. Dan has been so central to everything that happened in the government ... James has a more cooperative approach and it has worked, the minister said. Some voices are being heard that werent in the past.

On Sunday afternoon, before the Premier released his video, Mr Merlino said he was looking forward to handing back the reins. Im delighted that Dans going to be back on his feet as premier tomorrow and thats a great thing, Mr Merlino said. We all know what a long and painful recovery it is for anyone who has suffered a serious back injury and Dan needed that time to fully recover. Im delighted, the whole cabinet, the government is delighted that hes back on his feet tomorrow. The Resolve polling also underscored how polarised public opinion on Mr Andrews has become, especially in light of last years four-month lockdown. Those who support Mr Andrews lauded his leadership in a crisis, exceptional performance and competency, and transparency, while those who dont described him as a dishonest, incompetent leader who was destroying the state.
London: Sensitive defence documents containing details about the British military have been found at a bus stop in England, the BBC has reported.

The papers included plans for a possible UK military presence in Afghanistan, as well as discussion about the potential Russian reaction to the British warship HMS Defenders travel through waters off the Crimean coast last week, the BBC said.

British destroyer HMS Defender, which was included in sensitive defence documents reportedly found at a bus stop in Kent, England. Credit:AP

The broadcaster said a member of the public who wanted to remain unnamed contacted it when they found the pile of documents  about 50 pages in all  in a soggy heap on Tuesday behind a bus stop in Kent, south-east of London.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova mocked the British government on social media channel Telegram, saying: London has used a number of lies to cover up the latest provocation. 007 [James Bond] is no longer the same.
One of the first things visitors to the southern Chinese city of Liuzhou notice is the quiet. Missing is the incessant noise of throbbing engines and clashing gears that provides the backdrop to daily life in most metropolises around the globe.

The reason: almost 30% of the cars sold in Liuzhou last year were electric, according to WAYS Information Technology, a Guangzhou-based consulting firm, more than five times Chinas average  making the city of 4 million the effective capital of the biggest EV market in the world. Globally, it trails only Oslo for electric-vehicle penetration. Not only that, but Liuzhous air and water quality is among the best in a nation synonymous with choking pollution.

This green dividend is an unexpected bonus of a push by city authorities to make Liuzhou an EV manufacturing hub, and a concerted effort to overcome concerns over range, reliability and battery safety that have held back electric car take-up globally. Working with local carmaker SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Co.  whose tiny, dirt cheap EV has been Chinas top seller for most of the past nine months, beating even Tesla Inc.  they also rolled out a slew of incentives, from extensive test drives to free parking and tens of thousands of charge points, to encourage people to buy

Its an approach that may provide a blueprint for other cities around the world as they try and convince drivers to give up their gas guzzlers to meet ambitious emissions targets.

While governments from Germany to the U.S. offer subsidies on EV purchases, sales still lag well behind those for conventional cars outside of a few pockets in Europe like Norway and Sweden. Liuzhous strategy may also be instructive for legacy automakers like General Motors Co. and Volkswagen AG, which are pumping tens of billions of dollars into a high-stakes bet that the future is electric. New-energy vehicles accounted for just under 4.5% of global passenger vehicle sales last year, according to BloombergNEF.





At the beginning, people had many concerns about EVs, such as safety or the convenience of charging, Gou Yi, a deputy chief at Liuzhous branch of the National Development and Reform Commission, Chinas top economic planner, said in an interview. What we did was to make sure our citizens felt its very comfortable to use EVs. People have realized how economical and easy are, and how much cleaner our air has become after more and more EVs hit the roads.

Liuzhous first move was to expose wary residents to EVs. SAIC-GM-Wuling, a joint venture between U.S. giant General Motors and state-backed SAIC Motor Corp. and Guangxi Automobile Group Co., carried out a free 10-month test-drive campaign in 2017. More than 15,000 people took the automakers Baojun E100 for a spin, providing the company with 12,000 items of feedback. The trial was so popular that available slots ran out within minutes, and 70% of test-drivers bought one of the vehicles.

Wuling then studied residents needs and driving habits, tailoring the Baojun E100 for a daily commute of less than 30 kilometers (19 miles). The pint-sized two-seater  about half the length of a Tesla Model X and similar in appearance to the Smart car  comes with a similarly small price tag of around $5,000. That not only helps lower the bar for ownership, but reduces running costs such as insurance.

In a further incentive, drivers could earn cash rewards of up to 1,000 yuan ($160) a year for driving up to 10,000 kilometers. Hua Yong, an official in charge of EV promotion at the NDRC, said he made 500 yuan the first year he had his EV and 400 yuan the next, while Gou says he got the maximum reward every year.

The mini cars  which are everywhere in Liuzhou  also allowed the government to create 15,000 additional parking spots around the city. Their size meant they could fit on previously unusable tracts of land, such as the sidewalk verge.

Thats what appealed to 30-year-old bank worker Zhang Jiageng, who said the cost of using his Baojun E200 is almost unnoticeable. He pays about 0.1 yuan, or 2 cents, per kilometer for charging and gets unlimited free parking at the designated electric-vehicle parking lots, or two hours free in regular car parks. Zhang said barely drives his other car, a Subaru SUV.

If you make EVs that are affordable and convenient, then they will replace peoples bike, scooter or whatever else they might be commuting on, said Bill Russo, chief executive officer of advisory firm Automobility Ltd. in Shanghai. Smaller cities in China typically lack public transport options, and an affordable EV can extend the range of people in a city by extending the commuting range of residents.

Because the cars can be charged from a regular household socket, Wuling was able to install charging points throughout Liuzhou for a fraction of the cost of typical EV infrastructure. There are now around 30,000 charging outlets in the city. In another lure for buyers, can be driven in dedicated bus-lanes, a time-saving privilege during rush hour or traffic jams.

Unlike in the west, Liuzhous main motivation for embracing EVs was to strengthen the local auto industry, which contributes to about half of the citys industrial output. China has made dominating the new era of cars a national priority, and local policy makers took advantage of that focus, securing support and funding from Beijing. While not a strategy that can necessarily be replicated elsewhere, its paying off for Liuzhou: auto industrial output surged 64% in the first quarter on the back of soaring demand for EVs, which more than tripled.





And the environmental benefits are there. Liuzhou retains older heavy industry  steel mills still dot the horizon, belching out plumes of white smoke  but the water quality of the Liujiang River that snakes through the city and provides the water snails used in a local soup delicacy was ranked No. 1 among Chinas inland rivers last year. Daily air quality was rated excellent about 97% of the time in 2020, compared to just 76% in the capital Beijing

Liuzhou plans to provide even more support to the sector, by encouraging the localization of supply chains, and backing technology innovation and exports. The aim is to double auto-industry output to 500 billion yuan by 2030, according to Mo Chunyan, a deputy head of the local branch of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

Steering people toward electric cars without mandates is a challenge, said Jochen Siebert, managing director at JSC Automotive in Singapore. Provincial authorities in Guangxi, the area surrounding Liuzhou, are trying to expand the strategy to other cities, including in other parts of China.

Cities should support the light-weight and small vehicles coming into the city as those vehicles can fit into everywhere and not using too much energy, Siebert said. That should be the future.

 2021 Bloomberg L.P.
Japanese carmaker has initiated a gradual ramp-up of production at its Chennai plant as it looks to cater to the pent up demand for its models across domestic and international markets, according to a top company official.

The Oragadam-based plant, which is owned by Renault Automotive India Pvt Ltd (RNAIPL), had to temporarily suspend operations from May 26-30 due to the worsening of the COVID-19 situation in Tamil Nadu.

The plant closure came after the company had a prolonged tussle with labour unions who demanded work to be stopped at the company's factory.

The factory recommenced production on May 31. On June 4, the Madras High Court allowed the plant to continue with production while asking the automaker to address issues flagged by the state government on the safety of workmen, vis-a-vis COVID-19.

"After a brief pause due to the challenges posed by the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in India, we have carefully resumed operations and initiated a second shift by ramping up production in a phased and gradual manner," Motor India Managing Director Rakesh Srivastava told PTI.

As a people-first organisation, the company has taken a host of measures towards employee well-being, while continuing to observe all safety protocols mandated by the government authorities, he added.

Srivastava noted that the situation is still fluid, with production processes, manpower and supply chains taking time to attain normalcy.

"But we are hopeful that the situation in the country will steadily improve so that we may operate at full force and increase volumes of the all-new Magnite, Kicks and Datsun portfolio to meet growing demands in India and our export markets," he added.

On shortage of critical components, Srivastava said, "The semiconductor situation has also improved drastically since it emerged at the start of the year. We, at Nissan, work closely with our global teams, manufacturing plant and channel partners to address such supply chain and production issues."



The company has formed a cross-functional Semi-conductor Task Force' that proactively works on anticipating global and local shortages whilst seeking alternative solutions, he added.

"We are confident that our experience has allowed us to manage the COVID-19 wave with more resilience, positivity and innovation to drive our business," Srivastava said.

The first joint Renault-Nissan Alliance plant for global markets, the Chennai facility has a production capacity of 400,000 units per annum. Opened in March 2010, the plant involves an investment of Rs 4,500 crore and employs 1,500 people.

Koleos and Fluence were the first vehicles designed for the Indian market to roll off the production lines.

(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 March 19, 1906, in a horrific act of terror that had become all too common in the South, a white mob descended on a Chattanooga jail and dragged a young Black man from his cell. The man, Ed Johnson, had already been sentenced to death for sexually assaulting a white woman  despite the fact that she couldnt definitively identify Johnson, and wasnt even sure if her assailant was Black.

The mob strung Johnson up to the citys landmark bridge and left his body to hang over the Tennessee River. But murdering him apparently wasnt enough. The crowd started chanting the name of John Marshall Harlan, the Supreme Court justice who had issued a stay of execution while the highest court reviewed the details of Johnsons case. A note pinned to Johnsons body bore a taunt that exuded an entitled impunity: To Chief Harlan. Here is your Negro. Thanks for your kind consideration of him. You can find him at the morgue.

Anybody who had encountered Harlan several decades before would have had a hard time believing he had become the target of white supremacists. Born in 1833 to a prominent slaveholding family in Kentucky, Harlan freed the people he himself held in bondage only after the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment, which he had opposed. When he was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1877, it was considered a sop to the South. Republicans, who belonged to what was the antislavery party at the time, generally mistrusted him.

But Harlan turned out to be a stalwart proponent of civil rights. He was often the lone dissenting voice on a Supreme Court whose decisions  which included the notorious separate but equal ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson  essentially abandoned Black Southerners to Jim Crow. Frederick Douglass praised Harlan as a moral hero, and Thurgood Marshall would later cite him as an inspiration. In a new biography of Harlan, The Great Dissenter, Peter S Canellos  an editor at Politico and the author of a biography of Ted Kennedy  says that Americans dont yet fully appreciate this personal and political transformation, if they even recognise Harlans name at all.

Harlan doesnt occupy much of a place in the public imagination. The literature of his life has consisted mainly of academic biographies. This new book is a worthy addition: Solidly accessible and thoroughly researched, it makes a persuasive case for Harlans significance and sometimes reads like a mystery. We live at a moment when it can be difficult for people to escape the words and deeds of their previous selves. What to make of a man who, in the approving words of one supporter of his appointment to the Supreme Court, had sloughed off his old pro-slavery skin?

Given his unlikely political trajectory, Harlan faced a predictable charge of opportunism  that he had merely sensed which way the political winds were blowing after the Civil War and calibrated his pragmatic self accordingly. But Mr Canellos discerns an unbroken thread running through Harlans life. The judge harboured a lifelong abhorrence of national divisions  its just that his understanding of who was responsible for the most fractious of those divisions would change according to his experiences. His conversion to the civil rights cause was hard-won.

Like his father, Harlan was so averse to conflict that he criticised both the abolitionists and the cruellest of enslavers, while insisting that the question of slavery should be left up to the states. But in the lead up to the Civil War, he started to recognise how compromise, in practice, often meant capitulation to the voracious ambitions of the Slave Power. Kentucky, a border state, had declared neutrality before the Confederacy invaded. Harlan announced his decision to fight for the Union by appealing to the cause of human liberty  a reference that, Mr Canellos concedes, may have jarred those who just two years earlier had heard John talk of protecting the rights of slave owners.

A good deal of The Great Dissenter is also devoted to the life story of Robert  rumoured to be the son of Johns father and an enslaved woman, even though John and Robert consistently maintained a polite silence on the subject.

John and Robert had a relationship that, from all indications, was filled with mutual respect; Robert, given the kind of prerogatives denied other enslaved people in the Harlan household, made a fortune in horse racing and the gold rush. Mr Canellos argues that seeing Roberts extraordinary accomplishments up close was bound to have an effect on John and his jurisprudence.

The arc of Mr Canelloss narrative is comforting, bending toward justice, with the long Jim Crow era eventually yielding to Brown v. Board and the 1964 Civil Rights Act. He mentions but doesnt dwell on the legacy of Harlans grandson John Marshall Harlan II, who served as a great dissenter himself, but as a conservative justice on the Warren Supreme Court.

You also sense that Mr Canellos wants to believe that the highest court still reflects the logical progression of a man whose top priority had always been the preservation of American ideals  even if some observers of the direction taken by the current Court have argued otherwise.
The UAE's sovereign wealth fund Investment Authority has picked up a minority stake in the IPO-bound digital payments player for nearly USD 20 million (about Rs 150 crore), valuing it at USD 700 million, the company has said.

The company was in bad press in March after alleged massive data theft, following which the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had ordered a forensic audit on the Gurugram-based company set up in 2009. Personal data of its about 10 million customers were allegedly stolen by hackers.

The latest round of funding of USD 20 million from the Investment Authority values the company at USD 700 million (nearly Rs 5,193 crore), according to a Registrar of (RoC) filing by

Since March 2021, it has raised over Rs 235 crore.

As part of these fund raises, it recently added investors such as ex-Blackstone India head Mathew Cyriac, Padma awardee Sat Pal Khattar, and ex-Infosys chief investment officer V G Dheeshjith as new shareholders. Its other investors include Sequoia Capital and Bajaj Finance.

According to investment banking sources, is working on a Rs 1,200-crore primary share sale, which is likely to hit the markets by September.

Early March, digital wallet and payments start-up Mobikwik was in the thick of a crisis after personal data of 9.9 million of its customers were allegedly stolen by hackers. Though it denied the allegations, it was ordered to conduct a forensic audit by the Reserve Bank.

Mobikwik claims one million daily transactions across its network, which include digital wallets and services like mobile phone top-ups and utility bill payments. Over three million merchants are on its network and serves over 107 million users.

According to a PwC report in December 2020, the country's digital payments market may reach Rs 163 lakh crore by next financial year. With Facebook's WhatsApp winning permission to offer payments locally, competition among digital payments players like Google Pay, Walmart' PhonePe and Paytm has increased.

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An committee, which was



constituted on the direction of the Calcutta High Court to look into allegations of human rights violations in the wake of post-poll in West Bengal, would receive representations from complainants starting Sunday, an official said.

The members of the committee would meet the victims/complainants from 4 pm on Sunday and 10 am on Monday at the Staff Officer Mess of the CRPF at Salt Lake, he said.

The panel members and several other teams of the Human Rights Commission "have been touring various places of and enquiring into the veracity of these allegations," the official said.

A five-judge bench of the high court had on June 18 directed the chairperson of to constitute a committee to examine all cases with regard to alleged human rights violations in the state as a result of post-poll

The bench had sought a comprehensive report about the present situation.

It had on June 21 dismissed a prayer of the government for recalling the order passed in respect of PILs alleging displacement of people from their residences, physical assault, destruction of property and ransacking of places of business owing to post-poll in the state.

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India has a window of six to eight months to vaccinate everybody in the country, NK Arora, the chief of the Union governments Covid-19 working group, said while commenting on the Indian Council of Medical Research report that the third wave will hit the country late.

Arora said while speaking to news agency PTI that the third wave could happen in December this year. Waves are linked to new variants or new mutations so there is a possibility as this is a new variant, but whether it will lead to a third wave is difficult to answer as it will depend upon two or three things," the chairman of Covid-19 Working Group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), told the news agency.

The government had said recently that the Delta variant was one of the major reasons for the surge in cases during the second wave. The Delta variant has affected 174 districts in the country.

First of these, Arora said, is the proportion of population getting affected in the second wave and the second is the pace of vaccination. The government has a target of administering 10 million doses of Covid vaccine a day.

The next wave, Arora said, would also depend upon strict adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour, including wearing of the masks and maintaining a physical distance.

A mathematical modelling study by a team of scientists from the ICMR and the Imperial College London, UK, has said a potential third wave of Covid seems unlikely to be as severe as the second wave.
India on Sunday reported a net reduction of 9,162 in active cases to take its count to 586,403. Indias share of global active cases now stands at 5.08 per cent (one in 19). The country is third among the most affected countries by active cases. On Saturday, it added 50,040 cases to take its total caseload to 30,233,183 from 30,183,143  an increase of 0.2%. And, with 1,258 new fatalities, its Covid-19 reached 395,751, or 1.31 per cent of total confirmed infections.

With 6,425,893 more Covid-19 vaccine doses being administered on Saturday, Indias total count of vaccine shots so far reached 321,760,077. The count of recovered cases across India, meanwhile, reached 29,251,029  or 96.75 per cent of total caseload  with 57,944 new cured cases being reported on Sunday.

Now the third-most-affected country by active cases and deaths, second by total cases, and first by recoveries, India has added 351,218 cases in the past 7 days.

India now accounts for 5.08% of all active cases globally (one in every 19 active cases), and 10.03% of all deaths (one in every 10 deaths).

India has so far administered 321,760,077 vaccine doses. That is 1064.26 per cent of its total caseload, and 23.09 per cent of its population.

Among Indian states, the top 5 in terms of number of vaccine shots administered are Maharashtra (35728045), Uttar Pradesh (35307583), Rajasthan (28750308), Gujarat (28611130), and West Bengal (25168821).

Among states with more than 10 million population, the top 5 in number of vaccine shots per one million population are Kerala (450458), Gujarat (447942), Delhi (446997), Uttarakhand (423255), and J&K (362998).

Backwards from here, the last 1 million cases for India have come in 17 days.

The count of active cases across India on Saturday saw a net reduction of 9,162, compared with 17,303 on Friday. States and UTs hat have seen the biggest daily net increase in active cases are Kerala (876), Maharashtra (549), Arunachal Pradesh (23), Tripura (22), and Manipur (12).

With 57,944 new daily recoveries, Indias recovery rate stands at 96.75%, while fatality rate remained unchanged at 1.31%.

The Indian states and UTs with the worst case fatality rates at present are Punjab (2.69%), Uttarakhand (2.09%), and Maharashtra (2.01%). The rate in as many as 17 is higher than the national average.

Indias new daily closed cases stand at 59,202  1,258 deaths and 57,944 recoveries. The share of deaths in total closed cases stands at 2.12%.

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 418.4 days, and for deaths at 217.7 days.

Overall, five states with the biggest 24-hour jump in total cases are Kerala (12118), Maharashtra (9812), Tamil Nadu (5415), Karnataka (4272), and Andhra Pradesh (4147).

Among states with more than 100,000 cases, the five with worst recovery rates at present are Karnataka (95.06%), Maharashtra (95.93%), and Kerala (96.03%).

India on Saturday conducted 1,777,309 to take the total count of tests conducted so far in the country to 404,265,101. The test positivity rate recorded was 2.8%.

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 (18.26%), Maharashtra (14.76%), Dadra & Nagar Haveli-Daman & Diu (14.55%), Kerala (12.72%), and Sikkim (12.09%).

Five states with the highest TPR by daily numbers for tests and cases added  are, Manipur (12.42%), Meghalaya (12.1%), Kerala (10.66%), Sikkim (9.3%), and Goa (7.83%).

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 (1132912), J&K (718371), Kerala (633631), Karnataka (498401), and Uttarakhand (483590).

The five most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (6026847), Kerala (2877989), Karnataka (2831026), Tamil Nadu (2460747 ), and Andhra Pradesh (1875622).

Maharashtra, the most affected state overall, has reported 9812 new cases to take its tally to 6026847.

Kerala, the second-most-affected state by total tally, has added 12118 cases to take its tally to 2877989.

Karnataka, the third-most-affected state, has reported 4272 cases to take its tally to 2831026.

Tamil Nadu has added 5415 cases to take its tally to 2460747.

Andhra Pradesh has seen its tally going up by 4147 to 1875622.

Uttar Pradesh has added 164 cases to take its tally to 1705384.

Delhi has added 85 cases to take its tally to 1433675.
The on Saturday said that no order relating to the payment of increments in for central government employees and dearness relief for pensioners has been issued.

In a tweet, the Ministry said a document is doing the rounds on social media claiming resumption of DA to Central Government employees & Dearness Relief to Central Government pensioners from July 2021.

"This OM (Office memorandum) is #Fake. No such OM has been issued by GOI," it tweeted.

In April last year, the had put on hold increment in (DA) for 50 lakh central government employees and 61 lakh pensioners till June 30, 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In view of the crisis arising out of COVID-19, it has been decided that additional instalment of payable to central government employees and dearness relief (DR) to central government pensioners due from January 1, 2020, shall not be paid."



The additional instalment of DA and DR due from July 1, 2020, and January 1, 2021, shall also not be paid," the Department of Expenditure had said.However, DA and DR at current rates will continue to be paid, it had said.

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The is probing whether the two low-intensity explosions at its base in Jammu on Sunday were part of a terror attack, people familiar with the defence and security establishment said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's office said he spoke to Vice Air Chief, Air Marshal HS Arora over the explosions.

Investigators are also examining the possible use of drones to drop the explosives at the airport that has various assets of the IAF, they said.

In a Twitter post, the (IAF) said two "low-intensity explosions" were reported early Sunday morning in the technical area of Jammu air force station and one of them caused minor damage to the roof of a building while the other exploded in an open area.

"There was no damage to any equipment. Investigation is in progress along with civil agencies," it said.

The people cited above said all angles including the possible involvement of terror networks in the explosions are being probed.

"Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh spoke to Vice Air Chief, Air Marshal HS Arora regarding today's incident at Air Force Station in Jammu. Air Marshal Vikram Singh is reaching Jammu to take stock of the situation," it tweeted.

The people cited above said Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria has been apprised about the explosions.

The IAF chief is on a three-day visit to Bangladesh from Saturday.

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Union health ministry has called upon the to take steps to immediately contain the Delta plus variant of Covid-19, as according to research reports, the variant is more transmissible and deadly.

Union health secretary, Rajesh Bhushan in a letter to Tamil Nadu chief secretary, V. Irai Anbu on Sunday called upon the state government to take immediate measures including preventing crowds and intermingling of people, increased and widespread testing, prompt tracing, and increasing vaccination coverage.

The communique from the union health secretary is following the detection of Delta plus variants in nine samples taken from districts of Chennai, Kancheepuram, and Madurai districts of Tamil Nadu.

The union health secretary mentioned that INSACOG - a consortium of laboratories for whole genome sequencing - has informed that the Delta plus has the characteristics of increased transmissibility, stronger binding to receptors of lung cells and potential reduction in monoclonal antibody response.

Rajesh Bhushan in the letter also said that public health response has to be more focused and stringent and has requested the state government to ensure that adequate samples of Covid-19 positive persons are sent with immediate effect to the INSACOG laboratories where the clinical epidemiological correlations can be established.

The has of late increased the number of Covid testing and focused isolation of positive patients thus leading to a decrease in the number of active cases as well as fresh Covid-19 cases.

--IANS

aal/skp/

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The Centre on Saturday told the Supreme Court that till June 25 more than 31 crore Covid vaccine doses have been administered across the country which includes over 1.73 crore doses to Health Care Workers (HCWs).

Over 2.66 crore doses have been administered to Frontline Workers (FLWs), over 9.93 crores doses to persons between 45 to 59 years of age and over 8.96 crore doses to persons above the age of 60 years, it said.

The government said besides these, over 7.84 crore doses have been administered to persons between 18 to 44 years of age.

"Total 44.2 per cent of the priority population of persons above 45 years of age and 13 per cent of the population group of 18-44 years of age have received the first vaccine dose," the Centre said in its affidavit filed in the top court in the suo motu matter on COVID-19 management.

The Centre which gave the status of COVID-19 vaccines administered from January to June 25 said that a total of 27.3 per cent of the eligible population (18 years and above) have received one dose of vaccine.

"It is humbly submitted that prior to the initiation of the New Liberalized Pricing and Accelerated National COVID Vaccination Strategy on May 1, 2021; a total of 15,49,89,635 (15.49 crore) COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered in the country from January 16 to April 30, 2021, it said, adding that the total figure includes 94,12,140 doses to HCWs and 1,25,58,069 doses to FLWs.

This also includes 5,27,07,921 doses to people in the 45 to 59 years of age group and 5,23,78,616 doses for people above the age of 60 years, the Centre said.

"It is further stated that, in the month of May, 2021, a total of 4,03,49,830 doses were provided by Union government to the states and union territories (UTs) for vaccination of priority group of HCWs, FLWs and persons aged 45 years plus and above as supply from government of India channel, for which no amount is collected from anyone," it said.

The government said in May, 3,91,80,160 doses were available for states and UTs, and private hospitals, which would be proportionate to the people of 18-45 age group in each state and UT.

Therefore, in May, 7,95,29,990 doses were available for the national COVID-19 vaccination programme, it said.

The Centre said each state is informed by it in writing about the number of vaccine doses it would receive on a monthly basis and this exercise is absolutely essential so as to have uniform vaccination throughout the country.

"This endeavour can be successful only by treating India as one unit and considering the question on a pan-India basis. This can be achieved only with each state following the discipline in letter and spirit, and be in tune with simultaneous vaccination of the country avoiding any demands by one state at the cost of other states and residents of the rest of the country," it said.

The Centre said, similarly, in May and June, it has provided advance information to states and UTs regarding vaccine doses to be supplied to them for July.

"It is humbly submitted that allocation for the month of July 2021 for available vaccines was done amongst all States/ UTs on a pro-rata basis based on population of 18 years and above, it said.

It said that there is no global scientific evidence of viruses selecting to affect a particular age group.

The central government said it has ensured that all state governments are geared-up to deal with any such potential threat to children.

Since health is a state subject and hospitals are under the state governments, the central government has proactively prepared two SOPs - one for prescribing an ideal clinical treatment and second prescribing the infrastructural facilities mandated in the hospitals, it said.

The Centre added that it is in constant and direct touch with state governments to ensure that these facilities are created and augmented on war footing.

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A government-allied lawmaker dragged President to the center of a scandal of alleged irregularities in the purchase of a Covid-19 vaccine for Brazils immunization campaign.

Lower house representative Luis Miranda, speaking late Friday at a congressional committee probing Bolsonaros handling of the pandemic, said he personally warned the president about pressures for the purchase of Covaxin vaccine.

During the conversation, as described by Miranda, Bolsonaro blamed his leader in the lower house, Ricardo Barros, for meddling in the Health Ministry, but didnt stop the purchase of the shots.

The senate probe into Bolsonaros handling of the pandemic is investigating alleged irregularities in negotiations for the Covaxin shot from International Ltd. The Health Ministry signed a contract to purchase 20 million doses for 1.6 billion reais ($325 million).





ALSO READ: Bolsonaro says Brazil didn't spend cent on Bharat Bio vax deal under probe

Luis Ricardo Miranda, brother of the lawmaker and an official of the Health Ministry, told the senators that in the analysis of the documents involving the purchase of the vaccine, information was found that didnt match the original text of Bharat Biotechs contract with the Ministry. He mentioned that some differences would be in the form of payment, the amount of doses and the indication of intermediary companies.

This is the first time that senators investigating the governments response to the pandemic have started probing corruption allegations involving Bolsonaro. Up until now they were more focused on delays in vaccine purchases and the governments touting of unproven Covid treatments.

The government press office didnt immediately respond to requests for comment outside business hours. Barros said on his Twitter account that he hasnt participated in any negotiations regarding the purchase of Covaxin vaccines and that the investigation will prove this.

On June 24, Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga said he wasnt concerned about the Covaxin vaccine issue and is focused on advancing the immunization program.
China said Saturday that it provides vaccines to other countries with no political conditions attached, responding to a story by The Associated Press saying China pressured Ukraine into withdrawing from a multi-country statement on human rights in China's Xinjiang region by threatening to withhold a COVID-19 vaccine shipment.

A statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry said it welcomed Ukraine's decision to take its name off the statement at a meeting of the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, adding "we haven't heard that Ukraine has encountered any difficulty in importing vaccines from China.

The Associated Press, citing diplomats from two Western countries, reported that Ukraine had pulled its name from the statement Thursday after China warned it would block a planned shipment of at least 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines unless it did so.

The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly.

China's written response to AP did not directly address the specific charge, but said, China's provision of vaccines and anti-epidemic materials to other countries is not meant to gain benefits from other countries and there isn't any geopolitical purpose nor any political conditions attached.

Ukraine had briefly joined the statement by over 40 countries presented by Canada at the Human Rights Council on Tuesday.

The statement urged China to allow immediate access for independent observers to Xinjiang, where human rights groups have alleged mistreatment of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups in the region.

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Classified documents from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) containing secret information about a warship and the British military was discovered at a bus stop in south-eastern England, according to a media report on Sunday.

The MoD said an employee reported the loss of the documents last week, which were discovered by a member of the public in a soggy heap behind a bus stop in Kent early on Tuesday morning, the BBC report said.

One set of documents reportedly discusses the likely Russian reaction to HMS Defender's passage through Ukrainian waters off the Crimea coast on Wednesday and another lays out plans for a possible military presence in Afghanistan after the US-led NATO operation there ends this year.

"It would be inappropriate to comment further," an MoD spokesperson said, as it was confirmed an investigation has been launched into the incident.

A member of the public, who wishes to remain anonymous, found the 50-odd pages of documents and contacted the BBC when he realised the sensitive nature of the contents. The BBC believes the documents, which include emails and PowerPoint presentations, originated in the office of a senior official at the MoD.

The documents relating to the Royal Navy's Type 45 destroyer, HMS Defender, show that a mission described by the MoD as an "innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters", with guns covered and the ship's helicopter stowed in its hangar, was conducted in the expectation that Russia might respond aggressively.

On Wednesday, more than 20 Russian aircraft and two coastguard ships shadowed the warship as it sailed about 19-km off Crimea's coast. Moscow's said a patrol ship fired warning shots and a jet dropped bombs in the destroyer's path but the government rejected this account, denying any warning shots had been fired.

The mission, dubbed "Op Ditroite", was the subject of high-level discussions as late as Monday, the documents show, with officials speculating about Russia's reaction if HMS Defender sailed close to Crimea.

The bundle of documents also includes updates on arms exports campaigns, including sensitive observations about areas where Britain might find itself competing with European allies. And there are briefing notes for last Monday's session of the UK-US Defence Dialogue, including observations on US President Joe Biden's first months in office.

Most of the papers are marked "official sensitive", a relatively low level of classification used, according to the government, "where there is a clear and justifiable requirement to reinforce the 'need to know'".

But one document, addressed to UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace's private secretary, and marked "Secret UK Eyes Only", outlines highly sensitive recommendations for the UK's military footprint in Afghanistan, following the end of Operation Resolute Support, the NATO operation currently winding down in the wake of President Joe Biden's decision earlier this year to withdraw American forces.

The document discusses an American request for British assistance in several specific areas, and addresses the question of whether any British special forces will remain in Afghanistan once the withdrawal is complete.

Due to the sensitivity of the document, the BBC said it has decided not to report details which could endanger the security of British and other personnel in Afghanistan.

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A record burst of sales in the priciest corners of the global property market may be ushering in a post-pandemic era of exuberance in real estate  with among the front-runners.

The West Asia business hub is the latest city to light up with what Knight Frank LLP called a spectacular post-Covid rebound in luxury home sales. In the first five months of the year, 22 homes worth more than $10 million found a buyer, the most since 2015 and up from a total of 19 last year.

Far from being an isolated hotspot, the emirate may mirror a pattern seen in other global cities, the consultancy firm said on Sunday. Homes in the wealthiest areas of London are selling at the fastest rate in seven years, according to LonRes data.

The rebounding of Dubais super prime market echoes a wider global trend, signalling the start perhaps of a Roaring Twenties for global real estate, said Faisal Durrani, head of Middle East Research at Knight Frank.

The uber luxury end of the market is a terrific barometer for general market sentiment, Durrani said. Homebuyers are clearly oozing with confidence when it comes to the emirates uber market.

Most of the transactions for homes in the highest price bracket were on the citys artificial island of Palm Jumeirah, with a total of about $770 million paid for properties in the $10 million range between January and May, according to Knight Frank.

Economic activity in Dubai, particularly tourism, has rebounded in the past six months as the emirate rolled out one of the worlds fastest vaccination campaigns and opened its doors for foreign visitors sooner than most other countries.





But even as luxury property appears to flourish in Dubai, other parts of the emirates real estate sector are struggling. State-linked developers Limitless and Meydan are restructuring debt, while one of the top realty firms, Damac Properties, sought to de-list its shares after posting hefty losses. The founder of Damac postponed the effort this month when the regulator started a review.

And Dubais years-old property glut may also continue to put pressure on the value of high-end residential homes, Knight Frank recently warned.

Different Buyers

For all the similarities between major cities around the world, the differences are also telling. Its Brits who are driving the market in the wealthiest areas of London, with the portion of U.K. buyers currently at 62 per cent, the highest in at least a decade, Knight Frank numbers show.
inked a concessional loan agreement of USD 150 million with the (WB) on Sunday for post-COVID-19 recovery and development.

Finance Secretary Sishir Kumar Dhungana and WB, Country Director, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, Faris Hadad-Zervos, signed the loan document.

A concessional loan is a debt instrument where more favourable terms are agreed upon for the borrower than the market place.

After signing the agreement, Dhungana said the funds will help build back better and greener, especially in view of the adverse effects of the pandemic.

"The proposed budgetary support will be utilised in infrastructure projects and economic recovery... according to the requirements and priorities of the government, he said.

"The financial assistance will help speed up the ongoing large development projects, creating jobs, accelerate markets, and support green recovery," the Finance Ministry said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Nepal reported 1,920 new cases of on Sunday, taking the nationwide tally to 665,777. The death toll rose to 9,009 with 34 more fatalities, heath officials said.

Authorities said 6,000 swab samples were taken for RT-PCR tests in the last 24 hours, of which 1,353 results returned positive. The virus was detected among 567 people in antigen tests conducted on 3,836 people in the same period.

There are 40,336 active cases in the country. The number of people who have recovered from the disease is 584,334.

In the last 24 hours, 3,007 people have recovered from the disease. Nepal's COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 92.2 per cent.

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Prime Minister moved to re-establish his governments authority after the health secretary resigned late Saturday for breaking his own pandemic rules.

Matt Hancock quit after he was caught embracing a senior aide in his office, in breach of the social distancing guidelines he helped to create. The episode rebounded immediately on Johnson, who had initially fought to keep Hancock in his job and then faced criticism for being too weak to fire the minister.

Two hours after Hancock resigned, the premier tried to draw a line under the controversy by naming Sajid Javid, a former Chancellor of the Exchequer, as the new U.K. health secretary. Yet his choice of replacement is also potentially dangerous. Javid himself resigned during a face-to-face argument with Johnson when a cabinet reshuffle went wrong in February of 2020.

Since then, though, Javid has been loyal in the ranks and Johnson has now rewarded him with a return to the cabinet. I have a lot of work to do, Javid said in a pooled TV clip on Sunday. We are still in a pandemic and I want to see that this comes to end as soon as possible.
Embattled UK Cabinet minister Matt Hancock on Saturday resigned as Health Secretary, amid mounting calls for him to step down over his admitted breach of COVID-19 lockdown rules with a kiss involving a close female aide.

In a letter to the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Hancock said the government "owe it to people who have sacrificed so much in this pandemic to be honest when we have let them down" and reiterated his previous apology for breaking the government guidance on social distancing from people outside a close household bubble.

In a video posted on Twitter, Hancock said: "I have been to see the Prime Minister to resign as secretary of state for health and social care.

I understand the enormous sacrifices that everybody in this country has made, that you have made, and those of us who make these rules have got to stick by them and that's why I have got to resign."



It comes after leaked CCTV images showed the 42-year-old married Conservative Party MP kissing Gina Coladangelo, 43, in his Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) office. Coladangelo is an old friend and colleague of Hancock.

The images, published by The Sun' newspaper on Friday, dated from May 6 before the social distancing rules were eased around close contact indoors for people from separate households on May 17.

In his letter of resignation, Hancock said: "The last thing I would want is for my private life to distract attention from the single-minded focus that is leading us out of this crisis.

"I want to reiterate my apology for breaking the guidance, and apologise to my family and loved ones for putting them through this. I also need (to) be with my children at this time."



It follows mounting pressure on him from the Opposition as well as within his own Tory party to resign for undermining public trust in the COVID lockdown guidance.

The minister, so far in charge of the country's health response to the pandemic, praised the National Health Service (NHS) for the ceaseless work in fighting the deadly virus.

"We didn't get every decision right but I know people understand how hard it is to deal with the unknown, making the difficult trade-offs between freedom, prosperity and health that we have faced, he said.

"I am so proud that Britain avoided the catastrophe of an overwhelmed NHS and that through foresight and brilliant science we have led the world in the vaccination effort, so we stand on the brink of a return to normality," he added.

It came as campaign group "COVID-19 Bereaved Families for Justice" described Boris Johnson's backing of Hancock by accepting his apology and declaring the "matter closed" on Friday as a "slap in the face" for families who had lost loved ones to the virus.

Hancock is married to osteopath wife Martha for 15 years and they have three children together.

The pictures in The Sun' appeared to show evidence of an extra-marital affair with married Gina Coladangelo, who is listed on the DHSC website as a non-executive director. The pair are said to have been close since their student days at Oxford University.

Hancock was appointed health secretary by former British Prime Minister Theresa May in 2018 and has held the post for nearly three years.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Biden administration is considering lifting sanctions on Iran's supreme leader, as part of negotiations aimed at reviving the 2015 nuclear deal.

As per NBC News, the information was disclosed by a former US official and two people familiar with the matter. The US and Iranian negotiators have discussed the possible move in indirect talks in Vienna, as part of a wider set of compromises that would see the United States return to the 2015 pact and Iran once again abide by restrictions on its nuclear program, the sources said, reported The Frontier Post.

"I think that's definitely an Iranian demand," said Vali Nasr, professor of Affairs and Middle East Studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced Studies who worked as a diplomat in the Obama administration. "And I think the US is open to it."

Asked about the option of lifting sanctions on the supreme leader, a State Department spokesperson told NBC News that "the precise nature and sequence of the sanctions-related steps that the United States would need to take to achieve a mutual return to compliance with the JCPOA objectives is a subject of the talks."

The spokesperson added: "Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed."

Meanwhile, Iranian President Rouhani's chief of staff Mahmoud Vaezi was quoted in Iranian media saying the US had already agreed to lift sanctions on some of Iran's senior leadership, but US officials denied that account, reported The Frontier Post.

Asked about lifting sanctions on the supreme leader in a briefing with reporters, a senior State Department official on Thursday left the door open to the move but said nothing had been agreed so far.

"We are still working through all these issues, and that includes the issues of sanctions that you mentioned," the official said.

In June 2019, after a US drone was shot down by Iranian forces, former President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and officials appointed by him, banning the ayatollah from travel to the United States or any financial transactions with US companies, reported The Frontier Post.

Removing the sanctions on the supreme leader might help the Biden administration as it tries to persuade Tehran to accept several difficult compromises in the negotiations, according to Ali Vaez of the Crisis Group think tank.

"At the end of the day, what is a more significant priority -- curbing Iran's nuclear program or imposing sanctions that in practice have almost no impact?" Vaez said.

The 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), introduced limits on Iran's uranium enrichment and other nuclear work in return for easing economic sanctions.

Former President Trump pulled the United States out of the deal in 2018, arguing it was skewed in Iran's favour and imposed an array of sanctions that have severely damaged Iran's economy.

The Biden administration says the United States is ready to return to the deal if Iran once again complies with the nuclear restrictions. After six negotiating rounds in Vienna, the two sides say they have made progress but there are still key issues left to resolve, reported The Frontier Post.

"We still have serious differences with Iran with regard to returning to mutual compliance with the JCPOA. Our teams are going back for a seventh-round of indirect negotiations in the coming days," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday. "We'll see if we can bridge the differences, but they're real, and we have to be able to bridge them."

The contours of a possible deal have emerged, and it's increasingly clear both sides will have to sacrifice some of their original demands and goals, according to former US officials and Western diplomats, reported The Frontier Post.

Despite Iranian appeals, US officials have indicated that some sanctions imposed by the previous administration will remain in place if they are not inconsistent with the JCPOA.

Iran has also asked for a guarantee that the deal will not be abandoned by a future US President, but the Americans have indicated no such guarantee is possible under the US political system.

For its part, the Biden administration has demanded a commitment to engage in follow-on talks to bolster and expand on the existing JCPOA, but Iran has virtually ruled that out, saying they are only interested in renewing the 2015 accord, reported The Frontier Post.

Further, with a new hardline President, Ebrahim Raisi, preparing to take office in Iran after elections this month, his allies in the regime will be pushing for a deal now or not at all, so that the outgoing President, Hassan Rouhani, is tied to any concessions made to the Americans, Vaez said.

"I have a strong sense that the Iranian system knows by now what it takes to get this deal done, and knows that it requires painful concessions," Vaez 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.)
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Do you have an athlete in mind that contributes to the team or sport, holds sportsmanship and team spirit, has epic playmaker moments and/or in general makes the the sports fun? If yes, please make your nominations for our edition of Athlete Spotlight.

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Carroll, IA (51401)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 70F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 70F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph.
Photo: pixabay

The City of Vancouver has officially endorsed a campaign to lower the municipal election voting age to 16.

The campaign has been endorsed by 20 non-profits, unions, the BC Teachers Federation, BCGEU, and Sustainabiliteens. As well, both the BC NDP and the BC Green Party have voiced their support for the idea and several countries including Austria, Argentina, and Scotland, have already lowered the voting age to 16. Now, after a June 22 council meeting the Vancouver city council is among them.

The decision comes following a motion submitted by Councillor Christine Boyle which lists several reasons for the age change.

Youth have a strong interest in the future of local communities, and decisions made at a local level stand to have a significant impact on whether they continue to be able to call that community home, Boyles motion reads. Youth have the most at stake in political decisions being made right now, and deserve a say in what lies ahead.

The motion goes on to say that empowering young people to participate in democratic processes fosters ongoing and active civic participation. That participation fosters a trickle-up effect, where parents and other adults in their lives are more likely to vote when youth do.

Also, many youth have been on the front lines during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and will bear the brunt of economic, social and environmental aftermath.

As fully participating members of society, they deserve to have a say in the decisions made around BC's recovery and forever-changed post-pandemic future, the motion reads.

While the passing of the motion carries no real power in law, it does mean council has requested that Vancouvers mayor Kennedy Stweart write a letter to the Premier and the

Minister of Municipal Affairs informing them of the endorsement.


Photo: The Canadian Press A dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is given to a recipient at a vaccination site in Vancouver Thursday, March 11, 2021. Fraser Health is diverting clients away from some COVID-19 vaccine and testing clinics due to extremely high temperatures in the region. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Fraser Health is diverting clients away from some COVID-19 vaccine and testing clinics due to extremely high temperatures in the region.

The health unit says the move is important to protect the health and safety of staff and clients alike.

Testing and immunization will continue at the affected sites until noon each day, before the midday heat sets in.

As of Sunday, those attending a first-dose walk-in or a booked appointment after 12 p.m. will be redirected to clinics where temperatures are more easily controlled.

The affected sites are the Burnaby, Mission, South Surrey, Coquitlam, Langley and Surrey 66 COVID-19 Testing and Immunization Centres, as well as the Abbotsford Ag-Rec Centre Immunization Clinic.

Environment Canada is warning of a heat wave of record-breaking temperatures lasting until at least Tuesday, with daytime highs in Metro Vancouver ranging from 29 to 38 C and the potential for the humidex to reach into the 40s.
A man, 25, was shot at an unknown location in Chattanooga on Saturday afternoon.

At approximately 12:17 p.m., Chattanooga Police responded to a local hospital on a report of a person shot arriving there. Upon arrival, officers located a man suffering from a non-life threatening gunshot wound.

The victim arrived at the hospital via personal vehicle.

Investigators with the Violent Crimes Unit responded to conduct an investigation.
A woman on Grove Street said someone slashed the passenger side rear tire to her Ford Crown Victoria sometime during the night. Police saw the tire was flat with a small incision which appeared to have been caused by a sharp instrument. She said the suspect could be a female known as "Mimi" because they recently had a verbal disorder, but she is unsure.

* * *

Police investigated a suspicious man on Shallowford Road who was checking car doors. He was checked for warrants and none were found. He was released.

* * *

A man on Hickory Trace Circle said his 2013 Toyota Tacoma was stolen sometime during the night. The last time he saw the truck it was parked in his driveway around 2 a.m. He said the Tacoma is paid for and would not have been towed to his understanding. He said if the suspect was caught inside the vehicle that he wished to prosecute. At this time, the keys are with the vehicle and the man has not authorized anyone other than himself to drive the truck. The Tacoma was placed into NCIC.

* * *

A man on Snow Street said someone entered his unlocked 2013 Hyundai Accent and stole his checkbook and his fiance's key fob for her 2007 Jeep Liberty.

* * *

Police found a stolen vehicle on Ziegler Street. The owner was notified via dispatch, recovered their vehicle, and it was removed from NCIC.

* * *

A woman on Grove Street said she got into a heated verbal argument with her boyfriend. She said he grabbed her Android cell phone and walked across the street to his mother's home. She wanted her phone back. Police spoke to the boyfriend who handed the phone over to police. He said he still had some clothes and an Xbox in the woman's apartment and wished to have them back. The man retrieved his clothes and Xbox without incident. The woman's Android cell phone was handed over to her.

* * *

A man on Hooker Road explained that he thinks his friend was in a verbal argument with his friend's wife. The man said he dropped his friend off at his wife's work so he could gather some personal items. The man then heard the husband and wife yelling as he drove away. Several minutes later the man contacted police to check on his friend and his wife. Police found the wife at her work and she explained that she was fine. She said she and her husband had a verbal argument about personal matters, but that she was fine and did not need police. Police did not observe anything out of the ordinary.

* * *

A woman on Hemphill Avenue said she saw a black SUV evidently lose control coming off of Montview and drove through her yard. She said the vehicle appeared to be a black Nissan SUV, but her video cameras did not pick up a license plate. The woman said the SUV missed her house by inches but damaged her flower bed and the metal edging around it. She said that she has the

materials to repair it so there will be no additional cost. When her husband gets home he will see if he can see a tag number for the vehicle on their video.

* * *

A woman on Douglas Street recently checked her bank account and found 23 transactions at a Chipotle Restaurant in California. She said she does not have a location for the eatery other than her account shows it to be in California. She listed the charges totaling $1,162.39. She says First Bank told her that they will have to do an investigation prior to reversing the charges. They told her that will take at least 10 days so she is out this amount of money.

* * *

Officers found a missing vehicle at 5952 Brainerd Road behind the CubeSmart. The car was unoccupied and without keys. The owner was notified and retrieved his vehicle.

* * *

Police were called to 2341 Shallowford Village Dr. where a man was in the business center on the computer and refused to leave. The man was not causing a problem other than refusing to leave and is not a guest of the facility. The man was asked to leave and decided it was in his best interest to leave immediately. Officers did not know the man had previously been trespassed from this location.

* * *

A woman on Ashford Drive checked her bank account and found that it is "way overdrawn." She said that morning 10 transactions totaling $837.28 all hit her bank. She contacted First Bank and they told her that the transactions were all in the United Kingdom with "Delivery Roo, LLC." She says that the bank is requiring a police report for them to start their investigation.

* * *

A man on Lee Highway said the tag was stolen from his white Nissan Altama.

* * *

A man on Riverfront Parkway said sometime during the night someone entered his 2014 Mazda 3 sport hatchback and tossed everything around in it. He said he doesn't leave anything of value in his vehicle and there was nothing taken. He requested security video footage from the HOA in hope that it might help to identify the suspect. He will call back should that video be of any help.

* * *

A woman on Belvoir Avenue told police a man with long blonde hair put a bicycle under her garage awning. She showed police a video of the man and said she just wanted the bike gone. The officer took the bike and as the officer was riding down the road, the man was at Starbucks. The officer gave him his bicycle and told him to not go back to that lady's home.
Georgia state health officials reported on Sunday there have been no additional deaths due to the coronavirus. The current total is 18,469.There are 195 new cases, as that total reaches 902,577 confirmed cases of coronavirus.Hospitalizations are at 64,907, which is an increase of 13 from Saturday.Here are the numbers by county:Catoosa County: 5,897 cases, down 1; 67 deaths; 266 hospitalizations, up 1Chattooga County: 2,256 cases; 67 deaths; 186 hospitalizationsDade County: 1,241 cases, down 1; 13 deaths; 62 hospitalizationsWalker County: 6,756 cases, up 1; 82 deaths; 295 hospitalizationsWhitfield County: 15,013 cases, up 4; 232 deaths; 790 hospitalizations, up 1

Latest Hamilton County Arrest Report

Police Blotter: People Walking Around At 3 AM Are Theft Suspects; Woman Skipping Out On Paying For $29 Artificial Eyelashes

Man, 63, Shot On Lee Highway, While Sitting In His Car

Here is the latest Hamilton County arrest report: ARNOLD, BRANDON DEVON 3905 CREEKVIEW LN CHATTANOOGA, 374212109 Age at Arrest: 28 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga THEFT OF ... (click for more)

A woman on East 45th Street called police to say a man had come onto her property and was harassing her. When police arrived the woman said that after the officer left on a previous call for ... (click for more)
In 1975, founding member of the Beach Boys Brian Wilson was under the guidance of psychologist Dr. Eugene Landy. While care was stated as necessary at the start of their relationship, things took a turn. For nearly 20 years, Landy manipulated and brainwashed Wilson, according to Wilsons family. With news of Britney Spears conservatorship in question, its worth a look at this very prominent yet overlooked moment in time when Wilson was under a similar legal directive.

Beach Boy Brian Wilsons childhood was rough

Mike Love, Brian Wilson and Dennis Wilson, Bruce Johnston, Carl Wilson, and Al Jardine | Michael Putland/Getty Images

RELATED: The Beach Boys Are Still Banned From the San Diego Zoo: Theyre Not Welcome Back and Never Will Be

The Beach Boys started out in 1961 with happy-go-lucky California-inspired tunes that led to the accumulation of several No. 1 hits such as Surfin' and Kokomo. But, things werent always as peachy as their songs suggested.

The upbeat tempos and easy-going lyrics didnt tell the whole story. Brian, Carl, and Denniss father Murray  who managed the band early on  was allegedly so abusive, Wilson was quoted as saying, He scared me so much I actually got scared into making good records.

According to Wilson, the early abuse led to his deafness in one ear, the firing of his father, and his first mental breakdown.

I was run down mentally and emotionally because I was running around, jumping on jets from one city to another on one-night stands, also producing, writing, arranging, singing, planning, teaching  to the point where I had no peace of mind and no chance to actually sit down and think or even rest, he previously told Rolling Stone. The rubber band had stretched as far as it would go.

It wasnt long before the partying caught up. Wilson began hearing voices after taking LSD, then was diagnosed with bipolar schizoaffective disorder. By 1976, hed become all but non-existent.

Meals happened without me, said. Kids went to school and came back and I might still be in a bathrobe up in the bedroom or downstairs, sitting at the piano, still in the bathrobe.

This led to his wife Marilyn seeking outside help through psychologist Dr. Eugene Landy who, for the better part of 20 years, controlled the Beach Boy to the point of becoming his sole confidante.

Landy overtook Wilsons finances, physical, and mental health

RELATED: Beach Boys: How Brian Wilson Didnt Hear Kokomo Until It Became a Hit

Landy became Brians live-in psychologist and business partner. The two shared profits from two of Wilsons albums as well as his autobiography, Wouldnt It Be Nice  My Own Story. They formed a company and eventually a bond so tight, nothing could break it without legal intervention. A paranoid schizophrenic diagnosis came swiftly, to which Landy over-medicated in order to mold Wilson as he wanted, family members said.

The doctor was fired when his fees climbed to around $430,000 a year, Brian slipped back down the spiral. Landy was re-hired by the Beach Boys new manager to help gain some control. Despite the 24-hour care, Brian and Marilyn divorced and he quickly lost control of his health until Landy intervened.

The first couple of years, he wasnt very friendly with me, Wilson previously told The Post. He could be very stern  that was pretty rough. Gene taught me how to run and swim. He taught me how to eat rice and chicken instead of steaks. He helped me lose 130 pounds.

Wilsons second wife Melinda Ledbetter (whom he met at a car dealership when he handed her a noted that read lonely, scared, frightened) remembered the way Landy used medications to get what he wanted from Brian.

Most of the time, Landy was giving him downers to keep him out of his hair, she said. Around 1988, when Brians solo album came out, Brian had a lot of things to do. So Landy would give him uppers.

Ledbetter began noticing Brians behavior, which led Landy to prevent Wilson from seeing her. She contacted Wilsons family so they could all confront the manipulation. Thats when they discovered Wilsons will, naming Landy as the beneficiary of 70 percent. The details noted that Wilson was worth a lot more to Landy dead than alive. At that alarming point, Wilsons family stepped in yet again.

A conservator was granted for Wilson

Wilsons cousin Stan Love filed a request to become Wilsons conservator. He claimed Landy had taken extensive control over Wilsons life so much that he is unable to properly provide for his personal needs for food, clothing, housing and physical or mental health, according to LA Times.

He said his cousin has not been allowed to see his mother for more than five hours in the past five years and has not been allowed to spend more than five hours in that five years with his two daughters, adding, I feel Brian is being held a virtual hostage.

Hes totally controlled; a puppet. Ive made 50 to 100 phone calls trying to see Brian. I cant even have any access to him, he said. I think hes pretty well brainwashed Brian, Audree Wilson added. He manipulates him, thats all I know. He just hasnt been a free guy.

In 1989, Landy confessed to one charge of unlawfully prescribing drugs. He gave up his license to practice in California for two years but continued working with Wilson on music. The two remained close, despite the familys suit for a conservator.

A settlement was reached behind closed doors regarding Love, but by 1990, Wilsons family asked the courts to appoint Jerome Billet as his conservator. However, things didnt stay settled for long. Wilson sued Billet for over $10 million stating Billet didnt supervise lawyers who handled the case brought on by Love for rights to[Wilsons] songs.

The lawsuit, brought on by Ledbetter, claimed Billet overcharged and had knowledge of $5,000 park bench payoffs by Wilsons former attorneys and perjury from the witness stand, Variety reported at the time.

Love and Mercy details the hell Wilson went through

RELATED: How the Beach Boys Came Up With the Most Stunning God Only Knows Lyric

The 2014 film, Love and Mercy details all Wilson went through.

I felt exposed, Wilson said in Rolling Stone, but it gets sadder. Whatever the film shows, it was much worse in real life.

After I first saw the film, I had to just drive around for a couple of hours to clear my head, Ledbetter told The Post. Then I remembered that what Landy did to Brian was even worse. You dont get a sense of it in the movie, but it happened on a daily basis, for years.

These days, Wilson is back to performing and under his own guidance. Landy moved to Hawaii after agreeing not to contact Wilson. He died from lung cancer in 2006 at the age of 71.
In the age of social media, young people are constantly pressured to look and act a certain way. Being ones authentic self is not always celebrated. However, BLACKPINKs Jisoo believes owning ones identity is important to living a happy life. She has some advice for fans about self-acceptance.

BLACKPINKs Jisoo | Han Myung-Gu/WireImage

BLACKPINKs Jisoo has a unique personality

Jisoo is a vocalist in BLACKPINK. She is also the oldest member. Though the group does not have an official leader, Jisoo occasionally takes on that role.

Many fans also know Jisoo as someone with a 4-D personality, which is a phrase used in South Korea to describe someone who is quirky. She often makes goofy jokes and does unexpected things to make others laugh.

Im the youngest at home, so I grew up in an environment where I couldnt help but be a jokester, she told High Cut magazine in 2018, according to a fan translation. I like watching gag programs and copying them too. I also like playing a lot of cute tricks.

Jisoo shares sweet advice about loving oneself

RELATED: BLACKPINK Members Reveal the Moment They Realized They Make a Great Team

Jisoo seems to understand the importance of being an authentic person, and she encourages other people to do the same.

Im always trying to live each moment with no regrets and feel happier every day, she said, according to Elle Singapore.

In addition to her personality, Jisoo has a unique style. She also encourages others to express themselves authentically through their clothes.

She explained, Only when you truly understand yourself can you find a style that suits you. Then add your personal touches to really own the style. To be truly unique, you have to trust in yourself and yourself alone. Like me, I feel incredibly confident and brave when I wear Dior, and I hope that by sharing these experiences will help women love themselves even more.

Finally, beauty for Jisoo does not mean conforming to mold created by society.

I believe that true beauty is a manifestation of your ability to love and care for yourself, Jisoo said. But its not limited to self-acceptance alone. You must be ready to accept and respect the things that set you apart from everyone else.

The BLACKPINK members embody women who have different sides to them

RELATED: BLACKPINK: Why Is the K-Pop Girl Group Becoming So Popular? Heres What Experts Have to Say

Jisoo and the other members of BLACKPINK often show fans many different sides to them, dispelling the idea that female celebrities have to showcase one-dimensional personalities.

For example, when BLACKPINK goes onstage and performs songs such as Boombayah, Kill This Love, and How You Like That, their image is that of a group of tough and confident young ladies. When they are offstage, the members layer their stage personas with sweetness and humility.

BLACKPINKs fashion has different sides to it as well. Sometimes, onlookers might see the members in eye-catching clothes from high-fashion brands. Other times, the members still look chic while dressing down and wearing more simple outfits.

In any case, it seems there is a lot people can learn from BLACKPINK about embracing ones individuality.
When Breaking Bad burst onto the TV scene in 2008, no one knew how big itd become in the years since its series finale in 2013. Many networks passed on the hit show before it eventually landed on AMC. Excitement for Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) took a season to catch up. Once it did, Breaking Bad became a cultural phenomenon. This is exactly why execs had to put fake signs up to divert attention while shooting.

After it sold, Breaking Bad was originally set to film in California

Bryan Cranston | Ursula Coyote/AMC

RELATED: Breaking Bad: Why Walter Whites Infamous Tighty Whities Almost Didnt Make the Pilot Episode

Its hard to believe it now, but there was a time when plenty of major networks gave Breaking Bad a hard pass. The show was pitched by creator Vince Gilligan and Sony Pictures to Showtime, TNT, HBO and FX, according to Mental Floss. In 2011, Gilligan said the HBO meeting was the worst hed ever had.

The woman we [were] pitching to could not have been less interested  not even in my story, but about whether I actually lived or died, he said.

FX bought the show but didnt love the script but AMC swooped in. The real buzz began when Netflix stepped in, changing the way people watch TV forever. The Netflix Effect is what forayed Breaking Bad to the level it remains today.

The original film location was supposed to take place in Riverside County, California, which is in the Southern California area. Things changed when the studio learned they couldnt earn a rebate in that state so they transferred to Albuquerque, New Mexico to save money  25 percent more. The rebate credited back not only allowed for a bigger budget but helped the city become a hot destination as its own Breaking Bad character.

Albuquerque was absolutely an important character and I just adore those people and all those who worked with and the cooperation from the Mayors office and the film department and just the great people in New Mexico. I look forward to getting back there and visiting again and saying hello and having the chilis, Cranston previously told Route Magazine.

The popularity of the show and the town are exactly why the studio opted for new signage where they filmed.

Breaking Bad eventually became so popular they had to make fake signs to throw fans off

Green beans with almonds: best Thanksgiving side. pic.twitter.com/vAWrxJGflh  Breaking Bad (@BreakingBad) November 26, 2020

RELATED: Breaking Bad Star Aaron Paul Once Asked His Grandma to Close Her Eyes During This Intense Scene

When Breaking Bad first began, cast and crew didnt have to worry so much about who stumbled upon their location. But, as the series took on a life of its own, they took extra precautions to throw fans off the trail.

When we first started the directional signs that tell the actors and crew where to park their cars to go to work on location, they just said Breaking Bad with an arrow, Cranston said. I knew that we were starting to get recognized when all those signs started to be stolen.

He continued: Then they just used BrBa and those were stolen, and I thought, Oh, were becoming a hit. After that, they would tell us what the road signs were going to be and they would change them up like, mayonnaise commercial this way, so that we could figure out where to park our cars.

The legacy of the show continues in the city of Albequerque

RELATED: Breaking Bad Creator Initially Intended to Kill off 2 Main Characters in Season 1:Thats What Ballsy Shows Do

Thanks to the success of the show, the Albuquerque tourism industry saw a boost in traffic. Now the city offers tours of Breaking Bad locations such as Hank and Maries house and a themed candy store with sweets made by the real props department hired to make Walt and Jesses blue meth.

Breaking Bad became such a phenomenon that it helped in other areas such as tourism,Nick Maniatis, director of the New Mexico State Film Office told New York Times in2013. You wouldnt think that would be the case for a show about meth. But it was shot so beautifully. They did such a great job showing different areas of our state.

The biggest attraction is that of Walts house which garnered a statement by Gilligan for fans to stop throwing pizzas on Francis and Louis Padillas roof (as Walt did in the show).

Every single day, without exaggeration, every day, there have been people who would come with pizzas and they would throw pizzas on the roof, then take a picture of themselves in the foreground with the pizza on the roof, but they wouldnt retrieve the pizza and ants, and roaches, and birds, and rats would come. It was really, really terrible, and its just unfortunate that they had to endure that, Cranston said.

Maybe if theyd put a Mayonnaise Commercial sign out front, dedicated viewers would move.
Every Fast and the Furious movie is packed with vehicular mayhem. Ranking them is just an excuse to discuss some of our favorite moments from the Fast saga. We will gladly take that excuse with the release of F9.

[Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers for the movies in the Fast saga.]

Vin Diesel (above) and Paul Walker (below) | Universal/Getty Images

With nine movies, narrowing it down was still tough. Even leaving out The Fast and the Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (which is more based on fighting but has a few vehicular scenes) didnt help much. So here are the 16 best chases and races in the Fast Saga up to and including F9.

16. Zombie cars are coming to get you, Dom, in The Fate of the Furious

In any other series, this would blow every other scene out of the water, but its not even the top scene in this movie, let alone the whole Fast Saga. In New York, villain Cipher (Charlize Theron) commandeerss the electronics of passenger vehicles, causing cars to drive themselves, pile up and rain from a parking garage. She takes some while passengers are still in them, causing stuntmen to dive from moving vehicles.

15. The truck heist in The Fast and the Furious

The 2001 original Fast and the Furious is much mellower than the films that came later. Still, the climax of the movie holds up. Dom (Vin Diesel) and his gang are robbing trucks to pay for their cars. What makes this heist more interesting is that the driver is shooting at them, and the driver is right. Hes being robbed and defending himself, but youre with Dom and Vince (Matt Schultze).

14. The Fast Saga went to London in Furious 6

Furious 6 is just getting warmed up here. Owen Shaw (Luke Evans) has an armored car with a slanted front that works as a spatula to flip oncoming police cruisers at his pursuers. This London street sequence also begins with Shaw collapsing the second level of a garage so the entire SWAT team crumbles. Theyre probably okay. We just didnt see them crawling out of the rubble because we were focused on the car chase.

13. The Fast Saga begins with the first street race in The Fast and the Furious

The original intro to street racing still holds up, too. Beginning with the memoral journey from Doms arm through the engine, this race aptured the speed, the NOS boost and the pressure on the car. It paved the way for everything to follow.

12. The opening race in 2 Fast 2 Furious

2 Fast 2 Furious is an underrated entry with a lot of fun sequences. It opens with a bang as Brian (Paul Walker) joins a Miami street race. It tops its predecessor and culminates in a jump over an open drawbridge.

11. The Fast Saga becomes a minefield in F9

F9 has some sequences fans will surely be talking about all summer. Most dont compare to the others on this list, but the chase through a minefield does. The mines are only a minor disturbance launching cars every which way as the drivers careen and evade. The sequence ends in not just one, but two cars using a rope bridge to get away.

F9 | Universal Pictures

RELATED: F9 Totally Contradicts Another Fast and the Furious Movie And Nobody Noticed

10. The train keeps rolling in Fast Five

On the run from the law after breaking Dom out of prison, Dom and Brian agree to a job Vince set up. They rob some DEA-confiscated vehicles from a transport train. Dom gets his most dramatic entrance in the series, backlit as his crew blowtorches the side of the train off.

Unloading each vehicle is its own unique challenge, but Dom suspects something is up. When he and Brian use the cars to escape the train, the action is so big it showed the Fast saga was going to the next level.

9. The Fast Saga drifts in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift

Tokyo Drift has a lot of fun sequence, too, including the opening race through a construction site and the climax on a winding hill. The sequence that best lives up to the title comes in the middle. Han (Sung Kang) and Sean Boswell (Lucas Black) are running from the villains. They end up drifting through a Shibuya intersection as the crowd parts around them.

8. They got a tank in Furious 6

Remember when we said Furious 6 was just getting started? Midway through the movie, the gang intercept Shaw hijacking a military convoy. Shaw reveals hes driving a tank. So youve got the tank blowing up bridges and cars jumping the rubble. More than one person catches another by landing on a car.

7. Jumping between buildings in Furious Seven

This is a shorter sequence than some of the others on this list, because the Lykan HyperSport is being kept in the penthouse of a skyscraper. Theres only so many places to go, but its all about jumping the Lykan between not two, but three of the buildings.

6. The Fast Saga goes back to its roots in The Fate of the Furious

A traditional street race is rare in later Fast and the Furious movies. As the eighth film opens in Havana, Cuba, Dom proves he can win even driving the ultimate clunker. Hes driving a fireball by the end.

5. This is not safe in Fast Five

Hey, Fast Five ends up at No. 5. We promise, we didnt plan this. But the heist in Fast Five involves driving a safe full of money out of the police station and through the streets of Rio De Janeiro with police cars in pursuit. The safe takes out city blocks as Dom and Brian evade pursuers.

RELATED: F9 Is the First Fast and the Furious Movie Where These 2 Original Cast Members Have a Scene Together

4. Thick ice in The Fate of the Furious

For sheer quantity, the climax of The Fate of the Furious delivers everything you want from the Fast Saga. This one has cars on ice, snowmobiles, tanks and to top it all off, a submarine. Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) handles a missile by bare-handed and the gang form a vehicular shield around Dom so thats the level were operating on.

3. The airport runway that keeps running in Furious 6

The elaborate finale of Furious 6 has the team on the runway trying to bring down Shaws escaping plane, while Dom, Hobbs and Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) fight his henchmen in the cargo hold. Dom eventually plows through the nose of the crashing plane.

2. The Caucusus Mountains in Furious Seven

To rescue Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel) from captors, the gang intercepts a bus in the Caucasus Mountains. The problem is, they cant drive to the Caucusus Mountains so they parachute their cars onto the road from above. Thats the beginning of this extended sequence with car transfers, jumps and Brian fighting Tony Jaa inside and then running atop the bus when it dangles over a cliff.

1. The tanker heist in Fast & Furious takes the Fast Saga to the next level

A controversial pick from an unpopular entry in the series, but the fourth film is where the Fast Saga went from that street racing series to blockbuster tentpoles. This opening is the series Raiders of the Lost Ark boulder. Dom, Letty, Han and their crew rob tankers in the Dominican Republic.

RELATED: F9 Star Jordana Brewster Says 1 Character Was Cut Out of the Latest Fast and the Furious Movie

The buildup in this sequence keeps escalating with Letty jumping on the tanker, Dom knocking another tanker free with his car, and ultimately driving safely under a tumbling fireball of the third tanker. There are other fun sequences in this entry too, including an L.A. street race with no closed off traffic. Even if you dont like the tunnel sequence, a massive desert chase precedes it.
Never tell Harrison Ford the odds of him injuring himself on set. The actor sustained a shoulder injury while filming Indiana Jones 5 this week. But this is far from the first time hes hurt himself while playing Indy. And his on-set injuries arent even exclusive to the action franchise. It begs the question, is he still doing most of his own stunts at 78 years old?

Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones wears his signature brown jacket and fedora in a scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark | CBS via Getty Images

Harrison Ford injured his shoulder rehearsing for Indiana Jones 5

Disney announced in a June 23 statement that Ford hurt his shoulder while rehearsing a fight sequence for Indiana Jones 5. The statement said:

In the course of rehearsing for a fight scene, Harrison Ford sustained an injury involving his shoulder. Production will continue while the appropriate course of treatment is evaluated, and the filming schedule will be reconfigured as needed in the coming weeks.

Its not clear how bad the injury is, but production is continuing while Ford gets treatment. The movie started filming earlier in June. Ford is joined by Fleabags Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Mads Mikkelsen. Toby Jones was also photographed in costume on set with Ford, but his casting hasnt been officially announced.

RELATED: Carrie Fisher Exposed Her Affair With Harrison Ford as a Favor To Star Wars Fans

Does Harrison Ford use a stunt double?

Ford has preferred to do his own stunts for the majority of his career. He does use a stunt double. But the star prefers to do as much of the work as he can. And it doesnt always go perfectly. Ford has sustained injuries while filming during three Indiana Jones movies alone and has also been injured working on some of his other iconic films.

When filming the first Indiana Jones movies, Ford was so adamant about doing the majority of his stunts that his stunt double had to ask him to take a break so he could work. Stuntman Vic Armstrong was Fords double for Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. But Ford didnt give him much to do.

If he wasnt such a great actor, he would have made a really great stuntman, Armstrong said, according to Newsweek.

Ford also insisted on performing all of his stunts in Raiders of the Lost Ark, and director Steven Spielberg was all for it. The famous Indiana Jones boulder scene was performed by Ford himself. But in a 2017 essay for American Cinematographer, Spielberg called himself and idiot for letting Ford take that risk. He said:

A double would have cheated his head down, so Harrison volunteered to do it himself. He succeeded. There were five shots of the rock from five different angles  each one done separately, each one done twice  so Harrison had to race the rock 10 times. He won 10 times  and beat the odds. He was lucky  and I was an idiot for letting him try it.

Harrison Ford | Kurt Krieger/Corbis via Getty Images

RELATED: Mads Mikkelsen Gives an Update on Indiana Jones 5

Fords stunt injuries from Indiana Jones, Star Wars, and more

Ford seems to have some bad luck when it comes to filming stunts. This new shoulder injury marks the third time hes hurt himself while playing the adventure-seeking archaeologist throughout the franchises five films. These are all the injuries hes incurred while playing Indy:

Raiders of the Lost Ark, 1981: Torn ACL and bruised ribs

Temple of Doom, 1984: Herniated disc from riding elephants and continuing to work while injured

Indiana Jones 5, 2021: Undisclosed shoulder injury

He also hurt himself filming Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens in 2014, but that one wasnt his fault. A hydraulic door accidentally closed on top of Ford on set, breaking his left leg and dislocating his left ankle. The actor also sustained a ligament injury while filming The Fugitive. He waited to have surgery until the film wrapped, which aggravated the injury. So in the scenes where Ford is limping, hes not acting.

Still, hes not showing signs of slowing down. According to Sky News, a child and his mother were starstruck when they saw Ford in his Indiana Jones costume coming out of a tunnel in a village called Grosmont in North Yorkshire, United Kingdom, on June 9. The childs mother said her young son asked if he was the real Indiana Jones.

He tipped his hat and said no, he was the stunt double, she said.

Sounds about right.
The new Pixar movie, Luca, is Enrico Casarosas directorial debut, a literal fish-out-of-water story. Although the voice cast is stellar, the Italian storyboard artist made two cameos, voicing two different animated characters. One of the lines quickly became a fan-favorite quote from the movie. Early in the film, Alberto (voiced by Jack Dylan Grazer) repeats a phrase he heard from a fisherman. Whats wrong with you, Stupido! the fisherman yelled. Throughout the movie, the two main characters, Alberto and Luca (voiced by Jacob Tremblay), repeat the Italian phrase. As it turns out, that random fisherman was the Luca director himself, Enrico Casarosa.

Giacomo Gianniotti and director Enrico Casarosa at the world premiere for Luca | Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney

Luca movie voices

The Luca cast is star-studded, with A-list celebrities even voicing minor roles. However, surprisingly, the Luca director chose to jump in for cameos anyway. Greys Anatomy fans celebrated the few lines that Giacomo Gianniotti spoke in the Luca movie. Former Dr. Andrew DeLuca portrayed a fisherman alongside Gino La Monica, who voiced the role of Tommaso.

Also, the Canadian actor famous for Room, Jacob Tremblay, voiced the 13-year-old sea monster Luca Paguro. Meanwhile, Shazam star, Jack Dylan Grazer acted opposite Tremblay as Alberto Scorfano. Emma Berman, who voiced Giulia Marcovaldo, is one of the only actors not to hold extensive filmography.

RELATED: How Old Is Giulia in Luca? Her Age Isnt the Only Surprising Thing About the Young Star

Additionally, Marco Barricelli joined the Luca cast as Giulias father, fisherman, and cook Massimo Marcovaldo. American stand-up comedian Jim Gaffigan voiced Lucas father, Lorenzo Paguro. Also, SNL star Maya Rudolph acted opposite Gaffigan as Lucas mother.

Italian comedian Saverio Raimondo voiced Ercole Visconti, the local bully of Portorosso and fancy Vespa owner. Lastly, no one could forget Uncle Ugo  Borats Sacha Baron Cohen.

Luca director Enrico Casarosa provided two hysterical cameos

The story of Luca came straight from the directors childhood in the Italian Riviera. Casarosa added beautiful language as well as random phrases from small-town Italy. According to a Disney+ fact sheet, the director voiced the role of the winning card player in Portorosso. He shouted Scopa! which translates to broom. However, in Italian, it means to sweep all the cards from the table.

Later, his second cameo is the fisherman who yells to a speeding boat, Whats wrong with you, Stupido! Alberto picks up that phrase and uses it throughout the film because he thinks its a traditional Italian human thing. In an interview with The Wrap, the Luca film director explained why he included so many varied Italian phrases.

RELATED: Luca: What Did Alberto Say to Luca at the End of the Movie? The Director Explains

It felt like a great opportunity to make a love letter to small-town Italy with all the beautiful language, the Luca director told the outlet. Theres so many things that I was so proud and happy to be able to share. Especially with a fish out of water, we have a kid who has never experienced this world. And through Luca, we can look lovingly with interest and with attention and curiosity at this Italian world.

Where does the movie Luca take place?

If you watched the movie, you know that the setting is the Italian Riviera seaside town of Portorosso. Although it is a fictional town, the filmmakers traveled to Italy to get a feel for the movies setting. The director of Luca took the team to dinner at his parents home in Genoa while researching the local culture. So, the setting might be fictional, but the artists made it as accurate as possible by because of their travels.

Another fun fact from Disney+ is that all of the childrens background voices are recordings from local kids in Italy.

RELATED: Luca Movie: Who Does Giacomo Gianniotti Play? Greys Anatomy Fans Cried Happy Tears
Many of us have spent the past 15 months pretty close to home. Now that its safer to travel, you may be thinking about taking that long-delayed vacation. And if youre a fan of HGTVs Renovation Island, theres a good chance youre thinking how nice it would be to relax at the Baeumler familys Bahamas resort, rather than just admiring it through your TV screen. Well, if you want to make that dream a reality, heres what you need to know about booking a stay at the Caerula Mar Club.

The Renovation Island resort is open for business

RELATED: Renovation Island: Sarah and Bryan Baeumler Spent More Than $10 Million Renovating Their Resort

On the first season of Renovation Island, viewers watched as Sarah and Bryan Baeumler turned a run-down hotel into a luxe vacation destination. But not long after they completed work on the property and welcomed their first guests, disaster struck in the form of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

We just opened the hotel. Six weeks later, we shut down, Bryan said in a clip from the Renovation Island Season 2 premiere. Nobodys coming. Its a full pandemic.

The Baeumlers resort  which theyd christened Caerula Mar Club  was closed for months. Fortunately, they were able to open their doors again in October 2020. Now, those who want to visit the beachfront resort on South Andros Island can head to CaerulaMar.com and book their stay online. If you need assistance or are planning an event, theres a form to contact guest services.

While the resort is open, visitors still have to follow the Bahamas COVID-19 travel protocols, including either being fully vaccinated or showing proof of a negative COVID-19 test. (You can see more details about current travel guidelines on the Caerula Mar Club website.)

A stay at the Caerula Mar Club resort isnt cheap

Renovation Island | HGTV

RELATED: Renovation Island: The Baeumler Family Resort Features Amazing Dining Options

With a pristine beachfront location, private villas, and luxury amenities, its no surprise that a stay at Caerula Mar Club isnt cheap. Low-season (May through mid-November) rates start at $385 per night for a clubhouse suite and run as much as $1,145 per night for one of the resorts signature collections suites or villas. High-season (mid-November through April) rates range from $485 to $1,425 per night, and youll pay an additional premium for holiday stays.

Caerula Mar Club isnt an all-inclusive resort. Instead, it offers a range of a la carte dining options at three on-site restaurants, as well as bespoke dining experiences. A pre-purchased dining package is $135 per per person, per day.

Where is Renovation Island, and how do you get there?

Caerula Mar Club is located on South Andros Island, about 150 miles east of Miami. Visitors have a few options for getting to the resort.

Direct, scheduled flights are available from Fort Lauderdale to the Congo Town Airport. You can also fly to Congo Town from Nassau. Private charters are also an option. The resort offers complimentary airport transfers for guests.

While there is no ferry service from Nassau to South Andros, some guests arrive on the island via their own boat.

According to their website, the resort staff is able to assist guests with arranging travel to the island.

New episodes of Renovation Island air Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on HGTV.

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Sister Wives star, Meri Brown, has had an extraordinarily difficult few years. 2021 hasnt been any kinder to her. The loss of her mother, Bonnie Ahlstrom, highlighted just how alone she is within her supersized, plural family. Now, the mother of one is figuring out how to reestablish a business her mother largely ran. Her decision to focus on Lizzies Heritage Inn has fueled rumors that Meri has permanently decamped to Utah. Did she finally leave Kody Brown behind?

Family followers suspect Meri Brown has made a permanent move to Utah following her mothers death

Meris mother, Bonnie, died suddenly in March 2021. Meri announced her passing via Instagram and immediately shut down the small bed and breakfast she owns in Parowan, Utah. Bonnie had been acting as the innkeeper at the small, family-owned business in recent years. In May, Meri announced she was hanging out in Parowan, getting the inn ready to function again.

The Brown family | Ethan Miller/Getty Images

The second Meri explained that she was working with a team to reopen the bed and breakfast, family followers started to assume shed be relocating to the country locale permanently to take over Bonnies duties. Likewise, several media outlets theorized the same. Is it true, though? Could she set down roots in the sleepy town five hours from her family in Flagstaff, Arizona?

Is there evidence that Meri Brown moved, though?

While there is no direct evidence that Meri is planning to live in Utah forever, some hints suggest it could be the case. First, Meri posted about working with a team, including an accountant and a lawyer, to deal with the ins and outs of running an inn. She also noted that Mariah Brown and Audrey Kriss could help out, too, as they spent a ton of time working with Bonnie while she was the innkeeper.

Fans theorize that Meris interest in every aspect of the business suggests shell be staying on as innkeeper, perhaps permanently. There are more clues, though. Meri has posted several photos in recent weeks to her Instagram. Each image was taken at or around the inn. Fans believe shes been there since before her Instagram announcement. If thats true, she probably hasnt seen Kody and her sister wives in at least two months.

While the evidence does suggest Meri is planning to take an active role in the day-to-day management of the business, it doesnt mean she is permanently relocating. Meri may be staying on until she finds someone to fill the role. She could also spend her time at the bed and breakfast during busy tourist seasons and hand over the reins to a family member during the slower months. But, for now, it looks like the small business owner is splitting her time, or, at the very least, will be, between multiple locations, including Flagstaff.

Sister Wives fans have called Meris living situation into question multiple times since her move to Flagstaff

It seems increasingly unlikely that Meri will officially announce her departure from Flagstaff, Arizona. At least, it seems doubtful that shell announce a permanent move while TLC continues to carry Sister Wives. There have also been several false alarms regarding Meris living situation and whether she calls Flagstaff home in the past.

Shortly after the familys big move, followers noticed that Meri appeared to be still spending the bulk of her time back in Las Vegas. As it turned out, Meri did briefly move back to Nevada, but not because she didnt intend to reconnect with her plural family, eventually. There were simply some housing issues that she needed to work through.

A Flagstaff and Sedona Arizona road sign | Visions of America/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Shortly before the pandemic started, Sister Wives fans once again questioned her living situation. In the months before lockdown Meri traveled through much of the continental United States but rarely posted from Flagstaff. When restrictions truly set in, she mostly stayed in her familys new home base, putting to rest rumors about alternative living accommodations. Now, though, it is really anyones guess. If Meri intends to run Lizzies Heritage Inn, shell likely need to live on-site, but she is unlikely to publicize that. Only time will tell.
Ree Drummond has been a television star for a full decade. Drummonds Food Network show The Pioneer Woman premiered back in 2011. Since then, fans have watched her create easy recipes  and have watched her kids grow up. At first, though, Drummond wasnt keen on being on TV. But as she adjusted to her life in front of the camera, she compared it to giving birth.

The Pioneer Woman star Ree Drummond in 2019 | Tyler Essary/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank

The Pioneer Woman star Ree Drummond has spent the past 10 years on camera

Drummond never expected to have a career in television. The Food Network star actually went to college in California and had plans to go to law school before meeting her husband, Ladd Drummond. Once sparks flew between Drummond and Ladd, everything changed, and she settled down with him on an Oklahoma ranch.

In 2006, Drummond launched her Pioneer Woman website  a blog where she could talk about life on the ranch and raising four young kids. The blog grew in popularity, and eventually, Drummond started creating recipes that fans loved. Food Network came calling, and in 2011, Drummonds show premiered. Now, its been 10 years of The Pioneer Woman, and Drummond wouldnt change a thing.

The Pioneer Woman star Ree Drummond in 2017 | Monica Schipper/Getty Images for The Pioneer Woman Magazine

RELATED: The Pioneer Woman: Ree Drummond and Her Husband Have a Very Different Approach to 1 Part of Life

Ree Drummond once compared being on TV to giving birth

Drummond wasnt always interested in pursuing a career in television. It was never her lifelong dream, and even when she first started, she was apprehensive about what life in front of a camera would be like. In a 2012 interview with Imbibe, Drummond opened up about filming.

its the learning curve of having to talk to a camera, Drummond said of the challenges of filming. I was also surprised by how long shooting days are. I tell people to imagine a busy mother of four who has a website and writes books but who then has 14 fewer hours in a day.

Still, Drummond made clear that she is appreciative of her time on television, even comparing the adventure to giving birth. Its very much like childbirth  when its over, you only remember the fun parts.

Drummond certainly knows a thing or two about childbirth, considering she has four kids. And shes even recalled that, despite all of her fame and notoriety, becoming a mother was the thing that changed her life the most.

Ree Drummond loves having a scrapbook of her familys life in the form of TV

Although adjusting to celebrity status wouldnt be easy for anyone, Drummond has used the opportunity to develop even more of a brand her herself. Shes opened a restaurant, hotel, and home goods store in downtown Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Plus, shes launched a cookware line, clothing line, and The Pioneer Woman Magazine.But Drummond recalled her favorite thing about filming: Having a scrapbook of memories of her familys everyday life.

When I started my show I wasnt really sure if Id translate to TV, since  TV moves so fast, Drummond said. On the other hand  It shows my kids and life on the ranch  so I now have this wonderful video scrapbook to remember things by.
Image: Canva/Transformation Church

Continuing with my Sunday Journeys series, in 2019, I had the privilege of preaching at Transformation Church . I went to their multiple locations in North and South Carolina.

The pastor there is Derwin Gray. Derwin recently tweeted that the first time he met Beth Moore was at a meeting we had in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Here is the picture he shared in his tweet:

It was fun to actually remember this night, it was a time before social media got so ugly and people were so divided. Derwin and Beth were guests on the Trinity Broadcasting Networks Praise the Lord program that I hosted. That night we went to dinner, and we did not shop at the Justice store behind them, but we did have a nice time in the area there. I had planted a church in the area with some friends before this. The location where we took this picture is about 500 ft from the movie theater where that church meets.

But years after that, Derwin had invited me to come down to Transformation Church, and there are lots of fascinating things to see there. In part, a reminder that Derwins passion for a multiethnic church is not hypothetical.

Derwin and I recently did a podcast interview about his newest book, Building a Multiethnic Church, where he really pushes in on some issues related to race, ethnicity, division, and the churchs responsibility. You can listen to that here: Multiethnic Church Podcast Interview.

One of the things I think is important is that when we are having conversations with people of color, passing the mic, or sharing their story, is that we dont just do so on the issue of race and ethnicity. As is the case with Derwin, he is a remarkable leader on issues of multiethnic church, however, he is just a remarkable leader in general.

So here is a picture of when we had the privilege of gathering together, again this is pre-COVID. Im so thankful he allowed me to preach at the multiple services of his church.

I love how they put it on their website:

The Vision of Transformation Church is to be a multiethnic, multigenerational mission-shaped community that loves God completely (Upward), ourselves correctly (Inward), and our neighbors compassionately (Outward). The vision of Transformation Church is birthed out of the very heart of Jesus.

Thanks so much, Derwin for having me preach. I am thankful for his clear and ongoing leadership.
Billy Graham trauma chaplains, Christian groups bring comfort to distraught families of 150 missing in Florida tower collapse

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As rescue crews carry on with their search for survivors, trauma counselors with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team and other Christian groups are ministering to the families of 150 people who remain missing and nine people who have died after a 12-story beachfront condo building in Florida partially collapsed Thursday night.

The fifth body was pulled out of the rubble at the Champlain Towers South Condo in Surfside near Miami Saturday, the Miami Herald reported, adding that police had identified three of the victims as Stacie Fang, 54; Anthony Lozano, 83; and Gladys Lozano, 79.

Among those missing are a retired Miami-area teacher and his wife, Orthodox Jews from Russia, the sister of Paraguays first lady, and many others from South America and Israel, according to CBN News.

Tragic stories of survivors are being reported, which include rescuers saving a child whose parents are feared dead and a mother and child being saved after the mothers leg was amputated to pull her from the rubble.

As the community grapples with the tragedy, crisis-trained chaplains from the BG-RRT are in the area to offer emotional and spiritual care to first responders and the heartbroken community, the ministry said.

Our crisis-trained chaplains are available to listen, and we want all of those who were impacted  including the first responders who are part of the search-and-rescue efforts  to know that God still loves them and cares about them, even in the midst of such pain and sadness, CBN News quoted BG-RRT assistant director Josh Holland as saying.

Rescuers are risking their own lives working below ground and some are being hit by falling debris, Franklin Graham wrote on Facebook. Lets lift these workers up in prayer, asking God to help and protect them. Also pray for every missing person and their family members awaiting word. This catastrophe has devastated so many.

Graham quoted Psalm 46:1, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Religious organizations, like a synagogue in Skylake, are asking for donations to help the families of those impacted. So far, their online donation fund has raised more than $728,000.

Catholic clergy in Miami have said they will hold mass for all those affected by the collapse of the building.

A reunification center has been set up at the Grand Beach Hotel Surfside, about six blocks from the partially collapsed tower, where families are waiting for any news about their loved ones.

On Saturday morning, 16 South Florida members of the Christian faith-based organization Legendarios arrived at the center with donuts and beverages for the families and police officers. They also formed a prayer circle outside the hotel and prayed together with officers before walking over to the site of the collapse.

The community has come together in tremendous ways. We just wanted to add the prayer part to it, Mauricio Jaramillo, a member of Legendarios, was quoted as saying. Weve talked to a couple of people about whats been going on, not knowing whats happening. Theres a lot of questions. People want answers and we are here to pray.

Local churches and the Shul of Bal Harbour, a synagogue that has at least 13 members among those still unaccounted for, are collecting donations to be dispersed as needed directly to the victims and families.

Their online fundraiser had raised nearly $1 million as of early Sunday. This tragedy has shaken the Miami community to its core.  Our hopes lay in finding those still missing, but the window is becoming slimmer. As the news continues to unfold, it has become apparent that the needs of the community are growing, so while search and rescue efforts continue, we must continue our efforts to raise financial support for those affected, it says.

Meanwhile, town officials have noted that a 2018 report about the Champlain Towers shows that an engineer had flagged a major error dating back to the buildings origin where lack of proper drainage on the pool deck had caused major structural damage, the Herald reported.
Spires, mines and Old West legends in Nevadas oldest towns

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There is more to Nevada than Las Vegas.

My visit to the Silver State started after flying into Reno. After picking up a rental car I embarked upon a three-day road trip across Reno-Tahoe to discover Nevadas oldest towns.

Anchored by the state capital of Carson City, the region sits on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains near magnificent Lake Tahoe.

I first stopped in Virginia City, a former mining town settled in 1859. In its heyday, it had one of the largest populations anywhere in the Old West. It is estimated that about $20 billion in gold and silver was extracted from mines in and around here.

The streetscape feels like a time capsule, thanks to blocks of historic buildings. Most date to after 1875, when a fire destroyed pretty much everything.

First Presbyterian Church with its simple but elegant carpenter Gothic style managed to survive the fire. The same cannot be said for St. Marys-in-the-Mountains Church (Roman Catholic), which was rebuilt within the original brick walls. The undercroft has an interesting but disorganized museum that includes both religious and secular objects. Next door is St. Paul the Prospector, the first Episcopal parish in Nevada. The church, which features more elaborate carpenter Gothic architecture than the Presbyterians, is in bad shape and raising money for a restoration.

About a half-hours drive away, through other once-prosperous mining towns like Gold Hill and Silver City, is the capital of Carson City. Named after legendary explorer Kit Carson, it is one of the countrys most underrated state capitals.

What looks like the palace of an obscure European principality is actually the Capitol building. Within walking distance is the interesting Nevada State Museum. Other attractions include the Stewart Indian School Cultural Center & Museum, which had the unfortunate luck of opening in early 2020 just before the pandemic, and the State Railroad Museum.

Twenty minutes south in Douglas County is Carson Valley, where cattle, sheep and even wild horses graze against a backdrop of the mighty Sierra Nevadas.

I found myself in the quaint town of Genoa. Dating to 1850, when this was the Utah Territory and Latter-day Saints erected a small trading post on the California Trail called Mormon Station, Nevadas first settlement looks more like a small town from somewhere in New York, Ohio or Pennsylvania.

Local guide Sue Knight showed me everything, including the Genoa Bar. Having opened in 1853, this is Nevadas oldest continuously operated bar. Even teetotalers appreciate the colorful atmosphere. Visitors craving more than a drink should visit the deli in the Genoa Country Store, which is across from the museum and reconstructed stockade at Mormon Station State Historic Park. There is also the postbellum county courthouse-turned-local historical museum.

If you go

Virginia Citys Visitor Center is a great resource. Not only can you purchase tickets for all the attractions, but you can also reserve a walkabout tour from docent Deke DiMarzo, who portrays several characters from the olden days.

Cobb Mansion, where I stayed, is a bed-and-breakfast housed within a circa 1876 Victorian Italianate home. Alternatives include the Silverland Inn & Suites, also in Virginia City, and the new Staybridge Suites in Carson City.

Eat at Virginia Citys Cafe Del Rio, J.T. Basque Restaurant in Gardnerville and The Pink House in Genoa.

Follow @dennislennox on Instagram and Twitter.
Justin Trudeau demands apology from Pope Francis after 751 more graves of indigenous children found

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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has asked Pope Francis to visit Canada and apologize after 751 more unmarked graves were found at the site of what was once that countrys residential school under the administration of the Roman Catholic Church to assimilate indigenous people.

I have spoken personally directly with His Holiness Pope Francis to press 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 told reporters in Ottawa Friday, the day after a preliminary report revealed that an additional 751 unmarked graves were found near the former Marieval Indian Residential School in Saskatchewan, bringing the number to 966, Reuters reported.

I know that the Catholic Church leadership is looking and very actively engaged in what next steps can be taken, Trudeau added.

Last month, the remains of 215 children, some as young as 3 years old, were found buried under an area on which Kamloops Indian Residential School stood in British Columbia, which was part of the Canadian Indian residential school system that was closed in 1978, the BBC reported at the time.

I recognize these findings only deepen the pain that families, survivors and all Indigenous peoples and communities are already feeling, and that they reaffirm a truth that they have long known, Trudeau added in his statement, according to the CBC.

The hurt and the trauma that you feel is Canadas responsibility to bear, and the government will continue to provide Indigenous communities across the country with the funding and resources they need to bring these terrible wrongs to light. While we cannot bring back those who were lost, we can  and we will  tell the truth of these injustices, and we will forever honor their memory, he added.

The school opened under the Roman Catholic administration in 1890 and housed as many as 500 students in the 1950s.

Many students were beaten and verbally abused, and about 6,000 are believed to have died at the school, according to the Los Angeles Times, which also reported that the Canadian government had admitted that physical and sexual abuse was rampant at the schools, and apologized in Parliament in 2008.

Canadas residential school system separated some 150,000 indigenous children from their families, according to The Wall Street Journal, which quoted an inquiry report from 2015 that estimated that 4,100 children died of disease or by accident while in the system and went on to call the school system akin to cultural genocide.

Marion Buller, who served as chief commissioner of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, has suggested that Trudeau needs to do more for the indigenous people.

Its a nice statement. A very well-crafted statement of sympathy and empathy, but theres no action there, CBC quoted her as saying.
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In the 1987 flick starring Tom Selleck, "Three Men and a Baby", a trio of bachelors share a New York apartment and they take turns bringing home one-night stands. All seems to be going according to this hedonistic plan until one of their one-night stands leaves a baby at their doorstep.

One of them is the father, but hes out of town. Hilarity ensues as his two roommates rearrange their lives to care for little baby Mary. After bumbling their way through bottles and diapers and bedtime and babysitting, something surprising happens: these clueless cads find themselves actually acting like dads. The bond they form with this little girl brings mom and dad together in the end for something that looks more like a family than just a casual fling.

Now, Im not recommending this movie or this lifestyle, but I do think that it illustrates the power of parenthoodespecially the power of parenthood to transform both the attitudes and the priorities of men.

Fathers are more than just sperm donors. They have a connection with their children beyond contributing DNA. In fact, that whole myth is losing credibility in the face of scientific and medical evidence. For instance, we know now that fathers bond physically and emotionally with their children in a way that complements a mothers bond. Thats why skin-to-skin contact with dad is now a common practice in delivery rooms. And the connections dont end there.

Recent discoveries suggest that dedicated fathers, like dedicated mothers, undergo dramatic hormonal and neurological shifts upon the arrival of a baby. Some experts now even think that those shifts and the father-child bond that creates them begin even before birth.

Writing recently in The Atlantic, Ariel Ramchandani describes a bizarre condition that sometimes afflicts expectant fathers. Whats known as Couvade syndrome is a poorly understood set of symptoms in which a man experiences physical changes that mirror those of his pregnant partner. Things like weight gain, vomiting, aches and pains  even cravings. Understandably, dads who go through such things are often embarrassed to talk about it. It sounds like one of Arnold Schwarzeneggers worst movies, "Junior."

Until recently, the go-to explanation was that Couvade syndrome is psychosomatic. In other words, Its all in your head. But Ramchandani marshals evidence that something physical could be at work when men are experiencing so-called pregnancy symptoms. The key is probably hormones triggered by living with a pregnant partner, and caring for a child. Becoming a dad is associated with declines in mens level of testosterone, she writes, and those declines are linked with greater paternal investment. Hormonal changes could explain fathers weight gain as well as their pre- and postnatal depression.

According to one psychology professor at the University of Southern California, Couvade Syndrome is still a mystery, but less dramatic. Hormonal shifts among fathers are well documented and biologically important. We celebrate a vision of men as high-testosterone, aggressive and manly, said this professor, and thats inconsistent with the parenting role. In this view, men who feel pregnant may simply be experiencing an extreme form of the natural shifts in body chemistry that prepares them to become good dads.

Unlike mothers, however, fathers dont undergo these shifts automatically. It comes after investment and time. Research at the University of Michigan points to a feedback loop in which fathers become better suited hormonally to nurture the more time they actually spend nurturing. According to one University of Notre Dame anthropologist quoted in The Atlantic, the degree to which fathers physically adapt to their new role can even depend on cultural norms of fatherhood.

Now given all this, its not surprising that Tom Selleck and company slipped into their paternal roles so easily. Men who behave like dads, science seems to suggest, become better dads. But this research also understates an enormous difference between mothers and fathers in that they each contribute to child-rearing in unique, distinct and important ways. Ironically, the fact that some men experience symptoms reminiscent of motherhood could be proof that mothers arent the only thing that children need.

Male bodies respond to the call to nurture in their own way. This supports the claim that Dr. Ryan T. Anderson often makes, that theres really no such thing as parenting; theres only mothering and fathering. The fact is that we have a day set aside to recognize Fathers Day, and even a few movies that describe it, even bad ones. Hence that on some level, we knew this all along.

Originally published at BreakPoint.
Billy Graham Chaplains Complete Mission of Comforting Tornado Victims

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Chaplains from the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team recently finished ministering to victims of the devastating tornadoes that hit Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Joplin, Mo., earlier this year.

The Rapid Response Team, a group of chaplains that are trained to minister to people in crisis situations, spent nine weeks in Tuscaloosa and over six weeks in Joplin providing an ear to listen, prayer support, and counseling to victims.

Keith Stiles, the RRT's deployment manager, said that even though the ministry has a goal of sharing Christ with the victims, they don't do all the talking.

It's a listening ministry, Stiles told The Christian Post. What we try to do is get them to talk to us about what they've experienced. It's sort of trying to get them to unload their grief and their burdens onto us ... We want them to know that we care about them, we want them to know that the Lord cares about them and the reason we're there is because of Jesus' love.

Joplin was hit by an EF-5 tornado on May 22, leaving the city completely in ruins. The Joplin tornado was one of the deadliest in U.S. history with more than 150 people killed. In Tuscaloosa, the April storms left more than 200 dead.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2011 could end up being the sixth deadliest year for tornadoes in America's history. Not only have many citizens lost loved ones, but some lost all of their material possessions as well, and will have to build their lives again, literally, from the ground up.

Chaplains from the Rapid Response Team work in a rotation and usually only a week at a time. Stiles noted that if they work too much longer than that, after taking on the burdens of others and working 14- to 15-hour days, they would likely get burned out.

In Joplin, the organization had a rotation of 30 chaplains that served members of the community for over a month. Through their ministry they were able to pray with 4,231 people and 47 people made a decision to follow Christ. In Tuscaloosa, the ministry had 45 chaplains in the rotation who prayed with 2,772 people and witnessed 55 people decide to follow Christ.

The thing about tornadoes is you basically have no warning, Stiles said. One minute you could have a normal life and the next minute you've maybe lost a spouse or a loved one or you've lost your entire home. Everything in your home is gone, and so your perspective now has changed. Many times people who are so caught up in the busyness of life ... now they step back from their life and they're taking a more eternal viewpoint of what's going on here. When you've lost everything it's a great time to hang on to the promises of the Lord at that point.

The RRT set up mobile command centers at host churches where people could come and seek spiritual and emotional support. They also worked alongside an international relief organization, Samaritan's Purse, which focused on clean-up efforts while the RRT focused on working with the victims themselves.

"It's not a matter of us trying to fix them. We want them to understand that the emotions and the grief, all that's a very normal reaction. They're not acting in an abnormal state, Stiles said.

The emotional and spiritual pain in these devastated areas is real, and so were the challenges faced by the RRT. Bill McDonald, a trainer at the University of Alabama and a chaplain for the RRT, went to Tuscaloosa and had the tough job of leading the loved ones of three dead children, all under the age of three, to their bodies for identification. In some cases, the RRT helped devastated victims to salvage even the smallest mementos of their lives before the storm.

On the other hand, they've also seen renewed hope as some people have dedicated their lives to Christ.

Preston Parrish, executive vice president of ministry at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, said in a statement, "We are just thankful for the opportunity to come alongside those who are grieving and broken-hearted, and share with them the hope God offers through the cross of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Please join us in continuing to pray for storm victims and their communities over the coming months.

The road ahead for many will be long and very difficult, but God is a sure and present help in times of trouble."

The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team has crisis-trained chaplains in 40 states and has responded to over 100 natural and man-made disasters since the ministry began in 2002.
Faithfulness in the small things will provide great rewards

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One day Abraham sent his servant Eliezer to find a wife for his son Isaac. Standing by a small town well, Eliezer prayed, Let the woman who offers to water my camels be the one you have chosen.

Suddenly Rebekah shows up and says, I will draw water for your camels also (Gen. 24:13-19). Rebekah had no idea that Eliezer would change her life. To Rebekah, this act of service was commonplace, even expected.

In the Old Testament, it was customary to offer water to a stranger. It was called the law of hospitality. The Hebrews believed the words: Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels (Hebrews 13:2).

But who on earth offers to water ten thirsty camels? One camel can drink forty gallons in a day. That means Rebekah would have had to provide four hundred gallons of water to Eliezers camels  thats a whole days worth of work! But Rebekah was merely being generous to a stranger, seeking nothing but the joy of serving.

What she didnt know was that these camels would transport her back to Isaac where he would make her his bride, shower her with great wealth, and put her in the lineage of Christ. So if you want to succeed, show up early, stay late, work hard, and be a problem solver instead of a problem causer. Go the extra mile, as Christ instructs us in Matthew 5:41.

The key to success in life is in doing not only what is expected, but in doing a little more. Yes, camels are obnoxious and ugly, but out of that ugly situation came the most beautiful thing that ever happened to Rebekah.

The story of Rebekah teaches us a very important truth: When opportunity knocks, make sure youre ready to answer the door. Rebekah didnt think about the extra effort and time required to water ten thirsty camels. She didnt say, I dont do that kind of work, thats not in my job description. She lived by the principle, Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

She also didnt suddenly develop a work ethic when Eliezer showed up. She practiced one every day and her faith paid off. Faithfulness in small things brings great rewards.

God is watching your attitude and actions in small things. Big moments dont come to people who wait for them; they come from faithfulness in small moments, in daily routines and non-glamorous service.

Youll also notice something else. Rebekah didnt quote the Torah or ask Eliezer what his religion was before offering help. Instead of trying to be super spiritual, she simply decided to be hospitable and kind. As a result, she got his attention, earned his respect, and ended up in the family of Abraham.

Then, when Rebekah took Eliezer home to meet her family, they wanted her to wait for ten days before going to meet Isaac. That was customary. But Rebekah said, I will go (Genesis 24:58).

When God opens the door, dont delay. And dont say, Others are more qualified than me. If God has called you then youre the right person. Step over your fears and move in the direction He is leading you.
'Unfair exclusion': Advocates slam Wisconsin gov.'s veto of school choice program expansion

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School choice advocates are criticizing Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers' veto of a bill that would have expanded access to the states school choice program as the push for alternative schooling options accelerates amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Democrat announced Friday that he vetoed Assembly Bill 59, which would enable more families to participate in the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program.

Evers said he objects to "diverting resources from school districts to private schools" in a veto message.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program allows eligible students living outside the cities of Milwaukee and Racine to use a taxpayer-funded voucher to attend a participating private school in grades four-year-old kindergarten (K4) to 12.

The bill, supported by Republican legislators and opposed by Democrats, would have increased the income eligibility for the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program to 300 percent of the federal poverty level and allowed pupils to submit full-time open enrollment applications to an unlimited number of nonresident school districts.

Assembly Bill 59 passed the Republican-controlled State Assembly on a party-line vote of 60-36 and the Republican-controlled Senate on a party-line vote of 20-12. But the legislation was rejected by Gov. Evers, the states former Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Evers argued that because participation in the WPCP increased by over 30 percent in the 2019-20 school year and 25 percent in the 2020-21 school [year] with the 220 percent income threshold in place, the current income threshold does not prevent program growth.

Evers said he is concerned that the proposed change could have "long-term financial impacts" and lead to an increase in property taxes in some school districts. He argued that 297 school districts "have the potential for increased property taxes" because of resident students participating in the program.

"The bill would exacerbate not only property tax increases but the incoherence of Wisconsin's current school funding system among public and private schools in our state," Evers' message reads.

The legislature will likely fail to accumulate the votes needed to override Evers veto since support for the legislation fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to nullify a veto in both chambers of the state legislature.

CJ Szafir, president of the Institute for Reforming Government, said that the governors veto illustrates that he has failed to live up to his goal of serving as the education governor.

With so many public schools closed this year, its more important than ever for policymakers to focus on giving all children the opportunity to attend a high quality K-12 school, Szafir concluded, according to The Center Square. Unfortunately, Governor Evers veto denies families access to more educational options for their children. Its disappointing, especially when so many students are struggling.

Justin Moralez, the state director of the Wisconsin Federation for Children, which supported the proposed expansion of the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program, praised the program for meeting a demand, especially during the pandemic." He told The Center Square that families in the 220%-300% income threshold are looking for the same access rather than unfair exclusion. He alleged that Evers has shown that he thinks some Wisconsin residents are more deserving of equal education access than their neighbors across the state.

For the 2021-22 school year, approximately 300 religious schools have indicated an intent to participate in the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program. The Wisconsin Federation for Children reported that nearly 12,000 students were enrolled in the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program during the 2020-21 school year.

The debate about school choice has intensified throughout the coronavirus pandemic when many public schools remained closed to in-person instruction as private schools opened for in-person instruction. Additionally, the widespread adoption of remote learning made parents aware of what their children were learning at school, which, in some cases, included lessons about controversial topics such as critical race theory, Black Lives Matter and transgender ideology.

In a previous interview with The Christian Post, Hadley Manning, the policy director for the Independent Womens Forum, expressed hope that the coronavirus pandemic would lead to policies providing all families with an education savings account that is funded by the state and allows them to direct their education dollars to private schools.

While the divided government has prevented the expansion of school choice in Wisconsin, other states have successfully adopted wide-reaching school choice initiatives in the pandemic's wake.

Earlier this year, West Virginia implemented what school choice advocates described as the most expansive education savings account policy in the country. The Hope Scholarship Program, slated to go into effect in 2022, will allow families who withdraw from public schools to receive a $4,600 per-student, per-year (scholarship) for private- and home-schooling expenses.

Last month, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law a measure projected to allow 60,000 previous ineligible families to obtain vouchers to attend private schools. The bill will permit home-schooled students to participate in the voucher program and increase the income threshold for participation in the voucher program to 375% of the poverty level.

According to the American Federation for Children, an organization that supports school choice initiatives, 26 states and Washington, D.C. currently have private school choice programs that allow students to receive taxpayer funding to attend a private school of their choice.

School choice programs are primarily directed at low-income families and those living in low-performing school districts, but initiatives like the one in West Virginia have made access to school choice more widely available.
Al Mohler blasts VA's decision to cover elective cosmetic surgeries for trans-identified veterans

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A prominent theologian has condemned the Department of Veterans Affairs' decision to offer elective cosmetic surgeries to trans-identified veterans as part of their medical benefits package, calling it "cultural coercion."

With the adoption of this policy, the medicalization of gender and transgender ideology won't be limited to the U.S. military or the several thousands of people who might be covered with this provision, said Al Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, in a Tuesday episode of his podcast, The Briefing, but it will have far-reaching effects.

It is clearly coming as a part of the cultural coercion to say that all medical establishments must do the same. Medical insurance companies should do the same. This is putting the clout of the United States government through an organization as central as the Department of Veterans' Affairs behind the sexual revolution in a whole new way, Mohler said.

The Christian Post reached out to the Department of Veterans Affairs to ask if elective surgeries would be covered for all veterans or only those who identify as transgender. This article will be updated once a response is received.

In his podcast, Mohler noted that newspapers like The Washington Post and The New York Times hailed the news and used trans-affirming terminology such as gender confirmation surgery in their reporting.

The reason for this euphemism is the result of the splitting of sex and gender that cultural forces have wrought, a distinction that Christians do not recognize. Gender confirmation obscures what was once called sex reassignment surgery despite the impossibility of actually reassigning the sex of the body, Mohler explained.

The New York Times report referenced an unnamed Biden administration official who said: "Gender-confirming procedures reconstruct sexual organs to match the gender with which an individual identifies and have proved to mitigate serious health concerns like substance abuse, suicide and suicidal ideation." The person further argued that " ... procedures, which were once considered to be akin to cosmetic surgery, are now widely seen as effective treatment for such issues."

Mohler urged Christians to understand these radical interventions are being defended on psychiatric and political, not physical, grounds and that the reproductive capacity is not mentioned.

This is, indeed, more akin to cosmetic surgery, the SBTS president asserted.

The fact that this is a very political decision was made clear in the fact that the Department of Veterans Affairs secretary made the announcement at a PRIDE event in Orlando, Florida. He was clearly choosing the timing of the event and the location, the context in order to make a political point to score political points. That just makes very clear the political nature of all of this, he said.

He went on to note that the VA secretary spoke of previous eras of bigotry and discrimination but explained that the policy of not recognizing transgender surgeries dates back to 2013 when Barack Obama was president and Joe Biden was vice president.

But the way the major newspapers reported the development, readers are led to think that the bigotry was confined to Trump's presidency, he said.

Commenting further on the language tactics that come with gender ideology, Molher noted that the World Professional Association for Transgender Health organization was cited as authoritative, a group that recommends trans surgeries as vital healthcare.



"We're supposed to assume that has worldwide automatic credibility and authority. The very construction of the word should tell you that the organization exists to justify this kind of surgery and the ideology behind it. Guess what? We've just come full circle," he said.
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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America used to believe that homosexual behavior is contrary to the will of God. That all changed in 2009 when the ELCA voted to ordain practicing homosexualsat a convention that was, ironically, hit by a tornado.

Today many ELCA congregations celebrate homosexuality, and this month ELCA head bishop Elizabeth Eaton appeared in a gay pride video to celebrate Pride Month.

Westwood Lutheran is an ELCA congregation in the Twin Cities area. It is the devil's job to take something ugly and make it look pretty, and the below video is very apropos. Listen to Westwood's "amazing welcome that comes from God": "We are called to be ourselves...including sexuality...God gives unconditional welcome to all people...This includes people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions and relationship status".

Is this true? I personally have struggled with same-sex attraction most of my life, and I am grateful that Jesus welcomes people who struggle with all kinds of sin. But what does He welcome us to? To repentance from sin and new life in Him. But you will hear no mention of repentance in the video because what was once sinful, no longer is. Now sexual sin is something to be celebrated. And what does it mean that Westwood welcomes people regardless of "relationship status"? It is not spelled out, but I am guessing that Westwood has no problem welcoming heterosexual couples who are living in fornication.

Does Jesus radically welcome everyone into His Church? No. He welcomes sinners who come to Him in repentance and faith. On the Last Day Jesus Himself will say "Depart from me" to the unrepentant (Matthew 7:22-23). Jesus taught that we should expel the impenitent person from the Church (Matthew 18:15-17) and the Apostle Paul taught the same (I Corinthians 5:13). It is not loving to welcome people to continue to live a life of sin. Sin will ultimately eternally separate them from God (I Corinthians 6:9-11).

I hope you attend a good Biblical church which welcomes all kinds of sinners, but one which also welcomes them to repentance from sin, and to faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.




MANISTEE COUNTY  The following includes reports made to the Manistee County Sheriffs Office from May 31 through June 6. All calls may not be reported. This is part of a lengthy report and is compiled by assistant editor Arielle Breen.

May 31

 A vehicle-bear accident was reported at 12:20 a.m. in Springdale Township.

 A domestic incident was reported at 12:36 a.m. in Cleon Township.

 A domestic incident was reported at 2:12 a.m. in Springdale Township.

 Dogs were reported as running at large at midnight in Bear Lake Township.

 A person was reported as driving without insurance at 1 p.m. in Stronach Township.

 A vehicle-deer crash was reported at 9:35 p.m. in Manistee Township.

 Deputies assisted the Manistee City Police Department with a person who was unwanted at a location at 6:10 p.m. in the city of Manistee.

 A malicious destruction of property incident was reported at 3:50 p.m. in Marilla Township.

 A neighbor dispute was reported at 11:25 a.m. in Filer Township.

June 1

 Harassment was reported at 8 p.m. in Copemish.

 A noise disturbance was reported at 11:45 p.m. in Cleon Township.

 Threats were reported in Brown Township.

June 2

 A suspicious person and possession of a controlled substance was reported at 1:49 a.m. in Filer Township.

 A suspicious person was reported at 2:29 a.m. in Manistee Township.

 A suspicious situation was reported at 2:37 a.m. in Manistee Township.

 Deputies assisted a citizen in the city of Manistee.

 A suspicious situation was reported at 12:10 p.m. in Kaleva.

 An ATV rollover was reported at 2:04 p.m. in Maple Grove Township.

 A person was reported as being unwanted at a location and a personal protection order service was addressed at 6:10 p.m. in Pleasanton Township.

 A vehicle-deer accident was reported at 8:23 p.m. in Onekama Township.

June 3

 A person was reported as being suicidal at 3:21 a.m. in Manistee Township.

 Deputies assisted a citizen at 3:49 a.m. in Onekama Township.

 Deputies assisted with a joint child protection investigation in Dickson Township.

 A vehicle-deer accident was reported at 3:10 p.m. in Brown Township.

 Deputies conducted a well-being check at 8:11 a.m. in Brown Township.

 A person was reported as being suicidal at 3:42 p.m. in Manistee Township.

 Deputies assisted the Logansport Police Department with a recovered stolen vehicle in Manistee Township.

June 4

 Deputies assisted a citizen at 4:39 a.m. in Norman Township.

 A suspicious situation was reported at 12:55 a.m. in Springdale Township.

 Deputies assisted EMS with a person who was being suicidal at 5:06 a.m. in Norman Township.

 Deputies conducted a liquor inspection in Arcadia Township.

 People were reported as being unwanted campers at 5:10 p.m. at Government Landing in the Manistee National Forest.

 People were reported as being unwanted campers at 9:02 p.m. at Government Landing in the Manistee National Forest.

June 5

 A vehicle-deer accident was reported at 6:32 a.m. in Stronach Township.

 A person was reported as driving without insurance at 9:55 a.m. in Springdale Township.

 A person was reported as driving without insurance at 11:27 a.m. in Cleon Township.

 A person was reported as driving without insurance at 4 p.m. in Maple Grove Township.

 A person was reported as driving without insurance at 11:30 a.m. in Maple Grove Township.

 A person was reported as driving without a license at 4:45 p.m. in Maple Grove Township.

 Assault was reported at 6:54 p.m. in Norman Township.

 Abandoned 911 call was reported at 10:42 p.m. in Manistee Township.

 Deputies assisted EMS at 4:08 a.m. in Manistee Township.

 A civil issue was reported at 11:38 a.m. in Dickson Township.

 Deputies assisted the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Public Safety Department with a personal injury crash at 11:33 a.m. in Manistee Township.

June 6

 An abandoned 911 call was reported at 8:17 p.m. in Maple Grove Township.

 A neighbor dispute was reported at 9:17 p.m. in Filer Township.

 Deputies assisted EMS at 10:36 p.m. in Dickson Township.

 A suspicious situation was reported at 11:21 p.m. in Dickson Township.
STAMFORD  Thanks to a zoning board approval, Stamfords hospital is poised to chase a greener future.

The Stamford Zoning Board on Monday unanimously approved Stamford Healths request to install fuel cells  energy-efficient technology that turns hydrogen-rich materials into a power source  at two of its locations in the city.

While fuel cell technology currently depends on natural gas to run, it is a developing technology; the real environmental wins are still several years away, supporters said.

The first hydrogen-only fuel cell deployment is in India right now, Kevin Santella, president of the energy consulting firm Dylan Associates, told the board. That is the way things are going, that natural gas eventually will give way to hydrogen and fuel cells.

Stamford Health plans to replace parking spaces with fuel cell technology at its Tully Health Center and place the system near the ambulatory entrance at the Bennett Medical Center. Together, they could power 42 percent of all operations at Stamford Healths main campus and 88 percent of operations at the Tully Health Center, officials said.

Eversource could play a pivotal role in fuel cells implementation at Stamford Health, partially thanks to the companys Renewable Energy Certificate program. Fuel cells run at the same time as the traditional electrical grid, so the fuel cell system would supplement the power they provide and lessen strain on the electrical grid, Santella said.

I liken it to two hoses filling a pool, he added. One hose goes away, and the other hose does the job. Were there to remove some burden from the grid when were operating, but when were not operating, Eversource will be there to back us up.

But on top of that, the Renewable Certificate Program gives Eversource a larger stake in fuel cell energy at the hospital, officials said. The utility company purchases renewable energy credits, or RECs, from some projects, Jason Klein, the attorney that represented Stamford Health, told The Stamford Advocate. Eversource plans to award the bids in early July. During the meeting, Klein asked the board to consider the impending deadline in approving the request.

While the potential Eversource partnership creates a financial incentive for fuel cells, theres also a huge environmental benefit, officials said. Experts widely maintain that fuel cell tech is considerably more energy efficient than traditional power sources and that, generally speaking, energy efficient technology uses less initial energy to create a larger output.

Conventional power plants generate electricity at efficiencies of 33 to 35 percent, while fuel cell systems operate at efficiency levels close to 60 percent, according to the federal Department of Energy. In comparison, a cars engine is about 20 percent efficient, the department reported.

What is fuel cell and how does it work? Fuel cell technology turns energy into electricity without burning fossil fuels and releasing pollutants into the air. Current fuel cell systems, like the one Stamford Health will implement, still release water and carbon dioxide into the air. "The fuel cell process works very much like a battery working in reverse," Joel Rinebold of the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology said, "with fuel added to the process, and the conversion of that fuel into electricity, without combustion, with a higher efficiency, and with minimal release of air emissions." The technology behind fuel cells has existed since the mid-1800s, but it has caught fire during the past three decades. NASA has used it to fuel space missions for more than 40 years. When hydrogen or hydrogen-rich fuels are deposited into fuel cells, "the hydrogen goes through the system and an electron is stripped off the hydrogen atom," according to Rinebold. Stripping off an electron from the hydrogen creates electricity. As long as hydrogen is coming into the system, it can produce power. -Veronica Del Valle See More Collapse

Fuel cell tech as it currently exists still uses non-renewable resources  including natural gas  to operate and emits both water and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as a byproduct.

In a few years, those emissions might be a thing of the past, experts say.

Some people like the idea of having green hydrogen, and that is hydrogen thats produced differently by using renewable resources, Joel Rinebold of the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology said. Rinebold specializes in managing efficient energy systems and helped establish the Connecticut Hydrogen Fuel Cell Coalition, a group that seeks to expand fuel cells use in the state.

Wind, solar, and water power can create hydrogen, which can be stored and shipped off to fuel cells via pipeline when needed. Some advocates see a bright future in using offshore wind in Connecticut to create a better energy system.

Implementing fuel cell now is a way to future-proof the hospital, especially as the technology becomes commonplace, Rinebold said.

Fuel cell technology is particularly useful for hospitals because it runs constantly as a secondary power source, unlike traditional generators officials said.

Were taking one step at a time, Rinebold said, but these are just terrific steps going toward a sustainable energy ecology.

veronica.delvalle@hearstmediact.com
Construction has begun in Humble, on a 5,800-square-foot Life Skills Center for Family Promise of Lake Houston (FPLH) that will provide a caring, positive environment for children and their families who are reeling from a variety of crisis situations. These can include fire, flood, the death of a spouse, loss of a job, an eviction, or a foreclosure of a home. The Center, named Promise House will also offer admin offices, additional mentoring and counseling offices, on-site training rooms, a teaching kitchen, a computer and educational room as well as a family room, library and childrens playroom.

It has been a long journey to this point for team partners First America Homes, the homebuilding division of Signorelli Company, the projects builder captain and HomeAid Houston who have worked closely with FPLH for many months to ensure the facility is built.

Until a few months ago, a field near the corner of the East FM 1960 Bypass and Wilson Road in Humble was a vacant property, serving no purpose in an area that is seeing recent growth, said James Miller, president of HomeAid Houston. HomeAid was proud to take part in the celebratory groundbreaking last year with First America Homes and Family Promise that set the wheels in motion to get this Center completed and open for families in need. We cannot thank First America Homes, Dave Barnhart their home building division president, and their vendors and suppliers enough for making this possible.

Family Promise of Lake Houston is an agency that meets the immediate needs of homeless families while empowering them to attain self-sufficiency. During the day, families will come to their home base which is the Life Skills Center, where they will complete weekly goals, life skills classes, budgeting, parenting, and GED fast track certification. They can access community resources to search for job training and affordable housing. The key to their success is the fact that every family is connected to the community through volunteers from church congregations as well as through mentors in the Family Mentoring Program. Families are able to build a new community network that helps them achieve their goals of independence.

The work Family Promise does for families in need is key to rebuilding lives and returning them back to the community to become productive members and experience brighter futures, said Carole Brady, executive director of HomeAid Houston. HomeAid is so grateful to First America Homes for building this Center that will change lives for years to come.

Funders to the project include The William Stamps Farish Fund, Albemarle Foundation, Ascentium Capital and Avis Charitable Foundation. FPLH is also receiving funding from the PetSmart Charitable Foundation, who will pay for a pet condo on the property, allowing families to keep their pets as they work to improve their situation. The grant is part of a national agreement with the Family Promise organization.

About HomeAid

HomeAid has been building transformational housing for homeless care agencies throughout Houston and surrounding counties since 2003. The first shelter was dedicated in 2005. Since then, more than 70 projects have been completed, adding 400-plus beds and $14-plus million in real estate construction and improvements to Houstons homeless community.

For more information about HomeAid Houston, visit www.homeaidhouston.org or call 281-970-8970.
Even with the U.S.-Canada border restricting travel for at least another month, the international exchange of mining waste leaching from British Columbia into a transboundary watershed touching Montana and Idaho has continued unmitigated, intensifying concerns to such a degree that in the span of 10 days in June a rare confluence of global entities has paid heed to an environmental calamity thats been brewing for more than three decades.

In a deluge of letters, stakeholders on both sides of the border recently articulated their concerns to top U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, whose office has been inundated with requests for federal intervention on the forested, river-braided boundary between B.C. and Montana. Its along that boundary that the the Elk and Kootenai rivers converge in an impoundment formed by Libby Dam, called Lake Koocanusa, where rising levels of the mining byproduct selenium is resulting in adverse consequences for water quality, fish species and other aquatic life, the Flathead Beacon reported.

The renewed urgency comes as Canadas largest diversified mining company, Teck Resources Limited, lays plans to expand its footprint by building new mines along the border without a tested strategy in place to treat the chemical-laden flows, despite having incurred in March a $60 million fine meted out by federal prosecutors with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) for depositing deleterious substances into the Elk River.

Meanwhile, downstream natural resources like those cradled by the Kootenai River watershed in Montana and Idaho are presenting new evidence of the legacy impacts of Canadian coal mines, while reaping none of the economic benefits of the industry. Samples of fish species and water quality taken from Lake Koocanusa and other monitoring sites in the Elk basin have revealed heightened levels of selenium, cadmium, nitrate and sulphate from decades of coal mining activity. Selenium is a naturally occurring element that can become highly toxic when present in elevated concentrations. Its known to cause deformities in fish eggs, incidents of which have been documented in the Elk and Kootenai watersheds.

Earlier this month, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, began ramping up pressure on the U.S. State Department, describing his environmental concerns in grave terms and requesting an immediate referral to the independent commission charged with resolving cross-border environmental conflicts. In a strongly worded letter to Blinken on June 9, as well as during a hearing with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan three days later, Tester pressed the top officials for a reference to the International Joint Commission (IJC) and for the State Department to engage with the Canadian government and the IJC to resolve this critical transboundary water quality issue.

Weve got to pressure Canada, Tester told Regan during a subcommittee hearing on the 2022 EPA budget request. There are some places we should mine, and there are some places we shouldnt mine. The headwaters of a river probably isnt the best place to mine, if you know what I mean. So the question is, what is the EPA doing? And youve got to get hold of your counterpart at the State Department because theyre part of the equation, and youve got to engage with them and the IJC. This is a big deal. Water is life, and if we dont have good water it aint just the fish that are going to die.

By the following week, on June 16, all three U.S. members of the IJC had arrived in Montana for a fact-finding mission at Libby Dam, a tour of the facility that involved representatives of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the EPA, and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.

According to Commissioner Jane Corwin, the IJCs Canadian counterparts would have joined the tour were it not for the travel restrictions, though all six members met telephonically for a debriefing of the tour and the issue. Its now up to the State Department and Global Affairs Canada to determine whether they can resolve the stalemate on the border without IJC mediation, or whether theyll request assistance.

When the IJC receives a government request, called a reference, it appoints a board with equal numbers of experts from each country. Board members are chosen for their professional abilities, not as representatives of a particular organization or region.

We really appreciate everyone taking the time to come out and share with us what they know about it and the concerns they have, Corwin said. Its in the governments hands now as far as what to do next, and whether to come back to us with a reference.

Rob Sisson, an IJC member who lives in Bozeman, said the tour of Libby Dam helped frame the recent developments on an issue hes been tracking for years, but emphasized that neither he nor the commissioners can advocate for a reference. Still, he said some of what he learned last week on Lake Koocanusa was unsettling.

One of the things that we heard from the USGS scientists is that the selenium theyre detecting in the watershed today is the result of mining activities from 20 years ago, Sisson said, describing how selenium continues to flow from waste rock dumps for decades, a process that will continue into the future long after the mines cease operating. So if the proposed treatment technology doesnt work in B.C., were looking at 20 more years of bringing those pollutants down into Montana and Idaho. And thats not acceptable. So the scale and the volume and the scope of time are all things that we are thinking about.

Its something that stakeholders in B.C. are thinking about, too, and on June 16 a slate of 20 non-governmental organizations (NGO) sent a letter to the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Canadian Minister of Environment and Climate Change, as well as Blinken and Regan at the State Department and EPA, respectively. In the letter, the group requests an IJC reference on the matter of water pollution due to coal mining in the transboundary Elk and Kootenai River basin, arguing that Canada is in violation of the Boundary Waters Treaty, and presenting evidence that the water flowing across the border regularly exceeds the state and federal water quality standards set in place.

Rising levels of selenium were first identified in the Elk River in the early 1990s and in 1998 the Elk Valley Selenium Task Force was formed to investigate selenium pollution. More than two decades later, selenium levels continue to rise and have increased more than 500% in the past 30 years, the letter states. The current water treatment measures being undertaken (by Teck) are not designed to solve the problem; they may simply reduce the impact during the relatively short time they are in operation.

For its part, Montana recently took steps to address the selenium problem by adopting its own site-specific water quality standard for selenium at the border, a protective value crafted through years of scientific work to safeguard fish species in Lake Koocanusa and the Kootenai River. Despite selenium levels exceeding the standard, B.C. continues to consider proposals for new mines and mine expansions.

Meanwhile, B.C. has failed to move forward on the parallel limit that they previously committed to and has indicated they will not be adopting an enforceable limit for selenium in Lake Koocanusa, the letter from the Canadian NGOs states. During this lengthy process, long-term selenium pollution levels have only increased as mining continues. It is clear that the B.C.-Montana process has failed and federal intervention is needed.
NEW HAVEN When school districts across the state were crafting back-to-school plans midway through a pandemic last summer, the citys school board bucked a trend that put students back into classrooms at least part of the time by voting for a fully-remote learning experience.

What started out as the first 10 weeks of school became the entire fall of the 2020-21 academic year. City students didnt start returning to the classroom on a hybrid schedule until January, with parents given the option to continue remote learning for their kids.

Still, about 50 percent of the districts 20,000 students finished out the school year learning from home, according to school officials.

That option is off the table when the 2021-22 academic year starts on August 30.

It will be in person, five-days-a-week for all students who, as of now, will be expected to wear masks, according to officials.

We are back fully in-person when we begin the new school year, Schools Superintendent Ilene Tracey said in an email.

As school districts around the state begin to undo the monumental changes forced by the pandemic, a new normal charted for New Haven Public Schools is subject to change, officials caution.

Like last year, there is guidance from the state, which also is evolving.

That guidance no longer requires districts to offer the stay-at-home option.

The main takeaway of our Interim Guidance for Remote Learning for the 2021-2022 School Year is that, at this time, the Connecticut Department of Health and the Connecticut State Department of Education do not anticipate the need to mandate, due to public health necessity, that districts offer families the option to opt-in to remote learning in 2021-22 as they have been required to offer this school year, said Peter Yazbak, a state Department of Education spokesman.

A more definitive state guide is in the works with input from teachers unions, superintendents, the health department and others.

All districts in the state, as a requirement of receiving the latest round of federal stimulus were required to submit a draft of their fall reopening plan, and post it to their websites, by June 23.

Still, the classrooms students return to will be different.

Masks indoors and on school buses remain a state requirement, at least for now.

New Havens plan is to continue frequent mask breaks. The practice of cohorting students into classes that dont interact with other classes on a frequent basis will be continued. Bathroom occupancy will be limited.

Students will still be asked to wash their hands frequently.

Visitors to school buildings will continue to be limited. Where possible, parents and guardians will hold meetings with teachers via video conferencing. If in-person visits are necessary, parents will have to wear masks in school buildings, regardless of vaccination status.

Schools will still be cleaned and disinfected, but there will be no mid-week days off for deep cleaning. That will occur after school.

Contract tracing will continue when positive COVID cases occur and the district hopes to expand a COVID testing program, now in place at 12 schools, to all district schools in the fall.

Part of a pilot program, testing results are available in 24 hours to parents and the health department.

On school buses, kids will continue to wear masks and keep 6 feet apart while waiting at bus stops. Buses are to be cleaned twice a day with windows open as weather permits.

On the instructional front, to make up for 15 months of learning disruption, New Haven plans to use some of its federal funding to offer intervention/enrichment blocks to provide targeted instruction in literacy and math.

Additional teachers are being hired in grades 1-3 to lower class sizes and give students additional academic and social/emotional supports. Funds have also gone to buy more literacy and math materials.

At the high school level, some resources will go to an alternative Twilight School schedule for high school students, as well as industry-recognized credentialing programs and college credit programs.

The district is also looking into Extended Day Academies that would be offered after school or on weekends.
MULTAN, Pakistan (AP)  The Associated Press has withdrawn its story about the Pakistani foreign minister, who was erroneously quoted as saying that Pakistan would shut its border to Afghanistan if the Taliban takes control of it. AP will publish a corrected version of the story.
FERGUSON, Mo. (AP)  Police are looking for a gunman who was seen on surveillance cameras in the area after a man was fatally shot in a St. Louis suburb Sunday morning.

The shooting happened around 8 a.m. inside an apartment at the Park Ridge Aparments complex in Ferguson, Police Chief Jason Armstrong said. Officers found a wounded man inside one of the apartments and he was taken to a hospital where he died.
EAST ALTON  The Piasa Palisades Group of Illinois Sierra Club will host its next Virtual Speaker Series program on Tuesday, July 13, 6-7:30 pm.

Featured at the meeting will be Wood River (Coal Power) Station, a documentary film and discussion about the now demolished coal power plant in East Alton. The documentary was filmed, produced and narrated by John Woodall, a recent graduate of Principia College in Elsah.
WINTHROP, Mass. (AP)  Authorities are investigating whether a man who killed two people in the Boston suburb of Winthrop targeted the victims because they were Black after officials found troubling white supremacist rhetoric in the gunman's handwriting, a prosecutor said Sunday.

Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins, who identified the shooter as 28-year-old Nathan Allen, said investigators uncovered writings that express anti-Semitic and racist statements against Black individuals.

Authorities say Allen shot and killed David Green, a retired Massachusetts State Police trooper, and Romana Cooper, an Air Force veteran, after emerging from a stolen truck that he crashed into a building on Saturday afternoon. Officials have described them as innocent bystanders. Allen was fatally shot by police moments later.

The shooter walked by several other people that were not Black and they are alive. They were not harmed, Rollins told reporters Sunday. They are alive and these two visible people of color are not. We will continue to look and see, she said.

Rollins did not provide more details about the suspect's writings or where they were found. She cautioned that the investigation is in its early stages, but said that "these families deserve answers and we will find out what happened here.

Green retired from state police in 2016 and worked in law enforcement for nearly 40 years, said Massachusetts State Police Col. Christopher Mason. Green was shot outside his home, Mason said.

Trooper Green was widely respected and well-liked by his fellow Troopers, several of whom yesterday described him as a true gentleman and always courteous to the public and meticulous in his duties," Mason said in an emailed statement. From what we learned yesterday, he was held in equally-high regard by his neighbors and friends in Winthrop.

A state police spokesperson said Saturday that officials are investigating whether the male victim may have been trying to engage the suspect to end the threat.

On Sunday, mourners gathered at the scene while some residents left flowers near the destroyed building, The Boston Globe reported.

Brian Marks, who owns the building that was destroyed, told the Globe that he was in utter shock" when he saw what happened Saturday.

I rushed down and came to what, to me, looked like something out of a movie or something, he said.

Bob Harrington, who lives across from the building, said he heard loud crashes, saw the man get out of the truck and walk down the street and then shortly after heard gunshots. He then saw a woman lying on the ground, he said.
BEIRUT (AP)  Lebanese troops deployed in the northern city of Tripoli early Sunday taking positions around major state institutions after a night of protests and riots against worsening living conditions left several protesters and 10 soldiers injured.

Sporadic protests were reported throughout Lebanon on Saturday as the countrys 20-month economic crisis worsened. The World Bank described the crisis as one of the worst the world has witnessed in 150 years. It is coupled with a political deadlock that has left Lebanon without a government since August.

The largest protests were in the southern port city of Sidon and in Tripoli, Lebanons second largest city and most impoverished. Sporadic protests and road closures took place in the capital Beirut.

Lebanon has been suffering severe shortages of vital products including fuel, medicine and medical products, angering the public.

Lebanons currency hit a record low Saturday, reaching 18,000 pounds to the U.S. dollar. The pound has lost more than 90% of its value since the crisis began.

In October 2019 protesters called for the removal of the political class that has run the country since the end of the 1975-90 civil war and has been blamed for corruption and mismanagement that has ruined the countrys economy.

The army said rioters on motorcycles threw stun grenades at troops in Tripoli injuring nine soldiers, while another was injured when hit by a stone. Protesters attacked several state institutions in the city.

State-run National News Agency said Tripoli and other cities in Lebanon were quiet around noon Sunday.

The situation in Lebanon is not expected to improve as political bickering between President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri has delayed the formation of a government since Hariri was named to the post in October. Talks with the International Monetary Fund over the economic crisis have been suspended since last year.

The World Bank said Lebanons gross domestic product is projected to contract 9.5% in 2021, after shrinking by 20.3% in 2020 and 6.7% the year before.

Tens of thousands of people have lost their jobs since late 2019 in the tiny country of 6 million, including a million Syrian refugees. More than half the population lives in poverty.
Hundreds of Greater Houston Builders Association (GHBA) members donate their materials and services to the construction of two Benefit homes. Each year, these homes are constructed to raise funds for local charities. The homes are built in prime communities with these donations to reduce the cost of construction and are sold at market value. Proceeds benefit HomeAid Houston and Operation Finally Home. This fundraiser has raised more than $12 million since its inception in 1980.

One such contributor is Rock Materials, a company that was founded in 1998 by David Rollen in Dallas. For six years Rock Materials served the Dallas area. In 2005, Jamey Joseph was assigned to expand the company in Houston. Today, Houston and Dallas remain the focal points for distribution of natural stone, landscaping materials and masonry supplies. The Houston office is in Tomball, on a 7-acre property that includes the main office, a modern showroom with 150-plus stone selections to choose from, two warehouses and a large outdoor space. Their location has the capacity to store more than 20,000 tons of product and operates 11 delivery vehicles that transport 500 truckloads per month across the area. There is plenty of space and logistics to support their customers growing demand.
ATLANTA - It didn't matter to LaTosha Brown and Cliff Albright that Senate Republicans blocked debate on key voting rights legislation this week. Or that Democrats appear to be unwilling to end the filibuster to pass the election reform bill. The co-founders of Black Voters Matter continued their trek to Washington in a bus wrapped in the images and fueled by the spirit of the 1960s activists whose work they say is being threatened by a barrage of state laws restricting voting rights.

Just as it took intense public pressure to force Congress and President Lyndon B. Johnson to pass the Voting Rights Act in 1965, groups like Black Voters Matter have stepped up their efforts to push the federal government to again intervene to protect voting rights for people of color and young and low-income Americans.

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"Democracy is nonnegotiable for us," Brown said as she and Albright were in the midst of a week-long "Freedom Ride" through the South en route to the nation's capital. "We're still going to do everything in our power to push for this. One man or one session is not going to shut it down for us."

Voting rights has emerged as the top issue for activists and organizers this summer and they are using myriad strategies to call attention to what they describe as an assault on democracy. Stacey Abrams, founder of Fair Fight, launched "Hot Call Summer," aimed at getting young voters to flood Senate offices with daily telephone calls in support of voting rights.

Abrams also was undaunted by Tuesday's lack of action in the Senate. "One vote is not going to determine whether or not we have the ability to save our democracy," said Abrams, a former Georgia gubernatorial candidate and a leader of the Democrats' voting rights push. "Winning sooner is always better than winning later, but our responsibility is the same responsibility that those who fought in the 1960s had."

She said the battle over ballot access for Black people has been ongoing. "My parents were part of the civil rights movement as teenagers. My dad was 14 when he was arrested for registering Black people to vote in Mississippi."

Since the beginning of the year, at least 14 states have enacted 22 laws that restrict voting access, according to the Brennan Center. Several groups have filed lawsuits alleging provisions in the new laws are unconstitutional or violate the civil rights of minority voters.

On Friday, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that the Justice Department would sue Georgia over its new voting law, which drew widespread criticism from Democrats and voting rights activists when it passed in March. Black Voters Matter, which filed suit against Georgia's Election Integrity Act days after it passed, applauded the announcement, saying in a statement that it was "encouraging to finally see the Department of Justice and the Biden-Harris administration stand with the people."

The frenzied round of legislation targeting voting followed President Donald Trump's false claim that he lost the election because of massive voter fraud. Courts tossed out or ruled against more than 60 challenges filed by the Trump campaign.

Republican elections officials and governors in states where Trump lost also rebuffed his efforts to overturn the results, insisting that there was no evidence of widespread fraud. Still, Republican-controlled state legislatures have enacted more restrictive voting laws, citing concerns about the potential for voter fraud.

Voting rights advocates say the real aim of such measures is to make it more difficult for those voters who last year turned out in record numbers for Democrats - people of color, especially Black Americans, along with young voters. Those groups, along with liberal White voters, will increasingly make up a larger share of the electorate as the country's white population continues to decline.

"We're up against the most significant backlash on voting rights that we have ever seen," said Judith Brown Dianis, executive director of the Advance Project, which has sued over provisions of Florida's new voting law and is supporting several grassroots public education campaigns.

"It is very strategic," she said. "It is intentionally designed to make it harder for the rising majority to participate, and underneath it, there's also the big lie about voter fraud. . . . But the real motive isn't that there was a stolen election. The real motive is that they are enemies of democracy and do not want to see the rise of an inclusive majority. And they understand the changing demographics of America and the browning of America."

- - -

In addition to filing lawsuits against new voting laws in Florida and Georgia, Black Voters Matter recreated the 1961 Freedom Rides to remind - and educate - Americans about the historic protests in which civil rights activists rode buses from Washington into the South to challenge segregation and the nonenforcement of a Supreme Court decision that banned segregation in interstate bus travel.

The caravan, which set out last Friday from New Orleans, was led by two 45-foot buses wrapped with the words "Freedom Rides" and mug shots of the activists who were arrested for defying Jim Crow laws 60 years ago. Over the course of the week, more than 1,000 volunteers joined about 30 staff members from Black Voters Matter on the tour. Many of those who came out to the rallies were grassroots leaders and volunteers also working to register and educate voters of color and to fight efforts by lawmakers in Republican-led states to restrict voting access. They welcomed their fellow agitators with cheers, smiles and gratitude.

Paco Harvard, president of the NAACP in Columbia, Tenn., said he "felt all kinds of ways . . . when I saw those buses roll up" in front of Grace United Church in the town of 40,000, located about 45 minutes south of Nashville.

The small group of local activists and officials on hand to welcome the group to Tennessee fed them breakfast and sent them off with a prayer for traveling mercies.

Marlene Patrick-Cooper, president of Local 23 of UNITE HERE, a national union representing hospitality workers, joined the tour in New Orleans, where she lives. Jerome Smith, who took part in the original Freedom Rides in 1961, came out to see the group off.

"This has been so moving," Patrick-Cooper said in an interview Thursday, when the tour had reached West Virginia. "I am so pleased to be able to carry the torch that [Smith] and all the Freedom Riders, like former congressman John Lewis" lit 60 years ago.

Patrick-Cooper said her local represents workers in 13 states, mostly in the South, and her members - along with the entire hospitality industry - suffered greatly during the pandemic. She said she felt compelled to join the protest because "our freedom to vote is under attack."

Dozens of people ignored the rain from tropical storm Claudette and greeted the buses when they pulled into a Birmingham parking lot last Saturday near the historic 16th Street Baptist Church, where in 1963 four Black girls were killed when a bomb planted by a white supremacist exploded outside the church basement. The bombing and the murder of innocent children marked a turning point in the civil rights movement.

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Last Saturday also marked Juneteenth, commemorating the date in 1865 when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and read a proclamation freeing enslaved people in the state - more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. Congress, with the support of Senate Republicans, last week made the day a federal holiday. The designation and Biden's signature on the legislation, sweetened this year's celebrations across the country.

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said those senators should be just as enthusiastic in their support for voting rights.

"We need our elected officials in D.C. to protect us, to stand up, to use their power, just like they used it to make this holiday," Woodfin said.

"I literally said the other day, I think since y'all are passing out holidays, is Election Day the next one?" Woodfin said in an interview after making remarks from a stage where a D.J. played old school hip-hop and R&B between speeches by local officials and veterans of the civil rights movement who took part in at the city's Juneteenth celebration.

"The number one thing that I want to see is the John Lewis Voting Rights Act passed - ASAP, pronto, fast, in a hurry," Woodall, said, referring to legislation named for the late Georgia congressman and civil rights icon. The bill would restore a provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that required states with a history of discriminating against Black voters to get approval from the Justice Department before making changes to voting procedures.

The Supreme Court struck down the requirement in 2015, based on a lawsuit, Woodall lamented, filed by Shelby County, which includes part of his city. Since then states, primarily those controlled by Republicans, have passed laws limiting the types of identification that can be used to register and to vote. They also have shuttered polling places in areas with high concentrations of minority, poor and rural voters and curtailed early voting, in some cases targeting Sunday voting, when Black churches urge their congregations to go to the polls after services. Voting rights groups have fought these laws in court and have often prevailed, but lawmakers simply make minor adjustments and pass the legislation again.

The Freedom Rides caravan traveled by day, the better to show off what Brown called "the blackest bus in America." However, others were reminded of the dangers the original Freedom Riders faced, including brutal attacks, jail, even a firebombing. Black Voters Matter has been the target of threats, so traveling in daylight was safer for them too. The caravan had police escorts as it moved through Mississippi and Alabama.

During a stop in Nashville, the group met Mary Jean Smith, 79, Frankie Henry, 80, and Novella McCline Page, 83, who participated in the 1960 sit-ins to protest the segregation of Woolworth's lunch counters. Henry, who had been trained in nonviolent resistance, told how she stared in silent pain at a White woman who stubbed out a lit cigarette on her arm.

In 1965, the nation was horrified by images of Alabama state troopers viciously attacking protesters on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. The protesters included Lewis, who at the time was leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and he nearly died after being beaten in the head by troopers. Days later Viola Liuzzo, a 39-year-old White woman from Detroit who had come to Selma for a second march to Montgomery, was shot to death by the Ku Klux Klan. President Johnson, who had initially told civil rights leaders that the time was not right to move on a voting rights bill, demanded action from his aides and congressional leaders.

Albright acknowledges that they haven't faced the intimidation and violence that civil rights protesters endured in the 1960s.

"People may not be dying at a voter suppression protest, but people are surely dying because of voter suppression," he said in an interview.

At a rally at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta, Albright told a crowd of a few hundred that voter suppression "is a violent crime, because voter suppression has a violent impact in our community."

Legislatures and governors are enacting laws denying health care for working and low-income Americans and failing to provide basic services, like clean water. He cited Texas, where mismanagement of the state's electrical grid resulted in protracted power failures that left more than 100 people dead during a powerful winter storm.

Those most affected by the policies of the Republicans who hold power in most of the Southern states are those who supported Biden and other Democratic candidates in the 2020 election. In Georgia, a coalition of BlPOC and young people formed the base of support for Biden's upset victory in the state. That same coalition defied pundits and turned out in record numbers for a runoff election for two Senate seats that gave Democrats control of the chamber.

"We gave Biden a pathway to the White House and we literally gave him a Senate," Brown said. "We expect him to deliver, just as we delivered."

Albright said that he is pleased that Vice President Kamala Harris has taken the lead in the effort to protect voting rights and "certainly she's got skills and talents."

"But we don't want them looking at Vice President Harris like she's got to work some Black girl magic," he said, adding that Biden needs to be involved in the fight. "He was in the Senate for nearly 40 years. He knows Joe Manchin. . . . He can't wrangle one vote to get this passed?"

Flonzie Brown Wright, 78, said she hasn't seen lawmakers act with such focus and defiance to suppress the voter since the 1960s. It's painful to watch, she said.

Back then in her hometown of Canton, Miss., about 26 miles up interstate 55 from Jackson, more than 10,000 Black people were eligible to vote, but only 152 were registered. Literacy tests, poll taxes and threats of physical violence either disqualified or dissuaded most potential Black voters.

It took years of marches, lawsuits, images of protesters being brutally beaten and the murders of several activists for Congress to pass the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Wright, who managed the NAACP branch in Canton, still had to request federal examiners to oversee the voter registration.

"We fought and we worked so hard. And for a while we felt that we had achieved some things, particularly with the passage of the passage of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act" said Wright.

Wright was subjected to racist taunts and threats. White men in pickup trucks would sit outside her house to intimidate her. The phone would ring in the middle of the night with warnings that she should keep an eye on her children. But she didn't back down, and in 1968 she won a seat on the town's election commission, becoming the first black woman elected to public office in Mississippi.

The resurgence of the attacks on voting and civil rights all these years later is troubling, but not unexpected, Wright said.

SOCIAL JUSTICE: High school grad's mic cut out when he spoke about queer identity

"It's always going to be a struggle," she said. Historically, she said, a segment of Whites sought to deny Black Americans their humanity and rights as full citizens. Now those people are alarmed at the country's demographic changes. "Voter suppression is an attempt to keep the now majority - soon to be the minority - in power. That's the bottom line," Wright said. "It's really all about the vote."

Reminding people of the courage of civil rights activists like Wright is central to Black Voters Matter's ongoing work to mobilize communities of color to not only vote, but to hold elected officials accountable, including pushing them to protect access to the ballot.

At the rally in Atlanta, Albright, said it was impossible to hear stories about how the Freedom Riders were not deterred by intimidation and violence. Less than two weeks after the Freedom Rides began, White racists in Alabama firebombed one of their buses bus and beat the riders as they fled the flaming vehicle.

"There is no way for you to hear that history without asking yourself, 'What is my role going to be in today's voting rights movement?" Albright told the crowd. "There is a role for everybody to play in this movement. That's why we say everybody is a freedom rider. . . . I need all y'all to put a fist up and I need you to say I am a freedom rider! I am a freedom rider! I am a freedom rider!"
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.

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What vaccinated travellers need to know before entering Canada

What vaccinated travellers need to know before entering Canada Canada recently eased quarantine requirements for vaccinated travellers who are exempt from travel restrictions.

What vaccinated travellers need to know before entering Canada Canada recently eased quarantine requirements for vaccinated travellers who are exempt from travel restrictions.

What vaccinated travellers need to know before entering Canada Canada recently eased quarantine requirements for vaccinated travellers who are exempt from travel restrictions. Mohanad Moetaz Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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As part of Canadas phased approach to easing border measures, fully vaccinated travellers who are exempt from travel restrictions will not need to quarantine nor will they need to take a COVID-19 test on day-8, beginning on July 5, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.



Vaccinated travellers coming to Canada before that date will still need to quarantine.

Canadians, permanent residents and their family members as well as some temporary foreign workers and international students who attend an educational institution with a COVID-19 readiness plan are exempt from the travel restrictions.

Discover if Youre Eligible for Canadian Immigration

In addition, holders of a valid Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) are now also exempt, and may travel to Canada.

Canadas health minister Patty Hajdu said that Canada is working on a proof of vaccination that will be accepted by the federal government.

To be considered fully vaccinated in Canada, you must have received vaccines approved by the Canadian government. This means you should have received two doses of the Pfizer, Moderna or AstraZeneca vaccines, or one dose of the Janssen vaccine, or approved combinations, at least 14 days before entering Canada.

If you received two doses from two different provinces, make sure you have the required documentation for both doses.

Here is what you need to know if you are planning to travel to Canada soon.

Before you travel to Canada

You will need to plan your quarantine before coming to Canada, in case you do not meet the entry requirements for fully vaccinated travellers.

Within 72 hours prior to arriving in Canada, you must take a COVID-19 test. You must also pre-register for your COVID-19 test upon arrival.

Make sure you download the ArriveCAN mobile application. You must enter the following details into the application:

your contact and travel information;

your quarantine plan;

your 14-day travel history;

your proof of vaccination in English or French;

a COVID-19 symptom self-assessment; and

a confirmation of a negative COVID-19 test result or a positive result taken between 14 and 90 days before travelling.

Bring your documents with you, including a digital or paper copy of a proof of vaccination.

The ArriveCAN mobile application is available for download on the Apple App Store as well as the Google Play Store.

If you do not have a smart phone, or if you will not have data while travelling, you can enter the required information on the ArriveCAN website, and bring a printed copy or screenshot with you.

At the Canada border

When you arrive in Canada, you may be asked to provide information and documents, such as a negative COVID-19 test and a proof of vaccination.

As you approach the border officer, make sure you have the ArriveCAN receipt ready on your phone. You may be asked to show this receipt to the officer.

You will also have to answer eligibility and health screening questions as well as questions about your vaccination.

Where testing services are available upon arrival, you will have to complete your COVID-19 test on-site. Otherwise, you will be asked to collect a home test kit to use when you arrive at your final destination.

If you are showing symptoms of COVID-19, or if you are found to not be exempt from the travel restrictions, you must follow the instructions given to you by the government representative.

After you arrive in Canada

If you are exempt from the travel restrictions, are not showing any symptoms of the virus and you are fully vaccinated, you will not need to stay at a government-approved hotel. You will also not need to quarantine nor will you need to take another test on the eighth day after arrival.

Canada does not have an approved vaccine for children under 12 years old. Children travelling to Canada may need to quarantine when they get home. They will not need to stay at a hotel.

If, for health reasons, you are unable to get vaccinated, you will still need to quarantine and take a COVID-19 test on the eighth day. This applies to anyone over the age of five.

If you didnt complete your COVID-19 test upon arrival and you got a home test kit instead, complete it and send it to the lab. Should your test result return as positive, you will need to quarantine and isolate yourself from others.

Discover if Youre Eligible for Canadian Immigration

 CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options.
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A few passing clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph..

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A few passing clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph.
The city of Akron will celebrate its 47th year of free summer dance performances in Akron city parks through the 14th annual Heinz Poll Dance Festival in late July and early to mid-August.
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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 27) - The Department of the Interior and Local Government has ordered the dismissal of six police officers who, in an "election-related" incident in 2017, illegally arrested a Negros Occidental town vice mayor and her husband.

In a statement on Sunday, DILG Secretary Eduardo Ano identified those dismissed as former Moises Padilla town police chief PCpt. Allan Reloj, PMSg. Ricardo Campos Dingcong Jr., PCpl. Nobel Perante, PCpl. Felix Corejado Pesales Jr., Pat. Michael Mondido, and Pat. Darryl Ducay Dormido.

Ano said investigation by the National Police Commission found that the six committed grave misconduct and grave irregularities in the performance of their duties when they accosted and harassed then vice mayor Ella Garcia-Yulo and her husband.

According to the DILG, the Yulo couple was driving along Barangay Crossing Magallon in Moises Padilla when they were stopped by police in an illegal checkpoint. Besides unlawfully arresting the two, the cops  headed by Reloj  were said to have performed illegal search and seizure of their vehicle.

The department said the incident is classified as a "political harassment" case.

The dismissal of these cops is a warning to the entire PNP (Philippine National Police) to be non-partisan especially during the election season, Ano said.

The DILG added the six officers eligibility and retirement benefits are forfeited, and they are banned from holding any public office.

Garcia-Yulo is now the mayor of Moises Padilla after winning against then-mayor Magdaleno Pena in the 2019 elections.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 27)  Concerned government officials must ensure the strict implementation of the 10-day quarantine rule for returning Filipinos from abroad to prevent the entry of the Delta Plus variant in the country.

The appeal came from Inter-Agency Task Force co-chairman and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, who expressed concern on the continued spread of the Delta Plus variant, which now has at least 200 recorded cases in 11 countries.

"'Yung 10-day quarantine rule po natin, very important iyan. Nakita natin na it really worked doon sa 17 na nag-positive ng Delta variant dito sa ating bansa na mula sa abroad," Nograles told CNN Philippines' Newsroom Weekend on Sunday.

[Translation: The 10-day quarantine is very important. We observed that it really worked with regards to the 17 people who tested positive for the Delta variant here in the country when they arrived from abroad.]

RELATED: PH records more cases of Delta coronavirus variant

Nograles added that the 10-day quarantine rule played a big role on why most of the 17 persons infected with the Delta variant in the country were discharged without having the risk of infecting other people. He also said one patient is still being monitored in the hospital.

"Mapasukan lang tayo ng isang Delta variant, things will really drastically change on the ground. Importante na lahat ng airports ay higpitan natin ang ating 10-day quarantine rule," he said.

[Translation: Once a Delta variant case slips, things will really drastically change on the ground. It is important that all airports must strictly enforce the 10-day quarantine rule.]

Nograles also assured that the available COVID-19 vaccine doses in the country can protect a person from severe infections, citing studies made by international medical experts.

The country has yet to record a single case of the Delta Plus variant, according to the University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health.

The Delta Plus variant, also known as the B.1.617.2.1 or AY.1 variant, is a mutation of the Delta variant which has been blamed for the deadly surge in India in May. Infectious diseases expert Dr. Edsel Salvana warned the variant is four times more contagious than the original virus detected in Wuhan, China in 2019.

RELATED: Filipinos urged to increase protection vs COVID-19 as 'Delta Plus' mutation emerges
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 27)  Are we better off now than when President Rodrigo Duterte started his term in 2016? What can still be done in his last year in office?

These are the questions Sen. Panfilo Lacson hopes the President will clearly answer in his final State of the Nation Address on July 26.

"After five years, where are we now, or what is the situation in the many aspects of his administration such as peace and order, fight against illegal drugs, corruption, economy, and foreign policy, particularly the West Philippine Sea? We want to hear what happened in the last five years -- and moving forward for the last year of his administration, what can still be done?" Lacson said in a media forum on Sunday.

Lacson added Duterte should also update the Filipinos about the government's COVID-19 pandemic response, particularly the status of the national vaccination program.

"This is important because many Filipinos still do not trust the vaccine. The government must continue its campaign to gain the people's trust in vaccines, based on science," the senator explained.

For the Duterte administration's final year, Lacson said it should look into the digitalization of the economy and automation of government processes to curb corruption and ease transactions.

"Digitalization will vastly improve revenue collections and make more effective and efficient monitoring of public expenditures," said Lacson.

Lacson cited the Bureau of Customs where the automation of processes are needed to solve big discrepancies in import records with the export records of the country's trade partners such as China.

The senator also said he has consulted with experts who informed him that countries like Estonia and Ukraine have already digitized their agriculture sector.

"In this age of modern technology, we should be in the process of digitalization. It is not too late, but we should act soon," Lacson said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 27) -- Senator Panfilo Lacson on Sunday said the Philippine National Police should impose stricter gun control measures instead of arming civilians to help in crime prevention.

The former PNP chief said issuing firearms to civilian organizations may only result in more crime, especially if abused.

"Arming civilians to fight criminality could backfire, especially if they don't have the proper training and mindset. In the United States, there have been so many fatal shootings due to loose firearm laws," said Lacson.

President Rodrigo Duterte last week called for the arming of civilian groups to help the police in the fight against crime.

Lacson disagreed with the proposal, adding that past shooting incidents involving off-duty policemen should serve as a valuable lesson.

That is why I had suggested as a policy recommendation that policemen should turn in their issued firearms to their units' armorer or supply officer when on off-duty status, and should not be issued PTCFORs (Permits to Carry Firearms Outside Residences) while still in the active service. If our law enforcers who are supposed to be trained are prone to lapses, how much more in the case of untrained civilians? said Lacson.

Just like during his stint as PNP chief, Lacson wants permits issued only to those who pass the stringent requirements, including gun safety seminars, practical and neuropsychiatric tests, and personal appearance of the applicant.

"My idea was, after much-improved law enforcement and peace and order, the only ones authorized to carry firearms outside their residences are uniformed police and military personnel on official missions, he said.

Anybody, including PNP officers not in police uniform, must be assumed to have criminal intent and apprehended on the spot. It's time the public developed a different mindset and assumption on people seen carrying firearms, the senator said.

Lacson cited Hong Kong where people automatically report to police any civilian seen carrying firearms, which he said should only be for self-defense and should be kept at home.

Meanwhile, PNP chief General Guillermo Eleazar backed Dutertes proposal, saying only those who will qualify under the law may be permitted to own and possess firearms.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 27) -- The Philippine National Police is now finalizing recommendations in the conduct of a regular neuropsychiatric exam for all its personnel, amid cases of grave misconduct.

In a statement on Sunday, PNP chief General Guillermo Eleazar said proposals from the PNP Health Service will be used in coming up with guidelines for the regular assessment of the emotional and mental health of the entire police force.

Eleazar underscored the need to check on the mental state of all personnel nationwide, after a master sergeant went on a shooting rampage inside the Manila Police District headquarters on Friday.

This recent incident at MPD, along with the previous ones, highlights the need for us to closely look into the overall state of our men. Hindi nagtatapos sa kung paano nila ginagawa ang kanilang trabaho, kasama dito ang pagtingin sa kanilang physical, emotional, at lalo na ang kanilang mental state (Its not just about their work performance, but we should also look at their physical, emotional, and mental state), said Eleazar.

The PNP has been mulling since last year to require all cops to undergo neuropsychiatric tests.

Two policemen were killed while another was injured during the shooting incident at MPD headquarters last Friday. The dead include the suspect, Executive Master Sergeant Reynante Dipasupil.

Eleazar said the MPD is already investigating the incident.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 27)  Vice President Leni Robredo said on Sunday her office targets to partner with more schools to enlist medical students who can assist in the COVID-19 vaccination program.

During her weekly radio show, Robredo said that given the bulk of fresh vaccines expected to arrive this second half, the country may witness a shortage of vaccinators.

"Ang suggestion ko ay mag-partner sa mga schools na may medical students, nursing students na makatulong at supervise [sa vaccination program]," she said.

"[Sila] ang mga mag-assist sa mga doctor, nurse," Robredo added.

[Translation: My suggestion is to partner with schools that have medical students, nursing students to help and supervise (in the vaccination program). They will assist doctors, nurses.]

Currently, the government official noted her office is exploring this approach with several educational institutions. Robredo did not identify the schools they were in talks with.

The Vice President last week launched a drive-thru vaccine service for riders in Manila City, where the local government unit supplied the vaccines while Robredo provided vaccinators and health workers.

READ: Robredo, Moreno launch drive-thru vaccination for Manila's tricycle drivers, delivery riders

The government has so far secured the delivery of 113 million doses from five manufacturers namely, Sinovac with 26 million doses, Sputnik V with 10 million doses, 20 million doses from Moderna, 17 million doses from AstraZeneca, and 40 million doses from Pfizer.

The Duterte administration is eyeing to vaccinate at least 50 million Filipinos this 2021.
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Marvel's live-action She-Hulk is set to hit Disney+ in 2022, so we still don't know a lot about it, but one thing is clear now: The show is apparently written by the parents of Jameela Jamil's character on The Good Place because the actress was recently cast in the show as one of the silliest comic-book characters of all time: the supervillain Titania.

Now that is a bold claim to make in a world where two ice-cream-powered X-Men characters exist, with one of them sharing way too many similarities with 2 Girls 1 Cup, but being outlandish, ludicrous, and over the top is all fine. It's what comics should be. But Titania is none of those things; she's just  sad.

Marvel

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Titania was originally Mary MacPherran, a scrawny and unpopular girl whose friend once asked her if she was secretly Spider-Woman. Literally not having anything better going for her other than that time one of her McNuggets looked kind of like Don Johnson (I assume), Mary said "Yes," instead of "Spider-Woman? More like I spy there's an untouched gallon of ice cream over there, so if you'll excuse me " Mary's friend then started telling everyone that her pal is a superheroine until the two were seen together at a party and people around them just lost their shit.
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Between 1994 and 1997, there were 36 break-ins at the Swedish Army and Danish Home Guard armories because they apparently all kept using the same bargain Ikea padlock that they had to build themselves and were left with five "spare" parts every single time. The majority of these thefts were carried out by the two MCs, who made off with handguns, machine guns, rifles of all kinds, grenades, landmines, and anti-tank missiles. Other weapons the HAMC and Bandidos acquired from ex-USSR countries and Yugoslavia, including even more rocket-launchers and grenades. After placing them together so they'd kind of look like giant robo dongs with tiny testicles (we assume), the two clubs got to firing the weapons at each other as often as possible.

Department of Energy If Scandinavia had nukes, the bikers would have grabbed those too.

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Between 1994 and 1996, the Bandidos or an affiliated club carried out about 12 missile attacks using either Swedish AT4s or Russian RPG-22s. Most of these attacks were aimed at clubhouses or garages and only resulted in explosive property damage while a 30-year-old Michael Bay got an erection that he couldn't quite explain. Tragically, though, in October 1996, the Copenhagen Hells Angels' party attended by over 150 people was the target of yet another missile attack that took the life of Janne Krohn, a single mother and civilian not involved in the club's criminal activities. Nineteen other people were seriously injured.

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Bombs and grenades were used even more frequently. Explosive devices were planted in clubhouses, private homes, and bikes so often, it was a miracle the bikers didn't become paranoid and refused to open their eyes, fearing that someone planted a bomb in their eyelids or something. And in 1996, a Bandidos vice-president held in a Danish prison was seriously injured when someone threw a grenade into his cell. About a month later, two Copenhagen chapter HAMC bikers were injured when someone threw a grenade into their house from a passing car.
Only you must not go very far away. Exodus 8:28

This is a crafty word from the lip of the arch-tyrant Pharaoh. If the poor enslaved Israelites must leave Egypt, then he bargains with them that it shall not be very far away--not too far for them to escape the terror of his arms and the observation of his spies. After the same fashion, the world hates the nonconformity of nonconformity or the dissidence of dissent; it would rather we were more charitable and not deal with things too severely. Death to the world and burial with Christ are experiences that worldly minds treat with ridicule, and as a result baptism, which pictures them, is almost universally neglected and even condemned.

Worldly wisdom recommends the path of compromise and talks of "moderation." According to this carnal policy, purity is admitted to be very desirable, but we are warned against being too precise; truth is of course to be followed, but error is not to be severely denounced. "Yes," says the world, "be spiritually minded by all means, but do not deny yourself a little friendship with the world, the odd journey to Vanity Fair. What's the good of denouncing this empty lifestyle when it is so fashionable and everybody does it?" Multitudes of professors succumb to this cunning advice, to their own eternal ruin.

If we are going to really follow the Lord, we must be prepared to walk the narrow path and join Moses who refused to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. We must leave behind the world's maxims--its pleasure, and its religion too--and go far away to the place where the Lord calls His sanctified ones.

When the town is on fire, our house cannot be too far from the flames. When disease is rampant, it is hard to escape it. The further from a poisonous snake the better, and the further from worldly conformity the better. To all true believers let the trumpet-call be sounded: "Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them."1

1) 2 Corinthians 6:17

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Click here to learn more about Truth For Life

Devotional material is taken from Morning and Evening, written by C.H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. Copyright (c) 2003, Good News Publishers and used by Truth For Life with written permission.
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.
LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. (AP)  Even before the pandemic, a scarcity of nurses was an ongoing concern in Arizona especially in more rural areas.

An Arizona State University nursing program, set to debut at the school's Lake Havasu City campus this fall, aims to put a dent in that shortage.

ASU Havasu, which is still a young campus at 9 years old, got approval in April from the Arizona Board of Nursing to offer a 12-month bachelor of science degree in nursing. The program is expected to draw more than 30 new students, the Today's News-Herald reported.

Anita Harger, the chief human resources officer at Kingman Regional Medical Center, said she has never seen such a dearth of nurses in her 30-year career. It's a worry for most hospital administrators across the region, she added.

One reason it can be difficult to lure prospective nurses to Mohave County is a lack of job opportunities for spouses and partners.

Other than the hospital and the school district, the largest employer in town is Walmart," Harger said.

Hospitals in rural areas also find it hard to compete with regional hospitals or private medical practices.

People think that hospitals make a ton of money, but it couldnt be further from the truth, she said.

Amanda Goodman, a spokeswoman for Arizona State Universitys Edson College, is hopeful the class of future nurses will consider planting roots. Nurses who get their education in rural areas are likelier to stay in there after graduation.

June Weiss, the director of nursing programs at Mohave Community College, said many graduates have gone on to become registered nurses in Mohave County communities. Classes can't fit more than 20 students each semester in order to ensure they all get the proper clinical experience. That amounts to 160 new students total per year across its campuses.

Under the ASU program, nursing students will be able to partake in virtual and immersion lab experiences. Some will include visits to Health Futures Center in Phoenix. The program is expected to complement programs at Mohave Community College.

Harger, of Kingman Regional Medical Center, said with only 30 nursing students to start, it will take some time to see the payoff of this new nursing program.

It is going to get a lot harder before it gets easier, Harger said.
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SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP)  Families of the missing visited the scene of the Florida condo building collapse Sunday as rescuers kept digging through the mound of rubble and clinging to hope that someone could yet be alive somewhere under the broken concrete and twisted metal.

The death toll rose by just four people, to a total of nine confirmed dead. The latest four victims were identified Sunday night by police as Christina Beatriz Elvira, 74; Luis Bermudez, 26; Leon Oliwkowicz, 80; and Anna Ortiz, 46.

After almost four full days of search-and-rescue efforts, more than 150 additional people were still missing in Surfside. No one has been pulled alive from the pile since Thursday, hours after the collapse.

Some families had hoped their visit would allow them to shout messages to loved ones possibly buried deep inside the pile.

Buses brought several groups of relatives to a place where they could view the pile and the rescuers at work. As relatives returned to a nearby hotel, several paused to embrace as they got off the bus. Others walked slowly with arms around each other back to the hotel entrance.

We are just waiting for answers. Thats what we want, said Dianne Ohayon, whose parents, Myriam and Arnie Notkin were in the building. Its hard to go through these long days and we havent gotten any answers yet.

Gerald Herbert/AP

Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Nachman Shai, who visited with family members, led a humanitarian delegation to Surfside that included several Israeli experts in search-and-rescue operations. He said the experts have told him of cases where survivors were found after 100 hours or more.

So dont lose hope, thats what I would say. But you have everyone understanding the longer it takes, the prospects of finding someone alive goes down, he said.

If you watch the scene, you know its almost impossible to find someone alive, Shai added. But you never know. Sometimes miracles happen, you know? We Jews believe in miracles.

Rescuers sought to reassure families that they were doing as much as possible to find missing loved ones, but the crews said they needed to work carefully for the best chance of uncovering survivors.

Some relatives have been frustrated with the pace of rescue efforts.

My daughter is 26 years old, in perfect health. She could make it out of there, one mother told rescuers during a weekend meeting with family members. A video of the meeting was posted by Instagram user Abigail Pereira.

Its not enough, continued the mother, who was among relatives who pushed authorities to bring in experts from other countries to help. Imagine if your children were in there.

Scores of rescue workers remained on the massive heap of rubble Sunday, searching for survivors but so far finding only bodies and human remains.

In a meeting with families Saturday evening, people moaned and wept as Miami-Dade Assistant Fire Chief Raide Jadallah explained why he could not answer their repeated questions about how many victims they had found.

Its not necessarily that were finding victims, OK? Were finding human remains, Jadallah said, according to the video posted on Instagram.

He noted the pancake collapse of the 12-story building, which had crumbled into a rubble pile that could be measured in feet. Those conditions have frustrated crews looking for survivors, he said.

Every time crews find remains, they clean the area and remove the remains. They work with a rabbi to ensure any religious rituals are done properly, Jadallah said.

If crews find any artifacts, such as documents, pictures or money, they turn them over to police, officials said.

Alan Cominsky, chief of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department, said they are holding out hope of finding someone alive, but they must be slow and methodical.

The debris field is scattered throughout, and its compact, extremely compact, he said.

Debris must be stabilized and shored up as they go.

If there is a void space, we want to make sure were given every possibility of a survivor. Thats why we cant just go in and move things erratically, because thats going to have the worst outcome possible, he said.

In meetings with authorities, family members repeatedly pushed rescuers to do more. One asked why they could not surgically remove the largest pieces of cement with cranes, to try to uncover bigger voids where survivors might be found.

Theres not giant pieces that we can easily surgically remove, replied Maggie Castro, of the fire rescue agency.

Theyre not big pieces. Pieces are crumbled, and theyre being held together by the rebar thats part of the construction. So if we try to lift that piece, even as carefully, those pieces that are crumbling can fall off the sides and disturb the pile, Castro said.

She said they try to cut rebar in strategic places and remove large pieces, but that they have to remove them in a way that nothing will fall onto the pile.

We are doing layer by layer, Castro said. It doesnt stop. Its all day. All night.

Rescuers swept the mound with dogs trained to sniff out humans.

They also used a microwave radar device developed by NASAs Jet Propulsion Lab and the Department of Homeland Security that sees through up to 8 inches (20 centimeters) of solid concrete, according to Adrian Garulay, CEO of Spec Ops Group, which sells them. The suitcase-sized device can detect human respiration and heartbeats and was being deployed Sunday by a seven-member search-and-rescue team from Mexicos Jewish community.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said six to eight teams are actively searching the pile at any given time, with hundreds of team members on standby ready to rotate in. She said teams have worked around the clock since Thursday, and there was no lack of personnel.

Teams are also working with engineers and sonar to make sure the rescuers are safe.

Crews spent Saturday night digging a trench that stretches 125 feet long, 20 feet across and 40 feet deep (38 meters long, 6 meters across and 12 meters deep), which, she said, allowed them to find more bodies and human remains.

Earl Tilton, who runs a search-and-rescue consulting firm in North Carolina, said rushing into the rubble without careful planning and execution would injure or kill rescuers and the people they are trying to save, said Tilton, who runs Lodestar Professional Services in Hendersonville, North Carolina.

I understand the families concerns on this. If it was my family member, I would want everyone in there pulling rubble away as fast as humanly possible, Tilton said. But moving the wrong piece of debris at the wrong time could cause it to fall on them and crush them.

During past urban rescues, rescuers have found survivors as long as a week past the initial catastrophe, Tilton said.

Rescue workers identified an additional four bodies that had been recovered earlier, bringing the number of people unaccounted for to 152, the Miami-Dade mayor said Sunday.

Authorities are gathering DNA samples from family members to aid in identification. Late Saturday, four of the victims were identified as Stacie Dawn Fang, 54; Antonio Lozano, 83; Gladys Lozano, 79; and Manuel LaFont, 54.

___

Associated Press writers Freida Frisaro in Fort Lauderdale, Bobby Caina Calvan in Tallahassee and others from around the United States contributed to this report.
WESTPORT  Police say a vehicle drove into a Main Street building, causing significant damage to Outpost Pizza.

Police said the accident happened around 3 a.m. Sunday at 333 Main St.

The driver and two occupants were transported to the hospital with what appeared to be minor injures, police said. The fire department, as well as a building inspector, responded to assess the damage.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
BRIDGEPORT  Police say are investigating a shooting that left a 38-year-old man seriously wounded Friday night in a city housing complex.

Police said the shooting occurred around 9:40 p.m. Friday on the fifth floor of the Charles F. Greene Homes Public Housing Complex-Building 3.

Police said the victim was transported to St. Vincents Hospital via ambulance with life-threatening injures.

Officers found a firearm at the scene that belonged to Trance Jacobs, 39, who was arrested on charges of carrying a pistol without a permit and altering the identification on a firearm. Officials said Jacobs is an acquaintance of the victim and is not suspected to be the shooter.

Anyone with information about his crime is asked to call the case officer, Detective Elizabeth Santora, at 203-581-5231 or utilize the Bridgeport Tips Line at 203-576-TIPS.
ANSONIA - The Farrel Foundry and Machine Co. site, located on 35 North Main St., is a step closer to being demolished and remediated with news that the city will receive $1 million from the state Brownfield Remediation Program.

The funding, announced June 24 by state Rep. Kara Rochelle (D-104) and state Sen. Jorge Cabrera (D-17), will go toward the assessment, demolition and remediation of the site. Rochelle said the redevelopment of the property would bolster the citys fortunes.

Im so very proud to help bring this state money back to our community for economic revitalization, she said. Ansonias future is tied to securing funds like this to transform our downtown. Im grateful for the teamwork amongst state and local officials to secure these funds.

The Brownfield Remediation Program is part of the states Department of Economic and Community Development. The foundry, along with other former industrial sites such as the adjacent Ansonia Copper & Brass factory, is one of several Ansonia sites considered prime locations for redevelopment due to the size of the properties and their location near Main Street. Redevelopment, though, has been hampered by high clean up costs.

The foundry has been in existence in some form since 1850. During the Civil War it manufactured cannonballs for the Army, to the city attorney John Marini. The foundrys current North Main Street location dates to the 1890s according to the website Historic Mills of Connecticut, a preservation organization. The complex consists of multiple buildings that once housed offices and the foundry.

The site had been sitting idle for few years until the city bought and took over the property in 2020.

Marini said the city government considers Farrel, the defunct SHW Casting Co. and Ansonia Copper & Brass to be high priorities for redevelopment, saying the cleanup and remediation would ultimately lead to more jobs.

The full site, the 60 acres, SHW, Copper and Brass, thats the biggest challenge the city has for development. But its also our biggest opportunity to revive Ansonias economic engine, Marini said.

The first challenge is cleaning up the site, said Economic Development Director Sheila OMalley.

The EPA has asked that we clean up asbestos and debris thats been caused by a number of things, she said. Were going to get rid of that asbestos. We already went out to bid for that, and as soon as we do that, EPA will move a crew in July or August to clean out all the above-ground and below-ground tanks.

This step is crucial because the Brownfield Remediation Program is geared toward cleaning up polluted sites left behind by heavy industry. The program was designed to help municipalities throughout the state redevelop properties that could not be developed otherwise due to prohibitive financial costs.

OMalley said the city will spend a total of $2 million on cleaning and demolition.

Photos of the site show sections of the foundrys roof have caved in. Debris can be seen on the ground and weeds have grown around the wreckage.

While there is no definite timetable for when the property will be demolished, OMalley said that will happen once the clean up has occurred, possibly later this year.

They can demolish in the winter, so even if its late fall, early winter we can demolish, she said.

Marini also sees the funds as added ammunition for Mayor David Cassettis reelection campaign.

The message is starting to get through. But we never think that its loud enough, he said. This site means so much, not only for Ansonia, but the rest of the Valley. So were always going to be very, very loud about this topic, because it represents really the final frontier.
The following items are based on information provided by officials in law enforcement and the criminal justice system.
The pandemic has wreaked havoc across the country, touching all of our lives, and we still don't know the full extent of the human and economic cost.

But, bizarrely, there is one group that has thrived in the past 15 months, a group we all detest with a vengeance: financial fraudsters.

The pandemic has enabled these despicable criminals to breed like never before.

They have become a plague of financial fraud rats, using the cloak of lockdown, home-working and our increasing use of the internet to empty our bank accounts.

According to data compiled by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, nearly half a million people have lost a total of 2.6 billion over the past 13 months as a result of fraud or cyber crime.

Sadly, nobody in authority  be it the Government, regulators, the police, the banks, internet search engines and phone companies  seems prepared to rid the country of this vermin.

The pandemic has wreaked havoc across the country, touching all of our lives, and we still don't know the full extent of the human and economic cost. But, bizarrely, there is one group that has thrived in the past 15 months, a group we all detest with a vengeance: financial fraudsters. (File image)

As a result, more than a thousand people are being scammed every day. Victims are old and young and come from all walks of life  doctors, dentists, lawyers, shop workers and teachers. No one is spared and, in many cases, people's lives are ruined.

It's an untenable state of affairs which needs addressing urgently. We, as a country, need to fight fire with fire, hunt down these criminals and lock them up. Whatever it takes, I say.

Seldom does a day go by now without a number of readers contacting me and my personal finance team about a scam they have just fallen victim to.

It could result from an official-looking text sent to their phone alerting them to a tax refund they are apparently eligible for. As soon as they click on the accompanying link and provide their bank details, the fraudsters gain access to the account and plunder it.

Alternatively, the scam might have started with a phone call purportedly from a customer's bank alerting them to a suspect payment taken from their account.

Or, increasingly, it might be a result of a hoax financial promotion on the internet, offering attractive interest-paying bonds from an established financial company, or fraudsters using the popularity of cryptocurrencies to get people to set up trading accounts with money they will never see again.

Many victims are left to pick up the pieces alone. According to consumer organisation Which?, individuals are losing 700,000 every day to fraudsters as a result of being coaxed into transferring money from their bank accounts.

Such 'push payment' fraud is endemic, and although a voluntary code drawn up by the major banks is meant to ensure all innocent victims get refunded, nothing could be further from the truth.

The code is interpreted differently by individual banks, with some playing hard-ball, blaming customers for not doing enough to prevent the fraud committed against them. Two banks currently reject more than nine of every ten claims while, overall, more requests for refunds are rejected than accepted. The fact the banks do not have to reveal their own reimbursement-rejection rates allows those which treat scam victims shamefully to get away with it.

Which? has long called for the regulator  the Payments Systems Regulator  to intervene so that customers can decide if they want to have their account with a bank which will be not be there for them in their hour of need. So far, its call has been ignored.

The banks could, and should, be doing more to protect customers from financial fraud and the consequences of it (more on this later) but they cannot be held solely responsible for where we have got to. The weakest link by far is Action Fraud, the organisation that victims are encouraged to turn to to report details of any financial fraud committed against them.

Run by the City of London Police in conjunction with the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, Action Fraud is the reporting hub for victims of fraud and cyber crime in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (Scotland does things differently).

More than a thousand people are being scammed every day. Victims are old and young and come from all walks of life  doctors, dentists, lawyers, shop workers and teachers. No one is spared and, in many cases, people's lives are ruined. (File image)

Fraud victims get a police reference number from Action Fraud, an acknowledgement of the information they have provided, and then wait in the expectation that someone within the police force will investigate their case and hopefully bring the criminals to justice.

But it doesn't work like that. The name Action Fraud is a misnomer. As my colleague Rachel Rickard Straus reports on pages 126-7, only four per cent of fraud cases reported to [In]Action Fraud are then passed on to law enforcement agencies to look into. A scandalous state of affairs.

Even when Action Fraud is presented with details of those involved in a fraud  as in the case of the one committed against Catriona Oliphant in Rachel's report today  it doesn't seem to want to know.

No wonder Action Fraud is variously described as 'flaccid' (Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis), a glorified call centre (a leading academic), 'not fit for purpose' (former Minister Baroness Altmann) and 'woefully under-resourced' (Martyn James, of consumer complaints handler Resolver).

Tony Hetherington, this newspaper's consumer champion, pursues fraudsters for a living. He describes Action Fraud's work as no more than an 'intelligence-gathering operation'. Only in a minority of cases, he says, is any 'intelligence' gathered used as part of a proper investigation of the sort that victims expect.

Along with academics who specialise in analysing fraud and economic crime, Hetherington describes the subsequent investigation of cases as haphazard, a postcode lottery. 'Some police forces still have experienced fraud investigators among their ranks,' he says. 'Others do not even possess the capability to deal with straightforward cases.'

So, what needs to be done to help conquer this plague of financial fraud rats? Certainly, there is an overwhelming case for the ineffective Action Fraud to be overhauled or, even better, replaced with a dedicated, properly resourced police unit focused purely on fighting financial crime. One that could be funded in part by the profit-rich big banks, internet providers and mobile phone providers.

After all, it's in all their best financial and reputational interests for fraudsters to be hunted down and locked up for their crimes. The idea of such a unit has its supporters, including Baroness Altmann.

Yet the lead really needs to come from the Government. For the past decade, successive administrations have been keen to see overall crime figures driven down.

As part of this process, police forces were encouraged to push fraud investigations to one side in favour of solving less complex and time-consuming offences. It has resulted in a crazy situation where 30 per cent of all crime is now economic crime but only one per cent of the police budget is used to fight it.

This clearly is untenable. What now needs to happen is for Boris Johnson's Government to be bold. It should accept what we all know already  that financial fraud is out of hand  and then act to stamp it out. That means giving the police the resources to go after the financial scammers and prosecute them. Whether that's through the generosity of the public purse or by requiring the banks et al to contribute, it makes no odds.

As things stand, committing a financial scam against a member of the public is almost a no-risk crime. That is unacceptable. It is time to do damage to the financial fraud rats.
It was hard not to laugh at all the jokes circulating on social media at Matt Hancocks expense. Hands  Face  Back to My Place was just one, mocking the endless stream of orders that came from the Secretary of State for Health  telling us what to do in our private lives when he was snogging a glamorous aide in the office.

Like everyone I giggled at all the puns on the last four letters of his surname and enjoyed the comeuppance of a man Ive always considered to be a second-rater promoted way above his ability. Just another politician caught with his pants down (I jeered to a friend) and how ridiculous.

But then I saw the newspaper pictures of Hancocks wronged wife Martha  so pretty in her flowery dress and still wearing her wedding ring  and felt ashamed.

For there is nothing remotely amusing in this cliched story of deceit and pain. Nothing to giggle at when Martha Hancock and Gina Coladangelos husband Oliver Tress have been publicly humiliated  betrayed by people they trusted.

Tory sources said the Prime Minister, who fought to keep the Health Secretary in his job, was warned by party whips that support had drained away after he admitted breaking his own lockdown rules over his affair with a married aide

Worst of all is the realisation that six children have been forced suddenly to accept that a beloved parent has inflicted incalculable, permanent damage on all their lives.

Of course, the situation is as old as humanity itself. Great literature has been inspired by infidelity simply because there is nothing more perennially fascinating than the conflict within the human heart.

All over the world ordinary people, of every age and race and class and creed, fall for people they shouldnt  because illicit love is as addictive as it can be unexpected and even the most upright person can suddenly be bowled over by passion.

Sleepless nights, desperate yearning, hideously complicated deceptions, consuming guilt and the permanent terror of discovery are the realities of every love affair.

Ive heard people suggest that a wronged wife or a husband must have known something was going on. But why? Martha Hancock was used to her husband working long hours and political life offers a myriad excuses for absence.

Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock's wife Martha, a 44-year-old osteopath, was pictured outside her North London home on Sunday

You can be pretty sure Hancock never had to change his important plans to fit in with half-term or wrestle with the food shopping list or make sure theres a present ready for the eight-year-old to take to a party.

Oh no, its the expendable wife who takes care of the minutiae of family life. I bet Mrs Hancock rolled her eyes when her husband told a journalist, Thank God Martha is wonderful in looking after the children and looking after me and its really tough.

Not nearly as tough as hearing that same grateful husband tell you that your marriage is over because hes been caught groping a woman you thought was a friend. Thats when you start asking the agonising questions: How long has it been going on? Was I his second best choice back then, when we were all young? Was he thinking about her on Christmas Day?

Was I really so boring that he needed somebody else? Is this what I get for being the wonderful loyal wife who supported him in his career? How can I possibly be strong enough to help our children through this scandal when I just want to hide and cry?

As one of Mrs Hancocks friends has said: This is unimaginably horrible for her and indescribably sad. Actually it is easy for me to imagine it because in 2004 my husband Jonathan Dimbleby left me after 35 years of marriage and I, too, had photographers on my doorstep.

For there is nothing remotely amusing in this cliched story of deceit and pain. Nothing to giggle at when Martha Hancock and Gina Coladangelos husband Oliver Tress have been publicly humiliated  betrayed by people they trusted (pictured: Hancock and Coladangelo in May)

Its no surprise that during my 16 years of writing an advice column I have received many, many letters about infidelity. The terrible shock, bewilderment and pain, the cruel sense of rejection, the feeling that life is over all those emotions pour out from people who sometimes write years later, because they simply cannot forget.

Once a man with two children wrote to tell me that he had been on the verge of leaving his wife for his mistress when he read one of my replies to somebody else  and realised with a blinding flash of clarity that he had a duty to try to save his marriage: The last nine months have been very hard but I think were getting there and well be OK.

I hope they were. Of course, some marriages cant be saved and some couples are better apart. Nobody can ever know what goes on between a couple and the most well-suited people can drift apart.

Once there was a stigma attached to divorce. Now nobody seems to care very much  and surely something important has been lost. We do still need to be shocked by the ease with which people hurt each other.

Leaving the political fall-out aside, Matt Hancock has treated his family with great cruelty. Care and decency and respect have been trampled on  yet again.

Wronged partners and miserable children can be capable of great forgiveness, but believe me they never forget.
A bride-to-be has revealed she's struggling to decide on whether she should ditch the free flowing booze at her wedding because she fears her guests would 'hate it'.

The Australian woman said she's considering hosting a dry reception but she's unsure of how her family and friends would react.

'I would love to host an alcohol-free wedding as I'm not a massive drinker but I'm worried all our guests will hate it,' she wrote in a Facebook group.

A bride-to-be has revealed she's struggling to decide on whether she should ditch the free flowing booze at her wedding because she fears her guests would 'hate it' (stock image)

Poll Can you still have fun at an alcohol-free wedding? Yes No Can you still have fun at an alcohol-free wedding? Yes 450 votes

No 288 votes Now share your opinion





Her post divided many, with one saying: 'Not my cup of tea but it's your wedding.'

While another said: 'I likely wouldn't attend a dry wedding unless it was close family or friends. I have yet to attend an enjoyable reception with absolutely zero alcohol.'

However, a majority of people said it's her special day so she should do whatever 'pleases' her, not everyone else.

'People should be able to let go of alcohol at least for one day. Are they really desperate to have alcohol at every party? You do you. If they won't come because alcohol isn't served then they don't deserve to come,' one wrote.

While another added: 'If people won't show up or get p***ed about alcohol not being served, then they're there for the alcohol and not to celebrate your wedding.

'Do you really want to buy an expensive dinner for people that are more concerned about the bar than your nuptials? They shouldn't be invited in the first place.'

The Australian woman said she's considering hosting a dry reception but she's unsure of how her family and friends would react (stock image)

Meanwhile, many brides and grooms revealed they hosted a 'fun dry wedding'.

'It is your wedding and so you choose, but let them know on the invitation. We had an alcohol free wedding and everybody enjoyed themselves,' one wrote.

Another bride said: 'I had a dry reception. It was cut short but it was less time and effort on my end. I don't drink at all. The husband drinks a beer every now and then.

'Just make sure to invite people to be the life of the party who can do it sober. We did that and it was amazing. Repeat after me: You do not need booze to have a good time.'

Others suggested if the bride decides on throwing a dry reception, she should book a venue that comes with a bar so guests have the option to get alcohol.

'Personally I'd choose a venue with a bar so people could buy their own and perhaps you supply a few bottles of champagne to toast the bride and groom... but it's entirely up to you,' one wrote.

Another revealed: 'We didn't have an alcohol free wedding, just had bar drink prices as we don't drink but still wanted our guests to be able to if they wanted to drink but it was at their cost, not ours.'

While one added: 'We had a morning wedding with a noon reception. I wanted a dry wedding, but not everyone agreed. So we did an open bar for cocktail hour only, then had cash bar.'

While some suggested the bride should consider a 'breakfast' wedding reception so guests don't expect any alcohol.
Nicola Mendelsohn has revealed that she thinks about her incurable blood cancer 'every day' but says she doesn't talk about it a lot with her family because there's 'no new news.'

Facebook's Vice President for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, 49, who lives in North London with her family, said that the cancer isn't something she discusses often with her four children Gabi, 24, Danny, 22, Sam, 19, and Zac, 16.

The advertising executive from Manchester was diagnosed with the incurable blood cancer Follicular lymphoma in 2016, and even though she is technically in remission, she explained her cancer could come back at any moment and there's no certainty it would never come back.

'As a family we dont talk about it a lot because theres no new news. One of my kids told me they take their cues from me. If Im all right, theyre all right too,' she wrote in the Sunday Times Magazine.

Facebook's Vice President for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Nicola Mendelsohn, 49, who lives in North London with her family, said in the Sunday Times Magazine that they didn't discuss her cancer often, even though she thought about it everyday (pictured in London in 2017)

Nicola, who had treatment for her cancer two years ago and revealed the Covid-19 vaccine had not worked on her due to her condition, said she was thankful it had been a success.

'But the unusual thing about this cancer is that, even though Im technically in remission, its still there on a microscopic level,' she explained.

The executive, who created the Follicular Lymphoma Foundation in 2018, which is dedicated to helping people with the disease to live well and get well, said her work with the charity is important to her - adding she hopes she can help find a cure so her foundation doesn't need to exist.

The mother-of-four went on to say how making the decision to keep working despite her condition had been an easy one, and that she could never have imagined not working.

Nicola revealed in May that her Covid-19 vaccine hadn't worked on her due to her blood cancer, meaning she is not protected against the virus

'It wasnt a hard decision to continue working - I couldnt have imagined stopping. Its a funny thing how your work and life come together in different ways,' she added.

Nicola explained that on Facebook there's a Follicular Lymphone support group which has nearly 8,000 people - adding that she spends some time on the group 'most days.'

Talking about her everyday life, the executive revealed she wakes up everyday at 7am, doesn't drink coffee or tea, and is at work by 8:30am.

She said that due to the coronavirus pandemic, her family sit down for a meal every evening, which they had tended not to do in past, with the exception of their weekly Friday Sabbath dinner.

British advertising executive Nicola Mendelsohn, pictured in 2017, revealed that treatment for incurable blood cancer was stopped because of the coronavirus crisis

In May, the mother-of-four revealed she felt like an 'inconvenient footnote' in the vaccine success because she has no Covid antibodies despite two jabs.

The cumulative treatment she was undergoing for her cancer had to be stopped because of the pandemic because it was too high risk.

Despite having two doses of the vaccine, tests for the Covid antibody three weeks after her second jab came back negative, meaning that Nicola isn't protected against the virus.

She said on Lorraine in May that those with blood cancer are still 'stuck' in lockdown as the rest of the country opens up, with no idea whether they are protected against Covid even if they have the vaccine.

The 49-year-old businesswoman, from Manchester, is Facebook's Vice-President for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and was diagnosed with Follicular lymphoma in 2016

'We're here at this point now in the UK where everyone's getting very excited', she said. 'The country is opening up and getting back to some sort of normal which is fantastic - but people like me with blood cancer can't.

'It really does feel now like we're the forgotten victims of the pandemic, and in many ways we're a bit of an inconvenient footnote in this otherwise really great success we've seen with the vaccine, so we're a bit stuck'.

In April, a study from King's College London stated that more than half of cancer patients may not be protected against coronavirus after a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

According to Blood Cancer UK there is still not a clear picture of how successful the vaccine will be at protecting people with the disease from Covid.

In 2018, Nicola, pictured at Buckingham Palace in 2015, launched the Follicular Lymphoma Foundation (FLF), which is dedicated to helping people with the disease to live well and get well

Nicola went on: 'There's about half a million people in the UK living with a compromised immune system and about 230,000 of them have some form of blood cancer.

'We were always at much higher risk from Covid, but the early evidence is showing the vaccine is much less likely to work for us. Where we are now, nobody, if they've got blood cancer, really knows if we're protected by the vaccine.

What is follicular lymphoma? Follicular lymphoma is a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and develops when the body makes abnormal white blood cells. The most common symptom of the blood cancer is swelling in the neck, armpit or groin. Other symptoms include tiredness, weight loss, night sweats and fevers. The cancer is slow-growing and does not always require immediate treatment. Any treatment usually involves a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Source: Macmillan Cancer Support Advertisement

'We've heard the people who were very vulnerable were the people that very early on got the vaccine. We've herd of people going out having both the jabs and and getting Covid and sadly some people who have died. '

Mother-of-four Nicola added that the lack of research into vaccine effectiveness for those with cancer is 'really cause for concern' and said that it doesn't just impact her, but her family too.

'It's not like my family can now go out', she explained. 'Even though they are vaccinated, because they still pass it on to me, I have no antibodies at all.'

The mother wants the government to fund more research into how the vaccine is working, and include those with comprised immune systems in vaccine booster shot trials.

Speaking on BBC2 last year, Nicola said she tries not to think about the fact her disease is terminal.

She added her four children take comfort in the fact she's still working despite her incurable cancer diagnosis, because it reassures them that she's 'alright'.

'I try not to think about that, erm, I think [my children] try to not think about that either,' she explained.

'They say that they see how I am, they look me, and I do ask them, I'm asking them all the time, "How are you about it?" and they go, "Well, you're alright Mum, if you're working, if you're living what seems like our normal life, then we're OK".'
My mother always soothes: Dont worry, itll happen when you least expect it, whenever I fret about not finding love.

But after 20 years, she may as well say, Abandon all hope because I gave up expecting it long ago.

Luckily, Ive made a new friend called Nanaya who says Im going to meet someone special in a years time, and shes going to help me do it.

But Nanaya isnt a new girlfriend who knows a bar full of tall, dark strangers or a clairvoyant preying on my hopes and fears  shes the algorithm on a website built by a Nasa scientist to assess chances of finding a relationship. A bit like Apples virtual assistant Siri for singles, you ask her: Will I ever find The One? And she doesnt say yes or no but estimates when and how.

Rashied Amini, a systems engineer at Nasa, launched Nanaya in the U.S in 2015, to asses the chances of finding a relationship. Pictured: Nasa

Nanaya launched in the U.S. in 2015 but its experienced a surge in use during the pandemic thanks to singles searching for solutions to existing alone. When quarantine restrictions came into place, the websites number of monthly users doubled, and this soar in statistics isnt slowing now were starting to leave our homes and stick a kitten heel back into the dating world.

Like so many singles, you name it (blind dates, speed dates, online dating) Ive done it. So what did I have to lose by putting my faith in science?

I Google its name, locate the website, input my information in a survey of about 100 questions ranging from the mundane (age, sex, location) to the ridiculous (do I have a lizard?) As it crunches the data, a video of its founder, Rashied Amini, reassures me my life isnt a simulation.

Hoping your romantic destiny will be revealed to you by a machine may sound absurd, but perhaps this is the future. After all, if these brains can put a man on the Moon and launch a mission to Mars  why cant they help little old me on Planet Earth find Mr Right?

After five minutes of question answering, Nanaya presents my fate in charts, graphs and textual analysis.

Your odds look good! Im told. Now were talking. My next relationship should begin in around one year and three months time. Nanaya calculates my happiness in this relationship is 95 per cent  great!  and its likelihood is 68 per cent, which isnt too shabby.

Its not all rosy, though. Nanaya warns: Even though your chance to find a good match is high, it doesnt mean you will. Our algorithm simply says if youre putting yourself in the right place the right amount of times.

According to the theory propounded in Silicon Valley, algorithms can teach us more about ourselves than we know, and the more they learn, the more accurate their predictions prove.

Emily Hill (pictured) paid 6.50 to have a detailed report from Nanaya, which revealed three 'communities' in which she will likely meet her soulmate

In simple terms, an algorithm is a set of steps you must follow to complete a task. In pre-digital form, they constituted a recipe or the map for a zoo. Algorithms already guide us through our everyday life  suggesting what to watch next on Netflix, controlling what we see on Google or buy on Amazon based on what they know about us from previous choices.

In the case of Nanaya, she has studied data from more than 50,000 users, analysing complex values (from what kind of pet you own to whether you want to tax the rich). The good news is the way we look has no effect on how long we are likely to remain single, and past romantic experiences are irrelevant according to the data crunched to date.

Its free to generate an initial report, but you have to pay 6.50 to pore through the data in detail. After stumpig up the cash, I am told how and where I am most likely to find love.

The top three communities in which Ill meet my soulmate are: Vermont, Bolivia and Middle Eastern and Arab.

The first two are unfortunate in the current circumstances, but perhaps shes on to something with the last one. I met a beautiful man from Beirut last year on dating app Bumble. He invited me to move to Dubai with him to avoid the last lockdown, but my friend said if I considered running away with a man Id been on one date with shed break Covid restrictions to take my passport.

In the UK, my best chances of meeting my perfect match centre on my fourth top community  creatives. Nanaya thinks I should go to art and music settings.

Emily (pictured) was told she will most likely hit it off with a man who works in agriculture and outdoors

However, Im most likely to hit it off with a man who works in agriculture and outdoors, so I should trade my stilettos for wellies and hightail it to the country. Oddly, even though Im a Catholic, Im most compatible with Sikhs.

At the algorithms core, we define peoples identities based on their demographics, values, lifestyle, and personality, explains Nanayas inventor, Rashied Amini, a systems engineer at Nasa.

He had the idea to create it in 2014, when his then girlfriend expressed doubts about the future of their relationship just as hed planned to propose. She suggested he conduct a cost/benefit analysis of their relationship.

Initially, Nanaya was built to establish if you should stay in a relationship. Then, in 2019, when he split from another girlfriend, Rashied used Nanaya to evaluate his prospects  to tell him how long hed be looking for love.

Nanayas prediction for how long I was going to be single was about spot on, he says. The prediction was around a year. My last break-up was July 2019 and I started dating someone around June 2020, whom Im still with.

Cost/benefit analysis was already part of Rashieds job  and probably a cinch compared with his other work developing space mission concepts at their early stages and contemplating how to deflect asteroids and comets that are on a course to hit Earth.

Space missions and systems are more observable and deterministic than human behaviour, so I was sceptical an algorithm would make sense, he says.

My prediction has advice on how I can meet  and even exceed  the algorithms expectations.

Rashied claims Nanayas prediction for how long he would be single was about spot on, after his breakup in July 2019 (file image)

The purpose of Nanaya isnt to say the future is fixed, but to help you make sense of it, the report reads. Sometimes people end up being surrounded by people of the gender theyre not attracted to. (True.) My romantic selectivity score is high, and Nanaya says I am finding it hard to meet someone that excites me. (Also true.)

She recommends I re-evaluate what makes you happy in a partner. Reflect on past relationships to see what worked. With this exercise you might narrow down what youre looking for to a few qualities, such as being a good listener, and then be open-minded about other qualities.

Certain factors help our chances of finding love  whether or not you take the test. Public transport can be key, as being in a confined space with people increases your interactions with strangers. We should also be open about our desire for love rather than saying were happy to keep it casual.

Finding your soulmate through cutting-edge science is part of the cultural zeitgeist  as depicted in Netflix drama The One (in which characters are paired with their perfect partners based on their DNA samples) and Soulmates on Amazon Prime (set 15 years in the future, when a test can determine the person youll love best with 100 per cent accuracy).

But Nanayas new technology gives surprisingly old-fashioned advice. Analysing his algorithms analysis of my love life, Rashied is sure the reason I havent found a man, been proposed to, and had a wedding and babies is because I want it too much.

Constantly expecting it to happen  trying to make it happen  indicates Im insecure and need to sort out my head before I think about dinner and drinks.

It is absolutely true from our data, Rashied reveals, that those who are desperate to find The One take longer to do so than someone who isnt even looking.

So, cutting-edge science and a Silicon Valley algorithm prove my mother right: ironically, if I stop expecting it, in approximately one year and three months my single days will be over.
Shoppers are going wild over the new Arnott's Shapes Triple Cheese Toastie flavour.

Each biscuit is packed with three different types of cheeses - including cheddar, mozzarella and parmesan.

The $3.20 limited-edition product was recently spotted on store shelves by several customers who shared the news on Facebook.

The Tripe Cheese Toastie flavour is packed with flavour of three different cheeses including cheddar, mozzarella and parmesan

Many claimed the new flavoured biscuits are 'pretty yummy' and 'tasty' while others said they are still on the hunt for them.

The Triple Cheese Toastie flavour is part of the latest range, along with Sizzling Steak and Onion and Double Cheeseburger, to hit supermarket shelves.

The Sizzling Steak and Onion flavour is reminiscent of a steak sandwich with a smokey, salty steak flavour followed by the taste of caramalised onions.

The Double Cheeseburger tastes like melted cheese, grilled beef, mustard and onion, according to Arnott's spokesperson.

The product was spotted on store shelves by several customers who shared the news on Facebook

'We know Aussies love Shapes and are all about the flavour hit which is why we are constantly trialing new and exciting flavours that leave fans wanting more,' Shannon Wright, Arnott's Marketing Manager, for savoury said.

'We know the people love the taste of a steak sandwich, a burger and a toastie.'

The company says Australians can now enjoy these flavours as a snack, with the new Shapes range.

Along with the Triple Cheese Toastie flavour, Sizzling Steak and Onion and Double Cheeseburger options are also available

According to research done by the company 53 per cent of Australians like their snacks to taste like 'comfort food' - which has helped to inspire the new flavours.

The triple cheese flavour will be available at all national retailers, while the steak sandwich inspired bites will only be available at Woolworths.

The cheese burger flavour will be available at Coles as well as independent retailers.

The new launch comes after the Chicken Parmi flavour was added earlier this year.
Model and presenter Lisa Snowdon reveals what it took to finally feel confident in her own skin

Lisa Snowdon is a bit of a multiple slasher: model/radio and TV presenter/fashion adviser/Instagrammer. She has also recently added podcaster to her career roster with the launch of Get Lifted, in which she takes a serious look at physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.As she is a beauty aficionado, too, it seemed a good time to sit down with her and chat about all things face and body

I believe your mother was a hairdresser. Did that lead to any great hair stories?

She trained as a hairdresser but then she got pregnant with me so only ever did it for friends and family. I used to have really long hair  it never got trimmed. Though when I think about it, my nieces and nephews are always having theirs cut. My mother would highlight my hair for me  do you remember those caps with the minuscule holes? She also permed it once. I think she left the lotion on for too long and it was not a good look. She never touched my hair again.

Youve spent a lot of time in front of cameras. What are your top make-up tips?

I love two coats of mascara  and curl lashes first. Dont over-pluck your eyebrows  I learned that the hard way. Just tidy them up a bit. In front of the camera you do need coverage, but for real life I would try to have skin shine through so just dot concealer or tinted moisturiser to cover any dark circles, bits of redness around the nose or any imperfections. I think less is more as you get older.

By Terry Lash-Expert Twist Brush (25, lookfantastic.com); Kevyn Aucoin True Feather Brow Marker Gel Duo (22, spacenk.com )

What are your favourite beauty products?

If I can do mascara, concealer and a bit of a brow then I can leave the house. For mascara, I use By Terry Lash-Expert Twist Brush  it has two different brushes (25, lookfantastic.com). I also like Perricone MD No Makeup Mascara (25, perriconemd.co.uk), which contains vitamin E and has a serum to help lashes grow. My favourite cover-ups are Elf 16hr Camo Concealer (6, elfcosmetics.co.uk) and Rodial Peach Lowlighter (38, spacenk.com). You can put the Rodial on top of the Elf under eyes for a more brightening effect. Elf also does a great Wow Brow Gel (6) thats infused with fibres to make eyebrows look fuller, and Kevyn Aucoin True Feather Brow Marker Gel Duo (22, spacenk.com) gives a really natural look. For fragrance I like Byredo Rose Noir (122, spacenk.com)  a rosy floral but with a sensual dark undertone.

What do you wish youd known or realised about your face and body when you were younger?

I wish Id used sunscreen more. I had beautiful skin but at 16 and 17 I was all about getting a tan. And I had a really great little body and wish I could go back and tell myself to have more confidence, but its hard when so much is changing and your hormones are kicking in. You go through an awkward stage.

What have you learnt about your body as youve got older?

Ive put my body through a lot  partying, lots of tequila, all kinds of things. I think its amazingly resilient. But I do enjoy looking after it  I love exercising, eating the right things, body brushing, all that kind of stuff. I like my body more now and have a good relationship with it. It takes a lot to say that but its a powerful place to be.

Rodial Peach Lowlighter (38, spacenk.com); Elf 16hr Camo Concealer (6, elfcosmetics.co.uk); Byredo Rose Noir (122, spacenk.com )

So youre content in your own skin, but I know youve had CoolSculpting (fat-freezing to remove stubborn pockets of fat. Lisa paid full price for her sessions but has since become an ambassador for the treatment). What made you try it?

I had a bit of stubborn fat on my inner thigh and no matter what I did I couldnt shift it. A doctor told me I was the perfect candidate for CoolSculpting, so I went for a proper consultation first. It complements my lifestyle because I do look after myself but I just needed that little something extra. And I loved the fact there was no downtime afterwards and it wasnt an unpleasant experience  I was reading a magazine throughout.

Do you think women  and men  in public life should be more honest about having had cosmetic treatments?

Its not for me to say. Some people arent comfortable talking about it but I just want to be honest.

How are you feeling about turning 50 next year?

Its a number, at the end of the day. As long as I can stay healthy and happy and in a great relationship with lots of supportive people around me, then who cares? But ask me the day before and I may feel differently!

For more information about CoolSculpting and to find a clinic near you, visit uk.coolsculpting.com.

Get your summer shimmer on

Leighton Denny Spread the Sparkle Nail Polish (12, ld-boutique.com); NYX This is Milky Gloss (9, superdrug.com); Keys Soulcare Sacred Body Oil (25, keyssoulcare.com)

The year-round quest for glow has become a beauty constant  and turned the adjective into one of the most used in the modern beauty product lexicon. But in the summer months I like to add a bit of glimmer and shimmer to the mix. And heres three easy ways to do it this year

First is with the new Leighton Denny Spread the Sparkle Nail Polish (12, ld-boutique.com). It offers a very easy pick-me-up and gives nails some serious disco fever thanks to its lovely rose gold shade with added glitter. Even just one coat instantly jazzes up proceedings. Great for any time of year but especially bedazzling when the sun is shining.

For lips, Im enjoying using the new NYX This is Milky Gloss (9, superdrug.com). Available in eight shades, it delivers a lovely wash of glossy colour that also keeps lips hydrated. Despite the name, it is vegan!

And for the body I recommend Keys Soulcare Sacred Body Oil (25, keyssoulcare.com). It has no added glitter, just the natural gleam that a lovely oil can give to skin. With a blend of marula, baobab and jojoba oils plus manuka honey, it absorbs quickly, is non-greasy and is wonderfully hydrating and smoothing for skin. The aroma of sage and oat milk is very mood brightening, too.

@edwinaingschambers
Pyjamas, Asceno. Top, Hanro, Fenwick

What are your thoughts on down-there hair? And do you think it affects the quality of the sex you have? This is something Ive been mulling on of late. Because when you are considering entering a new relationship you are focused on presenting the best version of yourself, right?

Which for me means clothes without any visible food stains on them (base point) and a gym-honed, gently sun-kissed body which is generally smooth and hair free (work in progress).

When I first started dating after my marriage ended, part of my get-back-out-there action plan was to get to grips with down-there hair. I felt that it would symbolise a new regard for myself as a sexual being.

I decided to get it (mostly) lasered off. I had attempted to do this myself years previously with an at-home machine. (It was an early version of such things from Boots; I did the lasering while my young kids watched CBeebies.)

It involved me donning goggles and shouting look away now as the machine flashed. (I feel my kids may have to go into therapy in later life.) A friend of mine did hers after consuming more than the recommended units of dry white wine. She said the result was patchy.

This time around I booked myself into the local clinic for a professional job. A lovely 20-something  with such thick false lashes I was surprised she could lift her lids  took me through the process. She started by talking about the number of sessions required and the pain situation and then said, with zero discomfort, and do you want the labia done? I nearly spat out my free flat white.

Right there she exposed the generation gap around pubic hair thinking. Millennials get rid of theirs the same way we get rid of underarm hair.

Before my first sexual encounter post split I asked around my friendship group to ascertain what they had in the way of down-there hair. There was a big divide between the married and the non-marrieds. Of the latter group? It transpires they dont have much. Even my best friend, who I can generally count on to be more prudish than me, told me that she had the entirety of her undercarriage done.

So when did being totally bare become the norm? Is it the norm? When I first started having waxes (Rackhams, Birmingham, if you please) you just hoicked up your knickers high till they looked like Pamela Andersons Baywatch swimsuit and asked them to do everything that sprouted out of either side.

A decade later and the Brazilian became the thing. I visited the originators, the J Sisters in New York, in the early noughties and it was like walking on to a labour ward  all partitioned off and women wailing in pain. A stern woman told me to take off my knickers (I mean!) and then at some point told me to turn over. When I looked at myself later I thought I looked a) wider of hip and b) like a child. My husband was nonplussed.

I have learnt that taking control makes me more confident

So does it make sex better? The case for: you feel tidy and in a curious way it dials down the body angst. Plus, you can see, and thus locate everything, and so can your partner.

The case against: is it not a bit porny? Does it look prepubescent in a slightly disconcerting way? Does it perpetuate unrealistic ideas of womens bodies? Plus, dear god, it can be expensive. An all-off wax costs around 55 a pop. Which yearly equates to 660.

But you dont want to scrimp on this. Before my first sexual encounter post marriage, I went to a salon and got someone who may or may not have been on work experience. The whole thing took two hours! And there were welts. Which I think we can all agree are not sexy.

While my boundaries preclude me from saying my current down-there hair situ (I know, I do have some boundaries about sharing, who knew?), I have learnt that taking control makes me more confident.

Oh, and that you should never mix wine and hair removal

@lifesrosie
Cashed-up Australians - from plumbers to company executives - are choosing to spend $78,000 on a luxury ute as their car of choice.

Instead of buying a luxury European prestige car, many of them are opting for a top-of-the range, 4x4 dual cab ute that not only looks tough, but can take them on an off-road adventure almost anywhere on the continent.

For while they are expensive, Ford Ranger Raptors are beasts capable of handling corrugated dirt roads and rocky inclines that would be daunting to most SUVs.

The ban on Australians travelling overseas has seen a surge in demand for rugged four-wheel drives like the Ford Ranger Raptor.

Australians from all bushwalks of life are spending $78,000 on a luxury ute that can take them on an off-road adventure almost anywhere on the continent

The Ford Ranger Raptor costs $20,000 more than the volume-selling dual cab XLT ute, that are absolutely everywhere from the city to the suburbs and the country towns. The tough-looking grille, with the word 'Ford' in big letters right across the front, makes the Raptor the bulked-up, automotive equivalent of wrestling champion Hulk Hogan - something the other Rangers with the conventional blue oval badge on the nose just don't pull off

Month after month, the Ranger is Australia's second most popular vehicle after the Toyota HiLux, outselling even the most ubiquitous SUVs with tradies and families alike buying them in droves

Ford Ranger Raptor pricing RAPTOR: $77,690 RAPTOR X: $79,390 Prestige Paint is an optional extra at $650, while a Raptor decal pack costs another $750 Advertisement

Month after month, the Ranger is Australia's second most popular vehicle after the Toyota HiLux, outselling even the most ubiquitous SUVs, with cashed-up plumbers and builders, and families alike buying them in droves.

During the past year, sales of 4x4 Ford Ranger utes have surged by 57 per cent, with 3,911 of them leaving the showroom in May 2021.

The Ford Ranger Raptor costs $20,000 more than the volume-selling dual cab XLT ute, which is absolutely everywhere from the city to the suburbs and the country towns.

So someone paying $77,690 for a ute, that has been around for a decade, would really want to stand out and not look 'common', to use that Dame Edna phrase.

For that kind of money, Australians can buy a Raptor with special styling instead of a prestigious German luxury sedan or SUV from BMW, Mercedes-Benz or Audi.

The Raptor and the new, even pricier Raptor X certainly command attention.

The tough-looking grille, with the word 'Ford' in big letters right across the front, makes the Raptor the bulked-up, automotive equivalent of wrestling champion Hulk Hogan - something the other Rangers with the conventional blue oval badge on the nose just don't quite pull off.

The intimidating front-end styling is shared with the much bigger American Ford F-150 Raptor pick-up truck, which isn't sold in Australia unless it's privately imported and converted to right-hand drive.

So someone paying $77,690 for a ute, that has been around for a decade, would really want to stand out and not look 'common', to use that Dame Edna phrase

For that premium, the Raptor and the new, even pricier Raptor X certainly get attention, with motorists from plumbers to company executives snapping them up as Australians are banned from travelling overseas for a holiday

With its more prominent jawline, the Raptor also looks a lot more masculine than other top-of-the range utes, including the Toyota HiLuxes in Rogue or Rugged X guise, priced from $70,000.

The thicker BF Goodrich tyres and a higher ground clearance, made me feel invincible at the suburban roundabout with SUVs and hatchbacks showing due deference by letting me through first.

There's certainly a psychological advantage being higher up in something with more bling-bling, from the flared wheel arches to the armoured-carrier style front end.

A four-hour, long weekend trip up the M1 motorway from Sydney to Port Macquarie also demonstrated how a big, hulking ute can be powered by a two-litre, four-cylinder engine - and be a rocket.

The thicker BF Goodrich tyres and a higher ground clearance, made me feel invincible at the suburban roundabout with SUVs and hatchbacks showing due deference by letting me through first

At first reading, the engine size specifications sound like something found under the bonnet of a Mazda3.

But unlike a small hatchback, the four-cylinder engine standard in both Raptors is a bi-turbo diesel putting out 157 kilowatts of power, which is excellent for acceleration and overtaking semi-trailers.

The output is identical to the straight six cylinder, four-litre engines that powered the bestselling Ford Falcon during the 1990s.

The four-cylinder bi-turbo engine standard in the Raptor is a bi-turbo diesel putting up 157 kilowatts of power, which is excellent for acceleration and overtaking semi-trailers.

The four-cylinder bi-turbo is optional on the other Ranger models.

The volume-selling 4x4 XLT model, priced from $56,240, comes standard with a 3.2 litre, five cylinder single-turbo diesel putting out 147 kilowatts of power.

The Raptor also has 500 Newton metres of torque, the same as a turbo diesel HiLux, which means it doesn't have the same towing strength as a V8 Toyota LandCruiser with 650 Newton metres of torque.

The real benefits of a Raptor are really off the sealed road.

There's certainly a psychological advantage being higher up in something with more bling-bling, from the flared wheel arches to the armoured-carrier style front end

The real benefits of a Raptor are really off the sealed road

A corrugated dirt track to the Diamond Head campground, on the New South Wales Mid-North Coast, that would normally rattle a Subaru Forester - or any small SUV for that matter - did nothing to scare the Raptor.

The ride over the rough track through a national park was very smooth with the FOX Racing Shocks soaking up the bumps, even in two-wheel drive mode, making it a much better all-terrain vehicle than the other Rangers with a leaf spring suspension.

It was also great on the beach in four-wheel drive high mode on the sand.

A corrugated dirt track to the Diamond Head campground, on the New South Wales Mid-North Coast, that would normally rattle a Subaru Forester - or any small SUV for that matter - did nothing to scare the Raptor

While the other Rangers are designed to be load carriers, the Raptor is in its element as a four-wheel drive with its 283millimetre ground clearance providing plenty of space between the chassis and the rocks below

While the other Rangers are designed to be load carriers, the Raptor is in its element as a four-wheel drive with its 283millimetre ground clearance providing plenty of space between the chassis and the rocks below.

The suspension was also designed and developed in Australia and with a 32.5 degree approach angle, it can tackle those inclines.

While the Ford Ranger shape has been around since 2011 with a facelift in 2015, the Raptor was released in 2018.

The Raptor X, however, was only released in April 2021, demonstrating how Ford has managed to keep the ute fresh by introducing a series of new models.

While the Ford Ranger shape has been around since 2011 with a facelift in 2015, the Raptor was released in 2018

An all-new Ranger is due for release in Australia in 2022 and will form the basis of the next Volkswagen Amarok.

The old Mazda BT-50, phased out last year, was based on the existing Ford Ranger.

With the new BT-50 now based on the Isuzu D-MAX, the unveiling of the next Ranger next year will end a platform sharing arrangement between Mazda and Ford going back to the 1970s.

For those wanting a real weekend adventure and some road presence, the Raptor is your ute showing something that has been around for a while can age gracefully - unlike Hulk Hogan in his retirement years.
For most travelers brave enough to embark on the journey Down Under, it's common to be anxious about the obvious risks that come with the territory - think snakes, spiders, sharks, sunburn and men wearing an Akubra with a dislike of back packers.

Yet, as American expat Kaymie Wuerfel fast discovered after landing in the land of Oz, it's sometimes the less apparent dangers that throw visitors for a six.

Mrs Wuerfel revealed in a TikTok video, which has racked up more than a million views, that the local language can be as difficult to navigate as Uluru without Siri.

Queensland's Mudgeeraba is pronounced 'mug-ra-bar' and scores highly on the list of our most difficult to say Aussie towns

From understanding the meaning of a 'mullet' to discovering that the liberal use of the C-word is in fact perfectly acceptable to include in a regular yarn, it appears the Aussie language can be harder to understand than a drunk ocker at the local pub.

But it's not just our every day lingo and penchant for tacking a random 'o' onto a word at any given opportunity (e.g 'Rob-o', 'serv-o', 'bottle-o') that poses serious linguistic potholes.

Far North Queensland's town of Cairns is easy remember, pronounced simply as 'Cans'

For visitors and residents, it's the names and pronunciation of our Aussie cities and towns where we all seem to come a cropper.

From news reporters to polis alike, even seasoned professionals with the 'gift-of the gab' are guilty of making some serious faux pas when trying to pronounce such doozies as Woolloomooloo, Goonoo Goonoo and Moombooldool.

Australia's National Territory of Canberra is often mispronounced yet is simply 'Can-bra'

Although one could argue until the Maitland cows come home that saying the name of an Aussie town wrong is largely six of one, half a dozen of the other, it's clear the issue is of importance given things could go south very easily when discussing Cockburn (ahem, it's Coh-burn) in polite conversation.

Let's face it, if us Aussies are getting it wrong, the rest of the world has Buckle's chance of navigating where we're at. Literally.

The Daily Mail has compiled a list of the most commonly mispronounced places in 'Strayla (pronounced Australia).

New South Wales' suburb of Woolloomooloo proves to be a common tongue-twister pronounced as 'Wull-uh-muh-loo'

The list of top mispronounced towns and their correct pronunciations includes -

Mudgeeraba: Mug-ra-bar

Cairns: Cans

Canberra: Can-bra

Woolloomooloo: Wull-uh-muh-loo

Launceston: Lon-ces-ton

Reservoir: Rehzuhvwaa

Wagga Wagga: Wooga Wooga

Bathurst: Bath-est

Wollombi: Wol-lum-bye

Brewarrina: Brew-ar-een

Goonoo Goonoo: Gunna g'noo

Walcha: Wol-ka

Moombooldool: Mum-bool-dool

Ballan: Ba-laan

Moe: Mow-ee

Beaconsfield: Bec-kons-field

Lalor: Law-ler

Geelong: J'long

Creswick: Crez-zick

Manuka: Marn-ukka

Fairbairn: Fair-burn

Kata Tjuta: Kah-tah choor-ta

Ubirr: O-beer-ee.

Quorn: Kworn.

Gumeracha: Gum-er-ack-ah

Pooraka: P'rak-uh

Mallala: Mal-uh-lar

Wudinna: Wood-na
Fly-in, fly-out female workers have revealed what it's really like working on the job, from having their underwear stolen, to unwanted sexual advances and 'feeling like a piece of meat'.

Perth entrepreneur Yasmin Walter, who was a 'FIFO WAG' for more than a decade, is set to release a book in August lifting the lid on her own experiences in Western Australia's highly-paid mining industry, as well as the stories of more than 20 other women.

'There's 22 authors in the book and they all have shared different perspectives that they've had in that FIFO industry. Some are workers, some are the wives of workers that have gone into the industry, some have family in the industry, some have left the industry,' Mrs Walter said, according to The West Australian.

Jess Ngo, who worked as a site physiotherapist in the mines, revealed she was working her first ever shift when all of her underwear was stolen from a washing line within 15 minutes of hanging them out.

Dutch expat Sarah Dlugosz, who worked as an underground miner, said some nights she felt so isolated she cried herself to sleep

Perth entrepreneur and model Yasmin Walter was a 'FIFO WAG' for more than a decade

Yasmin is set to release a book in August lifting the lid on her own experiences in Western Australia's highly paid FIFO industry, as well of the stories of more than 20 other women

Ms Dlugosz said a man walked up to her female colleague and sniffed her, before saying 'woman' like a proper caveman'

Ms Ngo said she was forced to grow a thick skin during her time in the mines, and said it's common for women to experience inappropriate remarks from male colleagues.

Ms Ngo suffered panic attacks and subsequently took a break from her job, before recently returning.

A Filipino expat who worked as a cleaner said a man - who assumed she was a sex worker - barged into her room and asked for sex.

'In my second week, I was making a bed and there was a $50 note under the pillow,' the woman said.

The woman, who at the time didn't speak much English, asked her supervisor why the cash was left behind.

He responded saying the money was for a 'jig' - a word used instead of sex - however she misunderstood him and thought he said it was a 'tip'.

'Two nights later, I got a knock on my door. There was an Aussie guy, beer in hand, belly popping out of his top. He said, "I'm here to claim my prize", I said "sorry, I no understand",' she said.

The woman said the man then banged his fist against the wall and demanded he pay her for sex.

The book - which comes out in August - features workers, wives of miners that have gone into the industry, and some with family in the industry

A female FIFO worker said she often felt like a 'piece of meat surrounded by hungry lions' while on the job

Thankfully she was able to give the man his money before another worker walked past and intervened.

The woman said she often felt like a 'piece of meat surrounded by hungry lions' while on the job.

She even resorted to propping a chair up against the door so no-one could come in during the night.

Dutch expat Sarah Dlugosz, who worked as an underground miner, said some nights she felt so isolated she cried herself to sleep.

'Being a woman on the mines, it was smart to avoid communal spaces as much as possible. I remember walking into a huge bar of a two thousand and five hundred man camp and instantly drawing looks, wolf whistles and a lot of unwanted attention. I turned around and went straight back to my room,' she said.

Ms Dlugosz said a man walked up to her female colleague and sniffed her, before saying 'woman' like a proper caveman.

Reports of sexual harassment and assault are already rife in the FIFO mining industry. Pictured: former FIFO WAG and author Yasmin Walter

A Filipino expat who worked as a cleaner said a man - who assumed she was a sex worker - barged into her room and asked for sex

Reports of sexual harassment and assault are already rife in the FIFO mining industry.

A 35-year-old FIFO worker from Vasse in WA's south-west allegedly sexually assaulted the woman in her 20s at the Pilbara BHP mine in November, 2020.

The $4.64billion South Flank mine, which includes the Mulla Mulla village the woman was allegedly raped, is the mining giant's most diverse production with women making up 40 per cent of the workforce.

BHP in a statement said they were helping with investigations and that 'sexual assault or harassment is unacceptable at BHP, full stop'.

'We are absolutely clear on this, and all employees, contractors and those that come to our sites are made aware of their obligation to support a safe and respectful workplace.'
A passenger was detained and taken to the hospital Friday night after jumping out of a moving plane as it was taxying at Los Angeles International Airport.

The incident occurred just two days after the airport reported its 'worst security breach in a decade' when a driver smashed through security gates and drove onto the busy runway.

The United Express flight 5365, from LAX to Salt Lake City, had just pulled away from the gate shortly after 7pm on Friday when a man unsuccessfully tried to breach the cockpit by pounding on the door.

The passenger then managed to open the service door, triggering the emergency inflatable slide, according to officials with the airport and SkyWest, who operated the flight.

He then jumped down the slide, landing on the runway tarmac.

The man, who has yet to be identified, was taken into custody on the taxiway, treated for non life-threatening injuries on scene and taken to the hospital, authorities said.

CNN reports that the Federal Aviation Administration is saying the man had been in an altercation with another passenger on board prior to making the jump.

A passenger was detained and taken to the hospital Friday night after jumping out of a moving plane at Los Angeles International Airport, with the FBI now assisting the investigation

CNN reports that the man had been in an altercation with another passenger on board prior to the unsettling incident

The plane, which was headed to Salt Lake City, was forced to return to its gate due to the incident, the airport said.

It was still there hours later at 10pm before finally taking off late Friday night.

Nobody else aboard the plane was injured, according to authorities.

The FBI is still investigating the incident to determine the passenger's motive, spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said according to ABC News.

It was the second disruption at LAX in two days, with FAA sources telling CBS News that it 'may be the worst security breach at a U.S. airport in a decade.'

On Thursday, a driver plowed through a chain-link fence at a FedEx cargo facility and went onto the airfield, crossing runways as police chased the car.

Authorities claim they were tailing the man, who drove a gray Mazda hatchback with the letters 'SOS' written on the hood, as he pulled off of a highway on the airport's south side before barreling into the gate at the FedEx warehouse on FAX air grounds, according to CBS News.

Police said the driver was detained and no injuries were reported, however two runways were briefly closed.

The FAA said it had received reports of 394 cases of passengers allegedly 'interfering with the duties of a crew member' as of May 25, in 2021 - the highest number since records began in 1995.

The FBI is still investigating the incident to determine the passenger's motive, spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said

The plane was force to return to its gate, where it waited for hours before finally taking off for Salt Lake City late Friday night

Last month, massive computer outages caused long delays for all nationwide airports, including LAX, leading to long and frustrating delays on the afternoon of May 20, with flights unable to board until early the next morning.

'We confirm there has been an outage of the Sabre system, impacting several customers. However, the issue is now fully resolved, and we will take all necessary measures to prevent a recurrence,' Sabre said in a May 21 statement according to the local Los Angeles CBS affiliate.

The news outlet reports that when Sabre's system goes down, airlines are unable to check people in, print boarding passes or print bag tags, essentially bringing their systems to a standstill.
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A Royal Caribbean-owned ship, the Celebrity Edge, set sail from a US port Saturday, marking the first cruise ship to sail from a US port in 15 months.

It set sail with 99 percent of its 1,110 passengers fully vaccinated, the company said.

Celebrity Edge departed Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at 6pm Saturday, with 1,110 passengers on board, which is 40 percent capacity.

Celebrity Cruises, one of Royal Caribbean Cruise's brands, says 99 percent of the passengers are vaccinated, well over the 95 percent requirement imposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A giant greeting was projected on a wall of one of the port buildings: 'Someday is here. Welcome back.'

Passengers arrived with matching T-shirts that read phrases such as 'straight outta vaccination' and 'vaccinated and ready to cruise.'

'Words can't describe how excited we are to be a part of this historic sailing today,' said Elizabeth Rosner, 28, who moved from Michigan to Orlando, Florida, in December 2019 with her fiance just to be close to the cruise industry's hub.

To comply with both the CDC's requirement and a new Florida law banning businesses from requiring customers to show proof of vaccination, Celebrity Cruises asked guests if they would like to share their vaccination status. Those who did not show or say they are vaccinated face additional restrictions.

The Celebrity Edge cruise ship is docked at Port Everglades, Tuesday, June 22, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The Celebrity Edge is set to sail on Saturday from Fort Lauderdale. It will be the first cruise ship to leave a U.S. port with ticketed passengers since the onset of the pandemic, which halted sailing

The Celebrity Edge is moored at Port Everglades, Saturday, June 26, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale

Porter Johnny Jones Jr. tags the luggage of Celebrity Cruise passengers James and Cynthia Mitchell of Kansas, Saturday, June 26, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Celebrity Edge is the first cruise ship to leave a U.S. port since the coronavirus pandemic brought the industry to a 15-month standstill. The cruise ship has 40 percent capacity, and with virtually all passengers vaccinated against COVID-19

Orchid Klaric, left, assists Brenda and Kurt Duncan of Denver, with checking into their cruise, Saturday, June 26, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Celebrity Edge is the first cruise ship to leave a U.S. port since the coronavirus pandemic brought the industry to a 15-month standstill. The seven-night cruise will have 40 percent capacity and with virtually all passengers vaccinated against COVID-19

The Celebrity Edge set the seas on Saturday as the first ship to leave a US port in 15 months

Passengers line up to board the Celebrity Cruise at Fort Lauderdale - some are masked, but 99 percent are vaccinated

It's 'Straight Outta Vaccination' for this couple as they board the ship for the first US cruise in 15 months

At the boarding center for Celebrity Cruises, passengers line up to set sail for the first cruise to take off from a US port in 15 months after COVID-19 brought the industry to its knees

Saturday's sailing kicks off the cruise lines' return to business with Carnival vessels already scheduled to depart from other ports next month.

'This is an emotional day for me. When I stepped on board the ship, I was proud. Its a beautiful ship,' said Royal Caribbean Cruises' CEO Richard Fain, after expressing condolences to the victims of the Surfside building collapse, less than 15 miles south of the port.

Celebrity Cruises had unveiled the $1billion boat in December 2018 - betting on luxury cruising, offering a giant spa and multi-floor suites. The seven-night cruise will sail for three days in the Western Caribbean waters before making stops in Costa Maya, Cozumel and Nassau.

The ship is led by Capt. Kate McCue, the first American woman to captain a cruise ship, who has more than 1 million followers on TikTok.

'You can truly feel the palpable sense of excitement and energy amongst the group as we prepare for our welcoming of our first guests,' McCue said. 'I've never honestly seen a group so excited to get back to work.'

Industry officials are hoping all goes smooth to move past a chapter last year of deadly outbreaks on cruise ships that prompted ships to be rejected at ports and passengers to be forced into quarantine. Some passengers died of COVID-19 at sea while others fell so ill they had to be carried out of the vessels on stretchers.

The ship is docked before it set sail Saturday as the first cruise in 15 months to take off from a US port

Cruisers were nearly completely vaccinated as the ship was ready to set sail Saturday

Luggage sits tagged and ready to be boarded on the ship ahead of its Saturday sailing

The Celebrity Edge was docked at Port Everglades earlier in the week ahead of its Saturday launch

On Saturday, Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, left and Brian Abel, Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations and Celebrity Cruises set the ship off to sail at 40 percent capacity

The CDC extended no-sail orders repeatedly last year as the pandemic raged, and came up with strict requirements for the industry that have already been contested in court by the state of Florida. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says the industry generates billions for the state's economy.

On Saturday, officials at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale said only that port lost more than $30 million in revenue in fiscal year 2020 from the cruise shutdown.

During that hiatus, Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean, the three largest cruise companies, have had to raise more than $40 billion in financing just to stay afloat. Collectively they lost $20 billion last year and another $4.5 billion in the first quarter of 2021, according to Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

The pandemic forced Kurt and Carol Budde to cancel their beach celebration wedding aboard the world's largest ship, Symphony of the Seas, in March 2020. COVID-19 halted cruising six days before they were scheduled to tie the knot in St. Maarten. Kurt Budde's part-time gig as a travel agent also dried up.

'It's a honeymoon make-up cruise,' said Kurt Budde, sporting matching shirts with the phrase 'On Cruise Control.'

'We are living our best lives post COVID today,' he said.
Leading UK brands including Marks & Spencer's and Costa will display new traffic-light style labels to show customers the environmental impact of their products, in a new initiative backed by the government.

Global food giants and a group of top UK scientists are behind the new non-profit organisation Foundation Earth that will issue the front-of-pack 'eco-scores' on some food products from this September.

M&S and Costa will be joined by a group of the UK's leading food brands in a pilot launch launch the eco-scores, while Nestle - the world's largest food business - is funding a nine-month research and development programme.

The programme will prepare the Foundation for a Europe-wide roll out in 2022.

According to the Foundation, the systems are world-leading and unique, in that they allow two products of the same type to be compared on their individual environmental merits

Global food giants and a group of top UK scientists are behind the new non-profit organisation Foundation Earth that will issue the front-of-pack 'eco-scores' (pictured) on some food products from this September

According the M&S the eco-scores - which are backed by the government and opposition parties in the UK - will 'create a universal eco-labelling scheme that is based on good science and that customers can easily follow'.

Sainsbury's and Co-op, along with M&S, are joining Nestle, protein giant Tyson Foods and Spanish supermarket Eroski on the Foundation's industry advisory group.

Each has signed up to 'explore the potential for environmental labelling on food products and to support Foundation Earth's ambition to help build a more sustainable food industry', according to the group.

The traffic light system that will be used in the Foundation's pilot launch has been developed by Mondra, a sustainability advisory company.

The pilot programme will run at the same time as the intensive nine-month research and development programme, which will use the method, along with a system created by an EU-funded consortium of Belgium's Leuven University and Spanish research agency AZTI.

According to the Foundation, both systems are world-leading and unique, in that they allow two products of the same type to be compared on their individual environmental merits.

Leading UK brands including Marks & Spencer's and Costa will display new traffic-light style labels to show customers the environmental impact of their products, in a new initiative backed by the government. Pictured: The eco-score system on a Naked bacon packet

This is done by using an analysis of the products complete life cycle, as opposed to simply using secondary data to estimate an entire product group's environmental impact.

Experts say that this method of individual assessment is crucial in order to encourage sustainable innovation in the international food supply chain.

'Foundation Earth's ambitions to develop eco-labelling on food has the potential to help address the urgent challenges of sustainability and climate change,' the UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, George Eustice said, backing the Foundation and eco-scores.

'The Government continues to support the industry to become more sustainable, for instance through our funding for the Waste and Resources Action Programme and support for the Courtauld 2025 initiative, which aims to cut carbon, water and food waste in the food and drink sector.'

The UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, George Eustice, has backed the Foundation's eco-scores, along with Labour's shadow secretary Luke Pollard

Labour's shadow secretary Luke Pollard also backed the launch of the initiative, saying: 'We know food production can be a contributor to both carbon emissions and biodiversity loss, so this will help people make more informed choices.

'People want to do what they can to tackle the climate crisis and help the environment. But at the moment they don't have the information they need to make more sustainable buying choices.

'I want to see clearer labelling on carbon and environmental credentials so people can back the brands and products doing the right thing by our planet.'

Foundation Earth was the brain-child of Denis Lynn, a Northern Irish food entrepreneur who tragically died in May when he was involved in a freak quadbike accident.

Lynn's firm Finnebrogue Artisan, which owns Britain's largest bacon brand Naked, will be one of the first food produces adding eco-scores to the products in Autumn.

Foundation Earth was the brain-child of Denis Lynn (pictured with Prince Charles in 2019), a Northern Irish food entrepreneur who tragically died in May when he was involved in a freak quadbike accident

Foundation Earth says by combining the two systems, the eco-scores on food packaging will give consumers a simple and clear way to assess the environmental impact of the products they are buying.

It says its goal is to promote sustainable buying choices from consumers and more environmentally-friendly innovation from producers by giving them an incentive of wanting to score better on the eco-scores.

'The development of a more transparent, sustainable global food supply system is of huge importance to the health of our planet and health of all citizens. We need a system based on the core principles of integrity,' said Professor Chris Elliott, the chair of the Foundation's scientific advisory committee.
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 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.

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 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

The center portion of the tower was the first to fall with the east section of the building collapsing moments later

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 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.
An Australian drug kingpin who unwittingly gave police direct access to the criminal underworld by encouraging his colleagues to use the encrypted AN0M messaging app has abandoned his family to go into hiding.

Hakan Ayik, 42, remains Australia's most wanted man after fleeing Sydney for Turkey more than a decade ago when he was linked to a $230 million heroin importation syndicate.

He has now abandoned his glamorous Dutch wife Fleur Messelink, two young sons and home in the upmarket suburb of Bestikas in Istanbul for an undisclosed location.

Just three weeks ago, the Australian Federal Police outed him as a key figure in promoting AN0M to crime lords around the globe.

He was used as an 'influencer' to promote the app, which marketed itself as 'designed by criminals, for criminals' but was actually run by the FBI and circulated within the underworld by police informants.

Hakan Ayik (pictured) was tricked into distributing messages to criminal associates. Australian Federal Police have called for the suspected drug lord to hand himself in, but he reportedly has gone into hiding

Hakam Ayik has reportedly abandoned his wife Fleur Messelink (pictured), and their two children. The AFP has warned that Ayik's family could be in danger after the sting

In total, 25 million messages were sent on the app - all of which were intercepted by authorities.

So far, 283 people in Australia have been arrested as a result of the app's intelligence, and 1,100 globally.

Authorities warn Ayik is likely a marked man for his role in spruiking the app, effectively condemning his colleagues to potential decade-long jail sentences.

It is unlikely Ayik has left Turkey all together, News Corp reports, due to the international scrutiny he is under.

The Australian Federal Police would not comment on their intelligence about Ayik's whereabouts.

Pictured: Ayik and his wife Fleur Messelink at their wedding. He is thought to still be in Turkey

Australia's most wanted Hakan Ayik (pictured) was influential in spreading the AN0M app through his criminal networks, it has been claimed

AN0M messages, released by the US Department of Justice, show crime figures discussing a shipment of drugs which were to allegedly be thrown over a boat and then picked up

The AFP urged Ayik, who they allege still orchestrates huge shipments of cocaine and meth into Australia from his base in Turkey, to hand himself in.

'Given the threat he faces, he's best off handing himself into us as soon as he can,' Commissioner Kershaw said.

'He was one of the coordinators of this particular device, so he's essentially set up his own colleagues.'

Terry Goldsworthy, Associate Professor of Criminology at Bond University and a former senior policeman, said resentment against Ayik for inadvertently distributing the app 'would depend on individuals and how much blame they apportion to him'.

But he said it was unlikely Ayik would heed the advice of police and turn himself in.

The AFP urged Ayik, who they allege still orchestrates huge shipments of cocaine and methylampthetamine into Australia from his base in Turkey, to hand himself into authorities

Authorities sensationally carried out Australia's biggest ever organised crime bust on Tuesday

A tactical police officer guards a handcuffed arrested man during a raid. He was one of 224 people arrested as part of Operation Ironside

Mark Lauchs, Associate Professor of Criminology at Queensland University of Technology, said there was a real threat of Ayik being the victim of a future revenge attack.

'You've got to see them operating much more like the Real Housewives television show than a group of barristers sitting around discussing a case,' he said.

'Any secretive group like this is full of conspiracy theorists, they're constantly at each other. There is paranoia.

'Hakan Ayik isn't going to put on his social media, "I'm having a fight with one of the organised crime groups and I need someone to sort it out". He'll have to sort it out himself.'

Whether family members of Ayik and others still living in Australia were in danger was unclear, said the crime experts, but the 'ethics' of the criminal underworld may prevent them being targeted.

'There was a story of one Mafioso in Sicily who'd rolled over to the police and they started knocking off one family member after another until he finally came out of hiding,' Prof Lauchs recalled.

'They'd killed 35 of his family members before he showed up.

Police raid a property in Melbourne's Sydenham over a $1billion drug importation plot

 Slide me  Pictured: What the AN0M webpage looked like at the height of the investigation, compared to now

'In Australia if they were doing drive-bys and even endangering, let alone killing, family members, most of them would be like, "no way, you can't do that". Whereas overseas, they're dealing with a much more ruthless environment.

'The men who are involved in this activity have certain principles and ethics,' another professor said.

'One of those is that you don't mess with people's families, and means the likelihood of [families being targeted] is low, but not zero.

'I think we're in new territory and don't yet know the answer to what will happen.'

Professor Goldsworthy thought those who cooperated with Operation Ironside in return for reduced jail time were in most danger.

'We saw mention in the FBI affidavits of use of a confidential human source (CHS),' he said.

'The CHS would be someone who is now going to be in need of long-term protection, given the impact this operation is having on organised crime.'

The bust exposed new details about how one of Australia's most wanted fugitives gave police extensive access to the world's criminal underworld. Pictured: one man being arrested by AFP officers

Ninja Warrior 2017 contestant Sopiea Kong was among those arrested. The 33-year-old was charged last week following a raid at a Kangaroo Point home, where police allegedly seized 154g of meth

Texts released after Australia's biggest underworld bust show crime bosses were so convinced their communications were secret on the police-devised 'AN0M' app, they brazenly discussed huge shipments of drugs.

Australian, U.S., and European authorities carried out raids across the world on Tuesday, with 4,000 cops in Australia arresting 224 accused organised crime figures and seizing tonnes of drugs, millions in cash and other contraband and luxury goods in Operation Ironside.

Ayik's former mate and ex-Comancheros bikie leader Mark Buddle, who was last said to be in Iraq, was also considered to have had his criminal enterprises smashed by the raids.

'He would have been on the network and a lot of his dealings would have been captured,' a senior unnamed NSW police officer said about Buddle to the Daily Telegraph.

Ayik's former mate and ex-Comancheros bikie leader Mark Buddle

So convinced were criminals they that the encrypted messages were beyond the reach of law enforcement that they openly organised and discussed criminal activities.

For instance, two Australian associates discussing a cocaine smuggling operation on January 4, 2020 exchanged the following messages:

'Think he got it in,' one told the other, before the second responded: 'You're dreaming. You reckon. What he offer it to you for'.

The first person then sent a photo of hundreds of kilograms of cocaine with batman stickers on the packaging.

Two months later, on March 23 last year, an Australian user and an unknown person exchanged messages about the price of cocaine.

Millions of dollars in assets have been seized including this sparking collection of expensive watches

Mafia figures and bikies purchased ANoM-branded phones with encrypted messaging technology already downloaded. When criminals used the phones, the messages were intercepted by Australian Federal Police law enforcement agencies

'Ok sweet, I got a small job that popped up for the building block. There is 2kg put inside the French diplomatic sealed envelopes out of Bogota (Colombia),' the third Australian wrote.

The message continued, saying the Colombian distributors would take 50 per cent of the profit while four others would split the remaining half.

The same Australian then informed the unknown person that the drug drop could happen weekly, before sending three photos of cocaine and French diplomatic pouches.

While surveillance of the 'AN0M' communication platform culminated in the most recent raids, it had led to the arrest of more than 220 Australian organised crime figures going back to 2018.

Offenders are linked variously to the Australian-based Italian mafia, outlaw motorcycle gangs, Asian crime syndicates and Albanian organised crime.

The communications found on the platform revealed 21 murder plots, gun distribution activity and mass drug trafficking, Australian Federal Police say.

A fire engine red Ducati which is also now in the possession of the Australian Federal Police

The app was invitation-only as of Tuesday morning - before the page was sensationally taken down and replaced with a warning by the FBI
Sydneysiders stuck in lockdown will also have no electricity in their homes for as long as 27 hours as planned power outages go ahead.

Ausgrid warned hundreds of homes across the city will be without power as it undertakes critical maintenance work over the next week.

Randwick, Paddington, Newtown, Darlinghurst, Rozelle and Millers Point are among the suburbs that will be blacked out.

The power outages will last anywhere between four and 27 hours.

Hundreds of Sydneysiders battling through lockdown will also have no access to electricity in their homes for as long as 27 hours as planned power outages go ahead

Randwick, Paddington, Newtown (pictured), Darlinghurst, Rozelle and Millers Point are among the suburbs that will be impacted

It is an added blow for Sydney residents who have begun their first full day of a two-week lockdown as the city scrambles to contain an outbreak of the highly-contagious Delta strain of Covid-19.

Sydneysiders are only allowed to leave their home for four reasons, including work, shopping for essential items, seeking medical care, or for caregiving or compassionate reasons.

Ausgrid chief customer officer Rob Amphlett said the power outages had been planned well before lockdown had been announced.

He admitted it was not the best timing, but delaying the maintenance work could lead to bigger problems down the road.

'We understand any outage during stay-at-home orders will add an additional inconvenience during these difficult times,' he said.

'That's why we are reviewing each one and only going ahead with those that are essential to secure power to customers including hospitals, aged care facilities, businesses and residential homes.

'If we do not undertake this work, power supply may be at risk and could result in much longer, unexpected outages in the middle of winter.'

Ausgrid will review the list of works to be done across the city and push ahead with the most critical projects to minimise the inconvenience.

'We know this is tough for families and those working from home, but a few hours of discomfort now may prevent potentially serious issues which could result in lengthy power outages,' Mr Amphlett said.

Letters have already been sent to residents whose homes will be impacted by the power outages.

It comes as an added blow for Sydney residents who have begun their first full day of a two week long lockdown as the city scrambles to contain an outbreak of the highly-contagious Delta strain of Covid-19 (pictured, cyclists near Sydney Harbour Bridge on Saturday)
One of George Galloway's supporters battling to deliver a by-election shock in Batley and Spen this week is a Holocaust denier, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Shammy Cheema openly used the term 'holohoax' in a Facebook post. He also wrote that the Holocaust  in which six million Jews died during the Second World War  was 'an exaggerated version of events to beg indefinite public sympathy'.

Last night, Mr Galloway dropped Mr Cheema from his campaign team, insisting that he 'absolutely' condemned antisemitism and Holocaust denial.

Embarrassingly, he was forced to make the statement just ten days after tweeting a photograph showing him enjoying breakfast with Mr Cheema at a Morrisons supermarket in the West Yorkshire constituency.

One of George Galloway's supporters battling to deliver a by-election shock in Batley and Spen this week is a Holocaust denier. Shammy Cheema used the term 'holohoax' in a Facebook post. Last night, Mr Galloway (l) dropped Mr Cheema from his campaign team, insisting he 'absolutely' condemned antisemitism and Holocaust denial. He made the statement just ten days after tweeting a photo showing him enjoying breakfast with Mr Cheema (r) at a Morrisons supermarket in the West Yorkshire constituency (above)

In the Facebook post in June 2019, Mr Cheema insisted that 'I am not antisemitic' but claimed 'the holohoax commonly referred as the holocaust' was 'the big fat Zionist cow that's been milked for the last 80 years'. (Above, the liberation of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in April 1945)

However, the former Labour and Respect Party MP  who is standing in the by-election as the candidate for his Workers Party  sought to minimise the damage by insisting he could not be held responsible for the social media posts of more than 200 volunteers involved in his campaign.

In the Facebook post in June 2019, Mr Cheema insisted that 'I am not antisemitic' but claimed 'the holohoax commonly referred as the holocaust' was 'the big fat Zionist cow that's been milked for the last 80 years'.

He added: 'To whitewash Israeli crimes, label everyone antisemitic who oppose them.'

But the revelation comes amid claims of 'thuggish' and intimidating behaviour by some of Mr Galloway's supporters, with a video circulating yesterday of Labour candidate Kim Leadbeater  sister of murdered Batley MP Jo Cox  being shouted at and chased to her car by a man demanding to know whether she supports LGBT education in schools because Muslim parents had concerns about it.

Mr Galloway insisted that the protester, later named as Shakeel Afsar, was nothing to do with his campaign.

Mr Galloway (above, at a rally in Batley town centre) said: 'Antisemitism and Holocaust denial are pure poison. I absolutely condemn both'

But his claim that he was 'unknown to us' was challenged when a photograph emerged of them together at a protest in Birmingham in 2019.

The Batley and Spen by-election on Thursday, when Labour is defending a narrow 3,525 majority over the Tories, could decide the future of beleaguered party leader Sir Keir Starmer.

Insiders say that after the disaster of losing Hartlepool to the Conservatives in May, Sir Keir cannot afford to lose another Labour 'Red Wall' seat to Boris Johnson.

This newspaper revealed last week that a senior Labour official had admitted that the party was 'haemorrhaging' support among Batley and Spen's key Muslim community  with pro-Palestinian campaigner Mr Galloway seen as the main beneficiary.

Some Muslim voters have suggested that Sir Keir has put too much emphasis on ridding the party of antisemitism and neglected their interests  a claim strongly rejected by Labour.

Last night, Mr Cheema said he understood he had 'mistakenly strayed into using antisemitic tropes' and that his language had been 'insensitive'.

Mr Galloway said: 'Antisemitism and Holocaust denial are pure poison. I absolutely condemn both.'

He said he had more than 200 campaign volunteers and 'cannot be held responsible for their social media comments. Which candidate could be? I have fought antisemitism and Holocaust denial all my life  in Parliament, on radio and on television'.
The WHO wants fully vaccinated people to wear their masks and practice social distancing to protect themselves against the delta variant, but the CDC hasn't followed suit.

The World Health Organization made the announcement Friday, and Dr. Mariangela Simao - WHO assistant director-general for access to medicines and health products - said, 'Vaccines alone won't stop community transmission.'

'People need to continue to use masks consistently, be in ventilated spaces, hand hygiene ... the physical distance, avoid crowding,' Simao said during a press conference from the WHO's Geneva headquarters, CNBC reported.

'This still continues to be extremely important, even if you're vaccinated when you have a community transmission ongoing.'

The WHO's recommendations clash with what a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official told Fox News on June 15, which is that fully vaccinated people have a 'high degree of protection;' although those who aren't vaccinated are at risk.

The World Health Organization urges people to continue wearing masks and social distance to protect against the delta varant

CDC officials haven't changed guidelines for fully vaccinated people and have said the vaccinations will protect against the 'Indian' delta variant

During the pandemic, specifically in the last three months, critics of the WHO have said the global health organization failed to exercise its leadership and accused it of being a Chinese pawn and falling for the country's propaganda.

In particular, critics have ripped WHO for its lack or decisiveness in handling the outbreak in Wuhan and not getting definitive answers from Chinese officials.

The delta variant, which was first seen in India, is considered by WHO as 'the most transmissible of the variants identified so far,' and warned it is now spreading in at least 85 countries.

Known as B.1.617.2, the Delta variant has been labeled as a 'double mutant' by India's Health Ministry because it carries two mutations: L452R and E484Q.

L452R is the same mutation seen with the California homegrown variant and E484Q is similar to the mutation seen in the Brazilian and South African variants.

Both of the mutations occur on key parts of the virus that allows it to enter and infect human cells.

WHO officials have said this mutant strain of COVID is the fastest and fittest coronavirus strain yet, and it will 'pick off' the most vulnerable people, especially in places with low vaccination rates, CNBC reported.

Many who have contracted this particular strain COVID have reportedly needed more oxygen and intensive care treatment.

Early last week, the CDC upgraded its classification of the delta variant from 'variant of interest' to a ' variant of concern' because of 'mounting evidence' that it's more contagious than other variants.

The CDC has three levels of variants: variant of interest, variant of concern and variant of high consequence. Currently, the CDC doesn't have any variants of high consequence, and the delta variant is one of six 'variants of concern.'

Despite the upgrade, the CDC hasn't changed any of its guidelines since May's announcement that fully vaccinated people don't need to wear masks inside or outside, except for a few exceptions like public transportation.

Since then, masks have become a rare sight in the US, as all 50 states have rolled back many of their COVID restrictions.

In the US, Missouri has been hit hardest by the delta variant, with officials saying on Thursday that the mutant strain already makes up more than half of all new infections in the state.

The variant is also prevalent in Colorado, where it makes up 40 percent of daily new cases.

The mutant strain has been wreaking havoc in the UK, causing infections to spike 50 percent in one week and hospitalizations to rise by 15 percent.

On Tuesday, the UK recorded 11,625 new cases of COVID-19, which is the most reported since mid-February.

A recent report from Public Health England (PHE) found that more than 90 percent of virus cases in the country are now linked to the variant.

The variant forced Sydney - Australia's most populous city - to shut down for the second week as authorities struggle to control the outbreak.

More than 80 cases of the infectious Delta variant have been recorded in Sydney as 5million people are now facing strict stay-at-home restrictions.
Experts have warned Wally the Walrus is at risk of harm from the public and sea vessels after he made it to the Isles of Scilly in the latest stop of his epic journey.

The sea mammal was snapped by boatman Joe Badock taking a nap on the tail ramp of the Star of Life - a purpose built floating ambulance that serves the archipelago.

He has been spotted on boats and rocks in St Mary's harbour with some people keen to get close.

But the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) felt prompted to remind the public that all walruses are legally protected from disturbance.

Since March, Wally has visited Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, France and Spain.

Wally the Walrus was snapped by boatman Joe Badock taking a nap on the tail ramp of the Star of Life - a purpose built floating ambulance that serves the archipelago

Wally pictured off the Isles of Scilly earlier this month on June 17. Since March, Wally has visited Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, France and Spain

A from the MMO said: 'We have received messages that the walrus currently on the Isles of Scilly is regularly being disturbed by vessels and the public.

'Walruses are protected from disturbance under section 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. So please keep your distance and do not approach.'

On Wednesday, St Mary's harbour towed a RIB (Rigid-hulled Inflatable Boat) that Wally climbed aboard to a safer position and asked people to 'give this vessel a wide berth'.

The Isles of Scilly Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority posted on Twitter: 'Please use common sense, binoculars and zoom lenses and give the walrus plenty of space.'

Lucy Babey, head of science and conservation at the Orca charity which protects marine wildlife, explained why the animal was behaving the way he is.

She told the BBC: 'Walruses spend 25 per cent of the time resting so Wally is going around trying to find resting places.

'He is building up his energy reserves as he has done a lot of swimming to get here from Spain, and has a lot more swimming to do to get home.'

She said it was hoped he would continue to make his way to the Arctic, but 'judging by what has happened over the last few months he might take a leisurely swim back north and so we might see him around the UK for a little while yet.'

Wally the famous Arctic Walrus causing havoc for boat owners of the Isles of Scilly earlier this month after returning to the UK coast. Images show the walrus deflating rubber dinghies after trying to climb on top for a rest (pictured)

Witnesses previously said Wally's sharp tusks popped several dinghies that were attached to the back of yachts in the area (pictured)

Ms Babey added that he was being monitored and appeared to be healthy but 'he probably hasn't come into contact with humans before so is curious - another reason to keep a distance is for our safety, as well as his'.

A petition has also been set up entitled: 'Get Wally the walrus home.'

It says: 'Perhaps a large boat with a flat and large enough rear access deck for Wally to come and go as he wished with zero human contact could work?'

Animal welfare groups Wally initially came across the North Atlantic ocean from Greenland on an ice floe.

He was first seen in Ireland before taking up residence in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, in March this year.
Mayhem erupted in Sydney supermarkets as shoppers rushed to stockpile supplies ahead of the two-week lockdown, despite the premier promising shops will stay open.

Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast and Wollongong entered lockdown at 6pm on Saturday in an attempt to quash the latest Covid outbreak, which rose to a total of 112 infections on Sunday with 30 new cases linked to the Bondi cluster.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian assured residents that they will be allowed to leave their homes for four reasons until the restrictions end at 11.59pm on July 9, which includes shopping for groceries.

But at a press conference on Sunday morning, NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys condemned hordes of shoppers seen gathering outside supermarkets to gather huge piles of food and toilet rolls.

Pictured: Hoards of people in Wollongong on Saturday, after restrictions were announced for Greater Sydney

Pictured: A shopper with about 120 rolls of toilet paper at The Entrance, on the NSW Central Coast

Commissioner Worboys said crowds of people were seen converging at Woolworths in Kellyville, north-west of Sydney.

'The management there were very diligent in terms of moving staff to the front to try and call the police,' he said.

'People need to really take heed that department stores and supermarkets are trying their best and they need people to abide by the 1.5m rule, they need people to put their masks on and they need people to be patient.'

Commissioner Worboys also reminded residents that stockpiling is not necessary, and that doing so makes social distancing difficult.

'When we look at some of this panic buying, again we shake our heads. People should not do that,' he said.

'It will only cause anger in the community and we ask the people to be sensible in that regard from here on in.'

On Saturday afternoon, families who live on the Central Coast, south coast and in Sydney's inner west - which have not recorded any cases in the latest outbreak - ignored Ms Berejiklian's advice and raced to the supermarket.

Photos emerged online showing residents racing around stores while pushing shopping trolleys piled high with toilet paper, bread, meat, rice and pasta.

A photo shared on Twitter by a Wollongong resident showed long queues of Woolworths shoppers trying to gather as many supplies as possible before 6pm.

One perplexed person from the Entrance, north of Sydney, posted an image of a panic buyer with about 120 rolls of toilet paper spilling over their trolley.

'This was at Coles, The Entrance. Bruh...' they wrote.

Shoppers raced to supermarkets and wiped the shelves of toilet paper (pictured) over the weekend

Pictured: Empty shelves in Bowral, south of Sydney, after the city was locked down due to Covid

Another posted a photo of empty shelves in Bowral, west of Wollongong, on Saturday afternoon.

'The toilet paper aisle in Bowral this evening. Well outside the Sydney lockdown zone,' they tweeted.

There was chaos at supermarkets in the local government areas at the heart of the outbreak on Friday, including the City of Sydney, Randwick, Waverly and Woollahra.

The panic buying has prompted Coles to introduce buying limits of two packs of toilet paper per person.

Supermarket chains are yet to announce whether those limits will be extended to include new lockdown areas.

Supermarket chains are yet to announce whether those limits will be extended to include new lockdown areas. Pictured: Empty toilet paper shelves

Woolworths has not imposed buying limits at this stage. Pictured: Empty shelves in Woolworths

Woolworths has not imposed buying limits at this stage.

During her press conference on Saturday, Ms Berejiklian pleaded with people not to stockpile.

'You're allowed outside to purchase goods, essential goods and services and I appreciate people following these instructions,' she said.

'There is no need to panic buy. All the shops will be open every day of the week.

'There is no curfew. You can leave your home at any stage to purchase any essential goods that you need to and that is a given.'

During her press conference on Saturday, Ms Berejiklian (pictured) pleaded with people not to stockpile

Prime Minister Scott Morrison previously condemned selfish shoppers for panic buying during the beginning of the pandemic.

'Stop hoarding. I can't be more blunt about it. Stop it,' he said last March when panic buying first gripped the nation amid the first wave of Covid-19.

'That is not who we are as a people. It is not necessary. It is not something that people should be doing.

'It's ridiculous. It's un-Australian, and it must stop, and I would ask people to do the right thing by each other in getting a handle on these sorts of practices.'
Maidenhead could be the next big battleground as Tory insiders say they are 'very worried' about a by-election in Theresa May's seat.

Talk of the former PM going for the job of Nato secretary general has prompted concerns that voters in her constituency could replicate the party's painful loss in Chesham and Amersham.

The Maidenhead seat is 'incredibly similar' to Chesham and Amersham, sources said, with strong views over planning reforms, and the Lib Dems trailing the Tories in second.

Maidenhead could be the next big battleground as Tory insiders say they are 'very worried' about a by-election in Theresa May's seat

In 2019 Mrs May won the seat with an 18,000 majority  down from 26,457 in 2017  while the Lib Dems' share grew by 13 percentage points.

But the swing in Chesham and Amersham  from a 16,223 Conservative majority to an 8,028 Lib Dem one  has led to concerns at Tory HQ.

Earlier this month Defence Secretary Ben Wallace gave his backing to Mrs May, saying she would be an 'excellent candidate' to head Nato.

However, one Tory MP last night said the threat of a risky by-election meant the Government would be unlikely to support her candidacy.
The Charity Commission last night faced calls to investigate an independent school which reported its own chaplain to an anti-terrorism programme after he questioned its new LGBT policies.

Free speech campaigner Toby Young urged the regulator to hold an inquiry into Trent College's dismissal of Reverend Dr Bernard Randall, in a letter seen by The Mail on Sunday.

This newspaper last month revealed how the school referred Dr Randall to Prevent, which normally identifies those at risk of being radicalised, after he delivered a sermon in which he told pupils they were allowed to disagree with the school's new LGBT policies.

He said it was prompted by concerns from pupils about Educate and Celebrate, an organisation invited to 'embed gender, gender identity and sexual orientation into the fabric' of the school.

The Charity Commission last night faced calls to investigate an independent school which reported its own chaplain to an anti-terrorism programme after he questioned its new LGBT policies. Trent College decided Dr Bernard Randall's (above) sermon was 'harmful to LGBT' students, although a police probe ruled the chaplain posed 'no counter-terrorism risk, or risk of radicalisation'. He is now suing the school for discrimination and unfair dismissal

Trent College decided Dr Randall's sermon was 'harmful to LGBT' students, although a police probe ruled the chaplain posed 'no counter-terrorism risk, or risk of radicalisation'. He is now suing the school for discrimination and unfair dismissal.

In his letter to the charity Commission Mr Young, said: 'Invoking the Prevent duty is a serious decision which is not to be taken lightly or unthinkingly.

'It threatens the involvement of the state's security powers and real and serious interference with freedom of expression.'

Free speech campaigner Toby Young (above) urged the regulator to hold an inquiry into Trent College's dismissal of Dr Randall, in a letter seen by The Mail on Sunday

The Charity Commission last night said it was aware of the case and that it expects the school 'to keep us informed of any developments'.

'...should further concerns come to light, we would assess these in line with our regulatory and risk framework,' a spokeswoman added.

Meanwhile, the MoS can reveal that Dr Randall's legal case has been delayed for more than a year.

A 12-day employment tribunal hearing was expected to start on June 14 but has now been postponed until September 2022.

It is understood that a judge overseeing the case heavily criticised the school and its lawyers earlier this month for failing to exchange legal documents in time.

Dr Randall last night said: 'I am extremely disappointed that Trent College and its lawyers have failed to actively engage with the legal process. I regret that a shadow remains over the school and its leadership, which will be detrimental to pupils and teaching staff.'

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, which is representing Dr Randall, said: 'Justice delayed is justice denied.

'For over seven months, Christian Legal Centre lawyers have been ready and willing to prepare for this 12-day hearing, but the school and its lawyers have simply refused to comply.'

Bill Penty, the head of Trent College, said: 'We were disappointed to hear that the Employment Tribunal was not proceeding on its June dates and understand that the postponement was at the direction of the judge.

'Trent College has been and remains committed to defending the case and will continue to respect the Tribunal process and its decisions.'
A Washington D.C. police officer who was injured in the Capitol riot confronted House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy in a meeting and demanded he denounce remarks from his fellow Republicans downplaying the violence in the siege.

Michael Fanone, an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department, met with McCarthy on Friday after he had said for weeks he had wanted to talk with the House's top Republican.

Fanone told CBS News this week that he was forced to the ground and suffered a mild heart attack and a brain injury in the attack, which was caught on his body camera.

'All holy hell broke loose. The next thing you know, we were just in a hand-to-hand just battle,' Fanone said.

'I was tortured. I was beaten. I was, you know, struck with a taser numerous times at the base of my skull. And I posed no threat.'

McCarthy, who has opposed the formation of a bipartisan commission to investigate the attack, has remained loyal to former President Donald Trump whose supporters violently interrupted the certification of Joe Biden's election victory on January 6.

Michael Fanone, an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department, finally met with McCarthy on Friday after he said for weeks he had wanted to talk with him

Fanone was joined in the meeting by Gladys Sicknick, mother of Brian Sicknick, and Harry Dunn - a U.S. Capitol Police officer who also faced the rioters

Fanone said he demanded that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy denounce remarks from his fellow Republicans downplaying the violence in the siege

McCarthy, who has opposed the formation of a bipartisan commission to investigate the attack, has remained loyal to former President Donald Trump

Fanone told reporters after the meeting that he asked McCarthy to denounce 21 House Republicans who recently voted against giving police officers a congressional medal of honor for defending the Capitol.

'I went there with specific requests. I asked Kevin to denounce the 21 House Republicans that voted against the gold medal bill, which would recognize and honor my coworkers and colleagues who fought to secure the capitol on January 6,' Fanone said, according to CNN.

'I also asked him to denounce Andrew Clydes statements regarding January 6  specifically that it was something of a normal tour day here at the Capitol.'

He added: 'I found those remarks to be disgusting. I also asked him to denounce the baseless theory that the FBI was behind the January 6 insurrection.'

Georgia Rep. Andrew Clyde had compared video of the rioters to a 'tourist visit.'

'Watching the TV footage of those who entered the Capitol and walked through Statuary Hall showed people in an orderly fashion staying between the stanchions and ropes, taking videos and pictures,' Clyde had said last month, according to the Washington Post.

'You know, if you didn't know the TV footage was a video from January the 6th, you would actually think it was a normal tourist visit.'

McCarthy told Fanone he would 'address it in a personal level with some of those members,' the police officer said.

Pro-Trump protesters clash with D.C. police officer Michael Fanone during the riot at the Capitol

Michael Fanone, a Metropolitan Police Department officer who was beaten during the January 6 attack on the Capitol, leaves a meeting with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy

Fanone said the response from McCarthy, whose office did not comment on the meeting, was not sufficient and that, as a cop who served on January 6, it was 'not what I want to hear.'

He said he found Clyde's comments 'disgusting.'

'It's important to hear those denouncements publicly,' Fanone said.

Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, who was also among the officers who responded to the rioting, joined Fanone and McCarthy for the meeting.

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.

President Donald Trump speaks to supporters before they rioted at the United States Capitol

Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as people try to storm the U.S. Capitol in Washington DC on January 6

Landon Kenneth Copeland, 33, allegedly shoved another rioter into an officer which caused the cop to fall to the ground  resulting in officers equipped with riot gear to push forward against the crowd

Copeland then allegedly grabbed one of their riot shields and pushed against the police line, grabbing an officers jacket and shoving them

Supporters of President Trump who were trying to overthrow the results of the 2020 presidential election clash with police as the crowd storms the US Capitol

The largest number of people charged in relation to the deadly riot come from Texas, Pennsylvania, and Florida, in that order

Supporters of then-President Donald Trump try to break through a police barrier at the Capitol in Washington

The meeting comes as many Republicans have made clear that they want to move on from the January 6 attack - frustrating some 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.

Dunn said afterward that it was an 'emotional meeting' but 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.

The FBI has been looking for one man, #91, who was pictured with a black and gold arm band, the signature colors of the Proud Boys

Pelosi said a partisan-led probe was the only option left after the Senate Republicans blocked the bi-partisan commission.

'Jan. 6 was a day of darkness for our country,' Pelosi told reporters on Thursday, according to The New York Times.

'Our temple of democracy was attacked by insurrectionists. The gleeful desecration of the Capitol resulted in multiple deaths, physical harm to over 140 members of law enforcement and terror and trauma among staff, workers and members.'

She added: 'It is imperative that we seek the truth. It is clear the Republicans are afraid of the truth.'

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.

Police were seen backing away from the cloud of fire extinguishing retardant sprayed at them

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.'
Queensland has introduced sweeping restrictions to stem the spread of Covid after two new cases of the virus were recorded in the community overnight.

A retail worker at the DFO shopping centre near Brisbane Airport tested positive for the virus before her partner also developed symptoms.

There are also reports the person worked at a police watchhouse, and officers are working to determine when the woman may have worked her last shift and whether she was infectious at the time.

Neither of the new cases are the Delta variant which thrust Greater Sydney into a two-week lockdown on Saturday.

But Chief Health Officer Jeanette Young is 'very concerned' about the new cases, confirming both people have visited an extensive list of locations throughout Brisbane, including gyms and restaurants.

One of the new cases, while living in Brisbane, travels an hour north to work in the Sunshine Coast each day.

Authorities have identified a total of 23 exposure sites across both regions, including Goodlife gym at Fortitude Valley and West End, an Anytime Fitness and several grocery stores.

On Saturday June 19, an infectious woman worked at Cotton On at the DFO outlet before spending time at Brisbane Portuguese Family Centre from 7pm to close of business.

McDonald's at Glass House Mountains on the Sunshine Coast was exposed to the virus on both Tuesday and Wednesday that week, at about 6am.

The development is 'very concerning' to authorities, who have now reintroduced restrictions to prevent a widespread outbreak.

Pubs, clubs and cafes will revert to the one person per two square metre rule, while private gatherings at homes will be limited to 100 people.

Any persons in Queensland who travelled from Greater Sydney are required to follow the two-week lockdown that was introduced in NSW from 10am Sunday.

The restrictions will last as long as the Sydney lockdown remains in place.

LATEST QLD EXPOSURE SITES High Risk Exposure Sites Saturday, 19 June: Cotton on - DFO Brisbane Airport - between 4.10pm and 4.30pm Portuguese Family Centre - Brisbane - 7pm to close of business Tuesday 22 June: McDonalds - Glass House Mountains, Sunshine Coast - Between 5.45am and 6am Good Life Gym - Fortitude Valley - Between 7.30am and 9.45am Miracle Worker massage & Holistic Therapies - West End - Between 9.30am and 5pm Anytime Fitness - Hamilton - Between 4.15pm and 5.15pm Coles - Indooroopilly Shopping Centre - Between 6pm and 6.45pm Wednesday 23 June McDonalds - Glass House Mountains - Between 6am and 6.15am Miracle Worker massage & Holistic Therapies - West End - Between 10am and 5pm Anytime Fitness - Hamilton - Between 4pm and 5.30pm Goodlife Health Clubs - West End - Between 5.15pm and 7.15pm Thursday 24 June Ampol Petrol Station - Hendra - Between 7am and 7.25am Zarraffas Coffee - Hendra - Between 7am and 7.25am Hendra Post Office - Between 7.10am and 7.30am Miracle Worker massage & Holistic Therapies - West End - Between 12.15pm and 5.30pm Guzman and Gomez - Indooroopilly - Between 7.45pm and 8pm Friday 25 June Chez Nous Cafe - Brisbane City - Between 8.15am and 8.30am Market Organics - Chapel Hill - Between 9.10am and 9.45am Commonwealth Bank of Australia - Indooroopilly Shopping Centre - Between 9.55am and 10.25am JB HI FI - Indooroopilly Shopping Centre - Between 10.10am and 10.25am Unhas Chic Salon - Brisbane City - Between 12.30pm and 2.30pm Woolworths Metro Teneriffe - Teneriffe - Between 1pm and 1.15pm Woolworths GasWorks - Newstead - Between 2.55pm and 3.10pm Low Risk Exposure Sites Saturday 19 June Escape2 Hiking Shop - DFO Brisbane Airport - Between 10am and 6pm Lobby (incl. female toilets) of Park Regis Hotel - North Quay Brisbane City - Between 4.50pm and 5.15pm Brisbane CBD, in and around Queen Street Mall - Between 5pm and 6pm Sunday 20 June Charlies Raw Squeeze - Clayfield - Between 9am 9.30am Escape2 Hiking Shop DFO - Brisbane Airport - Between 10am and 3pm Royal Brisbane & Womens Hospital Fever Clinic, Herston - Between 3.30pm and 4.30pm Tuesday 22 June Good Life Gym - Fortitude Valley - Between 9.45am and 12.30pm Indooroopilly Shopping Centre - Between 6pm and 6.45pm Wednesday 23 June Goodlife Health Clubs - West End - Between 7.15pm and 11.59pm Emporium - Fortitude Valley - Between 3.30pm and 4.30pm Thursday 24 June So Sushi, Emporium - Fortitude Valley - Between 3.45pm and 4.30pm Friday 25 June Indooroopilly Shopping Centre - Between 9.45am and 10.30am Royal Brisbane & Womens Hospital Fever Clinic, Herston - Between 4pm and 5pm Advertisement

A retail worker at the DFO shopping centre near Brisbane Airport tested positive for the virus before her partner also developed symptoms

A Virgin flight attendant (not pictured) also tested positive for the virus on Saturday night after potentially being infectious on five flights through Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne

There are also reports the person worked at a police watchhouse, and officers are working to determine when the woman may have worked her last shift and whether she was infectious at the time

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk provided an update about the state's response to the threat of the Delta variant of Covid at 10am, urging the community to get vaccinated if they're eligible.

The latest case comes amid concerns a Virgin Australia flight attendant could have sparked a widespread outbreak after working five flights on Friday and Saturday before testing positive to the virus.

The impacted flights took passengers either to or from Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast.

'The crew member is now in isolation, and Virgin Australia is rapidly contacting all team members who are close contacts,' the airline said in a statement on Saturday night.

'Virgin Australia is requiring those crew members to cease flying, get tested and isolate. All passengers on flights the crew member operated will be contacted by health authorities and advised on the correct protocol.'

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk provided an update about the state's response to the threat of the Delta variant of Covid at 10am, urging the community to get vaccinated if they're eligible
Families starved of sun-kissed foreign holidays this summer will be able to turn into staycation 'happy campers' under plans drawn up by Ministers.

They want to allow hundreds of 'pop-up' campsites to spring up across England to meet demand from people forced by Covid restrictions to holiday at home.

The plan involves slashing red tape to make it much easier for commercial sites to be set up for the duration of the summer.

Families starved of sun-kissed foreign holidays this summer will be able to turn into staycation 'happy campers' under plans drawn up by Ministers (file photo)

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick (pictured) urged town halls to embrace the plan, which is based on a similar initiative last summer

Existing businesses will also find it easier to extend their facilities temporarily, officials said.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick urged town halls to embrace the plan, which is based on a similar initiative last summer.

Mr Jenrick said: 'Many of us are planning a staycation this year. I'm asking councils to support the extension of pop-up campsites for tourists and not let red tape get in the way of a great British summer.'

Under the plans, local councils would be asked to take a 'flexible' approach and spare temporary campsites from lengthy planning procedures.
An 11-year-old girl has become Britain's youngest mother after she gave birth earlier this month having fallen pregnant aged just 10 years old, according to reports.

The mother and her baby, that was delivered after more than 30 weeks of pregnancy, are both healthy and being cared for. The girl has not been named.

Her family had no idea she was pregnant, according to The Sun. The newspaper reported that social services and council chiefs are investigating the matter.

An 11-year-old girl has become Britain's youngest mother after she gave birth earlier this month having fallen pregnant aged just 10 years old, according to reports (stock photo)

'It has come as a big shock,' the newspaper quoted a source close to the family as saying. 'She's now being surrounded by expert help. The main thing is that she and the baby are OK.'

'This is the youngest mother I've heard of,' doctor Carol Cooper told The Sun, explaining that the average age a girl begins puberty is 11, although it can be at anytime from 8 to 14.

Cooper added that weight has an effect on many hormones, and that as children are heavier than they used to be, puberty is now happening earlier.

Tressa Middleton (left) who gave birth aged 12 after her brother raped her, was until now Britain's youngest mother

Before the 11-year-old gave birth, Britain's youngest mother was Tressa Middleton, who was just 12 when she had a baby in 2006.

Middleton, who is now in her mid-20s, fell pregnant after she was raped by her brother. Her child was taken into social care, and her brother was jailed.

Doctor Cooper said that 'around one in every 2,500 births' occur to someone who either did not know she is pregnant, or has hidden it from their family and friends.

In 2014, a baby was born to a 12-year-old mother and 13-year-old father, the lowest combined aged of parents in Britain.

In 2017, it was reported that another 11-year-old girl had given birth, but no further details emerged.
The New South Wales deputy premier says he is proud of keeping businesses open and avoiding a lockdown for as long as possible.

John Barilaro stepped in to defend the state government after it announced on Saturday that Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, and Wollongong would be plunged into a 14-day lockdown.

The lockdown is expected to cost the NSW economy $2 billion with thousands of businesses shut down and everyone stuck in their homes.

Mr Barilaro argued the city was kept open as long as possible, which was the right call for the state as it tried to avoid a lockdown.

New South Wales deputy premier John Barilaro (pictured) says he is proud of keeping businesses open and avoiding a lockdown for as long as possible despite critics arguing the decision should have been made sooner

Businesses are expected to lose $2billion in trade while health experts have argued the lockdown should have been brought in sooner

'We have kept business open as long as possible,' he told Sky News. 'We are proud of the work we have done.'

'We know that the best thing for business is certainty. We are better off going into a sharp lockdown.

'Industry leaders would rather a two-week lockdown than death by a thousand cuts (of snap lockdowns after just a few cases).'

The state government held a crisis cabinet meeting before deciding to place the city in lockdown.

Mr Barilaro said the decision was not made lightly and the repercussions of a lockdown were discussed in depth during the meeting.

'We discussed whether seven days was sufficient but we know it takes 14 days to go through a cycle,' he said.

'We are confident about 14 days. The premier has left open that we will revisit it at the seven-day mark. But we want to be honest with the public. Be prepared for a two-week lockdown.'

Mr Barilaro said he was confident the two week lockdown would be long enough to beat the spread of the virus.

However, Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant both at Sunday's press conference refused to rule out extending the lockdown.

Mr Barilaro stopped short of blaming the outbreak on the federal government and the slow vaccine rollout.

'I think we are a victim or our own success for too long... so there has been a level of complacency in the community to get the vaccine,' he said.

'We have kept business open as long as possible,' Mr Barilaro said. 'We are proud of the work we have done'

Eighty cases have already been linked to the outbreak with health experts warning that the lockdown should have been brought in sooner

The decision to shut down the city was made as health authorities struggle to contain an outbreak of the highly-contagious Delta variant of Covid-19.

Some 112 cases have already been linked to the outbreak with some health experts warning that the lockdown should have been brought in sooner.

World Health Organisation adviser and epidemiologist Professor Mary-Louise McLaws said the delay had allowed the virus to potentially spread beyond control.

'The horse has bolted, but the horse started bolting last week,' she said.

Clinical epidemiologist Nancy Baxter added they would be surprised if lockdown was not extended beyond the July 9 end date.

Ms Berejiklian has previously warned of the aggressive nature of the variant.

'The transmissibility is at least double [the] previous variants that we've seen. And unfortunately this variant is becoming the main variant,' she said.

'A few days ago I said this was the scariest time that I felt since the pandemic started and that's proven to be the case.'
New South Wales has reported 30 new cases of Covid on the first full day of lockdown in Greater Sydney, as contact tracers identify 17 new exposure sites.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the new infections are all linked to the Bondi cluster in Sydney's east, taking Sydney's total cases since the new outbreak to 112.

She denied delaying the city-wide lockdown to save face after previously stating she would never take such drastic measures again.

Ms Berejiklian thrust the city into a two-week lockdown as cases spread further away from the eastern suburbs, and on Sunday Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant gave no guarantee that the lockdown would be lifted on July 9 as scheduled.

Of the 30 new cases, 10 are linked to the Great Ocean Foods seafood wholesaler in Marrickville. This brings the total number of cases acquired through that cluster to 11, as well as the original case who worked there during their infectious period.

One of the people linked to this cluster includes a Virgin Australia flight attendant who tested positive after working as a crew member on five flights between Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast on Friday and Saturday.

That crew member is now in isolation while Virgin works to contact every team member who would be considered a close contact.

Police turned out in droves in Parramatta in Sydney's west on Sunday to ensure people were following lockdown orders

One couple did not let lockdown restrictions spoil their big day as they got married in Parramatta Park on Sunday

Police patrols were out in full force in Bondi on Sunday, telling anybody who was contravening lockdown orders to move along

A Virgin flight attendant (not pictured) also tested positive for the virus on Saturday night after potentially being infectious on five flights through Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne

Western Sydney residents were spotted exercising at Parramatta Park on Sunday, the first full day of Sydney's two-week lockdown

'Virgin Australia is requiring those crew members to cease flying, get tested and isolate. All passengers on flights the crew member operated will be contacted by health authorities and advised on the correct protocol,' a spokesman said.

Eleven of the 30 new cases were in isolation for their entire infectious period, while three were quarantined for most of their infectious period.

The latest exposure sites span across Sydney's east and inner west, including Fonda Mexican Restaurant in Bondi and the Establishment Bar in Sydney's CBD.

Another newly detected case attended the Westmead Hospital vaccination centre on June 22 without realising they were infectious, and subsequent contact tracing revealed they were a close contact of a previously known case.

'As a precaution we have called the people that attended that vaccine centre in a period before and after the case,' Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said.

Greater Sydney was plunged into a 14-day lockdown due to the threat of the highly-infectious Indian Delta strain of Covid that originated in the city's east and is threatening to spiral out of control.

Stay-at-home orders will apply to all of Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, and Wollongong areas from 6pm on Saturday and will be in place until midnight on Friday July 9.

NEW EXPOSURE SITES IN SYDNEY ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON Contact NSW Health, get tested and isolate for 14 days regardless of the result: Bondi Beach: Fonda Mexican Restaurant - Friday June 18, 1.50pm to 2.45pm Rhodes: Orange Supermarket - Tuesday June 22, 6.30pm to 6.40pm Maroubra: Mad Mex - Wednesday June 23, 6.10pm to 6.40pm and Tuesday June 22, 6.10pm to 6.25pm Marboubra: Roll'd Vietnamese at Pacific Square - Wednesday June 23, 6.30pm to 7pm Sydney: Establishment Bar on George Street - Wednesday June 23 to Thursday June 24, 11.30am to 3am Annandale: Precinct 37 Cafe - Thursday June 24, 10.30pm to 11.15am Get tested and self-isolate until a negative test is received: Bondi Beach: Fonda Mexican Restaurant - Friday June 18, 2.45pm to 3.15pm Elizabeth Bay: Allied Mart - Sunday June 20, 10am to 11.30am Double Bay: Mecca Maxima - Sunday June 20, 3.30pm to 4.15pm Double Bay: Mecca Cosmetica - Sunday June 20, 3.30pm to 4.15pm Double Bay: Cali Press - Monday June 21, 9.30am to 10.20am Marrickville: Coles, Metro Shopping Centre - Wednesday June 23, 12.30pm to 1p, and Thursday June 24, 3.30pm to 4pm Maroubra: Coles at Pacific Square - Wednesday June 23, 6pm to 6.15pm Marrickville: Liquorland Marrickville Dewall - Thursday June 24, 3.30pm to 4pm Maroubra: Roll'd Vietnamese at Pacific Square - Thursday June 24, 6.20pm to 6.30pm Maroubra: Fresh World fruit shop at Pacific Square - Thursday June 24, 6.20pm to 6.30pm Maroubra: Pacific Square (all stores in shopping centre, other than specific venues listed) - Wednesday June 23, 6pm to 7pm, and Thursday June 24, 6pm to 7pm Advertisement

One couple did not let lockdown spoil their big day as they get married in the Park, only to have a Ranger question them

Police were roaming Bondi beach to ensure anybody out and about was exercising and following lockdown orders

Police are conducting random stops (pictured in Parramatta on Sunday) to ensure people are complying with lockdown orders

Sydney streets were deserted on Sunday, the first full day of lockdown

Eerie photos show Sydney reduced to a ghost town after the Harbour City's two-week lockdown was initiated

Virgin flights exposed 25 June 2021 VA939 Sydney-Brisbane VA334 Brisbane-Melbourne 26 June 2021 VA827 Melbourne-Sydney VA517 Sydney-Gold Coast VA524 Gold Coast-Sydney The Virgin flight attendant who was infected with the virus while working on five flights through Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast has sent health authorities scrambling as they attempt to contact trace anyone onboard. Virgin Australia confirmed the crew worker was potentially infectious working five flights over two days on June 25 and June 26. 'Virgin Australia can confirm that a Sydney-based cabin crew member has tested positive to COVID-19 after undertaking a rapid result test this evening. State and Federal health authorities have been notified,' the airline said in a statement. 'The crew member is now in isolation, and Virgin Australia is rapidly contacting all team members who are close contacts. Virgin Australia is requiring those crew members to cease flying, get tested and isolate.' Virgin say the woman was from a 'known cluster in Sydney' and was 'not aware' they were a close contact until their shift ended on Saturday. The affected crew member is a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case from a known cluster in Sydney. Virgin Australia understands the crew member was not aware they were a close contact of a positive case until after they completed their last flight today. 'The crew member also had an overnight layover in Melbourne on 25 June 2021, staying at the Holiday Inn Express Southbank. While in Melbourne, the crew member remained in hotel isolation under prescribed COVID protocols for overnighting crew members from New South Wales.' Advertisement

But Dr Chant said there was every possibility the stay-at-home orders could extend beyond the scheduled two week period.

She would be comfortable lifting lockdown if, toward the end of the two week period, new cases were only being identified in close contacts already in isolation.

'If we all take this very seriously (and) we maintain those testing numbers, then two weeks may be sufficient,' she said.

Locals are only allowed to leave their houses for four reasons, which include for school or work if unable to do so from home, medical reasons including to get the vaccine and to give care, for essential shopping and to exercise outside in groups of no more than ten.

'There is no curfew. You can leave your home at any stage to purchase any essential goods that you need to and that is a given. Be thoughtful and considerate about fellow citizens and no need to panic buy,' Ms Berejiklian assured the public on Saturday.

'I said that this the scariest time since the pandemic started and that's proven to be the case.'

One of the people linked to this cluster includes a Virgin Australia flight attendant who tested positive after working as a crew member on five flights between Brisbane , Melbourne , Sydney and the Gold Coast on Friday and Saturday

Police stopped locals to ensure they were following lockdown orders during their morning exercise on Sunday

Police were out in full force in Bondi and Parramatta on Sunday, conducting random checks to ensure compliance with the stay-at-home orders.

A total of 15 fines were issued overnight to people caught breaking the rules, including a family who travelled from Sydney's east - the hub of the virus - to the Hunter Valley for a sporting event.

Officers said residents in these communities are not concerned about 'dobbing in' people doing the wrong thing.

Another incident occurred at a cafe in the Illawarra, in which the owners refused to wear face masks.

Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys said police had been called out to the venue by disgruntled customers.

'It is clearly irresponsible,' he said.

'The community, when you look at social media, was certainly against that stance taken by the cafe.'

Deputy commissioner Worboy praised the number of people who were alerting authorities of the rule breakers.

'We need to show some decency and respect for those people who are trying to help police and others make sure that people comply with public health orders,' he said.

A free Covid-19 testing centre has been set up in Granville in Sydney's west

Police were issuing move along orders to people in Bondi Beach on Sunday

Circular Quay, usually bustling with people from all around Sydney and New South Wales, was eerily quiet with the famous steps leading up to the Opera House completely empty

Ms Berejiklian has defended her decision to lock down, and was adamant there were no selfish reasons in delaying making the call.

'I've never cared what people think about me, I care about keeping people safe and ensuring we're not putting unnecessary burdens on them,' she said on Sunday.

I do not regret a single decision we have taken because it has been based on health advice and when you are making a major decision to lockdown millions of people, you have to make sure it is based on health advice and not because you want to have zero cases every day.'

Just four weeks ago, Ms Berejiklian stood on a stage in Canberra and declared her state 'would never go into lockdown again', prompting some to suggest she held off locking down the city in an attempt to save face.

But she said she has consistently followed health advice and acted as soon as officials on Sunday recommended a sweeping lockdown.

Regional NSW will follow restrictions that were previously placed on Sydney which include having only five visitors at a house, wearing masks indoors, hospitality venues reduced to one person per square metre and outdoor venues reduced to 50 per cent capacity.

The city's new light rail system was running at extremely limited capacity, with public transport virtually non-existent throughout the city

'So for those parts of New South Wales that aren't in lockdown, restrictions still apply because we want to make sure that if there have been any occasions where people unknowingly have taken the virus outside into the regions, that we don't have any spread in those regions,' Ms Berejiklian said.

Meanwhile testing of sewage systems has identified Covid in the water in Port Kembla.

Weddings will be able to go ahead over the weekend but will be banned from Monday.

One couple were interrupted by confused authorities while hosting a ceremony in Parramatta Park on Sunday.

A ranger questioned what they were doing in the park as they posed for photos dressed up in their wedding attire.

Funerals can continue with a maximum of 100 guests and masks indoors while community sport will also be shut down over the next fortnight.

Shops will remain open and financial assistance will be available.

As New South Wales grapples with the ramifications of the latest outbreak, Queensland is fighting Covid on three fronts and the Northern Territory has been plunged into lockdown after recording four new cases.

QUEENSLAND

Queensland has introduced sweeping restrictions to stem the spread of Covid after two new cases of the virus were recorded in the community overnight.

A retail worker at the DFO shopping centre near Brisbane Airport tested positive for the virus before her partner also developed symptoms.

There are also reports the person worked at a police watch house, and officers are working to determine when the woman may have worked her last shift and whether she was infectious at the time.

Neither of the new cases are the Delta variant which thrust Greater Sydney into a two-week lockdown on Saturday.

A retail worker at the DFO shopping centre near Brisbane Airport tested positive for the virus before her partner also developed symptoms

But Chief Health Officer Jeanette Young is 'very concerned' about the new cases, confirming both people have visited an extensive list of locations throughout Brisbane, including gyms and restaurants.

One of the new cases, while living in Brisbane, travels an hour north to work in the Sunshine Coast each day.

A thorough list of exposure sites will be released on Sunday.

The development is 'very concerning' to authorities, who have now reintroduced restrictions to prevent a widespread outbreak.

Pubs, clubs and cafes will revert to the one person per two square metre rule, while private gatherings at homes will be limited to 100 people.

Any persons in Queensland who travelled from Greater Sydney are required to follow the two-week lockdown that was introduced in NSW from 10am Sunday.

The restrictions will last as long as the Sydney lockdown remains in place.

NORTHERN TERRITORY

Darwin will go into a snap lockdown after the Northern Territory recorded four new Covid-19 cases linked to an outbreak at a gold mine, bringing the total number of infections to five.

The announcement was made at a press conference on Sunday morning by Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner.

'We are assuming the worst,' Mr Gunner said.

'We are expecting more cases. There is a stronger chance that any new cases will have exposure sites which makes the job of tracing and testing much bigger.'

NT health authorities believe the latest cases are the highly-infectious Indian Delta variant, prompting Mr Gunner to impose a series of rules that are tougher than restrictions in Sydney - which now has 112 local cases.

Residents will only be allowed to leave their homes for five reasons, including medical treatment and Covid testing, to buy groceries, go to work if it is considered essential, or to care for sick family members.

Territorians in hotspots will also only be allowed to exercise for one hour a day with one other person they live with, and they will not be allowed to travel further than 5km away from home.

One case linked to the mine worker has also been reported back in the New England Hunter region in New South Wales, sparking fears of another outbreak in the state.
Matt Hancock is facing an investigation over his use of a personal email account to conduct government business, according to reports.

By not using an official address during the pandemic, the newly resigned Health Secretary would have been in breach of government guidelines.

Mr Hancock has routinely used a private email account to conduct government business since March last year, according to documents seen by The Sunday Times.

Matt Hancock (pictured) is facing an investigation over his use of a personal email account to conduct government business, according to reports

As a result, his communications and information has been concealed from his own officials and potentially the public, and means that the government does not hold records of much of the former health minister's decision making.

This reportedly includes negotiating PPE contracts worth millions, establishing the 37 billion test and trace programme, and overseeing the government's care homes strategy - all of which he faced criticism for during his time in office.

According to The Sunday Times, the existence of the secret account was disclosed in minutes of a December meeting between senior officials at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

Cabinet Office guidelines stipulate that ministers should use official email accounts, in the interest of transparency, and in order to ensure there is evidence of important decisions and of proper internal scrutiny from officials and staff.

Matt Hancock, 42, announced his resignation on Saturday following the emergence of video footage showing him kissing aide Gina Coladangelo in his ministerial office in a breach of coronavirus restrictions.

He has also been accused of conflicts of interest over the hiring of Coladangelo as his media adviser and director of his department, earning 15,000 a year.

Matt Hancock, 42, announced his resignation on Saturday following the emergence of video footage showing him kissing aide Gina Coladangelo in his ministerial office in a breach of coronavirus restrictions

According to the leaked documents, its possible that he hid details of their official dealings, and his conduct in office as a whole.

According to the newspaper, the minutes show that David Williams - the department's second permanent secretary - warned of Hancock's emails, saying that he 'only' deals with his private office 'via Gmail account'.

He also stated that 'the SOS [secretary of state] does not have a DHSC inbox', and that officials could not freely access key evidence or documents because the 'threshold for requesting this personal account would need to be substantial.'

Williams also said that Hancock's ally and a junior health minister Lord Bethell used the same practice.

Mr Hancock has also been accused of conflicts of interest over the hiring of Coladangelo (pictured togehter) as his media adviser and director of his department, earning 15,000 a year

The subject of the minutes was a meeting about a legal challenge made by the Good Law Project over Hancock's decision to award a contract worth as much as 75 million for 'malfunctioning' tests to a firm connected to government adviser Sir John Bell.

Williams admits in the minutes that he 'doesn't believe there was inappropriate acts on behalf of ministers but can clearly see the optics suggest otherwise,' The Sunday Times reports.

Since the meeting, Hancock was given an official email account, although according to two sources cited by the newspaper, he still preferred to use Gmail - considered a form of communication that is more difficult to trace.

Labour have demanded an investigation by the Information Commissioners Office into whether Hancock breached the rules.

Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Angela Rayner said: 'He needs to explain to the British people why he thought it was acceptable to have a secret and private email inbox for contracts for people that he had a direct relationship with.'

The disgraced health secretary is already facing potential investigations into whether he broke laws and guidance that he helped create, and the ministerial code, in relation to his clinch with Ms Coladangelo.

A DHSC spokesman told The Sunday Times: 'All DHSC ministers understand the rules around personal email usage and only conduct government business through their departmental email addresses.'
Owners of an Illawarra cafe have been fined after refusing to wear face masks the day before the area was locked down.

Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys said during a press conference on Sunday police were called out to the venue south of Sydney by outraged customers.

'There was an absolutely resistance of the cafe owner and those people at front of house to wear a mask,' he said.

'It is clearly irresponsible. The community, when you look at social media, was certainly against that stance taken by the cafe.

Owners of an Illawarra cafe have been fined after refusing to wear face masks while serving customers (pictured, police patrolling Rushcutters Bay Park)

Sydneysiders are only allowed to leave their home for four reasons, including work, shopping for essential items, seeking medical care, or for caregiving or compassionate reasons

'In fact, police had to issue infringement notices and I will follow that up in the coming days to make sure that they comply.'

Face masks were mandatory for hospitality staff in Illawarra even before the lockdown across all of Sydney, Blue Mountains, Central Coast, and Wollongong kicked in at 11.59pm on Saturday.

Sydneysiders are only allowed to leave their home for four reasons, including work, shopping for essential items, seeking medical care, or for caregiving or compassionate reasons.

Deputy Commissioner Worboys said 15 penalty infringements were issued across NSW overnight.

They included a family from Sydney's eastern suburbs who broke stay-at-home orders to travel to a sporting event in the Hunter Valley.

'No matter how people think that they have to attend some of these events with their children or need to go on holidays, public health orders are clear,' Deputy Commissioner Worboy said.

'The family were issued an infringement notice and that will happen to any family who has travelled outside the metropolitan area and against public health orders.'

Deputy Commissioner Worboy praised the number of people who were alerting authorities of the rule breakers.

'We need to show some decency and respect for those people who are trying to help police and others make sure that people comply with public health orders,' he said.

Deputy commissioner Worboy's plea came as the state recorded 30 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases (pictured, cyclists passing the Sydney Opera House on Sunday)

'We need to remain decent and polite to those people who are trying to protect NSW at this time.'

Deputy commissioner Worboy's plea came as the state recorded 30 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases.

NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian said 30 new local cases of Covid-19 were recorded between 8pm Friday and 8pm Saturday, taking the total number in the outbreak to 112 cases.

More than 52,000 people were tested in the same period.

Of the 30 new cases, 11 were already self-isolating and the remaining are all linked, Ms Berejiklian said.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has defended her handling of the Covid-19 outbreak and hit back at claims she should have plunged Sydney into lockdown sooner.

The premier said during a press conference on Sunday that her government had always followed advice of its health experts.

'I do not regret a single decision we have taken because it has been based on health advice,' she said.

'Also when you are making a major decision to lock down millions and millions of people, you have to make sure it is based on health advice and not because you want to have zero cases every day.

'It is not a decision you take lightly when you literally lockdown millions and millions of people but it is based on health advice.'

The New South Wales premier has defended her handling of the Covid-19 outbreak and hit back at claims she should have plunged Sydney into lockdown sooner

On Saturday, Ms Berejiklian announced that Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong would be plunged into a 14-day long lockdown

Ms Berejiklian on Saturday put Sydney, Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong into a 14-day long lockdown - the first since 14 months ago.

Other outbreaks have been quashed with the state's world-leading contact tracing and proportionate, measures restrictions.

But the highly-infectious Delta variant pushed the outbreak to 82 cases on Saturday and 112 on Sunday.

Ms Berejiklian said the state government held a crisis cabinet meeting and acted quickly on the advice from health authorities to enforce a lockdown.

'The health advice changed very quickly yesterday and I made sure that, as soon as Dr Chant and the experts indicated concerns, we got together our crisis cabinet and adopted in full the health advice,' she said.

She also brushed aside speculation from a reporter who claimed she had delayed the lockdown so she could maintain her 'reputation as a premier that keeps the state open and looks after the economy'.

'I have never cared about what people think about me, but I care about keeping people safe and not putting burdens on them unless we absolutely have to,' she said.

'We make sure we provide as much information as possible and as much certainty as possible.'

Of the 30 new cases announced on Sunday, 10 are linked to the Great Ocean Foods seafood wholesaler in Marrickville

The decision to shut down the city was made as health authorities struggle to contain an outbreak of the highly-contagious Delta variant of Covid-19

Likewise, her deputy John Barilaro argued the city was kept open as long as possible, which was the right call for the state as it tried to avoid a lockdown.

'We have kept business open as long as possible,' he told Sky News. 'We are proud of the work we have done.'

'We know that the best thing for business is certainty. We are better off going into a sharp lockdown.

'Industry leaders would rather a two-week lockdown than death by a thousand cuts (of snap lockdowns after just a few cases).'

Mr Barilaro said he was confident the two week lockdown would be long enough to beat the spread of the virus.

However, Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant both at Sunday's press conference refused to rule out extending the lockdown.

The decision to shut down the city was made as health authorities struggle to contain an outbreak of the highly-contagious Delta variant of Covid-19.

Police patrols were out in full force in Bondi on Sunday, telling anybody who was contravening lockdown orders to move along

Of the 30 new cases announced on Sunday, 10 are linked to the Great Ocean Foods seafood wholesaler in Marrickville

Some 112 cases have already been linked to the outbreak with some health experts warning that the lockdown should have been brought in sooner.

World Health Organisation adviser and epidemiologist Professor Mary-Louise McLaws said the delay had allowed the virus to potentially spread beyond control.

'The horse has bolted, but the horse started bolting last week,' she said.

Clinical epidemiologist Nancy Baxter added they would be surprised if lockdown was not extended beyond the July 9 end date.

Of the 30 new cases announced on Sunday, 10 are linked to the Great Ocean Foods seafood wholesaler in Marrickville.

This brings the total number of cases acquired through that cluster to 11, as well as the original case who worked there during their infectious period.

One of the people linked to this cluster includes a Virgin Australia flight attendant who tested positive after working as a crew member on five flights between Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast on Friday and Saturday.

Eleven of the new cases were in isolation for their entire infectious period, while three were quarantined for most of their infectious period

Cyclists ride past the Sydney Opera House on the first day of the 14-day long lockdown in the city

That crew member is now in isolation while Virgin works to contact every team member who would be considered a close contact.

'Virgin Australia is requiring those crew members to cease flying, get tested and isolate. All passengers on flights the crew member operated will be contacted by health authorities and advised on the correct protocol,' a spokesman said.

Eleven of the new cases were in isolation for their entire infectious period, while three were quarantined for most of their infectious period.

Another newly detected case attended the Westmead Hospital vaccination centre on June 22 without realising they were infectious, and subsequent contact tracing revealed they were a close contact of a previously known case.

'As a precaution we have called the people that attended that vaccine centre in a period before and after the case,' Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said.
More than 50 Sydneysiders were booted from a Canberra hotel for breaching travel restrictions when discovered by police.

Hotel staff first alerted police that a family-of-two were staying at the hotel in Braddon, an inner north suburb, on Saturday night.

The family visited Sydney on June 21 and did not have an exemption to travel into Canberra, which has been required for the past few days.

The city does not accept any non-ACT residents who do not have an exemption if they have visited Sydney, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Shellharbour.

More than 50 Sydneysiders were booted from a Canberra hotel for breaching travel restrictions when discovered by police (pictured, ACT officer wearing a face mask)

Officers told the family they would have to immediately leave the hotel before escorting them to the border and back to NSW.

Hotel staff then called police a second time to say they had learned another 50 other guests had also been in Sydney.

Police told the guests they would be allowed to stay in the hotel overnight but would have to leave first thing on Sunday morning.

Any of the guests who did not comply were warned they would be required to stay in hotel quarantine for 14 days.

Non-ACT residents who have visited Sydney need to obtain an exemption before travelling into Canberra.

Anyone who is caught breaching the restrictions risks an $8,000 fine.

Sydneysiders have also been prohibited from leaving their homes after the city was plunged into a 14 day long lockdown.

Residents may only leave their homes for four essential reasons including work, shopping for essential items, seeking medical care, or for caregiving or compassionate reasons.
How an airport limousine driver caught coronavirus before sparking a outbreak that sent Sydney into lockdown may never be known, health chiefs warn.

NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said the limousine driver could have picked up the virus while transporting international flight crew from Sydney Airport.

'We have reached out to the flight crew organisations, places like FedEx and others and asked them whether any of their flight crew had tested positive,' she said.

The New South Wales chief health officer has warned authorities may never know how an airport limousine driver acquired Covid-19 before sparking the latest outbreak in Sydney

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Dr Kerry Chant revealed the limousine driver (pictured) could have picked up the virus while transporting international flight crew

'We have not, to my knowledge, received any advice back that any had but, again, one must also understand that in Australia we are quite privileged to be in a setting of no community transmission, where we have actually incredible access to testing whereas that situation does not exist everywhere.'

The limousine driver is considered to be patient zero and at the centre of the latest Covid-19 outbreak that currently sits at 112 cases.

Despite his daily close contact with flights crews, the driver believes he was actually infected with the Indian Delta Covid variant by a customer at his regular coffee stop, Belle Cafe in Vaucluse in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

He told A Current Affair he vividly remembered another customer in his 30s sat near to him at the cafe on June 12 who was violently coughing and sneezing.

The cafe became an exposure site at the start of the outbreak, with an elderly customer catching the virus there from an infected person.

NSW Police cleared the limousine driver and his employer after launching an investigation into whether he breached public health orders.

Police launched a probe after it was revealed the driver from Bondi refused the AstraZeneca vaccine because of a family history of blood clots and had not been tested daily.

The infected limo driver believed to be 'patient zero' claims vividly remembering another customer in his 30s sat near to him at the Belle Cafe in Vaucluse (pictured) on June 12 who was violently coughing and sneezing

The limousine driver is considered to be patient zero and at the centre of the latest Covid-19 outbreak that currently sits at 112 cases

But he insisted he was wearing a mask at all times while working as a driver transporting air crew from the airport to hotels.

Health orders require those working around the hotel quarantine system to be tested for the virus daily, and the driver admitted he was not tested on his days off.

His infection was caught when testing resumed when he returned to work - but he had already been out in the community for several days before getting the positive test result.

On Saturday, Police Commissioner Mick Fuller revealed the investigation had now been dropped through a lack of evidence.

'Yesterday I advised we had sent the case for urgent external legal advice due to the significance of this outbreak and the community concern,' he said.

'I can now confirm we have received advice that there is insufficient evidence to establish that either the limousine driver or his employer breached any public health orders.'
A Melbourne columnist is facing backlash for an opinion piece he wrote about Sydney's Covid lockdown, with critics accusing him of stoking hatred between the two cities.

Former ABC Radio host Jon Faine published a column detailing his two opinions of Sydney's outbreak, from the perspective of 'good' and 'bad' Jon.

'Bad Jon' wrote that while he 'sincerely hopes no one dies... their two-week lockdown will prick their self-righteous balloon'.

He hoped it would 'put an end to the partisan, condescending and patronising nonsense that has been raining down on Victorians for months'.

The comments sparked outrage among Sydneysiders, who are enduring the 'scariest' period of the Covid pandemic to date, and Australians in general.

Former ABC Radio host Jon Faine published an article detailing his two opinions of Sydney's two-week lockdown, from the perspective of 'good' and 'bad' Jon

So far 112 local cases of Covid have been detected, spreading from a hub in Sydney's east throughout the state.

Critics accused Faine and the Melbourne-based paper of relishing in the suffering of millions.

Journalist Bridie Jabour said she couldn't believe there were Melburnians genuinely seeming to 'wish Covid on Sydney'.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has been repeatedly condemned for his handling of the pandemic in Melbourne, in contrast to widespread praise directed toward NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

Ms Berejiklian was adamant her state would never need to lockdown again and has repeatedly called on other governments to end their border closures and lockdowns in an attempt to keep the economy running.

Ms Berejiklian was adamant her state would never need to lockdown again and has repeatedly called on other governments to end their border closures and lockdowns in an attempt to keep the economy running

'Bad Jon' wrote that while he 'sincerely hopes no one dies... their two-week lockdown will prick their self-righteous balloon'

But on Saturday she was forced to backtrack on that statement as the highly infectious Delta strain of Covid infiltrates the community.

Rather than express any sympathy, Faine said it would 'do Sydney some good to be knocked off their high perch'.

Faine admitted to having conflicting feelings about Sydney's crisis, but ultimately still published an opinion that Ms Berejiklian wrongly held off on plunging the city into lockdown to 'justify their thinly disguised political posturing'.

'NSW Health have been making brave and exaggerated claims that have been undoubtedly putting their own people and the rest of us at risk. Then they made the absurd and irresponsible decision to defer a full lockdown,' he wrote.

'As things go wrong, it is on their heads and they will regret not going into lockdown when they found significant transmission.'

Rather than express any sympathy, Faine said it would 'do Sydney some good to be knocked off their high perch'. Pictured: Deserted Sydney in lockdown on Sunday, June 27

Ms Berejiklian on Sunday dismissed such claims, arguing her government had always followed advice of its health experts.

'I do not regret a single decision we have taken because it has been based on health advice,' she said.

'Also when you are making a major decision to lock down millions and millions of people, you have to make sure it is based on health advice and not because you want to have zero cases every day.'

Faine then took aim at Sydney itself, along with its residents, calling it 'so smug and self-important'.

He then, with some bitterness, accused the 'Sydney-centric' federal government of 'unquestioningly' supporting Ms Berejiklian because she is from the same party.

'Too many people regarded Covid as a Melbourne thing; now they have to accept it is more than that,' he wrote.

'At least as they now have a decent cluster in Sydney, Scott Morrison will finally be forced to fast-track mass vaccination with the urgency it requires and stop dawdling on getting the nation inoculated.'

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 910 Australians have died and there have been nearly four million fatalities globally. Of the victims in Australia, 820 were in Victoria. Pictured: Busy Flinders Street in Victoria during the latest lockdown in May

Faine's musings sparked an enormous backlash, not just from Sydneysiders, with some describing them as 'contemptible'.

'What sort of lunatic not only desires a lockdown on a whole city but actually commits those mean spirited thoughts to print? Save your projections for your therapist I suggest,' one critic said.

Another, a barrister from Victoria, said: 'Mock and criticise the governments and leaders. Go hard. I will be. But to say that our fellow Australians in NSW 'deserve' this, or that it 'serves them right' is contemptible.'

Faine was a long time host of ABC Radio Melbourne's morning program and is a regular columnist in the Nine-owned newspaper.

In spite of all the backlash, many dedicated former listeners and fans said Faine had succinctly summed up their own conflicting feelings in response to the Sydney cluster.

Critics have accused Faine and the Melbourne-based paper of relishing in the suffering of millions

Several admitted to niggling feelings of schadenfreude (taking pleasure from another person's misfortune), when hearing updates out of Sydney each day

Several admitted to niggling feelings of schadenfreude (taking pleasure from another person's misfortune), when hearing updates out of Sydney each day.

'Thank you Jon, on behalf of all of Melbourne. I've been horrified by Gladys & Morrison sniping about Victorian lockdowns and the NSW gold standard approach. While wishing them well, a bit of Victorian schadenfreude is in order,' one said.

Another wrote: 'I have to admit to having these thoughts too, Jon. I'm not proud of it, but you've summed it up perfectly.'

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 910 Australians have died and there have been nearly four million fatalities globally.

Of the victims in Australia, 820 were in Victoria. There have been no deaths linked to the latest outbreak in New South Wales.

Faine called Sydney 'smug and self-important' and noted 'too many people regarded Covid as a Melbourne thing; now they have to accept it is more than that'.
An army recruit who was allegedly raped by another cadet on base was named by senior staff in front of 102 of her peers.

The 19-year-old woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by Jack Bannerman, 19, at the Holsworthy Barracks, in southwest Sydney, on February 23.

Senior staff are then understood to have revealed the alleged victim's name to her 102 trainee class.

The woman became 'extremely upset' before deciding to drop out of the course, Daily Telegraph reported.

Jack Bannerman, the son of a policeman in Wodonga on the NSW-Victoria border, was suspended from the army and charged with rape

An army recruit who was allegedly raped by another cadet on base was named by senior staff in front of her peers

Deputy commander of the 8th Brigade, Colonel Stephen Brumby, launched an investigation into the alleged rape and the aftermath.

He will also look into the woman's regiment and investigating the culture between the cadets and superiors.

The Department of Defence said it was aware of the allegations.

'Defence does not tolerate unacceptable behaviour and takes action when unacceptable behaviour occurs. All Defence personnel are expected to behave in accordance with the Defence values,' it said.

Bannerman, the son of a policeman in Wodonga on the NSW-Victoria border, was suspended from the army and charged with rape.

A court heard Bannerman and another cadet were invited to the woman's room - but the other cadet did not show up.

He then allegedly forced the woman to have sex with him before apologising over text and begging her not to say anything.

The court heard he told the woman his girlfriend 'would be ok' with what he did.

Daily Mail Australia contacted the Department of Defence for further comment.
Daniel Andrews has opened up about the terrifying moment he heard a 'crunch' and turned blue after he slipped on wet stairs and broke his spine.

The Victorian premier toppled while getting ready for work at a rented holiday home on the Mornington Peninsula at 6.36am on March 9 in an accident that saw him vanish from the public eye for more than three months.

On Sunday afternoon, the day before the state leader returns to office, he explained in exhaustive detail exactly what happened that day in a video on social media.

With his wife Catherine by his side, the father-of-two said his family was on holiday to spend some time together after a strenuous year filled with Covid-19 lockdowns and daily press conferences.

Absent Premier Daniel Andrews (pictured with his wife) has been absent from office for more than three months

Mr Andrews intended to travel straight from the holiday home in Sorrento to the office on the Monday morning, but it had been raining and the stairs were slippery.

'As I put my foot onto the first step, I knew I was in trouble. i didn't really connect with the step - I just slid straight off. I became airborne, almost,' he said.

'And then all I could hear was this almighty crunch. When I heard the crunch, that's when I knew this was serious.'

The 48-year-old suffered five broken ribs and broke his T7 vertebrae, directly below his shoulder blades.

He could barely breathe and was in too much pain to speak, but Catherine came running when she heard groaning in agony.

'It was awful because you were going blue,' she said to her husband in the video..

Pictured: Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and his wife Catherine explaining what happened the day he broke his back

Pictured: Daniel Andrews, his wife Catherine and their two children during a video posted on Twitter on Sunday

'We were looking at each other and I was thinking, "you're going to die here in Sorrento"... and you were looking at me, and you felt the same.'

Terrified, Catherine called the ambulance and his police protection workers - who were parked a few houses down the street waiting for him to drive out on his way to work.

The premier recalled paramedics arriving and being told he had broken ribs, but it wasn't until he was given strong pain relief that his mind began to settle.

In the 24 hours after the accident, he was taken to a specialist trauma centre at the Alfred Hospital - which orthopaedic surgeons around Australia said signalled a serious injury.

'I've neve experienced anything like this. I've never really been injured and I've never been admitted to hospital in all my life. I've never broken a bone,' he said.

The video on Sunday was cut with montages of the Andrews family cooking together (pictured)

Daniel Andrews fractured his T7 vertebrae (in red), which is in the middle of the spine

He thanked the paramedics, nurses and doctors who took care of him during his recovery, and to the 'tens of thousands' of Australians who sent him 'get well' messages.

'To every one of you who've sent a Facebook message, a card, a note, an email, a text message wishing us well, I'm deeply grateful,' he said.

'We're deeply grateful,' he added, gesturing to his wife.

He also said he's feeling 'fit, strong and healthy' enough to return to office on Monday, before revealing he is on the ballot for the state election for 2022.

'I'm running, and I'm running to win,' he declared.

Dan Andrews (pictured with daughter Grace, 18) in April as he recovers from a serious back injury

Mr Andrews (pictured, back) is undergoing his rehabilitation process at his Melbourne home

The video follows widespread criticism by conspiracy theories about Mr Andrews' fall since he was so rarely seen in the months after the accident.

He was only seen in three social media photos, including one posted by Catherine in early June which showed her cutting his hair with his face covered by a comb.

One outrageous theory included that he was beaten up by a union official or bashed by a businessman upset about Covid-19 lockdowns.

Some conspiracy theorists claimed a social media image showing Mr Andrews in his early recovery stage was photoshopped to show his head on some-one else's body.

Those close to the premier said the theories were nonsense.

Mr Andrews was injured on March 9 and spent 10 days in hospital. Conspiracy theorists claimed this image was photoshopped to show his head on some-one else's body

Daniel Andrews issued this message to Victorians on social media earlier in June after weeks of silence

The Liberal-National Opposition believes Mr Andrews - who is the nation's best-paid premier on $441,439 - owes it to taxpayers to reveal more details about the incident and prove there is no 'cover up' as he clocks up 92 days off sick on full pay.

MPs want to know who was in the house at the time, as well as the home's address and the name of the owner.

They also want to know if police were called and if Mr Andrews has been interviewed by officers 'either formally or informally' over anything that happened that weekend.

'If there is no cover up then there is no reason not to provide answers to these simple questions,' said shadow treasurer Louise Staley.

'Victorians need honesty and transparency from Daniel Andrews about the circumstances of his injury.

'Everyone is entitled to privacy about their health, but these questions are not about the nature of his injuries, only how he got those injuries.'

Dan Andrews was pictured in his wife's Instagram story on Saturday evening receiving a DIY lockdown haircut - but it didn't show his face

Liberal MP James Newbury joined calls for more details, telling Daily Mail Australia: 'No-one is questioning whether Daniel Andrews is sick - but as the elected leader of 6.7 million people, he owes Victorians a proper explanation as to what really happened to him.'

'Victoria is in the middle of its fourth lockdown and people's lives and livelihoods are on the line. We deserve more from Daniel Andrews than a couple of social media posts or a photo of his wife cutting his hair.'

Acting Premier James Merlino said the Opposition should be 'ashamed' for asking the questions.

'We are dealing with a global pandemic for goodness' sake,' he said in a press conference on Tuesday.

'I think it reflects on the Liberal Party, it reflects on the Leader of the Opposition  they should be ashamed of themselves, quite frankly.'

During his time off sick, Mr Andrews has earned about $110,000 - almost double the average annual salary of Victorians which is $63,500.

Members of parliament are not employed but get paid for the office they hold, meaning they have no leave limits.

Aussies employed in the private sector only get a minimum of 10 days personal leave per year.

Ms Staley said Mr Andrews should only take an MP's base salary of $182,413 while off sick.

Mr Andrews, who oversaw Melbourne's 112-day lockdown last year, saidwearlier in June that he would return to work later this month.

It was the first time he had addressed the public since a social media post on April 18, when he said he was making 'slow and steady progress'.
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Disgraced Matt Hancock's ally Lord Bethell has been referred to the standards watchdog for allegedly improperly sponsoring a parliamentary pass for the former Health Secretary's millionaire lover.

Parliamentary records show that Health Minister Lord Bethell, a friend of Mr Hancock's, sponsored lobbyist Gina Coladangelo's access to the Palace of Westminster from April 2020 until at least October.

A complaint has been made to the Lords commissioner for standards by Labour, whose party chairwoman Anneliese Dodds accused the Government of cronyism and said the Tories have 'serious questions' to answer.

Cheating Mr Hancock, 42, resigned as Health Secretary and left his wife of 15 years after images published this week showed him kissing Miss Coladangelo, 43, in his ministerial office in breach of coronavirus restrictions.

Boris Johnson had faced a tidal wave of criticism for failing to sack Mr Hancock, who can be seen in the photos and video flouting the very social distancing measures he imposed on millions during the pandemic.

The complaint is likely to reignite questions of why Mr Hancock sponsored a parliamentary pass for Miss Coladangelo from June 2019 until February last year.

Parliamentary records show that Health Minister Lord Bethell sponsored lobbyist Gina Coladangelo's access to the Palace of Westminster from April 2020 until at least October

Matt Hancock, 42, resigned as Health Secretary and left his wife of 15 years after images published this week showed him kissing Miss Coladangelo, 43, in his ministerial office in breach of coronavirus restrictions

Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock kissing his millionaire aide in May this year

In the summer of 2019, Miss Coladangelo was reported to be serving as an aide on Mr Hancock's failed Tory leadership campaign, but it is unclear why she continued to have access to Parliament thereafter.

House of Lords rules state that peers can sponsor three passes for those who 'genuinely and personally provide parliamentary secretarial or research assistance' to them - and must sign a declaration to this effect.

Official guidance states that a breach of the rules regarding passes 'constitutes a breach of the code of conduct, and may lead to a complaint to the House of Lords commissioner for standards which, if upheld, can lead to sanction by the House'. Sanction can range from a public reprimand to a lengthy suspension.

Holders of parliamentary passes have free access to the Palace of Westminster, to MPs and ministers, and to bars, restaurants and other taxpayer-funded facilities. They may also bring guests to the parliamentary estate.

When she held her pass, Miss Coladangelo was PR chief of her husband's retailer and a shareholder at lobbying firm Luther Pendragon.

But it is understood that Miss Coladangelo has never worked for Lord Bethell, who was appointed as minister with responsibility for NHS Test and Trace.

Last November the Department of Health did not dispute the claim or the suggestion that Lord Bethell sponsored the wife of Oliver Bonas founder Oliver Tress in order to shield Mr Hancock from scrutiny or awkward questions.

Gina Coladangelo (pictured with the Health Secretary in September 2019), initially taken on by Mr Hancock as an unpaid adviser on a six-month contract in early 2020, is also leaving her position on the board of the Department of Health

Matt Hancock wrote a letter of resignation (pictured above) to Boris Johnson where he said the Government 'owe it to people who have sacrificed so much in this pandemic to be honest when we have let them down

It has come to light that the Health Secretary told his wife, Martha (pictured for the first time since his resignation announcement), that he would be leaving her on Thursday night - immediately after discovering that his affair with Gina Coladangelo was about to be laid bare

Lord Bethell, who chaired and donated 5,000 to Mr Hancock's leadership campaign, has been referred to the Lords commissioner for standards by Labour.

Miss Dodds said: 'The Conservatives have serious questions to answer about how Gina Coladangelo gained the right to enter Parliament unchecked. We need to know why was she sponsored by one of Matt Hancock's chums in the Lords and what work she did for him.

'Access to Parliament is a privilege for people who genuinely need to work there. There cannot be one rule for the Conservatives and their friends and another for everyone else.'

MailOnline has approached Lord Bethell and Mr Hancock for comment.

It comes as Mr Hancock faces an investigation over his use of a personal email account to conduct government business, according to reports.

By not using an official address during the pandemic, the newly resigned Health Secretary would have been in breach of government guidelines.

Mr Hancock has routinely used a private email account to conduct government business since March last year, according to documents seen by The Sunday Times.

As a result, his communications and information has been concealed from his own officials and potentially the public, and means that the government does not hold records of much of the former health minister's decision making.

This reportedly includes negotiating PPE contracts worth millions, establishing the 37billion test and trace programme, and overseeing the government's care homes strategy - all of which he faced criticism for during his time in office.

The Times reports the existence of the secret account was disclosed in minutes of a December meeting between senior officials at the Department of Health.

Matt Hancock (pictured) is facing an investigation over his use of a personal email account to conduct government business, according to reports

Matt Hancock, 42, announced his resignation on Saturday following the emergence of video footage showing him kissing aide Gina Coladangelo in his ministerial office in a breach of coronavirus restrictions

Cabinet Office guidelines stipulate that ministers should use official email accounts, in the interest of transparency, and in order to ensure there is evidence of important decisions and of proper internal scrutiny from officials and staff.

Mr Hancock has been accused of conflicts of interest over the hiring of Coladangelo as his media adviser and director of his department, earning 15,000 a year.

According to the leaked documents, its possible that he hid details of their official dealings, and his conduct in office as a whole.

According to the newspaper, the minutes show that David Williams - the department's second permanent secretary - warned of Hancock's emails, saying that he 'only' deals with his private office 'via Gmail account'.

He also stated that 'the SOS [secretary of state] does not have a DHSC inbox', and that officials could not freely access key evidence or documents because the 'threshold for requesting this personal account would need to be substantial.'

Mr Williams also said that Hancock's ally and a junior health minister Lord Bethell used the same practice.

The subject of the minutes was a meeting about a legal challenge made by the Good Law Project over Mr Hancock's decision to award a contract worth as much as 75million for 'malfunctioning' tests to a firm connected to government adviser Sir John Bell.

Mr Williams admits in the minutes that he 'doesn't believe there was inappropriate acts on behalf of ministers but can clearly see the optics suggest otherwise,' The Sunday Times reports.

Since the meeting, Mr Hancock was given an official email account, although according to two sources cited by the newspaper, he still preferred to use Gmail - considered a form of communication that is more difficult to trace.

Labour have demanded an investigation by the Information Commissioners Office into whether Mr Hancock breached the rules.

Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Angela Rayner said: 'He needs to explain to the British people why he thought it was acceptable to have a secret and private email inbox for contracts for people that he had a direct relationship with.'

The disgraced health secretary is already facing potential investigations into whether he broke laws and guidance that he helped create, and the ministerial code, in relation to his clinch with Miss Coladangelo.

A DHSC spokesman told The Sunday Times: 'All DHSC ministers understand the rules around personal email usage and only conduct government business through their departmental email addresses.'
A terrorist who plotted a bomb attack on Boris Johnson and Big Ben was allowed to walk free for five months after his accomplice carried out the Fishmongers Hall attack.

Terrorist Usman Khan, 28, killed Cambridge University graduates Saskia Jones, 23, and Jack Merritt, 25, during a prisoner rehabilitation event near London Bridge on November 29 2019.

During this time and for five months following the attack his accomplice Mohammed Shahjahan, 36, made up to 20 secret visits to see his wife at a university whilst on probation, The Mirror reports.

The terror cell leader Shahjahan had been jailed with Khan and seven others in 2012 for a bomb plot targeting Boris Johnson, the Stock Exchange and Big Ben.

Terrorists Left to right: Mohibur Raham, Gurukanth Desai, Abdul Miah, Usman Khan, Mohammed Chowdhury, Mohammed Shahjahan in Roath Park, Cardiff, on November 7 2010

Shahjahan was released on license in 2019, shortly before Khan - who was released in 2018 despite being assessed as being a 'very high risk of serious harm' to the public by a prison psychologist.

Shahjahan repeated visits to his wife's university were found to have breached the terms of his licence as he did not seek permission beforehand.

Terrorist Usman Khan, 28, who carried out London Bridge attack on November 29 2019

Most of the visits took place after Khan's murderous attack on London Bridge, during which time Shahjahan was not investigated, The Mirror reports.

Shahjahan was wearing a GPS ankle-monitoring tag like Khan had been when he carried out the London Bridge attack.

Until Khan's terrorist rampage he had been allowed to live just three miles away from his old accomplice Shahjahan and within 17 miles of his former gang member Nazam Hussein, who was also jailed following the attack for breaching licence conditions.

After police discovered Shahjahan had breached his probation they carried out a raid on his house - uncovering a list of contacts for senior extremists held in Britain's top security jails, The Mirror reports.

No criminal charges were placed on Shahjahan for possessing the deadly list due to there being no evidence he had attempted to contact those on the list, despite officers expressing 'concern about the possibility of further terrorist activity'.

He was recalled to jail in 2020, and had his appeal against this rejected by the Parole Board.

Khan being confronted by Darryn Frost, Steve Gallant and John Crilly on London Bridge following the attack

A bystander of the terror attack is seen attempting to fight off Usman Khan with a narwhal tusk on London Bridge, Khan was later shot dead by police on the bridge

John Crilly, 50, who tackled Khan at the scene of the London Bridge attack said he was terrified to hear that his former accomplice Shahjahan was not challenged in the five months after the attack.

Mr Crilly told The MIrror: 'It terrifies me  it's just a dog's dinner. I can't believe the extent to which they've mismanaged these people, it's mind-boggling. We're fortunate that Shahjahan wasn't able to do the same as Khan.'

The revelation follows criticism from the coroner over whether Khan's attack could have been prevented at the inquest into Ms Jones and Mr Merritt's deaths in May of this year.

Giving evidence to the inquests from behind a screen, a senior MI5 official known only as Witness A explained there had been no intelligence of concern since his release from prison in December 2018.

She said JOT assessed that Khan wanted to travel to Pakistan when his licence conditions ended, which would not be for several years, and heard that he was no longer going to the gym or the mosque regularly.

Police said he had 'significantly withdrawn' from society since moving into his own flat in September 2019.

Saskia Jones, 23, (right) and Jack Merritt, 25, (left) died following a terror attack at London Bridge after convicted terrorist Usman Khan went on a knife rampage

Witness A said the JOT panel members saw the Fishmongers' Hall visit as 'an opportunity to get information' on Khan before deciding whether to close their investigation into him.

Khan had been allowed to attend the Learning Together prisoner education event despite concerns that he would return to his old ways upon his release from prison 11 months earlier.

But Witness A said a review found the attack could not have been prevented.

She said the security service first became aware of Khan in 2008, as a member of terror group al-Muhajiroun (ALM).

He was linked to a plot to attack the London Stock Exchange and jailed for planning a terror camp abroad.

The officer said MI5 was aware that Khan had been involved in violence in prison.

Jonathan Hough QC, counsel for the coroner, asked: 'Was there also evidence he wanted to die and go to paradise?'

Witness A replied: 'There was information to that effect.'
He won a ballot after a spill motion in the Nationals party room last Monday

Barnaby Joyce has returns to Nationals leadership after three years in wilderness

Barnaby Joyce has revealed he thinks of Scott Morrison purely as a 'business partner' in his first sit-down interview as Australia's Deputy Prime Minister.

The returned Nationals leader was sworn into his new role for the second time on Tuesday morning, after a spectacular political comeback.

Mr Joyce, 54, who has already ruffled feathers after seizing the leadership in a party-room ballot, spoke about how he imagines the powerful pair's relationship will be going forward.

Deputy Prime Minister of Australia Barnaby Joyce (pictured) was sworn in to his new role for the second time on Tuesday, after a spectacular political comeback

'I respect the office of the Prime Minister. It's incredibly important. But to say you have to like the person? You can, but it's not necessary', Mr Joyce (right) said of Scott Morrison (left)

'We're business partners, that's all', he said, when speaking to News Corp last week.

'I respect the office of the Prime Minister. It's incredibly important. But to say you have to like the person? You can, but it's not necessary.'

Mr Joyce said what matters instead is what you can achieve for other people.

'You're judged by whether you can get a deal for that person over there in that weatherboard and iron house: if you can get a deal for them, then that relationship is alright', he said.

The returned leader said he would like to prioritise Queensland's Burdekin-into-Murray irrigation scheme as well as the nation's nuclear power.

After 40 months spent in political wilderness, the father-of-six said he was grateful to get back to work for Australians.

In a statement, Scott Morrison said he looked forward to 'working closely together to ensure Australia continues its recovery from coronavirus and the recession it caused'

'I'm not a fool, I'm at the back end of my career not the front end, so I'm more focused on what I want to achieve politically, rather than trying to establish a long tenure,' he said.

Mr Joyce - who took the leadership from Michael McCormack - was sworn in by the Governor-General, the Queen's representative in Australia, at Government House.

His partner - and former staffer - Vicki Campion and their two sons Sebastian, three, and Thomas, two, sat in the front row to watch the ceremony.

His marriage to previous wife Natalia - who he shares four daughters with - broke down in November 2017 after 24 years, and two months later it was revealed he had been having an affair with his former media advisor Ms Campion.

The politician was forced to stand down three years ago after the affair became public and he denied sexually harassing a woman after an event in Canberra.

Mr Joyce's extraordinary return to the frontbench will see his pay packet more than double from $211,500 a year to $433,575.

Mr Joyce - who took the leadership from Michael McCormack - was sworn in by the Governor-General, the Queen's representative in Australia, at Government House on Tuesday

Mr Joyce's partner - and former staffer - Vicki Campion (pictured) and their two sons Sebastian and Thomas, sat in the front row to watch him be sworn in to the new role

On Monday, Mr Morrison welcomed Mr Joyce's return to the role.

In a statement, the prime minister said he looked forward to 'working closely together to ensure Australia continues its recovery from coronavirus and the recession it caused'.

Speaking to the Today Show on Thursday, Mr Morrison rejected claims Mr Joyce is a nuisance, describing the returned leader in glowing terms.

'I describe him as a wind in the sails,' the prime minister told the Nine Network.

'I was treasurer when he was deputy prime minister, Barnaby and I have sat around cabinet tables for years, and we're both passionate about what we want to achieve for this country.'

The politician's return has triggered a chaotic week in parliament, with the Nationals now casting doubt on climate targets and threatening to blow up the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.

Mr Morrison was challenged on whether the wind Mr Joyce created could prove perilous for the government.

'This is going to get us where we need to go as a country,' Mr Morrison said.

'You'll see.'

The returned leader said he would like to prioritise Queensland's Burdekin-into-Murray irrigation scheme as well as the nation's nuclear power in his new role

Former Deputy Prime Minister Mr McCormack (pictured) told reporters on Monday that he respects the decision made by the National Party, and wishes Mr Joyce 'all the best'

Mr Joyce was propelled back into leadership when Nationals leader Michael McCormack was overthrown in a party-room meeting after Joyce supporter Senator Matt Canavan moved a spill motion.

The spill - the third attempt to roll Mr McCormack in as many years - was prompted by growing disquiet over his lacklustre performance as Acting Prime Minister last week, when Mr Morrison was overseas.

But it came after long-running concerns that Mr McCormack was not cutting through in the Nationals' regional heartlands amid fears that conservative voters would turn to One Nation or the Shooters, Farmers and Fishers Party.

Mr Morrison welcomed Mr Joyce's election and thanked Mr McCormack for being a 'tremendous bloke'.

Mr McCormack told reporters in Canberra on Monday that he respects the decision made by the National Party, and wishes Mr Joyce 'all the best'.
Police are searching for a 33-year-old woman suspected of fatally running over a cop in a stolen car, while a passenger has been charged with murder.

Senior Constable David Masters, 53, died on the scene when he was hit by a white Hyundai Kona SUV while trying to deploy a tyre-deflating device on the Bruce Highway, near Deception Bay north of Brisbane, at 3am on Saturday.

The vehicle was later set alight and its burnt-out remains discovered 25km away in Moodlu.

Police have released photos of Skye Anne Wallis, 33, who they suspect was behind the wheel of the vehicle that struck Senior Constable Masters.

Police are searching for Skye Anne Wallis, 33, (pictured) who they suspect was driving a car that struck a Queensland policeman

Although her exact whereabouts are unknown, police said she has connections with the North Brisbane and Moreton areas.

She is described as 170cm tall, Caucasian, with dyed silver hair and brown eyes.

Police are urging Skye, or anyone with information on her whereabouts, to contact police.

The appeal comes as police arrested a 24-year-old woman at a home in Upper Caboolture, in the Moreton Bay Region, on Sunday.

They allege the woman was a passenger in the car and charged her with murder, arson, and unlawful use of a vehicle.

She was refused bail and will face Caboolture Magistrates Court on Monday.

Senior Constable David Masters, 53, died on the scene when he was hit by a white Hyundai Kona SUV while trying to deploy a tyre-deflating device on the Bruce Highway, near Deception Bay north of Brisbane at 3am on Saturday

Queensland Police Officers are seen comforting each other at the scene where 53-year-old Senior Constable David Masters was killed on the Bruce Highway at Burpengary in Brisbane, Saturday

The woman was arrested after police surrounded a home in Moodlu, near where the burned-out car was found.

Queensland Commissioner Katarina Carroll delivered an ominous message to the runaway driver, who allegedly fled the scene.

'Our message is you come to us, because we will be coming to you very shortly,' Commissioner Carroll said.

'It is with a very heavy heart we confirm the loss of a senior constable who was working hard to protect his community.

'My sincerest condolences go out to the officer's family, friends and colleagues at this incredibly difficult time.'

'My sincerest condolences go out to the officer's family, friends and colleagues at this incredibly difficult time,' Queensland Commissioner Katarina Carroll said following the incident (pictured, Mr Masters)

Senior Constable Masters (pictured) was a well loved member of the police force having joined in 2011

A woman is seen leaving flowers outside the Deception Bay Police Station following the tragedy

Police are appealing for witnesses - especially anyone with dashcam footage - to the incident.

The registration of the vehicle involved is 803ZLA.

Queensland Police Forensic Crash Unit and Ethical Standards Command immediately began investigating the horrific incident.

'This is devastating news for our police family and we are offering support to all officers and staff,' Commissioner Carroll said.

'Sadly, this incident demonstrates the dangers our officers face when working to keep our community safe each and every day.

Masters (pictured) had been trying to pull the car over around 3am on Saturday on the Bruce Highway, near Deception Bay north of Brisbane

One man delivers flowers to the police station in honour of Mr Masters who died on Saturday morning

A police officer is hugged by friends outside the Deception Bay Police Station on Saturday

'I spoke to his colleagues and spent some time with them at Deception Bay and they had nothing but wonderful words for Dave  hard-working, capable, a beacon at the station, much loved by everyone at the station and across the community.'

The incident closed the Bruce Highway for close to eight hours on Saturday morning.

Mr Masters leaves behind his wife Sharon and their son Jack, and had joined the force in 2011.

Queensland Police Union General Secretary Mick Barnes struggled to fight off tears as he spoke about his friend.

'It's one thing to turn up to these scenes in the hours of darkness but when you realise that it's one of your friends  David lived for the job and he was dedicated and loved the outdoors, loved these horses  hence he was in the mounted unit,' he said.

Investigations are continuing.

Officers were seen comforting each other at the scene of this morning's fatal incident on the Bruce Highway where Senior Constable David Masters was struck and killed by a driver who remains on the run
A man who allegedly splashed petrol on his wife's clothes and set her alight in Sydney has been charged.

Emergency services found the 30-year-old woman suffering burns to her left leg and left hand when they went to a home in Liverpool on Saturday evening.

The woman was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics and taken to Liverpool Hospital.

A man who allegedly splashed petrol on his wife's clothes and set her alight in Sydney has been charged (stock image)

The woman was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics and taken to Liverpool Hospital (pictured)

Police arrested a 36-year-old man at the home and have charged him with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He will appear in Parramatta Bail Court on Sunday.

Police will allege the man splashed petrol over his wife's clothing before lighting a cigarette, which set her clothing alight.

Police have been told the woman was released from hospital a short time ago after treatment.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of family violence, you can call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) for free confidential support.
Hundreds of potentially Covid-infected Sydney residents were left to wander the streets for four days after an embarrassing contact tracing error,.

NSW Health issued an alert for the Crossroads Hotel in Casula, southwest Sydney - infamous for being the epicentre of an outbreak with 65 infections in just ten days last year.

Customers who were there on Wednesday evening were told to get tested immediately and isolate for 14 days regardless of their result.

However, the alert was actually meant for the Crossways Hotel on Liverpool Road in Strathfield South - 25km away - at 7pm to 10.30pm on the same day.

Not only were Crossroads patrons needlessly forced into isolation, Crossways drinkers who could have been exposed were not safely locked down or tested.

NSW contact tracers have often been credited with being the 'gold standard' which keeps Australians safe, but as the new Bondi breaks tip well over 100, their abilities are being stretched.

The Crossroads Hotel at Casula (pictured) in Sydney's southwest was wrongly identified as an exposure site, after being the centre of an outbreak in July 2020

The Crossways Hotel on Liverpool Road in Sydney's southwest was not flagged as a Covid exposure site for four days

The Crossways Hotel in Liverpool is 25km away from the Crossroads Hotel in Casula (pictured) - but somehow the two vaguely similar names baffled contact tracers

NSW Health announced the error as 17 venues added to Sydney's latest Covid-19 exposure sites on Sunday, sending hundreds of people into ever stricter isolation.

The new alerts include two major shopping centres, Mexican restaurants and busy make up stores across the city.

The list of new stores flagged by NSW Health early on Sunday afternoon in the the inner west, CBD, and in the Covid-ravaged eastern suburbs.

Earlier on Sunday, the state recorded 30 new infections bringing the total number of cases to 112 - the day after Sydney and surrounding areas were plunged into a two-week lockdown.

Pictured: Health workers doing Covid-19 tests at the St. Vincents Hospital drive-through testing clinic at Bondi Beach in Sydney June 26 amid latest outbreak, which has grown to 112 infections

Anyone who was at Fonda Mexican restaurant (pictured) at Bondi Beach on June 18 between 1.50pm and 2.45pm has been told to contact NSW Health immediately

Anyone who was at Fonda Mexican restaurant at Bondi Beach on June 18 between 1.50pm and 2.45pm must contact NSW Health immediately, get a test, and isolate for 14 days regardless of the result.

The same advice applies to people who went to Mad Mex or Roll'd Vietnamese at Pacific Square in Maroubra, or Establishment Bar on George Street in the Sydney CBD - all at various times on June 23 and 24.

Likewise for residents who visited Precinct 37 cafe in Annandale between 10.30am and 11.15am on June 24, or Orange Supermarket in Rhodes on June 22 between 6.30pm and 6.40pm.

Three busy shops in the ritzy suburb of Double Bay have also been added to the list, including two make up stores where a Covid-infected person shopped on Sunday, June 20.

People who went to Mad Mex in Maroubra (pictured) on June 23 and 24 has also been told to isolate

Anyone who was at Mecca Maxima or Mecca Cosmetica (pictured) between 3.30pm and 4.15pm has been told to isolate until a negative test is received

Anyone who was at Establishment Bar on George Street in the Sydney CBD (pictured) on June 23 and 24 should isolate and get a test

Anyone who was at Mecca Maxima or Mecca Cosmetica between 3.30pm and 4.15pm must isolate until a negative test result is received.

The same goes for people who went to Cali Press in Double Bay on June 21, Fresh World fruit shop or Pacific Square in general in Maroubra at various times between June 23 and 24.

Coles in Marrickville Metro has also been added to the growing list of exposure sites, with residents who visited the popular retailer on June 23 or 24 ordered to isolate until a negative test result is returned.

Visitors to Liquorland at Marrickville Dewall on June 24 were given the same advice.

When speaking at a press conference on Sunday morning, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the new infections are all linked to the Bondi cluster in Sydney's east.

Police were roaming Bondi beach to ensure anybody out and about was exercising and following lockdown orders

One of the people linked to this cluster includes a Virgin Australia flight attendant who tested positive after working as a crew member on five flights between Brisbane , Melbourne , Sydney and the Gold Coast on Friday and Saturday

She denied delaying the city-wide lockdown to save face after previously stating she would never take such drastic measures again.

Ms Berejiklian thrust the city into a two-week lockdown as cases spread further away from the eastern suburbs, and on Sunday Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant gave no guarantee that the lockdown would be lifted on July 9 as scheduled.

Of the 30 new cases, 10 are linked to the Great Ocean Foods seafood wholesaler in Marrickville. This brings the total number of cases acquired through that cluster to 11, as well as the original case who worked there during their infectious period.

One of the people linked to this cluster includes a Virgin Australia flight attendant who tested positive after working as a crew member on five flights between Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast on Friday and Saturday.

Sydney streets were deserted on Sunday, the first full day of lockdown

Western Sydney residents were spotted exercising at Parramatta Park on Sunday, the first full day of Sydney's two-week lockdown

That crew member is now in isolation while Virgin works to contact every team member who would be considered a close contact.

'Virgin Australia is requiring those crew members to cease flying, get tested and isolate. All passengers on flights the crew member operated will be contacted by health authorities and advised on the correct protocol,' it said.

Eleven of the 30 new cases were in isolation for their entire infectious period, while three were quarantined for most of their infectious period.

Another newly detected case attended the Westmead Hospital vaccination centre on June 22 without realising they were infectious, and subsequent contact tracing revealed they were a close contact of a previously known case.

'As a precaution we have called the people that attended that vaccine centre in a period before and after the case,' Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said.

Police are conducting random stops (pictured in Parramatta on Sunday) to ensure people are complying with lockdown orders

A Virgin flight attendant (not pictured) also tested positive for the virus on Saturday night after potentially being infectious on five flights through Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne

But Dr Chant said there was every possibility the stay-at-home orders could extend beyond the scheduled two week period.

She would be comfortable lifting lockdown if, toward the end of the two week period, new cases were only being identified in close contacts already in isolation.

'If we all take this very seriously (and) we maintain those testing numbers, then two weeks may be sufficient,' she said.

Locals are only allowed to leave their houses for four reasons, which include for school or work if unable to do so from home, medical reasons including to get the vaccine and to give care, for essential shopping and to exercise outside in groups of no more than ten.

'There is no curfew. You can leave your home at any stage to purchase any essential goods that you need to and that is a given. Be thoughtful and considerate about fellow citizens and no need to panic buy,' Ms Berejiklian assured the public on Saturday.

'I said that this the scariest time since the pandemic started and that's proven to be the case.'

Regional NSW will follow restrictions that were previously placed on Sydney which include having only five visitors at a house, wearing masks indoors, hospitality venues reduced to one person per square metre and outdoor venues reduced to 50 per cent capacity.
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A top-secret Ministry of Defence dossier containing 50 pages of classified information about the Russian threat to HMS Defender ahead of its provocative Black Sea trip and British military plans for Afghanistan has been found by a member of the public at a bus stop in Kent.

The dossier, which includes emails and PowerPoint presentations, originated from the office of a senior official at the MoD and were passed to the BBC by a member of the public after they made the discovery early on Tuesday morning - a day before the Black Sea crisis.

One document shows that the Royal Navy's Type-45 destroyer was ordered to sail close to disputed territorial waters off the coast of Russia-annexed Crimea in eastern European to make a show of support for Ukraine in the expectation that Moscow could respond with force.

On Wednesday more than 20 Su-24s and two coastguard ships shadowed the warship as it sailed about 12 miles off the coast. The Russian Ministry of Defence said a patrol ship fired warning shots and a jet dropped bombs in the destroyer's path, but the UK Government rejected this account and denied that any warning shots had been fired.

Another document contained in the dossier found at the bus stop in Kent reportedly details plans for a possible British military presence in Afghanistan after the US-led NATO operation there ends - but admits that there will be a possible loss of British life.

The Government has now launched an urgent probe into the matter, with an MoD spokesman telling MailOnline that an employee had reported the loss of sensitive defence papers.

In a statement, the MoD also insisted that HMS Defender conducted 'innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters in accordance with international law'.

A spokesman said: 'The Ministry of Defence was informed last week of an incident in which sensitive defence papers were recovered by a member of the public. The department takes the security of information extremely seriously and an investigation has been launched. The employee concerned reported the loss at the time. It would be inappropriate to comment further.

'As the public would expect, the Ministry of Defence plans carefully. As a matter of routine, that includes analysing all the potential factors affecting operational decisions. HMS Defender conducted innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters in accordance with international law.'

HMS Defender arrives at the port of Batumi, in Georgia, Saturday, June 26, 2021

The documents show that a mission described by the MoD as an 'innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters' was a calculated decision by the Government to make a show of support for Ukraine , and was conducted in the expectation that Russia might respond aggressively

What is in the top secret MoD dossier found in the rain in a Kent bus stop? Officials knew Russia was likely to respond with aggression to Black Sea voyage A mission described by the MoD as an 'innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters' was a calculated decision by the Government to make a show of support for Ukraine, and was conducted in the expectation that Russia might respond aggressively. The Crimea mission, dubbed 'Op Ditroite', was the subject of high-level discussions as late as Monday, with officials speculating about Moscow's reaction if HMS Defender sailed close to the peninsula. An official at Permanent Joint Headquarters, the UK's tri-service headquarters at Northwood, reportedly asked: 'What do we understand about the possible 'welcome party'?'. Recent interactions in the eastern Mediterranean between Russian forces and a Carrier Strike Group led by HMS Queen Elizabeth had been unremarkable and 'in line with expectations', the document reportedly said. However, officials knew this was about to change and expected Russian naval and airforce interactions would become 'more frequent and assertive'. A series of slides prepared at PJHQ reportedly shows two routeing options, one described as 'a safe and professional direct transit from Odessa to Batumi', including a short stretch through a 'Traffic Separation Scheme' close to the south-west tip of Crimea. One slide concluded that this route would 'provide an opportunity to engage with the Ukrainian government in what the UK recognises as Ukrainian territorial waters.' Three potential Russian responses were outlined, from 'safe and professional' to 'neither safe nor professional'. In the event, Russia responded aggressively, with radio warnings, coastguard vessels closing to within 100 metres and repeated buzzing by warplanes. An alternative route was considered, which would have kept HMS Defender well away from contested waters. The presentation notes that this would have avoided confrontation, but ran the risk of being portrayed by Russia as evidence of 'the UK being scared/running away'. Officials feared that such a move would have been a boon to the Russian government, whose annexation and occupation of the Crimean peninsula is not recognised by Britain. The MoD also anticipated competing versions of events, noting 'we have a strong, legitimate narrative' and adding that the presence of journalists from the Daily Mail and the BBC 'provides an option for independent verification of HMS Defender's action'. British military presence in Afghanistan could be continued - but would lead to loss of life Another document contained in the dossier found at the bus stop in Kent reportedly details plans for a possible British military presence in Afghanistan after the US-led NATO operation there ends - but admits that there will be a possible loss of British life. The document, addressed to Defence Secretary Ben Wallace's private secretary and marked 'Secret UK Eyes Only', reportedly discusses a US request for British assistance in several specific areas, and addresses the question of whether any Special Forces will remain in Afghanistan post-withdrawal. Amid reports of a worsening security situation in the country, the document warns: 'Any UK footprint in Afghanistan that persists... is assessed to be vulnerable to targeting by a complex network of actors' - adding that 'the option to withdraw completely remains.' The document warns that Afghanistan is already becoming more dangerous and that the reduced presence of NATO troops 'is already impairing the situational awareness that we (and the US) used to enjoy across the country'. Though Britons have been killed in Afghanistan since the US-Taliban deal in February 2020, the document grimly warns that 'this would be unlikely to remain the status quo'. Other - Biden's policy on China and arms export competition with European allies The dossier also includes updates on President Joe Biden's early focus on China and the Indo-Pacific, which they say shows 'much continuity from the previous administration'. It also includes updates on arms exports campaigns, including areas where Britain might find itself competing with European allies. The BBC reports that 'SofS' (Mr Wallace) insists that the six-member European Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation, of which Britain is a member, 'must not be hijacked' by 'entryism' from the European Commission. Advertisement

The BBC reports that the Crimea mission, dubbed 'Op Ditroite', was the subject of high-level discussions as late as Monday, with officials speculating about Moscow's reaction if HMS Defender sailed close to the peninsula.

An official at Permanent Joint Headquarters, the UK's tri-service headquarters at Northwood, reportedly asked: 'What do we understand about the possible 'welcome party'?'.

Recent interactions in the eastern Mediterranean between Russian forces and a Carrier Strike Group led by HMS Queen Elizabeth had been unremarkable and 'in line with expectations', the document reportedly said. However, officials knew this was about to change and expected Russian naval and airforce interactions would become 'more frequent and assertive'.

A series of slides prepared at PJHQ reportedly shows two routeing options, one described as 'a safe and professional direct transit from Odessa to Batumi', including a short stretch through a 'Traffic Separation Scheme' close to the south-west tip of Crimea.

One slide concluded that this route would 'provide an opportunity to engage with the Ukrainian government in what the UK recognises as Ukrainian territorial waters.'

Three potential Russian responses were outlined, from 'safe and professional' to 'neither safe nor professional'. In the event, Russia responded aggressively, with radio warnings, coastguard vessels closing to within 100 metres and repeated buzzing by warplanes.

An alternative route was considered, which would have kept HMS Defender well away from contested waters. The presentation notes that this would have avoided confrontation, but ran the risk of being portrayed by Russia as evidence of 'the UK being scared/running away'.

Officials feared that such a move would have been a boon to the Russian government, whose annexation and occupation of the Crimean peninsula is not recognised by Britain.

The MoD also anticipated competing versions of events, noting 'we have a strong, legitimate narrative' and adding that the presence of journalists from the Daily Mail and the BBC 'provides an option for independent verification of HMS Defender's action'.

The document supports claims that the Black Sea passage was an attempt to rile the Russian government, which used live ammunition to deter a NATO warship for the first time since the Cold War.

It reflects the growing risk of military incidents amid soaring tensions between Moscow and the West on issues from Russian aggression towards Ukraine, her involvement in the war in Syria and the use of chemical weapons in Salisbury in 2018 to allegations of cyberwar and election hacking.

Last week General Sir Nick Carter, the head of the British Armed Forces, said he is suffering sleepless nights due to his fear of war with Russia and said the incident was an example of where a miscalculation could come from 'unwarranted escalation'.

The Chief of Defence Staff was speaking at the Chalke Valley History festival when he said: '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 is the sort of thing it could come from.'

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.'

Tory chair of the Commons defence select committee Tobias Ellwood also warned that there is a prospect of an engagement flaring up with Britain's 'dangerous game' of sailing in disputed waters.

The Kremlin said that Russia would respond harshly to any similar actions in the future and warned against any further 'provocations'. Despite their warnings, Cabinet minister George Eustice said 'of course' Royal Navy ships will continue to sail through the disputed waters around Crimea and said: 'We never accepted the annexation of Crimea'.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab 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.'

However, Mr Raab is said to have raised concerns abou the decision to send the Royal Navy warship through contested Crimean waters before a confrontation with Russian forces.

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.

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 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.

Russia on Friday launched sweeping military manoeuvres in the Mediterranean Sea after 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.

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.

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 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

One document shows that the Royal Navy's Type-45 destroyer was ordered to sail close to disputed territorial waters off the coast of Russian-annexed Crimea in eastern European to make a show of support for Ukraine in the expectation that Russian could respond with force

According to the BBC, the dossier also includes one document which outlines highly sensitive recommendations for Britain's military footprint in Afghanistan, following the end of the NATO operation.

The document, addressed to Defence Secretary Ben Wallace's private secretary and marked 'Secret UK Eyes Only', reportedly discusses a US request for British assistance in several specific areas, and addresses the question of whether any Special Forces will remain in Afghanistan post-withdrawal.

Amid reports of a worsening security situation in the country, the document warns: 'Any UK footprint in Afghanistan that persists... is assessed to be vulnerable to targeting by a complex network of actors' - adding that 'the option to withdraw completely remains.'

The document warns that Afghanistan is already becoming more dangerous and that the reduced presence of NATO troops 'is already impairing the situational awareness that we (and the US) used to enjoy across the country'.

Though Britons have been killed in Afghanistan since the US-Taliban deal in February 2020, the document grimly warns that 'this would be unlikely to remain the status quo'.

The US military has completed more than half its withdrawal from Afghanistan and is set to finish within weeks. Officials say between 600 and 700 US troops are likely to remain to help provide security for diplomats.

President Joe Biden announced in April that all US forces would be out of Afghanistan by the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

And US officials have been clear that the US President 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.

The dossier also includes updates on President Biden's early focus on China and the Indo-Pacific, which they say shows 'much continuity from the previous administration'.

It also includes updates on arms exports campaigns, including areas where Britain might find itself competing with European allies. The BBC reports that 'SofS' (Mr Wallace) insists that the six-member European Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation, of which Britain is a member, 'must not be hijacked' by 'entryism' from the European Commission.
Mr Cummings accused the PM's wife of having the 'bog standard' Sajid Javid appointed as Matt Hancock's replacement.

Dominic Cummings has reignited his feud with Carrie Johnson, accusing the Prime Minister's wife of having the 'bog standard' Sajid Javid appointed as Matt Hancock's replacement.

In a stinging Twitter broadside the PM's former top aide said Mr Javid - whose resignation as chancellor he engineered last year, would be 'awful' for the NHS as the new Health Secretary.

Mr Cummings claimed he tricked Mr Johnson into firing Mr Javid, a former leadership challenger to Mr Johnson, from No10 in February last year, shortly before the pandemic struck.

Mr Javid resigned after losing a power struggle with Mr Cummings, who demanded that he sack all his aides and replace them with No10 loyalists, and was replaced by Rishi Sunak.

After the Bromsgrove Mp was appointed last night, following Hancock's resignation, Mr Cummings tweeted: 'So Carrie appoints Saj! NB If I hadn't tricked PM into firing Saj, we'd have had a HMT (Treasury) with useless SoS/spads, no furlough scheme, total chaos instead of JOINT 10/11 team which was a big success.

'Saj = bog standard = chasing headlines + failing = awful for NHS. Need #RegimeChange.'

Mr Javid has said he was 'honoured' to be asked to be Health Secretary following the resignation of Matt Hancock amid intense pressure for breaching social-distancing rules by kissing an aide.

Former chancellor and home secretary Mr Javid was appointed to the prominent role just 90 minutes after Downing Street announced Mr Hancock had resigned on Saturday evening.

Mrs Johnson was once a special adviser to Mr Javid during his tenure as communities secretary.

In a stinging Twitter broadside the PM's former top aide said Mr Javid - whose resignation as chancellor he engineered last year, would be 'awful' for the NHS as the new Health Secretary.

Mr Javid resigned after losing a power struggle with Mr Cummings, who demanded that he sack all his aides and replace them with No10 loyalists, and was replaced by Rishi Sunak.

Return of the Saj Mr Javid is the son of a bus driver, who arrived in England from Pakistan in the 1960s with just a pound in his pocket. To colleagues, he is The Saj. He was a tough-talking home secretary, whose hard stance on jihadi bride Shamima Begum's pleas to be allowed back in the UK boosted his popularity among some Tories, but horrified others - particularly after Ms Begum's newborn son later died in a Syrian refugee camp. Mr Javid made it to the final four in the race to replace Theresa May as Tory leader in 2019, but dropped out and subsequently endorsed Mr Johnson. Born in Rochdale and raised in Bristol, he went to a state school and studied economics and politics at Exeter University. He left behind a career in finance and became MP for Bromsgrove in 2010. According to his website, Mr Javid was a vice president at the US bank Chase Manhattan at the age of 25 and later moved to Deutsche Bank, rising to senior managing director before he left in 2009. He held roles in the Treasury from 2012 until he was made culture secretary in April 2014, later going on to become business secretary in May 2015 and housing secretary in July 2016. After being made home secretary in April 2018, Mr Javid talked openly about how he experienced racism at an early age and 'could have had a life of crime' after growing up on 'Britain's most dangerous street'. During his stunted leadership campaign, Mr Javid played on his humble beginnings, saying his holidays were spent in Rochdale pretending he was somewhere else. After being knocked out of the leadership race, Mr Javid said: 'Work hard, have faith in your abilities, and don't let anyone try and cut you down to size or say you aren't a big enough figure to aim high. 'You have as much right as anyone to a seat at the top table, to be ambitious for yourself, and to make your voice heard.' Mr Javid is married to Laura, and has four children and a dog. Advertisement

Sajid Javid's appointment as Health Secretary sees him return to a Cabinet he abruptly left in shock fashion some 16 months ago.

He was just six months into his role as chancellor, and less than a month away from delivering his first Budget, when he quit after being told he must sack all his advisers if he wanted to keep his job.

His departure in February last year came after a bruising Whitehall power struggle with Boris Johnson's then chief adviser Mr Cummings.

But in a reversal of fortunes it is Mr Javid who returns to Boris Johnson's top team, while Mr Cummings hurls criticism from outside Government.

Mr Javid's previous showdown with Boris Johnson reached a climax when he refused to dismiss his team of aides and replace them with a joint No 10/No 11 unit.

In a Commons statement, Mr Javid said chancellors had to be able to 'speak truth to power' and 'the arrangement proposed would significantly inhibit that, and it would not have been in the national interest'.

He also took a swipe at Mr Cummings, who has been blasting the Government's pandemic performance since leaving No 10, saying: 'I don't intend to dwell further on all the details and the personalities the ''comings'' and goings if you will.'

Tension between No 10 and No 11 simmered after Mr Javid's adviser, Sonia Khan, was escorted out of Downing Street by police after being sacked by Mr Cummings in August 2019.

Appointed in July 2019 to Mr Johnson's first Cabinet, Mr Javid's planned Budget in November that year was cancelled as the Prime Minister sought a snap election.

Mr Javid, the first British Asian to hold one of the great offices of state, did not last long enough in the role to be able to deliver the parliamentary set-piece scheduled for the following March.

He was the shortest-serving chancellor since Iain Macleod, who died shortly after taking office in 1970, according to the Institute for Government.

Mr Javid returns to the Cabinet to help lead the pandemic response at a crucial time, as efforts focus on suppressing a rise in coronavirus cases ahead of the planned easing of restrictions next month.

Before his appointment this month, Mr Javid said he would be introducing a private member's Bill to raise the minimum age for marriage to 18, to protect vulnerable teenagers from religious and cultural pressures to marry too young.

Mr Hancock bowed to growing pressure on Saturday evening, less than 48 hours after pictures emerged of him in a passionate embrace with Gina Coladangelo, an aide at the Department of Health, as he told Boris Johnson in his letter of resignation that the Government 'owe it to people who have sacrificed so much in this pandemic to be honest when we have let them down'.

Gina Coladangelo (pictured with the Health Secretary in September 2019), initially taken on by Mr Hancock as an unpaid adviser on a six-month contract in early 2020, is also leaving her position on the board of the Department of Health

It has come to light that the Health Secretary told his wife, Martha (pictured for the first time since his resignation announcement), that he would be leaving her on Thursday night - immediately after discovering that his affair with Gina Coladangelo was about to be laid bare

Matt Hancock wrote a letter of resignation (pictured above) to Boris Johnson where he said the Government 'owe it to people who have sacrificed so much in this pandemic to be honest when we have let them down

Now it has come to light that the former Health Secretary told his wife, Martha, he would be leaving her on Thursday night - immediately after discovering that his affair with Gina Coladangelo was about to be laid bare.

Images and video showed Mr Hancock in an embrace with aide Ms Coladangelo last month, and the Health Secretary was facing increasing pressure to quit over the breaking of social-distancing rules.

Friends said on Saturday night the pair had been seeing each other for around six weeks, but were a 'love match'.

In a video announcing his resignation Mr Hancock said: 'The last thing I would want is for my private life to distract attention from the single-minded focus that is leading us out of this crisis.

'I want to reiterate my apology for breaking the guidance, and apologise to my family and loved ones for putting them through this. I also need (to) be with my children at this time.'

He will be replaced by former chancellor and home secretary Sajid Javid, it has been announced.

A statement from 10 Downing Street said: 'The Queen has been pleased to approve the appointment of the Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.'

The Prime Minister said he was 'sorry' to receive Mr Hancock's resignation as Health Secretary.

He said Mr Hancock 'should leave office very proud of what you have achieved - not just in tackling the pandemic, but even before Covid-19 struck us'.

Boris Johnson added: 'I am grateful for your support and believe that your contribution to public service is far from over.'

Ms Coladangelo, initially taken on by Mr Hancock as an unpaid adviser on a six-month contract in early 2020, is reported to also be leaving her DHSC job, but the department had not confirmed this on Saturday night.

Mr Johnson had refused to sack Mr Hancock, with his spokesman saying the PM considered the matter closed after receiving the West Suffolk MP's apology on Friday.

But by the next day Conservative MPs began to break ranks to call for Mr Hancock to go.
Two skydivers have died in a horror accident after tumbling out a plane and landing on a runway at a regional New South Wales airport.

Emergency services were called to Goulburn, in the state's southern tablelands, at 12:50pm on Sunday.

The two men doing a tandem skydive, one customer and one instructor, are feared to have gotten tangled up moments after jumping out of the plane.

NSW Police said emergency services were called to Goulburn, in the state's southern tablelands, at about 12:50pm on Sunday

Police said the tandem parachutists fell from the aircraft and landed near the runway of the airport (pictured)

They fell with no parachute and landed near the runway of the airport.

Emergency crews found the men unresponsive on the scene and despite efforts the pair could not be revived.

Adrenaline Skydive spokesman Scott Marshall told 9News it was 'a horrible day for everyone involved'.

Emergency crews found the skydivers unresponsive on the scene and despite efforts the pair could not be revived (stock image of a successful skydive at a different company)

'Sadly, a tandem master and passenger lost their lives. My heart goes out to their families. It's been a horrible day for everyone involved here,' he said.

The Adrenaline Skydive website explains their skydivers are given a 10 minute safety briefing before an aircraft takes them 15,000 feet to jump for $250.

The circumstances surrounding the incident will be investigated by officers attached to The Hume Police District, assisted by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

The Australian Parachute Federation, the peak body regulator of the sport, will also investigate the incident.
Hush-hush diplomacy. In-person visits. And a very public no-surprises agreement on Iran.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid met in Rome on Sunday as their new governments look to turn the page on former President Donald Trump and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose close alliance aggravated partisan divisions within both countries.

Now, with Trump sidelined in Florida and Netanyahu leading the opposition, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett are focused on pragmatic diplomacy rather than dramatic initiatives that risk fomenting opposition at home or distracting from other priorities.

'In the past few years, mistakes were made,' Lapid told Blinken as they sat down for talks in a Rome hotel.

'Israels bipartisan standing was hurt. We will fix those mistakes together.'

Lapid said he had spoken with Democrats and Republicans since taking office and had 'reminded them all that we share Americas most basic, basic values - freedom, democracy, free markets and constant search for peace.'

Blinken noted that even though the two governments are new, 'the foundation that we're working on is one of an enduring partnership, a relationship, friendship between the United States and Israel.'

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid pose for a family picture during their meeting in Rome, Sunday

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, center, is on a week long trip in Europe traveling to Germany, France and Italy

The two nations will work out differences in following Biden's 'quiet' diplomacy, when he urged Netanyahu to end the Israel-Hamas war ahead of a May 21 truce

The push means aiming for smaller achievements, such as shoring up the informal cease-fire that ended last month's war with Gaza's militant Hamas rulers and replenishing Israel's Iron Dome defense system. A major push to revive the long-dormant peace process between Israel and the Palestinians could unsettle the delicate balance.

'Nobody thinks its a good idea to start charging through on a major new peace initiative,' said Ilan Goldenberg, a Mideast security expert at the nonprofit Center for a New American Security. 'But there are things you can do quietly under the radar, on the ground, to improve the situation.'

That approach - of managing the conflict rather than trying to solve it - may succeed in papering over domestic divisions. But it also maintains a status quo that the Palestinians find increasingly oppressive and hopeless, and which has fueled countless cycles of unrest.

The Americans and Israelis will try to work out differences away from the public, as in Biden's 'quiet' diplomacy, when he privately urged Netanyahu to wind down the Israel-Hamas war ahead of a truce that took effect May 21.

'We believe the way to discuss those disagreements is through direct and professional conversation, not a press conference, Lapid said.

Both governments will try to preserve Israel's fragile governing coalition, in part by reducing provocations that played a part in sparking the 11-day war that claimed at least 254 Palestinian lives and killed 13 people in Israel.

The new coalition in Israel shares little beyond the conviction that Netanyahu had to go. It's composed of eight parties, each effectively with veto power on decisions. So if even one party bolts, Israel's government would be at serious risk of collapse, with Netanyahu waiting just offstage.

The Biden administration has moved to reverse Netanyahu-backed Trump policies that has alienated the Palestinians

Even the right-leaning Bennett, who is ideologically aligned with the hawkish Netanyahu, has toned down the rhetoric on Iran to help temper provocations

'We have the same objective,' Blinken said. 'Sometimes we differ on the tactics, and we, I think, are very clear and direct to each other when thats the case, thats ... how its supposed to be'

At least in the short term, Lapid, a centrist, will be Israel's point man on repairs to the tattered relationship with Biden and the Democrats. The party controls both houses of Congress but is increasingly divided on the Mideast conflict, with progressive members calling for the U.S. to exert more pressure on Israel.

'What theyre building now is mutual trust,' said Michael Oren, former Israeli ambassador to the United States under Netanyahu. 'I expect a change of tone rather than of substance... but there's a possibility that it could produce something better for Israel.'

Topping the agenda in both countries are talks in Vienna over reviving Iran's 2015 accord with world powers to limit Tehran's ability to develop nuclear weapons. Trump, with Netanyahu's backing, pulled the U.S. out of the deal in 2018 and imposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic. Biden promised to restore and expand the agreement.

Now, Israel's new government seems intent on staying engaged and trying to influence the talks, rather than scuttle them.

'Israel has some serious reservations about the Iran nuclear deal that is being put together in Vienna,' Lapid said, before pledging that Israel would make its objections privately. Netanyahu had loudly and publicly opposed the deal when the Obama administration was negotiating it.

'We have the same objective,' Blinken said. 'Sometimes we differ on the tactics, and we, I think, are very clear and direct to each other when thats the case and thats exactly how its supposed to be.'

'Israel has some serious reservations about the Iran nuclear deal that is being put together in Vienna,' Lapid said, before pledging that Israel would make its objections privately

On Monday, outgoing Israeli President Reuven Rivlin will visit Washington at Biden's invitation, while a group of House Democrats are planning a trip to Israel after the July 4th recess

Blinken did speak of the need to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but did not offer any kind of timetable or any strategy other than to 'offer a more hopeful future for everyone'

Even the right-leaning Bennett, who is ideologically aligned with the hawkish Netanyahu, has toned down the rhetoric on Iran.

'We will continue to consult with our friends, persuade, discuss, and share information and insights out of mutual respect,' Bennett said Thursday. 'But at the end of the day, we will be responsible for our own fate, nobody else.'

Tamping down tensions - or at least not inflaming them - is a key strategy, the officials said.

Blinken spoke of the need to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but did not offer any kind of timetable or any strategy to 'offer a more hopeful future for everyone: Palestinians and Israelis alike with equal measures of opportunity and dignity.'

And, while the Biden administration supports and hopes to expand on the Trump-era Abraham Accords that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab countries, Blinken said they 'are not a substitute for engaging on the issues between Israelis and Palestinians that need to be resolved.'

On the U.S. side, the Biden administration has made clear it wants to extricate the country from intractable conflicts in the Middle East and focus on other challenges, such as climate change and competition with China.

On the U.S. side, the Biden administration has made clear it wants to extricate the country from Middle East conflicts and focus on other challenges, such as competition with China

Tamping down tensions - or at least not inflaming them - is a key strategy, the officials said, while only agreeing on speaking anonymously as plans continue to finalize

There's even talk of Lapid and Bennett traveling to Washington later in the summer. Bennett will serve as prime minister for the first two years, followed by Lapid, the coalition's architect

On Monday, outgoing Israeli President Reuven Rivlin is to visit Washington at Biden's invitation. A group of House Democrats are planning an official trip to Israel as soon as Congress July 4th recess.

There's even talk of Lapid and Bennett traveling to Washington later in the summer, separately or together, the officials said. Bennett will serve as prime minister for the first two years, followed by Lapid, the architect of the coalition.

All the officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss administration plans and logistics, which have not been finalized.

So far, the reset seems to be functioning. But with the Israeli coalition barely two weeks old, significant challenges loom.

Biden has moved to reverse Netanyahu-backed Trump policies that alienated the Palestinians, and the administration has said Israelis and Palestinians should enjoy equal measures of security and prosperity.

But the U.S. has yet to explain how it intends to bring that about without ending Israel's half-century military occupation of the West Bank, its blockade on Hamas-ruled Gaza and discriminatory policies in Jerusalem that fueled a spring of unrest.
Prince Charles, Prince William and other senior members of the Royal family will not be able to use the new Royal Yacht Britannia for family trips following a row in Whitehall over the cost.

The national flagship has cost the government 200m, and will be used as a ship rather than a luxury yacht, aimed at boosting Prime Minister Boris Johnson's post-Brexit vision for the UK as a global trading nation.

But, a palace insider has claimed that the Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge have no interest in the ship following a row between number 10 and the Ministry of Defence and the departments of business and trade, with the later reluctant to contribute.

An artist's impression of the new national flagship which has not yet been built

Mr Johnson's spending on the ship has come under fire in recent weeks, most recently by former Tory chancellor Ken Clarke who branded it 'silly populist nonsense'.

Lord Clarke's criticism came as official figures showed that government borrowing stood at 24.3 billion in May - down from 43.8 billion a year earlier at the height of the pandemic, but still the second highest figure for the month on record and 18.9 billion more than in 2019.

The Conservative peer told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the new vessel is a 'complete waste of time, silly populist nonsense' and 'we have no money' for it.

But, former Health Secretary Matt Hancock backed the Prime Minister's plans and argued that the ship would 'pay for itself many times over'.

The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge do not want the ship, claims a palace source

The Royal Yacht was particularly important to the Royal Family, who used it as a private getaway for holidays and honeymoons for more than 40 years.

'The amount of investment that you can get in from the rest of the world by showing the best of Britain in harbours the world over is very, very significant,' he said.

A palace insider claimed that 'no one' at the palace wants the vessel.

'Charles doesn't want it,' they told The Sunday Times. 'William doesn't want it. He has no interest in naval things at all. All this controversy just puts them off even more.'

It is believed the royals will use the ship to promote trade, but not privately as it previously did with the former Royal Yacht Britannia, decommissioned in 1997.

Senior government sources have claimed that the Ministry of Defence have annoyed Mr Johnson with their criticism and continuing to refuse to foot the bill.

It will be the first national flagship since Britannia (pictured), which was decommissioned in 1997, but the new vessel will be a ship rather than a luxury yacht

It is thought that the MoD is threatening to scrap new navy ships or F-35s jets to pay for the ship.

'Boris is furious about the whole thing,' a source told The Sunday Times. 'He loves the plan.'

Construction of the new ship is expected to begin as soon as 2022 and it will enter service within the next four years.

The tendering process for the design and construction of the vessel will launch shortly, with an emphasis on showcasing British design expertise and the latest innovations in green technology.

It is expected to be in service for about 30 years, and will be crewed by the Royal Navy.
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Hundreds of young farmers enjoyed a boozy night out and revelled with hen parties in Blackpool last night, as part of an unofficial convention that has drawn criticism for 'appalling' behaviour in recent years.

The so-called 'DIY AGM' was organised by the Young Farmers Community to 'provide an unrivalled social occasion for young farmers to let off steam', according to the organisation's website.

Young men were seen donning pink cowboy hats, carrying women on their backs and enjoying themselves en masse in the streets of Blackpool, as they waited to enter nightclubs and bars.

Hundreds of young farmers enjoyed a boozy night out in the streets of Blackpool as part of an organised annual 'DIY AGM'

The partygoers seemed to be having fun as hundreds of young farmers assembled in the popular coastal town of Blackpool

Once organised by the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs, the event was scrubbed from the official calendar in 2018

Party time: Young farmers joined hen dos and other revellers in Blackpool for their annual booze fest and AGM this weekend

Young Farmers Community, which organised the event, said it was to 'provide an unrivalled social occasion to let off steam'

A group of revellers wearing polo tops sporting farm company logos were seen out in Blackpool on Saturday night

Young men were seen carrying women through the streets on their backs as nightclubs and bars enjoyed a busy night

These partygoers were just a handful among the hundreds that descended on the seaside resort for the annual event

One man was seen carrying two females on his back through the streets as bars and nightclubs welcomed them in

After a night of partying, one reveller takes a break by sitting on the pavement amidst the crowds still gathering on the streets

One reveller attempts to jump over a bollard as the partying spilled out into the streets from the bars and nightclubs

The event was held despite criticism over the behaviour of young farmers at an organised event in Blackpool three years ago

For others however events turned less friendly, with some young men seen being attended to by emergency services after sustaining injuries during the alcohol-fuelled night out.

Once held as part of the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs, the event was scrubbed from the official calendar after attendees in recent years were slammed for their public behaviour.

In 2019, young revellers were snapped stumbling through the streets, scoffing pizza on shop counters, flashing offensive T-shirt slogans and getting carried across roads.

In a night of overindulgence, young woman were seen slouched against store-fronts and being carried away by emergency services as men donned clothes reading, 'If we hook up quicker, I'll c** quicker than Brexit' and 'Please me, Tease me, Don't disease me'.

Young men cheered as they made their way along the main thoroughfare and enjoyed a night out in Blackpool's town centre

The young farmers made the most of partying in the seaside town, where a similar event three years ago came under fire

Hen parties and birthday celebrations saw the arrival of extra guests as a gathering of young farmers arrived in Blackpool

One young man donning a blue polo sporting the Young Farmers Community logo lends support to a fellow partygoer

According to a statement on the Young Farmers Community website, the organisation was created in 2018 'following the tragic end to the annual convention which for years was tremendously organised by the National Federation of young Farmers.

'The aim of the Young Farmers Community is to uphold the reputation of young farmers, raise money for charities and provide an unrivalled social occasion for young farmers to let off steam, for years to come.'

It added that 3,500 young farmers attended the DIY AGM in 2019, raising more than 7,500 for charity.

Police officers attend to one reveller who appeared to have been injured during the events of Saturday night in Blackpool
Three British men have been arrested in the mid-Atlantic by Spanish police and Customs agents after a ton of cocaine worth more than 80million was discovered on a yacht sailing from the Caribbean to Europe.

Spanish officials say the detentions mean they have now smashed an international drugs smuggling ring allegedly led by a former Royal Navy officer.

Robert Mark Benson, 64, was one of 10 people arrested last month during raids in the provinces of Malaga and Cadiz and Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta after twin seizures of boats carrying 1.5 tons of hashish.

Spanish police had previously described Benson as someone with 'strong links with other criminal organisations in countries like the UK and Ukraine', although like their British counterparts they have not officially named him.

Three British men were arrested in the mid-Atlantic by Spanish police after a ton of cocaine was discovered on a yacht sailing from the Caribbean to Europe

The cocaine had an estimated street value of more than 80million and police believe the drugs were destined for the streets of the UK

Britain's National Crime Agency, also involved in the investigation which culminated in the new detentions, said: 'The arrests are linked to an ongoing investigation into international drug trafficking that has so far resulted in the arrest of a number of individuals in Spain, and the seizure of 1.6 tonnes of hashish, more than 38,000 and four sailing vessels.

'The British head of the Organised Crime Group - a former Royal Navy officer living in Southern Spain - was among those previously arrested.

'Known to law enforcement agencies for his links to organised crime groups in the UK and Ukraine, officers believe he trained the crew and ran several companies engaged in buying, selling and renting sailing vessels that were subsequently used to conduct drugs transportations.'

A spokesman for Spain's National Police said of the latest operation, believed to have been carried out on June 13 but only revealed this week, said: 'National Police officers in a joint operation with Tax Agency officials boarded a yacht called SY Windwhisper with nearly a tonne of cocaine from the Caribbean and arrested the three crew members.

'At the same time four people were arrested in the provinces of Malaga and Cadiz.

'They were linked to the same criminal drugs trafficking organisation which investigators consider has now been dismantled.'

The spokesman added: 'The investigation focused from the beginning on a British national who is already under arrest, an ex Royal Navy officer with extensive nautical knowledge.

'This man ran several companies involved in the buying and selling of boats he allegedly used to acquire the means of transport for the smuggled drugs.

'He also allegedly facilitated the creation of front companies to launder drugs money.'

Two of the four people arrested after the Atlantic Ocean bust are believed to be British. None of the Brits held in the latest operation have been named.

Dave Hucker, Head of European Operations for NCA International said: 'This is a huge haul of cocaine with an estimated street value of more than 80million. I have no doubt the drugs on board were destined for the streets of the UK, so this seizure is a significant result.

'We know that the criminal trade in drugs is driven by financial gain, and the loss of the profit that would have been made from these drugs will have a major impact on the crime groups involved.

Last month Spanish police carried out raids in the provinces of Malaga and Cadiz and Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta

Officials say the detentions mean they have now smashed an international drugs smuggling ring allegedly led by a former Royal Navy officer Robert Mark Benson, 64

Spanish police and Customs agents have been carrying out raids across the country

'We continue to work with our international law enforcement partners to identify those responsible for supplying class A drugs to the UK, and will do all we can to disrupt their supply chains.'

Benson served in the Royal Navy as an executive branch officer from 1978 to 1985 according to an online profile.

He started a new career in property in Gibraltar before settling in southern Spain.

In 2015, he set up Yacht Matters, a business that buys and sells yachts, and property firm Real Estate Matters which are both based in Marbella.

In his most recent entry on social media, Benson said he had '28 years experience as a real estate advisor in Sotogrande' and offered to introduce buyers to 'my small piece of paradise.'

'My activities have ranged from simply helping buyers choose their dream property, to project managing the design and construction of clients' luxury private villas,' he wrote.

Spanish press which have picked up on the story have branded him the 'English dandy.'

He is currently being held in prison on remand pending an ongoing criminal probe which is expected to last at least several months.

In Spain suspects are normally only formally charged shortly before trial.
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Matt Hancock's humiliated wife was spotted wearing her wedding ring this morning after her disgraced husband of 15 years resigned over an affair with his Department of Health aide.

Martha Hancock, 44, was pictured wearing the ring outside the pair's home in north London while on a walk with her dog and her son.

It comes after her husband, 42, stood down from his role as Health Secretary after leaked CCTV footage surfaced of him locking lips and fondling married mother-of-three Gina Coladangelo, 43.

Mother-of-three Martha was reportedly blissfully unaware of her husband's infidelity until he broke the news to her on Thursday night when it became clear the footage would be published the next day.

And he reportedly even woke up the couple's youngest child, aged eight, to tell him he was leaving.

Martha Hancock, 44, was pictured wearing the ring this morning outside the pair's home in north London while on a walk with her dog and her son

It comes after her husband, 42, stood down from his role as Health Secretary after leaked CCTV footage surfaced of him locking lips and fondling married mother-of-three Gina Coladangelo, 43

It comes after Hancock failed to mention his wife in his apology statement, 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.

And locals hit out at the hypocrisy of married Mr Hancock being caught in a steamy clinch with Mrs Coladangelo.

The pair's kissing session was caught on CCTV a year to the day after Hancock went on TV to denounce an epidemiologist for having an affair and breaking lockdown rules.

Neil Ferguson, an epidemiologist who helped to shape the government's response to coronavirus and instigate a lockdown, was caught last year having an affair and breaking social-distancing rules he had helped to create - in a similar manner to Hancock.

An ally who was set to defend Matt Hancock on the radio failed to turn up and was 'not answering his phone' in fresh embarrassment for the beleaguered Health Secretary. Pictured: This is the image that has left Matt Hancock fighting for his job 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

Mother-of-three Martha was reportedly blissfully unaware of her husband's infidelity until he broke the news to her on Thursday night when it became clear the footage would be published the next day

And Hancock told Sky News: 'I back the police here. They will take their decisions independently from ministers, that's quite right, it's always been like that.

'So I give them their space to make that decision, but I think he took the right decision to resign.'

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.'

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.

Matt Hancock (circled) and his future 'lover' Gina Coladangelo (far right) are pictured at the launch of a student radio station in a newly unearthed photo - taken before the future aide became his 'closest friend'

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.

Mrs Hancock married Mr Hancock in 2006

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.'

Hancock and Coladangelo became friends at Oxford and have been close ever since.

'They are in love,' a close friend of Mr Hancock said last night, adding: 'It is serious.' But the friend's insistence that the affair 'all began in May' might not be so readily believed.

Coladangelo was also spotted packing her bags and leaving the 4million townhouse in Wandsworth, South West London, that she shared with her husband of 12 years - Oliver Bonas tycoon Oliver Tress, 54.

As well as her health department aide job, Coladangelo was head of marketing at her husband's company and director of Luther Pendragon, which promises clients a 'deep understanding of the mechanics of government'.

Images and video showed Mr Hancock in an embrace with aide Ms Coladangelo last month, and the Health Secretary was facing increasing pressure to quit over the breaking of social-distancing rules.

Friends said on Saturday night the pair had been seeing each other for around six weeks, but were a 'love match'.

Coladangelo studied philosophy, politics and economics (PPE) at Oxford's Exeter College alongside Hancock between 1995 and 1998.

She is married to dashing millionaire entrepreneur Oliver Tress, 54, who went to Kate Middleton's school, Marlborough College, and founded the High Street fashion and lifestyle chain Oliver Bonas

Friends have said the pair were 'inseparable' while they working on the university's student radio station Oxygen FM.

A Tory source said the pair had become inseparable recently, adding: 'They always appeared to be incredibly close. Her status was always slightly mysterious but she went everywhere with him. She was in every meeting.'

And it has emerged that Coladangelo should have declared her relationship with Hancock.

Critics have said she has broken integral guidelines of her role created in the 1990s including integrity, objectivity, honesty and openness, according to The Sun.

Labour MP John Spellar told the publication: 'There should be transparency at all times. Sunlight is the best disinfectant.

'This is part of a pattern of cronyism over competence. How many more jobs for chums are out there in the system?'

In a video announcing his resignation Mr Hancock said: 'The last thing I would want is for my private life to distract attention from the single-minded focus that is leading us out of this crisis.

Gina Coladangelo pictured with Matt Hancock at the BBC Broadcasting House in central London in June this year. The ex-Health Secretary and his aide are said to be a 'love match'

'I want to reiterate my apology for breaking the guidance, and apologise to my family and loved ones for putting them through this. I also need (to) be with my children at this time.'

He will be replaced by former chancellor and home secretary Sajid Javid, it has been announced.

In response to his resignation, the Prime Minister wrote: 'You should leave office very proud of what you have achieved - not just in tackling the pandemic, but even before Covid-19 struck us.'

Mr Hancock also said in a video posted to Twitter: 'I've been to see the Prime Minister to resign as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. I understand the enormous sacrifices that everybody in this country has made - that you have made. And those of us who make these rules have got to stick by them and that's why I've got to resign.

'I want to thank people for their incredible sacrifices and what they've done. Everybody working in the NHS, across social care. Everyone involved in the vaccine programme. And frankly everybody in this country who has risen to the challenges that we've seen over this past 18 months.

Martha Hancock pictured arriving home today in London. She reportedly had no clue about the affair between Mr Hancock and his aide until she was told their marriage was over

'I'm very proud of what we've done to protect the NHS and the peak, to deliver that vaccine rollout - one of the fastest in the world - and I look forward to supporting the government and the Prime Minister from the backbenches to make sure that we can get out of this pandemic.

'We're so close to the end - and then build back better so that this country can fulfil its potential - which is so great - and I will do that with all of my heart.'

Meanwhile, Mr Javid tweeted: 'Honoured to have been asked to serve as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care at this critical time.

'I look forward to contributing to our fight against the pandemic, and serving my country from the Cabinet once again.'

Support for the 42-year-old Hancock was ebbing even in Downing Street, with one senior figure saying his conduct was 'gross' and describing the apology he offered yesterday as 'pathetic'.

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen earlier said: 'It will all be down to public opinion  it's the only thing No 10 cares about. They're polling, focus-grouping all the time and if that starts showing the public want him out then he could be gone by Monday.'

Another Conservative MP said: 'It's getting like Animal Farm: all animals are equal but some are more equal than others.'

Sayeeda Warsi, a former Conservative Party chairman, attacked the failure to sack Mr Hancock, saying: 'It's a bad decision by Matt and a bad decision by the PM.

Matt and Martha seen attending the VO5 NME Awards 2018 at London's O2 Brixton Academy

'He's got a huge amount of questions to answer in relation to Covid contracts, access to parliament, giving out jobs. Is there anything anybody could do any more which would make them resign?'

It came as 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 the pair launch into their passionate embrace.
Former minister Jeremy Hunt today suggested a whistleblower who leaked footage of Matt Hancock having an affair with a close aide may have broken the Official Secrets Act.

Mr Hunt spoke as an official investigation got underway into how footage of the former health secretary locked in an embrace with top aide Gina Coladangelo ended up in the hands of a newspaper and triggered his resignation.

The Mail on Sunday today revealed that the sting was executed by a whistleblower in his department who contacted opponents of the Health Secretary's hardline stance on lockdown to help expose his affair.

The footage of Mr Hancock kissing Ms Coladangelo was caught on a CCTV camera in his office on May 6, and secretly recorded by a member of his department's staff.

But former health secretary Mr Hunt today said the leak of the footage had 'possibly' been a breach of the Official Secrets Act, which carries a maximum two-year prison sentence.

Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show he said: 'We have, rightly in this country as a democracy, as an open society, protection for whistleblowers who find things out and release them in the public interest and we don't want to undermine that, it's very important part of how we work.

'But I do think we need to understand how this happened, and to make sure that ministers are secure in their offices, to be able to have conversations that they know aren't going to be leaked to hostile powers.'

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis confirmed that the Department of Health was looking into how the images from inside Mr Hancock's private office ended up splashed across the front of the Sun newspaper.

He told Sky News: 'It's something we need to get to the bottom of.

Mr Hunt spoke as an official investigation got underway into how footage of the former health secretary locked in an embrace with top aide Gina Coladangelo ended up in the hands of a newspaper and triggered his resignation.

The sting that brought down Matt Hancock was executed by a whistleblower in his department who contacted opponents of the Health Secretary's stance on lockdown to help expose his affair, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. The clinch took place around this corner (bottom right part of image). The camera in question can be seen on the ceiling (top right-hand corner)

After allowing a month to elapse, the whistleblower approached lockdown sceptics and asked them to help sell the incendiary footage to the media

Northern Ireland Secretary Mr Lewis today told Sky News: 'It's something we need to get to the bottom of'

The footage of Mr Hancock kissing Gina Coladangelo was caught on a CCTV camera in his office on May 6, and secretly recorded by a member of his department's staff. Above, the pair's kiss is in clear view of the camera in the ceiling

The door (to the left) is the same one as seen in the footage of Matt Hancock's clinch

'Quite rightly what happens in Government departments can be sensitive and important.

'So yes, I do know that is something the Department of Health will be taking forward as an internal investigation.'

After allowing a month to elapse, the whistleblower approached lockdown sceptics and asked them to help sell the incendiary footage to the media.

Throughout the pandemic, Mr Hancock has been a leading lockdown 'dove', arguing that the ultimate priority of government policy should be protecting the NHS against being overwhelmed. His critics have argued that the cost of the measures has been too high.

When the images detonated on The Sun's front page on Friday, Mr Hancock's allies speculated that he had been the victim of a 'hit' by No 10, or even a foreign power such as China.

They said they had no idea the camera existed, that it was 'unheard of' for cameras to be installed in Ministers' offices, and wanted to know why it had been put there without Mr Hancock's permission  and with what motivation. It was speculated that the images had been caught by 'a small covert camera that had been placed in a light fixture'.

In fact, pictures taken in September 2017, just before Mr Hancock moved in, show that the camera which caught the clinch is clearly visible on the ceiling of his office.

It is trained on the area by the doorway where the couple embraced.

Mr Lewis also told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show that the investigatory team will be looking into the issue 'across Government', adding: 'I have to say I always take the view it's best to assume that everything you're saying or putting in writing is going to be reported somewhere.'

Former Cabinet ministers Alan Johnson and Rory Stewart both said there had never been cameras in their offices during their time in government.

Mr Johnson told Trevor Phillips On Sunday: 'I could never understand why there was a camera in the Secretary of State's office.

'There was never a camera in my office when I was health secretary or in any of the other five Cabinet positions.'

Mr Stewart, who was International Development Secretary from May to July 2019, said in a tweet: 'I definitely did not know that there were cameras in any of my ministerial offices (in fact I was told - when I asked if there were any cameras - that there were not cameras in my office in DfiD).'

He added: 'If it were a departmental camera - perhaps focused on the door for security reasons - then it would be seen by the security officers.

'Someone else installing it would have some challenges - security passes, doors, access to ministerial office etc.'

Six weeks after the fateful images were captured  and a fortnight after they had been wiped from the department's CCTV system  the worker who had secured the footage contacted an anti-lockdown campaigner, who promised to try to place them in the media.

The Mail on Sunday was not one of the outlets approached. It is not known if The Sun obtained the video from the whistleblower or from another source entirely.

In a series of Instagram messages seen by this newspaper, the whistleblower says they need 'to be very careful with the information I am about to share'.

They add: 'I have some very damning CCTV footage of someone that has been recently classed as completely f*****g hopeless.'

The first message was sent on June 17, the day after former No 10 aide Dominic Cummings released a text exchange between him and the Prime Minister in which Boris Johnson expressed his frustration with Mr Hancock.

Messages from an anonymous Instagram account. The Mail on Sunday was not one of the outlets approached. It is not known if The Sun obtained the video from the whistleblower or from another source entirely

Mr Cummings had highlighted the Health Secretary's scepticism about the UK being able to match the US's ambitious testing programme, to which Mr Johnson replied: 'Totally f*****g hopeless'.

On June 19, the whistleblower explains more about the footage, writing: 'I really need to be careful with this but it involves him in a very compromising position with some [sic] who isn't his wife last month.' Later they reveal: 'I have the full video it's now been deleted off the system as it's over 30 days.'

In a separate message, the whistleblower admits working for the Department of Health.

The video shows Mr Hancock, just after 3pm, checking the corridor outside his ninth-floor office before closing the door, leaning against it to make sure it cannot be opened, then embracing his lover.

At the time, under Mr Hancock's own rules, hugging anyone from outside your household was banned.

Having sent a 'grab' image from the video to the anti-lockdown figure, the whistleblower discussed a potential payment, but said they were not looking for a large amount.

Asked for further material, they conclude: 'I really don't feel comfortable sending any more than I already have at the moment.'

The whistleblower said they could be contacted on an encrypted Protonmail email account. It is also understood that the Instagram account on which the original messages were posted has since been deleted.

It is not clear whether the footage was copied directly from the system or filmed on a mobile phone trained on a monitor. The security for government buildings is usually contracted out to private firms.

As Mr Hancock's allies thrashed around in panic in the aftermath of the story breaking, they saw, in the words of one source, 'demons everywhere': was it a plot by No 10, or Mr Cummings himself?

Could it even be part of an elaborate operation by a hostile foreign power: officials latched on to the fact that the CCTV cameras in the office were made by Hikvision, a Chinese firm banned in the US over concerns that it could be used by Beijing as a spying tool. The company denies the claim, saying there is no evidence that its data is relayed to China.

Hikvision has also been accused of aiding the Chinese government's campaign against the Uighur minority by monitoring the detention camps in which they are held in the Xinjiang region.

The Department of Health building is owned by a Singapore-based property firm.

The police have not been called in. Last night, a Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'The Met is aware of the distribution of images alleged to have been obtained from within an official government premises. No criminal investigation has been launched. It remains a matter for the relevant department.'

MI5 said that it would become involved only if there was a 'national security angle'.

Conor McGinn, Labour's shadow security minister, said: 'The leak of CCTV from inside a supposedly secure Government building is a serious matter.

'This is not about Matt Hancock's hypocrisy being exposed, it's about the potentially huge risks posed by such a lax approach from Government to security in its own buildings

'The Government must urgently review all of its key buildings, have the intelligences agencies sweep them for bugs and unauthorised CCTV, and address the speculation about a private company with links to China having access to Whitehall's inner sanctums.'
An American student who tricked newspapers across the globe into believing he was an Irish peer and the 'Marquess of Annaville' has confessed he was wrong to lie after his fraud was exposed.

Alexander Jackson Maier, an African-American student from New Rochelle in New York state, claimed he had the title of Lord Alexander, 11th Marquess of Annaville and convinced newspapers in the UK and US of his new title.

In a since deleted article, he wrote a column for British newspaper The Independent arguing that claims by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, of racism in the Royal family to be true as a 'black British member of the aristocracy'.

Maier, 22, also wrote a column in an American newspaper in February claiming that he had just become Lord Alexander, the 11th Marquess of Annaville and said the part of his family that carried the 'hereditary right came from Northern Ireland'.

Alexander Jackson Maier (right), an African-American student from New Rochelle in New York state, claimed he had the title of Lord Alexander, 11th Marquess of Annaville and convinced newspapers in the UK and US of his new title.

But it was not all as it seemed and experts have since revealed that Mr Maier made up his titles - rather than being the last of a long line of Irish peers.

Maier has since 'apologised greatly' for his lies and admitted that he should not have made up the title, reports The Telegraph.

In an article, published by the Independent in March this year, he wrote in a column sympathising with Meghan and Prince Harry about their claims of racism in the Royal Family.

Maier wrote: 'As a member of that same aristocracy, I'm telling you that I unequivocally believe that they are telling the truth.

'When a white peer either inherits or is brought in, never do you hear major questions. Whether it is recorded in Debrett's or happens with little fanfare, white people entering the aristocracy are welcomed with open arms and no interrogation.

'That hasn't been my experience. A 'show me your papers' attitude has become part of my daily existence.'

In a since deleted article, published by the Independent in March this year, he wrote in a column sympathising with Meghan and Prince Harry about their claims of racism in the Royal Family

But after the two articles were published, experts and social media users began questioning who Maier was and whether his titles even existed.

In fact, the title of Marquis of Annaville does not exist and while Maier claims that his family estate - the Annaville Manor in Maingot - is on the Caribbean island of St Lucia, it is also a made-up claim.

Peerage experts Debrett's have slammed Maier for making up his title and said he should have just called himself the 'Duke of Nowhersville'.

There has never been a creation of the Marquess of Annaville, and we have not included such a title in our 250-year history. If this title does exist, then it's the best kept secret in the history of peerage recording,' Wendy Bosberry-Scott, from Debrett's, told The Telegraph.

But despite no evidence of his peerage or Titles, Maier was able to convince newpapers to publish his claims under those very titles.

In February, US newspaper St Lucia published a column by Maier where he wrote about British colonialism.

He wrote: 'As of a few days ago I became Lord Alexander, the 11th Marquess of Annaville.

'The part of my family that carries this hereditary right came from Northern Ireland and as the first Black Lord in my family it's pretty safe to say my ten predecessors looked nothing like me.

'Annaville Manor, our family's central estate, is located in Maingot.'

In February, US newspaper St Lucia published a column by Maier where he wrote about British colonialism

A month later, The Independent published a column by Maier with the byline 'Marquess of Annaville, the last of the Irish peerages'.

The article was headlined: 'I'm a black British member of the aristocracy. I love the royal family  but I know what Meghan said was true.'

Maier wrote extensively about Meghan and Harry and said: 'While I respected the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as part of the monarchy, I was never a supporter of their exit.

'I felt it was a personal affront to Her Majesty the Queen and the entire Windsor-Mountbatten family. Indeed, when I first heard about their decision to move away from the UK, I was confused.

'For a loved figure like Prince Harry to give his HRH and go for 'Hollywood instead of home' felt odd to me (not so much my husband, to his credit).

'I certainly have denounced 'Megxit' privately among my friends and family at some point. Now, in the aftermath of that explosive interview with Oprah, I hesitate to use that term. It feels racial.

Maier wrote extensively about Meghan and Harry in his column and said that their claims of racism in the Royal Family were true

'I understand what they spoke about, and sadly they are correct. I wish they weren't right with every fiber of my being. I wish they were lying and the Duchess of Sussex hadn't been bullied to the point of suicidal ideation during pregnancy. I wish she hadn't had to make the choice to share such upsetting details with the public.

'But as a member of that same aristocracy,I'm telling you that I unequivocally believe that they are telling the truth.

'While I celebrate our system and respect the aristocracy and the royal family, what is hidden from the public and takes place behind closed doors must change. If change does not come, there will be a collapse in public support and potentially the viability of the system. That is why it is so important that we no longer operate in denial.'

The Independent later removed the article from their website after experts questioned Maier's titles.

The newspaper published a correction in May which read: 'On 12 March 2021 we published an article headlined: 'I'm a black British member of the aristocracy. I love the royal family  but I know what Meghan said was true,' written by Alexander Maier-Dlamini in which he was described as the 'Marquess of Annaville - the last of the Irish peerages'.

The Independent newspaper published a correction in May this year following the article

'This was incorrect, there is no Marquess of Annaville in the Irish peerage. The Independent has been unable to verify what titles (if any) Alexander Maier-Dlamini holds.'

Ms Bosberry-Scott told the Telegraph deceptions like Maier's can be used to gain advantage.

She said: 'There are many reasons why people do it, it's often the need to feel special or important. A title can command respect and access.

'Unless they are widely recognisable members of society, titles should not be accepted at face value.'

She added: 'People have been claiming fabricated titles or titles they're not entitled to for centuries, it's why the Peerage and Baronetage became so popular and useful after it was first published in 1769. If somebody claimed to be the 'Duke of Nowheresville', all you had to do was look them up in the latest volume of Debrett's.'

Mr Maeir has since admitted that he should not have made up the title.

He told the newspaper: 'There is no title in the peerage related to me whatsoever. I do apologize greatly to those institutions involved with a mechanism like this, many of which I'm obviously not familiar with.'
Prince Harry has reportedly been paying secret visits to a US air force base after he was stripped of his military patronages when he and Meghan stepped down from the Royal Family.

Even though Harry doesn't have an official role in the UK Army, he has allegedly been meeting up with old friends from when he was an Apache helicopter pilot, according to The Sun.

It is believed that two of his old colleagues are now at Nellis base near Las Vegas - where the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor programme (commonly known as TOPGUN) are trained.

A source told the publication: 'Harry has kept in touch with them so when they knew he was moving to the States they invited him to come and see them.

Even though Harry doesn't have an official role in the UK Army, he has allegedly been meeting up with old friends from when he was an Apache helicopter pilot

It is believed that two of his old colleagues are now at Nellis base near Las Vegas - where the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor programme (commonly known as TOPGUN) are trained

'He's made informal visits to the air base where they are and they've been out for drinks in their down time.'

Prince Harry, 36, is now prevented from wearing full military regalia. Should he attend a Remembrance Sunday event he could wear his medals and a regimental beret but not a uniform.

Garments he should no longer wear are understood to include the Blues and Royals frockcoat worn on his wedding day in May 2018 and the Royal Marines dress uniform he wore to the Royal Albert Hall in March 2020, shortly before he stepped down as a senior royal.

A source said: 'Harry has kept in touch with them so when they knew he was moving to the States they invited him to come and see them'

It is believed that Harry is visiting friends he made while completing a helicopter training programmed at a US military base in California in 2011.

Back in 2005 Prince Harry, then aged only 20, climbed the ornate steps of the Old College at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) to begin his officer training. It was widely remarked in the following years that the Army became his family.

He subsequently served his country with distinction on the frontline in Afghanistan, both as a soldier on the ground and later as a helicopter pilot.

After Sandhurst Prince Harry commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Blues and Royals, a regiment of the Household Cavalry, in 2006. A debate soon began about whether he could deploy with his unit to Iraq.

Prince Harry standing in front of his Apache Helicopter in the remote California desert in 2011

As he was not directly in line to the throne many senior army figures thought he should go.

Eventually the Ministry of Defence, after drawn-out discussions with Buckingham Palace, was persuaded that he would be a high profile target whose presence would endanger those deployed with him.

He served as a Forward Air Controller with a desert reconnaissance unit. In doing so he became the first member of the Royal Family to serve on the frontline since Prince Andrew took part in the Falklands War in 1982 as a helicopter pilot.

On his return to the UK from Afghanistan Prince Harry was advised to retrain as a helicopter pilot should he wish to go back to the conflict  though secretly few senior officers expected him to pass the necessary selection tests.

HRH Prince Harry wears his monocle gun sight as he sits in the front seat of his cockpit where he is serving as an Apache helicopter pilot in 2012

But he defied their low expectations, qualifying as an Apache helicopter co-pilot and gunner.

He returned to Helmand Province in September 2012 with the Army Air Corps and duly completed a four-month operational tour.

Harry then focused on veterans' welfare and helped set up the Invictus Games, a version of the Paralympics for injured military personnel, before retiring from the Army in June 2015.

In December 2017, Harry accepted the role of Captain General of the Royal Marines from his grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, who had served in this capacity for a remarkable 64 years.
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A shadow Cabinet minister has urged the police to investigate cheating Matt Hancock after the disgraced former Health Secretary was pictured flouting social distancing restrictions with his mistress.

Shadow Housing Secretary Lucy Powell said that Labour MP Fleur Anderson had referred Mr Hancock to the Metropolitan Police to find out if any lockdown laws had been broken.

Mr Hancock resigned from government and left his wife of 15 years this week after the Sun newspaper splashed images of him kissing aide Gina Coladangelo in his ministerial office in defiance of the very restrictions he imposed on millions of people during the pandemic.

Speaking to Trevor Phillips On Sunday on Sky News, Miss Powell claimed that Mr Hancock put people at risk of the virus by being in 'two bubbles at the same time, unbeknown to other people in that bubble'.

The Labour frontbencher pointed to the former Health Secretary's own calls for police to investigate Professor Neil Ferguson last year after the SAGE adviser broke lockdown to see his lover, adding: 'You can't have the rule maker also being the rule breaker, people want to know there's accountability in that.'

Mr Hancock had condemned the actions of 'Professor Lockdown' in an interview with Sky News on May 6, 2020, calling them 'extraordinary' and saying it 'would not be possible' for Prof Ferguson to have kept his job after reports emerged of his tryst with Antonia Staats.

Although the Metropolitan Police decided not to prosecute Prof Ferguson, Mr Hancock had said he would back the police if they wanted to take action over the matter.

Miss Powell today said: 'At the time, you'll remember, when this video was taken, we were all told that we could only have close contact with those that we were in a bubble with, they were our bubble, and that was the only people we could have close contact with, that was the law at the time.

Shadow Housing Secretary Lucy Powell said that Labour MP Fleur Anderson had referred Mr Hancock to the Metropolitan Police to find out if any lockdown laws had been broken

Mr Hancock had condemned the actions of 'Professor Lockdown' in an interview with Sky News on May 6, 2020, calling them 'extraordinary' and saying it 'would not be possible' for Prof Ferguson to have kept his job

The news came less than two hours after Matt Hancock announced his resignation from the position following the emergence of video footage showing him kissing an aide in his ministerial office in a breach of coronavirus restrictions

Matt Hancock wrote a letter of resignation (pictured above) to Boris Johnson where he said the Government 'owe it to people who have sacrificed so much in this pandemic to be honest when we have let them down

Saj gets down to business: New Health Secretary thanks cheating predecessor for his 'hard work' and says his 'most immediate priority is ending pandemic as soon as possible' as he speaks for first time in new role Sajid Javid today announced his 'most immediate priority' will be ending the pandemic as soon as possible and praised cheating Matt Hancock's record in government after the disgraced former minister was pictured flouting coronavirus restrictions. Speaking to the media for the first time since becoming Health Secretary on Saturday, Mr Javid said: 'I just want to start by saying I think Matt Hancock worked incredibly hard, he achieved a lot, and I'm sure he will have more to offer in public life. 'I was honoured to take up this position. I also know that it comes with a huge responsibility and I will do everything I can to make sure that I deliver for this great country. 'We are still in a pandemic and I want to see that come to an end as soon as possible and that will be my most immediate priority, to see that we can return to normal as soon and as quickly as possible.' The former Chancellor of the Exchequer left government in February 2020 after Boris Johnson tried to sack his entire team and amid rumours of a stormy relationship with former senior No10 aide Dominic Cummings, who himself resigned in November last year. Mr Javid has returned to the Prime Minister's cabinet as an emergency replacement for Mr Hancock, who resigned as Health Secretary and left his wife of 15 years Martha after the Sun newspaper splashed images of him kissing aide Gina Coladangelo in his ministerial office. Advertisement

'It now turns out that Matt Hancock was actually in two bubbles at the same time, unbeknown to other people in that bubble, and that is how infection spreads. So yes, there are serious issues here which need further investigation.

'And we will be looking at those because of course, you know, Matt Hancock was the first to say that Neil Ferguson and others should have resigned when they broke the rules and that other people needed to abide by them. So you can't have the rule maker also being the rule breaker, people want to know there's accountability in that.'

Miss Powell also said Labour will push for Mr Hancock to be stripped of the 16,000 of severance pay he is entitled to by law, and claimed Boris Johnson has a 'very dangerous blind spot when it comes to issues of integrity and conduct in public life' after the premier refused to sack him.

The Shadow Housing Secretary said people would be 'appalled to think that there's going to be a severance payment to Matt Hancock in this circumstance', contrasting this with the pay offer for NHS staff, and said people would be 'pretty disgusted'.

She added: 'We will certainly be calling that out and asking the Prime Minister not to give him that.' It has not been confirmed whether Mr Hancock will take the payment.

A Scotland Yard spokesman told MailOnline the force is not investigating Covid-related issues retrospectively, but will investigate alleged breaches of the Health Protection Regulations 2020 'where police action can enable a change to behaviour that is posing a current public health risk'.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'The Met is aware of the distribution of images alleged to have been obtained from within an official government premises. No criminal investigation has been launched. At this time, it remains a matter for the relevant government department.

'Where the Met receives allegations of breaches of the Health Protection Regulations 2020, we will focus on those that are live, or where police action can enable a change to behaviour that is posing a current public health risk. As a matter of course the MPS is not investigating Covid related issues retrospectively.'

Mr Johnson had refused to sack Mr Hancock, with his spokesman saying the PM considered the matter closed after receiving the West Suffolk MP's apology on Friday.

In response to Mr Hancock's letter, the Prime Minister wrote: 'You should leave office very proud of what you have achieved - not just in tackling the pandemic, but even before Covid-19 struck us.'

And he said: 'Above all, it has been your task to deal with a challenge greater than that faced by any of your predecessors, and in fighting Covid you have risen to that challenge - with the abundant energy, intelligence, and determination that are your hallmark.'

On Saturday Conservative MPs began to break ranks to call for Mr Hancock to go. Veteran Tory Sir Christopher Chope said his constituents were 'seething'. Norfolk Norfolk MP Duncan Baker said: 'In my view people in high public office and great positions of responsibility should act with the appropriate morals and ethics that come with that role.'

Mr Johnson had refused to sack Mr Hancock, with his spokesman saying the PM considered the matter closed after receiving the West Suffolk MP's apology on Friday.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer tweeted: 'Matt Hancock is right to resign. But Boris Johnson should have sacked him.'

Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: 'It is right that Matt Hancock has resigned. But why didn't Boris Johnson have the guts to sack him and why did he say the matter was closed? Boris Johnson has demonstrated that he has none of the leadership qualities required of a Prime Minister.'

Liberal Democrats' leader Sir Ed Davey tweeted: 'Matt Hancock's legacy as Health Secretary will be one of cronyism and failure. And the fact that Boris Johnson thought Hancock could just carry on regardless brings the Prime Minister's judgement into question once again.'

Mr Hancock's three-year tenure as health secretary came to an end after The Sun newspaper published stills of what appeared to be CCTV footage from inside his ministerial office of him kissing Ms Coladangelo.

Ms Coladangelo, a friend from Mr Hancock's days at Oxford University, was brought into DHSC as an unpaid adviser last year before being given the 15,000-a-year role of non-executive director in the department.

Matt Hancock, 42, announced his resignation on Saturday following the emergence of video footage showing him kissing aide Gina Coladangelo in his ministerial office in a breach of coronavirus restrictions

Matt Hancock, 42, resigned as Health Secretary and left his wife of 15 years after images published this week showed him kissing Miss Coladangelo, 43, in his ministerial office in breach of coronavirus restrictions

Gina Coladangelo (pictured with the Health Secretary in September 2019), initially taken on by Mr Hancock as an unpaid adviser on a six-month contract in early 2020, is also leaving her position on the board of the Department of Health

Legislation in place at the time said that 'no person may participate in a gathering' that 'consists of two or more people... and takes place indoors'.

An exception to this rule was that the gathering was 'reasonably necessary for work purposes or for the provision of voluntary or charitable services'.

Tory MPs and ministers will also have been eyeing the by-election in Batley and Spen next week.

Christchurch MP Sir Christopher told the BBC the impact on the West Yorkshire vote was on his mind.

Labour MP for Halifax, Holly Lynch, had been preparing to write an open letter to Conservative MPs and the Tory candidate in the election, Ryan Stephenson, challenging them to tell Mr Hancock to resign.

Before he did, Sir Christopher told Radio 4's PM programme: 'Of course I feel that. And that's another reason why I think that the sooner he goes the better, because otherwise the last few days of the campaign are going to be dominated by this issue and it's obviously not going to be very helpful for the Conservatives.'

It comes as a Cabinet minister today confirmed that an official investigation is underway into how footage of Matt Hancock locked in an embrace with a top aide was leaked to his lockdown-sceptic opponents.

Brandon Lewis confirmed that the Department of Health was looking into how the images from inside Mr Hancock's private office ended up splashed across the front of the Sun newspaper.

The Mail on Sunday today revealed that the sting was executed by a whistleblower in his department who contacted opponents of the Health Secretary's stance on lockdown to help expose his affair.

The footage of Mr Hancock kissing Gina Coladangelo was caught on a CCTV camera in his office on May 6, and secretly recorded by a member of his department's staff.

After allowing a month to elapse, the whistleblower approached lockdown sceptics and asked them to help sell the incendiary footage to the media.

Northern Ireland Secretary Mr Lewis today told Sky News: 'It's something we need to get to the bottom of.

'Quite rightly what happens in Government departments can be sensitive and important. So yes, I do know that is something the Department of Health will be taking forward as an internal investigation.'

Throughout the pandemic, Mr Hancock has been a leading lockdown 'dove', arguing that the ultimate priority of government policy should be protecting the NHS against being overwhelmed. His critics have argued that the cost of the measures has been too high.

The sting that brought down Matt Hancock was executed by a whistleblower in his department who contacted opponents of the Health Secretary's stance on lockdown to help expose his affair, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. The clinch took place around this corner (bottom right part of image). The camera in question can be seen on the ceiling (top right-hand corner)

After allowing a month to elapse, the whistleblower approached lockdown sceptics and asked them to help sell the incendiary footage to the media

When the images detonated on The Sun's front page on Friday, Mr Hancock's allies speculated that he had been the victim of a 'hit' by No 10, or even a foreign power such as China.

They said they had no idea the camera existed, that it was 'unheard of' for cameras to be installed in Ministers' offices, and wanted to know why it had been put there without Mr Hancock's permission  and with what motivation. It was speculated that the images had been caught by 'a small covert camera that had been placed in a light fixture'.

In fact, pictures taken in September 2017, just before Mr Hancock moved in, show that the camera which caught the clinch is clearly visible on the ceiling of his office.

It is trained on the area by the doorway where the couple embraced.

Former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt today said the leak of the footage had 'possibly' been a breach of the Official Secrets Act.

Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show he said: 'We have, rightly in this country as a democracy, as an open society, protection for whistleblowers who find things out and release them in the public interest and we don't want to undermine that, it's very important part of how we work.

'But I do think we need to understand how this happened, and to make sure that ministers are secure in their offices, to be able to have conversations that they know aren't going to be leaked to hostile powers.'

Mr Lewis also told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show that the investigatory team will be looking into the issue 'across Government', adding: 'I have to say I always take the view it's best to assume that everything you're saying or putting in writing is going to be reported somewhere.'

Former Cabinet ministers Alan Johnson and Rory Stewart both said there had never been cameras in their offices during their time in government.

Mr Johnson told Trevor Phillips On Sunday: 'I could never understand why there was a camera in the Secretary of State's office. There was never a camera in my office when I was health secretary or in any of the other five Cabinet positions.'

Mr Stewart, who was International Development Secretary from May to July 2019, said in a tweet: 'I definitely did not know that there were cameras in any of my ministerial offices (in fact I was told - when I asked if there were any cameras - that there were not cameras in my office in DfiD).'

He added: 'If it were a departmental camera - perhaps focused on the door for security reasons - then it would be seen by the security officers.

'Someone else installing it would have some challenges - security passes, doors, access to ministerial office etc.'
New South Wales held Queensland to nil points in front of its home crowd for the first time in State of Origin history as they beat the outclassed Maroons 26-0 in Game Two on Sunday night to seal the series in emphatic fashion.

After some doubts about whether the fans would be able to attend due to a new Covid-19 outbreak, most of the 52,000 fans at Suncorp Stadium were left wishing they had been banned as they watched their team get steamrolled by NSW for the second game running.

After a humiliating 50-6 loss in Game 1, Queensland would need a remarkable turnaround to prevent being on the wrong end of a series whitewash since 2000, amid debate about whether it was the worst team ever to represent the Maroons.

It only took 12 minutes for the Cockroaches to cross the line with winger Josh Addo-Carr crashing over in the corner.

Moment's later in the 26th minute centre Latrell Mitchell took a length-of-the-field intercept and ran away with a four-pointer.

Star centre Tom Trbojevic then crossed the strip in the 32nd minute before Addo-Carr scored for his second try in the 70th minute.

While it was a tough night for the Maroons, it was utterly embarrassing for one Queensland fan who was captured by eagle-eyed Twitter users tumbling down a set of stairs after a Blues try.

Pictured: Latrell Mitchell of the Blues celebrates after scoring a try during game two of the 2021 State of Origin series

Nathan Cleary of the Blues offloads the ball during game two of the 2021 State of Origin series

Tom Trbojevic of the Blues dives over to score a try towards the end of the first half

Tonight's match went ahead despite growing Covid concerns, as the nation deals with rising case numbers.

In a bizarre health order issued to footy fans, masks were made mandatory when entering and leaving the ground, but are not compulsory while seated.

Meanwhile Sydneysiders, along with those from the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong, were forced to cheer on the Blues from their couches after being ordered into a 14-day lockdown at midnight on Saturday.

In a bizarre health order issued to footy fans, masks were made mandatory when entering and leaving the ground, but are not compulsory while seated

Most fans chose not to wear face masks during the heated State of Origin clash

Queensland supporters cheers on the Maroons as they run out for tonight's clash

Ben Hunt (left) and Cameron Munster (right) appear dejected after losing the State of Origin Series

Star second-rower David Fifita (left) and Cameron Munster (right) of the Maroons react to defeat

On the northern side of the border, an unrelated cluster believed to be linked to a breach in hotel quarantine has now grown to three locally-acquired cases.

But the match went ahead as planned, with about 52,000 fans ordered to wear face masks.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk took to Twitter urging fans to take all the necessary precautions.

'Masks must be worn on arrival to Suncorp Stadium and especially on exit,' she wrote.

'The only time you don't need a mask is when you are seated.

'Masks will be available on arrival.

'Please check in using the Check In Qld app.

'And if you are sick - stay home.'

Pictured: Josh Addo-Carr of the Blues celebrates with team mate Cameron Murray of the Blues after scoring a try

Pictured: Josh Addo-Carr of the Blues dives over to score a try during game two of the 2021 State of Origin series

NSW fullback James Tedesco who was named man of the match is pictured fending off Queensland's David Fifita

In the lead up to the match much of the talk centered around rookie sensation Reece Walsh who was selected after just seven NRL games.

Many rugby league commentators said picking the 18-year-old was a move of desperation that would place unfair pressure on the inexperienced young talent.

But the fullback was ruled out at the eleventh hour with a hamstring injury.

There was more drama when Sharks winger Ronaldo Mulitalo was called up as his replacement.

Mate verse Mate: A NSW supporter sits next to Queensland fan at Suncorp Stadium

Tens of thousands of Queenslanders are piling into Brisbane 's Suncorp Stadium, for the second match in the 2021 State of Origin Series

New South Wales won the first match in Townsville by a record margin of 50-6 - and now the Maroons are seeking revenge. Pictured: A Queensland fan carries a young NSW Blue supporter

A last-minute protest by NSW Rugby League uncovered the New Zealand born speedster is not actually eligible to play for Queensland, despite representing the state at junior levels.

The NRL ruled he didn't arrive in Queensland until he was 14, after the cut-off point of 13.

'It's a massive breakdown in the process. And I don't think that's finished yet. All the information that is available to us, he was eligible to play,' Queensland coach Paul Green said.

The embarrassing blunder meant the Maroons would go into the match with the exact same backline that was trounced by the Blues in game one.

NSW also went into the match with few changes. The only injury casualty from the first game was front-row forward Jake Trbojevic who was replaced by Roosters hardman Angus Crichton.

Tonight's match will go ahead at 8pm as much of nation deals with a growing Covid crisis. Pictured: Fans outside Suncorp stadium

A passionate Maroons fan is pictured alongside the statue of Queensland great Wally Lewis
He distinguished himself during the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917 and the 1918 German Spring Offensive

Capt Cornock said people are 'unnecessarily afraid of death' in the stoic letter

aptain Walter Cornock wrote to his father in June 1917 and said he was driven by an enormous sense of duty

A stoic letter from a British World War One officer saying he would rather 'die a man's death than feel I had failed' has come to light 104 years on.

Captain Walter Cornock, of the 12th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, distinguished himself during the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917 and the 1918 German Spring Offensive.

The correspondence to his father, also named Walter, reveals how he was driven by an enormous sense of duty and prepared to sacrifice his life for his country.

The 25-year-old, from Gloucester, said this was preferable to taking 'cowardly advantage' of a situation and surviving, adding that people are 'unnecessarily afraid of death'.

Captain Walter Cornock, of the 12th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, distinguished himself during the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917 and the 1918 German Spring Offensive

Captain Walter Cornock's diaries and letters and diaries have emerged for sale alongside his campaign medals with Fellows Auctioneers, of Birmingham

The correspondence to his father, also named Walter, reveals how he was driven by an enormous sense of duty and prepared to sacrifice his life for his country. Pictured: The letter

He wrote on June 24, 1917: 'I would rather die a man's death, than have to feel that I had failed to go through with it or taken a cowardly advantage of a chance to get out of it.

'Not that I expect to be killed, I have every hope of coming through, providence has been very good to me thus far, thankfully I don't mind much either way.

'I think we are unnecessarily afraid of death - I'm only worried because of the pain it would cause to all you at home.

'However, please don't worry anymore about my coming home because I shouldn't be... I am fit and all serene. Heaps and heaps of love to you all.'

His letters and diaries have emerged for sale alongside his campaign medals with Fellows Auctioneers, of Birmingham.

The archive, which has been kept in an iron safety box carrying his name, is tipped to fetch 3,000. It also features his scabbard and a family photo album.

Captain Walter Cornock's letter Dear Daddy, Thanks for yours of 19th - just received. I'm very sorry indeed to hear such bad news of poor Uncle Charlie. It is awfully hard lines for him, and looks very serious. As far as it concerns me however, I'm afraid I can't agree with your suggestion at all. It seems to me that if an inexperienced hand can keep on the farm, Ernest is the man for the job. If not, the farm will have to be given up in any case. Ernest knows as much about farming as I do, and it would be a great shame to have to give up the farm - I should like to see the two E's [May be initial of Ernest and another person] at Hillesley, and think they'd do very well after a little experience. I know nothing about farming, and am quite determined to see this job through, I should never forgive myself if I took advantage of a thing of this sort to get home, when it is not necessary. I've given up a good deal, but most men have made for greater sacrifices than I have, and I shan't think of anything else until it is over. I would rather die a man's death, than have to feel that I had failed to go through with it or taken a cowardly advantage of a chance to get out of it. Not that I expect to be killed, I have every hope of coming through, providence has been very good to me thus far, thankfully I don't mind much either way. I think we are unnecessarily afraid of death - I'm only worried because of the pain it would cause to all you at home. However, please don't worry anymore about my coming home because I shouldn't be agreeable, and I think probably you can understand my feelings, although my being out here is such an anxiety for you all. I am fit and all serene. Heaps and heaps of love to you all. Your ever loving son, Walter. Advertisement

Captain Cornock's (pictured) letters and diaries have emerged for sale alongside his campaign medals with Fellows Auctioneers, of Birmingham

The archive, which has been kept in an iron safety box carrying his name, is tipped to fetch 3,000

Pictured: Captain Walter Cornock's diaries, safety box and medal set which is up for auction

Alison Jakeway, antiques specialist at Fellows, said: 'Capt Cornock's archive is one of the most extensive collections that I have ever seen relating to an individual who served in the First World War.

'There are incredibly moving letters and diaries alongside the lot, including a poignant letter addressed to his father which represents how tough certain periods of the war were.

'It is evident that Capt Cornock was a family man who served his country with distinction.

'We are proud to sell his wartime collection.'

Capt Cornock joined the Army in 1906 aged just 14 as a private in the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars. His diary includes a detailed account of a major British attack at Vimy Ridge in the spring of 1916.

Capt Cornock joined the Army in 1906 aged just 14 as a private in the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars

A portrait of Captain Walter Cornock in his photo album alongside other pictures from his travels

His diary includes a detailed account of a major British attack at Vimy Ridge in the spring of 1916

He writes: 'Zero hour was at 5.30am, when the Artillery, which were wheel to wheel, broke out into the biggest concentration of fire ever experienced on any front at any time.

'It was intensely cold, the air filled with snow flakes as the men went over the top, sheltered to some extent from the creeping barrage.

'The enemy's front support trenches had been reduced to a mixture of shell holes and broken wire, and within four hours most of the Ridge had been taken by the Canadians and good progress made further south to the line of the Scarpe in front of Arras by the British troops...

'Shortly after daylight a stream of wounded and prisoners came down the road and this continued all day, and we learned that 10,000 prisoners had been taken.'

The auction lot also includes the medals Captain Cornock received during his duty

Captain Cornock's photo albums are also up for sale as well as his diaries and medals

Captain Cornock later fought in the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919 as captain of the 30th Punjabis and, according to his diary, acted as Adjutant to Prince Edward in India in August 1921.

He retired from the army in 1922 before working in the coal and laundry industries. He died aged 80 in 1972.

His medal group consists of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. The sale takes place on Monday.
The grieving girlfriend of champion snowboarder Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin has revealed the bittersweet news she is pregnant with their child, almost a year after his death.

Ellidy Vlug, 29, made the heartwarming announcement to her 57,000 Instagram followers through a series of photos of her swollen stomach on Sunday.

Her late partner and three-time Olympian Alex Pullin, 32, tragically drowned in a freak diving accident at Palm Beach on the Gold Coast in July last year.

The snowboarder was spearfishing when he suffered a shallow water blackout and drowned, with his distraught partner arriving on the beach as the tragedy unfolded.

The couple had been trying for a baby before his death, prompting Ms Vlug to seek out IVF treatment in the hope of keeping his memory alive.

The grieving girlfriend of champion snowboarder Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin has revealed the bittersweet news she is pregnant with their child, almost a year after his death

Ms Vlug's late partner and three-time Olympian Alex Pullin, 32, tragically drowned in a freak diving accident at Palm Beach on the Gold Coast in July last year

Ellidy Vlug, 29, made the heartwarming announcement to her 57,000 Instagram followers through a series of photos of her swollen stomach on Sunday

Ms Vlug (left) celebrates with a pal who captioned the photo: 'This angel and her Chumpy bumpy'

Ms Vlug displayed her pregnancy progress after announcing the happy news on Sunday

'Bubba Chump coming this October', Ms Vlug captioned the post, receiving well-wishes from pro-surfers Mick Fanning and Alana Blanchard in the comments.

'When my love had his accident, we all held onto hope that I'd be pregnant that month. We'd been trying for a baby', the 29-year-old model wrote.

'IVF was on our cards but it wasn't something I ever imagined I'd be tackling on my own. Bittersweet like none other, I've never been more certain or excited about anything in my entire life.'

The news comes after Ms Vlug spoke candidly of the intense heartache she feels a year after the loss of Pullin, which she describes as feeling 'surreal'.

The model has already introduced her bump to her late partner's parents (pictured) as they posed in front of an image of Mr Pullin in the Winter Olympics

Her late partner and three-time Olympian Alex Pullin, 32, (pictured, together with their dog Rummi) drowned in a freak diving accident at Palm Beach on the Gold Coast in July last year

On the podcast she co-hosts with friend Chloe Fisher, the wife of international DJ Paul Fisher, 'Darling, shine!', she admitted to still feeling 'like a robot'.

'I miss him. I want him back. 'I just can't believe he's not about to walk in the door any day', Ms Vlug said.

'I go to text him, I go to call him still. I f***ing just wish he would come back. And I still can't believe he can't.'

The model described how she had 'this really crazy feeling in my heart' on the day of Pullin's death, but put it down to stress induced by the upcoming weekend.

'It was just a feeling I've never felt before. That day I got home from that walk and it kind of all eventuated Chump had literally passed away... I just don't even know how to even say that word.'

Ms Vlug previously told Daily Mail Australia Pullin had been an experienced free diver and 'had mastered the art of holding his breath for long periods of time'.

'I miss him. I want him back. 'I just can't believe he's not about to walk in the door any day', Ms Vlug said of her late partner Alex Pullin (pictured, together) on her podcast 'Darling, shine!'

The snowboarder (pictured with his beloved dog Rummi) was spearfishing when he suffered a shallow water blackout and drowned, with his distraught partner arriving on the beach as the tragedy unfolded

The Olympian often went out spearfishing on his own or with friends, and Ms Vlug said she never once had any concerns about anything going askew.

On the morning of his death, the couple woke late before Pullin decided to go get some sun.

Ms Vlug told Daily Mail Australia she last saw her boyfriend alive moments before he'd decided to go for a dive, telling him: 'Love you, watch out for sharks'.

Ms Vlug then went for a walk, returning home to find a neighbour at her door telling her a spearfisher had been pulled from the ocean.

The 29-year-old told listeners the couple were constantly (pictured) pinching themselves at how lucky they were, and said they had been trying for a baby

She then raced to the beach with her mother, where she was told the body belonged to her boyfriend of eight years.

Paramedics performed CPR for 45 minutes on Pullin but were unable to revive him.

The 29-year-old told listeners the couple were constantly pinching themselves at how lucky they were, and said they had been trying for a baby.

As it nears the one-year-anniversary of Pullin's death, the model admitted she feels more angry than sad, and said her late partner had been a role model to many.

'Apparently he's in a higher place, serving a purpose up there, doing bigger and better things apparently,' she said.

'But selfishly I just want him here.

As it nears the one-year-anniversary of Pullin's death, the model admitted she feels more angry than sad, and said her late partner had been a role model to many

'Apparently he's in a higher place, serving a purpose up there, doing bigger and better things  apparently. But selfishly I just want him here', Ms Vlug said of her late partner (pictured together)

'I just feel like a deep sadness for Chumpy and what he's missing out on, what he was going to accomplish; because he was such a talented person that had so much ahead of him.'

She added that she wanted to connect with as many widows from around the world as possible, to reassure them they weren't alone in their grief.

A dawn service was held to commemorate the 32-year-old in the waters at Palm Beach, just meters from where the Olympic snowboarder tragically drowned.

Joined by an army of surfing mates, friends and family, Ms Vlug took to the water donning a wreaths of flowers to share an emotional farewell to her partner.

Surfer Mick Fanning and Pullin's father joined the mourners in a paddle out while grieving locals joined by the couple's beloved cattle dog Rumi, planted bouquets of flowers in the sand.
Matt Hancock deserved to lose his job for a workplace affair after his shabby treatment of a Covid expert caught in a similar situation last year, a former minister said today.

Alan Johnson, an ex-home secretary for Labour, said Mr Hancock's resignation was 'justified comeback' for the way he treated Professor Neil Ferguson last year.

Prof Ferguson, an epidemiologist at Imperial College London, stood down from Sage last May after it was revealed that his married girlfriend Antonia Staats had been visiting him at home.

It sparked accusations he had catastrophically 'undermined' the government's position by flouting the strict coronavirus social distancing rules he helped draw up to have secret trysts.

At the time there were calls for him to face a police probe and Mr Johnson told Sky's Trevor Phillips on Sunday this morning: 'I thought that when this Neil Ferguson issue arose, Matt Hancock didn't have to pile in on Neil Ferguson.

'He chose to pile in and say that Neil Ferguson  it was ''extraordinary behaviour'' and that everyone had to obey the rules.

'And he even went so far, although the police declared they were not going to take any action for this breach of law, Matt Hancock said ''if they do take action I will support them''. Talk about justified comeback.

'When you do that to someone, a sage adviser who wasn't even a Cabinet colleague, someone who couldn't really answer back, you deserve everything you get.'

Alan Johnson, an ex-home secretary for Labour, said Mr Hancock's resignation was 'justified comeback' for the way he treated Professor Neil Ferguson last year.

Prof Ferguson, an epidemiologist at Imperial College London, stood down from Sage last May after it was revealed that his married girlfriend Antonia Staats had been visiting him at home.

Mr Johnson told Sky's Trevor Phillips on Sunday this morning: 'When you do that to someone, a sage adviser who wasn't even a Cabinet colleague, someone who couldn't really answer back, you deserve everything you get'

Mr Hancock bowed to growing pressure to go last night, less than 48 hours after pictures emerged of him in a passionate embrace with Gina Coladangelo at the Department of Health.

He told Boris Johnson in his letter of resignation that the Government 'owe it to people who have sacrificed so much in this pandemic to be honest when we have let them down'.

Now it has come to light that the former health secretary told his wife, Martha, he would be leaving her on Thursday night - immediately after discovering that his affair with Gina Coladangelo was about to be laid bare.

Images and video showed Mr Hancock in an embrace with aide Ms Coladangelo last month inside his private office, sparking intense pressure on him to quit over the breaking of social-distancing rules.

Friends said on Saturday night the pair had been seeing each other for around six weeks, but were a 'love match'.

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said today that Mr Hancock did not resign straight away because he 'wanted to stay focussed' on tackling coronavirus.

But he told Sky News' Trevor Phillips On Sunday Mr Hancock was right to quit after 'taking that opportunity to look at the situation and to reflect'.

He rejected that Mr Hancock had only stood down because criticism from others had started to mount.
A popular Bondi cafe, a nearby Justin Hemmes pub, and a celebrity hair salon have been revealed as venues where Covid has already spread between strangers.

For the first time, NSW Health has released a list of venues where the virus has already been transmitted from one person to another - with fears there may be many more.

The venues include the packed Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre and Great Ocean Foods wholesaler in Marrickville, which is already linked to 11 cases.

Four of the sites are considered Tier 1, meaning anyone who attended the venues at the times listed are a close contact and must immediately get tested and then isolate for 14 days regardless of the result.

NSW Health has released a list of venues where Covid has already been transmitted from one person to another, including Westfield Bondi Junction (pictured)

Greater Sydney was plunged into a two-week lockdown on Saturday as health authorities battle to contain an outbreak of the highly-infectious Delta Covid strain. Pictured: Residents flock to a drive-through testing clinic at St Vincent's hospital on Saturday

The advice applies to those who visited Joh Bailey hair salon in Double Bay anytime from June 15 to June 23 or The Royal Bondi on Saturday June 19, between 5pm to 6.30pm, or Sunday June 20 from 7.50pm to 9.30pm.

Other venues of concern include the Marrickville seafood wholesaler from June 21 to June 25, and Lyfe Cafe Bondi Beach on June 16 between 12.30pm to 2.15pm, from June 18 to June 19, and from June 22 to June 24.

Meanwhile, anyone who visited Bondi Junction Westfield, including the carpark, between Saturday June 12 to Friday June 18 must get tested, however, only those with symptoms or who attended exposure sites at the listed times must isolate.

The list comes as NSW recorded 30 new locally-acquired virus cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday, with Greater Sydney, Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Shellharbour enduring the first of 14 days in lockdown.

All have been linked to the Bondi outbreak, which now stands at 110, with 11 of the new cases in self-isolation throughout their infectious period.

Joh Bailey hair salon, in Sydney's ritzy eastern suburb Double Bay, has also been listed as a transmission site over a nine-day period

Great Ocean Foods wholesaler in Marrickville (pictured) has been listed as one of the five 'transmission venues of concern'

Anyone who visited The Royal Bondi (pictured) on Saturday June 19, between 5pm to 6.30pm, or Sunday June 20 from 7.50pm to 9.30pm is considered a close contact

NSW HEALTH'S TRANSMISSION VENUES OF CONCERN BONDI: Lyfe Cafe Bondi Beach 2/154 Glenayr Avenue, Wednesday 16 June between 12:30pm to 2:15pm, from Friday 18 June to Saturday 19 June, and from Tuesday 22 June to Thursday 24 June BONDI: The Royal Bondi 283 Bondi Road, Sunday 20 June between 7.50pm to 9.30pm and Saturday 19 June 5.pm to 6.30pm DOUBLE BAY: Joh Bailey 7 Knox Street, From Tuesday 15 June to Wednesday 23 June MARRICKVILLE: Great Ocean Foods 5/11 Cadogan Street, from Monday 21 June to Friday 25 June Anyone who attended the above venues at the times listed is a close contact and must immediately get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result, and call 1800 943 553 unless they have already been contacted by NSW Health. BONDI JUNCTION: Westfield Bondi Junction (including car park), 500 Oxford Street, From Saturday 12 June to Friday 18 June Anyone who was at Westfield, including the car parks, from 12 June must get tested for COVID-19. Only people with symptoms and those in specific exposure venues at the listed times are asked to isolate. People who were in Westfield Bondi Junction on these days and do not have symptoms and have not been at the specific exposure venues at the listed times do not need to isolate. Advertisement

Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said 10 of Sunday's new cases were linked to Great Ocean Foods in Marrickville, bringing that cluster to 11.

One case linked to the seafood distributor is a domestic flight crew attendant with Virgin Australia who tested positive on Saturday night.

Ms Berejiklian said on Sunday she expected local case numbers to increase in the coming days, given the contagiousness of the Delta virus variant.

Greater Sydney was placed into lockdown on Saturday after escalating restrictions were enacted over several days across the city's centre and east.

Residents in the lockdown zone are only allowed to leave home for work that can't be done at home, to shop for essentials, for exercise, to seek medical care or for care-giving or compassionate reasons.

Anyone in regional NSW who has been to Greater Sydney since June 21 is also being asked to stay home for the lockdown period.

Dr Chant said she was confident the lockdown - scheduled to end at 11.59pm on July 9 - would be sufficient to bring the outbreak under control.

Health workers conduct COVID-19 tests at the St. Vincents Hospital drive-through testing clinic at Bondi Beach in Sydney on Sunday

The Harbour City's latest coronavirus outbreak was sparked when an unvaccinated Sydney Airport driver last week tested positive to the highly-infectious Delta variant.

The man in his 60s visited the Bondi Junction Westfield while unknowingly infectious, spreading the virus to staff and other shoppers.

The contagion rapidly spread outside of Sydney's eastern suburbs, with an infected Westfield worker transmitting the virus to eight other attendees at a party at west Hoxton, in the city's west.

Almost all of the 30 partygoers have since tested positive, with one of those in attendance travelling to Melbourne, where he infected a colleague at a Sandringham dry cleaner, sparking a Covid-scare in Victoria.

The Bondi outbreak then seeped into Sydney's inner-west, where Great Ocean Foods wholesaler in Marrickville has been identified as a transmission hotspot.

Again, the cluster ignited coronavirus alerts interstate after an Sydney-based flight attendant , who was a close contact of the seafood store outbreak, tested positive to COVID after working on Friday and Saturday while possibly infectious.

NSW had not recorded 30 new locally-acquired cases of Covid-19 since December, amid the Northern Beaches outbreak (pictured, locked down Sydney on Sunday)

Health authorities are now continuing to track hundreds of passengers from five Virgin flights on Friday and Saturday which carried people between Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast.

Meanwhile, NSW Health on Sunday afternoon issued a number of new exposure sites including a Mexican restaurant at Bondi Beach, two eateries in Maroubra, Establishment Bar in the Sydney CBD and an Annandale cafe.

Orange Supermarket at Rhodes was also listed as a close contact venue.

However authorities also issued a correction, removing Crossroads Hotel in Casula as a venue of concern and adding Crossways Hotel in Strathfield South - a different part of Sydney.

Meanwhile, NSW Police issued more than 15 fines for offences on the first night of lockdown.

They included an eastern Sydney family travelling to the Hunter for a sporting event and an Illawarra cafe owner who refused to wear a mask.
The phrase 'white privilege' should not be taught at schools because it is 'unnecessarily antagonistic', the equalities minister said today.

Kemi Badenoch said there is a 'fairly toxic political debate' around the term and it should not be taught unless its contentiousness is explained to children.

She said 'we should not carelessly use skin colour as a proxy for disadvantage'.

And she argued the term  used in a BBC Bitesize educational video designed for children  reinforces the belief that 'everyone and everything' around ethnic minorities is racist.

Her comments come after a landmark report found white working-class pupils have been 'let down' for decades by England's education system  and that promoting ideas of 'white privilege' makes the situation worse.

The Commons Education Select Committee said white working-class pupils should 'feel anything but privileged'.

The phrase 'white privilege' should not be taught at schools because it is 'unnecessarily antagonistic, equalities minister Kemi Badenoch (pictured) said today

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Mrs Badenoch said: 'The phrase "white privilege" is unnecessarily antagonistic. Much as some theorists think it is essential for tackling racism, the fact is there is an active and fairly toxic political debate around it.

'All the more reason why the phrase should not be taught in schools unless it is explained that it is also highly contentious.'

She said the phrase stokes divisions and marginalises 'the most disadvantaged in our society'.

According to the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities (CRED), white privilege is defined as a 'societal privilege that benefits white people over other ethnic groups in some societies'.

It exists 'particularly if [different races] are otherwise under the same social, political, or economic circumstances'.

This map shows the proportion of all white pupils as of January 2020 across England, with blues and purples showing higher numbers and oranges and yellows showing lower numbers. In parts of London, there is a greater proportion of non-white pupils than white pupils. Outside of London, there is a greater proportion of white pupils than non-white pupils

This map shows the attainment gap between pupils eligible for free school meals and those who are not eligible for free school meals, with red and dark areas showing a bigger gap than lighter areas. Those who are eligible for free school meals are performing better than those who are not eligible for free school meals

Mrs Badenoch said: 'As someone who grew up in Nigeria, where there is only one skin colour but over 300 ethnic groups, the more ethnic identity is emphasised the weaker national identity becomes.'

She said it is a dangerous trend for a multi-racial society 'where we need to lean on what we have in common not emphasise our differences'.

The Conservative minister claimed Labour MPs dismiss that the idea that the term is divisive.

And she revealed she has heard hundreds of stories of increased racialiasation in schools in her role as equalities minister, including one in which a mixed-race Asian girl was bullied for being 'too white'

The committee's report earlier this week warned against 'pitting different groups against each other' and suggested that schools which promote ideas of 'white privilege' could be in breach of the Equality Act 2010.

The Commons education committee's report, published earlier this week, said 'politically controversial' phrases such as 'white privilege' may have contributed to poor white pupils being forgotten 'for decades' (file image)

Their report includes two maps of England which indicate that white working-class pupils live in poor areas, are not eligible for free school meals and underperform to a greater extent than their similarly disadvantaged peers in other ethnic groups  particularly outside London.

It concluded that disadvantaged white pupils have been badly let down by 'muddled' policy thinking and the Department for Education has failed to acknowledge the extent of the problem.

It found that among five-year-olds, only 53 per cent of poor white British pupils meet the expected standard of development, one of the lowest percentages for any disadvantaged ethnic group.

At GCSE, just 17.7 per cent of poor white British pupils achieve grade 5 or above - the equivalent of a C - in English and maths, compared with 22.5 per cent of poor pupils from all ethnicities.

And the proportion of poor white British pupils going to university is 16 per cent, the lowest of any ethnic group other than travellers.
Hospitals based in northern England and the Midlands have been the worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic, according to figures looking into the NHS backlog of non-covid care.

An analysis of hospital records from the first 10 months of the pandemic shows there was more disruption to health care settings in the Midlands and the north than in the south and east, according to The Times.

It comes as five million people await hospital treatment in England, the highest figure since records began.

Patients who had their operations abandoned in the wake of the pandemic last year may be forced to continue waiting until 2022 (pictured - a hospital setting)

Patients who had their operations abandoned in the wake of the pandemic last year may be forced to continue waiting until 2022.

According to research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Harvard University and Imperial College London, Yorkshire and Humber recorded the biggest drop in admissions for planned surgery, with the number of operations 40 per cent lower between March and December 2020 than the previous year.

In that area alone, there were 309,000 fewer admissions.

Next hardest hit by the pandemic were the east and west Midlands, where admissions fell by 39 per cent and 37 per cent respectively.

The northwest of the area experienced the biggest fall in admissions, with around 467,000 operations being postponed or cancelled.

In total, there were more than 17 million fewer outpatient appointments.

The data shows that admissions are down across the board in England

An analysis of hospital records from the first 10 months of the pandemic shows there was more disruption to health care settings in the Midlands and the north than in the south and east (Pictured, NHS staff nurse walks through a ward)

Yorkshire and Humber shared the biggest drops in emergency admissions with London, both down 24 per cent, followed by the West Midlands.

According to the most recent NHS data, 385,490 people have waited more than a year to start hospital treatment.

The figure is around 35 times the number in April 2020, when it stood at 11,042.

Researchers believe the statistics are down to there being more covid patients in hospital in the north and Midlands, who have less capacity than health boards and trusts elsewhere in the UK.

In April, NHS trusts warned that it may take up to five years for some hospitals to catch up with the backlog of patient care.

NHS Providers, which represents NHS hospitals and mental health, community and ambulance services in England, previously said the worst-hit trusts in England are three to five years away from returning to pre-Covid levels.

At the time, Prime Minister Boris Johnson (pictured) insisted the Government would ensure the NHS has what it needs to tackle waiting lists.

At the time, Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisted the Government would ensure the NHS has what it needs to tackle waiting lists.

'We do need people to take up their appointments and to get the treatment they need, he said.

Were going to make sure that we give the NHS all the funding that it needs, as we have done throughout the pandemic, to beat the backlog.
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Matt Hancock's rule-breaking affair with millionaire aide Gina Coladangelo has inspired a wave of anti-lockdown resentment after the disgraced Health Secretary undermined his own pandemic messaging.

Mr Hancock quit the government and ditched his wife of 15 years this week after the Sun newspaper splashed bombshell images of him embracing his mistress, who was hired as a 15,000-a-year aide but has since given up her position at the Department of Health.

The scandal has sparked a tsunami of criticism, with politicians, journalists and members of the public all accusing Mr Hancock of hypocrisy after he effectively criminalised the private lives of millions and scolded those who broke lockdown while secretly ignoring his own rules.

Public sentiment is reminiscent of the anger which erupted in May last year following Dominic Cummings' rule-breaking 200-mile drive from London to Barnard Castle in Country Durham during the first shutdown.

Together with growing exasperation at the never-ending cycle of lockdowns, people are taking matters into their own hands - with small retailers discouraging mask-wearing while massive anti-lockdown protests sweep through London calling for Mr Hancock's arrest.

Shops in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, placed signs in windows showing Mr Hancock kissing Miss Coladangelo, who studied politics, philosophy and economics at Oxford at the same time as Mr Hancock in the 1990s and is married to Oliver Bonas founder Oliver Tress.

The signs say: 'Welcome to House Interiors. Don't wear a mask if you don't want too (sic). Matt doesn't'.

Police were pictured removing a sticker put on Mr Hancock's London home, where his wife Martha and their children live. It says: 'Our forefathers gave their lives to keep this country free, and you're just going to sit back and let it become an authoritarian hellhole, over a virus with a 99.9% recovery rate?'

TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp said the incident showed how 'it was one rule for you, another for us', tweeting: 'I remember footage of Hancock whipping of his mask as he entered No 10, not even keeping it on in the corridors as school children were made to do, I knew then it was one rule for you, another for us.'

Retailers in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, have now placed a sign in a shop window showing Mr Hancock kissing Miss Coladangelo. The sign reads: 'Welcome to House Interiors. Don't wear a mask if you don't want too (sic). Matt doesn't'

Metropolitan Police officers were pictured removing a sticker put on Mr Hancock's home in north London, where his wife Martha and their children are living. The sticker reads: 'Our forefathers gave their lives to keep this country free, and you're just going to sit back and let it become an authoritarian hellhole, over a virus with a 99.9% recovery rate?'

Police were pictured removing a sticker put on Mr Hancock's home in north London

People walk along Regent Street in central London during a #FreedomToDance march organised by Save Our Scene

Public sentiment is reminiscent of the visceral anger which erupted in May last year following Dominic Cummings' rule-breaking 200-mile drive from London to Barnard Castle in Country Durham during the first shutdown

Matt Hancock's rule-breaking affair with millionaire aide Gina Coladangelo has inspired a wave of anti-lockdown sentiment after the disgraced Health Secretary undermined his own pandemic policy

One furious Twitter user posted on the social media site: 'Through ignoring the rules of the lockdown he put in place (rules that civilians face prison time and life ruining fines for breaking), Hancock has demonstrated the unequal rights of those in power and those that are not...'

Another said: 'The elite confirmed at G7 they don't believe this. Hancock the latest in a long line of politicians, bureaucrats & 'expert' to breach their own stupid rules'.

DailyMail.com's editor-at-large Piers Morgan condemned Mr Hancock just hours before he resigned. Sharing a photo of the former minister embracing Miss Coladangelo, he contrasted it to one of the Queen, who was forced to wear a mask and sit on her own during her husband's funeral in April.

Posting the meme on Twitter, Mr Morgan wrote: 'This perfectly sums up why Hancock is toast.'

Hilarious memes shared online include a picture of Mr Hancock sliding down a slide 'into Gina Coladangelo's Whatsapp' and the Health Secretary with a pair of women's pants over his head.

Another meme shows Mr Hancock doing press ups next to Chris Hemsworth with the caption: 'How we see Matt Hancock Vs how Gina Coladangelo sees him'.

Stills of Mr Hancock belting out Queen anthem Don't Stop Me Now at the 2017 Conservative Party Conference were tabbed up with the caption: 'It was only a kiss, how did it end up like this?'

Sky News presenter Trevor Phillips today told a Cabinet minister defending Mr 'where to get off' after describing how hundreds of loved ones were prevented from attending his daughter's funeral while the Health Secretary broke lockdown with his mistress.

The anti-racism campaigner told Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis how he buried freelance journalist Sushila Phillips, 36, on May 11 - just five days after cheating Mr Hancock kissed his aide in his ministerial office, in images obtained by the Sun newspaper.

Mr Phillips, who chaired the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said 300 friends and family were forced to watch the funeral online because they were banned from the graveside 'even though it was in the open air, because of the rule of 30, because of the instruction by Mr Hancock'.

A visibly uncomfortable Mr Lewis listened as the Sky News broadcaster then asked: 'Now the next time one of you tells me what to do in my private life, explain to me why I shouldn't just tell you where to get off?'

Sushila died 'peacefully in her own bed' after a 22-year battle with anorexia, her family announced on Facebook in April. They called her 'one of the wisest, kindest, strongest and funniest people' and 'a force and the most beautiful soul'.

Pointing out the Government's double standard, Mr Phillips said: 'I want to put a private - personal question I guess, in a way - to you. Over the past two days every Cabinet minster including you has come out to essentially defend the Prime Minister and Matt Hancock.

Piers Morgan shared an image of the Health Secretary embracing Miss Coladangelo next to a picture of the Queen sitting alone at Prince Philip's funeral

It comes after her husband, 42, stood down from his role as Health Secretary after leaked CCTV footage surfaced of him locking lips and fondling married mother-of-three Gina Coladangelo, 43

Sky News presenter Trevor Phillips today told a Cabinet minister defending Matt Hancock and Boris Johnson 'where to get off' after describing how hundreds of loved ones were prevented from attending his daughter's funeral while the Health Secretary broke rules with his mistress

'The pictures that we saw were of an encounter on May the 6th. On May the 11th my family buried my daughter who had died not of Covid but during the lockdown. Three hundred of our family and friends turned up online but most of them were not allowed to be at the graveside even though it was in the open air because of the rule of 30, because of the instruction by Mr Hancock.

'Now the next time one of you tells me what to do in my private life, explain to me why I shouldn't just tell you where to get off?'

Mr Lewis then blurted out: 'Look I absolutely accept and understand the frustration, even the anger, people have, having been rough the situations they've been through.

'People across the country, I've lost friends whose funerals I've not been able to go to over the last period - that is such a tragic situation for any of us to be in, and that's - I have to say - why its so important all of us do what we can to keep ourselves, our families, our friends, our wider community safe.

'It's also why what Matt did was wrong. He acknowledged that, why he apologised immediately for his behaviour and acknowledged what he did was wrong, and it's also why he's taken the decision that his position was untenable and distracted from the wider work that we've all got to do to move forward in the pandemic and out of the pandemic.'

Public anger with lockdown has reached a tipping point, following the events of the past 48 hours.

Boris Johnson last week struggled to contain a Cabinet split on whether to retain the mask mandate after July 19, the so-called 'Freedom Day'.

Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg hinted that he believes all coronavirus restrictions should end in July as he was grilled by MPs on whether domestic vaccine passports could be rolled out next month when Mr Johnson is due to press ahead with the final stage in his roadmap.

But referring to Mr Johnson previously describing the date as a 'terminus' point, Mr Rees-Mogg said 'terminus is Paddington not Crewe' and it should mean the 'end of the line' in comments which appeared to support lifting all the remaining draconian curbs.

The remarks came as Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Environment Secretary George Eustice both said they will ditch face masks the moment they are not compulsory - and suggested that should happen on July 19.

Mr 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 July 19.

Mr 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.'

However, in signs of tensions at the heart of government, Downing Street said the Prime Minister is only aiming to 'get back as close to normal as is possible' and 'no final decisions have been taken'.

First Minister of Scotland 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 masks and other face coverings should still be required on the Tube and buses as they give people 'confidence' they are safe.
Pea Ridge police officer Kevin Apple was killed Saturday after a vehicle he approached rammed into him and dragged him during a traffic stop

An Arkansas police officer was killed Saturday after a vehicle he approached rammed into him and dragged him during a traffic stop.

Shawna Rhae Cash, 22, from Pine Bluff and Elijah Anadoloza Sr. 18, from Bella Vista have been arrested and charged with capital murder and attempted capital murder after allegedly running down Pea Ridge police officer Kevin Apple on Saturday.

'Our department is in shock right now. We're a home town. Everyone in our Police Department are family,' said Pea Ridge Police Lt. Michael Lisenbee, public information officer.

Apple, a 23-year law enforcement veteran, and fellow officer Brian Stamps, had responded to a call to be on the lookout for a blue Jeep in relation to a recent property crime.

They spotted one fitting the description at a White Oak Lake, Arkansas, convenience store and gas station and decided to use their cars to box it in, before talking to the driver at around 12.09pm, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports.

But when Apple walked up to speak to the driver, the Jeep reportedly rammed the police vehicles, and then ran over and dragged Apple as the car pulled away.

Elijah Anadoloza, 18, and Shawna Rhae Cash, 22, were charged with capital murder and attempted capital murder after a Jeep they were in rammed and dragged Arkansas police officer Kevin Apple, killing him on Saturday

Stamps reportedly shot at the Jeep as it drove away, and Apple died on the scene.

Neighboring departments, including the Benton County Sheriff's Office and Arkansas State Police tracked Cash and Anadoloza down, arresting them in Bella Vista.

One suspect reportedly tried running away from the arresting officers but was found in a nearby trailer, according to 5 News.

Cash has a criminal record in Arkansas dating back to 2018, when she pleaded guilty to a drug possession charge, according to online court records.

Apple was killed at a gas station after he and fellow officer approached a Jeep that matched the description of that involved in a property crime

Apple and the fellow officer parked their vehicles next to the Jeep. As Apple walked up to speak to the driver, the Jeep rammed the cars and ran over Apple as it fled

She pleaded guilty again in 2019 for another drug possession charge and again that same year to burglary and theft charges.

In late 2019 she was arrested again for drug possession, and in early 2020 she was charged with property theft and credit card fraud and was arrested twice earlier this year for theft by receiving.

A candlelight vigil was held in Pea Ridge for Apple on Saturday night.

On Sunday morning law enforcement personnel people from across the area held a procession for Apple, as his body was escorted from the Benton County Coroner's Office to the Arkansas Sate Crime Lab.

A candelight vigil was held in Apple's honor Saturday evening

A procession was held early Sunday morning, as law enforcement escorted Apple's body from the Benton County Coroner's Office to the Arkansas Sate Crime Lab

Dozens of police vehicles could be seen lining up in Bentonville for the procession in honor of the fallen officer.

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson ordered flags at half staff in tribute to Apple, who had been with the Pea Ridge department for three years.

'I am deeply saddened to hear of the loss of Pea Ridge police officer Kevin Apple,' he wrote on Twitter. 'My prayers are with Officer Apple's family and the entire Pea Ridge community during this time.'

Arksansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge also shared her condolences.

'My heart aches as today marks the end of Officer Kevin Apple's watch,' she tweeted. 'He will forever be remembered for his unwavering commitment to safeguarding his community from harm.'
Moscow on Sunday recorded 144 Covid-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, the worst toll in a Russian city since the start of the pandemic, according to official data.

The capital is seeing a surge in infections that authorities blame on the highly transmissible Delta variant and slow progress on the vaccination drive, with 6,723 new cases recorded on Sunday.

Moscow has been the national epicentre of the pandemic and some 2,000 people are hospitalised daily because of the virus there, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said late on Saturday in televised remarks.

'We have mobilised 20,000 beds and 14,000 of them are currently filled,' he said. 'That's a lot.'

Medical workers treat a patient at a temporary COVID-19 facility in Moscow on June 25

Doctors in protective gear check on patients in an intensive care unit at Moscow City Clinical Hospital No 15 on June 23

Infections have surged in Moscow and the capital accounts for nearly half of all Russia's cases

Mr Sobyanin said cases of the Delta variant, which was first detected in India, were on the increase in the city and represents 90 per cent of new infections.

'To drastically solve the issues, you need people to get vaccinated or head to lockdowns and shut down everything,' he told state TV.

Moscow's record daily death toll comes a day after Euro 2020 host Saint Petersburg set another depressing record of 107 deaths.

Dozens of Finland supporters caught coronavirus in Saint Petersburg after they travelled to the city last week for their team's defeat against Belgium.

The city is set to host a quarter-final match on Friday in front of thousands of fans.

Country-wide, 599 people died in Russia of coronavirus over the past 24 hours, bringing the national official toll to 133,282. Some 20,538 new infections were also recorded, bringing the national total to 5.4 million.

The steep rise in infections in Russia comes as officials push vaccine-sceptical Russians to get inoculated, after lifting most anti-virus restrictions late last year.

Medical workers carry a patient suspected of having coronavirus on a stretcher at a hospital in Kommunarka, outside Moscow, on June 26

What are the main variants recognised by the WHO? 'Alpha' variant First spotted: Kent Scientific name: B.1.1.7 'Beta' variant First spotted: South Africa Scientific name: B.1.351 'Gamma' variant First spotted: India Scientific name: P.1 'Delta' variant First spotted: India Scientific name: B.1.617.2 Advertisement

'To stop the pandemic, one thing is needed: rapid, large-scale vaccinations. Nobody has invented any other solution,' Mr Sobyanin told state-run television on Saturday.

Epidemiologists say the Sputnik V vaccine is capable of dashing the mutant strain but with only 13 per cent of Russians having received a first dose, removing lockdown restrictions remains precarious.

The Kremlin last week blamed a surge in Covid-19 cases on 'nihilism' and reluctance to have vaccinations.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said President Vladimir Putin was monitoring the situation closely.

Asked to explain the surge in cases, Peskov blamed the virus's 'cunning nature', a reference to its mutations, as well as 'total nihilism, and the low vaccination level'.

At a briefing, he rejected the idea, posited by some critics, that Russians were reluctant to have vaccinations because they distrusted the authorities.

Moscow on Monday is to begin a system under which restaurant service will be limited to people who can show they've been vaccinated or had a recent negative coronavirus test.

Eighteen regions made vaccinations mandatory this month for employees in certain sectors.

On Friday, Moscow authorities reimposed work-from-home restrictions. In a decree published on his website, Mr Sobyanin ordered that businesses cut their number of in-office workers by 30 percent from June 28.

Vaccinated employees would be excluded, the decree said, adding that all workers aged over 65 as well as those with pre-existing conditions would have to work from home.

The Delta variant has been surging among a population that has largely rejected coronavirus vaccines, despite jabs having been available for free since early December.

As of Friday, just 21.2 million out of a population of about 146 million had received at least one dose of a vaccine, according to the Gogov website, which tallies Covid figures from the regions and the media.

With Russia's vaccination campaign faltering, Sobyanin earlier this month ordered some 60 percent of all service industry workers in Moscow - just over two million people - to be fully vaccinated by August 15.

Mr Sobyanin warned that the Delta variant is causing 90 per cent of infections in Moscow

The head of health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, Anna Popova, said Friday that 18 regions across Russia have now introduced some form of compulsory vaccination.

On Saturday, a central Russian region suspended COVID-19 vaccinations for two days due to a shortage of doses, local officials said.

Following shortages that suspended inoculation campaigns from Friday at some centres in the Bashkiria and Khabarovsk regions, health officials in the central Udmurtia region said vaccinations would stop until Monday due to a supply crunch.

The Kremlin said the issue would be resolved in the coming days, and Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin announced additional health spending of 25 billion roubles ($347 million) for the care of COVID-19 patients.

Earlier this month, authorities in Moscow and several other regions made vaccination mandatory for people working in jobs involving close contact with the public - from hairdressers and taxi drivers to bank tellers and teachers.

With a parliamentary election due in September, Russia's communist party held a protest against compulsory vaccination in central Moscow on Saturday. Several dozen people took part in the rally before being dispersed by police.

Russia is the sixth-worst hit Covid-19 country in the world, and the hardest in Europe.

Authorities have been accused of downplaying the severity of the outbreak in the country.

Under a broader definition for deaths linked to coronavirus, statistics agency Rosstat at the end of April said that Russia has seen at least 270,000 fatalities since the pandemic began.

As of Saturday, just 21.2 million out of a population of about 146 million had received at least one dose of a vaccine as of Friday, according to the Gogov website, which tallies Covid figures from the regions and the media.
Dr Anthony Fauci was accused of lying Sunday after claims he falsely denied knowing the reasons behind President Trumps's decision to cut funding to the Chinese lab accused of releasing COVID-19.

The White House's chief medical advisor initially resisted Trump's order to halt taxpayer funding for the Wuhan Institute of Virology in April 2020, according to an upcoming book, before telling a house committee in June that he 'didn't know the reason' behind the then-president's decision.

However, Fauci's account is contradicted by 'verbatim' quotes which show he was fully aware Trump took the decision out of concern about the lab's safety record and fears it was the source of the COVID pandemic, included in the new book 'Nightmare Scenario: Inside the Trump Administration's Response to the Pandemic That Changed History' by Washington Post journalists Yasmeen Abutaleb and Damian Paletta.

The White House's chief medical advisor initially resisted Trump's order to halt taxpayer funding for the Wuhan Institute of Virology in April 2020, according to an upcoming book, before telling a house committee in June that he 'didn't know the reason' behind the then-president's decision. They are pictured together at a news conference

Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., told Fox News: 'Dr. Fauci is so obsessed with maintaining his own relevance and downplaying President Trump's role in combatting this crisis that he's once again been caught lying.

'We need someone leading the pandemic response and our investigation into its origins who is more concerned with the truth than their own PR campaign. It's time for Dr. Fauci to go.'

Fauci, who leads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, at first resisted a White House directive to cancel a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to EcoHealth Alliance  a nonprofit conducting research on coronaviruses that had previously worked with the Wuhan lab.

He later 'reluctantly agreed' after learning Trump, according to the new book, entitled Nightmare Scenario: Inside the Trump Administration's Response to the Pandemic That Changed History.

Asked about the $370,000 grant by congressman in June 2020, Fauci said it was 'canceled because the NIH was told to cancel it,' and he didn't 'know the reason' behind Trump's order.

Fauci's account is contradicted by 'verbatim' quotes which show he was fully aware Trump took the decision out of concern about the lab's (pictured) safety record and fears it was the source of the COVID pandemic, the new book claims

Rep. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., called the discrepancies between Fauci's hearing comments and his comments reported in the book 'very concerning,' adding that it 'goes to show just how important it is to have full investigation into the origins of COVID-19.'

Fauci did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Fox News.

It came as Bill Maher slammed Big Tech for censoring posts and searches relating to the COVID lab leak theory.

The comedian, 65, explicitly referenced Facebook and Google during a panel discussion on his Real Time program Friday night, accusing the companies of deliberately downplaying the possibility that the virus was manmade and escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China.

'Facebook banned any post for four months about COVID coming from a lab,' Maher blasted.

Speaking on his Real Time program Friday night, Bill Maher has slammed Big Tech for censoring posts and searches relating to the COVID-19 lab leak theory

He continued: 'A Wall Street Journal reporter asked the head of Google's health division - [after he] noticed that they don't do auto-fill searches for 'coronavirus lab leak' the way they do for any other question and the guy said, 'Well, we want to make sure that the search isn't leading people down pathways that we would find not authoritative information.'

Nightmare Scenario: Inside the Trump Administration's Response to the Pandemic That Changed History will be released soon

'Well, you were wrong, Google and Facebook! We don't know! The reason why we want you is because we're checking on this s**t!'

Maher claimed that the head of Google's health division stated that they wanted searchers to see authoritative information from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

'That's who I'm checking on!' Maher blasted. 'But the WHO has been has been very corrupt about a lot of s**t and the CDC has been wrong about a lot of s**t!'

The comedian claimed that the liberal bias of Big Tech companies is also leading them to censor information about possible COVID treatments.

Maher mentioned YouTube and the recent removal of a video from the platform about the drug ivermectin, which some say is effective in combatting the coronavirus.

'YouTube should not be telling me what I can see about ivermectin. Ivermectin isn't a registered Republican, it's a drug!' Maher stated.

'I don't know if it works or not and a lot of other doctors don't either.'

Many experts theorize that the virus was manmade and escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China. However, Big Tech companies initially downplayed that idea, censoring posts and searches

Earlier this year, Maher - who is a Democrat - claimed members of his own party were fearful of claiming COVID leaked from a Chinese lab because they didn't want to appear racist.

However, Maher insisted that it was possible to be critical of China and its government without stoking anti-Asian hate.

'China does bad things,' Maher stated, referencing the imprisonment of Uyghur Muslims in concentration camps.

'Liberals don't want to say anything because [the Chinese are] Asian and [liberals] don't think very clearly about this, so they conflate it with anti-Asian hate crimes here.... One has nothing to do with the other.'

'Facebook banned any post for four months about COVID coming from a lab,' Maher blasted. He is pictured at left with his panel

The lab leak theory was initially dismissed by many in the media and tech communities.

However, last month President Joe Biden ordered intelligence agencies to launch a probe into whether COVID was man-made after all.

Circumstantial evidence has long raised questions about the Wuhan Institute of Virology, where researchers were known to be conducting experiments on bat coronavirus strains similar to the one responsible for COVID-19.

China insisted early and often that the virus did not leak from the lab, claiming that crossover to humans must have occurred at a 'wet market' in Wuhan that sold live animals.

But new evidence, including reports of three workers at the Wuhan lab who fell seriously ill with COVID-like symptoms in November 2019, has forced a sober reassessment among doubters.

Additionally, U.S. experts Dr. Stephen Quay and Richard Muller penned a damning essay saying that science strongly suggests the novel coronavirus was manufactured inside a Chinese laboratory.

In an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, the men say their proof lies in genome sequencing, or analyzing the DNA, of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Students and staff at a primary school in Sydney's eastern suburbs have been plunged into isolation after four pupils tested positive to coronavirus.

All 550 students at South Coogee Public School have been deemed close contacts after two additional students tested positive to Covid-19 on Sunday.

The school previously sent a letter to parents on Friday to inform them that all staff and pupils needed to isolate under further notice, after an initial two pupils tested positive.

The students who tested positive on Sunday are close contacts of the two previously reported cases at the school, bringing the total number of positive tests to four.

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

Parents wait to collect children at St Charles' Primary School at Waverley on Tuesday

NSW Health has updated its advice following the additional cases and because there has been a number of interactions between students in different year groups.

About 550 students at South Coogee Public School have been asked to self-isolate for 14 days, regardless of a negative test result.

The primary school has been 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 were swiftly implemented.

The South Coogee cluster comes as Emanuel School in Randwick sent an email to parents on Sunday evening to notify them one of its student had tested positive.

'All secondary staff and students are asked to self-isolate until you receive further advice', the email read.

Last Tuesday it was reported by NSW Health that a nine-year-old student from St Charles' Catholic Primary School in Waverley had contracted the virus

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 - as two nearby schools saw cases pop up

'All primary staff and students should monitor for symptoms and if symptoms develop, be tested and self-isolate until a negative test is received.'

The school will be non-operational from Monday June 28 to allow for deep cleaning and contact tracing to take place.

Mount Sinai College, a primary and pre-school in Maroubra, also sent out a message over the weekend after a member 'of the school community' tested positive.

Parents were informed through an email the school would be non-operational from Monday June 28 for the on-site attendance of staff and visitors.

Mount Sinai College, a primary and pre-school in Maroubra, also sent out a message to parents over the weekend after a member 'of the school community' tested positive

Coogee Beach (pictured) is one of Sydney's most popular coastal spots catering to hundreds of visitors a day

Contact tracing and deep cleaning will also take place at Sinai College, with all staff and students at the school asked to self-isolate until further notice.

It is believed the positive case is a parent linked to the Bondi cluster.

Last Tuesday it was reported by NSW Health that a nine-year-old student from St Charles' Catholic Primary School in Waverley had contracted the virus.

This particular case has not been linked to any previous clusters.

A seven-day lockdown - which began on Friday at 11:59pm - 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 as NSW recorded 30 new locally-acquired cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday.

All have been linked to the Bondi outbreak, which now stands at 110, with 11 of the new cases in self-isolation throughout their infectious period.

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

Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said 10 of Sunday's new cases were linked to Great Ocean Foods in Marrickville, bringing that cluster to 11.

One case linked to the seafood distributor is a domestic flight crew attendant with Virgin Australia who tested positive on Saturday night.

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.

'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'.

Greater Sydney was placed into lockdown on Saturday after escalating restrictions were enacted over several days across the city's centre and east.

Residents in the lockdown zone are only allowed to leave home for work that can't be done at home, to shop for essentials, for exercise, to seek medical care or for care-giving or compassionate reasons.

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.

Anyone in regional NSW who has been to Greater Sydney since June 21 is also being asked to stay home for the lockdown period.

Dr Chant said she was confident the lockdown - scheduled to end at 11.59pm on July 9 - would be sufficient to bring the outbreak under control.

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
Never before seen case files, photographs and other records documenting the investigation into the infamous slayings of three civil rights workers in Mississippi are now open to the public for the first time, 57 years after their deaths.

The 1964 killings of civil rights activists James Chaney, who was black, and Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner, who were white, in Neshoba County sparked national outrage and helped spur passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. They later became the subject of the movie 'Mississippi Burning.'

The previously sealed materials - dating from 1964 to 2007 - were transferred to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History from the Mississippi attorney generals office in 2019. As of last week, they are now available for viewing by the public at William F. Winter Archives and History Building in Jackson.

The records include case files, Federal Bureau of Investigation memoranda, research notes and federal informant reports and witness testimonies. There are also photographs of the exhumation of the victims bodies and subsequent autopsies, along with aerial photographs of the burial site, according to an announcement from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

The collection is being stored in three catalog records: Series 2870 houses the attorney generals research files, Series 2902 houses the FBI memos and Series 2903 houses the photographs.

The three Freedom Summer workers, all in their 20s, had been investigating the burning of a black church near Philadelphia, Mississippi when they disappeared in June of 1964.

All public documents related to the killings of the three men - pictured before their murders - are now accessible to visitors to the Mississippi Attorney General's Office in Jackson

The missing civil rights workers' station wagon was found burned out in a swamp close to where the men were last seen alive

The bodies of the men are seen being carried by a deputy sheriff

Civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr took up the murdered men's case, and is pictured holding up their photos in 1964 after 20 men were arrested over the killings

The brutal murders inspired 1988 civil rights movie Mississippi Burning, starring Gene Hackman (left) and Willem Dafoe (right)

A deputy sheriff in Philadelphia had arrested them on a traffic charge, then released them after alerting a mob. Mississippis then-governor claimed their disappearance was a hoax, and segregationist Sen. Jim Eastland told President Lyndon Johnson it was a 'publicity stunt' before their bodies were dug up, found weeks later in an earthen dam.

Civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr was among those who spoke out against the murders.

The murdered men's burned-out car was found in a swampy area close to where their bodies were found.

A total of 20 men were later arrested in connection with the killings. All but one of them were indicted on federal charges in the 1967 case. Seven were convicted of violating the victims civil rights. None served more than six years.

Former Ku Klux Klansman Edgar Ray Killen was convicted of three counts of manslaughter in 2005, and died behind bars in 2018

A memorial to the three men killed is pictured above

The case also inspired the 1999 civil rights movie Mississippi Burning, which starred Gene Hackman and Willem Defoe as FBI agents investigating the slayings.

Neshoba County Sheriff Lawrence Rainey (right) and his deputy Cecil Price wait to post bond after they were arraigned back in 1964 over the deaths. Rainey was ultimately acquitted of breaching the men's civil rights, while Price was convicted. He was sentenced to six years.

In 2004, the Mississippi Attorney Generals office reopened the investigation. That led to the June 2005 conviction of Edgar Ray Killen, a 1960s Ku Klux Klan leader and Baptist minister, on manslaughter charges.

During his state trial in 2005, witnesses testified that on June 21, 1964, Killen went to Meridian to round up carloads of klansmen to ambush Schwerner, Chaney and Goodman, telling some of the klan members to bring plastic or rubber gloves.

Witnesses said Killen then went to a Philadelphia funeral home as an alibi while the fatal attack occurred.

Former Ku Klux Klansman Edgar Ray Killen smiles during a recess in the fourth day of his murder trial June 18, 2005 in Philadelphia, Mississippi. He was found guilty of recruiting the killers and he was sentenced to a maximum of 60 years

Killen was sentenced to a 60-year prison term for arranging the murders and died in prison in 2018. Mississippi then-Attorney General Jim Hood officially closed the investigation in 2016.
New forensic evidence suggests a young mother whose death was initially ruled as suicide may have been murdered, her family claim.

Nadine Haag, 33, was found dead in the shower of her Caste Hill apartment, in Sydney's northwest, on December 4, 2009.

A note written in her own handwriting was found nearby, with police concluding the mother-of-one took her own life, but now an expert has re-examined the crime scene and concluded it wouldn't be possible for her to have caused her own injuries.

Nadine's family have never accepted that the mother, with no history of mental illness, died on her own accord, arguing the note, which read in part 'never stop loving, never stop living, never stop.I love you all,' was written under duress.

It also included the line 'he did it'.

Nadine, a mother-of-one, had no history of mental illness at the time of her death

A note found at the scene that was written by Nadine was later found to have the line 'he did it'

In 2013, after her family battled for the case to be re-examined, a coroner overruled the suicide finding, leaving the cause of death open - and her family still without answers.

In a bid to gain closure, world-leading crime scene expert and forensic analyst Scott Roder was asked to piece together the evidence to determine Nadine's final moments.

After running experiments to replicate Nadine's fatal injury and the state of the bathroom, Mr Roder believes she was attacked then the crime scene staged to look like a suicide.

'The amount of blood that was documented at the scene was miniscule,' Mr Roder told 7News Spotlight.

He said that if she had taken her own life in the way described, there would have been a significant amount of blood at the scene and that it was not consistent with her injuries.

Mr Roder, who has consulted in 1,500 cases since 2001, including the highly publicised murder of George Floyd who died at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, said he has 'never seen a suicide case' like Nadine's in 25-year career.

Mr Roder tried to re-enact the injury using a razor - which was found near Nadine's body on a pig's leg, but the weapon was incapable of inflicting the same wound.

It was only after using a knife, and applying pressure, that he was able to make the same deep gash.

Crime scene expert and forensic analyst Scott Roder (pictured) believes Nadine was murdered after running experiments to re-enact her injury and the crime scene

'Its too painful and the angle that you had to cut at would require you to apply force that you really dont have if youre doing it to yourself,' Mr Roder said.

The forensics expert concluded that it was highly likely someone else caused Nadine's injuries, using another weapon.

The second experiment involved analysing the blood splatter found at the crime scene, which only included a transfer pattern stain of blood on the entrance edge of the shower stall and droplets on the floor.

Given the nature of her injuries, Mr Roder said there should have been blood all over the bathroom - which suggests it was cleaned up.

He added that the droplets on the floor were indicative of her being carried and placed into the shower.

Mr Roder also found a burn mark on Nadine - which had not been picked up during previous investigations - which appeared to be caused by heat.

He theorised the distinct egg-shaped mark was caused by the murderer leaving the hot water on at scolding temperatures for up to 15 seconds, to accelerate the blood flow - and death.

Nadine Haag, 33 (pictured), was found dead in the shower of her Caste Hill apartment, in Sydney's northwest, in 2009

In one experiment (pictured), Mr Roder found Nadine's injury should have caused blood spatter across the bathroom - which was not found

He believes the murderer soon realised it would leave an imprint, and switched the water to cold, as it was when Nadine was found.

Mr Roder's new evidence will be provided to NSW Police, and he said would be happy to testify about his conclusions at any criminal trial should anyone be charged with her murder.

The family commissioned an independent investigation into Nadine's death which ultimately led to the coroner overturning the police ruling in August 2013.

A dress Nadine was wearing the day she died was never found, and towels and steak knives from her house were missing.

If you or anyone you know is experiencing mental health issues contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Joyce Carol Oates flagged the inclusion of the word 'picnic' on the list produced by Brandeis University

An award-winning novelist has slammed students at a Massachusetts liberal arts college for banning phrases like 'picnic' and 'you guys' for being 'oppressive', and even outlawing the term 'trigger warning' for its association with guns.

Joyce Carol Oates flagged the inclusion of the word 'picnic' on the list produced by Brandeis University, tweeting: 'What is strange is that while the word ''picnic'' is suggested for censorship, because it evokes, in some persons, lynchings of Black persons in the US, the word ''lynching'' is not itself censored.'

Oates, 83, who was retweeting a Dailymail.com story, has published more than 50 books including her novella A Fair Maiden and novel The Tattooed Girl. She is a visiting professor at University of California, Berkeley.

After the Brandeis list went viral, picnic has apparently now been removed from the list, but the phrase, 'Everything going on right now,' remains, because the list makers claimed speakers should be specific about what they mean.

'Being vague about important issues risks miscommunication and can also avoid accountability,' the list said.

Brandeis University in Waltham created an anti-violence resource called the Prevention, Advocacy & Resource Center, which provides information and advice to students and staff.

It lists words and idioms, including 'picnic' and 'rule of thumb,' which it claims are 'violent' and suggests dreary alternatives such as 'outdoor eating' for the former and 'general rule' for the latter.

She tweeted: : 'What is strange is that while the word ''picnic'' is suggested for censorship, because it evokes, in some persons, lynchings of Black persons in the US, the word ''lynching'' is not itself censored'

The university has created a list of words and idioms, including 'picnic' and 'rule of thumb,' which it claims are 'violent' and suggests dreary alternatives such as 'outdoor eating' for the former and 'general rule' for the latter

Joyce Carol Oates is the author of acclaimed novel Blonde and The Tattooed Girl

The college claims that picnic is often associated with lynchings because white spectators were said to have watched while eating, referring to them as picnics or other terms involving racial slurs against black people.

Picnic is derived from the French 'pique-nique,' originally used to describe the taking of one's own wine to a meal, which later evolved to encompass the sharing of food outdoors and started being used in England in the 18th century.

Lynchings were often public spectacles and could be described as taking place in a picnic-like setting. A project by the Equal Justice Initiative entitled 'Lynching in America' notes that during the late 1800s and early 1900s, 'white men, women, and children present watched the horrific murders while enjoying deviled eggs, lemonade, and whiskey in a picnic-like atmosphere.'

However, the word picnic itself is not derogatory and has no intrinsic links to slavery, lynchings or racism.

Brandeis also disagrees with 'rule of thumb' which it claims 'comes from an old British law allowing men to beat their wives with sticks no wider than their thumb.'

But this is another spurious etymological interpretation which has been wrongly attached to the phrase by myth and rumour.

Brandeis University, a liberal arts college based in Waltham, Massachusetts

In addition to its page of 'violent language' the college has a whole section dedicated to 'oppressive language,' which includes 'identity-based language,' 'language that doesn't say what we mean,' 'culturally appropriative language' and 'person-first alternatives'

The precise origins of the phrase are unclear but it is meant in the sense of approximating something using the thumb rather than a specific tool - there is no evidence of a legal application to wife beating.

It was first used in print in 1865 by Scottish preacher James Durham who writes: 'Many profest Christians are like to foolish builders, who build by guess, and by rule of thumb (as we use to speak), and not by Square and Rule.'

Among the most absurd phrases that the university objects to is 'trigger warning,' the very term which was coined to help those who might be offended by language.

Brandeis suggests that instead of 'trigger warning,' speakers should use 'content note' or 'drop-in.'

'The word 'trigger' has connections to guns for many people; we can give the same head's up using language less connected to violence,' the anti-violence group says.

In addition to its page of 'violent language' the college has a whole section dedicated to 'oppressive language,' which includes 'identity-based language,' 'language that doesn't say what we mean,' 'culturally appropriative language' and 'person-first language.'

For example, the phrase 'abusive relationships' is not appropriate because 'relationships don't perpetrate abuse; abusers do. It is important to name that someone is responsible.'

Instead we should say, 'relationship with an abuser.'

Other linguistic leaps are to be found for 'disabled person', which is corrected to 'person with a disability'; 'addict,' which should be phrased 'person with a substance use disorder'; and 'prostitute,' where the phrase 'person who engages in sex work,' is recommended.

The university provides a form where students and faculty members can submit further 'oppressive words' to be added for consideration.

MailOnline has contacted Brandeis for comment.
California is facing an onslaught of snakes, as well as other critters, as it experiences historic drought conditions that are increasingly driving wildlife into human inhabited areas.

Much of the US west is currently undergoing a record heatwave and its worst drought in at least 20 years, with temperatures soaring into the triple digits this weekend, and wildlife experts are saying the extreme weather is creating the perfect conditions for increased interactions between humans and animals.

Rattlesnakes, in particular, have been seen moving into urban areas in larger numbers, and are being found on porches, yards, nearby pools and under children's play equipment.

Snake removal expert Lem Ramirez says he has been busier than ever before since opening his business in 1985.

California removal expert Lem Ramirez (pictured) says this season has been the busiest he's ever been, with rattlesnake sightings becoming increasingly common amid a record drought in the state

A rattlesnake Ramirez had recently relocated. He said on some jobs he has found up to 60 snakes

'Rattlesnakes are becoming more common in the places where we live, work and play,' he told the Guardian.

Ramirez says he doesn't think there are more rattlesnakes than before, instead he believes they are seeking refuge in urban areas from the extreme weather.

Their appearance has become so commonplace he warned parents to check for the snakes every time their children go outside.

'I always remind parents to be a good scout before your kids go out to play,' he said.

Ramirez said he has had some jobs in which he has removed up to 60 snakes.

Ramirez said the rattlesnakes are likely being drawn to urban areas as weather conditions become more extreme in the wild. He checked a rock wall near a parking lot for snakes

Rattlesnakes are increasingly being found on porches, in backyards, near pools and under children's play equipment as they try to escape the extreme dry of the wild

Snakes aren't the only animals seen encroaching into urban areas.

California's black bear population has exploded in recent years with the extinction of the grizzly bear population in the state.

As human habitats expand, and the natural environment becomes more extreme, interactions have become more common.

'In the urban areas, we have 24/7 access to food, water and shelter, and if you think about it in the wild, a bear might give birth to one or two cubs and those cubs may not survive until adulthood because their resources are limited,' Rebecca Barboza a wildlife biologist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife told ABC 7. 'But in the urban area, their resources are basically unlimited, so the bears are able to give birth to multiple cubs and those cubs survive to adulthood.'

Much of the US west is in the midst of historic drought conditions, which have the consequence of driving wildlife into urban areas

The current drought season is far worse than last year's

Just earlier this month a teenager in Bradford, California could be seen fending off a bear that had been menacing her dogs in a viral TikTok video.

Seventeen-year-old Hailey Morinico later said that while this encounter was far closer than others, bear sightings were common in her area around that time of year.

The heat and dry weather have also been driving a potentially deadly combination of birds and mosquitos into urbanized areas as the critters seek moisture currently absent from the wild.

Together they bring the threat of West Nile virus, which can in some cases be fatal.

Already scientists are warning that the increasingly extreme climate in southern California may trigger more West Nile outbreaks, according to a 2020 study by the University of California, Berkeley, as the birds, which carry and disease and the mosquitoes that transmit it to humans are driven to the cooler and wetter communities along the coast.

Snakes are the only creatures encroaching on human inhabited territory. Earlier this month a California teenager could be seen pushing a brown bear that had been menacing her dogs in her back yard

'Because theres limited water in the environment and everything is dry, the birds go looking for water and refuge,' entomologist Cameron Webb told the Guardian. 'You get this combination of factors that means not only are conditions suitable for mosquitoes, but also the birds that carry the virus are more likely to be in higher concentration closer to where people live.'

Currently the area is experiencing historic drought conditions, with some experts saying it could be on the way to becoming the worst in 1,200 years.

'This doesnt bode well, in terms of what we can expect with wildfire and the worsening drought,' Kathleen Johnson, an associate professor of Earth system science at the University of California, Irvine told The Guardian.

'This current drought is potentially on track to become the worst that weve seen in at least 1,200 years,' she said.

In addition to driving wild life into human inhabited areas, the extreme conditions could put the area on track for another devastating wildfire season.

Last year 4million acres burned in California and 1.07million in Oregon, with roughly 713,000 in Washington.

The record blazes killed at least 47 people and destroyed 13,887 buildings.

A deadly 'heat dome' has settled over Pacific Northwest spiking record breaking 113F temperatures

This map shows how temperatures have increased across the entire country since 1970. Wildlife experts have said the warming temperatures are increasingly driving critters into human inhabited areas, where water and food are more abundant

Already fires have broken out in Arizona and Utah, according to Daniel Swain a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles.

'This is really, really bad. Here on the eastern side of the Rockies, here in Boulder, were seeing record high temperatures,' he told The Guardian. 'Thats the case in other parts of the state and in other states.'

'The fires we saw in the last couple of years were really awful, and this year it seems like were on that same trajectory,' he added. 'It kind of feels like deja vu.'

Heat waves are also becoming more frequent, longer and intense, with the Environmental Protection Agency tracking an average six heat waves per year in the US, compared to around two in the 1960s, and lasting around a day longer.

The threat of water shortages is also elevated, with California Gov. Gavin Newsom already declaring drought emergencies in 41 of California's 58 counties as its reservoir supplies dwindle.

Water levels have plummeted in California's largest reservoirs. Lake Mead (above) is seeing its lowest water levels this year since it was filled in the 1930s with the construction of the Hoover Dam

Lake Oroville, the state's second largest reservoir is also seeing alarmingly low water levels, which have the additional consequence of hampering power generation at the hydroelectric plants that rely on their water for generation

The water level at Lake Mead, the state's largest reservoir, which supplies water to some 25 million Californians is at its lowest level since it was filled in the 1930s with the construction of the Hoover Dam, CNN reported.

Lake Oroville, the state's second-largest reservoir is in a similar situation and has dropped to 'alarming levels,' according to a Californian Energy Commission spokeswoman, and could spell the closure of the Edward Hyatt hydroelectric plant, which uses the lake's water to generate electricity for around 800,000 California residents, if it drops any further.

Currently, the Hyatt plant is projected to close in two to three months, if the water levels at Oroville continue to drop, which would coincide with the hottest months of the summer, CNN also reported.

With hydroelectric power supplying around 13% of the state's electricity, the drought conditions could exacerbate an already strained power grid.
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Covid cases continued to rise today, breaching more than 10,000 cases for the seventh day in a row.

Department of health bosses posted another 14,876 cases today, increasing 60.2 per cent on last Sunday's figure of 9,284, while patients in hospital due to the virus soared 7% in a week to 227, from 211.

Infections fell slightly on yesterday's four-month high of 18,270  the highest daily total since February 5 and the highest figure recorded on a Saturday since the height of the winter wave on January 30.

Eleven deaths with Covid were recorded today, up 83.3 per cent on last Sunday. Fatalities have increased week-on-week for the seventh day running but remain comparatively low.

Britain's vaccine rollout continues to push forward slowly, with 200,383 first doses given out yesterday  taking the total number to nearly 44.1million. Some 158,307 people received their second dose, meaning 32.2million people are now fully vaccinated  61.6 per cent of the adult population.

On average, the UK is dishing out 362,079 total vaccines a day at the moment, down from a recent peak of more than 590,000 at the end of May.

It comes after BBC news presenter Andrew Marr today revealed he contracted Covid last week despite having been fully jabbed.

The 61-year-old journalist made the stunning admission this morning on his eponymous television programme, saying he believes he contracted it while covering the G7 in Cornwall.

Meanwhile, the two women behind the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine said they do not believe any Covid variant can fully escape the jab.

Amid concerns surrounding the surge in cases caused by the Indian 'Delta' variant across the UK currently, Sarah Gilbert and Cath Green, who together pioneered the jab at the University Oxford said they are now focusing their efforts on tackling mutant strains.

Mr Marr today revealed said he had symptoms akin to 'a summer cold' and said it had been 'really, really quite unpleasant'.

He filmed his Sunday morning programme live from Cornwall on June 13 while the G7 was going on. But he was not inside the closed off area at Carbis Bay, instead filming from the Tate St Ives gallery.

His illness caused him to miss the programme last week, which was presented by Today host Nick Robinson.

At the start of an interview today with Professor Sir Peter Horby, the chairman of virus advisory group Nervtag, he said: 'I hope it is not self indulgent Sir Peter to ask you about me, because I got coronavirus last week.

'I'd been double jabbed earlier in the spring and felt, if not king of the world, at least almost entirely immune. And yet I got it, was I just unlucky?'

Sir Peter replied: 'I think you were. What we know with the vaccines is that they are actually remarkably effective at preventing hospitalisations and deaths.

'They are less effective at preventing infection. So although you were sick you were not hospitalised and there wasn't' any fatality and that is probably because of the vaccination.'

BBC news presenter Andrew Marr today revealed he contracted Covid last week despite having been fully vaccinated

Later, interviewing London mayor Sadiq Khan about the Indian variant, he added: 'It's spreading quite fast. I've been a victim, though I think I got mine at the G7 in Cornwall.'

What are the chances of catching Covid after two jabs? Having two vaccinations slashes the chances of getting Covid to just one in 22,500. A study released earlier this month suggested those who are fully vaccinated are three times less likely than those who have had only had one dose of the jab, according to a study. The risk of catching Covid rises to one in 2,908 in those who are unvaccinated. The study, based on data gathered from more than a million users of the ZOE Covid Symptom Study app, is yet more evidence that vaccines have broken the link between cases, hospitalisations and deaths. Officials estimate some 14,000 lives have already been saved and 42,000 hospitalisations prevented by the vaccine programme. Advertisement

Mr Marr, then 53, nearly died following a stroke in 2013 and was admitted to Charing Cross Hospital in the middle of the night.

So he is likely to have been vaccinated among the first wave as someone who is clinically vulnerable.

He added today: 'I'm pretty clear that by being vaccinated I did not end up in hospital and that is a great thing.

'But we use slightly glibly occasionally this phrase ''mild and moderate infections''. For me it was really, really quite unpleasant.'

Last week Health chiefs in Cornwall denied the G7 was not to blame for spiralling Covid cases locally.

Rachel Wigglesworth, its director of public health, argued infections were already increasing before the three-day summit took place because of May's easing of restrictions.

Leaders of the UK, US, Canada, Japan, France, Germany and Italy descended on the region between June 11 and 13, along with their teams, security staff, journalists and protesters.

Afterwards, coronavirus cases in Cornwall skyrocketed ten-fold in a week, raising fears about the viability of the region's vital tourism industry.

The Indian variant is now dominant in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, where infections increased overall to 59.8 per 100,000 in the seven days to June 11  up from 5.6 the week before.

St Ives, which hosted the summit, had a case rate of 517.5 per 100,000 in the week to June 11  one of the highest in the country.

In Falmouth, where much G7 activity took place, cases rose sharply to 382.1 per 100,000. The summit itself ran from June 11 to 13.

But No10 has consistently denied that the major international political event, which included US president Joe Biden's first UK visit, was behind the surge in cases.

It pointed to regular testing for all those attending.
The crowdsourcing gig app Premise is being used by the U.S. military to gather intelligence by paying users to take photos and complete tasks, according to a new report.

Premise has received at least $5 million since 2017 on military projects for the U.S. Army and Air Force, according to federal spending records reported by the Wall Street Journal.

The app pays users small fees, typically 5 to 10 cents, to carry out tasks, such as taking a photo of an ATM, completing a survey, or filling out observational reports such as recording the price of different consumer goods.

Premise says that about half of its clients are private companies seeking information to better understand the market and their competitors -- but the Journal reveals that its users may also be unwittingly contributing to government intelligence gathering.

Premise Data Corp, based in San Francisco, referred an inquiry from DailyMail.com to a public statement, which said in part: 'The implication that Premise is a tool of surveillance is completely inaccurate and unfounded.'

Premise pays users a small fee to carry out tasks, such as take a photo of an ATM or fill out a survey. A new report reveals some of the data is purchased by military intelligence

Leaked documents obtained by the Wall Street Journal show that Premise proposed using its network to gather intel for the US military in Afghanistan

Premise in the statement objected to the use of the word 'unwitting', saying: 'We actually tell our Contributors upfront that were going to pay them for this data, we own it, and were going to market it  just like many other data collection and market research firms.'

The company also denied that it put any of its users at risk, saying that it designed tasks with safety and privacy as a priority.

Marketing materials from last year said Premise has 600,000 contributors operating in 43 countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen.

In a 2019 proposal for U.S. forces in Afghanistan, which was leaked to the Journal, Premise proposed three potential uses that could be carried out in a way that is 'responsive to commander's information requirements'

The company said it could gauge the effectiveness of U.S. information operations, scout and map out key social structures such as mosques, banks and internet cafes, and covertly monitor cell-tower and Wi-Fi signals in a 100-square-kilometer area.

The presentation said that the company could design tasks to 'safeguard true intent,' hiding the intelligence gathering nature of the operation from contributors.

Another Premise document explains that 'proxy activities' such as counting bus stops, electricity lines or ATMs could be used to get contributors to move around as the app gathers background data on wireless networks or other cellphones.

A pitch to military leaders described Premise as a 'system for persistent ground ISR', an abbreviation of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance

Premise has 600,000 contributors operating in 43 countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen, according to a 2019 proposal to the US military

Premise says that it works with publicly available data, comparing the practice to how Google and Apple map Wi-Fi networks using phone operating systems.

'Data gained from our contributors helped inform government policy makers on how to best deal with vaccine hesitancy, susceptibility to foreign interference and misinformation in elections, as well as the location and nature of gang activity in Honduras,' Premise Chief Executive Officer Maury Blackman told the Journal.

'If some of our data is used by government departments to shape policy and to protect our citizens, we are proud of that,' he said.

Another document that Premise submitted to the British government last year said that the app can capture more than 100 types of metadata from users' phones, including location, battery level and other installed apps.

It was not clear whether any United Kingdom government agency has contracted with Premise, and the company declined to reveal its client list.

US Army patrol in Afghanistan with NATO and Afghan commando forces in 2018

However, federal spending records reviewed by the Journal show that a number of U.S. defense contractors and military branches have worked with the company.

The Air Force paid the company $1.4 million in 2019 to do 'persistent ground ISR', an abbreviation of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

At least five other defense contractors working on intelligence or defense contracts have purchased data from Premise, the records show.

Premise originally launched in 2013 as a tool to track food prices in the developing world and help NGOs understand the needs of local populations.

But insiders tell the Journal that the company struggled under that business model, and pivoted toward military and intelligence contracts after bringing Blackman on as CEO in 2018.

Premise says that none of the three million people who have used the app in the past five years have been harmed while completing more than 100 million tasks or surveys.
Joe Biden's senior advisor Cedric Richmond on Sunday blamed Republicans for defunding police, despite the GOP fighting against the far left 'defund police' movement.

'Let's talk about who defunded the police,' Richmond said to Fox New Sunday host Chris Wallace. 'When we were in Congress last year trying to pass an emergency relief plan for cities that were cash-strapped and laying off police and firefighters, it was the Republicans who objected to it.

Richmond, the director of White House Office of Public Engagement, is referencing coronavirus relief bill negotiations in 2020, when Republicans had control of the Senate.

'And in fact, they didn't get funding until the American Rescue Plan, which our plan allowed state and local governments to replenish their police departments and do the other things that are needed,' he added.

'So look, Republicans are very good at staying on talking points of who says defund the police,' Richmond said. 'But the truth is, they defunded the police. We funded crime intervention, and a whole bunch of other things.'

The 'defund police' movement garnered intense support by the far left over the summer of 2020 following the death of George Floyd, a black man, at the hand of a police officer last May.

Biden's senior advisor Cedric Richmond is blaming Republicans for 'defunding police'

'Republicans are very good at staying on talking points of who says defund the police,' Richmond told Fox News Sunday host Christ Wallace (left). 'But the truth is, they defunded the police. We funded crime intervention, and a whole bunch of other things'

Progressive lawmakers embraced the movement, calling for defunding of law enforcement across the country and demanded an overhaul of the entire American policing system.

Republicans, on the other hand, pushed back against the movement, claiming that law enforcement officers are essential and should continue to be funded by the government.

The GOP also claims that any defunding of police  and the movement in general  has reduced morale and contributed to the massive spike in crime in the U.S. over the last year.

Richmond, however, claims the GOP must be for defunding police since they argued against a massive legislation package that included sending money to local fire responders, like police and firefighters, as they became more overwhelmed and underfunded in the midst of the pandemic.

The 'defund police' movement garnered mass support from the far left and progressive in summer 2020 following the murder of George Floyd by former police officer Derek Chauvin

Speaking to Wallace, Richmond claimed Biden's latest gun control initiatives will help reduce the spiking crime rate.

Last week, the president announced a new 'zero tolerance' policy for gun dealers if they break federal gun laws, saying first offenders will not have their license to sell revoked.

Richmond claimed last week that the rise in gun violence is the fault of the National Rifle Association.

He told MSNBC on Wednesday that the spike in crime is due to 'the fact that we have let the NRA govern this country for far too long.'
The face of the Somali immigrant who killed three people while shouting 'Allahu Akbar' in a knife attack in Germany on Friday has been revealed in a never-before-seen photograph.

The suspect, identified as a 24-year-old Somali immigrant, was shot in the leg by police and arrested after the Friday afternoon attack in Wurzburg, Germany.

Now, an image has emerged of the attacker's arrest, with the man lying on the ground with his cheek pressed on the pavement as he is pinned down by a police officer.

A police officer can be seen kneeling on the suspect's back as he makes the arrest, while the suspect is seen with his eyes closed after being shot in the leg.

Police said his life was not in danger after they shot him and he was being questioned in hospital.

The knifeman killed at least three people and wounded at least five others in the street rampage at Barbarossaplatz in Wurzburg's downtown area, according to local media reports.

Now, an image has emerged of the attacker's arrest, with the man lying on the ground with his cheek pressed on the pavement as he is pinned down by a police officer

The knifeman who allegedly killed three people in an attack in Germany on Friday was a Somali immigrant who had been placed in compulsory psychiatric treatment just days earlier.

It later emerged that he had been placed under compulsory psychiatric treatment just days before the attack.

The man, whose name was not released by police, had lived in the German city of Wuerzburg since 2015, the same year that Germany opened its borders to more than a million migrants and refugees fleeing war and poverty.

The suspect had most recently lived in a shelter for the homeless in the city and apparently did not know the victims.

Bavaria's top security official, Joachim Herrmann, said the suspect had been known to police and had been admitted to a psychiatric unit just a few days earlier.

'His condition had been noticed in recent months, including violent tendencies, and a few days ago he was put into compulsory psychiatric treatment,' Herrmann said.

On Saturday, investigators were looking for a motive behind the attack in the German city of Wuerzburg, which saw three people killed and five others wounded.

Herrmann told news agency DPA on Friday that he couldn't rule out an Islamic extremist motive because one witness had reported hearing the suspect shout 'Allahu akbar,' Arabic for 'God is great'.

'That suggests a possible Islamist motive, and that is also part of the investigation,' he added.

The suspect was identified as a 24-year-old Somali immigrant, who was shot in the leg by police and arrested after the attack in Wurzburg, Germany. Pictured: German police in action at the scene on Friday

The knifeman killed at least three people and wounded at least five others in the street rampage. Pictured: Armed police secure the cordoned-off area in the city centre in Germany

People were seen leaving bouquets of flowers at a makeshift memorial which had been set up on Saturday at the scene in tribute to the victims of the deadly attack

People place flowers and candles at a makeshift memorial in tribute to the victims of a deadly attack in the city centre of Wuerzburg

Among the three dead in the knife attack was a young boy and one of his parents, according to Main Post newspaper.

People were seen leaving bouquets of flowers at a makeshift memorial which had been set up on Saturday at the scene in tribute to the victims of the deadly attack.

Police officers were seen at the scene of the attack this morning as people placed flowers, candles and other items in memory of those killed in the horrific rampage.

As investigators continue to try and pinpoint the suspect's motive, police said there was no indication that there were any other attackers, and that the situation was now under control.

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.

The videos matched the reported location of the attack, though it was not immediately possible to confirm when they had been made.

Bavaria's security official, Joachim Herrmann, said the suspect had been admitted to a psychiatric unit just a few days earlier. Pictured: People place flowers and candles at a makeshift memorial in tribute to the victims of the attack

Police officers were seen at the scene of the attack this morning as people placed flowers, candles and other items in memory of those killed in the horrific rampage

Among the three dead in the knife attack was a young boy and one of his parents, according to Main Post newspaper. Pictured: Women place a candle at the makeshift memorial

On Saturday, investigators were looking for a motive behind the attack in the German city of Wuerzburg. Pictured: People mourn at a makeshift memorial at the scene of the attack

Another video showed one man, armed with a bag, attempting to scare off the knifeman by shouting at him before he disappeared off screen.

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.'

Bavaria's top security official Joachim Herrmann confirmed five people are in a serious condition and it is 'not certain' if they will live following the attack.

As investigators continue to try and pinpoint the suspect's motive, police said there was no indication that there were any other attackers, and that the situation was now under control

A video posted to social media showed a man, armed with a bag, attempting to scare off the knifeman by shouting at him before he disappeared off screen

The videos of members of the public chasing the knifeman matched the reported location of the attacks on and around Wurzburg's central Barbarossaplatz

A witness reported that the knifeman shouted 'Allahu Akbar' before the attack, he added.

However, a police spokesperson said none of the suspect's previous offences were linked to terrorism.

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.

Videos posted on social media showed a young man seemingly holding a knife being warded off by other men holding chairs until police arrived

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

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

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
The CCTV camera that ended Matt Hancock's career as Health Secretary has apparently been turned off - as a probe starts into who leaked the footage of him in a clinch with an aide.

The footage from the security camera in Mr Hancock's former ministerial office revealed his adulterous tryst with Gina Coladangelo after it was handed to a national newspaper.

The Mail on Sunday today revealed that the sting was executed by a whistleblower in his department who contacted opponents of the Health Secretary's hardline stance on lockdown to help expose his affair.

The news that the camera was no longer being used came as former health secretary Jeremy Hunt suggested that whoever released the footage may have broken the Official Secrets Act and could face jail.

Mr Hunt spoke as an official investigation got underway into how footage from inside the Department of Health and Social Care on May 6 ended up on the front page of the Sun and eventually triggered his resignation.

Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show he said: 'We have, rightly in this country as a democracy, as an open society, protection for whistleblowers who find things out and release them in the public interest and we don't want to undermine that, it's very important part of how we work.

'But I do think we need to understand how this happened, and to make sure that ministers are secure in their offices, to be able to have conversations that they know aren't going to be leaked to hostile powers.'

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis confirmed that the Department of Health was looking into how the images from inside Mr Hancock's private office ended up splashed across the front of the Sun newspaper.

He told Sky News: 'It's something we need to get to the bottom of.

Mr Hunt spoke as an official investigation got underway into how footage of the former health secretary locked in an embrace with top aide Gina Coladangelo ended up in the hands of a newspaper and triggered his resignation.

The sting that brought down Matt Hancock was executed by a whistleblower in his department who contacted opponents of the Health Secretary's stance on lockdown to help expose his affair, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. The clinch took place around this corner (bottom right part of image). The camera in question can be seen on the ceiling (top right-hand corner)

After allowing a month to elapse, the whistleblower approached lockdown sceptics and asked them to help sell the incendiary footage to the media

Northern Ireland Secretary Mr Lewis today told Sky News: 'It's something we need to get to the bottom of'

The footage of Mr Hancock kissing Gina Coladangelo was caught on a CCTV camera in his office on May 6, and secretly recorded by a member of his department's staff. Above, the pair's kiss is in clear view of the camera in the ceiling

The door (to the left) is the same one as seen in the footage of Matt Hancock's clinch

'Quite rightly what happens in Government departments can be sensitive and important.

'So yes, I do know that is something the Department of Health will be taking forward as an internal investigation.'

After allowing a month to elapse, the whistleblower approached lockdown sceptics and asked them to help sell the incendiary footage to the media.

Throughout the pandemic, Mr Hancock has been a leading lockdown 'dove', arguing that the ultimate priority of government policy should be protecting the NHS against being overwhelmed. His critics have argued that the cost of the measures has been too high.

When the images detonated on The Sun's front page on Friday, Mr Hancock's allies speculated that he had been the victim of a 'hit' by No 10, or even a foreign power such as China.

They said they had no idea the camera existed, that it was 'unheard of' for cameras to be installed in Ministers' offices, and wanted to know why it had been put there without Mr Hancock's permission  and with what motivation. It was speculated that the images had been caught by 'a small covert camera that had been placed in a light fixture'.

In fact, pictures taken in September 2017, just before Mr Hancock moved in, show that the camera which caught the clinch is clearly visible on the ceiling of his office.

It is trained on the area by the doorway where the couple embraced.

Mr Lewis also told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show that the investigatory team will be looking into the issue 'across Government', adding: 'I have to say I always take the view it's best to assume that everything you're saying or putting in writing is going to be reported somewhere.'

Former Cabinet ministers Alan Johnson and Rory Stewart both said there had never been cameras in their offices during their time in government.

Mr Johnson told Trevor Phillips On Sunday: 'I could never understand why there was a camera in the Secretary of State's office.

'There was never a camera in my office when I was health secretary or in any of the other five Cabinet positions.'

Mr Stewart, who was International Development Secretary from May to July 2019, said in a tweet: 'I definitely did not know that there were cameras in any of my ministerial offices (in fact I was told - when I asked if there were any cameras - that there were not cameras in my office in DfiD).'

He added: 'If it were a departmental camera - perhaps focused on the door for security reasons - then it would be seen by the security officers.

'Someone else installing it would have some challenges - security passes, doors, access to ministerial office etc.'

Six weeks after the fateful images were captured  and a fortnight after they had been wiped from the department's CCTV system  the worker who had secured the footage contacted an anti-lockdown campaigner, who promised to try to place them in the media.

The Mail on Sunday was not one of the outlets approached. It is not known if The Sun obtained the video from the whistleblower or from another source entirely.

In a series of Instagram messages seen by this newspaper, the whistleblower says they need 'to be very careful with the information I am about to share'.

They add: 'I have some very damning CCTV footage of someone that has been recently classed as completely f*****g hopeless.'

The first message was sent on June 17, the day after former No 10 aide Dominic Cummings released a text exchange between him and the Prime Minister in which Boris Johnson expressed his frustration with Mr Hancock.

Messages from an anonymous Instagram account. The Mail on Sunday was not one of the outlets approached. It is not known if The Sun obtained the video from the whistleblower or from another source entirely

Mr Cummings had highlighted the Health Secretary's scepticism about the UK being able to match the US's ambitious testing programme, to which Mr Johnson replied: 'Totally f*****g hopeless'.

On June 19, the whistleblower explains more about the footage, writing: 'I really need to be careful with this but it involves him in a very compromising position with some [sic] who isn't his wife last month.' Later they reveal: 'I have the full video it's now been deleted off the system as it's over 30 days.'

In a separate message, the whistleblower admits working for the Department of Health.

The video shows Mr Hancock, just after 3pm, checking the corridor outside his ninth-floor office before closing the door, leaning against it to make sure it cannot be opened, then embracing his lover.

At the time, under Mr Hancock's own rules, hugging anyone from outside your household was banned.

Having sent a 'grab' image from the video to the anti-lockdown figure, the whistleblower discussed a potential payment, but said they were not looking for a large amount.

Asked for further material, they conclude: 'I really don't feel comfortable sending any more than I already have at the moment.'

The whistleblower said they could be contacted on an encrypted Protonmail email account. It is also understood that the Instagram account on which the original messages were posted has since been deleted.

It is not clear whether the footage was copied directly from the system or filmed on a mobile phone trained on a monitor. The security for government buildings is usually contracted out to private firms.

As Mr Hancock's allies thrashed around in panic in the aftermath of the story breaking, they saw, in the words of one source, 'demons everywhere': was it a plot by No 10, or Mr Cummings himself?

Could it even be part of an elaborate operation by a hostile foreign power: officials latched on to the fact that the CCTV cameras in the office were made by Hikvision, a Chinese firm banned in the US over concerns that it could be used by Beijing as a spying tool. The company denies the claim, saying there is no evidence that its data is relayed to China.

Hikvision has also been accused of aiding the Chinese government's campaign against the Uighur minority by monitoring the detention camps in which they are held in the Xinjiang region.

The Department of Health building is owned by a Singapore-based property firm.

The police have not been called in. Last night, a Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'The Met is aware of the distribution of images alleged to have been obtained from within an official government premises. No criminal investigation has been launched. It remains a matter for the relevant department.'

MI5 said that it would become involved only if there was a 'national security angle'.

Conor McGinn, Labour's shadow security minister, said: 'The leak of CCTV from inside a supposedly secure Government building is a serious matter.

'This is not about Matt Hancock's hypocrisy being exposed, it's about the potentially huge risks posed by such a lax approach from Government to security in its own buildings

'The Government must urgently review all of its key buildings, have the intelligences agencies sweep them for bugs and unauthorised CCTV, and address the speculation about a private company with links to China having access to Whitehall's inner sanctums.'
Piers Morgan has taken to social media to encourage people to get the coronavirus vaccination, using a tragic case to demonstrate his point.

The 56-year-old TV personality took to Twitter to share the story of a father who appeared to refuse to have the vaccination, who has now reportedly died.

Mr Morgan's post captures four tweets sent by user @gridirondawg, likely from the U.S. and known only as Brent H, where he shares his views on the vaccination rollout. His Twitter description/bio says, 'MSU sports, Dallas Cowboys, fishing#'.

Piers Morgan, 56, took to Twitter to share the 'tragedy' of someone not getting their jab

In one tweet, he writes: 'I've never taken a flu shot and I'll never take a COVID shot!'

In another, he said: 'Zinc and vitamin D regiment > Moderna and Phizer.'

In response to another user, he wrote: 'I haven't taken it and haven't had any COVID issues.'

A glance at his profile shows the most recent update on June 24, which appears to have been posted by his daughter.

The tweet reads: 'This is Brent's daughter... dad died of COVID. He had no underlying conditions and was in his early 50s.

'I know he's been saying otherwise, but PLEASE save your families this heartache. Go get your shot.'

She then shares a link to an online platform where people can find their nearest vaccination centre.

Mr Morgan captioned the image with: 'The tragedy of refusing to take covid & vaccines seriously. Get the jab.'

The screenshots were shared on Twitter via Mr Morgan's account

Mr Morgan, who has now received both coronavirus jabs, has been outspoken about encouraging people to get their vaccinations.

He has also called for the Government not to extend lockdown beyond 'Freedom Day' on July 19 for those who have had their jab, insisting that those who have been vaccinated should get their freedom back.

COVID VACCINES AND BLOOD CLOTS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW The CDC and the FDA recommended that rollout of the J&J vaccine be paused in April after multiple reports of rare, but serious, blood clots. Nine people between the ages of 18 and 59 had developed cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) by April 13. CVST is a rare type of blood clot that blocks the brain's sinus channels of draining blood, which can cause hemorrhages. One of the nine patients died and two are in critical condition. With more than seven million people who had gotten the vaccine by that point, this means just 0.00012% developed CVST. That is less that the five out of one million people - 0.0005% - who develop the condition in the general population. The pause was lifted on April 23 after the CDC determined the risk was extremely low. Advertisement

Yesterday, statistics showed that Britain's daily Covid cases had jumped by nearly 80 per cent in one week.

But the number of hospitalisations remains below 250 a day, fuelling hope the outbreak is slowing.

A further 18,270 people tested positive on Saturday marking a 77 per cent rise on the 10,321 cases recorded the previous weekend. It also marked the highest daily rise since February 5.

But, in a sign that the vaccine is working to keep the number of hospitalisations down, just 227 people were admitted on Saturday - bringing the total number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals to 1,505.

The growing evidence of the vaccine effect has led top scientists and ministers to be confident that England's Freedom Day will go ahead on July 19 as planned.

Restrictions in Scotland are due to be reviewed on that date, too.

But Downing Street is refusing to bow to backbench Tory pressure to bring the final unlocking forward to July 5, citing the importance of getting as many second vaccine doses into arms as possible.

In another promising sign for England's July 19 Freedom Day to go ahead, earlier this week SAGE estimated the reproduction 'R' rate  which measures how quickly the virus is spreading  is still between 1.2 to 1.4 in England.

It has not moved in three weeks, which adds to growing evidence the country's outbreak is slowing.

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.

Those who have had two vaccinations are being warned to remain cautious.

Professor Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee of Vaccination and Immunisation, 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.'
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Matt Hancock's constituents said the disgraced former Health Secretary 'should have resigned immediately' after he was caught breaking lockdown with his mistress - while others admitted they 'never liked him in the first place'.

The ex-Cabinet minister has sparked national fury after he secretly ignored the restrictions he imposed on millions during the pandemic while cheating on his wife of 15 years with millionaire aide Gina Coladangelo.

Last night Mr Hancock quit government and his marriage to Martha Hancock, the mother of his three children after Prime Minister Boris Johnson came under huge public pressure to sack him.

Today Newmarket locals said they were 'happy' that the MP for West Suffolk had resigned from the Cabinet as they accused him of 'hypocrisy and double standards' over coronavirus restrictions.

Residents described how they had been prevented from visiting their grandchildren by Mr Hancock, while some admitted they only voted for him in 2019 to keep Labour out. Others were thrilled to hear that the minister whose regulations had kept their businesses shut had left the Government.

Graham Gladstone, 41, said: 'He should have resigned immediately. The defence from Boris Johnson shows a contempt towards British members of public who have followed the rules and NHS staff who have had to be involved in treating people and the consequences of the virus.

'It seemed typical of Conservative ministers to see what the public reaction was rather than think about the consequences of what he did. Especially after he publicly denounced Neil Ferguson.'

Hannah Grimwood, 32, who works at Argos and has lived in Newmarket for 10 years, said: 'I never liked him in the first place, I've been moaning about the man for years. I feel sorry for Boris Johnson, he had too much on his plate and too many people telling him what he should and shouldn't do.'

Jane Ramage, 65, a manager at Godolhpin private laundry, said: 'I've always been a Conservative voter, but he should have gone that day. He was the one setting the rules and regulations, and it just makes a mockery of him telling us we couldn't see our families'

Lisa Karpuk, 38, said Mr Hancock resigning as Home Secretary was 'the right thing'. 'He's a chap in power and if he expected everyone else to follow the rules then he should have followed the rules,' she added.

Hannah Grimwood, 32, who works at Argos and has lived in Newmarket for 10 years, said: 'I never liked him in the first place, I've been moaning about the man for years. I feel sorry for Boris Johnson, he had too much on his plate and too many people telling him what he should and shouldn't do.' Miss Grimwood's partner Gary Holliday, 42, added: 'If you make the rules you have to follow the rules. He's only human but when it's happening a couple of times or more then members of the public are going to think it's not fair.'

Left: Taxi driver Karim Afzal. Right: Simon Bennett, who Simon Bennett, 48, who lives in central Newmarket and runs a hairdressing business which has been closed for the last seven months, said: 'I'm happy he's gone. I've lived in Newmarket for a long time. It's typical mainstream Westminster politicians'

Taste of his own medicine? Labour urge Scotland Yard to investigate Matt Hancock's rule-breaking kiss with aide... a year after he said he would BACK a police probe into Professor Lockdown's breach A shadow Cabinet minister has urged the police to investigate cheating Matt Hancock after the disgraced former Health Secretary was pictured flouting social distancing restrictions with his mistress. Shadow Housing Secretary Lucy Powell said that Labour MP Fleur Anderson had referred Mr Hancock to the Metropolitan Police to find out if any lockdown laws had been broken. Speaking to Trevor Phillips On Sunday on Sky News, Miss Powell claimed that Mr Hancock put people at risk of the virus by being in 'two bubbles at the same time, unbeknown to other people in that bubble'. The Labour frontbencher pointed to the former Health Secretary's own calls for police to investigate Professor Neil Ferguson last year after the SAGE adviser broke lockdown to see his lover, adding: 'You can't have the rule maker also being the rule breaker, people want to know there's accountability in that.' Mr Hancock had condemned the actions of 'Professor Lockdown' in an interview with Sky News on May 6, 2020, calling them 'extraordinary' and saying it 'would not be possible' for Prof Ferguson to have kept his job after reports emerged of his tryst with Antonia Staats. Although the Metropolitan Police decided not to prosecute Prof Ferguson, Mr Hancock had said he would back the police if they wanted to take action over the matter. Advertisement

Miss Grimwood's partner Gary Holliday, 42, added: 'If you make the rules you have to follow the rules. He's only human but when it's happening a couple of times or more then members of the public are going to think it's not fair.'

Joe Karran, 20, who was out in Newmarket with with grandmother Olive Karran, 82, said: 'I hope it's the first of many resignations from this current cabinet. I think Boris should have fired him.'

Miss Karran added: 'He should have fired him. It's just so deceitful, that's the word. The hypocrisy and double standards. It's been one rule for them and one rule for us the whole time.'

Lisa, 50, who refused to give her surname, said: 'I think Boris Johnson should have sacked him but he's got no backbone. It's the same with Cummings, he supported him. It just seems to be that more and more there's one rule for them and one rule for the people: it's hypocrisy. My teenage daughter hasn't seen her boyfriend for months. The youngsters have really suffered, in education too.'

Lisa Karpuk, 38, said Mr Hancock resigning as Home Secretary was 'the right thing'.

'He's a chap in power and if he expected everyone else to follow the rules then he should have followed the rules,' she added.

Jane Ramage, 65, a manager at Godolhpin private laundry, said: 'I've always been a Conservative voter, but he should have gone that day. He was the one setting the rules and regulations, and it just makes a mockery of him telling us we couldn't see our families.

'I couldn't see my son or grandchildren for months last year. We stuck to the rules rigidly - I was stuck in my flat on my own and he's doing that. It's not personal to him, but whoever is making the rules they have to set an example. Now people are going to think if they bring in new regulations or extend these ones, 'hang on a minute'.'

Simon Bennett, 48, who lives in central Newmarket and runs a hairdressing business which has been closed for the last seven months, said: 'I'm happy he's gone. I've lived in Newmarket for a long time. It's typical mainstream Westminster politicians.

'In Newmarket he only likes to be seen with people in the high up racing industry. He's not often in Newmarket.'

Mr Bennett said he did vote for Hancock in the last election but only to keep Labour out. 'I run my own business and I've been closed for seven months of the last year,' he said.

'I wrote to Hancock several times and the response I got was from his lackeys. It's a complete conflict of interest not to disclose a relationship you're having and she's on the pay roll.'

He said everyone knew he needed to resign and added that he wouldn't vote for the Conservative Party again after their response to the pandemic.

Public sentiment is reminiscent of the anger which erupted in May last year following Dominic Cummings' rule-breaking 200-mile drive from London to Barnard Castle in Country Durham during the first shutdown.

Together with growing exasperation at the never-ending cycle of lockdowns, people are taking matters into their own hands - with small retailers discouraging mask-wearing while massive anti-lockdown protests sweep through London calling for Mr Hancock's arrest.

Shops in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, placed signs in windows showing Mr Hancock kissing Miss Coladangelo, who studied politics, philosophy and economics at Oxford at the same time as Mr Hancock in the 1990s and is married to Oliver Bonas founder Oliver Tress.

The signs say: 'Welcome to House Interiors. Don't wear a mask if you don't want too (sic). Matt doesn't'.

Matt Hancock's rule-breaking affair with millionaire aide Gina Coladangelo has inspired a wave of anti-lockdown sentiment after the disgraced Health Secretary undermined his own pandemic policy

Matt Hancock, 42, resigned as Health Secretary and left his wife of 15 years after images published this week showed him kissing Miss Coladangelo, 43, in his ministerial office in breach of coronavirus restrictions

Police were pictured removing a sticker put on Mr Hancock's London home, where his wife Martha and their children live. It says: 'Our forefathers gave their lives to keep this country free, and you're just going to sit back and let it become an authoritarian hellhole, over a virus with a 99.9% recovery rate?'

TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp said the incident showed how 'it was one rule for you, another for us', tweeting: 'I remember footage of Hancock whipping of his mask as he entered No 10, not even keeping it on in the corridors as school children were made to do, I knew then it was one rule for you, another for us.'

One furious Twitter user posted on the social media site: 'Through ignoring the rules of the lockdown he put in place (rules that civilians face prison time and life ruining fines for breaking), Hancock has demonstrated the unequal rights of those in power and those that are not...'

Another said: 'The elite confirmed at G7 they don't believe this. Hancock the latest in a long line of politicians, bureaucrats & 'expert' to breach their own stupid rules'.

DailyMail.com's editor-at-large Piers Morgan condemned Mr Hancock just hours before he resigned. Sharing a photo of the former minister embracing Miss Coladangelo, he contrasted it to one of the Queen, who was forced to wear a mask and sit on her own during her husband's funeral in April.

Posting the meme on Twitter, Mr Morgan wrote: 'This perfectly sums up why Hancock is toast.'

Hilarious memes shared online include a picture of Mr Hancock sliding down a slide 'into Gina Coladangelo's Whatsapp' and the Health Secretary with a pair of women's pants over his head.

Retailers in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, have now placed a sign in a shop window showing Mr Hancock kissing Miss Coladangelo. The sign reads: 'Welcome to House Interiors. Don't wear a mask if you don't want too (sic). Matt doesn't'

Metropolitan Police officers were pictured removing a sticker put on Mr Hancock's home in north London, where his wife Martha and their children are living. The sticker reads: 'Our forefathers gave their lives to keep this country free, and you're just going to sit back and let it become an authoritarian hellhole, over a virus with a 99.9% recovery rate?'

Police were pictured removing a sticker put on Mr Hancock's home in north London

Public sentiment is reminiscent of the visceral anger which erupted in May last year following Dominic Cummings' rule-breaking 200-mile drive from London to Barnard Castle in Country Durham during the first shutdown

Another meme shows Mr Hancock doing press ups next to Chris Hemsworth with the caption: 'How we see Matt Hancock Vs how Gina Coladangelo sees him'.

Stills of Mr Hancock belting out Queen anthem Don't Stop Me Now at the 2017 Conservative Party Conference were tabbed up with the caption: 'It was only a kiss, how did it end up like this?'

Sky News presenter Trevor Phillips today told a Cabinet minister defending Mr 'where to get off' after describing how hundreds of loved ones were prevented from attending his daughter's funeral while the Health Secretary broke lockdown with his mistress.

The anti-racism campaigner told Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis how he buried freelance journalist Sushila Phillips, 36, on May 11 - just five days after cheating Mr Hancock kissed his aide in his ministerial office, in images obtained by the Sun newspaper.

Mr Phillips, who chaired the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said 300 friends and family were forced to watch the funeral online because they were banned from the graveside 'even though it was in the open air, because of the rule of 30, because of the instruction by Mr Hancock'.

A visibly uncomfortable Mr Lewis listened as the Sky News broadcaster then asked: 'Now the next time one of you tells me what to do in my private life, explain to me why I shouldn't just tell you where to get off?'

Sushila died 'peacefully in her own bed' after a 22-year battle with anorexia, her family announced on Facebook in April. They called her 'one of the wisest, kindest, strongest and funniest people' and 'a force and the most beautiful soul'.

Pointing out the Government's double standard, Mr Phillips said: 'I want to put a private - personal question I guess, in a way - to you. Over the past two days every Cabinet minster including you has come out to essentially defend the Prime Minister and Matt Hancock.

Piers Morgan shared an image of the Health Secretary embracing Miss Coladangelo next to a picture of the Queen sitting alone at Prince Philip's funeral

It comes after her husband, 42, stood down from his role as Health Secretary after leaked CCTV footage surfaced of him locking lips and fondling married mother-of-three Gina Coladangelo, 43

Sky News presenter Trevor Phillips today told a Cabinet minister defending Matt Hancock and Boris Johnson 'where to get off' after describing how hundreds of loved ones were prevented from attending his daughter's funeral while the Health Secretary broke rules with his mistress

'The pictures that we saw were of an encounter on May the 6th. On May the 11th my family buried my daughter who had died not of Covid but during the lockdown. Three hundred of our family and friends turned up online but most of them were not allowed to be at the graveside even though it was in the open air because of the rule of 30, because of the instruction by Mr Hancock.

'Now the next time one of you tells me what to do in my private life, explain to me why I shouldn't just tell you where to get off?'

Mr Lewis then blurted out: 'Look I absolutely accept and understand the frustration, even the anger, people have, having been rough the situations they've been through.

'People across the country, I've lost friends whose funerals I've not been able to go to over the last period - that is such a tragic situation for any of us to be in, and that's - I have to say - why its so important all of us do what we can to keep ourselves, our families, our friends, our wider community safe.

'It's also why what Matt did was wrong. He acknowledged that, why he apologised immediately for his behaviour and acknowledged what he did was wrong, and it's also why he's taken the decision that his position was untenable and distracted from the wider work that we've all got to do to move forward in the pandemic and out of the pandemic.'

Public anger with lockdown has reached a tipping point, following the events of the past 48 hours.

Boris Johnson last week struggled to contain a Cabinet split on whether to retain the mask mandate after July 19, the so-called 'Freedom Day'.

Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg hinted that he believes all coronavirus restrictions should end in July as he was grilled by MPs on whether domestic vaccine passports could be rolled out next month when Mr Johnson is due to press ahead with the final stage in his roadmap.

But referring to Mr Johnson previously describing the date as a 'terminus' point, Mr Rees-Mogg said 'terminus is Paddington not Crewe' and it should mean the 'end of the line' in comments which appeared to support lifting all the remaining draconian curbs.

The remarks came as Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Environment Secretary George Eustice both said they will ditch face masks the moment they are not compulsory - and suggested that should happen on July 19.

Mr 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 July 19.

Mr 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.'

However, in signs of tensions at the heart of government, Downing Street said the Prime Minister is only aiming to 'get back as close to normal as is possible' and 'no final decisions have been taken'.

First Minister of Scotland 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 masks and other face coverings should still be required on the Tube and buses as they give people 'confidence' they are safe.
Bill Barr said that even while the Justice Department investigated Donald Trump's voter fraud claims, he always knew it was 'all bulls**t', according to an upcoming book.

Trump's former attorney general told Axios' Jonathan Karl in interviews published in The Atlantic Sunday, that he concluded early on when declaring the investigation that it was highly unlikely that any evidence existed that would change that outcome of the 2020 election.

'My attitude was: It was put-up or shut-up time,' Barr told Karl. 'If there was evidence of fraud, I had no motive to suppress it.'

'But my suspicion all the way along was that there was nothing there. It was all bulls**t.'

Karl revealed this excerpt and others from multiple interviews with Barr conducted as part of his upcoming book.

Barr said he opened an investigation because he knew former Trump was going to confront him about his claims of fraud and a 'rigged' election, and he wanted to be able to say he looked into it and found nothing.

Former Attorney General Bill Barr said that he knew from the start that Donald Trump's election fraud claims were 'bulls**t' despite opening a Justice Department investigation into it

Trump is still pushing his claims that he is the legitimate winner of the 2020 election. He told a crowd at his first post-election rally in Ohio on Saturday: 'This was the scam of the century and this was the crime of the history.' He also said Democrats 'used COVID in order to cheat'

The former attorney general also said that Majority Leader Mitch McConnell urged him to speak out against Trump's election fraud claims because he felt he wasn't in a good position to do so himself.

'Look, we need the president in Georgia,' McConnell said, according to Barr. 'And so we cannot be frontally attacking him right now.'

At the time, the Republicans were vying in two key Senate elections in Georgia, which ultimately decided the Democratic majority in the upper chamber after both Republican incumbents were defeated.

Barr said that McConnell told him: 'You're in a better position to inject some reality into this situation. You are really the only one who can do it.'

Following Joe Biden's declared win in November 2020, Trump immediately launched claimed of widespread voter fraud by Democrats and began a series of lawsuits and probes into the election  especially involving the mass amount of mail in ballots in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

The former president is still spewing these claims, including at his first post-presidency rally in Ohio on Saturday night where he said that he is the legitimate election winner.

'This was the scam of the century and this was the crime of the history,' he said to a massive crowd gathered in Wellington, Ohio.

Last December, Barr told the Associated Press: 'To date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have affected a different outcome in the election.'

Karl said Barr told him about a conversation he had with Trump after the report went out.

'Did you say that?' Trump had asked Barr, according to the former attorney general.

'Yes,' Barr responded.

'How the f**k could you do this to me? Why did you say it?' he shot back

'Because it's true,' Barr said he told the then-outgoing president.

'You must hate Trump. You must hate Trump,' he responded, referring to himself in the third person.

Barr was Trump's attorney general from February 2019 until December 2020, when he prematurely left the administration following Trump's announcement of resignation just a month before the end of his term

Trump insisted to supporters at his Ohio rally Saturday that in some states there were 'more votes than voters', that there was 'North Korean-style turnout' and that 'ballots were wheeled in backdoors.'

'There's just mountains of evidence,' Trump claimed, adding that Democrats 'used COVID in order to cheat.'

He said the Trump campaign lost dozens of court cases because 'many of our judges were gutless.'

'And I am ashamed of our Supreme Court,' the ex-president said.

The court, which skews 6-3 conservative thanks to three Trump nominees making it through in his four years, refused to take up the election fraud cases.

Trump gave a shout out to MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, who has been publicly pushing the conspiracy that Trump won.

'Where's Mike, the pillow man?' Trump asked the crowd as he referred to Lindell as a 'patriot.'

He also raged at the government's treatment of the 'greatest mayor in the history of New York' Rudy Giuliani, who lost his law license Thursday over the election fraud farce. He also had his home raided by the FBI earlier this year and 18 electronic devices were seized.

'I'm not the one trying to undermine American democracy, I'm the one trying to save American democracy,' Trump went on.
Daniel Andrews has revealed how he was just one millimetre from being paralysed during his horror fall at a holiday house in March, which left him away from work for 111 days.

The Victorian premier toppled while getting ready for work at a rented holiday home on the Mornington Peninsula at 6.36am on March 9 in an accident that saw him vanish from the public eye for more than three months.

A senior trauma doctor who treated the premier in hospital told his wife Catherine that if an area of his spin just 1mm from where he was hurt was also damaged, he may never have walked again.

He fractured six ribs, including those closest to his spine, causing the lower parts of his lungs to collapse.

Absent Premier Daniel Andrews (pictured with his wife) has been absent from office for more than three months

The premier arrived at the hospital in respiratory failure, after refusing a helicopter ride to The Alfred Hospital, having wanted to avoid any special treatment.

Instead, ambulance crews were forced to navigate roadworks on the Monash Freeway, meaning it took an hour to get to hospital, he told The Herald Sun.

'Its like it is in slow motion. I thought I am in trouble here, he said of the moments after he fell.

'I couldnt breathe in or out. I couldnt scream, I couldnt call out for Cath.'

Earlier in the day, he explained in exhaustive detail exactly what happened that day in a video on social media.

With his wife Catherine by his side, the father-of-two said his family was on holiday to spend some time together after a strenuous year filled with Covid-19 lockdowns and daily press conferences.

Mr Andrews intended to travel straight from the holiday home in Sorrento to the office on the Monday morning, but it had been raining and the stairs were slippery.

'As I put my foot onto the first step, I knew I was in trouble. I didn't really connect with the step - I just slid straight off. I became airborne, almost,' he said.

'And then all I could hear was this almighty crunch. When I heard the crunch, that's when I knew this was serious.'

The 48-year-old could barely breathe and was in too much pain to speak, but Catherine came running when she heard groaning in agony.

'It was awful because you were going blue,' she said to her husband in the video..

Pictured: Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and his wife Catherine explaining what happened the day he broke his back

Pictured: Daniel Andrews, his wife Catherine and their two children during a video posted on Twitter on Sunday

'We were looking at each other and I was thinking, "you're going to die here in Sorrento"... and you were looking at me, and you felt the same.'

Terrified, Catherine called the ambulance and his police protection workers - who were parked a few houses down the street waiting for him to drive out on his way to work.

In the 24 hours after the accident, he was taken to a specialist trauma centre at the Alfred Hospital - which orthopaedic surgeons around Australia said signalled a serious injury.

'I've neve experienced anything like this. I've never really been injured and I've never been admitted to hospital in all my life. I've never broken a bone,' he said.

The video on Sunday was cut with montages of the Andrews family cooking together (pictured)

Daniel Andrews fractured his T7 vertebrae (in red), which is in the middle of the spine

He thanked the paramedics, nurses and doctors who took care of him during his recovery, and to the 'tens of thousands' of Australians who sent him 'get well' messages.

'To every one of you who've sent a Facebook message, a card, a note, an email, a text message wishing us well, I'm deeply grateful,' he said.

'We're deeply grateful,' he added, gesturing to his wife.

He also said he's feeling 'fit, strong and healthy' enough to return to office on Monday, before revealing he is on the ballot for the state election for 2022.

'I'm running, and I'm running to win,' he declared.

'I am fitter and healthier and stronger and more committed. I have done the hard work to get well to get back  not to get well and to cut and run.'

Dan Andrews (pictured with daughter Grace, 18) in April as he recovers from a serious back injury

Mr Andrews (pictured, back) is undergoing his rehabilitation process at his Melbourne home

The video follows widespread criticism by conspiracy theories about Mr Andrews' fall since he was so rarely seen in the months after the accident.

He was only seen in three social media photos, including one posted by Catherine in early June which showed her cutting his hair with his face covered by a comb.

One outrageous theory included that he was beaten up by a union official or bashed by a businessman upset about Covid-19 lockdowns.

Some conspiracy theorists claimed a social media image showing Mr Andrews in his early recovery stage was photoshopped to show his head on some-one else's body.

Those close to the premier said the theories were nonsense.

Mr Andrews was injured on March 9 and spent 10 days in hospital. Conspiracy theorists claimed this image was photoshopped to show his head on someone else's body

Daniel Andrews issued this message to Victorians on social media earlier in June after weeks of silence

The Liberal-National Opposition had previously said Mr Andrews - who is the nation's best-paid premier on $441,439 - owes it to taxpayers to reveal more details about the incident and prove there is no 'cover up' as he clocks up 92 days off sick on full pay.

MPs want to know who was in the house at the time, as well as the home's address and the name of the owner.

They also want to know if police were called and if Mr Andrews has been interviewed by officers 'either formally or informally' over anything that happened that weekend.

'If there is no cover up then there is no reason not to provide answers to these simple questions,' said shadow treasurer Louise Staley.

'Victorians need honesty and transparency from Daniel Andrews about the circumstances of his injury.

'Everyone is entitled to privacy about their health, but these questions are not about the nature of his injuries, only how he got those injuries.'

Dan Andrews was pictured in his wife's Instagram story on Saturday evening receiving a DIY lockdown haircut - but it didn't show his face

Liberal MP James Newbury joined calls for more details, telling Daily Mail Australia: 'No-one is questioning whether Daniel Andrews is sick - but as the elected leader of 6.7 million people, he owes Victorians a proper explanation as to what really happened to him.'

'Victoria is in the middle of its fourth lockdown and people's lives and livelihoods are on the line. We deserve more from Daniel Andrews than a couple of social media posts or a photo of his wife cutting his hair.'

Acting Premier James Merlino said the Opposition should be 'ashamed' for asking the questions.

'We are dealing with a global pandemic for goodness' sake,' he said in a press conference on Tuesday.

'I think it reflects on the Liberal Party, it reflects on the Leader of the Opposition  they should be ashamed of themselves, quite frankly.'
Some children are looking for staff to 'trip up' or make 'micro-aggressions'

Nicholas Hewlett came out as gay to students at St Dunstan's College, London

A headmaster has warned that teachers are becoming 'incredibly anxious' of being pounced on by pupils over micro-aggressions.

Nicholas Hewlett, head of St Dunstan's College private school in southeast London, said staff were worried by a 'righteous generation' of children who were looking for their teachers to 'trip up' on even 'small, persistent slights'.

Mr Hewlett made headlines earlier this year when he announced he was 'happily gay and in a same-sex relationship' during a school assembly.

The 41-year-old today warned that the younger generation were becoming 'entrenched in a culture of outrage'.

Nicholas Hewlett, head of St Dunstan's College private school in southeast London, said staff were worried by a 'righteous generation' of children who were looking for their teachers to 'trip up' on even 'small, persistent slights'

Speaking to the Sunday Times he said: 'We cannot have in schools everyone walking on eggshells terrified of using the wrong word...

'What I am seeing starting to emerge as part of the huge national backlash against wokeness... is young people entrenched in a culture of outrage.

'We have young people coming through the system who because of hateful rhetoric have decided they are going to dig into their positions of outrage.'

The school leader also recently appeared in a webinar he titled 'Woke Independent Schools - Why are we so afraid?' that looked out how debate over cultural issues had changed between the 1980s and today.

He described how some children were growing up 'pre-determined to be outraged' and that 'healthy debate' had been replaced by 'an anonymised mudslinging match of increasingly entrenched positions of outrage'.

The Batley Grammar School teacher sparked fury by allegedly showing pupils cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in a RE lesson. Pictured: Protesters outside the school in March

'(Say) we demand a greater diversity to the curriculum, but then some teachers become scared of how to teach racially diverse material, worried of putting a foot wrong, worried of being accused of microaggressions or being or being homophobic or transphobic or misogynistic,' he added.

'I believe firmly education must step up we must start having meaningful dialogue with the young about issues that matter to them.'

Mr Hewlett added that he had set up working group for pupils and teachers to look at changes for what was taught in the curriculum and the way it was taught.

Last week Ofsted chief Amanda Spielman said schools are facing a new 'confrontational brand of activism', and insisted that it was 'unacceptable' that some pupils and teachers are suffering abuse and violence 'simply for being who they are' amid a rise in activism both inside and outside schools.

She told the Festival of Education that children should not be 'all but forced to support a fellow student's campaign, no matter how compellingly presented, nor feel that they will be ostracised if they do not'.

An unpublished survey by Flair, a company that has conducted race audits of staff, including non-teachers, at more than 30 private schools, suggests two per cent are black.

Last week Ofsted chief Amanda Spielman said schools are facing a new 'confrontational brand of activism', and insisted that it was 'unacceptable' that some pupils and teachers are suffering abuse and violence 'simply for being who they are'

Flair also analysed dozens of open letters published by alumnae of private schools who complained last year about racist abuse they had endured in schools and a lack of black role models among teachers.

'Microaggressions' previously reported included someone saying during a lesson that 'slavery was bad but the Holocaust was worse'.

Her comments come after protests were held outside Batley Grammar School in March after a teacher showed Year 9 pupils a caricature of the Prophet Mohammed during a Religious Studies (RS) lesson.

In 2019, some primary schools in Birmingham faced protests at the school gates from parents who opposed allowing children to be taught about the existence of LGBT+ relationships.

A motion passed at the National Education Union's (NEU) conference in April called for support for staff and pupils who face protests against teaching age-appropriate Relationships and Sex Education (RSE).
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez blasted Joe Biden on Sunday for getting 'limited' by Republicans in infrastructure negotiations

'In those areas where there is agreement, Republicans are more than welcome to join so that we can get this work on infrastructure done,' Ocasio-Cortez told NBC's Meet the Press host Chuck Todd on Sunday.

'But that doesn't mean the president should be limited by Republicans, particularly when we have a House majority, we have 50 Democratic senators and we have the White House,' the progressive New York Democrat continued.

Ocasio-Cortez continued: 'This is our one big shot, not just in terms of family, child care, Medicare, but on climate change.'

President Biden, along with 10 bipartisan lawmakers, announced from the White House Thursday 'we have a deal' on infrastructure.

He later tried to tie the deal to his so-called 'human infrastructure' American Families Plan, but had to backtrack Sunday after Republicans raged and said they wouldn't pass the infrastructure deal if it was reliant on reconciliation.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez lashed out at President Joe Biden on Sunday, claiming he shouldn't be 'limited by Republicans' in infrastructure negotiations and other legislation while Democrats hold a majority

'This is our one big shot, not just in terms of family, child care, Medicare, but on climate change,' the progressive New York congresswoman told NBC News' Chuck Todd (left)

Ocasio-Cortez lashed out at the deal Thursday, claiming the deal was inherently racist because it was made by only white lawmakers and ignored the concerns of minority communities.

'The diversity of this 'bipartisan coalition' pretty perfectly conveys which communities get centered and which get left behind when leaders prioritize bipartisan dealmaking over inclusive lawmaking (which prioritizes delivering the most impact possible for the most people),' the New York progressive congresswoman tweeted Thursday.

She included a picture of the bipartisan group at the White House when they announced the deal. The group included the president, Democratic Senators Kyrsten Sinema, Joe Manchin, Jeanne Shaheen, Mark Warner and Jon Tester and Republican Senators Rob Portman, Susan Collins, Bill Cassidy, Mitt Romney and Lisa Murkowski.

Also on Sunday, the far left congresswoman rebuked centrist Democratic opposition to nixing the filibuster, which has allowed Republicans to block solely partisan legislation.

'Why defend a 60-vote filibuster?' Ocasio-Cortez questioned during her NBC News interview.

'Political systems all across the world pass legislations with majorities and they're fine,' she continued.

Last week, Republicans were able to block Democrats' voting rights bill by filibuster when Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was unable to earn support from a single GOP senator. He needed 10 Republicans defectors to avoid a filibuster, which would block the For the People Act to the floor to begin debate.

Progressive lawmakers have tried to slip in getting rid of the filibuster in other big legislative packages. But the idea is a nonstarter for the Republican majority in Congress and from centrist Democrats who claim the provision could be used against them in the future.

Specifically, Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema and West Virginia's Joe Manchin have spoken out against the idea of nixing the filibuster.

Ocasio-Cortez says she does not believe in this 'defeatist' attitude.

'I mean, it is a, it's essentially an argument of saying, 'Well why do anything at all, in case something in the future may change it,' Ocasio-Cortez of Sinema's op-ed last week arguing against ending the filibuster.

'Political systems all across the country, I mean all across the world, pass legislation with majorities and they're fine,' she argued, adding that 'Democratic legislation, once enacted, is popular.'

'Republicans have tried to gut Social Security. They've tried to reverse the ACA. They've tried to claw back on legislation that has passed by simple majorities in the Senate, and they haven't been able to because Democratic policies are popular, and once they are enacted, they are very politically difficult to undo,' Ocasio-Cortez continued.

She said: 'I do not believe in the defeatism of saying, 'We will lose in the future, and that, this will automatically mean that anything we do now is going to be reversed, so we might as well not do anything now.' Our job is to legislate. Our job is to help people. Our job is to do as much as we can.'

After Biden reached a deal on infrastructure with lawmakers, Ocasio-Cortez suggested that any bipartisan deal in Washington is inherently racist.

Ocasio-Cortez suggested Republicans are ignoring minority communities by claiming any bipartisan deal in Washington is inherently racist. 'The diversity of this 'bipartisan coalition' pretty perfectly conveys which communities get centered and which get left behind,' AOC tweeted along with an image of President Joe Biden with the bipartisan group of lawmakers, who are all white

She said bipartisan packages usually exclude minority communities. 'That's how you get GOP on board,' she insisted

'This is why a bipartisan pkg alone isn't acceptable,' she wrote on Twitter Thursday. 'The exclusion & denial of our communities is what DC bipartisan deals require,' she added. 'That's how you get GOP on board : don't do much/any for the working class & low income,or women, or poc communities, or unions,etc.'

She implored: 'We must do more.'

Ocasio-Cortez pointed out that all members of the bipartisan group who reached the deal are white, and suggested that inherently makes the infrastructure deal racist in nature and exclusionary of minority communities.

'[F]olks can sometimes come across as careless when saying 'well isn't something better than nothing?' For many communities, their not having a seat at the table is a precondition for bipartisan deals to work in the 1st place. & that's not only seen as normal, but valued,' she tweeted.

'Meanwhile, when representatives of excluded communities object to the exclusion &marginalization required to make many bipartisan deals work, they're dismissed as 'unreasonable.' So who/what often benefits from this type of bipartisan dealmaking? Corporations & structural racism,' the congresswoman continued.

She did clarify, however, that not 'any/all bipartisan deals are bad', but urged Americans and lawmakers to 'actually read what's inside them instead of assume bipartisan=good'.

'Isn't something better than nothing; assumes that none of the individuals involved agreed to harmful policies. A huge assumption,' she concluded.
Concerns are rising about the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19 in the U.S. as President Joe Biden falls short of his July 4 vaccine rollout goal and cases explode in the UK.

The highly contagious Delta variant first identified in India now represents at least 20 percent of COVID cases in the United States, where it is expected to become dominant in a matter of weeks, according to the CDC.

In the UK, where roughly the same percentage of the total population is fully vaccinated, Delta has driven an explosion of new cases, with Sunday's new infections up 60 percent from a week ago.

'US has just 1 month to act before US becomes full blown #DeltaVariant dominant. 1 month to slow it down. 1 month to fully vaccinate. Or else. But we likely have even less time than that if CDC doesn't act soon,' tweeted Eric Feigl-Ding, a public health scientist who frequently comments on the pandemic.

Concerns are rising about the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19 in the U.S. as President Joe Biden falls short of his July 4 vaccine rollout goal

A regional map shows the prevalence of Delta (dark orange) as a percentage of all COVID cases, with the variant gripping the Mountain West and heartland strongest

Feigl-Ding is a former Democratic candidate for Congress, who stridently advocates for vaccinating children and re-imposing universal mask rules even for those who are vaccinated.

Though he has a PhD in epidemiology, his background is in nutrition and chronic diseases rather than infectious diseases, leading some to criticize his pronouncements.

Eric Feigl-Ding, an advocate for universal masking and child vaccination, predicted a Delta doomsday in one month

However, other U.S. infectious disease experts are also raising alarms about the Delta variant, citing worrying trends abroad.

'The delta variant is currently the greatest threat in the U.S. to our attempt to eliminate COVID-19,' Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, said at a White House briefing on the virus this week.

'Good news: Our vaccines are effective against the Delta variant,' he added. 'We have the tools. So let's use them, and crush the outbreak.'

The variant fears come as the U.S. relaxes nearly all pandemic restrictions, with even California and New York allowing spectators at sporting events and mass gatherings going forward.

In New York City on Saturday, large crowds gathered for the annual 'Dyke March' protest, which was held virtually last year due to the pandemic.

Following CDC guidelines relaxing mask rules, the protesters were largely maskless, and many went topless as well, as is traditional for the event.

The variant fears come as the U.S. relaxes nearly all pandemic restrictions, with crowds gathering on Saturday for a 'Dyke March' in New York City

Activist carrying a large banner lead the march on Saturday in New York City. Thousands of people marched in the 29th Annual New York City Dyke March

The Delta variant has sparked troubling developments in the UK, where the end of lockdown was delayed by four weeks, and could be extended further as cases explode.

UK health officials recorded 14,876 cases on Sunday, increasing 60.2 percent on last weeks figure of 9,284, while hospitalizations due to the virus rose 7 percent in a week to 227.

Fatalities increased week-on-week for the seventh day running in the UK but remain comparatively low at 11 on Sunday.

In the UK, 48.4 percent of the population is fully vaccinated, compared to 45.8 percent of the U.S. population.

In Israel, where nearly 60 percent of the population is fully vaccinated, Delta has also been driving a troubling surge, showing signs that the vaccine may be less effective against the potent variant.

New UK cases and hospitalizations have been rising, driven by the Delta variant

Deaths in the UK remain at low levels for the time being, suggesting protection from vaccines

Infections have surged in Moscow and the capital accounts for nearly half of all Russia's cases

New cases of COVID-19 in Israel rose to over 200 on Thursday from around 10 a day for most of June, according to the Wall Street Journal. Israeli health officials suggest about 90 percent of new infections were likely caused by the Delta variant.

Last week, Israel reinstated a mandate on wearing face masks indoors in response to the troubling rise in cases.

Russia is facing a surge in fatalities that authorities blame on the Delta variant. Moscow on Sunday recorded 144 Covid-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, the worst toll in a Russian city since the start of the pandemic.

The Russian capital is seeing a surge in infections, with 6,723 new cases recorded on Sunday.

Moscow has been the national epicenter of the pandemic and some 2,000 people are hospitalized daily because of the virus there, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said late on Saturday in televised remarks.

'We have mobilized 20,000 beds and 14,000 of them are currently filled,' he said. 'That's a lot.'

The Delta variant (identified in dark orange as B.1.617.2) now accounts for 20% of US cases, and is quickly displacing the dominant UK Alpha strain (B.1.1.7)

In the US, Delta has gained its strongest foothold in Mountain West and heartland states. Many of those infected are young and unvaccinated.

It is now clear that the U.S. will not meet Biden's stated goal of vaccinating 70 percent of U.S. adults by July 4.

At this point, about 178 million American adults have received at least one vaccine dose, representing 68.9 percent of those 18 and older.

At the current pace of vaccination, which has slowed due to hesitancy and concerns among those who remain unvaccinated, Biden's goal won't be met until late July.

The White House on Tuesday acknowledged that Biden will fall short of reaching his his Independence Day goal.

Biden also expects to miss a second goal: fully vaccinating 165 million adult Americans by July 4.

White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients projected it will take several more weeks to hit that number. On Saturday, the U.S. crossed 152 million fully vaccinated.
Matt Hancock is facing fresh questions into whether he pursued his affair with his aide at public expense.

The disgraced former Health Secretary is claimed to have taken mistress Gina Coladangelo, 43, to a G7 health summit in Oxford.

It is not known however if they remained together after the event, which involved a dinner and overnight stay in a luxury hotel in the city where they met as university students.

The meeting came four weeks after the now infamous clinch they shared in Mr Hancock's ninth-floor departmental office.

Disgraced former Health Secretary Matt Hancock is facing claims he took his mistress and aide Gina Coladangelo, 43, to a G7 health summit in Oxford at pursued his affair at public expense

Leaked CCTV footage of the kiss sent shockwaves through Whitehall and outraged voters over Mr Hancock's hypocrisy at breaking social distancing rules.

While he grimly tried at first to stay on - and even received the Prime Minister's backing - Mr Hancock last night announced he had resigned as Health Secretary.

According to The Sunday Times, it is understood Boris Johnson had no idea of claims his Health Secretary had invited married Mrs Coladangelo to Oxford for the events on June 3 and 4.

But it is believed senior Government figures have now raised concerns that the pair pursued their extra-marital affair at a cost to the taxpayer.

It is not known however if they remained together after the first day of the event in Oxford, which involved a dinner and overnight stay in a luxury hotel in the city where they met as university students. Pictured: Mr Hancock welcomes German counterpart Jens Spahn to Mansfield College, Oxford

Two sources have said Mrs Coladangelo accompanied him to a meeting of G7 health ministers earlier this month before the main meeting in Carbis Bay, Cornwall.

However there is no evidence the pair stay in the same room at the luxury hotel.

One cabinet source told the paper: 'She went with him to the G7 health ministers' summit.

'Did he disclose this to the PM? If it was shown he was sh***ing on the taxpayer he had to go.

Mr Hancock has also been accused of conflicts of interest over the hiring of Coladangelo as his media adviser and director of his department, earning 15,000 a year

'Hes been puritan-in-chief in the Government and now it turns out hes a massive, lying hypocrite.'

Mr Hancock announced his resignation on following the emergence of video footage showing him kissing Mrs Coladangelo in his ministerial office in a breach of coronavirus restrictions.

In a downcast recorded video message, Mr Hancock announces: 'I've been to see the Prime Minister to resign as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

'I understand the enormous sacrifices that everybody in this country has made - that you have made.

'And those of us who make these rules have got to stick by them and that's why I've got to resign.'

Mr Hancock is also facing an investigation over his use of a personal email account to conduct government business, another potential breach of government guidelines.

He has also been accused of conflicts of interest over the hiring of Coladangelo as his media adviser and director of his department, earning 15,000 a year.
The youngest survivor of the Zeebrugge ferry disaster has died aged 34 after a long battle with drug addiction.

Carly Zutic, from Dumfries, was just nine weeks old when her soldier father swam to safety with her 'baby grow in his teeth' from capsize tragedy which killed 193 people.

Family held a small, private funeral for the Scottish mother due to current Covid restrictions on funerals, according to the Daily Record.

At about 6pm on March 6, 1987, the Townsend Thoresen roll-on, roll-off ferry The Herald Of Free Enterprise turned over on its side outside Zeebrugge, Belgium, as it set out for Dover, Kent.

Carly Zutic, from Dumfries, who was just nine weeks old when she survived the Zeebrugge ferry disaster, has died aged 34 after a long battle with drug addiction

Carly's father Petar reportedly carried Carly's 'baby grow in his teeth' as she was so tiny when he rescued her, swimming to safety as the passenger ferry capsized. They were reunited with Carly's mother Julie six hours later.

In a tribute to the mother, a friend said: 'Carly's rescue was the stuff of legend around Dumfries. Her dad swam to safety with her baby grow between his teeth as she was so tiny.

'It was a story that made headlines around the world at the time and they are quite well known because of it.'

At about 6pm on March 6, 1987, the Townsend Thoresen roll-on, roll-off ferry The Herald Of Free Enterprise turned over on its side outside Zeebrugge, Belgium, as it set out for Dover, Kent

A public inquiry confirmed the ferry had left Zeebrugge with its bow doors open, allowing water to flood the car deck, and the crew member responsible for closing them was asleep at the time.

Carly's father Petar and mother Julie were just 21 and 20, respectively, at the time of the tragedy.

Julie waited six hours before learning her husband and daughter were safe after the boat capsized.

Heroics by crew and passengers in 1987 led to the majority of those on board surviving, but more than 150 passengers and nearly 40 crew on the British-flagged vessel perished.

Carly's father Petar and mother Julie were just 21 and 20, respectively, at the time of the tragedy

A public inquiry confirmed the ferry had left Zeebrugge with its bow doors open, allowing water to flood the car deck, and the crew member responsible for closing them was asleep at the time

Petar said the family did not want to comment on his daughter's death.

The Herald of Free Enterprise ferry began to sink moments after it left the Belgian port Zeebrugge.

The vessel carried both cars and passengers and began to capsize just 60 seconds after leaving the port due to its bow doors being open, allowing water to pour in.

Carly's father Petar reportedly carried Carly's 'baby grow in his teeth' as she was so tiny when he rescued her, swimming to safety as the passenger ferry capsized. They were reunited with Carly's mother Julie six hours later
This is the moment a gang of muggers shot and wounded a man in Manhattan before stealing his watch.

Police said it was around 1.30am on June 11 in Inwood, a neighborhood in the most northern part of Manhattan, near the Bronx, when the group of four surrounded the victim and tried to take jewelry from him.

As they struggled, one of the muggers, who was brandishing a gun, shot the victim three times; hitting him in the torso, buttock and leg according to police.

As he lay on the ground bleeding, the men stole his watch, before jumping into a Mercedes Benz driven by a fifth person, and speeding away.

Footage released by police on Sunday shows muggers shooting a man and making off with his watch in upper Manhattan

The group of four muggers then make off in a getaway Mercedes, driven by a fifth

Authorities said the gunshot victim is in stable condition after he was rushed to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Columbia.

It came as violent crimes have risen in New York City in recent weeks.

On June 17 two children were nearly shot in the Bronx when police say gang member Michael Lopez opened fire on Hassan Wright, shooting him in the back and legs before fleeing.

What was most horrifying about the shooting was that the gunman paid no regard to 13-year-old Mia and five-year-old Christian Toribio, who were walking home from the store and got caught beneath Wright's feet after he barreled into them while trying to flee.

Lopez was taken into custody on Friday.

Shootings across the city are up by more than 70 percent. Felony assaults are up eight percent for the first six months of 2021, compared to the same period last year, rapes are up by 10 percent and robberies - which includes muggings - have spiked by nearly 40 percent this month.

Statistics show shooting crimes have been up this year city-wide compared to last year
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Marco Rubio said Sunday he 'understands' why residents in the twin building of a collapsed Miami condo would be 'concerned', saying: 'Obviously something very unusual happened here'.

The Republican senator spoke as residents in the block were offered the chance to evacuate, with the local mayor saying he 'did not want to make it mandatory' but 'would not want to take the chance' himself.

Champlain Towers South in Surfside, near Miami Beach, collapsed on Thursday, and of today nine people have been confirmed dead and a further 150 people are still unaccounted for.

Asked about the block's twin building, Champlain Towers East - which has the same design and was built by the same architect - Rubio told Face The Nation: 'I do know and understand why people living in the area, specifically the building north of it, basically a twin, would be concerned.

'I know that if they would like to relocate FEMA will now help them with those arrangements... I have little doubt that we will know why this happen and be able to make changes to building codes if necessary to make sure it never happens again.'

Obviously, something very unusual happened here, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) says of potential contributing factors to Surfside condo collapse. I do know and understand why people living in the area, specifically the building north of it, basically a twin, would be concerned. pic.twitter.com/Wzo2J41nUe  Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) June 27, 2021

Rubio told Face The Nation : 'I do know and understand why people living in the area, specifically the building north of it, basically a twin, would be concerned'. Also pictured is the collapsed Champlain Towers South (left) and the remaining East tower spotlighted

Champlain Towers South in Surfside, near Miami Beach, collapsed on Thursday, and of today nine people have been confirmed dead and a further 150 people are still unaccounted for

How the towers looked before, with Champlain Towers South on the least and Champlain Towers East on the right

Images of Champlain Towers South in Surfside taken before the collapse (left) and after (right). The official death toll hit nine on Sunday

Surfside mayor Charles Burkett repeated the offer of a voluntary evacuation but said he would 'rather not make it mandatory'.

He said: 'If there are people in that building who are comfortable staying here, it seems to me the chances are low that we'd have the same exact problem with that building. But personally I would not want to take that chance.'

Speaking to ABC, he called the tragedy a 'third world phenomenon', adding: 'I don't know if I'd be comfortable staying in that building until I knew for sure that they had done a comprehensive top-to-bottom study on what's going on with the systems in that building.'

It came as residents of the second block - built a year apart from the first - told of their fears that the same disaster could happen twice.

'It's scary,' Bud Thomas, 55 told the New York Times on Sunday. 'I'm hoping that this one doesn't have the same structural problems as the other one.'

'Of course I've been apprehensive,' said Rafik Ayoub, 76, a second-floor resident who has been in the building for 17 years. 'We just want to make sure that our building gets inspected thoroughly.'

Workers search in the rubble at the Champlain Towers South Condo Saturday morning as hopes fade of finding people alive

As on Sunday, 150 people remained unaccounted for. Officials said they would tell families as soon as they had information about their loved ones

Emergency services at the site of the collapsed condo on Sunday as efforts continued to recover bodies

East tower resident, Nora Zyne, 69, has three friends who remain unaccounted for.

'I feel extremely saddened  I've known them for 30 years,' she said. 'We were all so close.'

One family of four left the East tower on Saturday. 'We just want to move out, just for safety,' said one member of the family, who asked not to be identified.

Earlier Saturday, Surfside mayor Charles Burkett sought to assure families that rescuers were working nonstop.

'Nothing else on our mind, with the only objective of pulling their family members out of that rubble,' he told ABC's This Week.

'We're not going to stop doing that - not today, not tomorrow, not the next day. We're going to keep going until everybody's out.'

Emergency crews search the debris for signs of life Saturday. No survivors or victims have been found from the collapse site in close to two days, since the bodies of three victims were pulled from the wreckage overnight Thursda

Teams of Israeli search-and-rescue specialists joined the hunt for further bodies Sunday, joining teams in protective gear, backed by two huge cranes and aided by sniffer dogs, who have been working nonstop in torrid heat and high humidity since the early-morning collapse (picture taken Sunday)

A photo of the block taken Sunday, showing residents' belongings amid the debris as rescuers continue their hunt for bodies

The official death toll for the Miami condo collapse rose to nine on Sunday after emergency workers found four more bodies - as rescuers dug a trench through the rubble in a bid to find survivors.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told a news conference Sunday afternoon that more bodies had been pulled from the wreckage, while one person died in hospital.

She said: 'As of today, one victim passed away in the hospital, and we've recovered eight more victims on-site, so I am confirming today that the death toll is at nine. My deepest condolences to the friends, the families, the communities of those who lost their lives.'

Officials have not yet released the names of five of the victims to the public.

'We are making every effort to identify those others who have been recovered, and additionally, contacting their family members as soon as we are able,' Cava said.

Four people who lost their lives in Thursday's tragedy at Champlain Towers South in Surfside, near Miami Beach, have been named and pictured, while a further 150 are still unaccounted for.

It came as Newsmax's Miami correspondent Leonardo Feldman cited officials as saying that the remains of a further nine people had been recovered, which would bring the death toll up to 14.

Teams of Israeli search-and-rescue specialists are now involved in the hunt for survivors. They join teams in protective gear, backed by two huge cranes and aided by sniffer dogs, who have been working nonstop in torrid heat and high humidity since the early-morning collapse.

The victims who have been identified so far are Antonio Lozano, 83, his wife Gladys Lozano, 79; Manny Lafont, 54; and Stacie Fang, 54.

Antonio Lozano, 83 and Gladys Lozano, 79 were identified through rapid DNA testing that was a match with their son Sergio Lozano

Antonio and Gladys Lozano were identified through rapid DNA testing that was a match with their son Sergio Lozano (right)

Authorities confirmed Houston native Manuel LaFont, 54, who resided in an eighth floor apartment, died in the collapse, his body was recovered on Friday.

Authorities had already identified 54-year-old Stacie Fang, as one of the deceased, on Friday
East Germany's secret police, the Stasi, were poised to arrest Roger Moore on set of James Bond movie, Octopussy, uncovered files have revealed.

The documents, published yesterday in German newspaper, Bild, revealed that the Stasi were closely tracking the movements of James Bond film crew while filming in Berlin on August 10, 1982.

A Stasi report stated that the crew had 'violated' the border of the Berlin Wall by about '4 to 5 metres' while they shot a scene at Checkpoint Charlie, the most famous of the seven border crossings into East Berlin.

East Germany's secret police, the Stasi, were poised to arrest Roger Moore (pictured at Checkpoint Charlie) while filming James Bond movie, Octopussy, in Berlin in 1982

In the classic movie scene, Roger Moore, as 007, was chauffeured in a dark Mercedes 200 to Checkpoint Charlie to meet 'M', the head of British intelligence, played by Robert Brown.

The same scene was reshot a number of times at the request of Octopussy director John Glen, with the Mercedes driving up to the East-West German border during each take before turning around.

However, the crew did not realise that while turning, the car was crossing into East Germany.

It is now known that the feared and brutal intelligence and secret police agency who ran the communist state of East Germany were tracking the car's every movement.

In the classic movie scene, Roger Moore (pictured with co-star Maud Adams) was chauffeured in a Mercedes 200 to meet 'M', but while turning his car 'violated' the border of the Berlin Wall

The documents, published yesterday, revealed that the Stasi were closely tracking the movements of James Bond film crew while filming in Berlin and noted the incident in detail

The Stasi officers' report said: 'When turning, the vehicle violated the state border four times by about 4 to 5 metres.

'Report on filming of a 'James Bond' movie, in the western apron of the border crossing point Friedrich/Zimmerstrasse on August 10, 1982, between 7:30am and 1:33 pm.

'12 vehicles appeared in the western apron of the border crossing point... most of them parked in the parking lot behind the house Zimmerstrasse 19 a.'

The Stasi was the official secret police agency of the former East Germany which was established in 1950 and had up to 100,000 employees by 1989 but was disbanded when Germany reunified in 1990.

One of the Stasi's main tasks was spying on the population, primarily through a vast network of citizens turned informants, who spied on and denounced colleagues, friends, neighbours, and even family members.
Boots on the Moon may be closer that you would think.

A recent report from the Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Vehicles Directorate says United States military interests will increase tenfold to 272,000 miles from Earth's surface and beyond as private and public sectors move into space - and could be the next war front, as military officials try to protect American assets.

The report, entitled 'A Primer on Cislunar Space,' says that the Space Force was tasked with 'defending and protecting U.S. interests in space' when it was first established in December 2019.' But with more 'public and private sector operations' extending into 'cislunar space,' - the area surrounding the moon - the reach of the Space Force's influence will extend into the region to 'protect and defend vital U.S. interests in and beyond Earth-orbit.'

It comes as other countries, like China, are finding ways into cislunar space, typically defined as the region that contains the Earth, Moon and so-called Lagrange points where spacecrafts can be deployed, according to Futurism.com.

A recent military report said the Space Force should prepare for wars on and around the Moon. Here, the lunar module for the Apollo 14 mission stands on the Moon's surface

Cislunar space is typically as the region that contains the Earth, Moon and so-called Lagrange points where spacecrafts can be deployed. Here, the Earth rises above the Moon's horizon

In 2018, Jeff Gossel, senior intelligence engineer in the Space and Missile Analysis Group at the Air Force's National Air and Space Intelligence Center said he had seen reports 'in open press... that say the Chinese have a relay satellite flying around the flipside of the Moon. That's very telling to us.

'You could fly some sort of a weapon around the Moon and it comes back,' he continued. 'It could literally come at [objects] in Geo, and we would never know because there is nothing watching in that direction.'

The AFRL has since developed spaceflight experiments known as the Cislunar Highway Patrol System designed to demonstrate 'foundational space domain awareness capabilities in the cislunar regime' by testing object detection and tracking in the region, according to The Drive.

It is just the first attempt to better understand physics in cislunar space, but military professionals remain wary of the new venture and are uncertain about a future of space warfare.

At a Defense One Tech Summit on June 22, The Drive reports, Felt told the audience: 'Space war is going to look a lot like the Cold War in a couple of different ways.

'First of all, we hope nobody's actually exchanging destructive weapons with each other, and that we don't just hope, but we take active actions to deter that from happening,' he said.

'The nature of conflict in space is that there is an offensive advantage, or first-mover advantage, in that it is a lot easier to attack somebody else than to defend your own stuff,' Felt continued. 'And we've seen that before - that's the same thing with nuclear weapons.'

Military researchers would have to develop new ways to track objects in cislunar space, as trajectory equations would be different in the region. Here, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the U.S. Space Force's fifth third-generation navigation satellite for he Global Positioning System launched from a pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

The June 22 report details how the military is planning to develop spacecraft for missions beyond Earth's orbit, travelling all the way to the area that surrounds the Moon.

It was written for military space professionals who may have to develop spacecraft for that uncharted territory, providing them with a better understanding of what cislunar space is and what challenges it presents.

Getting into cislunar space, the researchers report, will require new models for planning and tracking the trajectories of spacecrafts and satellites and military and civilian space agencies will have to alter their 'intuition and sense of distance and time' and 'further expand the volume of space [they] consider when discussing cislunar topics.'

Trajectory calculation, for example, would be different in cislunar space, and 'even the slightest deviation in the objects' current position or velocity could cause very large differences in its future propagated position and velocity.'

To combat that, the scientists recommend setting up a network of censors, but even those on the ground will have trouble tracking objects in cislunar space. That is due to the massive distance cislunar space encompasses and because the relative differences in motion between the Earth and cislunar space makes it difficult to detect objects from the Earth, The Drive reports.

'Operating spacecraft beyond geosynchronous (in sync with) Earth orbit poses unique challenges,' Space Vehicles Directorate director and Air Force Colonel Eric Felt said in a statement to SpaceNews.

'As commerce extends to the Moon and beyond, it is vital we understand and solve those unique challenges so that we can provide space domain awareness and security.'

President Donald Trump announced the creation of the Space Force in 2019. The official U.S. Space Force flag was unveiled in May 2020

General John Raymond, chief of space operations with the U.S. Space Force and commander of the U.S. Space Command, points to the newly designed rank insignia of the U.S. Space Force during a presentation in the Oval Office in May 2020

The Space Force was first created in 2019, when then-President Donald Trump announced there would be a new division of the United States military devoted to threats in outer space.

'When it comes to defending America, it is not enough to merely have an American presence in space. We must have American dominance in space,' Trump said.

He added: 'We are going to have the Air Force and we are going to have the Space Force, separate but equal. It is going to be something. So important.'

Trump signed the Space Force into law with a $738 billion defense spending bill that December, and last May the first Air Force academy graduates commissioned directly into the Space Force.

The Space Force has signed a cooperative agreement with NASA last year to collaborate on future cislunar space research and technologies, and on June 13, the Space Force successfully launched into obit a 'space domain awareness' military satellite.
French President Emmanuel Macron saw his party experience wipe-out in local elections today as it failed to win a single one of the country's key mainland regions.

Sunday's nationwide poll was also a disaster for Marine Le Pen's far-Right National Rally, which also failed to make any breakthroughs.

Despite an appalling turn out of around a third of the country in the second round of the regional elections  the first took place a week ago  it will be seen as key indicator of how both Mr Macron and Ms Le Pen might do in presidential elections next year.

Exit polls showed the principal winners on Sunday were the mainstream conservative right, in the form of the opposition Republicans party.

Nationally, Mr Macron's LREM (The Republic on the Move) won less than 10 per cent of the vote.

Emmanuel Macron's party is wiped out in French local elections. Pictured: Macron and his wife Brigitte leave the polling station after voting for the second round of the elections today

French President Emmanuel Macron casts his ballot, next to his wife Brigitte Macron, at a polling station in Le Touquet, France for the second round of regional elections earlier today

Xavier Bertrand, of the Republicans, is now expected to challenge Mr Macron for the presidency after beating the National Rally (NR) in the northern Hauts-de-France region with just under 53 per cent of the vote.

Announcing that he had 'stopped the National Rally', and wounded Mr Macron, Mr Bertrand said: 'More than ever, I believe that there is no inevitability, that politics is not dead, that it can make life better for all'.

One of the most closely watched races on Sunday was whether RN candidate Thierry Mariani could defeat his Republicans rival Renaud Muselier in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur (PACA) region.

Gaining control of a region for the first time would have been a huge boost for Ms Le Pen as she seeks to convince moderate voters that the RN has moved on from its extremist past.

The French far-right of Marine Le Pen failed to win any region while centrist ruling party of President Emmanuel Macron suffered another poll drubbing in the second round of elections

Ms Le Pen has tried to rebrand the party sine taking over the leadership from her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, who is a convicted racist, anti-Semite and Holocaust denier.

But Mr Muselier was greatly assisted by the withdrawal of left-wing candidates in the second round in a so-called 'Republican Front' aimed at defeating the RN.

It meant that Mr Muselier won with a very convincing 56.6 per cent, according to exit polls.

The regional elections  which were last held in 2015  choose the heads of France's 13 mainland regions, from Brittany in the north to the PACA region in the south.

Representatives of regional and departmental councils were also being contested, as well as town halls.

The independent Mr Macron created LREM as a vehicle to get him elected as President in 2017.

Pictured: Xavier Bertrand, conservative party candidate, leaves with his wife Emmanuelle Gontier after speaking on the results of the second round elections, in Saint-Quentin

Despite LREM's astonishing success in presidential and parliamentary elections, the party did not exist in 2015, and so today was the first time it was tested at regional level.

Mr Macron went on a tour of the country before the two-round election, but his efforts failed to have much impact.

Instead, the elections mark a big boost for traditional parties with well-established local candidates.

After the exit poll results were announced on Sunday at 8pm, a furious Ms Le Pen blamed voter apathy for her party's poor showing.

'When two in three French people persist in not voting, in particular young people and the working classes, this is obviously a message that should challenge us,' she said.

'Because this historic civic disaffection constitutes a major signal sent to the entire political class and even to the whole of society.'

Pictured: Xavier Bertrand, former minister and candidate to his succession as president of the northern France Hauts-de-France region, prepares to vote at a polling station in Saint-Quentin

Despite this, Ms Le Pen said she would still be standing to become France's head of state in 2022, just as she did in 2017.

She said: 'I am more determined than ever to put all my energy and my will to rehabilitate politics, to make it useful and effective in the service of the French people.

'Because the presidential election appears more than ever as the election that allows for a change of policies.'

And Stanislas Guerini, Executive Officer of LREM, acknowledged a 'disappointment for the presidential majority'.

Mr Guerini added: 'I think the abstention from the first and second rounds cannot be dismissed with a wave of the hand. This is obviously a major political fact, which cannot leave any politician indifferent. We must all provide answers.'
Two adventure-loving friends from Utah have donated $10,000 of their own money to create a treasure hunt to cheer people up after the pandemic.

John Maxim and David Cline launched their first treasure hunt last year, burying $5,000 in the mountains of their native Utah to uplift their community during a difficult year of COVID-19 and lockdowns.

The treasure hunt ended after the money and silver was found only four days later, Cline told Fox News.

Now, the pair have done it again as of last week, but this time burying $10,000.

'We just kind of sensed that morale was down as a community, just because everyone had been locked in for everything for a long time,' Cline told the news outlet. And so we were like, man, what would be a safe, fun way to get people outside? And we just kind of thought, what about a treasure hunt?'

'We had no idea what kind of response wed get,' he revealed. 'Its just blowing up.'

David Cline said he 'cooked this whole treasure hunt idea up while traveling through Vietnam' while John Maxim is self-described as 'an eccentric real estate flipper'

Pictured: an actual picture of the chest that has been buried somewhere in the Utah mountains by John Maxim and David Cline

One of the first clues for treasure seekers, revealed in poem form, telling hunters to 'follow the river creek or spring'

Along with the self-funded $10,000 treasure will be a 10-ounce silver coin as well as 'some fun stuff we threw in there,' Cline added.

The two are using social media to provide clues to fortune-seekers every Friday, however they did note that those who take and share pictures of their treasure hunt will get clues a day beforehand on Thursday, Cline said.

Thus far, they've revealed that the treasure is in a cave, not hidden at a ski resort and isn't buried too deep into the ground, while offering a map of the general area where it's buried.

As far as Cline knows, there are already over 1,000 people participating in the treasure hunt with people coming from as far as Alaska and Hawaii, according to FOX News.

The map David Cline posted to social media showing the general area of where the treasure will be

Last year's $5,000 fortune-finder was a family of three, who found the treasure chest just four days after the hunt began last summer

'There's a lot of people out there that just love a good treasure hunt,' he said.

'It's kind of exciting that ... it's like one of the only things in all of our society that kind of transcends, you know, political lines and everything. Everyone loves a treasure hunt.'

While the two hope the hunt lasts long into the summer, they did tell their local ABC affiliate that the treasure is 'as accessible as possible.'

'I think that the response and just the genius of the community is way too powerful for that, so we're hoping for at least like maybe a couple weeks,' Cline said.

Last year's chest, which was won by a mother, father and their young daughter, contained $5,000 as well as some silver coins and an antique pistol.

Pictured: last year's chest that contained $5k as well as soem silver coins and an antique pistol was buried for a treasure hunt that drew far more attention than the pair anticipated

Pictured: the second of two clues the pair has provided thus far, telling treasure hunters that the chest is inside a cave

After a particularly difficult year of pandemic panic and lockdowns, the two say the hunt is less about the money, and more about getting people outside in nature again while providing them with an adventure to go on.

'For us, the joy of it is just kind of watching families and friends and couples and everybody just get out into the mountains and discover new places and have a great time doing it,' he added.

'There is something fun about kind of sitting back and just seeing, you know, thousands of people try and solve your riddle as they wander the mountains.'

A similar treasure hunt happened after New Mexican art dealer and author Forrest Fenn buried a cache of gold and jewels around 2010 in the Rocky Mountains, which was found 10 years later in Wyoming by an anonymous treasure hunter later revealed to be former journalist and medical student Jack Stuef, the fortune finder revealed in a self-written Medium post.

For those interested in receiving weekly clues a day early, that is until the treasure chest is found, adventure-seekers can sign up on the Utah Treasure Hunt website.

David's description notes that he 'cooked this whole treasure hunt idea up while traveling through Vietnam on a mini retirement trip with his young family. He is an amateur musician, author and investor.'

Meanwhile, 'John is an eccentric real estate flipper who hosts the infamous 'Flipping Friday' on his Instagram which has better content than any house flipping show you might be view on television.'

The pair did highlight that the treasure chest is not located on any private property, imploring fortune hunters to avoid trespassing.
Millions of Australians who fear their hospitality vouchers may go to waste due to the latest coronavirus lockdown could be in luck.

The New South Wales government is considering more changes to its popular Dine and Discover voucher scheme as the state struggles to control a fresh virus outbreak that has plunged Sydney and surrounding regions into lockdown for two weeks.

Residents could be able to use their vouchers for takeaway and food deliveries direct from restaurants under a proposal being considered by NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet.

There's also talk of extending the four $25 vouchers a second time beyond July 31 to give recipients more time to use them, The Daily Telegraph reported.

NSW's successful Dine and Discover voucher scheme could be expanded. Pictured are Sydneysiders dining out in Newtown

Hospitality venues in Sydney and the surrounding Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Central Coast areas can only open for takeaway under strict lockdown restrictions.

The $25 vouchers can currently only be used for dining in but could be expanded to takeaways and meals directly ordered from the restaurants but wouldn't extended to include delivery services such as UberEats or Deliveroo.

An expansion of the scheme could be included in an economic stimulus package to be unveiled by Mr Perrottet this week.

Currently only available for dining in, the vouchers could be expanded to also include takeaway anddelivery orders. Pictured is a Bronte cafe open only for takeaways on Saturday

State opposition leader Chris Minns has written to the treasurer to propose a fifth voucher for residents impacted by lockdown

'This expanded criteria would provide an immediate and timely economic boost to local businesses who have just seen their entire cash flow put at risk overnight,' Mr Minns said.

The 'Dine and Discover' scheme gives adult residents four $25 vouchers to spend - two for local hospitality venues and two for cultural venues.

The $500 million voucher scheme was the centrepiece of the NSW government's budget, aiming to get more people spending amid COVID-19.

Patrons using their hospitality vouchers spend an average of $16 on top of their $25 voucher when dining out, according to recent government data.
Emily Maitlis has been slapped down by the BBC after sharing a tweet by Piers Morgan which criticised the Governments response to the pandemic.

In the latest case of Miss Maitlis being reprimanded by her bosses, she was told that she breached impartiality rules after retweeting the post.

Mr Morgans tweet asked: If failing to quarantine properly is punishable by 10yrs in prison, what is the punishment for failing to properly protect the country from a pandemic?

Emily Maitlis (pictured) breached impartiality rules by re-sharing a tweet by Piers Morgan in February, which criticised the Government's response to the pandemic

The BBC2 Newsnight presenter, 50, deleted the retweet within ten minutes of posting it in February, but not before someone complained to the BBC.

The complaint argued that her retweet gave an impression of partiality in a controversial matter and was inconsistent with the position on social media use set out by director-general Tim Davie.

BBC guidelines say staff should take particular care about maintaining our impartiality on social media in personal and professional activities.

It states expressions of opinion on social media include sharing or liking content.

The BBCs editorial complaints unit upheld the case made against Miss Maitlis.

A statement said: The retweeted material was clearly controversial, implying sharp criticism of the Government and there was nothing in the surrounding context to make clear that Ms Maitlis was not endorsing it.

The BBC2 Newsnight presenter, 50, deleted the retweet within ten minutes - but not before someone complained to the BBC

The BBC's editorial complaints unit upheld the case against Miss Maitlis, saying the retweeted material was 'clearly controversial'. Pictured: Emily Maitlis with Piers Morgan

The reprimand is the latest for Miss Maitlis, who has been under fire for several jibes aimed at the Government over its handling of the pandemic.

She was embroiled in an impartiality row over a Newsnight monologue in May about Dominic Cummings hugely controversial trip to County Durham from London during lockdown.

The presenter said Boris Johnsons former adviser broke the rules, adding: The country can see that and its shocked the Government cannot.

Her tirade led to 20,000 complaints that she had shown bias. The BBC released a statement within 24 hours saying the programme had not met standards of due impartiality.

Mr Davie has prioritised tackling impartiality since he became director-general of the corporation in September last year by issuing guidelines to help create a transformed, modern organisation.
General Sir Nick Carter has tested positive for Covid-19 meaning Defence Secretary and senior military personnel are now self-isolating.

The Chief of Defence Staff was told to isolate for 10 days after testing positive for the virus and close contacts were traced.

According to the Telegraph, NHS Test and Trace has now ordered Ben Wallace and the heads of the Navy, RAF and Strategic Command to isolate for the same period of time after coming into contact with Sir Nicholas.

The newspaper reports that the 62-year-old attended a summit with Defence Secretary Mr Wallace and Admiral Sir Tim Fraser, Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff, at the Defence Academy at Shrivenham, Oxfordshire, on Thursday.

Defence Secretary (left) and General Sir Nick Carter (right) are self-isolating after Sir Nicholas tested positive for Covid following a summit of senior military personnel last Thursday

Other senior figures in attendance included General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, 57, Chief of the General Staff; Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, 55, First Sea Lord; Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, 53, Chief of the Air Staff; and General Sir Patrick Sanders, 55, Commander Strategic Command.

Sir Nicholas then tested positive after attending the the Chalke Valley History Festival in Wiltshire the following day.

It is understood social distancing measures were adhered to at the summit but that all those who came into close contact with Sir Nicholas must now self-isolate.

This includes Mr Wallace and Sir Tony, Sir Mike and Sir Patrick while the others were not considered close contacts and so do not have to self-isolate.

General Sir Patrick Sanders (left) and Air Chief Marshall Sir Mike Wigston (right) have been forced to self-isolate after they came into close contact with General Sir Nick Carter

First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Tony Radakin is isolating after coming into contact with Sir Nicholas

Sources told the Telegraph that the diagnosis meant that 'there are going to be a lot of diaries disrupted' due to remote working this week.

An MoD spokesman said: 'The Chief of the Defence Staff has tested positive during routine Covid-19 checks.

'Colleagues who were in a senior meeting with him last week, including the Secretary of State, are self-isolating in line with government guidelines.'

At the Chalke Valley History Festival this week, Sir Nicholas spoke of his concerns after warning shots were fired at HMS Defender by Russian forces in contested waters off the Crimea coast on Wednesday.

General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith (left) and Admiral Sir Tim Fraser (right) were both in attendance at the defence summit but neither were considered close contacts of Sir Nicholas

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

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 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.
Make-a-Wish foundation bosses have been blasted for refusing to offer wishes involving flights or large gatherings to unvaccinated children - even though youngsters under 12 aren't yet eligible to receive COVID vaccines.

Richard Davis, CEO and president of Make-a-Wish, said in a video message on Thursday that wishes involving air travel and large gatherings will resume on September 15 for those who are two weeks past full vaccination.

Davis said his team had made their decision after consulting with doctors and medical professionals in National Medical Advisory Council as well as heeding advice from the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

'We've approached this responsibility with a focus and diligence for your family's health and safety,' Davis said.

'Make-a-Wish will resume granting air travel wishes within the United States and its territories as well as granting wishes involving large gatherings for vaccinated wish families as soon as September 15.'

Davis said they won't require proof of vaccination but said adult participants will have to sign a letter of understanding that certifies that they and any minors participating in a wish are vaccinated.

Vaccinations are currently only available to children age 12 and up in the US, with trials underway to see if they are safe to use on younger children too.

Make-a-Wish's website insists all children can be granted wishes - including those who have not been vaccinated because of their ages, or because their families have chosen not to get vaccinated, although those youngsters will be denied the chance to travel by air, or hang out in crowds.

The foundation says it has granted 6,500 wishes to children since COVID hit US shores in spring 2020. It aims to fulfill the dreams of critically-ill children aged between two-and-a-half and 18.

But the policy will likely curtail the hopes of sick youngsters who hope to travel to fulfill a dream, or mingle among a large group, and drew the ire of social media.

A Twitter user Sunkentoy said, 'Complete shame! Among many other issues my son has respiratory issues, and we have been advised not to get him vaccinated. Although he had has his Make-a-Wish, we would be devastated to find out that his wish would not be granted. I feel so bad for children who won't get a wish.'

Braveheart_USA wrote, 'Let me get this right, Make a Wish Foundation CEO Richard K. Davis states Children who have terminal illnesses will not be grated a wish without being vaccinated. At the moment I can't think of anything more callous.'

GrahamAllen_1 tweeted, 'The Make a Wish Foundation is going to discriminate against unvaccinated terminal kids. What a disgrace of a world we live in! Our children deserve better!!'

McKaylaRoseJ saod 'The make a wish foundation has announced that they will only be granting wishes for kids who's been vaccinated. A vaccine that has very serious reactions for kids than Covid itself. This CEO needs to get tons of backlash for medical discrimination.'

A Make-a-Wish spokesperson told DailyMail.com Sunday night that these types of statements were a misinterpretation of its vaccination policy and stressed no child will be turned away.

'We understand that there are many families whose children aren't eligible for the vaccine yet, and we also know that there are families who arent ready to get the vaccine,' Make-a-Wish told DailyMail.com.

'We respect everyones freedom of choice. Make-A-Wish will not require anyone to get vaccinated to receive a wish. We will continue to grant wishes for all eligible children, including children who have not been vaccinated.' The statement added that Make-a-Wish was still willing to fly gravely-ill unvaccinated children to fulfil their wishes, and said it was excited about the prospect of lifting its restrictions when CDC guidance allows.

These were just some of the responses on Twitter attacking Make-a-Wish for the vaccination policy

Vaccinations for children and young adults have been a recent topic of discussion after the CDC said that 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.

Most of the cases have been found in teenage boys, and they remain very rare.

Young males were up to seven times more likely to report heart inflammation, known as myocarditis, than young women
Flight attendants and pilots will have the opportunity to resume taking TSA-approved self-defense classes next month - the first time they've been able to do so since COVID-19 canceled them last year.

Flight attendant unions first lobbied to create self-defense training programs after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The terrorists who hijacked and crashed four planes attacked several flight attendants and passengers before storming the cockpits.

'Since a flight attendant was the first to perish, we wanted to make sure that we could protect ourselves from physical altercations, on and off the aircraft,' said Lyn Montgomery, president of the union local that represents Southwest Airlines flight attendants. 'Right now it's really needed, it's incredibly valuable.'

The voluntary four-hour training is offered to flight crew members free of charge and is held at 24 locations around the United States. A TSA video filmed in 2017 of one training class shows flight attendants practicing moves on a dummy and learning to disarm and apprehend by targeting areas like the eyes, face and groin.

The official currently running the TSA scheme, Darby LaJoye, said the agency hopes airline crews never have to use the training, but it is critical that they be prepared for any situations that might arise.

'Through this training program, TSA's Federal Air Marshals are able to impart their specialized expertise in defending against and deescalating an attack while in an aircraft environment,' said Darby LaJoye, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the TSA Administrator, in a statement.

'While it is our hope that flight crew members never have need for these tactics, it is critical to everyone's safety that they be well-prepared to handle situations as they arise.'

Flight attendants and pilots will have the opportunity to resume taking self-defense classes, which were on hold through the coronavirus pandemic, early next month

A TSA video filmed in 2017 of one training class shows flight attendants practicing moves on a dummy

Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, who also advocated making the classes mandatory, nonetheless praised TSA for restarting voluntary ones now because of the surge in confrontations on flights.

'This training was incredible,' she says in the video. 'It's empowering, it gives confidence to flight attendants. We learn through video some of these tactics and techniques, but nothing takes the place of hands on training and practice and feedback.'

Nelson is also a Boston-based flight attendant who often flew Flight 175, the same flight number that crashed in New York. 'Those were my friends,' she says, stifling back tears. 'So for me, it's intensely personal and its real every single day when we go to work . . . This is something that every single flight attendant in the industry could relate to. This training relates to filling our role today in a post-9/11 world.'

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, there have been about 3,000 reports of disturbances on flights, 2,350 of which stemmed from passengers refusing to wear masks. There were 146 reported cases in 2019.

This comes as the FAA is adapted a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to handling unruly passengers publicizing potential fines that top at $30,000 against dozens of passengers in over 400 cases. That is about three times the full-year average number of cases over the past decade, according to FAA figures.

Eight passengers who recently displayed unruly and dangerous behavior are facing fines from $9,000 to $22,000. And, as of June 22, the F.A.A. said it has proposed $563,800 in fines against unruly passengers, according to DNYUZ.

In May, four people faced $70,000 in civil fines for clashing with airline crews over mask requirements and other safety instructions, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

One of the most notable recent disturbances happened last month on a Southwest plane in San Diego, California.

Vyvianna Quinonez, left, allegedly grew irate when she was told to buckle her seatbelt during a flight from Sacramento to San Diego on Sunday

The flight attendant, who was not named, was pictured with a bloodied face and wheeled off the flight in a wheelchair

The flight attendant lost two teeth and suffered other injuries to her face and was taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital

Vyvianna Quinonez, 28, allegedly grew irate when she was told to buckle her seatbelt during a flight from Sacramento to San Diego on Sunday and punched the flight attendant in the face, KTXL reported.

Quinonez was escorted off the flight by Port of San Diego Harbor police as the flight attendant, who was not named, was pictured with a bloodied face and wheeled off the flight in a wheelchair.

The flight attendant lost two teeth and suffered other injuries to her face and was taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital, KFMB-TV reported. She was later released from the hospital and Southwest flew a friend to San Diego to be with her.

Cops charged Quinonez with felony battery causing serious bodily injury and she was released on a $35,000 bail, KFMB reporter Abbie Alford posted on Facebook.

Then, in June, passengers on a Delta flight on June 4 tackled a passenger who tried to break into the cockpit in mid-air while screaming 'Stop this plane!'

The unidentified man flew into a rage on the flight from Los Angeles to Nashville when flight attendant Christopher Williams and passengers restrained him with zip ties.

Delta Flight 386 from Los Angeles to Nashville was diverted to Albuquerque after an unruly passenger tried to breach the cockpit
Labour is demanding Matt Hancock be investigated for attempting to conduct Government business in secret by using a personal email account.

The Opposition is calling for a full-scale investigation into the use of private messages by ministers, including the disgraced former Health Secretary.

It is just one of a series of probes Mr Hancock could still face into his conduct despite his dramatic resignation from the Cabinet on Saturday evening.

He was accused yesterday of misleading the public over his insistence that he had not helped a former pub landlord win a lucrative coronavirus contract.

Labour is demanding Matt Hancock be investigated for using a personal Gmail account instead of a departmental email address. (Pictured with former pub landlord Alex Bourne who secured 30million deal to supply test tubes for Covid tests)

Mr Hancock had previously claimed that he had nothing to do with the 30million deal for Alex Bourne, who used to run the Cock Inn near his old constituency home in Thurlow, West Suffolk, to supply test tubes for Covid tests.

The calls for an investigation come after claims that Mr Hancock had routinely used a Gmail account since March last year, meaning there are few records of his crucial decisions on PPE contracts, Covid tests for care home residents or the 37billion Test and Trace system.

Labour claims that by using personal email addresses instead of departmental ones, ministers key messages could not be accessed under transparency laws and may even be kept hidden from the forthcoming public inquiry into the Governments handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to The Sunday Times, Department of Health officials had complained that Mr Hancock only deals with his private office via Gmail account.

Labours deputy leader Angela Rayner (pictured) said the public need to know 'how much Government business is being conducted in secret'

However, sources insist he has had a departmental email address since he became Health Secretary in 2018.

Labours deputy leader Angela Rayner said: We need to know how wide this goes and how much Government business is being conducted in secret.

As the Mail revealed on Friday, Mr Hancock is now under investigation by Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Kathryn Stone over his shareholding in a family firm that has won NHS contracts.

He has already been found to have committed a minor breach of the Ministerial Code for not immediately declaring an interest when document-shredding firm Topwood Ltd first won the right to bid for health deals.

Last night the Cabinet Office said of Labours demand for an investigation into the use of private email accounts: We have received the letter and will respond in due course.
A tourist was shot in New York's Times Square in broad daylight during a bustling Sunday afternoon right outside the city's biggest hotel.

Samuel Poulin, 21, a US Marine, was walking with his family at the time when he was struck by a bullet at around 5:15pm. He is believed to have been a completely innocent bystander who was visiting the city from Northville, upstate New York, to attend a baptism.

A group of five or six CD vendors were arguing under the Marriott Marquis sign on West 45th Street, according to police, when one pulled out a gun and fired a shot.

The victim's wounds are not considered life-threatening but tourists in the vicinity were said to be shocked and frightened by what had unfolded before them.

A small group of people watched as crime scene tape was erected about the area with one police officer telling a tourist that it wasn't 'a show', and that someone had been shot.

Samuel Poulin, 21, was walking with his family at the time when he was struck by a bullet at around 5:15pm

According to his social media posts, Poulin is a US Marine, though its not clear if he is still active or a member of the reserves

A man was shot in New York's Times Square in broad daylight, on Sunday afternoon, just outside the Marriott Hotel

Officers cordoned off the area immediately outside the hotel where the shooting took place

A small group of people watched as crime scene tape was erected about the area with one police officer telling a tourist that it wasn't 'a show', and that someone had been shot

Crime scene techs can be seen working close to where Sunday evening's shooting happened in Times Square

Poulin was struck in the back and taken to Bellevue Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The circumstances surrounding the shooting are unknown, but it does not appear the victim was the intended target.

Police are now combing through surveillance video in an effort to identify the two suspects responsible. No arrests have been made.

Shell casings were recovered on West 45th Street outside the Minskoff Theater, which remains closed because of COVID.

'We were sitting at Juniors when a loud pop happened. And everybody ran for the hotel, they ran inside,' said Sydney Santana who witnesses the shooting, to the New York Post.

'It really is bad that [the shooting] happened in Times Square,' Santana said.

The New York Marriott Marquis is the largest hotel in the city with 1,966 rooms.

The victim was walking by the Marriott Marquis on Broadway around 5:15 p.m. when he was struck by a bullet

Police are looking through surveillance video in their search for two suspects in connection to the shooting

Officers say the victim appears to be an innocent bystander

The man was hit by gunfire Sunday afternoon while walking through Times Square with his family

Officers taped off the area while an investigation took place into the circumstances of the shooting

Law enforcement flooded the area outsider the Marriott which is normally thronging with tourist

A small group of interested passers-by gathered to watch what was happening

Sunday afternoon's shooting is the second such incident in Times Square in little over a month and comes just as the city is welcoming tourists back to one of its most famous landmarks.

Three bystanders were struck by gunfire in May, including a four-year-old child.

The alleged gunman responsible for the May shooting was apprehended days later in Florida after fleeing the city.

Statistics show shooting crimes have been up this year city-wide compared to last year

Crimes have been rising throughout New York City, according to the NYPD

The latest shooting comes just over a week since a violent shooting on a sidewalk in the Bronx narrowly missed killing two young children.

As of June 20, 777 people have been shot throughout New York City in 680 shootings in 2021, according to department crime figures online.

That is an increase of 48 percent in the number of victims compared with the same time last year, in 53 percent more shootings which have skyrocketed since the pandemic gripped the country.
The Home Secretary is working on laws which could see migrants sent to an offshore immigration centre, a report has revealed.

The legislation would allow the country to build a processing centre of this kind for the first time as the total number of migrants arriving in the UK this year has reached 5,300.

Priti Patel is in discussions with Denmark to share an immigration centre in Africa and is also set to unveil plans to crackdown on people smugglers.

Priti Patel (pictured) will unveil plans which could see asylum seekers processed in an offshore immigration centre as the Home Office attempts to tackle soaring numbers arriving in the UK

Pictured: In total, more than 5,300 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year

According to the Times, the plans will form part of the Nationality and Borders Bill and will see asylum seekers processed outside the UK in a bid to stop migrants making the dangerous journey across the English Channel.

Denmark is said to be considering a site in Rwanda where two Danish ministers visited last month to sign off a memorandum on asylum and migration, according to the newspaper.

A government source told The Times: 'The prime minister and home secretary are determined to look at anything that will make a difference on Channel crossings.'

The Home Office has also studied the Australian system which bans the arrival of migrants travelling by sea and sends them to offshore immigration centres in neighbouring countries such as Papa New Guineau.

Boris Johnson is reportedly unhappy with the growing number of Channel crossings facilitated by people-smugglers, and allegedly blasted Miss Patel for her mismanagement.

May saw 1,619 migrants make the perilous journey from northern France - up 118% on last May

Denmark have been in talks with the UK over plans to share an immigration centre in Africa. Pictured: A man at a departure centre for rejected asylum seekers in Jutland, Denmark

Miss Patel is bringing forward new laws to try to crackdown on the journeys but ministers are apparently frustrated that Border Force officials are failing to enforce the existing rules.

In total 5,300 asylum seekers have arrived in the UK this year so far despite Priti Patel's announcement of an immigration crackdown in March.

People smugglers are using bigger boats Home Office insiders have said people smugglers are cramming more asylum seekers onto bigger military style boats to make more money. According to the Sun, smugglers are also using these boats - which can measure up to 10m - due to a shortage of the smaller dinghies. A Home Office insider told The Sun: 'Shops near the French coast have stopped selling smaller dinghies, but the smugglers have just gone further inland to get them. 'And instead of smaller pleasure craft, they've got military-style ribs you'd expect the SAS to use. Rather than put on a pack of five, we have seen cases of over 30 people crammed on.' Advertisement

It also follows an agreement with the French authorities to crack down and effectively stop migrant crossings by last spring.

Just last month, more than 1,600 arrived across the Channel - double last year's total for May - and 500 were brought in over the final four days of last month alone.

At present, most of the migrants who arrive in Kent are initially housed at a former army barracks in Folkestone which was set on fire in a riot over conditions in January amid a coronavirus outbreak.

Asylum seekers are free to come and go from the camp, and adults have an initial interview before being sent to accommodation centres across Britain, paid for by UK taxpayers and provided by private contractors.

The migrants are given 37.75 per week for essentials like food, clothes and toiletries while they wait for a decision on their asylum application. Kent County Council normally takes unaccompanied children into its care.

Mrs Patel has vowed to make illegal immigration across the Channel 'unviable' - but numbers are continuing to soar, and Dover's Conservative MP Natalie Elphicke has called for 'urgent action' to stop the crossings.

Earlier this month, Denmark ratcheted up its tough anti-immigration laws by adopting new legislation enabling it to open asylum centres outside Europe where applicants would be sent to live.

The latest move by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen's Social Democratic anti-immigration government is aimed at deterring migrants from coming to Denmark at all.

Asylum seekers would now have to submit an application in person at the Danish border and then be flown to an asylum centre outside Europe while their application is being processed.

If the application is approved and the person is granted refugee status, he or she would be given the right to live in the host country, but not in Denmark.

The bill sailed through parliament, supported by a majority including the far-right, despite opposition from some left-wing parties.

The European Commission said the Danish plan violates existing EU asylum rules.
One Fine Dine offers gourmet meals that can be sent by courier anywhere in the country

One Fine Dine has been cooking up a storm during the pandemic. Which means that its founder and CEO, Daniel Hulme, 40, should have a smile on his face. And he does.

Demand has gone through the roof and so weve been very fortunate, he says, as he carries various boxes of goodies into our rented house at Mawgan Porth on the North Cornwall coast.

Fortune favours the brave. Daniels main business was providing gourmet food for private jets (the Beckhams are clients) but with no one flying he was forced to diversify  and One Fine Dine is the result.

It works like this. You order your three-course lunch or dinner online, giving the address where you want the food to be delivered. Everything is then cooked in a central Surrey kitchen, where some 22 chefs prepare a feast before its despatched by special courier anywhere in the country.

The joy of it is that you can order individually. We were given a choice of three starters, three main courses and three desserts.

There are two ways to go about it. Either you follow the instructions and heat up the meal, or you request a chef to come and prepare everything for you. The latter option is more expensive but also more of an event, with the chef, wearing his whites, explaining the dishes, serving the food and clearing up everything afterwards.

People really appreciate sitting around a table with no one having to be stranded in the kitchen  and the instructions are simple, similar to what a flight attendant on a private jet would do, says Daniel.

We threw in some canapes, as well, and had a proper culinary knees-up. Everything tasted wonderfully fresh. My filet of beef was superb and the fancy Eton Mess was a triumph.

The whole experience worked out at around 120 a head. A considerable sum, but what a treat not having to lift a finger and savouring dishes of the highest calibre. I would recommend it for a special occasion  and a special occasion, surely, is getting together with friends and family this summer after being cooped up for so long.

My one surprise was that CEO Daniel turned up. Long way from Surrey. But, then, I got it. At 8am next morning I spotted him with his surfboard in the sea  and he seemed to be bubbling over with happiness.

Details: Three course meal from 65 per head. Private chef starts from 495 (one can cater for up to ten people). Visit onefinedine.com or call 020 3733 2303.

GLOWING ALL OVER

Holiday-home pampering is just a call away: Glo Pamper has more than 600 therapists stationed around the UK

Pamper parties or just some much-needed pampering is what Glo Pamper is all about. With more than 600 therapists around the country, nowhere is off-limits for this company that started 15 years ago.

Our prices are similar to those in a traditional salon but youre in the privacy of your home or holiday let, says Charlotte Maxwell, one of Glos founders. Packages start at 150 for two hours and its up to you what treatments you have in that time. If youre a big group, go for five hours, which gets you two therapists for 310. Therapists are tested for Covid and safety measurements are in place.

Details: Book via glo-pamper.co.uk or call 0207 096 0385. Packages start at 150 for two hours.

BAKE OFF BEANO

Enjoy a baking lesson from a Bake-Off star such as Howard Middleton

Invite one of TVs Bake Off contestants (even a finalist) to give you a masterclass while on holiday. Bake With A Legend can work for up to 16 people at a cost of 850. The session lasts two hours and the baker will bring along all the ingredients.

All you have to do is choose in advance what you want to bake (and which contestant you want) and then get your pinny on. The company is not affiliated to the TV hit but your baker will regale you with stories from the show while your chocolate eclairs are rising in the oven.

Details: Two hour sessions cost 850. Visit bakewithalegend.com or call 020 8202 6766.

HELP! I NEED SOMEBODY

Ella Canby, a trained chef, set up Sugarella Cooks in 2015 and has expanded from catering to provide all kinds of domestic help (stock image)

How bored are you with doing the housework even when on holiday. You need a mothers help, who will rush around with a hoover, do the dishes, take care of any ironing and even entertain little ones  all for about 150 a day. And perhaps a couple of nights of baby-sitting would come in handy. Ella Canby, a trained chef, set up Sugarella Cooks in 2015 and has expanded from catering to provide all kinds of domestic help.

Details: Chefs cost 250-300 a day; other domestic staff 150. Visit sugarellacooks.co.uk or call 07432 319197.

SHAKE IT UP

Want someone to shake things up a little at your next house party? Give Bartender Hire Company a call

Bring in your own bartender for an evening of high spirits. Theyll hold a masterclass, providing everyone with cocktail shakers and oversee a competition. Or just get in the booze and ask your bartender to do the mixing.

Lewis Spindlove was a bartender in Bristol; his friends kept asking him to do some shaking at their parties, and thats how the Bartender Hire Company began. Whats the most popular cocktail right now? The porn star martini  which is vanilla vodka, passion fruit puree, passion fruit liqueur and vanilla sugar.

Details: A cocktail class costs 40 a head. Visit thebartender.co.uk or call 01179 415825.
Alec Baldwin and his wife Hilaria are not afraid to ask for a little help when it comes to taking care of their six young children.

And on Saturday, the couple were spotted enjoying a stroll through NYC with their brood, along with a few of their family's trusted nannies.

Alec and Hilaria, who have been busy raising two newborns, daughter Lucia, three months, and son Eduardo, nine months, are also parents to eldest daughter Carmen, seven, and their sons Rafael, six, Leonardo, four, and Romeo, three.

Family outing: Alec Baldwin and wife Hilaria were spotted enjoying a stroll through NYC with their brood, along with a few of their family's trusted nannies, on Saturday afternoon

Hilaria was often seen leading her family down the city sidewalk with her and Alec's newest arrival Lucia Maria strapped to her chest in a baby carrier.

She also alternated holding hands with two of her older sons, who strolled beside her.

The yoga instructor and podcaster, 37, was all about casual-comfort as she graced the public in an olive-green sleeveless top, black pants, and a pair of brown sandals.

She wore her long, brunette hair pulled back into a ponytail and she appeared to be wearing little to no makeup.

Growing family: The Baldwins are proud parent to daughters Carmen, seven, and Maria, three months, and sons Rafael, six, Leonardo, four, Romeo, three, and Eduardo, nine months

With a big beaming smile on her face, Hilaria was the picture of contentment while engaging with the kids, and when possible, her longtime husband.

Alec, 63, seemed to be daughter Carmen's center of attention during much of their family outing. He held tight to her hand while the nannies followed close behind with Romeo in a stroller and Eduardo in one of their arms.

Baldwin donned an all black-ensemble consisting of slacks, an untucked long-sleeve shirt, and leather shoes.

All of the boys appeared to be dressed similarly in shorts, t-shirts and sneakers, with the exception of Eduardo, who was in a cozy grey onesie.

Closer look: Hilaria, 37, shared a few videos and photos of herself giving her two youngest - son Eduardo and daughter Maria - extra special attention

Long nights: The Mom Brain podcast co-host confessed to be losing sleep due to Maria

On Saturday, Hilaria took to Instagram and shared a few videos and photos taken during some quiet time with her two newborns - Eduardo and Maria.

She also shared an adorable picture of Carmen laying in bed next to her dad with what appeared to be sister Maria snuggled up in her arms.

Later in the day, Alec and Hilaria were spotted attending the 'Summer Of Soul' HamptonsFilm 2021 SummerDocs Series at The Baker House in the Hamptons.

Event: Later in the day, Alec and Hilaria were spotted attending the 'Summer Of Soul' HamptonsFilm 2021 SummerDocs Series at The Baker House in the Hamptons

Hanging out: The couple, joined by their eldest daughter Carmen, posed for photos with the likes of actor John Leguizamo and his wife Justine

Selfie time: During the event, Hilaria snuck out her phone to snap a selfie of her and Alec with the caption: 'hey'

The couple, joined by their eldest daughter Carmen, posed for photos with the likes of actor John Leguizamo and his wife Justine.

During the event, Hilaria snuck out her phone to snap a selfie of her and Alec with the caption: 'hey'

On Friday, the Boston-native took a moment to highlight herself as she showed off her fit figure dressed in a pair of blue denim shorts and a black button-down shirt.

Bonding: Carmen snuggled up with her dad and what appeared to be sister Maria

Toned: Hilaria showed off her fit figure in a denim shorts and button-down shirt combination

Say cheese: The Yoga instructor showed off the results of all her hard work in a full-body snap

In a follow-up clip, the brunette beauty flashes her midriff in a cropped white t-shirt as she did a sexy slow dance in a mirror selfie with Maria in her arms.

Earlier in the week, the couple, who have been married since 2012, brought the entire family of eight to the premiere of Alec's new animated film - The Boss Baby: Family Business.

The event included all eight of them striking poses together on the red carpet.

Ab work: The Massachusetts native highlighted her midriff in a cropped white t-shirt as she did a sexy slow dance in a mirror selfie, with Maria in her arms

Mother's nature: Hilaria looked content with her role as mom while breastfeeding Maira
She works hard in the gym to maintain her toned figure.

And Christine McGuinness was proudly flaunting her ample cleavage on Saturday as she enjoyed a fun night out at London's Proud Embankment for Cabaret All Stars starring Julian Clary.

The model, 33, put on a leggy display in a short white dress which she paired with towering black heels as she arrived for the show.

Stunning: Christine McGuinness, 33, proudly flaunted her ample cleavage on Saturday as she enjoyed a fun night out at London's Proud Embankmen

The TV personality accessorised with an elegant silver necklace and a watch, and arrived for the evening wearing a black oversized blazer and carried her belongings in a leopard print chain strapped handbag.

Christine ensured her toned physique was on full display in the form-fitting dress as she strutted into the show.

The beauty also took to her Instagram Stories to give her fans a glimpse of the show, saying: 'I am out in London tonight, I am Proud Cabaret and I cannot wait.

Pose: The model put on a leggy display in a short white dress which she paired with towering black heels as she arrived for the show

Beautiful: The TV personality accessorised with an elegant silver necklace and a watch asshe posed up a storm outside the venue

Energetic: She proudly showed off her ample cleavage in the skintight white dress as she arrived for the fun-filled show

Gorgeous: Christine arrived wearing a stylish black oversized blazer and carried her belongings in a chain-strapped black handbag

'I have been wanting to come here for so long and I have finally organised a cheeky little girls night so I cant wait.

'I will put some stories on here later so you can see what it's all about, I promise it will be a fun evening.'

The mother-of-three was spotted leaving the show and she oozed confidence as she posed for snaps.

Her bright white dress enhanced her sun kissed skin and the star beamed as she made her way home.

Christine resides in Cheshire with her husband Paddy McGuinness and three children.

Glam: Christine's glamorous make-up enhanced her natural beauty and her hair was styled into voluminous curls

Enjoying yourself? She certainly enjoyed the evening of festivities with her friends after months of venues being closed due to the Covid lockdown

Excited: She said: 'I am out in London tonight, I am Proud Cabaret and I cannot wait. I've been wanting to come here for so long and I have finally organised a cheeky little girls night'

Christine became emotional on Monday as her youngest daughter headed off to school for a trial day.

The model shares Felicity, five, with her husband of 10 years Paddy, 47. The couple also have twins Leo and Penelope, seven, and all of the children have autism.

Christine posted to Instagram, with snaps holding her children's hands as they headed out of the front door in their school uniforms.

Happy: Christine's bright white dress enhanced her sun kissed skin and the star beamed as she made her way home

Jovial: She was in high spirits after embarking on the night out with her friends to enjoy the wild cabaret show

Felicity will start school full-time in the autumn, but was off for a trial day ahead of the summer break.

She captioned the snaps: 'I'm OK, thats just my little baby going for a tester day at school before she starts in September.

'Its important for her to try and get familiar with her school, her teachers and other children before she goes full time, this will help to make the transition from nursery much smoother.
Olly Alexander is reportedly set to be the new Doctor Who and will become the first-ever gay actor to play the Time Lord.

It comes following reports that Jodie Whittaker has quit after half a decade of playing the iconic role, having taken over from Peter Capaldi in 2017.

According to new reports, Russell T Davies, who was previously an executive producer for Doctor Who, 'championed' Olly, 30, for the role.

New Doctor? Olly Alexander is reportedly set to be the new Doctor Who and will become the first-ever gay actor to play the Time Lord (pictured earlier this month)

Years & Years' Olly recently received critical acclaim for his role as Ritchie Tozer in Davies' groundbreaking Channel 4 series It's A Sin.

A source told The Sun: 'Olly is on the verge of being announced as the new Doctor. Negotiations are at an advanced stage.

'He's been heavily promoted for the role by Russell  who he's worked closely with on other projects. Russell was impressed with his work and felt he was a great fit for the Doctor.

'It's definitely happening, he's just had to keep quiet about it while negotiations were finalised.'

Reports: It comes following reports that Jodie Whittaker has quit after half a decade of playing the iconic role, having taken over from Peter Capaldi in 2017 (pictured in show still)

While a 'BBC insider' told the publication that bosses are staying 'tight-lipped' about what they have planned and that there is still 'lots more to come' for Jodie due to filming reportedly continuing for episodes in 2022.

A representative for Olly denied the claims to MailOnline, saying that the singer is 'focusing on his music, for the time being.'

MailOnline has contacted Jodie and Russell's representatives, as well as BBC, for comment.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Jodie is set to star in two more specials in 2022 before leaving the sci-fi series after nearly five years in the role.

Sources claim the actress, who made the history as the first-ever female Doctor, will appear in the extra episodes once series 13 has aired later this year, with that instalment cut to just eight episodes to due to the Covid pandemic.

Sweet: According to new reports, Russell T Davies, pictured in January, who was previously an executive producer for Doctor Who, 'championed' Olly, 30, for the role

It comes following reports in January that Jodie has quit the role of Doctor Who after half a decade playing the iconic role, having taken over from Peter Capaldi in 2017.

It is believed the episodes will feature stories which were axed from this year's series due to Covid restrictions.

One of the episodes is likely to feature the important regeneration scene which is custom for the change of every Doctor, The Mirror reports.

While Jodie will still be on televisions as the Doctor until next year, she will conclude filming for the show in the coming months.

MailOnline contacted representatives for BBC for comment at the time.

Talented: Years & Years' Olly, centre in show still, recently received critical acclaim for his role as Ritchie Tozer in Davies' groundbreaking Channel 4 series It's A Sin

Earlier this year, it was reported that Jodie is set to be the first Doctor ever not to feature on the cover of the show's annual.

The artwork for the 2022 Doctor Who annual will feature artwork of the Tardis, rather than a picture of Jodie as The Doctor.

Jodie's iteration of the Time Lord has appeared on each of the last three Doctor Who annuals, but with rumours circulating about her future on the show, she has been removed from the cover.

A source told The Mirror: 'Every Doctor Who annual since 1964 has featured the current Doctor so this is a big departure for them. It's surely no coincidence that it's happened just as she's on the way out.'

Exit: Earlier this month, it was reported that Jodie is set to star in two more specials in 2022 before leaving the sci-fi series after nearly five years in the role (pictured in still)

Another told the paper: 'As ever bosses are staying tight-lipped about what they have planned, but with filming still ongoing they clearly have plans for episodes to be playing out much later into 2022  so there's still more to come for Jodie's Doctor.'

MailOnline approached the BBC for comment at the time.

After seeing fans' reaction to the new cover, the author of the annual, Paul Lang took to Twitter to reassure fans that Jodie will still feature throughout the book.

He said: 'I didn't do the cover but I can assure you she is inside on (nearly) every page.'

Air date: Sources claim the actress, who made the history as the first-ever female Doctor, will appear in the extra episodes once series 13 has aired later this year, with that instalment cut to just eight episodes to due to the Covid pandemic

While the publishers of the annual, Penguin Random House, told The Sun: 'We made the decision some time ago to experiment with a non-character led illustrated cover. Jodie is, of course, featured throughout the book itself.'

It comes after rumours emerged that Jodie will leave Doctor Who after series 13.

In March, the BBC refused to comment on speculation, after it was reported that the screen star handed in her notice for the show.

Jodie reportedly told BBC bosses that she won't be returning to the popular series following the conclusion of the upcoming series 13.

End of an era: Earlier this year, it was reported that Jodie is set to be the first Doctor ever not to feature on the cover of the show's annual

Something new: Paul Lang, the author of the upcoming annual, tried to appease fans by saying that although Jodie isn't on the cover, she is on almost all of the pages inside

That will mark a four-year run for the actress, which is about average for recent actors playing the time-travelling alien.

Matt Smith, David Tennant and Peter Capaldi also appeared on Doctor Who for three series each, while Christopher Eccleston only appeared on one series after the show was revived in 2005.

According to a source for The Mirror, the show is already at work on figuring out how Whittaker will be replaced by the Fourteenth Doctor.

As with previous Doctors, at the end of Whittaker's tenure her character will 'regenerate' into a new form, at which point the next actor will take over the role.

New regeneration: The artwork for the 2022 Doctor Who annual will feature artwork of the Tardis, rather than a picture of Jodie as The Doctor

Jodie made history in July 2017 when she was announced as the first-ever female doctor after Peter Capaldi ended his run.

Earlier this year, Mandip Gill revealed that bosses are 'open' to casting a 'woman of colour' as the next Time Lord.

The actress, who plays Yasmin Khan in the sci-fi series, said that 'there's definitely room for change,' when it comes to diversifying the show's cast, following reports that Jodie has quit the role after four years in the TARDIS.

It comes after Who was universally praised by fans for introducing its first-ever black Doctor, played by Jo Martin, in a twist that saw the time traveller learn of numerous incarnations from her past.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4, Mandip said she could see another black actor taking on the famous role, as bosses are yet to confirm rumours that Jodie will leave the show later this year.

She said: 'I think there's a long way to go but there's definitely room for change. And actually, I think at the BBC and at Doctor Who they are very open and forward-thinking, so yes.'

Making her mark: Jodie made history in July 2017 when she was announced as the first-ever female doctor after Peter Capaldi ended his run
Laura Pradelska put on a leggy display on Saturday as she attended the Pub In The Park event in Dulwich, London.

The 33-year-old Game Of Thrones star showcased her toned figure in a pair of black shorts and white cowboy boots.

Laura looked stunning as she enjoyed herself in the Fatty's Organic Spirits tent wearing a shiny silver bomber jacket with a white 'V' shape around the neck.

Having fun: Laura Pradelska put on a leggy display on Saturday as she attended the Pub In The Park event in Dulwich, London

Beneath her jacket, Laura wore a simple black crop top, which she teamed with matching coloured shorts.

Adding some finishing touches, the actress wore a simple gold pendant necklace around her neck as she kept accessories to a minimum at the festival.

Pub In The Park is a travelling food and music event hosted across eight locations over this summer, with Laura attending the site in Dulwich on Saturday.

Stunning: The 33-year-old Game Of Thrones star showcased her toned figure in a pair of black shorts and white cowboy boots

The official website for the event describes itself as celebrating: 'Everything there is to love about the glorious British pub; delicious food, award-winning chefs, chart-topping music, great drinks but above all else a fantastic time with friends and family.'

Visitors are also treated to an array of bars and shopping markets, as well as an open-air concert in the evening.

Back in 2019, Laura revealed that she was called 'ugly', 'fat' and a 'transgender w***e' by four 'violent' women while shopping at Zara's Oxford Street store in London.

The actress exclusively spoke to MailOnline to raise awareness of what happened and so that measures can be put in place in stores if something similar happens again in the future.

Fun times: Laura looked stunning as she enjoyed herself in the Fatty's Organic Spirits tent wearing a shiny silver bomber jacket with a white 'V' shape around the neck

Laura was also left angry that the four 'violent' women thought calling her 'transgender' was an insult because she sees it as a very natural, human thing and several of her friends are transgender.

She told MailOnline at the time: 'I just had to rant and let Zara know on a public platform. In 30 years I've never seen that in my entire life.

'It was just bizarre, I'm completely used to online abuse but I've never had it in person, not in such a horrific way if I'm honest.

'It's usually people hiding behind keyboards, I've just disabled my comments on Instagram... I just hadn't ever experienced it in person or this level.'

Details: Beneath her jacket, Laura wore a simple black crop top, which she teamed with matching coloured shorts

Accessorising: Adding some finishing touches, the actress wore a simple gold pendant necklace around her neck as she kept accessories to a minimum at the festival

Laura insisted that she is not trying to 'boycott' Zara or 'get anyone fired', she just wants the clothing empire to look into it and make a difference. She said: 'If you see customers being abused, would you politely ask them to leave.'

Explaining what happened, she said that herself and an elderly women were standing in line at Zara in a queue of about 20 to 25 women when more and more people kept cutting the line to join the customer in front, who also had a lot of children around her.

The actress said: 'It wasn't the finest thing to do but it wasn't the end of the world either. There was an older lady behind me, a lovely lady, she just said: "I'm not feeling too well, are you going to have more people come in and just pay, or are you all paying together?"

'The next thing I heard was, something that I can't actually repeat the word, it was the most elder, abusive, disgusting, screaming, talking about vile words. How she was an "ugly old b***h". It was horrible and all she said was "are you paying together, I'm not feeling very well."'

Festival: Pub In The Park is a travelling food and music event hosted across eight locations over this summer, with Laura attending the site in Dulwich on Saturday

Popular: Laura rose to fame in Game of Thrones series two in 2012 where she played, Quaithe (pictured), a mysterious woman in Qarth who shared scenes with Jorah Mormont and Daenerys Targaryen

Laura admitted that elder abuse 'doesn't go well' with her, so she politely asked the women, with one being heavily pregnant, to stop and insisted that everyone calm down.

She continued: 'That's when it all kicked off. For some reason, they thought I am transgender, which is fine.

'I have a lot of transgender friends. It was just for them, I think, to say something "really horrible" in their mind, which isn't a horrible thing to me at all. It's a very natural human thing.

'So the woman turned around and just screamed "I'm a transgender w***e and I shouldn't belong in this world, I'm ugly and she doesn't know where I come from but wherever it is, I should get the f**k back." It was just horrendous. It was quite a few of them, it got worse and worse and people got involved.'

Seizing the day! The official website for the event describes itself as celebrating: 'Everything there is to love about the glorious British pub'

Laura revealed that she then called over security because she'd never been in a brawl in her life and didn't want to end up with her 'nose chipped or a black eye'.

The star revealed that security came and looked at the situation but 'nothing was really done', she continued: 'I said: "Hey, whilst they're paying, we were all subjected to eight to ten minutes of constant, verbal abuse, in what their minds, would be the worst things to say!"

'Calling me ugly, transgender, I'm not really a woman, if I were, that isn't the point. It's the fact they made it something bad, which angered me so much, the fact that they made it into a horrible thing, that's very normal to me and many other people.

'Calling me a w***e, what, I'm married? How ugly I am, I'm probably not from here, wherever I was from, I should get the f**k back. They kept saying where are you from, were are you from, you're clearly not from here, you should get the f**k back.

'It was just racist, it was just racist. Nothing was really done...'

MailOnline contacted Zara for comment at the time.
Rebecca Lobie's extended family was plunged into controversy last week after her cousin Bindi Irwin took a very public stab at their grandfather Bob Irwin Snr on Facebook.

But the 33-year-old 'hot niece' of Steve Irwin shrugged off her family's drama on Sunday as she returned to Instagram Stories with a raunchy glimpse of herself posing in a pink bikini.

Posing for a Boomerang video, the Queensland-based blonde showed off her svelte in the skimpy two-piece, while adding the caption: 'Sun's out. Beach time.'

What controversy? Steve Irwin's 'hot niece' Rebecca Lobie, 33, (pictured) stripped down to a skimpy pink bikini on Sunday, after announcing she's 'minding her own business' amid family dramas

Rebecca wore her hair down in natural waves and completed her look with a series of gold rings and an 'R' pendant necklace.

The post came days after Rebecca hinted she's determined to stay out of her family's public rift.

On Wednesday, the Instagram star had shared a raunchy photo of herself alongside the telling caption: 'Just here minding my own business'.

Nothing to see here: On Wednesday, the Instagram star had shared a raunchy photo of herself alongside the telling caption: 'Just here minding my own business'

In the photo, Rebecca was seen perched on the floor at home wearing a very revealing cropped white T-shirt, which read: 'No Bra Club'.

She paired her racy top with a tiny red plaid miniskirt, showing off her bare legs and midriff as she sat in front of what looked like a bed.

The post came after Rebecca's cousin Bindi sensationally spoke out about her strained relationship with her estranged grandfather in a scathing Facebook comment on Sunday.

Speaking out: Rebecca's cousin Bindi sensationally spoke out about her strained relationship with her estranged grandfather in a scathing Facebook comment on Sunday

Sharing a sweet post to celebrate Father's Day in the USA, Bindi said she was thankful for the 'three most incredible fathers in her life': her late father Steve 'The Crocodile Hunter' Irwin, her husband Chandler Powell, and her father-in-law Chris.

When a fan asked why she hadn't included her grandfather, Bindi gave an uncharacteristically raw account of their relationship, claiming he's ignored her since she was a 'little girl'.

'I really wish that my entire family could spend time with [my daughter] Grace. Unfortunately, my grandfather Bob has shown no interest in spending time with me or my family,' she began.

Explosive: Bindi sensationally spoke out about her strained relationship with her estranged grandfather in a scathing Facebook comment on Sunday

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's the catwalk queen who never fails to impress with her incredible figure.

Shanina Shaik, 30, gave fans a glimpse at her supermodel physique on Saturday as she posed for a series of mirror selfies inside her home in Hollywood, California.

Striking a pout, the Victoria's Secret model kneeled on the ground in a high-cut leopard-print swimsuit that showcased her lean legs and trim waist to perfection.

Wild thing! Shanina Shaik, 30, (pictured) gave fans a glimpse at her supermodel physique on Saturday as she posed in a leopard-print swimming costume inside her home in Hollywood, California

Shanina appeared to be makeup-free for the sultry snap, and completed her look with gold bracelets, a matching wrist watch and several delicate rings.

'I prefer a one piece', the glamazon wrote in her caption.

Last month, Shanina shared the 'secrets' to her supermodel physique in an Instagram post.

Glamorous: Shanina appeared to be makeup-free for the sultry snap, and completed her look with gold bracelets, a matching wrist watch and several delicate rings

Tricks of the trade: It comes after Shanina shared the 'secret' to her supermodel physique in a very racy Instagram post last month

The Melbourne-born model captioned the set of skin-baring snaps, 'Home cooking , Pilates and lymphatic massage.... thats my secret'.

In the accompanying images, the Australian beauty posed while standing in a shower.

She took several mirror selfies while wearing just a crop top and skimpy bikini bottoms.

Insight: The Melbourne-born Victoria's Secret bombshell captioned the skin-baring snaps, 'Home cooking , Pilates and lymphatic massage.... thats my secret'

Shania's raven tresses were pulled back up into a high bun for the impromptu photo shoot.



Meanwhile, the brunette stunner recently debuted her new boyfriend Matthew Adesuyan.

The pair went Instagram official with their relationship on Valentine's Day earlier this year.

Legs for days: She took several mirror selfies while wearing just a crop top and skimpy bikini bottoms

New beau: The brunette stunner recently debuted her new boyfriend Matthew Adesuyan (pictured)

Prior to becoming romantically involved with the record label owner, the model was married to Gregory Andrews aka DJ Ruckus from 2018 until the following year.

In January, Shanina was asked during an Instagram Q & A session if she would ever be open to becoming married again.

The model subsequently made her response through her Story and added a photo of herself from her wedding day.

She wrote, 'I think marriage can be a beautiful union! I'm not against it... and I would love to get married again one day.'
Before she became a leading lady in Hollywood in the early 1990s, Sharon Stone worked as a model for the famed Ford Modeling Agency in New York City.

And the 63-year-old actress proved she still knows how to work the camera by striking a pose on Instagram.

Stone slipped her age-defying physique into a bright yellow two piece swimsuit as she hung out poolside with her beloved pet pooch on Saturday afternoon.

Still got it! Sharon Stone, 63, proved she still knows how to work the camera by striking a pose on Instagram on Saturday

The Casino star lifted her arms behind her head for the snap and wished everyone a 'happy summer' in her caption.

In keeping with her signature style, Sharon had her bleach blonde tresses cut relatively short and styled slightly spiky.

She appeared to be soaking up the sun at her Los Angeles home, with her dog gazing up at her from the comfort of an open sliding glass door in the background.

After giving her Instagram following a glimpse at her ageless beauty, Stone returned to the platform to marvel over the beauty of mother nature and beyond.

Wondrous universe: The Pennsylvania native shared another one of her nature posts, only this time it was an incredible photo of the full moon over Kula, which is a district in Maui, Hawaii

Specifically, the actress posted an incredible photo of the moon taken in Kula, which is a district in Maui, Hawaii.

'A guy in Kula, Alan Balinski, took this shot of the full moon rising over Haleakala the other night,' she captioned the lovely picture, which was shared to her Instagram Story.

Sharon added: 'Thought you might enjoy it.'

After quitting modeling, Stone made her film debut as an extra in Woody Allen's comedy-drama film Stardust Memories (1980).

Model-actress: By the time she was 19, Stone had started a career as a fashion model in 1977, which would last just a few years because of her transition to acting; she's seen in 1990 around the time she had a breakthrough in film with Total Recall

TV break: One of Stone's early breaks in acting came in the comedy-drama series, Bay City Blues, that aired on NBC in 1983; she is pictured with co-star Patrick Cassidy

Her first speaking role was in Wes Craven's horror movie Deadly Blessing (1981).

It was her role in the science fiction action film Total Recall (1990), starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, that put her on the map.

She solidified her status as a leading lady with her role in Basic Instinct, Sliver (1993), The Quick And The Dead (1995), and most-importantly, Casino (1995), which she was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar.

In more recent years, the mother of three has seen success in television with roles in the acclaimed series Mosaic (2017) and Ratched (2020).
Miley Cyrus reacted to the tragic news that a Brazilian fan of hers, named Gabriel, was violently killed in an alleged homophobic attack.

After coming across a tweet from Gabriel's partner urging the performer to learn about his life and death, the 28-year-old star took to social media to express feeling heartbroken that 'someone that loved' her passed away.

'I am devastated to find out a smiler has brutally lost their life due to hate, judgment, and injustice!' she tweeted on Saturday.

Devastating news: Miley Cyrus reacted to the tragic news that a Brazilian fan of hers, named Gabriel, was violently killed in an alleged homophobic attack on Saturday; seen in 2020

'To call this disturbing action 'homophobia' would mean that the attacker had a 'fear of' queer people,' she added. 'Which is f**king bulls**t. This humans heart was full of HATE and ANGER.'

In another tweet, Cyrus wrote: 'We can't continue to allow these events to be written off as simply 'homophobia' ... Because you know who was 'scared' in that situation? Gabriel.'

After explaining that her purpose 'on this planet' is to 'fight against this type of cruelty' with love and acceptance, she tweeted on Saturday: 'I couldnt imagine if this happened to one of my best friends.'

After coming across a tweet from Gabriel's partner urging the performer to learn about his life and death, the 28-year-old star took to social media to express feeling heartbroken that 'someone that loved' her passed away

'I am devastated to find out a smiler has brutally lost their life due to hate, judgment, and injustice!' she tweeted

Gabriel's boyfriend of three years had posted an emotional tribute to his late love, who he described as his 'best friend' and the love of his life.

'This Tuesday, he was murdered with three shots in his head, on a barber shop here in Embu das Artes (SP - Brazil), they killed him because of who he is, who he loves, a pure hearted person, that was mean to no one, always helped everyone.'

He continued: 'Today I had to say goodbye to the love of my life, with my heart aching and sadness, it hurts me the most knowing I won't hear his voice anymore, receive a "good morning" text or wake up next to him feeling loved in his arms.'

Cyrus is a vocal advocate for the LGBTQ community and, most recently, performed Cher's Believe at Peacock Pride special, Miley Cyrus Presents Stand By You; seen in 2021

He said knowing his boyfriend's 'dreams were interrupted' hurts the most, before concluding his post by writing that he will love Gabriel 'forever.'

Cyrus is a vocal advocate for the LGBTQ community and, most recently, performed Cher's Believe at Peacock Pride special, Miley Cyrus Presents Stand By You.

In 2014, she founded The Happy Hippie Foundation to fight injustice, support LGBT youth, homeless youth and other vulnerable populations.
She came out as a proud pansexual in 2019 but seems to have found her forever person.

And Bella Thorne continued to support her LGBTQ+ community on an international scale as she made a surprise appearance at a Pride parade in Milan, Italy.

The 23-year-old actress, joined by her fiance Benjamin Mascolo, greeted the packed parade crowd while rocking a sparkling tiara.

Causing a scene: Bella Thorne, 23, and her fiance Benjamin Mascolo made a surprise appearance at a Pride parade in Milan on Saturday

The Shake It Up actress and the Italian born musician were seen arriving with a throng of security that escorted them through the very bustling parade.

Aside from her eye-catching tiara, Bella was seen in a white button down shirt which she later removed to expose her midriff in a purple bathing suit top which she rocked with paisley shorts.

Thorne slipped her feet into a pair of knee high boots as she and Benjamin waved to excited fans before taking the stage together.

Leggy: The former Disney star looked very leggy in her outfit and she later stripped off her button down shirt

Commanding the crowd: The charismatic redhead drew quite the crowd as she spoke on the mic

Fashion forward: Her outfit featured bandana printed shorts and a very flashy display of her usual diamonds

Bella made her love for her fiance known as she wore her custom pearl and diamond necklace that spelled out 'Ben,' and her usual display of diamond rings.

And he was proud to have his soon-to-be wife on his arm as he held her while wearing a Lady Gaga X Versace Pride shirt.

At one point the couple looked to lean in for a kiss against a rainbow colored wall as they continue to enjoy vacation in his native country having been in Lake Como days prior.

The pandemic had force them apart for a few months before they reunited in Mexico over the summer and then later worked on a movie together in Rome.

Forever! The couple got engaged in March after dating for nearly two years

Stylish pair: The engaged couple rocked funky attire during the bustling parade

Italian summer: The pair have been in Italy for a few days now

Wardrobe wizard: Her very corky outfit included a fringe covered blouse

A video shared to Ben's Instagram showed a a snippet of her speech as she addressed the crowd which drew cheers.

'Because we are fighters, we are strong, we are brave, we are powerful!' she said.

She came out as pansexual in 2019 as she continued to shed her 'good girl' Disney image.

While promoting her book Life of a Wannabe Mogul: Mental Disarray on Good Morning America, she clarified new truths about her sexuality after identifying previously as bi-sexual.

Baring it all: The actress donned a bikini top and paisley patterned daisy dukes

Baring it all: The actress donned a bikini top and paisley patterned daisy dukes

Pansexual: 'I'm actually a pansexual, and I didn't know that,' Thorne said during a 2019 GMA interview

'I'm actually a pansexual, and I didn't know that,' Thorne said. 'You like what you like,' she elaborated.

'Doesn't have to be a girl, or a guy, or  you know, a he, a she, a this, or that, It's literally, you like personality, like you just like a being,' she said.

Prior to dating Mascolo, she had been in a throuple with Avril Lavigne's now boyfriend ModSun and YouTuber Tana Mongeau  who have since feuded online.

Closeup: Bella did her own makeup which featured magenta eyeshadow and bushy brows

Forever person: Prior to Ben she had been dating ModSun and Tana Mongeau

Bella seemed to channel her feelings about the relationship into a song called 'Stupid F***ing B**ch,' while ModSun also wrote a song about Tana called 'Karma.'

The ending of that relationship seemed to coincide with when she met Ben and they dated for two years before he proposed in March.

Both shared photos from the very grand proposal which included an overwhelming display of her favorite red roses and a huge sign that said 'Marry Me.'

As Mascolo hails from Italy and Bella from the US it seems that they could have two different wedding ceremonies but neither have spoken out about wedding plans or a timeline.
Sam Worthington will next star in the Stan Original film, Transfusion.

And the 44-year-old actor looked almost unrecognisable as he transformed into his on-screen role while filming scenes for the highly anticipated flick in Sydney on Friday.

The actor was spotted wearing his long hair in a ponytail and sporting scruffy facial hair hair as he strolled around the Maroubra film set and chatted to crew-members.

Is that really you? Sam Worthington, 44, (pictured) looked almost unrecognisable as he debuted a ponytail while filming scenes for his upcoming Stan Original flick Transfusion in Sydney on Friday

Clutching what appeared to be a script, the star was dressed in a smart ensemble consisting of a blue long-sleeve shirt, navy trousers and brown leather boots.

Looking jovial, the father-of-three beamed as he prepared for a day of filming.

The Australian actor will star alongside Phoebe Tonkin in the film.

What a transformation! The actor was spotted wearing his long hair in a ponytail and sporting scruffy facial hair hair as he strolled around the Maroubra film set and chatted to crew-members. Pictured left in 2017, right on Friday

Busy: Clutching what appeared to be a script, the star was dressed in a smart ensemble consisting of a blue long-sleeve shirt, navy trousers and brown leather boots

Adjustment: At one stage, Sam adjusted the neckline of his shirt while staring into the distance pensively

He will star as Ryan Logan, a former special forces operative who is battling to cope with life after the loss of his wife.

Life takes another cruel twist when he is then thrust into the criminal underworld to keep his only son from being taken from him.

Phoebe will portray Logan's wife Justine in the film, while Matt Nable and Edward Carmody will also take on key roles.

New role: 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

Thrilling: Life takes another cruel twist when he is then thrust into the criminal underworld to keep his only son from being taken from him

A-list cast: The Australian actor will star alongside Phoebe Tonkin in the film. Phoebe will portray Logan's wife Justine in the film, while Matt Nable and Edward Carmody will also take on key roles

Director, writer and star Matt said it was phenomenal to work with such a talented cast, including the Hollywood stars.

'The opportunity to write, direct, and co-star alongside talent such as Sam and Phoebe is phenomenal.'

Transfusion will premiere on Stan and in cinemas in 2022.

'The opportunity to write, direct, and co-star alongside talent such as Sam and Phoebe is phenomenal': Director, writer and star Matt said it was phenomenal to work with such a talented cast, including the Hollywood stars
After almost seven years, Beauty and the Geek Australia is set to return to screens in a matter of weeks.

And on Sunday, Channel Nine finally confirmed the show's long-awaited premiere date as Sunday July 11 at 7pm.

On its launch night, the series - hosted by Sophie Monk - will be competing against the final stages of MasterChef and Seven's Framer Wants A Wife, which premieres a week prior on July 4.

Coming soon: Channel Nine finally confirmed Beauty and the Geek's long-awaited premiere date as Sunday July 11 at 7pm. Pictured: Host Sophie Monk

The date comes just days after the network gave a sneak peek at the upcoming reboot by sharing a two and half minute clip to Instagram.

The trailer kicks off showing footage of this year's geeks travelling by speed boat to meet their beauties on Sydney Harbour.

One nerd is then heard complaining, 'The waves splashing onto me. It gets onto the skin and salt water is not good for the skin. It's like nature's aftershave.'

Upon arrival at their destination, the nerds are introduced to the beauties by host Sophie Monk.

'Girls, are you ready to meet your men?' asks Sophie.

Do opposites attract? The trailer kicks off showing footage of this year's geeks travelling by speed boat to meet their beauties on Sydney Harbour

Looking for love: One nerd is then heard complaining, 'The waves splashing onto me. It gets onto the skin and salt water is not good for the skin. It's like nature's aftershave'

Meet your host: Upon arrival at their destination, the nerds were introduced to the beauties by a very busty Sophie Monk

At one point in the teaser, one brunette beauty is left speechless after a geek asked what her apocalypse survival plan was.

While things appear to get off to an awkward start for some, it appears others may find love on the reality show.

One female describes her partner as 'low-key hot', while another says that she is 'open to falling in love with a geek'.

Will she find The One? At one point in the teaser, a brunette beauty is left speechless after a geek asked what her apocalypse survival plan was

Will they last? While things appear to get off to an awkward start for some, it appears others may find love on the reality show

If the comments left underneath Channel Nine's preview are anything to go by, it appears reality TV fans can't wait for the new series.

Celebrity Apprentice star Michelle Bridges wrote: 'Looks really fun and super sweet,' while former Bachelor Matthew Johnson said he 'couldn't wait' for the series.

While Kyly Clarke wrote: 'I think I have replayed that last 10 seconds about 20 times already. Laughing so hard.'

Beauty and the Geek starts at Sunday July 11 at 7pm on Nine

Dramatic! The teaser also sees host Sophie monk screaming with disbelief after seeing one of the groom's transformations
Lisa Wilkinson sat alongside Karl Stefanovic on the Today show for 10 years, before leaving Nine in October 2017 over a reported gender pay gap dispute.

And now according to The Australian on Sunday, Lisa, who joined The Sunday Project in 2018, has signed off on a 'multi-year deal with Ten that's pro-women'.

It's understood the 61-year-old has agreed to focus on 'hard news issues, particularly on the treatment of women both in the workplace and in broader society'.

New contract: Lisa Wilkinson, 61, has reportedly landed a 'multi-year deal with Ten that's pro-women'... nearly four years after her exit from Nine over a reported gender pay gap dispute. Pictured on The Project

Since joining Ten, Lisa has quickly become the network's 'go-to' for securing sit-down interviews with A-list stars including David Beckham and Kim Kardashian.

However with Covid and international travel restrictions, The Australian believes Lisa has changed her approach to focus on issues at home that she's passionate about.

It's also understood that Lisa's new contract will see her appearing on The Project on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, as per usual.

New approach: It's understood Lisa has agreed to focus on 'hard news issues, particularly on the treatment of women both in the workplace and in broader society,' according to The Australian on Sunday

Details: With Covid and travel restrictions, The Australian believes Lisa has changed her approach to focus on issues at home that she's passionate about. It's also understood her new contract will see her appearing on The Project on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Ten and Lisa's management for comment.

Meanwhile Lisa was believed to have quit Today because Karl, 46, as her male co-host, was reportedly earning $2million a year with a potential bonus that could take his salary to $3million if ratings were a hit, The Australian wrote in 2017.

Lisa was said to be on a $1.1million a year contract, with Nine only willing to increase the amount to $1.8million, according to The Daily Telegraph.

Reports: Lisa was believed to have quit Today because Karl Stefanovic (pictured), 46, as her male co-host, was reportedly earning $2million a year with a potential bonus that could take his salary to $3million if ratings were a hit, The Australian wrote in 2017

Figures: Lisa was said to be on a $1.1million a year contract, with Nine only willing to increase the amount to $1.8million, according to The Daily Telegraph

The amount was reportedly not enough for her to stay with the network, prompting her departure.

In an interview with The Herald Sun in December 2018, Lisa applauded the 'integrity' and high 'calibre' of her colleagues at Ten, referencing Carrie Bickmore, Fifi Box, Amanda Keller, Julia Morris and Gorgi Coghlan.

'One of the absolute bonuses that I really hadn't anticipated in moving to Ten, is the calibre of my colleagues,' she said.

Quick exit: The amount was reportedly not enough for her to stay with the network, prompting her departure
Minoli De Silva and Scott Bagnell were sent home from MasterChef Australia on Sunday night's double elimination episode.

After round one, Minoli broke down in tears after failing to impress the judges with her pan-seared snapper with green mango noodles.

Scott also said he was 'gutted' to have been eliminated after overcooking his pan-seared mirror dory during round two.

'This is really hard': MasterChef's Minoli De Silva (pictured) broke down in tears as she was sent home in a double elimination alongside Scott Bagnell, on Sunday night's episode

Round one saw the contestants having an hour to create a dish using one or more ingredients from the black mystery box.

Minoli and Depinder Chhibber had the least impressive dishes, with judge Melissa Leong describing the flavours of Depinder's walnut ice cream with a pumpkin brown butter cake as 'muted'.

However Depinder was safe from elimination with Melissa announcing to Minoli that she was going home.

Breaking down in tears, Minoli said: 'I'm really glad I made it to the top 10, but this is really hard because I really wanted to get further in the competition.'

Emotional: Minoli failed to impress the judges with her pan-seared snapper with green mango noodles. 'I'm really glad I made it to the top 10, but this is really hard because I really wanted to get further in the competition,' a devastated Minoli told the judges

Round two saw the contestants have an hour to create a dish with horseradish as the hero ingredient.

Scott and Linda Dalrymple presented the least impressive dishes, with Linda choosing to make a vanilla and horseradish panna cotta with a horseradish syrup.

However Linda was safe from elimination with judge Jock Zonfrillo telling Scott that his fish was 'unfortunately overcooked'.

Sent home: Scott (pictured) failed to impress the judges with his pan-seared mirror dory with a split sauce of horseradish cream and a spring onion oil, with a fresh salad on top. Judge Jock Zonfrillo said the fish was 'unfortunately overcooked'

Scott presented a pan-seared mirror dory with a split sauce of horseradish cream and a spring onion oil, with a fresh salad on top.

'I'm gutted to be leaving the competition, but I'm also so proud of my achievements,' Scott later said in a piece to camera.

MasterChef Australia continues Monday at 7.30pm on Channel Ten
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Brooklyn Beckham and his fiancee Nicola Peltz have snapped up their starter home as a couple  a breathtaking $10.5million five-bedroom mansion in Beverly Hills, California.

In the latest step after Brooklyn, 22, proposed to Nicola, 26, in July, the couple have now secured the expansive multi-million dollar home in one of Los Angeles County's most exclusive neighbourhoods.

The incredible property comes with impressive views and boasts a host of features typical of homes in the upscale area  including a private yoga room, gym, sauna, steam room and juice bar.

Wow! Brooklyn Beckham and his fiancee Nicola Peltz have snapped up a beautiful $10.5million five-bedroom mansion in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles

Loved up: In the latest step after Brooklyn, 22, proposed to Nicola, 26, in July, the couple have now secured the expansive multi-millionaire pound home

Brooklyn, who often shares snaps of himself on social media working out, will be sure to make use of the facilities in his new home.

According to TMZ, the couple were so keen to get their hands of the keys to the property that they paid $1million over the asking price.

The five-bedroom home is covered in enormous glass windows which allows swathes of natural light into the rooms and ensure the idyllic views can be seen from several rooms in the house.

The property also boasts various outdoor areas, including a paved seating area and a roof top terrace.

Expansive: The incredible home comes with impressive views and complete with a private yoga room, gym, sauna, steam room and juice bar

Expensive: According to TMZ , the couple were so keen to get their hands of the keys to the property that they paid one million over the asking price

Breathtaking: When entering the property, guests are greeted by a beautiful view of the surrounding area through the floor to ceiling windows at the back of the house

Beautiful: The back of the house is covered in hundreds of floor to ceiling black frame windows which let is swatches of light

Welcoming: The entrance of the home boasts a Smokey Quartz Crystal on a plinth which welcomes guests, helping purify and neutralise unwanted energy

Making the most: Brooklyn, who often shares snaps of himself on social media working out will be sure to make use of the facilities in his new home

Amazing: Included in the couple's new property, with a $10.5million price tag, was a fully-functioning wood-clad indoor sauna

Describing the home, the listing read that the house 'embodies mindfulness and wellness with the highest level of design.'

It has walls of glass to create seamless flow and transition from the inside to the outside, harmonising the surrounding landscape.

The entrance of the home boasts a Smokey Quartz Crystal on a plinth which welcomes guests, helping purify and neutralise unwanted energy.

The listing continued: 'Smooth lines and rounded transitions create a feng shui balance you can feel when walking through this museum-like home that features all-natural exotic wood and stone throughout.

'The amount of detail and thought that has been put into this one-of-a-kind luxury estate is unsurmounted, one must visit to truly experience the magnitude of beauty and peace this home has to offer.'

Incredible: The five-bedroom property also boasts a relaxing massage room which can be used at any time

The listing continued: 'Smooth lines and rounded transitions create a feng shui balance you can feel when walking through this museum-like home that features all-natural exotic wood and stone throughout'

Spectacular: The five-bedroom home is covered in enormous glass windows which allows swathes of natural light into the rooms and ensure the idyllic views can be seen from several rooms in the house

Outdoor bathing: Impressive images taken to promote the property also show several large outdoor bath tubs for the ultimate relaxing experience

Stunning: Also included with the property is a beautiful blue infinity edge pool, a barbecue and grasses area

Sold! The property was listed by one of the largest real estate brokerages in the US

It also has a white crystal quartz massage and healing room, as well as a yoga and gym room, a soaking tub, dry sauna, steam room, relaxation lounge and a juice bar.

Impressive images taken to promote the property also show several large outdoor bath tubs for the ultimate relaxing experience.

The home is decorated immaculately throughout, with modern elements mixed with Scandi interiors.

And there's no question about whether they'd be able to afford such a grand property, as Brooklyn, son of David and Victoria Beckham, has an estimated net worth of $10million.

The website Celebrity Net Worth, which describes Brooklyn as an "English author, photographer, and social media personality", lists his 2017 photography book What I See as one of his significant pieces of work.

Outdoor spaces: The incredible home boasts various outdoor areas, including a paved seating area and a roof top terrace

Relaxing: Describing the home, the listing read it 'embodies mindfulness and wellness with the highest level of design'

Magnificent: The bedrooms and other areas of the home have walls of glass to create seamless flow and transition from the inside to the outside, harmonising the surrounding landscape

Chic: The home is decorated immaculately throughout, with modern elements mixed with Scandi interiors

Ideal for hosting: Inside the beautiful open-plan property boasts of several seating areas suitable for all occasions

Grand: The property boasts an all-white kitchen with built-in appliances and a breakfast bar

Of course, his family's cash will also come in handy, should he struggle to get on his feet, as footballer-turned-businessman David is said to be worth an eye-watering $450million, while Victoria clocks in at the same number.

Meanwhile, American actress Nicola  who has starred in such movies as Transformers: Age of Extinction and The Last Airbender  is estimated to be worth a tidy $50million, thanks to her career and, also, family wealth.

While the Beckhams boast a sizeable fortune through their ventures in entertainment, sports, and fashion, among other areas, Nicola's investor dad Nelson Peltz eclipses their bank balances with his $1.79billion net worth.

Father-of-ten Nelson Peltz, a founding partner at Trian Fund Management, LP, has amassed his impressive fortune through a wide range of savvy investments starting from the early 1980s.

Brooklyn had moved to New York City in 2017 to study photography at Parsons School of Design at the New School, but dropped out just one year later, with sources saying he was missing his London-based family.

Understated: The front of the property is understated, with only one window and a sleek black gate

Elegant: The five-bedroom home also has an expansive walk in wardrobe with dozens of cupboards, rails and mirrors

Enormous: The dressing room is so expansive it is possible to fit a large rug and a sofa inside

Inspiration: The property will offer inspiring photographer Brooklyn plenty of photograph opportunities

Privacy: Some of the bedrooms with less beautiful views had smaller windows which were shielded by bushes for privacy

A source told The Mirror in 2018 that Brooklyn had opted to focus instead on internships, adding: 'It sounds as if he was truly homesick and was feeling lonely out there.'

'He adores his family, in the end it was the lure to come back to them all that swung it  and the prospect of a terrific internship.

'Victoria is absolutely delighted at the news and couldnt contain herself when it was all coming to plan  to have Brooklyn back under the same roof is a dream come true for her.'

It comes after Brooklyn took the opportunity to share his love for his fiancee on the one year anniversary of their engagement on Wednesday.

The aspiring photographer shared a gushing Instagram post exactly 12 months after he got down on one knee, as he gushed Nicola made him 'a better person'.

Lots of space: The front of the property has a large turning around and the home is built above a double parking garage

Beautiful design: The expansive home is beautifully decorated throughout

Interiors: The bedrooms are all furnished with a modern and Scandi blend of styles

Huge: There will never be a shortage of places to show because the property has five bathrooms and two half bathrooms

Stunning views: While swimming in the beautiful infinity pool, Brooklyn and Nicola will be able to admire the amazing surrounding views

In the post shared with his 12.4 million Instagram followers the couple were seen smooching for the camera.

Nicola looked stunning in a glitter dress while Brooklyn was dapper in a navy jumper paired with black jeans.

The photographer wrote: 'This exact day 1 year ago I asked this gorgeous woman to marry me.

'She makes me a better person everyday and is my best friend. I cant imagine my life without you because you continuously make me laugh and smile x happy 1 year baby '

Last year, Brooklyn confirmed the news he'd proposed to Nicola with a gushing Instagram post.

Sharing a stunning snap of the couple, he wrote: 'Two weeks ago I asked my soulmate to marry me and she said yes xx I am the luckiest man in the world. I promise to be the best husband and the best daddy one day. I love you baby xx'

Perfect: When entertaining, the couple will have plenty of areas to sit and chat including various seated sofa areas

Calming: If they want to wind down in the evening, the couple can turn on the fire and turn on their large wall-mounted television

Extravagant: In one of the many bathrooms, one impressive bath has steps leading up to it

Peaceful: The sauna and massage rooms are based in the same room to make a day of relaxing as easy as possible

Luxurious: The main kitchen, where Brooklyn may spend lots of his time making his favourite meals, has a small window to let in some natural light by the double sink and incredible range cooker

In October it was claimed that the pair planned to exchange vows in two celebrations on both sides of the Atlantic.

It's thought that Brooklyn will have his brothers Romeo, 18, and Cruz, 15, as his best men for the ceremony, with proud mum Victoria designing actress Nicola's wedding gown.

According to The Sun, Brooklyn's sister Harper, nine, will be chief bridesmaid for Brooklyn and Nicola's wedding.

The two ceremonies - held in Nicola's hometown of Florida and the Beckhams' estate in the Cotswolds - will ensure that both Brooklyn and Nicola's loved ones can be in attendance.

Brooklyn's father David will act as the master of ceremonies, with his younger sons being best men for the celebration and giving a joint speech at the reception.

Multi-purpose: The master bedroom has various sections, including a sleeping area, a sofa/seating around and a desk in the corner surrounded by floor-length windows

Lavish: The cinema room doors can be closed off to create a reflective wall in the hallway or shut out the light for a true cinematic experience

Lush: A staircase leads down into the basement area of the property, with a large kitchen for entertaining

Unique: Another breakfast bar is located downstairs with an unusual art installation on the wall

Open plan: The spiral staircase, which lead from the entrance hall, leads to a another seated around, the cinema and a second kitchen

A source said: 'Brooklyn is incredibly family focused, just like his parents, and the boys are so close. They are brothers and best mates.

'Although many assumed David would get the gig, there was really never any question of who he would choose to be his best men.'

It's also been reported that Victoria has been given the honour of designing Nicola's wedding dress, with the insider adding that it's likely to be a sleek minimal design and has even considered designing a suit for the blushing bride.

As expected the wedding will boast a star-studded guest list, with names such as Victoria's Spice Girls bandmates Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Horner.

David's close friend Dave Gardner and his wife Liv Tyler will also be in attendance.

Brooklyn's godfather Sir Elton John could even take to the stage for a stellar performance.

The source added that David and Victoria are keen to contribute to the costs for a lavish nuptials, despite tradition stating the bride's family usually cover the cost.

Pass the popcorn: The cinema room has a comfortable sofa, cow hide chair and a large coffee table for a luxury film watching experience

Bathroom goals: The couple could also enjoy a relaxing bath soaking in the water while staring out at the impressive views

Quirky: On the roof-top terrace there is also an unusual shingle installation
Storm Keating has revealed that is required to undergo a full year of rehabilitation as she continues to recover from her emergency spinal surgery.

The fashion designer, 39, was admitted to London's Cromwell Hospital in March, after being diagnosed with cauda equina syndrome, a rare spinal condition that could have led to paralysis, if left untreated.

And in a new interview with The Mirror, the wife of Boyzone star Ronan Keating has revealed that she has a long road ahead of her in rehab.

Recovery: Storm Keating has revealed that is required to undergo a full year of rehabilitation as she continues to recover from her emergency spinal surgery (pictured in 2017)

She told the publication: 'Youve got to give the nerves 12 months post-surgery. Its a long time to wait but between now and then Im on a rigorous programme that will ease up as I get stronger.'

'It wasnt until the surgeon said it was a success that I broke down,' she said of her reaction to the surgery. 'Then I had a couple of weeks with waves of emotions. You start to panic. You realise what your life wouldve looked like and that I wouldnt have been able to drive to school, or gone on holidays. '

Storm added: 'My view definitely changed a lot since I had that scare. Im still going through rehabilitation at the minute. Im not 100 per cent perfect, but Im very guilty of never making time for myself. I dont have a good balance. But now I believe you cant ignore your body. Youve got to make time and look after yourself.'

Ten days after having her surgery, Storm took to Instagram to state she was 'doing great' and would soon be able to lift up her daughter Coco, 15 months, again.

Doing well: Storm previously revealed that she was 'doing great' after her emergency spinal surgery in March. Pictured with her daughter Coco, 15 months

She was discharged from hospital before her daughter's first birthday in March and shared a heartwarming clip of herself with Coco and her son Cooper, four, and said she was doing well.

Storm wrote: 'My babies  10 days post surgery and I am doing great. One day soon I'll be able to lift her up and into my arms again... the lord himself knows that every little piece of my heart and soul can't wait!'

In the clip, Storm could be seen sitting on a picnic blanket as she gave Coco a kiss on the forehead with Cooper standing alongside them.

it comes after Storm took to Instagram in late March, sharing a snap of her hand and hospital gown and said she had experienced the 'most frightening week' of her life after her diagnosis.

Hard times: The Australian fashion designer was admitted to London's Cromwell Hospital after being diagnosed with cauda equina syndrome

Cauda equina syndrome is a rare and severe type of spinal stenosis that causes the nerves in the lower back to become severely compressed.

In a lengthy Instagram post, the mother-of-two said that she 'wouldn't wish what I've been through on anyone.'

Beginning her message, she said: 'It's been a long and trialling week, the most frightening week of my life.

'But I feel so utterly grateful to Dr Syed Aftab and all the amazing specialists, doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and aids at #CromwellHospital who have assisted me through this.

Shock: Storm told how she had initially been rushed to hospital for a 'very bad prolapsed disc' that needed 'surgical intervention' (pictured with husband Ronan Keating in 2018)

'On Saturday I was rushed in with what we already knew was a very bad prolapsed disc, which had more recently escalated to the point where it needed surgical intervention.'

Detailing how her condition escalated, she continued: 'Whilst stabilising in hospital however, this then escalated to Cauda Equina Compression/ Syndrome which required emergency spinal surgery to avoid permanent damage.

'If it wasn't for Dr Aftab and his acute diligence, care, attentiveness and skills, I would not be walking out of this hospital with the prospects of leading the normal life I had always envisioned I would.'

What is cauda equina syndrome? Cauda equina syndrome is a serious condition where the nerves at the very bottom of the spinal cord become compressed. Symptoms include: lower back pain

numbness in your groin

paralysis of one or both legs

rectal pain

loss of bowel control (bowel incontinence)

loss of bladder control (urinary incontinence)

pain in the inside of your thighs Doctors advise seeking medical assistance immediately if a person develops these symptoms. They should visit their GP or the accident and emergency (A&E) department of the nearest hospital. If cauda equina syndrome is not promptly treated, the nerves to the bladder and bowel can become permanently damaged. Source: NHS Choices Advertisement

The condition causes the nerves in the lower back to suddenly become compressed and can lead to loss of sensation, incontinence and paralysis if not treated immediately.

Sharing her gratitude towards the medical staff that helped her, Storm added: 'There are no words that will ever come close to describing my gratitude to you Syed, thank you.

'And to Georgia and all the wonderful nurses and healthcare assistants who wiped my tears, comforted my fears, cleaned me up and allowed me to keep my dignity in moments where I thought I would lose it... you are amazing human beings to do what you do, thank you.'

Turning to her family, she said: 'My little girl turns one year old tomorrow and I can't wait to get home to her (just in time!) and to my amazing family who have been supporting each other and holding the fort together in my absence this last week.

'It couldn't have been easy and especially knowing the way my baby @rokeating worries! So baba, @jackrkeating and @missyykeating you are my heroes and I love you and I can't wait to get home and see you!!!!'

The businesswoman concluded her post: 'Finally I just wanted to say thank you so much to everyone for your well wishes this last week, they filled me with strength and courage. I hope that by sharing my story, it's a small reminder for everyone to take care of your back!

'Many of us take our spine for granted and often our health too... but sometimes the unexpected can throw a real curve ball if you're not paying attention or if you're ignoring your body.

'I'm very lucky but I wouldn't wish what I've been through on anyone. We share our highs on Insta but sometimes it's good to share our lows too. This has been one of mine .'

Storm gave birth to Coco in March last year and also shares Cooper with Ronan.

The happy couple met in September 2012 while they were both working on The X Factor Australia.

They tied the knot in a romantic Scottish ceremony in 2015 before announcing in December 2016 that they were expecting their first child.

Ronan shares three other children with ex-wife Yvonne Connolly: daughters Missy, 20, and Ali, 15, and son Jack, 22.
Tamara Ecclestone has been enjoying a holiday in the Bahamas with her husband Jay Rutland and their two daughters.

Showcasing her toned legs in a beach-ready swimsuit, the mother-of-two, 36, cradled her nine-month-old daughter Serena as her family posed in front of the crystal blue Caribbean water.

Jay, 40, stood close to his wife with his arm around her as he displayed his muscly physique in a pair of green swimming trunks.

Happy holidays: Tamara Ecclestone has been enjoying a holiday to the Bahamas with her husband Jay Rutland and their two daughters Serena and Sophia

Serena looked adorable as she was strapped to her mum in a carrier and fixed the camera with a stare.

Seven-year-old Sophia beamed as she posed next to her mum in a neon green swimsuit that had St Barts emblazoned across the chest.

Tamara completed her beach outfit with a navy cap and a pair of glamorous black sunglasses as she snuggled up with her family for the sweet snap.

Jay was clearly enjoying his vacation as he captioned the family post 'Bahamas baby'

Jet setters: Tamara and Jay have been to seven countries since the start of lockdown; The Bahamas, Croatia, Switzerland, the U.K, Dubai, The Maldives and America

Tamara and Jay have now been to seven countries since the start of lockdown; the Bahamas, Croatia, Switzerland, the U.K, Dubai, The Maldives and America.

Bernie Ecclestone defended his daughter Tamara for travelling the world during lockdown and said that where she lived in Gstaad Switzerland was 'very cold'.

The billionaire former F1 boss, 90, said that neither Tamara or her sister Petra had broken any anti-Covid laws by jetting to different countries and had good reasons to do so.

Petra, meanwhile, travelled with her fiance Sam Palmer, 37, and four children from London to Croatia to LA, then Switzerland, Monaco and France, then back to LA, Monaco, and The Maldives before travelling back to Monaco since March last year.

Speaking to MailOnline, Bernie, said this month: 'They have been travelling around a lot but theyve 100 per cent broken no laws by doing so. They both have a home in Switzerland for a start so are residents.

'I think, in Tamara and Jay's case, they left Switzerland to go somewhere warm because it had been snowing and was very cold in Gstaad.

'They went to Dubai and from there they disappeared to the Maldives, since they already had a trip there booked for some time and it was easier to fly straight there from Dubai so they didnt have to break any rules. It was nice and simple, plus the airline tickets at the time were cheaper.'
Vogue Williams looked stunning as she left work at Heart FM on Sunday after hitting out at trolls this week who criticised her style.

The presenter, 35, who hosts the breakfast show on Sundays, looked chic in a tiger print top and cream shorts.

The plunging neckline of her flowing blouse left her decolletage on show, with the orange-brown hue in her shirt accentuating her glowing tan.

Fashionista: Vogue Williams stunned in a tiger print top and cream shorts as she left work at Heart FM on Sunday after hitting out at trolls this week who criticised her style

The Irish model's long legs were on display with her high-waisted shorts being cut off at the leg.

She wore a pair of tan kitten heels and carried a black Dior bag to match her dark round sunglasses as she smiled at onlookers while walking through Leicester Square.

Vogue laughed off trolls this week who took aim at her for her style.

Working it: The plunging neckline of her flowing blouse left her decolletage on show, with the orange-brown hue in her shirt accentuating her glowing tan

Strutting her stuff: The Irish model's long legs were on display with her high-waisted shorts being cut off at the leg

Walking proud: Vogue wore a tan pair of kitten heels and carried a black Dior bag to match her round sunglasses as she smiled at onlookers

During her podcast My Therapist Ghosted Me, she discussed how she was ambushed with cruel comments after wearing a green and white striped Ganni dress worth 245 that some social media users took issue with.

The television personality refused to let the online bullies get the better of her as she cackled at their remarks in which they compared the dress to a tablecloth and a tent.

She explained to co-host Joanne McNally: 'The other day I wore this green dress which is stunning by the way, stunning. It's not a dress a man would find sexually attractive because it is pretty much like a parachute but I love it. Yes, it looks like a tent but it is a tent that I love.

She's a professional: Vogue hosts on Heart FM on Sundays and spoke out on her podcast My Therapist Ghosted Me this week after online trolls criticised her style on social media

'I don't like reading comments about certain things but I did read these comments, but some of them went like this, "Wow that's a dress I thought she had stolen a deck chair."

'"That dress cost 245? Someone has a sense of humour," and, "Anything for attention and clicks she is well aware she looks absolutely awful in that tablecloth."'

Unable to contain her laughter, she repeated: '"There is a deck chair somewhere with just the wood left."'

Laugh a minute: The television personality refused to let the online bullies get the better of her as she cackled at their remarks in which they compared the Ganni dress to a tablecloth

Sharing a clip of the conversation on Instagram on Thursday, she wrote: 'You call it a deckchair I call it fashion.'

It comes after Vogue celebrated her third wedding anniversary with her beloved husband Spencer Matthews earlier this month, sharing a series of heartwarming throwback snaps.

The couple penned a declaration of love to one another on social media and reflected on their four and a half year relationship.

Love is in the air: Vogue and husband Spencer Matthews penned a declaration of love to one another and reflected on their four and a half year relationship

He captioned the upload: 'In the four and a half years weve been together and the three years (today) that weve been married, Ive never been happier and more in love.

'You inspire me daily with your warm open heart and rigorous work ethic. Its really no surprise to me that everybody loves you.

'You deserve all of your success, now and forever and our kids are lucky to have you as their mother. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY '.

Vogue responded on the post: 'Aw thats very sweet my love '.
She's famous for stunning on catwalks around the world.

But Irina Shayk, 35, ditched the designer clothes in favour of a more pared-back look as she wore only bikini bottoms and a pair of heels on the beach for a photo shared on Instagram on Sunday.

The Russian native showed off her stunning figure and impressive tan as she perched close to the white sand.

Au naturel: Irina Shayk, 35, ditched the designer clothes in favour of a more natural look as she wore only bikini bottoms and a pair of heels in a picture shared to Instagram on Sunday

She covered her breasts with her arms and wore a pair of canary yellow bikini bottoms as she gazed into the camera wearing minimal make-up, displaying her natural beauty.

She wore a pair of Tamara Mellon yellow heels to match her swimwear and captioned the snap: 'Sun valley.'

Last week it was claimed Kim Kardashian's estranged husband Kanye West plans on seeing Irina again after they spent time together in France.

Romance brewing: The post comes a week after it was reported Kim Kardashian's estranged husband Kanye West plans on seeing Irina again after they spent time together in France

She is currently 'dating' the rapper, whom she has been connected to ever since she appeared in the 44-year-old star's music video for his track Power, which debuted in 2010.

According to People, he is excited to see Irina again.

'Kanye is doing well. He had a great trip to France with Irina. They will date long distance,' said the source.

New prospect: Irina initially met Kanye when she worked on the 2010 music video for his track Power (Kanye pictured in 2020)

'Kanye will continue to be L.A.-based. He has no plans to move to NYC. His kids live in L.A,' it was added; Kim and Kanye share daughters North and Chicago, aged eight and three, and sons Saint and Psalm, aged five and two.

'He is very focused on business in LA too. He likes spending time with Irina though and plans to see her soon again.'

The Bound 2 songwriter wed Kim Kardashian in 2014.

Although the two went strong for several years, they eventually separated earlier this year, when 40-year-old Kim filed for divorce.

Shayk shares Lea with her former partner Bradley Cooper to whom she was initially linked in 2015.

Prior to becoming involved with the A Star Is Born director, she dated star athlete Cristiano Ronaldo for several years before the two split up in 2015.

The supermodel began seeing the 46-year-old actor later that year, and the two went on to welcome Lea, currently aged four, in 2017.

Although the couple was spotted with their daughter on several occasions following her birth, they eventually separated in 2019, although they remain on good terms and co-parent their child.
She is known for her quirky fashion choices.

And Bella Hadid pulled off another showstopping look wearing a pair of combat trousers and a brown knitted top with a yellow fur trim on Saturday evening.

The model, 24, looked picture perfect as she hit the streets of Paris on her way to the upmarket Ritz Hotel.

Quirky: Bella Hadid, 24, pulled off another showstopping look wearing a pair of combat trousers and a brown knitted top with a yellow fur trim on Saturday evening

Bella showed off her impressive modelling skills as she strutted her stuff in the dark green trousers which had several pockets and buckles on the sides.

She paired it with a brown knitted asymmetric top, with one long sleeve and a fur yellow trim around the neckline.

Appearing to adopt a butterfly theme, Bella added a loose silver belt around her waist and bright green open-toe heels.

She styled her hair in a half-up hair-do and carried a small bag over her shoulder.

Fashionable: Bella paired her leather combat trousers with a brown knitted asymmetric top, with one long sleeve and a fur yellow trim around the neck line

The brunette beauty shared a clip of herself in the back of a car with her friend and later shared a close up of her butterfly heels for her 43.6million followers.

Bella was attending the Casablanca cocktail dinner at the Ritz, which was hosted this Saturday by Charaf Tajer, the creative director of the brand.

Other stars at the event included Ashley Park and Samuel Arnold from Emily in Paris, Alton Mason, Ella Emhoff.

It comes as Bella and her sister Gigi, whose father Mohamed is a Palestinian born in Nazareth, waded controversially into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict last month.

Bella was accused of antisemitism after posting cartoons denouncing Israel, which she has since deleted from her Instagram.

The post, which Gigi liked, argued that Israel was 'not a country' and accused the Jewish State of 'ethnic cleansing, military occupation and apartheid.'

Bella preempted allegations of bigotry by posting a clip of Bernie Sanders arguing: 'It is not anti-Semitic to be critical of a right-wing government in Israel.'

Paris nights: The brunette beauty shared a clip of herself in the back of a car with her friend

'Hate from either side is not okay - I do not condone it!!' wrote Bella. 'I will not stand to hear people talk badly about Jewish people through all of this.'

Gigi also wrote on her Instagram: 'One cannot advocate for racial equality, LGBT & women's rights, condemn corrupt and abusive regimes and other injustices yet choose to ignore the Palestinian oppression. It does not add up. You cannot pick and choose whose human rights matter more.'

Bella also found herself in hot water when she went Live on Instagram from a pro-Palestinian protest in New York City.

She filmed herself chanting the popular Palestinian slogan: 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!' along with other protestors.

The State Of Israel directly condemned her on its official Twitter account writing: 'When celebrities like @BellaHadid advocate for throwing Jews into the sea, they are advocating for the elimination of the Jewish State.'
Jasmine Yarbrough has shared sweet updates from a final family day out, just before Sydney was plunged into lockdown on Friday.

On Sunday evening, the doting mum, 37, took to Instagram to share footage of her husband Karl Stefanovic, 46, with their one-year-old daughter as they attended a farm in NSW with a pal.

Their little girl looked elated to be surrounded by animals in the cute video, with the first clip showing Karl lift up his daughter in his arms while stroking a horse.

First pony ride! Jasmine Yarbrough has shared sweet updates from a final family fun day out, just before Sydney was plunged into lockdown on Friday. Pictured: Karl Stefanovic with daughter Harper, one

Karl later beamed with pride as his little girl enjoyed her 'first pony ride', sitting atop a tiny white pony while dressed in a sweet baby pink ensemble.

'Country life before lockdown', Jasmine captioned the footage.

Sydney was plunged into a two-week lockdown over the weekend, after cases in the city increased rapidly.

Cute: Their little girl looked elated to be surrounded by farm animals in the cute video, with the first showing Karl lift up his daughter in his arms while stroking a horse in front

Family fun day! Jasmine was seen holding little Harper on her lap, while Karl drove a buggy and a pal sat in the seat next to them

Besides Harper, Karl is also father to daughter Willow, 16, Jackson, 20, and River, 13, from his marriage to Cassandra Thorburn.

Karl and Jasmine met in late 2016 and married two years later, in December 2018.

The couple welcomed their first child together, daughter Harper, in May last year in a star-studded ceremony in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico.

Dad: Karl is also father to sons Jackson, 20, and River, 13, from his marriage to Cassandra (left)

Jasmine is a former fashion model best known for being the co-founder of cult shoe label Mara & Mine.

Harper turned one on May 1, with Jasmine paying sweet tribute to her little girl on Instagram at the time.

'One year ago today you came into our world and filled our hearts with so much love. You are the most precious soul who we love beyond words,' she wrote.
Mads Mikkelsen has said he would have 'loved to have talked to' Johnny Depp about replacing him in the Fantastic Beasts franchise.

Actor Mads, 55, is taking over the role of Gellert Grindelwald from Pirates of the Caribbean star Depp, 58, after he exited the film series earlier this year when he lost his libel trial against The Sun newspaper.

The Sun branded him a 'wife-beater' due to allegations about his marriage to Amber Heard - and though Mads is aware the casting reshuffle was 'controversial', hes tried to pay no attention to the speculation surrounding his predecessor.

Conversation: Mads Mikkelsen, left, has said he would have 'loved to have talked to' Johnny Depp, right, about replacing him in the Fantastic Beasts franchise

Speaking to The Times' Saturday Review, Mads said: 'I mean, obviously, they were going to do the film, and obviously he was not involved any more. But I didnt have a dog in that fight.

'And I dont know what happened [in his private life], and I dont know if it was fair, him losing the job, but I just knew that the show was going on, and I wouldve loved to have talked to him about it if I had the chance, but I just dont know him in that sense.

'But they called me and they were obviously in a hurry, and I loved the script and so said yes. And I know it was controversial for many people, but thats just the way it plays out once in a while.'

Mads wanted to put his own take on playing Grindelwald as he thinks it would be 'creative suicide' to just mimic Johnnys performance.

Role: Depp is pictured as Gellert Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

He said: 'I didnt want to copy what Johnny had done. I think hes a masterful actor, so copying him wouldve been creative suicide. I had to figure out something that was definitely my own, and yet also act as a bridge to what he had done.

'My take is different, and the look is a little different, but well have to wait for the films release [next year] to find out.'

DailyMail.com reported last month that a bitter defamation lawsuit is now brewing between Depp and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) after documents revealed the non-profit's staff penned the explosive domestic violence op-ed at the centre of the actor's $50million libel suit against ex-wife Heard.

A trove of emails seen by DailyMail.com suggest Heard, 35, had minimal input in the December 2018 article which was written by an ACLU strategist then submitted to her for approval.

The draft went through multiple legal revisions, with Heard's lawyer anxious not to mention Depp by name or breach a non-disclosure agreement in the former couple's $7million divorce settlement.

Own take: Mads wanted to put his own take on playing Grindelwald as he thinks it would be 'creative suicide' to just mimic Johnnys performance

But when it appeared in the Washington Post, Depp sued instead for libel, arguing the 1,000-word essay - entitled: 'I spoke up against sexual violence and faced our culture's wrath' - was a clear reference to their failed marriage and falsely labelled him an abuser.

Three years on, the ACLU's involvement is threatening to drag the nonprofit deeper into the toxic lawsuit. Depp's lawyers hint it could even see them added as a defendant.

'This new trove of emails finally proves one of the things the ACLU has fought for years to hide: they wrote Amber Heard's false op-ed for her and were co-conspirators with Ms Heard from the start,' Depp's attorney Adam Waldman told DailyMail.com.

'Those who scheme, write and publish defamation, even purported free speech advocates, are not immune from the consequences.'

Heard and Depp met a decade ago on the set of The Rum Diary back and married four years later before a now-infamous blowout fight ended their marriage in May 2016.

They agreed to a $7million divorce settlement in August of that year when Heard vowed to give the windfall to charity, splitting it between the ACLU and the Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

Back in January, however, DailyMail.com revealed correspondence between Heard and hospital management suggesting she gave them only $100,000 - way short of the promised $3.5million 'gift'.

The ACLU was subpoenaed for the same information but has thus far refused to cooperate with multiple subpoenas.

Heard's lawyer said she intended to fulfil her pledge 'eventually', blaming her expensive legal battles with Depp for the delay.

The Virginia case won't go before a jury until next year because of a backlog of trials caused by the pandemic.
Just under a week ago, they shared snaps of themselves soaking up the sunshine on Portugal's golden shores.

And Nicole Scherzinger and Thom Evans showed that their European adventures had taken them to Monaco on Sunday, when they posed for a romantic snap.

Rugby ace Thom, 36, took to Instagram to share the snap, which showed him wrapping an arm around Pussycat Dolls star Nicole, 42, as they donned colour-coordinated stone ensembles.

Getaway: Nicole Scherzinger and Thom Evans showed that their European adventures had taken them to Monaco on Sunday, when they posed for a romantic snap shared on Instagram

Nicole showed off her enviably toned abs in a crop top, which she teamed with a flowing jacket and patterned skirt.

Complementing her look with open-toe shoes, she rounded out her look with a pair of oversized sunglasses, while her raven locks were styled in a sleek blowout.

Meanwhile, Thom donned a striped short-sleeved shirt and knee-length shorts as he posed with his partner on the sun-kissed Monaco waterfront.

Keeping his caption short and sweet, the sportsman wrote: 'Thank you Monaco," along with a single heart emoji.

Wow! Nicole looked incredible in a series of sizzling snaps from Portugal that she shared to her Instagram on Monday

Stunning: The Pussycat Dolls star, 42, looked happier then ever as she posed up a storm with her beau Thom

Caption: Nicole captioned the snaps, 'Its Monday Its a new week God is doing a new thing New doors New breakdowns New breakthroughs! [sic]'

Days earlier, Nicole looked incredible in a series of sizzling snaps from Portugal that she shared to Instagram on Monday.

Nicole looked sensational in her string bikini while Thom showed off his rippling abs as he posed alongside his girlfriend in a red pair of shorts.

Nicole captioned the snaps: 'Its Monday Its a new week God is doing a new thing New doors New breakdowns New breakthroughs!

'New blessings Prepare your mind Open your heart Enlarge your vision Expand your horizons! Lets get it #manamonday @mana_movement [sic].'

The couple playfully posed for a series of snap which Nicole shared with her 4.9 million followers.

Beautiful: Earlier thus month, the star also looked incredible once again as she posed for a series of sizzling snaps from the Mexican desert

Gorgeous: The Pussycat Dolls star posed in a skimpy bikini and a cowboy hat showing off her toned figure

They beamed for the camera, with the former rugby player wrapping his arm around Nicole as they posed.

Nicole met Thom in 2019 while filming The X Factor: Celebrity, in which he competed in band Try Star alongside fellow sportsmen Ben Foden and Levi Davis.

They are said to be looking towards the future and intend on purchasing a property together in London.

The lovebirds have been delighting fans with their sizzling snapshots, and earlier this month, Nicole looked incredible once again as she posed for a series of sultry snaps.

The Pussycat Dolls star posed in a skimpy bikini and a cowboy hat showing off her toned figure. She oozed confidence as she strolled bare foot through the desert.

She captioned the snaps with a simple Mexican flag emoji and shared the series of images with her Instagram followers.

Last month, Nicole showed off her very impressive surfboarding skills when she rode a series of choppy waves in an Instagram post dedicated to Memorial Day.

The former X Factor judge looked like a natural on her surfboard, and slipped into a pair of black bikini bottoms and a blue life jacket as she told fans: 'In life you can't stop the waves, but you can learn how to ride them!'

Wearing her raven tresses loose, the Pussycat Doll effortlessly kept her balance while skimming over a body of water and couldn't stop smiling.
Rod Stewart looked bleary-eyed on Saturday when he reclined in the back seat of a white Rolls-Royce Phantom next to his wife Penny Lancaster after a night out in London.

Music icon Rod, 76, and Penny, 50, had spent the evening celebrating a friend's 50th birthday at The Marriot, and were both in great spirits as they cosied up in the luxury vehicle - which was filled with balloons - after calling it a night.

Rod looked typically dapper in a floral-covered suit jacket teamed with black trousers and matching loafers, while Penny wowed in a thigh-skimming leopard print dress.

Good night? Rod Stewart looked bleary-eyed on Saturday when he reclined in the back seat of a white Rolls-Royce Phantom next to his wife Penny Lancaster after a night out in London

Before heading home, rocker Rod posed for a fun photo alongside three other male friends, one of whom opened up his jacket to reveal it was lined with dozens of watches.

Loose Women star Penny also posed with a pal, before shedding her shoes and going barefoot and blowing the camera a kiss.

In true rock 'n' roll style, Ron stepped out in the capital wearing dark black sunglasses and put on an animated display while playfully posing with friends.

The rocker then looked all partied out as he leaned back in the back of the car and closed his eyes.

Beneath his patterned blazer jacket, the Maggie May hit-maker wore a partially unbuttoned white shirt and loose black tie.

Birthday: Rod and Penny had spent the evening celebrating a friend's 50th birthday, and were both in high spirits as they cosied up in the luxury vehicle

Luxury: The Rolls-Royce Phantom Rod and Penny drove home in featured luxury white interiors and plush black floors - with Penny kicking off her heels inside the luxury vehicle

Dapper: Rod looked typically dapper in a floral-covered suit jacket teamed with black trousers and matching loafers, while Penny wowed in a thigh-skimming leopard print dress

Balloons: Rod and Penny giggled away while sitting in the back of a car - which was filled with balloons - after calling it a night

We'll keep those! Rod and Penny loaded themselves into the car alongside blue and silver balloons

Sideways: A laughing Rod rolled onto his side as his wife said goodbye to their friends

Iconic: Rod was rocking his iconic spiky hairstyle when he stepped out in London with his wife and friends over the weekend

The loved-up couple's outing comes after Penny was seen on patrol for the first time earlier in June as she sported a uniform and talked to citizens in London after qualifying as a special police officer.

She has been working as a Special Constable with the City Of London Police force after officially obtaining her badge in April.

During an appearance on Good Morning Britain this month she said that she hadn't made any arrests during her five duties to date, but had helped a suicidal woman, who was in 'desperate' need.

Coffee: What appeared to be two coffee tumblers could be seen placed next to Rod and Penny

A true gent: Rod took the time to sign autographs for his fans before heading back home with Penny

Pals: Before heading home, rocker Rod posed for a fun photo alongside three other male friends, one of whom opened up his jacket to reveal it was lined with dozens of watches

Rock 'n' roll: In true rock 'n' roll style, Ron stepped out in the capital wearing dark black sunglasses and put on an animated display while playfully posing with friends

Bling: Rod was also rocking a chunky silver necklace and a matching bracelet alongside a series of rings

Wow: Alongside his glitzy jewellery, Rod sported a luxury, diamond-studded watch on his left wrist

Animated display: Rod and his friends put on an animated display after enjoying an evening at London's The Marriot hotel

Eye on the time: Rod's friend certainly wouldn't have to worry about loosing track of time

Birthday boy: Showing off his impressive collection of watches, the birthday boy had clearly had a good night with his closet friends

Loafers: Matching his eye-catching jacket with his gold and black loafers, Rod turned heads with his flamboyant sense of style when he stepped out on Saturday

Penny told hosts Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley: 'When you think of policing, you think of the most violent crimes but we're out there to help the most vulnerable.

'At this particular time there's a lot of incidents on the bridges and I did help someone who was very desperate on the bridge the other night. It can be rewarding in so many ways.'

Penny added that she's drawing on her life experience and role as a mother for her police work, insisting she has the full support of her rocker husband Rod.

Pucker up! Loose Women star Penny also posed with a pal, blowing the camera a kiss while her friend flashed photographers a pout

Happy: Penny appeared in high spirits while posing alongside a friend before being driven home with her husband

Shoes in hand: Penny carried a stylish black pair of strappy heels in her hand while working her best angles

Home time! Penny beamed from ear to ear before calling it a night

When asked if he tried to dissuade her from taking the job, she said: 'Not at all. It is dangerous, but the police are the public, the public are the police.

'There's women and men alike - brothers, sisters, uncles, aunties, we're just regular people but we put that uniform on to help protect.'

Penny has managed to go under the radar while on patrol, with her saying no one has recognised her thanks to the uniform, despite her public profile.

She insists the 'stab vest, armour, baton, cuffs' ensure she's 'dressed as a regular'.

And on why she joined the force, she concluded: 'The campaigning and charity work I do, this is just an extension of working for the community and for the good of people. It's free of charge.

'I'm giving up my time to help the community and that's why I wanted to become a police officer, to be out there. We've got to look after the police and make sure when their lives are taken, punishment is given.'
He made a massive splash at Paris Fashion Week as he debuted an impressive collaboration with Dior.

And Travis Scott surely traveled in style as he landed back in Los Angeles on Saturday evening with a private jet full of luxury gifts.

The 29-year-old musician was spotted landing at the Van Nuys airport before sunset with a slew of massive Givenchy and Dior bags loaded into his Maybach mini van.

Lavish lifestyle: Travis Scott surely traveled in style as he landed back in Los Angeles on Saturday evening with a private jet full of luxury gifts

Travis rocked a simple blue-and-white striped button-down shirt with a pair of khaki cargo pants for his international flight.

He carried what appeared to be a lap top with a bright red soda in the other hand as he de-planed in the San Fernando Valley area of Southern California.

Scott  who's full name is Jacques Bermon Webster II  was returning from a whirlwind trip to debut his Cactus Jack collab with Dior at a packed presentation for Paris Fashion Week.

Gifts for Kylie? The 29-year-old musician was spotted landing at the Van Nuys airport before sunset with a slew of massive Givenchy and Dior bags loaded into his Maybach mini van

Working hard: He carried what appeared to be a lap top with a bright red soda in the other hand as he de-planed in the San Fernando Valley area of Southern California

The show, which boasted 500 attendees, marked the first full collaboration with a musician in the house's 74-year existence.

In a statement, Dior said: 'This unprecedented event represents the first full collection ever created with a musician for the house.'

Travis's creative collective Cactus Jack has collaborated with a number of companies, including Nike, Dover Street Market, McDonald's, Playstation, Epic Games and Byredo, and has now added Dior to the list.

Impressive: Scott  who's full name is Jacques Bermon Webster II  was returning from a whirlwind trip to debut his Cactus Jack collab with Dior at a packed presentation for Paris Fashion Week

Boss: The show, which boasted 500 attendees, marked the first full collaboration with a musician in the house's 74-year existence

Forbes estimated his Nike collaboration rakes in $10m a year alone.

Scott told WWD: 'High-end, and even couture, has always even been in my metaverse of things I like. And I don't think there's even a difference going from McDonald's to Dior. It's just the things that I like in my natural state.'

Kylie Jenner's on-again boyfriend also discussed his partnership with Parsons School of Design in New York City for a program to help high school students interested in the field.

'I always try to figure out a moment where we can use whatever comes from this to literally try to give back to the people that really need this stuff,' he added. 'I launched this foundation with Parsons to help kids in Houston to attend that school. There's way more creatives there. If they had the opportunity to experience these programs, get out their creative ideas, have a viewing for it, it would be amazing.'
John Langley, who created the widely influential reality series Cops, has died at age 78.

The producer died Saturday from an apparent heart attack while in Baja, Mexico, as he competed at the Coast to Coast EnsenadaSan Felipe 250 off-road race.

Langley was an executive producer for Cops - one of the first reality series when it first aired in March of 1989.

Although the show remained a popular series for decades, it was pulled off the air in 2020 amid concerns about its pro-police viewpoint after former Minneapolis Police Department officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd.

Influential producer: John Langley, who created the widely influential and controversial reality series Cops, died Saturday of an apparent heart attack in Baja California at age 78; seen in 2011 receiving his Hollywood Walk of Fame star

Langley came up with the idea for Cops with Malcolm Barbour in the 1980s, but it wasn't until the aftermath of a 1988 Writers Guild strike that he was able to get it on the air.

Fox, then only a two-year-old fledgling network, picked up the series because it didn't feature any union writers due to its documentary-like style trappings.

Cops went on to become one of the longest-running shows on Fox  until it was surpassed by The Simpsons  and it earned several Emmy nominations early on.

The series uses cinema verite documentary style, with few interviews or talking heads to break up the action, as it follows police officers responding to emergency calls and criminal complaints.

Perfect timing: Langley came up with the idea for Cops with Malcolm Barbour in the 1980s, but it wasn't until the aftermath of a 1988 Writers Guild strike that he was able to get it on the air

Controversy: The series, which followed police responding to criminal complaints, was criticized for ignoring the privacy rights of the accused, presenting a pro-police viewpoint and showing an outsized number of non-white criminals

It became as well known for its more comic moments featuring clueless accused criminals, as well as more dramatic scenes, and the Bad Boys theme song by Inner Circle became so omnipresent that suspects filmed on the show would sometimes recite it.

The series ran for 32 seasons total. After being canceled at Fox in 2013, it moved over to Spike, which became Paramount Network, until it was canceled in 2020.

The series was criticized throughout its run, with many commenters arguing that it was too pro-police, or that it gave an unfair picture of people who commit crimes.

In 1999, Los Angeles Times television critic Howard Rosenberg criticized the show's camera crews for invading private homes with the police.

Bad timing: The series was eventually canceled in 2020 in the wake of protests over murder of George Floyd by convicted killer and former police officer Derek Chauvin; seen in 2011

The producer died Saturday from an apparent heart attack while in Baja, Mexico , as he competed at the Coast to Coast EnsenadaSan Felipe 250 off-road race (file image)

In the podcast Running From Cops, host Dan Taberski showed instances in which people featured on the series were coerced into signing releases allowing them to be showing on TV.

The podcast also reported that police were given the right to edit out sections of the broadcast that might have painted them in a negative light.

Cops has also been accused of airing significantly more segments of Black and Hispanic criminals than the national averages indicate, and The Marshall Project reported in 2018 that for every one minute used in the show, 100 minutes were left on the cutting room floor.

The series was eventually canceled in 2020 in the wake of protests over murder of George Floyd by convicted killer and former police officer Derek Chauvin, due to its seemingly pro-police viewpoint.

However, the show continues to be produced for international markets, and in October 2020 it resumed filming in Spokane County, Washington, so Cops may once again return to the air.

Something different: One of his rare forays into fiction was to produce director Antoine Fuqua's crime drama Brooklyn's Finest; Ethan Hawke seen in Brooklyn's Finest (2010)

Langley was born in Oklahoma City and initially joined the Army to work in intelligence early in the 1960s.

Later, he graduated from Cal State Dominguez Hills and went on to complete a graduate program at UC Irvine.

Prior to making Cops, Langley and his co-creator Barbour co-directed the 1983 documentary Cocaine Blues, which featured footage of drug raids, along with segments featuring anti-drug celebrities.

Langley warmed up before cops with the 1986 reality special American Vice: The Doping of a Nation, which featured live drug raids.

His later police-themed reality shows included TruTV's Inside American Jail and Las Vegas Jailhouse. He collaborated on both with his son Morgan.

He was also involved with Street Patrol, Road Warriors, Vegas Strip and and Undercover Stings.

One of his rare forays into fiction was to produce director Antoine Fuqua's crime drama Brooklyn's Finest.

Langley is survived by his wife Maggie and his son Morgan, who is an EP on Cops.

He also has a son Zak and daughters Sarah Langley Dews and Jennifer Blair, along with seven grandchildren.
She has an incredible bikini body.

And Emily Ratajkowski put her toned and taut figure on display as she promoted her swimwear line Inamorata on the beaches of Turks and Caicos in a series of sizzling snaps posted Sunday.

The 28-year-old fashion industry personality initially founded her brand a few years ago and is routinely seen in sizzling snaps that are shared to the company's official Instagram account.

Scenic views: Emily Ratajkowski was seen modeling a leopard-floral-printed bikini while spending time in Turks and Caicos for promotional photos that were shared to Inamorata's Instagram account on Sunday morning

Ratajkowski wore an eye-catching leopard-and-floral printed Melba bikini top that left little to the imagination of her followers during the promotional photoshoot.

She paired her top with a matching Selma wrap that clung tightly to her curvy hips and exposed much of her sculpted thighs.

The social media personality was also seen wearing a set of waist chains that commanded attention to her toned tummy.

The designer's beautiful brunette hair flowed gracefully in the cool seaside breeze, and she also sported several necklaces and a set of gold earrings while posing for the snaps.

Outfit coordination: The fashion industry personality was also seen wearing a matching wrap that clung tightly to her curvy hips

Accessorizing well: The supermodel also wore a pair of necklaces and a set of waist chains while spending time in the shining tropical sun

In a second shot, Ratajkowski was seen wearing a striped hat and carrying a pair of sunglasses while she made her way towards the waves.

She also shared a shot that had been taken during her getaway trip to Inamorata's Instagram Story, where she was seen covering her face from the shining tropical sun.

The supermodel founded her line in 2017 with the intention of crafting fashionable swimwear that she could market directly to her own fans.

Ratajkowski spoke about how she started the brand during an interview with The Daily Front Row, where she recalled realizing that many companies that she modeled for also wanted her opinion about style.

Successful entrepreneur: Ratajkowski founded Inamorata in 2017 with the intention of providing stylish swimwear directly to her fans

She expressed: 'It really came to me through doing all these licensing deals, and also targeted ads through Instagram or with campaigns and realizing, "Oh, wow, I'm being hired to collaborate with these brands for my creative direction."'

The social media personality then remarked that she was responsible for the look of all of the brand's products and that she enjoyed being hands-on with her company.

'I design everything. Everything for me is taken from inspiration. Then I literally just have a notebook where I sketch out [the looks] and work with the factories to build the samples. Then we really just go from there,' she said.

Serious business: During a sit-down with The Daily Front Row, the supermodel noted that many companies that appreciated her work as a model also took notice of her stylistic inclinations

Hands-on: Ratajkowski also pointed out that she personally designs all of Inamorata's offerings

Ratajkowski went on to note that, although she was aware that her social media presence was part of the reason for her company's success, she wanted the line to become notable for its own offerings.

'I want the brand to exist without me and sort of be its own thing. As much as I'm so grateful for all my fans who have come over to Inamorata, I definitely want it to grow into its own company separately from my own identity,' she noted.

Ratajkowski concluded by expressing that she was intrigued about the ongoing changes in the fashion industry and remarked that she was happy to adapt to its new methods of business.

'I think whats evolving is that the old go-to's in fashion are in a really different place. You can be really creative with how you market,' she said.
Bindi and Terri Irwin's 'right-hand man' Luke Reavley went on the PR offensive for the family during a live interview on Channel Seven's Sunrise on Monday.

The general manager of Australia Zoo spoke to weatherman Sam Mac as he spent the day at the popular tourist attraction on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

Sam asked Luke what the Irwins were like in real life, and unsurprisingly he had nothing but gushing praise for Bindi and Terri amid their highly publicised family feud with the late Steve Irwin's father, Bob Snr.

'Bindi is the nicest person and Terri is the best boss': Australia Zoo's general manager Luke Reavley went on the PR offensive during a live interview on Sunrise on Monday. The Irwins (left to right: Robert, Bindi and Terri) are in the midst of a highly publicised family feud with the late Steve Irwin's father, Bob Snr

After saying that Robert Irwin, 17, is a keen surfer, Luke described Bindi, 22, as the 'nicest person you'll ever meet' and matriarch Terri, 56, as the 'best boss'.

Luke has worked for Australia Zoo since the age of 15 when he was hired to take care of the koalas. He is believed to be very close to the Irwin family.

'Bindi is probably, genuinely, the nicest person you'll ever meet,' Luke said.

Charm offensive: Sunrise weatherman Sam Mac (left) asked Luke (right) what the Irwins were like in real life, and unsurprisingly he had nothing but gushing praise for Bindi, Terri and Robert

'If you sneeze around her, she'll buy you flowers,' he added with a laugh.

'And Terri is probably the best boss you could ever ask for,' he continued. 'She'll never ask you to do something she wouldn't do herself.'

The Irwin family feud was blasted wide open last week, after Bindi claimed her grandfather Bob Snr, 82, had 'ignored her' since she was a little girl and 'returned gifts' the family had sent him.

Making headlines: The Irwin family feud was blasted wide open last week, after Bindi claimed her grandfather Bob Snr (pictured) - the late Steve Irwin's father - had 'ignored her' since she was a little girl and 'returned gifts' the family had sent him

The mother of one wrote on Facebook: 'I really wish that my entire family could spend time with Grace. Unfortunately, my grandfather Bob has shown no interest in spending time with me or my family.'

She went on to claim that Bob had 'returned gifts I've sent after he opened them', and ignored any letters sent from her.

'From the time I was a little girl he has ignored me, preferring to spend time doing anything else rather than being with me,' she continued.

'He has never said a single kind word to me personally. It breaks my heart.'

The mother of one wrote on Facebook: 'I really wish that my entire family could spend time with Grace. Unfortunately, my grandfather Bob has shown no interest in spending time with me or my family'

She went on to say that her mother Terri still writes to him and sends birthday cards and Christmas gifts, but claims they have received no reply.

'We have also been his financial support since 1992 when he 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.'

Bindi, who welcomed her daughter Grace in March, concluded by saying she had to 'choose to care for her own mental health now'.

Focusing on herself: Bindi, who welcomed her daughter Grace in March, concluded by saying she had to 'choose to care for her own mental health now'. She later announced she was taking a break from social media after her Facebook comment made headlines globally

She later announced she was taking a break from social media after her Facebook comment made headlines globally.

Meanwhile, an Irwin family friend has said Bob Snr is 'deeply upset' by his granddaughter Bindi's claims he's 'ignored' her since she was a child - leading those close to him to fear the rift may have tragic consequences.

Amanda French, who co-authored Bob's 2016 autobiography The Last Crocodile Hunter, said that family members have tried to shield Bob, 82, from 'the full extent' of what Bindi, 22, has said about him.

Sad: Meanwhile, an Irwin family friend has said Bob Snr is 'deeply upset' by his granddaughter Bindi's claims he's 'ignored' her since she was a child - leading those close to him to fear the rift may have tragic consequences

But he's nonetheless devastated and feels confused as to 'where this all came from'.

Ms French told Seven's The Latest: 'Naturally Bob's quite upset about it, and to be perfectly honest we haven't told him the full extent of the comments because we're quite concerned about how he might take that.'

She also claimed Bindi's harsh Facebook comment about her grandfather was particularly unfair given how Bob has always maintained a dignified silence on the circumstances of his exit from Australia Zoo in 2008.

'Bob's always been quite neutral about the reason why he left the zoo and that's something he'll probably take to his grave,' Ms French said.
It has been a party palace for rock royalty  and the guests to have walked through its doors include Mick Jagger, David Bowie and Eric Clapton.

Now the London mansion owned by The Whos Pete Townshend is up for sale  with a 15million price tag.

The six-bedroom Grade I-listed Georgian house called The Wick was previously owned by Oscar-winning Ryans Daughter actor Sir John Mills and Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood.

It became a music mecca in the 1970s, attracting top rock talent including Clapton, Bowie, the Stones and The Who.

The six-bedroom Grade I-listed Georgian house called The Wick was previously owned by Oscar-winning Ryans Daughter actor Sir John Mills and Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood

Rehearsals took place in a studio during the day. Nights would also be spent jamming, with Wood and Jagger playing guitar while Bowie chipped in with vocals.

Townshend, 76, bought The Wick on Richmond Hill, south-west London, from George Michaels music publisher Dick Leahy  the man who signed the Bay City Rollers  in 1996.

The luxury property, built in 1775, has five bathrooms and a swimming pool  and boasts panoramic views over the Thames.

Townshend, who lives there with his composer wife Rachel Fuller, built a new conservatory and vinery. The home also has a music studio and boasts chandeliers, ornate plasterwork and artwork  and even rooms for dogs.

It was home to the Mills family in the 1950s. They sold it in 1956 and bought it back again in 1964 before it passed to Wood in 1972.

The rocker, 74, previously revealed he went way beyond his means to purchase the property as well as the neighbouring Wick Cottage, which he said had a revolving door populated with the worlds top musicians.

Townshend, 76, bought The Wick on Richmond Hill, south-west London, from George Michaels music publisher Dick Leahy  the man who signed the Bay City Rollers  in 1996

The home also has a music studio and boasts chandeliers, ornate plasterwork and artwork  and even rooms for dogs

The luxury property, built in 1775, has five bathrooms and a swimming pool  and boasts panoramic views over the Thames

The cottage was bought for 3.25million in 2016.

The anonymous buyer said: My husband is obsessed with [Stones guitar legend] Keith Richards  hell dress up as him whenever Halloween gives him the chance. He actually found Wick Cottage because it was mentioned in Keith Richards biography. It used to be owned by Ronnie Wood along with the house beside it and together it became one huge party palace.

Richards, 77, moved into the cottage for months at a time in the 1970s as did Clapton, with other top musicians using the studio.

Townshend, 76, bought The Wick on Richmond Hill, south-west London, from George Michaels music publisher Dick Leahy  the man who signed the Bay City Rollers  in 1996

It has been a party palace for rock royalty  and the guests to have walked through its doors include Mick Jagger, David Bowie and Eric Clapton. One of the bedrooms is seen above
John Mulaney seemed to be in good spirits on Sunday when he met up with a male friend for lunch.

The 38-year-old standup comedian was spotted chatting with his friend while waiting for his car outside the Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood.

The relaxed outing comes just a day after he was seen getting close with his rumored girlfriend Olivia Munn, 40, during a lunch date in Los Angeles.

Taking it easy: John Mulaney, 38, looked healthy and happy as he met up with a male friend at the Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood for lunch on Sunday, a day after his lunch date with rumored girlfriend Olivia Munn

John was dressed in a cool yet casual white polo shirt with slim gray cuffed trousers.

He wore low-key white trainers with red-and-gray striped socks and blocked out the sunshine with dark sunglasses.

The former Saturday Night Live writer showed off a bit of designer stubble and carried a dark green coat which he put on as he was leaving.

He was seen with his wallet as he waited to tip the valet on his way out of the hotel.

Looking good: John was dressed in a cool yet casual white polo shirt with slim gray cuffed trousers. He was smiling and seemed to be in a good mood as he chatted with his friend outside the hotel

Covered up: He slipped on a dark green jacket while waiting to tip the valet

On Saturday, John had a very different lunch meeting with his rumored girlfriend Olivia Munn at Rick's Drive In & Out in LA, according to People.

The two stars reportedly beamed at each other while chatting over their meals.

'They were having a great time during lunch, laughing and talking,' an insider told the publication. 'They were really enjoying each other's company.'

Both were dressed casually in graphic T-shirts as they enjoyed burgers and sodas.

Their alleged romance was reported last month, just days after it was revealed that the comedian had left his wife Anna Marie Tendler.

Catching up: John and Olivia Munn enjoyed a fun-filled date at Rick's Drive In & Out in Los Angeles on Saturday, according to People. They beamed and chatted over burgers; seen in 2019 in Detroit, Michigan

A source previously told people that the couple are in the early stages of a relationship.

'This is very new, they're taking it slowly,' the insider said. 'They met at church in Los Angeles.'

The two have reportedly been friends for a while, and Olivia previously shared her support for John back in December, shortly after he entered a 60-day treatment program for cocaine and alcohol abuse, which he followed up with outpatient services starting in February.

'Sending SO MUCH love and support to John Mulaney. You got this,' she tweeted, adding a red heart and a lightning bolt emoji.

Sending good thoughts: Olivia sent 'SO MUCH love and support' John's way after the news that he was entering rehab in December. It's unclear what their relationship was like at the time

The comedian has spoken extensively in interviews and in his standup shows about his earlier experiences with alcohol, including an Esquire interview in which he revealed he began drinking when he was only 13.

Although the soporific effects of marijuana weren't to his liking, he was later attracted to cocaine and other prescription drugs.

'I wasn't a good athlete, so maybe it was some young male thing of, "This is the physical feat I can do. Three Vicodin and a tequila and I'm still standing. Who's the athlete now?"' he joked.

Going strong: The stars' alleged romance became public just a few days after news broke that Mulaney had left his wife of six years, Anna Marie Tendler; seen in May in Inglewood, California

Olivia's interest in the comedian appears to have gone back years earlier to when she met up with him and his soon-to-be ex-wife Anna Marie Tendler at a wedding.

In January 2015, she recounted wanting to spend time with the couple while chatting with HuffPost Live.

'We were at a wedding together and I was like "Oh my gosh, do you and your fiancee want to go have dinner or something and go hang out?"' she recalled.

Her interest in John appeared to continue throughout the night.

'At first it was cool, and then I kept going up to him at the wedding like "So you having fun?"' she continued. 'I was just so obsessed with hanging out with and talking with him.'

Olivia added that she sent John an email shortly after their wedding meetup, though he apparently never replied to it.

'I mightve got the wrong email  probably,' she said with a laugh. 'Thats what I tell myself.'

Hard time: Tendler reportedly entered a treatment program for 'emotional and eating' disorders around the same time her husband went to rehab; seen together in 2018 in Santa Monica

Following reports of John and Anna Marie's split, she spoke out in a statement.

'I am heartbroken that John has decided to end our marriage. I wish him support and success as he continues his recovery,' she wrote.

She also reportedly entered a treatment program for 'emotional and eating' disorders around the same time as her husband.
She has modelled for some of the world's most prestigious fashion houses, including Chanel, Dior and Valentino.

And Victoria Silvstedt looked sensational and showcased her toned figure as she arrived at the Club 55 for lunch in Saint-Tropez on Sunday.

The 46-year-old model showed off her enviable abs in a leopard print crop top and her long legs in a white sarong.

Stunning: Victoria Silvstedt looked sensational and showcased her toned figure as she arrived at the Club 55 for lunch in Saint-Tropez on Sunday

The beauty looked sun kissed and her embroidered skirt highlighted her model pins.

She oozed confidant as she walked along the a board walk bare foot into the restaurant.

Accessorising her look, Victoria carried a woven handbag and wore large sunglasses on her face.

She completed the look with a large gold elephant necklace and an elegant watch.

Pose: The 46-year-old model showed off her enviable abs in a leopard print crop top and her long legs in a white sarong

Gorgeous: The beauty looked sun kissed and her embroidered skirt highlighted her model pins

The Swedish model is currently dating a businessman named Maurice Dabbah.

Victoria - who was previously married to Chris Wragge - has been dating Maurice since 2011 and the couple are often seen enjoying vacations on his yacht together.

She has enjoyed a lengthy stint in the spotlight after being chosen to represent her country in the Miss World pageant in 1993.

After her pageant days, the Scandinavian stunner was spotted by Hugh Hefner and went on to become a Playboy Playmate.

Beauty: She oozed confidant as she walked along the board walk bare foot into the restaurant

Style: Accessorising her look, Victoria carried a woven handbag and wore large sunglasses on her face

Since her career rocketed, Victoria has modelled for some of the world's most prestigious fashion houses, including Chanel, Dior and Valentino.

Despite the glamorous veneer to her lifestyle as a young model, she revealed there was a dark side in a recent interview with Female First.

Victoria said: 'I started very young to model in Paris when I was 18, I remember like starving myself to fit into the clothes and it was an amazing experience but you know I did shows for Valentino, Chanel, so it was really prestigious.'
Police accountability measures are among the highlights of a public safety bill Minnesotas top Democratic and Republican lawmakers agreed on - one day after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison for the death of George Floyd.

Parties said the compromise reached late Saturday settles the major issues after months of negotiations though some details had not been finalized. It has been the most contentious piece of budget negotiations among a divided Legislature that's up against a Wednesday deadline to avoid a government shutdown.

The Democratic-controlled state House included several policing provisions in its overall public safety budget bill this session in the hopes of building on a package the Legislature approved last summer in the aftermath Floyds death under Chauvin's knee.

The 223-page draft includes provisions regulating the use of no-knock warrants, a police misconduct database to create an early warning system to keep bad officers off the streets, and the creation of an office of missing and murdered indigenous relatives as well as a task force for missing and murdered Black women.

The 223-page draft includes provisions regulating the use of no-knock warrants, a police misconduct database to create an early warning system to keep bad officers off the streets, and the creation of an office of missing and murdered indigenous relatives as well as a task force for missing and murdered Black women.

"It doesnt include some of the important police reform and accountability measures pushed by the House, but it is a step forward in delivering true public safety and justice for all Minnesotans despite divided government," Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman said.

Democrats had advocated for limits on pretextual traffic stops, where police pull over a driver for a minor violation, such as expired tabs or something hanging from the rearview mirror. That push intensified after police in suburban Brooklyn Center shot and killed Daunte Wright for driving with expired tabs. That proposal is not part of the agreement.

Republicans who control the Senate resisted many of the Democrats' proposals, calling some "anti-police." The GOP negotiations at times focused those pushing to abolish the police, as well as violent protests following Floyds killing. The agreement includes $2 million for violent crime enforcement teams, a Republican-backed provision.

Senate Republican Majority Leader Paul Gazelka said hes "confident we will finish the bill and keep Minnesotans safe."
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP)  Dozens of volunteers formed the letters HIV SOS at a health event Saturday as activists seek a public health emergency declaration in a city with one of the nation's highest spikes of such cases.

Kanawha County, which includes Charleston and has 178,000 residents, had two intravenous drug-related HIV cases in 2018. The number grew to 15 in 2019 and 39 last year, according to state data. There have been 14 such cases so far in 2021.

After volunteers wearing red T-shirts formed the plea for help along the Kanawha River near downtown Charleston, Joe Solomon, co-founder of the nonprofit group Solutions Oriented Addiction Response, called on the City Council and Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin to act on the HIV crisis and overdoses from prescription pain pills.

In Charleston and Kanawha County, there's a family butchered by the overdose crisis every other day, Solomon said. "All we're asking is for (them) to take one day to declare a public health emergency. We need to treat this like the emergency that it is.

Earlier this year, Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, the CDCs chief of HIV prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, called Kanawha County's outbreak the most concerning in the United States. He warned it could take years to address the surge and that the case count possibly "represents the tip of the iceberg.

Earlier this week the CDC presented preliminary findings of an investigatio n that showed emergency departments and inpatient medical personnel in Kanawha County rarely conducted HIV testing on intravenous drug users.

Republican Gov. Jim Justice in April signed a bill to introduce more stringent requirements to needle exchange programs like those offered by Solomon's group. The move came over the objections of critics who said it would restrict access to clean needles amid the 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 view the regulations as onerous.

The American Civil Liberties Union on Friday filed a lawsuit challenging the new law.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  The Oregon Legislature adjourned Saturday afternoon, bringing to a close the 2021 session in which significant renewable energy, police reform, wildfire recovery and racial equity bills were passed.

The session was also marked by COVID-19 scares, tension between majority Democrats and Republicans and the expulsion of a lawmaker who let rowdy protesters into the Capitol.

This session has been unlike any other in Oregon history," said House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland.

On Saturday the Legislature passed House Bill 2021, which would require the state to transition 100% of its electricity generation to clean, renewable sources by 2040. Advocates say that would be the fastest such transition in the country, but opponents worry the push will lead to higher energy prices.

This session was unlike those in the past as the Capitol in Salem was closed to the public for the entire session, which began in January, because of COVID-19 restrictions. Even with precautions in place, floor sessions were cancelled multiple times because of positive coronavirus tests among people who were allowed to work in the Capitol.

The session was also notable as it saw the state House expel a Republican member who let violent, far-right protesters into the Capitol on Dec. 21. On June 11 Rep. Mike Nearman was removed by a 59-1 vote, marking the first time a member has been expelled by the House in its 160-year history. The only vote against the resolution for expulsion was Nearmans own.

Nearman, who police say let protesters inside the building, has argued the Capitol should be open.

But even Republicans, who are often opposed to Democratic initiatives on climate change and some other bills, said the crowd outside the Capitol that day was not made up of constituents who wanted to peacefully engage in the democratic process. Some were carrying guns.

In the House and Senate, where Democrats hold strong majorities, the GOP used slowing tactics  refusing to suspend the full reading of proposed bills aloud before a final vote, a maneuver that added hours to the passage of even simple bipartisan legislation  to thwart legislation they didnt like.

In response, hours worth of bills were read by computer rather than clerks.

For the past two years, Republican state senators staged walkouts to deny the chamber a quorum. During the debate over measures that ban guns from the Capitol and mandate the safe storage of guns, five Republican senators did not attend. However, six did. The GOP senators that attended have since faced death threats and recall petitions from their own party.

Guns were not the only topic that drew passionate statements from lawmakers this session  especially in a year with a deadly pandemic and racial awakening.

A package of police reform bills was passed that includes requirements that police officers assigned to crowd control during protests must be clearly identified by name or badge number; another provision requires all new police officer background checks must include a scan for membership in hate groups; and one that strengthens police misconduct reporting requirements.

Lawmakers worked to keep people housed during the pandemic.

Among the notable measures passed during the 2021 Legislature was a pause of some evictions during the pandemic for 60 days for tenants who have applied for rent assistance. Legislators also reinstated and extended the Oregon foreclosure moratorium.

In addition, lawmakers passed bills making it easier to site shelters in different neighborhoods and a bill that makes it more challenging for cities and counties ban homeless people from sitting, sleeping and camping on public property. Several Oregon cities like Portland, Salem and Eugene have seen significant issues with homelessness and outdoor encampments.

Lawmakers allocated $150 million to help find homes for people displaced in the September 2020 wildfires and $75 million to support them in the short-term.
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The government informed the High Court on Wednesday last that it was not mandatory for the children to attend classes in person and that they could continue with online classes. (PTI Photo)

Hyderabad: The state government is all set to defer commencement of physical classes in schools from July 1 owing to demands and requests made by parents and teachers. Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao gave an assurance to this effect after the Telangana PRTU (Progressive Recognised Teachers Union), a major teacher union, met him at Pragathi Bhavan on Saturday and submitted a representation seeking postponement of physical classes by a few weeks. Education minister P. Sabitha Indra Reddy was present when PRTU leaders including MLC K.

Janardhan Reddy, K. Raghotham Reddy, PRTU-TS state president P. Sripal Reddy and general secretary B. Kamalakar Rao submitted the representation to the Chief Minister. They cited the prevailing Covid-19 situation and sought continuation of online teaching for a few more weeks.

The Chief Minister responded positively to our request and agreed to postpone physical classes from July 1. He assured that the government would issue guidelines in a day or two giving clarity on physical classes and online classes," said Sripal Reddy.

The union leaders expressed concern over the safety of teachers and students if physical classes commenced from July 1 as students were not vaccinated and a majority of teachers are yet to receive the vaccine.

While lifting the lockdown completely in Telangana from June 20, the state government had last week announced reopening of all educational institutions and commencement of physical classes from July 1 without listing out the modalities over how this would be launched - whether in a phased manner or for all students at one go.

This created a furore among students, parents and teachers who were worried about their safety in the absence of vaccination. Some petitions were filed in the High Court challenging the government's decision.

The government informed the High Court on Wednesday last that it was not mandatory for the children to attend classes in person and that they could continue with online classes. Parents interested in sending their children to schools should submit their consent letter.
Police are mounting pressure on the Maoists to surrender through their family members after some Maoist leaders succumbed to coronavirus. (DC file photo)

ADILABAD: Adilabad police have intensified combing operations across forests against suspected Maoist movements and the possibility that some extremists could have entered old Adilabad district for Covid treatment after taking shelter in the forests by taking advantage of the greenery.

Police have conducted combing operations in Dhanthanpalli, Dongachintha and Chapral forest areas in Utnoor area while forest areas in the Boath mandal that shares border with Maharashtra and also in the Kadam forest area in old Adilabad district. Police officials from Utnoor and Indravelli also participated in the combing operations in their region.

Reportedly, local police recently alerted a senior politician to leave the place as early as possible when he went to attend a family funeral in an interior village in Boath mandal.

Police officials are trying to ascertain the information about such movements through informants and to confirm whether Maoists had actually entered the district or whether some local militants are carrying out Maoists activities.

The general perception is that Maoists take advantage of the monsoon that ushers in greenery and there is abundant water availability in the forest areas to carry out their activities underground.

On the other hand, police are mounting pressure on the Maoists to surrender through their family members after some Maoist leaders succumbed to coronavirus.

Meanwhile, security to MLAs has been enhanced and they are being asked not to venture into forests and interior villages without informing the local police.
As many as 15,558 claims on 53,566 acres of forest land under Podu by tribals were pending with the state government. (DC file photo)

HYDERABAD: The fate of Podu or shifting cultivation in land belonging to the forest department continues to be on the boil in Telangana, particularly with repeated promises by the state government that it would solve the issue, once and for all.

At last count, in the middle of 2020, as many as 15,558 claims on 53,566 acres of forest land under Podu by tribals were pending with the state government.

That apart, another 3.27 lakh acres of forest land are under illegal occupation, thanks to those who filed 91,942 claims for Podu rights never being informed that their applications were rejected. This takes nearly four lakh acres, the forest land that is currently under illegal occupation in the state.

Technically, forest land occupied by people can no longer be transferred to private individuals following the implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Dwellers (Record of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. But communities that have occupied forest land in anticipation of becoming owners of the land are being slowly legitimized by local administrations that are providing roads, power and water supplies, making it impossible to remove such illegal occupations.

Meanwhile, repeated promises by several ruling TRS leaders that Podu land rights issues will be solved, and demands from leaders from other parties that those lands be given to the tribals, has reportedly resulted in further encroachments on forest land in several districts. The start of the monsoon has led to a fresh bout of encroachments in several districts, it is learnt.

Field-level officials of the forest department say they are under enormous pressure from local politicians, including MLAs and ministers, not to evict such illegal occupants.

It also learnt that the one foolproof method of protecting forest land, digging of trenches by the forest department along forest land boundaries, has come to a halt following off-the-record oral instructions to stop the activity. The trenches are primarily designed to prevent tractors, bullock carts or cattle from crossing the forest boundaries.

Reportedly a lot of frustration prevails among officials, and field-level staff tasked with protecting the forests. Several admit in private that they are being asked to turn a blind eye to forest encroachments and instead focus on planting saplings under Haritha Haram.

This tree plantation drive by the state government while adding to the number of trees in the state, does precious little for forest cover as general tree cover is distinctly different from forest cover, the latter capable of sustaining entire ecosystems including wild animals.

Officials say that while Haritha Haram is good, the sad part was that they are tasked to protect one or one-and-year-old saplings that are mostly planted outside of forest areas, while having to watch silently when trees that are 20 years or older are cut with impunity by timber smugglers in forests.
HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao has called upon public representatives and official machinery to treat rural and urban development as a continuous process and discharge their duties keeping in view that the needs of people should be top on agenda. He held a review meeting with ministers, collectors and additional collectors of all districts at Pragathi Bhavan on Palle and Pattana Pragathi programmes on Saturday.

He directed them to participate actively in the 10-day Palle and Pattana Pragathi programmes beginning July 1, create more awareness among the people and meet the targets. The Chief Minister made it clear that after the 10-day programme, no work in village or urban areas should be left unattended and unsolved. He said there should be a review on why the panchayat department had not been able to complete the works despite the fact that the government was extending all support and cooperation required.

The Chief Minister declared that for the development of villages and urban areas, the government would keep Rs 2 crore funds with the ministers and Rs 1 crore with all district collectors. He suggested that MLAs and MLCs should spend their constituency development fund (CDF) after taking an approval from the district minister. He said collectors played a key role in the development of villages and urban areas and they should select an efficient working team and make them partners in the developmental programmes.

He said as per the Panchayat Raj and Municipal Acts, lands earmarked for public utilities in the layouts should be registered in the name of gram panchayats and municipalities. He wanted the officials to prepare a comprehensive report on the podu lands and to identify the boundaries of the 66 lakh acres of the forestlands in the state.

The Chief Minister instructed that a cleaning profile should be prepared as part of the Pattana Pragathi programme. He wanted the officials to prepare a list of retired employees and ex-servicemen and utilise their services. By the end of July, the dues to the departments should be settled through a book adjustment method. The Chief Minister instructed the officials that henceforth all the bills should be paid immediately.

Since new integrated collectors complexes were made functional, measures should be taken to protect all government buildings and assets in the district and they should be utilised for the public utilities, he said. He wanted vegetables and meat markets to be set up for every one lakh population in the urban areas and they should be housed in 2 to 3 acres of land with ample parking facilities.

During the Pattana Pragathi programmes, the officials should plan according to map your town model and rectify the mistakes in urban areas. He also wanted allocation of a state chamber in every district collectors office for the Chief Minister, Ministers and state level officers to review during their visits. The Chief Minister also wanted construction of a joint helipad in every collectors office.

He directed the officials to keep inventories of all government lands ready by July end all over the state. He wanted the appointment of district estate officers to record the government lands, protection and monitoring of them and he should work under the district collector. He also instructed them to appoint a state estate officer who would report to the Chief Secretary.
Revanth Reddy met senior party leader K. Jana Reddy after being appointed as the new TPCC chief on Saturday. (Photo: DC)

Hyderabad: The Congress hopes that the strong image of the new state party president Anumula Revanth Reddy as a staunch anti TRS and anti Chandrashekar Rao will help to polarise votes in favour of the party in Telangana.

The high command reportedly felt that only Revanth could match the popularity, aggressiveness, mass following, especially among youth and oratory skills, of TRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. These factors could take on the ruling party effectively in the 2023 Assembly polls and bring the party back to power in the state.

Revanth Reddy was a frontrunner for the TPCC chief post ever since the high command began the process of selection two years ago but the appointment was held up apparently due to the tough resistance from seniors in the party, namely Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, K. Jana Reddy, T. Jayaprakash Jagga Reddy, V. Hanumantha Rao, D. Sridhar Babu, Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and others.

However, when Manickham Tagore, AICC Telangana affairs in-charge, polled party leaders last year from the district level upwards, Revanth Reddy emerged as the favourite.

The Malkajgiri MP will have a tough task to repair the Congress and lift the party up. Despite fulfilling the six-decade-long dream of statehood for Telangana in 2014, the party lost to the TRS. Since then, it has suffered a series of humiliating defeats at the hands of TRS until the recent Nagarjunasagar bypoll in April.

Worse, after the 2018 Assembly elections, a majority of Congress MLAs and MLCs joined the TRS, costing the party the main Opposition status in the Legislature. The Congress high command felt this was because of lack of a strong leader to match Chandrashekar Rao.

Revanth Reddy has been waging a battle against the TRS since it came to power in 2014. He was the Telugu Desam MLA from Kodangal, and filed several cases against the TRS government's decisions in courts and exposed several scams.

Recently, he launched a major campaign regarding a farmhouse allegedly owned by minister K.T. Rama Rao in Jhanwada on city outskirts built in violation of GO 111 which was issued to protect Osmansagar and Himayathsagar in Hyderabad.

Revanth Reddy used drone cameras to expose this. following which he was jailed. His case in the High Court is still pending.

Interestingly, Revanth Reddy was in the ABVP in his student days, but started his political career from the TRS as a Zilla Parishad Territorial Committee member in 2006. He quit the TRS and won the Legislative Council election as an Independent in 2008. He subsequently joined the TDP and won the 2009 and 2014 elections before becoming MP on a Congress ticket.

In May 2015, when still in the Telugu Desam, Revanth Reddy was caught by the ACB in a highly publicised incident when he allegedly offered a `50-lakh bribe to Elvis Stephenson, nominated MLA, to vote for the TDP candidate in the MLC polls. Revanth Reddy was jailed for a few weeks. The case is still pending.

A political career, full of twists and turns

New TPCC chief A. Revanth Reddys career has different political colours  saffron, pink and yellow  before he donned the three-coloured Congress kanduva.

Revanth Reddy was in the ABVP as a student, but started his political career from the TRS as a Zilla Parishad Territorial Committee member in 2006. He quit the party and won the Legislative Council election as an Independent in 2008.

Revanth Reddy subsequently joined the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and won the 2009 and 2014 elections. He worked as working president of Telangana TDP from 2014 to 2017.

In May 2015, Revanth Reddy was caught by the ACB in a highly publicised incident when he allegedly offered a `50-lakh bribe to Elvis Stephenson, nominated MLA, to vote for the TD candidate in the MLC polls. Revanth Reddy was jailed for a few weeks.

The case is still pending.

All TDP MLAs at that time, except Revanth Reddy and two others, joined the TRS. He quit the party in 2017 ahead of Assembly polls and joined the Congress in October 2017. He was appointed working president in 2018. However, he lost his traditional seat in that election, with Chandrashekar Rao successfully planning out a strategy.

After joining the Congress, Revanth Reddy got elected as Lok Sabha member from Malkajgiri within six months, in May 2019. He has continued to protest against anti-people polices and alleged scams of the TRS government even in Parliament.

He recently completed a padayatra and once hit the headlines by breaking out of house arrest and turning up at Pragathi Bhavan, residence of the Chief Minister.

Revanth Reddy was born on November 8, 1969, at Kondareddypally of Mahbubnagar district. He is a graduate in Arts from AV College, Hyderabad. He was interested in politics since his school days.
A group of doctors, including cardiologists, in Singapore have urged the nation's expert committee on Covid-19 vaccination to halt the vaccine exercise for some 200,000 school boys, following the death of a 13-year-old student in the US after he was jabbed, a media report said on Sunday.

In an open letter, which was posted on Facebook on Saturday by a cardiologist Dr Kho Kwang Po and addressed to chairman of the expert committee Professor Benjamin Ong, the doctors said that vaccination exercise needs to be delayed briefly until the CDC and other organisations worldwide have produced more robust and convincing data on the case, The Straits Times reported.

The US media on Thursday reported that a boy from Saginaw county in Michigan died three days after getting his second dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, supposedly from heart failure.

It is unclear which vaccine he had received.

The Saginaw County Health Department said the US Centres For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was investigating if there was a link between the vaccination and the boy's death.

"This is very important as our mRNA (vaccination) programme for boys is massive... one of the most aggressive programmes in the world," Dr Kho wrote in his Facebook post.

Read | Singapore reduces stay-home notice for travellers from India, other countries

In the letter, the doctors have urged for a short delay in Singapore's vaccination exercise until the CDC and other organisations worldwide have produced more robust and convincing data on the case, he said.

The letter by the doctors group comes amid parental concerns and worries about mRNA vaccines, which include the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, after data on myocarditis among healthy young males was published here, he noted.

As on June 11, four of the six cases of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the lining outside the heart) among people vaccinated here involved men between 18 and 30 years old, the report said.

All four had reported symptoms of heart inflammation within a few days of receiving their second dose of the vaccines, and have since recovered.

In the letter, the doctors have asked if the committee could take a more sensible and prudent posture and conduct a proper medical investigation in the matter.

"Could we take a more sensible and prudent posture? Can we give the CDC (and other organisations) more time to investigate and provide us with high-quality data on the possibly fatal effects of mRNA vaccines in youths?," the letter said.

Also Read | Singapore's death toll from Covid tops casualties in SARS outbreak

The letter was co-signed by Dr Kho, Dr Wong Wui Min, a cardiologist and heart specialist at WM Wong Cardiac and Medical Clinic in Gleneagles Hospital, Dr AM Chia, Dr LW Ping, and Dr IW Yang, "on behalf of many concerned paediatricians, primary care physicians, specialists, surgeons and GPs (General Practioners)".

The Ministry of Health, when asked if it would consider the suggestions in the letter, declined to respond, the report said.

Covid-19 vaccination in Singapore is currently voluntary, though the Government has strongly urged people to get vaccinated if they are eligible.

The expert committee previously said that while further studies and investigations are ongoing, the currently available data suggests that there may be a very small risk of myocarditis and pericarditis after the second dose of an mRNA vaccine.

Most cases are mild, and the patients recover without the need for significant intervention and do not suffer any long-term effects, it noted.

Severe cases may result in damage to the heart muscles, although that is very rare, it added.

The assessment was that the benefits of mRNA vaccines - reduction in Covid-19 infections and less severe complications even if infected - continue to outweigh the risks.

The US Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System has confirmed 393 reports of myocarditis or pericarditis, with more than 318 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines administered in the US till last Monday.

Most of the cases were in male adolescents and young adults.

While some have required hospitalisation, the majority have recovered from the symptoms, the CDC was cited as saying.

Meanwhile, another online petition calling for the suspension of vaccinations in Singapore for those under 30, particularly children between the ages of 12 and 15, has also surfaced.

The petition, supposedly started by a number of concerned parents, had received more than 1,200 signatures as at Sunday afternoon.

Addressed to Health Minister Ong Ye Kung and the multi-ministry task force tackling Covid-19, the petition also references the death of the 13-year-old in the US, and asks for the vaccinations to be temporarily suspended until more data from the US is made available.

It notes that most of the young people have already received the first dose - which is able to give around 75 per cent protection against Covid-19.

Till Thursday, some 83 per cent of students aged 12 and above had received one jab or registered their interest in getting vaccinated.

The figure was 39 per cent for those aged 12 to 39, the report said.

"Wouldn't that be enough protection while we await the results of the investigation before we proceed with the second dose?" the petition asks.

Singapore till Thursday reported 62,544 cases of coronavirus with the total deaths standing at 36.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first foreign leaders to congratulate Irans ultraconservative Chief Justice, Ebrahim Raisi, after he was elected to be his countrys next President. I look forward to working with him to further strengthen the warm ties between India and Iran, Modi posted on Twitter on June 20, shortly after Raisi won the presidential elections, which left the moderates in the West Asian nation sidelined and brought the hardliners back to power.

New Delhi is expected to seek early engagement with Raisis Government in Tehran after he takes over from Hassan Rouhani, who will step down on August 2 after completing two consecutive terms in the office of the President. With Pakistan keen to get a strategic depth in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of the US troops from the conflict-ravaged country and its iron brother China trying to expand its footprints in the region, India will obviously want to move fast to ease strains in its ties with Iran.

But what is likely to determine the pace and course of the Modi Governments engagement with the new regime in Tehran is the outcome of the negotiation in Vienna between Iran and the United States for the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal.

Notwithstanding the civilisational links between the two nations, the relations between New Delhi and Tehran faced challenges over the past one-and-a-half decades, primarily due to growing ties between India and the United States, particularly after the landmark 2008 nuclear deal, and the acrimony between Iran and the United States. The sanctions imposed by the US on Iran forced New Delhi to curtail trade and economic links with the Persian Gulf nation, which was always considered to be a part of the extended neighbourhood of India.

Read | What to expect from Ebrahim Raisi's presidency

New Delhi's economic relations with Tehran regained momentum after President Barack Obamas administration in Washington D.C. eased sanctions on Iran following the July 14, 2015 agreement between Tehran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council  United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia and China  as well as Germany and the European Union.

Obamas successor Donald Trump in May 2018 withdrew the US from the July 2015 deal. The US reimposed sanctions on Iran six months later. India had to buckle under US pressure and stop buying crude oil from Iran by June 2019. New Delhi managed to secure a waiver from the Trump Administration to continue its engagement with Tehran for development of the Chabahar Port. But Iran in July 2020 started laying tracks to build the proposed 750-kilometre railway line from Chabahar Port on its southeastern coast to Zahedan, the capital of its Sistan Baluchistan province closer to its border with Afghanistan and Pakistan. India was keen to build the railway line, as it was already involved in developing the Chabahar Port to get sea-land access to Afghanistan and Central Asia through Iran, bypassing Pakistan. But the US sanctions on Iran hindered progress on the project. So was the case with development of Farzad-B gas field, which too was put on the back-burner due to US sanctions. As a result, Tehran in January 2020 notified New Delhi about its decision to award the contract to an entity based in Iran.

The US is now again holding talks with Iran. Raisi, like other conservative candidates in the presidential polls, criticised Rouhanis government during campaigning for signing the 2015 deal with the US and others. But, after winning the elections, he clearly stated that his government too would adhere to the agreement. He did not directly support Iran-US talks for revival of the deal, but signalled that the negotiation would continue. The prospects of President Joe Bidens administration recommitting to the deal with Tehran already prompted New Delhi to signal that it would also restart importing crude oil from Iran and return to investing in infrastructure and hydrocarbon projects as and when the US would lift or ease sanctions on the Persian Gulf nation.

Also Read | Still 'serious differences' in Iran nuclear talks: US official

New Delhi is also keen to move fast to arrest the slide in its ties with Tehran, as it is worried over the proposed deal Iran is planning to sign with China securing a whopping $ 400 billion investment pledge by communist country in its infrastructure and energy sectors over the next 25 years. What also sent alarm bells ringing in New Delhi is Irans purported move to invite China and Pakistan to take part in the development of its Chabahar Port. Beijing and Tehran are learnt to have discussed a proposal to link the Chabahar Port with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor  a flagship component of President Xi Jinpings ambitious Belt and Road Initiative and a project opposed by India.

Xi too congratulated Raisi, underlining that China and Iran were comprehensive strategic partners and attached great importance to development of the relations between the two nations.

Tehrans envoy to New Delhi Ali Chegeni recently argued for a reset in Iran-India ties, beginning with a trade agreement and a strategic energy partnership, including oil and gas pipelines either through sea or land. He suggested during a webinar that since the 2015 nuclear deal might be revived, India could work on its long-pending proposal of investing $20 billion in the free trade zone at Chabahar in Iran. He said that Iran would also welcome investments from Iran to set up petrochemical and fertiliser plants. But the time is too short and opportunities will not remain forever, Chegeni said, nudging New Delhi to move fast.

Tehran in the past generally avoided taking Islamabad's side whenever tension between India and Pakistan escalated, except for some occasional remarks on the situation in Kashmir. After the Modi Government on August 5, 2019 moved to strip Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) of its special status and reorganised the state into two Union Territories, Iran expressed concerns over condition of people in the valley and urged India to adopt a fair policy towards the people of the region. Rouhanis Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, however, in March 2020 termed the clashes in North-East Delhi as organised violence against Muslims. His comment triggered strong protests from the Modi Government. But New Delhi still does not expect that Iran would ever start routinely echoing Pakistan to slam India  even after the moderate-to-conservative shift of power in Tehran.
The "terror attack" using explosives-laden drones, a first-of-a-kind incident, at the IAF station at Jammu airport comes three days after the first engagement of the top Kashmiri leaders with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

It also comes at a time when the ceasefire on the border with India and Pakistan has been enforced without any incident for the past few months following back-channel talks.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is also on a visit to Ladakh while the Ministry of Home Affairs will be holding discussions with leaders from Kargil, which is part of the Union Territory of Ladakh, close on the lines of one Modi had with Kashmiri leaders.

There is no official word linking Modi's meeting with 14 Kashmiri leaders or Singh's visit to Ladakh to the drone attack.

While it was not immediately clear from where the drones had taken off, officials said they are investigating all angles, as the International Border with Pakistan is 14 km away.

Also read: Jammu explosions: Probe on, Rajnath speaks to IAF Vice Chief

The incident has also prompted the security establishment to step up security measures at airports as well as military and vital installations across the country.

Jammu and Kashmir police chief Dilbag Singh has made it clear that the crashing of the two explosive-laden drones at 1:37 AM and 1:43 AM into the IAF station on Sunday morning is a "terror attack".

A team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) has reached the site while Intelligence Bureau and other security and intelligence agencies are roped in to collect further information.

Officials said this is the first time that drones have been used to target a facility though there have been fears about such attacks for a long time. They said India has been taking steps to strengthen its capability to thwart any such attacks.

Though this type of attack is happening for the first time, recent times have witnessed the dropping of weapons in Kashmir and Punjab by Pakistan-backed terror outfits.

In August 2019, police had recovered a drone from Mohawa village in Amritsar which was used for dropping weapons on this side of the border from Pakistan. The very next month saw eight drone sorties delivering arms, officials had said citing the questioning of suspected terrorists arrested in Punjab's Tarn Taran.

The BSF had also shot down a spy drone in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua in June last year while three months later, Jammu and Kashmir police arrested three suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists who received weapons through drones.

In September last year, Jammu and Kashmir police also recovered weapons delivered using drones in Akhnoor sector.
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Highlights of this day in history: U.S. air and naval forces ordered into the Korean War; John Dean testifies about the Nixon White House's 'enemies list'; Stonewall riots spark the modern gay rights movement; Actor Jack Lemmon dies. (June 27)
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Jasmin Bhasin and Aly Goni enjoy karaoke night in Goa; Latter sings his heart out

Earlier this month, Bigg Boss 14 star Aly Goni returned to his Mumbai home from Jammu after spending lots of quality time with his family. He was welcomed at the airport by his girlfriend and BB14 housemate Jasmin Bhasin. They finally reunited and won our hearts yet again with their adorable social media posts. Well, yesterday the couple was spotted together at the airport once again. This time, they jetted off to Goa to celebrate Jasmins 31st birthday. They looked stylish as ever in matching black outfits.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani)

Fans have eagerly been waiting for Jasmin and Aly to share glimpses from their exotic holiday on social media. Well, much to our delight, a friend of the couple uploaded two fun videos from their first night in Goa. They enjoyed a karaoke night, where Aly sang his heart out while Jasmin danced to his tunes. The first clip features Aly crooning Jagjit Singhs gazal Tum Ko Dekha Toh Ye Khayal Aaya, whereas in the second one the actor can be seen dancing as he sings Kya Hua Tera Wada. Take a look:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sheikh Jhanzeb (@sheikhjhanzeb)

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sheikh Jhanzeb (@sheikhjhanzeb)

Jasmin and Aly became really good friends after they participated in the 9th season of Rohit Shettys stunt reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi. A year later, the two realized their feelings for each other when they were in Salman Khans reality show Bigg Boss 14 together. The couple has been inseparable ever since.
Priyanka Chopra finally pays her luxurious restaurant Sona a visit in NYC, gorges on gol gappas with her friends

Priyanka Chopra is back in the U.S.A. after spending months in London to keep up with her work commitments. The actress finally managed to stop by her luxurious new Indian restaurant Sona in New York City since the place opened up in March and posted some fun pictures from her visit.

The restaurant was conceived by the actress and her business partners Maneesh Goyal and David Rabin in 2019 and she proudly announced the venture a few months ago while she was still away in London. Finally getting to see the labour of their love post-opening Priyanka and her friends enjoyed some gol gappa at the place.

Priyanka also met the staff and posed with her friends. She posted pictures from the entrance, kitchen, her private dining room Mimis and even posted a picture enjoying some gol gappa in NYC. Summing up her experience she wrote, I cannot believe Im finally at @sonanewyork and seeing our labour of love after 3 years of planning. My heart is so full to go into the kitchen and meet the team that makes @sonanewyork such a wholesome experience. From my namesake private dining room, Mimis, to the gorgeous interiors, the stunning art by Indian artists (for sale) and the yummy food and drinks, the Sona experience is so unique and a part of my heart in the heart of New York City.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Priyanka Chopra Jonas (@priyankachopra)

Earlier Priyanka had shared photos from the place from September 2019 when a pooja was organized before the work on Sona started, marking the launch of the venture.
Rashmika Mandanna asks netizens to show love through social media after fan travelled 900 kms to meet her

Recently, a star struck fan of actor Rashmika Mandanna travelled all the way from Telangana to Kodagu in Karnataka, a distance of over 900 kms, to meet her but had to return after police convinced him to do so.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rashmika Mandanna (@rashmika_mandanna)

When Rashmika got to know about the news, she felt sorry for her fan, and expressed the hope to meet him one day. Taking to her social media, Rashmika shared, "Guys it just came to my notice that one of you had travelled super far and have gone home to see me.. Please dont do something like that.. i feel bad that I didnt get to meet you. I really really hope to meet you one day, but for now show me love here.. Ill be happy!

Guys it just came to my notice that one of you had travelled super far and have gone home to see me..

Please dont do something like that.. i feel bad that I didnt get to meet you I really really hope to meet you one day but for now show me love here.. Ill be happy!   Rashmika Mandanna (@iamRashmika) June 27, 2021

Rashmika's tweet won netizens' heart once again, as her comments section was showered with love from her fans. The actress enjoys a massive fan following on social media and otherwise, from North India as well as South India.

On the work front, Rashmika is all set to foray into Hindi Cinema with Mission Majnu alongside Sidharth Malhotra. She also has bagged her 2nd Bollywood Film, titled Goodbye, co-starring Amitabh Bachchan. Meanwhile, she also has Pan-India film Pushpa alongside Allu Arjun in the pipeline.
Richa Chadha feels one doesn't need to be an activist to call out wrong: 'I think it comes from wanting to be a decent human being'

Actor Richa Chadha says her determination to be a "decent human being" motivates her to take a stand on sociopolitical issues.

Chadha, admired for her power-packed performances in movies such as "Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!", "Gangs of Wasseypur" series, "Masaan" and "Fukrey" films, is known for taking unflinching stands on key issues that has often made her a target of trolls on social media.

The 34-year-old actor, however, has no plans to mellow down as she said that she will continue to speak her mind.

"I think everybody wants to speak their mind and they used to. They used to be able to speak their mind and be honest and comment on fuel price rise or something or the other. And I think it comes from wanting to be a decent human being," Chadha told PTI in an interview.

Staying silent, especially in the face of something wrong, is not a "good idea", the actor said.

"You don't have to be an activist or somebody who's very outspoken. But if something wrong is being done to another person, you're just staying silent because you're afraid of something, then that's not a good idea."

Chadha recently launched a social media initiative, The Kindry, with an aim to amplify the everyday positive stories from the society amid the pandemic.

The actor has started a dedicated Instagram page with her friend and entrepreneur Krishan Jagota, where they will highlight people and their acts of positivity.

Chadha said she started the page in response to all the horrific stories that she heard and read about during the devastating second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in India in April and May this year.

"Day in and day out I was reading news about some or the other tragic thing happening around us. I felt that it would start affecting our collective psyche as Indians.

"Sometimes, we get lost in the overall cacophony of everything. So, we wanted to highlight those people who are doing good deeds, make them famous, talk about real life and that's how this initiative started," she added.

One of the reasons behind the campaign was to spread "kindness", something that she believes was diminishing from society, especially due to the polarised social media world.

That is why, Chadha said, there is no Twitter handle for The Kindry.

"When I go on Twitter, I feel like that it only encourages people to be provocative. It is a medium where people are encouraged to be provocative, make jokes at others expense...

"I'm not going to lie because even I have been guilty of that. If a troll has said something stupid to me, sometimes to make an example out of that, I have also responded. So it also depends on the medium you're using and that's why we don't have a Twitter handle for The Kindry. We exist only on Instagram."

The actor, however, made it clear that she doesn't want to present a utopian idea of the world to the people and just wants to divert their mind from negativity.

"Kindness needs to be shared and it has the same effect actually. When you read about something nice that someone else is doing, you feel the same effect like those cat and dog videos. You feel slightly better and you feel like, 'No. The world is not ending.'

"We are not saying that bad things are not happening in society. We are not promoting a fantasy world where people are just pretending that everything is ok," the actor added.

Chadha further said that The Kindry will celebrate people, irrespective of their political beliefs.

She added that the initiative will look at "anybody who's doing good work and not just people who agree with me".

"I don't know the political opinion of these people who are helping each other out. People can keep talking about India, India and the idea of India. But we have to understand that India is essentially made up of Indians.

"Now you can disagree with them, but they are still people who are born in the same country, who eat the same foods. Yes, there are differences of opinions but that doesn't mean that if I disagree with somebody and they're doing good work in society, that I will not talk about it," Chadha added.

On the work front, the actor will next be seen in Voot series "Candy" and third season of her Amazon Prime Video show "Inside Edge". She will also soon start working on the third "Fukrey" movie.
Khatron Ke Khiladi 11: Divyanka Tripathi calls Rohit Shetty the soul of the show; Reveals she made many friends

One of televisions favorite bahus, Divyanka Tripathi returned home from Cape Town, South Africa last week after participating in the 11th season of stunt reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi. The actress left her competitors in awe with her passion and grit as she performed stunts and emerged as one of the top 5 khiladis this year. Even in her introductory promo, she was seen confidently serenading a crocodile as it sat on her lap, while the other contestants watched in surprise.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by ColorsTV (@colorstv)

In a recent chat with Pinkvilla, the actress opened up about the show and host Rohit Shetty. She was quoted saying, I think Rohit Shetty Sir, he is the soul of Fear Factor. The way he motivates you, gives you small tricks and tips to perform the stunts that makes a whole lot of difference. You know his sheer presence gives you a lot of faith in yourself as well. Thankfully, he is such a nice, balanced person, he knows the craft so well. So having him around was a blessing, and I am really glad that I got to know him through the show.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Divyanka Tripathi Dahiya (@divyankatripathidahiya)

Divyanka also made friends through KKK11 and she feels the bonds will stay with her forever. She shared that all the contestants wanted each other to do well and motivated one another. In fact, they felt that each time someone overcame a fear, it was a tiny victory. Well, we cant wait to see all this when the show premieres on television next month!
Google is one of the biggest tech companies out there, the search giant has a big market shares in many industries due its large collection of products. The company strives to do better and better with each passing day and is surely one of the biggest reason for the advancement of technology and internet today. Lately Google has been coming up with many updates on its products to make them better and more efficient, one such update is being tested on the Google search engine.The Google search is the biggest and the most accurate platform, users all over the world prefer Google because of its vastness, the search results on Google however mostly accurate can sometimes be misleading or difficult specially while searching a product. Have you ever been in a situation in which you wanted to buy a product but did not find it, since you couldnt find an online store that offered it, well soon you will not face this problem since Google has come up with a solution that will surely solve this.Google has started testing search refinements that will include brand filters, which means that with any product you search Google will offer you a filter of multiple brands that offer that particular product making it easy for the user to select anyone of them. As per Ryan Mews , the results after a product is searched will be pretty interesting since if the product is available on a particular store the store name will be mentioned in the filter with a blue icon, after the user selects a particular brand or store by clicking on the filters available Google will only show them the products of that brand. What Google actually does after a user click on the brand name is adding the brand name at the end of the search result thus showing results related to that brand.Apart from that to make the search results of the products they search more efficient, users can add the brand name they want to buy from at the end of any product they search, this will surely make finding and buying products easy. Once this new feature comes out finding products that are not widely available will be pretty easy for users.This new step taken by the tech giant will surely revolutionize the ecommerce world, the businesses that will benefit the most from this new feature are the ones that offer specialized products, as their products are sometimes hidden under the vast sea of search results thus making them lose sales. This new feature will be another one of the tech giants contribution to the world of internet. Once this new brand name filter is released, Google will surely see a rise in the number of users that use it for searching products.Read next: Google will inform users when search results are unreliable, aiming to increase awareness
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ADA [ndash] Anna Marie Brown, 68, of Ada, Oklahoma passed away Tuesday, June 22, 2021, in Ada. Arrangements are pending at this time with Estes-Phillips Funeral Home. For up-to-date service information, please follow us on Facebook at Estes Phillips Funeral Home.
The Louth Meath Branch of Down Syndrome Ireland is running its first virtual summer event Pound the Pavements to help raise much needed funds to support its local services.

The event, in association with LMFM, is in full swing with friends, family and the local Dundalk community coming together to walk or run 21 km over three weeks from June 10 th to 30th.

The Louth Meath Branch of Down Syndrome Ireland said it's not too late to get involved and anyone interested in supporting the local branch can register for the event.

"Dress up in purple and green and help us create a sea of walkers and runners across every town, village and road in Louth and Meath to Pound the Pavements over 21 km for the local Louth Meath Branch", a spokeswoman said.

"All you need is comfortable footwear.

"Grab your friends, the dog, the sunglasses, and in recent days, the sun cream."

The Pound the Pavements fundraiser is 21km over three weeks as typically, a baby is born with 46 chromosomes grouped together in pairs.

Most babies with Down Syndrome have an extra copy of chromosome 21, for example three instead of the typical two, hence the 21km over 3 weeks!

The local DSI Branch is run primarily on a voluntary basis by an army of parents of children and adults with Down Syndrome to provide a wide range of information, support and services to our community across Louth and Meath.

"We believe in supporting families to ensure the best quality of life is possible for all our members.

"We work together, united in our aim to achieve dignity, respect, acceptance and equality in the community for people with Down Syndrome.

"The Branch offers a range of educational programmes, social clubs and funding schemes to support our local members which cost in excess of 150,000 each year to maintain and support.

"Most of this funding is raised by the local parents of children with Down syndrome and 100% of the funds raised locally are used locally to support our members and their families."

People can register for the Pound the Pavements fundraising event on https://www.myrunresults.com/events/pound_the _pavements_for_down_ syndrome_louth___meath_ branch/4095/details and donations can be made here: https://dsilmb.ie/donate/

And remember to keep the Louth Meath Branch of Down Syndrome Ireland updated on your progress!!

#poundthepavements21
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A three-year renovation of the Mesa Arizona Temple will be completed this summer with an open house slated for Oct. 16-mid December before it is rededicated Dec. 12.
THE unveiling of the 126-year-old anchor from the Swedish ship Saga at Ballybrannigan Beach by the County Council could, if developed, provide a chain of maritime memories around the Cork coastline which would be a unique and unusual attraction.

I highlighted the story of the Saga earlier this year when comparing it to the Alta which grounded  and still remains  near Ballycotton.

Both had some mystery attached to them as to where they came from and how, without anyone aboard, they both wound up as shipwrecks along the same shoreline.

Shipwrecks are always a source of interest, even when their stories can be of disaster and tragedy.

There are about a hundred shipwrecks listed around the Ballycotton area, while the wrecks list for Cork Harbour and along the West Cork coastline runs into the hundreds.

The reasons for these losses are many and varied, as are the vessels themselves and include loss of life and wartime casualties.

There were even wrecks close to Cork city centre.

The Inisfail didnt have a particularly good time in voyaging to Cork.

Described in reports from the time, as a 202-ton paddle steamer built in 1826, which also had two masts, she was square-rigged with sail to add to engine power, was 129 feet long, had a beam of 25 feet and a draught of 15, the depth of water she needed.

She was docked at Penrose Quay on September 21, 1834, when, according to reports, her cargo of silk goods went on fire, causing 5,000 worth of damage. She was repaired and came back again, heading for the city quays in 1835 coming up the Lee from Dublin when she struck an anchor and sank diagonally across the channel.  Her cargo was discharged but she remain submerged for months before being refloated and repaired.

There are no further reports of her having difficulties when in Cork and there were no further reports ever heard about the 293-ton barque Jessie after it left Cork in April of 1854 bound for North America. It was never heard of again. In those days being out of sight of land was out of mind and out of contact.

There have been disasters in Cork Harbour, one of which was the Christmas time loss of a vessel which the British Royal Navy had acquired after it was captured at Texel in the Netherlands in 1795.

In severe weather HMS La Suffisante dragged her anchors in the harbour and was blown ashore onto Spike Island, then capsized onto her beam ends. Seven of the crew were drowned and another three killed by a falling mast. The vessel went to pieces in what was described as a near hurricane between the Spit Light and Spike.

During dredging in 1980 naval debris was found around the Curlane Bank and attributed to the ships loss. Some of it was lodged in Cobh Museum.

There was a rather smelly problem for a while at Rams Head on the harbours western bank in March of 1884 when the then 15-year-old Belfast brig Septimus, 150 tons, with six crew aboard was setting sail from Cork Harbour bound for Swansea. Unable to cope with a South/Westerly Force 6, she stranded on the shoreline and was totally wrecked. She was carrying a cargo of manure!

Perhaps the most fortunate sailor of those who had difficulties when entering Cork Harbour was the Lieutenant in command of the 275-ton British destroyer, Lynx, on June 9, 1906, at a time when Ireland was ruled by the UK. To his chagrin and, doubtless that of officers and crew aboard, the ship went aground. A Naval Court of Inquiry decided that he had practised careless navigation but the ship didnt become a wreck and so he was, according to reports from the time, told to be more careful in future!

The Saga, the focus of the memorial, drifted ashore and was wrecked at Ballyshane near Ballybrannigan Beach in 1895. With nobody on board, nor any statement ever issued, the fate of the ship and her crew was an unresolved mystery until Patricia OConnell, who led the recovery of the anchor, undertook research and, with the support of local historians, as well as records obtained in Stockholm and the Oskarshamn Maritime Museum in Sweden, the 124-year-old story was revealed.

Over a two-week period while travelling from Sweden to South America, the Saga was hit by a series of storms that led to the loss of its rudder and the crew abandoning ship and being rescued without loss of life. The anchor was donated to the County Council, who have installed it with an information board detailing the story.
By David Young, PA

Jeffrey Donaldson vowed to right the wrong of the Northern Ireland protocol as he formally became DUP leader designate.

The Lagan Valley MP said the removal of the post-Brexit barriers on trade between the North and the rest of the UK would be one of his key priorities in the role.

His pledge came after his leadership bid secured the majority backing of the DUPs electoral college of party MPs and MLAs.

Mr Donaldson received support from 32 of the colleges 36 members at a meeting in a Co Antrim hotel on Saturday.

Significantly, outgoing leader Edwin Poots  who resigned after just three weeks in the job  did not attend the gathering.

After receiving what he described as the resounding endorsement of the electoral college, Mr Donaldson vowed to bring the party together again after a chaotic two months.

Internal divisions have been laid bare after successive revolts deposed former leader Arlene Foster and her successor Mr Poots.

Mr Donaldson, the partys 58-year-old Westminster leader, was the only candidate to put his name forward for the DUP leadership after the dramatic resignation of Mr Poots last week.

I believe that todays decision is an important first step in building the unity of my party, in rebuilding the strength of my party, in providing the leadership that Northern Ireland needs at this time, he said.

Its been a difficult and a bruising period for the DUP, we all acknowledge that and weve all played our part in that.

But this morning we are seeing our party coming back together again.

Commenting on Brexits contentious Northern Ireland protocol, which has created an economic border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Mr Donaldson said: Northern Ireland is given the right under the Act of Union to trade freely with the rest of our own country and all that we ask is for that right to be restored, that we can trade freely with the rest of the United Kingdom and continue to trade with our neighbours, he said.

And there must be a solution to that. We need to find that solution.

Mr Donaldson said he also wanted to address Northern Irelands spiralling waiting lists, educational underachievement and focus on rebuilding the economy post Covid-19.

Our priority as well will be to right the wrong that has been done by the imposition of this protocol and to restore Northern Irelands place fully within the UK internal market, he added.

And I will continue to engage with the [British] government. Much work has been done but more needs to be done to find the solutions to these issues that will help put Northern Ireland back on track, to help put our economy back on track and ensure that we have political stability, the stability that I know the vast majority of people want to see.

Newly elected DUP leader designate Jeffrey Donaldson and deputy leader Paula Bradley. Photo: Peter Morrison/PA

Mr Poots demise came only weeks after he narrowly defeated Mr Donaldson in the leadership contest to succeed Mrs Foster.

Having received the majority endorsement of the electoral college, which is made up of 28 MLAs and eight MPs, Mr Donaldson has become leader designate.

He will become the official party leader next week when the DUPs ruling executive meets to ratify his appointment.

Mr Donaldson acknowledged the four members who voted against his leadership bid.

Four of my colleagues decided today not to vote in favour of my leadership and I respect that, I respect their right to do so and my task, the challenge for me, is to win the confidence of all of our party, including the four who decided not to vote today in my favour, he said.

Commenting on Mr Poots absence at the meeting, Mr Donaldson said he had prior commitments and was a busy man and had ministerial duties.

Mr Poots resignation came after he pressed ahead with reconstituting Stormonts powersharing Executive alongside Sinn Fein, despite a significant majority of his MPs and MLAs being vociferously opposed to the move.

Party anger at a UK government pledge to grant Sinn Fein a key concession on Irish language laws was behind the internal opposition to Mr Poots decision to nominate a First Minister to lead the administration alongside the republican party.

Addressing the media after receiving the endorsement of the electoral college, Mr Donaldson was asked what his stance would be on the Government move on Irish language.

I am very clear that if the Government proceeds to concede to Sinn Fein demands and goes over the head of the Assembly on these issues and, at the same time, fails to address unionist concerns on the protocol, that is not a sustainable position  to use the words of the Government  that is not a tenable position, he said.

And therefore, we need to see the Government moving on the protocol. And then we will look at the NDNA (New Decade New Approach agreement) issues at Stormont and how we take those forward.

I dont want to see things imposed on the people of Northern Ireland that they cant support. I dont want to see Westminster acting over the heads of the people of Northern Ireland. The people here elected their representatives to do a job. They have a mandate and they should be allowed to do that job.

Serious question marks now hang over the future Mr Poots appointee as First Minister, Paul Givan. Mr Givan, who has voiced support for Mr Donaldsons leadership, did attend Saturdays meeting.

Northern Ireland First Minister Paul Givan arrives for the party meeting at the Hilton hotel in Templepatrick. Photo: Peter Morrison/PA

Mr Donaldson has made clear his intent to return from Westminster to assume the First Ministers job.

However, the timeline for that move remains unclear.

He would have to trigger a parliamentary by-election in Lagan Valley in order to re-enter the Assembly and it is unclear whether he would want to prompt such a contest in the near future, given the DUPs recent poor poll ratings.

Mr Donaldson said decisions on the future of First Minister Paul Givan had yet to be made.

Paul remains in the office of First Minister for the time being. I will sit down with my party officer team after our AGM next week and well look at those decisions that we need to take, well look at what is in the best interest of the people of Northern Ireland, he said.

In regard to when he would trigger a by-election, Mr Donaldson said: My most immediate priorities are to stabilise the situation, to get what we need in relation to the protocol and restoring our place within the UK internal market.

Mr Donaldson said he would spend the next week and months visiting every constituency in Northern Ireland engaging with members of the community.

Then I will look for an opportunity if it presents itself to return to Stormont, he added.

I am very clear  a leader should lead from the front, the main place where leadership is required today in Northern Ireland is in our devolved institutions.

I want to lead those devolved institutions on behalf of my party, on behalf of the people of Northern Ireland and so I will look for the opportunity to do that, whether its in the Assembly elections next May or if an opportunity presents itself before that.
Kenneth Fox

Some health officials say delaying the planned easing of restrictions by three or four weeks could allow a safer re-opening.

As the Irish Examiner reports, Dr Nuala O'Connor, clinical lead on Covid-19 for the Irish College of GPs, says delaying the next stage of easing restrictions is the safest option.

Nobody wants to go backwards, and we don't need to go backwards, said Dr O'Connor.

I know it is difficult for the people who are in the hospitality industry but if we can hold firm for another three or four weeks just so that we can get more of the population vaccinated, I think we can then open more safely."

Professor Gabriel Scally believes that should be delayed as should the planned restart of foreign travel from July 19th. He said Ireland is in a race between virus and vaccine.

People will be going to resorts and places in the Med, for example, where people will be there from all sorts of countries," said Prof Scally.

It is a mixing ground for the virus and the more cases there are, the more chances we have of variants. The more travel we have, the easier it is for them to come at us."

Hotel quarantine

The Health Minister has added nine designated States, including Indonesia and Russia, to the list of countries where travellers coming into Ireland must enter hotel quarantine.

From Tuesday, people entering the country from the Dominican Republic, Eritrea, Haiti, Indonesia, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Russia and Tunisia must enter mandatory hotel quarantine.

It comes as a further 443 new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in the Republic by the National Public Health Emergency Team(Nphet).

They said there are currently 13 people in ICU with the virus and a further 43 people on hospital.

Nphet also said that daily case numbers may change due to future data review, validation and update.

As of midnight, Friday 25th June, we are reporting 443* confirmed cases of #COVID19.



13 in ICU. 43 in hospital.



*Daily case numbers may change due to future data review, validation and update.  Department of Health (@roinnslainte) June 26, 2021

It comes as one of the State's leading scientists says consideration should be given to allowing the fully vaccinated population to resume aspects of normal life while the vaccine rollout for younger people should be expedited.

Kingston Mills, professor of experimental immunology at Trinity College Dublin, said Ireland should at least consider following the Israeli model which allowed fully vaccinated people to visit restaurants, pubs, cinemas, gyms and theatres and other indoor public spaces at an early stage in the vaccine rollout there.

He pointed out that Ireland now has about 40 per cent of the adult population fully vaccinated and said that percentage could fill a lot of restaurants safely.

He stressed however that one issue might be that staff working in hospitality tend to be younger so they would be slightly at risk if they are not vaccinated.
Digital Desk Staff

There has been a total of 52 reported deaths from Covid-19 since the cyberattack on the Health Service Executive six weeks ago.

As The Irish Times reports, daily death figures have not been published since May 13th, when the number of those who died in the State as a result of the virus stood at 4,937.

It is now 4,989, according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) as of Wednesday, June 23rd.

To date in June there have been 18 recorded deaths. The figure at the start of the month stood at 4,971. There were 68 deaths reported in May.

Since the HSE cyberattack there has been no breakdown in how many deaths have occurred since the attack on May 14th and how many are historic  meaning they occurred in previous months but are only being recorded now.

The HSEs national lead on testing and contract tracing, Niamh OBeirne, said she was not aware of any concerns in relation to deaths at present.

The last update on deaths was given by the HSE chief clinical officer Dr Colm Henry a month ago. He said in the 12 days after the data breach there had been eight deaths.

He added that the number of deaths from the disease had collapsed as a result of the Covid-19 vaccination programme which targeted those most at risk of dying as a result of the virus.

Presenting for tests

Ms OBeirne said the 443 cases reported on Saturday was indicative of a trend with a rise in the number of people presenting for testing.

She said testing levels at the HSEs walk-in centres across the country was at its highest in about three weeks.

The highest levels of activity have been in Galway, Roscommon and Mayo in Connacht, as well as in Offaly, Westmeath, Meath, Waterford and south Tipperary.

The hours for the walk-in test centre in Dungarvan, Co Waterford, have been extended into Sunday because of a rise in cases in the town. Some 1,300 swabs have been taken at the testing centre in the towns community hospital since Thursday.

The numbers have been increasing across testing sites. We will be monitoring to see if that is an upward trend, but it has certainly stopped going downwards for now, she said.

We said a number of weeks ago, we will continue to keep our testing and tracing infrastructure in place. We have no plans to adjust that or downsize that for the foreseeable future. We can still do 25,000 tests and we can still lab process.

The positivity rate among the under-40s is 7.5 per cent and is highest in the 15-24 age bracket.
Digital Desk Staff

After days of speculation, the Government is expected to finally be told within 48 hours whether public health advice is for indoor hospitality to remain shut beyond July 5th.

As the Irish Examiner reports, tonight ministers are accepting that a delay is likely and that it will be a case, then, of deciding whether pubs and restaurants should remain closed for an additional two or three weeks.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) will meet tomorrow night and formulate its advice around the increased risk from the Delta variant before the Cabinet sub-committee on Covid meets ahead of a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday or Wednesday to make its decision.

The leaders of the coalition were in touch by phone on Sunday, with the Taoiseach Micheal Martin also in touch with chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan about the situation.

One senior minister admitted the country is drifting towards not reopening."

Delta variant

A decision had been due on Friday, but the spread of the Delta variant along with pleas from the hospitality industry for a quicker determination have seen the Government fast-forward an announcement.

It is understood that if a delay is decided upon, it will only apply to indoor hospitality from July 5. It will not apply to the planned increase to 50 in the numbers allowed to attend a wedding or to the permission for four households to gather indoors.

The Government is also awaiting advice from National Immunisation Advisory Council on the use of the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines in younger cohorts. However, it is not yet known if this advice will come before Nphet's.

In any case, one senior source said freeing up those additional vaccines won't have any major impact until the end of July, due to the need to vaccinate older people.

While several government ministers expect indoor dining to be postponed, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said today that reports he is veering towards a delay are not entirely accurate."
Ricky VanHoozer, 65, of Athens, Alabama, died Tuesday, June 29, 2021, in Madison Hospital. A 2 p.m. graveside service will be Saturday at Bottom Cemetery with son-in-law Billy Sims officiating. Visitation is from noon until 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Spry Funeral Home in Athens. Pallbearers will 
FILE - In this June 29, 2018, file photo, pictures of five employees of the Capital Gazette newspaper adorn candles during a vigil across the street from where they were slain in the newsroom in Annapolis, Md. A jury was selected on Friday, June 25, 2021, for the second phase of a trial for a man who killed the five people at the newspaper to decide whether he is criminally responsible due to his mental health. Jarrod Ramos pleaded guilty in 2019 to all 23 counts against him in the attack at the Capital Gazette nearly three years ago, but he has pleaded that he is not criminally responsible due to mental illness.
Operating system creators offer code signing to help you steer clear of hostile software, but Microsoft may have inadvertently broken the trust that signing is meant to create. BleepingComputer says Microsoft has confirmed that it signed Netfilter, a third-party driver for Windows containing rootkit malware that circulated in the gaming community. It passed through the Windows Hardware Compatibility Program (WHCP) despite connecting to malware command and control servers in China, as security researcher Karsten Hahn found days earlier.

It's not clear how the rootkit made it through Microsoft's certificate signing process, although the company said it was investigating what happened and would be "refining" the signing process, partner access policies and validation. There's no evidence the malware writers stole certificates, and Microsoft didn't believe this was the work of state-sponsored hackers.

The driver maker, Ningbo Zhuo Zhi Innovation Network Technology, was working with Microsoft to study and patch any known security holes, including for affected hardware. Users will get clean drivers through Windows Update.

Microsoft said the rogue driver had a limited impact. It was aimed at gamers, and isn't known to have compromised enterprise users. Also, the rootkit only works "post exploitation," according to Microsoft  you need to have already obtained administrator-level access on a PC to install the driver. Netfilter shouldn't pose a threat unless you go out of your way to load it, in other words.

Even so, the incident isn't entirely comforting. Many people see a signed driver as confirming that a driver or program is safe. Those users might be hesitant to install new drivers in a timely fashion if they're worried there might be malware, even if those drivers come straight from the manufacturer.
Eric Cantrell and Teirna Adair were just a few minutes too late getting to the hospital in this file photo. Baby Tally Mae was born the evening of Sept. 25, 2019, in the Sunset Plaza parking lot in Enid.
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Despite what Prince Harry, Meghan Markle had alleged the palace, and the royals did to them, Queen Elizabeth seems not to hold any grudges.

This is why, if people thought she would shun the two from official royal events, they are mistaken. After all, when the Oprah interview happened, the Queen herself said it would have the "racism issue" investigated.

Most recently, the Queen has extended an olive branch to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex by inviting them to join the Royal Family in London next summer. She specifically wants them to enjoy the Platinum Jubilee celebrations with the royals, despite having stepped down as senior members and have created their own lives oceans away.

According to The Mail on Sunday, Harry and Meghan are likeliest to to attend Trooping the Colour, the Queen's official birthday parade. This will jut be one of the many activities forming part of the jubilee festivities over four days next June.

The issue is of course whether this is truly a truce or a mere band-aid.

Experts claimed that being invited to the festivities is not a testament to Queen Elizabeth's intentions to make pace. The likelier sign is if the couple is allowed to appear on the palace balcony beside the Queen and other senior royals.

"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been invited and I'm sure the Queen is very much looking forward to seeing them there," an expert of these festivities.

ALSO READ: Ellen DeGeneres 'Better Off' Without 'The Ellen DeGeneres' Show'?

"The balcony moment will be decided much nearer the time but there's a limit to how many family members should be on it, and I would have thought that working Royals who contribute to the family would be higher on the list than the Sussexes," the expert further explained.

The news is not really that surprising though. When Prince Harry recently went back to the UK for the unveiling of his Princess Diana's statue, the Queen was the very first to visit him in Frogmore Cottage. He has not even unpacked when the Queen was already there.

"It is quite something," a source said of how fast Queen Elizabeth went to Prince Harry on this particular visit.

"I'm sure they would have plenty to talk about. The Queen would obviously want to see her grandson after everything that has gone on and could take this opportunity to act as the peacemaker," the source explained.

READ ALSO: Prince Harry Almost Didn't Make It To His UK Flight Because of a Police Chase [REPORT]

See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles
A few males are enough to fertilise all the females. The number of males therefore has little bearing on a population's growth. However, they are important for purging bad mutations from the population. This is shown by a new Uppsala University study providing in-depth knowledge of the possible long-term genetic consequences of sexual selection. The results are published in the scientific journal Evolution Letters.

The study supports the theory that in many animal species selection acting on males can impose the fortuitous benefit to the population of causing offspring to inherit healthy genes. Stiff competition among males results in selective elimination of individuals with many deleterious mutations, preventing them from passing on said mutations. This may exert positive long-term effects on a sexually reproducing population's growth and persistence.

"When deleterious mutations are purged from a population through rigorous selection in males, resulting in fewer males reproducing, the process can take place with little or no effect on population growth. This is because relatively few males suffice to fertilise all the females in a population, hence, whether those females are fertilized by few males or many males makes little or no difference to the number of offspring those females can produce, especially in species where the male doesn't look after its own offspring. By contrast, such rigorous selection in females would result in fewer females reproducing, hence fewer offspring produced, which could lead to a massive population decline or even extinction," says Karl Grieshop, evolutionary biologist at Canada's University of Toronto and the study's lead author.

The researchers used 16 genetic strains of seed beetle (Callosobruchus maculatus) to investigate how the inferred number of deleterious mutations in each affected the reproductive ability (fitness) of females and males. Through intensive inbreeding of strains followed by crosses among them, it was possible to quantify the cumulative effects of each strain's unique set of mutations. By comparing the inbred strains to the crosses among them, the scientists were able to see that these mutations harmed both females and males nearly equally. However, when looking only at the crosses among strains, which is the more genetically variable setting that is more relevant to how selection would act in nature, these mutational effects were only manifest in male fitness. In the females, the deleterious effects of the mutations they carried were not detectable in this more genetically variable background, and would therefore not be purged effectively via female-specific selection in nature.

"This indicates that although these mutations do have a detrimental effect on females' reproduction, they are more effectively removed from the population by selection acting on male carriers than female carriers. Previous research from our group and others has succeeded in showing this effect by artificially inducing mutations, but this is the first direct evidence that it ensues for naturally occurring variants of genes," Grieshop says.

In the researchers' view, their study sheds new light on the old question of why so many multicellular organisms use sexual reproduction.

"Production of males causes a decrease in the reproductive capacity of a species, since males themselves contribute less than females to the production of offspring. The question, then, is why a species evolves to reproduce sexually, instead of just producing females through asexual reproduction. Our study shows that production of males, which may engage in intense competition for the chance to mate, enables faster purging of deleterious mutations from the population, which could thereby enable a healthier set of genes and higher reproductive capacity relative to asexual reproduction," says David Berger, researcher and team leader at Uppsala University's Department of Ecology and Genetics.

###

Grieshop, K. et al. (2021), Selection in males purges the mutation load on female fitness, Evolution Letters. DOI: 10.1002/evl3.239.
LONDON, June 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Modulaire Group ("Modulaire" or "the Group"), Europe and Asia Pacific's leading infrastructure services company specialising in modular services, is pleased to announce that its shareholders have entered into an agreement to sell the Group to investment funds managed by Brookfield Business Partners L.P. ("Brookfield").

Brookfield is acquiring Modulaire from its shareholders which include investment funds managed by TDR Capital LLP ("TDR"), a leading UK-based private equity firm. The transaction, which is subject to customary regulatory and competition clearances, is expected to close in Q4 2021.

Brookfield Business Partners is the flagship listed business services and industrials company of Brookfield Asset Management, a leading global alternative asset manager with over $600 billion of assets under management.

Under TDR's ownership, Modulaire has grown to become the leading provider of modular services and infrastructure in Europe and Asia Pacific. The Group's experienced management team has strengthened the business through a focus on four strategic objectives of granular management of branch-level performance, continuous efficiency improvement, disciplined capital deployment and a targeted acquisition strategy.

Modulaire is expected to deliver strong continued growth, supported by significant market and secular trends including post-COVID government stimulus programmes, aging building stock across Europe and a structural shift towards modular space. The business is also benefitting from strong ESG tailwinds as customers look to secure buildings with a smaller carbon footprint and reduced waste and energy consumption through construction.

Following the Group's acquisition by Brookfield, Modulaire's current management team will remain with the Group and continue to focus on driving the Group's strategic growth agenda.

Mike Smith, Chairman of Modulaire Group, said: "Modulaire has made huge strides as a business over recent years and Brookfield's investment is testament to the progress that has been made. I would like to thank TDR for the huge support they have given the management team and the business more broadly, helping set Modulaire up for continued growth in the future."

Mark Higson, CEO of Modulaire Group said: "I am delighted to welcome Brookfield as a new investor in the business and look forward to benefitting from their sector experience as we continue to drive Modulaire's growth. The significant transformation of our business in recent years is down to the hard work of my colleagues. We are all hugely excited about driving Modulaire's continued growth in the future and we look forward to the opportunities ahead."

Gary Lindsay, Partner at TDR Capital LLP, said: "We are delighted that Modulaire will have a strong and experienced partner in Brookfield that will continue to support and invest in the business. We believe Brookfield will be a very positive shareholder for Modulaire and look forward to witnessing its continued success in the future."

Modulaire Group was advised by Goldman Sachs International, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan and STJ Advisors, with legal advice from Linklaters LLP.

About Modulaire Group

Modulaire Group is the leader in European modular services and infrastructure. We create smart spaces for people to live, work and learn. Our business is designed to help customers find the right space solution, no matter what their requirements. Modulaire Group has operations in 25 countries with approximately 259,000 modular space and portable storage units and 3,400 remote accommodations rooms. The company operates as Algeco in Europe and Scandinavia, Elliott, Advante and Carter in the United Kingdom, BUKO Huisvesting, BUKO Bouw & Winkels and BUKO Bouwsystemen in The Netherlands, Ausco in Australia, Portacom in New Zealand, and Algeco Chengdong in China.

For further informationInvestor relations: investorrelations@modulairegroup.com 07841 563541

Media enquiries:Tulchan Communicationsmodulairegroup@tulchangroup.com 0207 353 4200
About the Author: Michael Wakshull, president of Q9 Consulting, is a civil and criminal court-qualified forensic document examiner providing services throughout the U.S.A. and internationally. Cases include authentication of handwritten and computer-generated documents. Wakshull holds a Master of Science in technology management, a graduate school certificate in forensic document examination and has spoken at international forensics conferences including the World Congress of Forensics in China. He authors and presents document examination courses for minimum continuing legal education (MCLE). Wakshull is a member of the vice president of Scientific Association of Forensic Examiners, National Association of Document Examiners, past president of the San Diego Chapter of Forensic Expert Witness Association (FEWA), ASTM International, and a senior member of the American Society for Quality.

Mike has authored three books on the topic of forensic document examination.

As a National Speakers Association member, he is available to speak on these subjects.
Ken Branca /21 Pro Video /

A man was shot and killed on the Southeast Side early Sunday, and San Antonio police officers were shot at while processing the scene hours later, officials said.

Officers were called to the 1900 block of East Southcross Blvd. at 12:26 a.m. for a reported shooting and found a man lying on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds, police said.
Larry Walker Jr. had some big shoes to fill when he arrived at the Express-News in 1990.

Walker was hired to replace retiring San Antonio institution Charles O. Kilpatrick as publisher and CEO of the newspaper, which was then in the final throes of an epic battle with the San Antonio Light.

The new guy in town proved to be up to the task.

The Hearst Corp. closed the Light and bought the Express-News from Rupert Murdoch in 1993, giving Walker the job of presiding over the end of the newspaper war and the merger of the previously battling organizations.

For employees, the transition was bumpy as two corporate cultures merged and two newspaper staffs were reduced to one.

On ExpressNews.com: Larry Walker was a longtime publisher and CEO of the San Antonio Express-News

And the community  accustomed to wild circulation battles that had the sensationalist feel of the 1940 film His Girl Friday, which was remade in the 1970s as The Front Page  was left with only one daily newspaper at a time when newspapers were the undisputed media champion.

Walker, who had managed a joint operating agreement newspaper company in San Francisco before coming to San Antonio, found himself presiding over the suddenly prosperous Express-News, which was no longer in a life-or-death struggle.

With the support of the Hearst Corp., Walker took advantage of the situation to remold the newspaper, producing a quality product focused on serious journalism instead of the sensational and often fun but silly antics of a circulation war.

San Antonio was treated to the best local journalism it had ever seen. While Walker invested in the product, he also established a strong human resources department and cared about his employees quality of life.

Walker became a significant community presence, and he and his wife, Caroline, were dedicated to nurturing the community through a couple of dozen nonprofits and civic boards.

I was fortunate enough to be on the staff of the Express-News throughout Walkers tenure, working closely with him for a decade as a member of the Editorial Board.

WILLIAM LUTHER /SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Editorial boards can feel like an intimate debating society, and Walker enjoyed that aspect of his role managing the Express-News opinion team.

Walker wasnt heavy-handed. He wasnt the kind of publisher inclined to kill editorials. But editorial writers had to be ready to defend their positions when they discussed them with Walker.

A conservative who often disagreed with the board, Walker possessed an always roaming intellectual curiosity, and he enjoyed exploring ideas and wanted to understand beliefs that didnt match his own. And he was interested in a vast array of subjects.

When he was in the mood to spar, it wasnt just a couple of rounds. It was a vigorous, full workout. The conversations could be heated, but Larry wanted to hear and understand all sides.

And he frequently pointed out media pretension and self-righteousness.

Our editorials were stronger because of his influence. And if an editorial created controversy, Walker stood behind his team even when he disagreed with us.

Walker hired the first woman editorial page editor in the newspapers history and brought unprecedented diversity to the Express-News newsroom and Editorial Board.

And he vigorously guarded the institutions integrity and reputation.

On one occasion, a longtime advertiser was calling the Editorial Board and threatening to withdraw his business if the board didnt endorse a certain political candidate. Walker said to ignore him, offering an amusingly colorful description of what the advertiser could do with his money.

Walker enjoyed a big career, but he wasnt solely defined by the job. His private life was as dynamic as his career.

He rode Harley Davidson motorcycles, traveled, enjoyed fine cigars and cherished his family. Born in Macon, Ga., Walker was, of course, an Allman Brothers fan.

When Walker retired in 2006, he left the Express-News a better newspaper than the one he found when he arrived in San Antonio, and his energetic civic and charitable activities were an asset to the city as well.

Rest in peace, Larry. Knowing you was a trip  a good one.

Bruce Davidson is former editorial page editor of the Express-News and now handles communications for Mayor Ron Nirenberg. These views are his alone.
On June 8, COVID-19 claimed another victim near and dear to the Texas town of Dublin.

Dublin Bottling Works, previously the Dublin Dr Pepper Bottling Co., announced on social media the Old Docs Soda Shop, the Dublin Bottling Works Museum and the W.P. Kloster Annex Museum have closed for the foreseeable future.

A massive collection of Dr Pepper memorabilia is stored at Dublin Bottling Works, which managed to keep its soda shop and museums open throughout the pandemics lockdowns and restrictions. Since 2012, Dublin Bottling Works had seen a drop in tourism from 100,000 visitors per year to a few thousand in recent years, according to its Facebook post. Despite its best efforts, slow tourism eventually proved too costly for the small-town attraction.

Dublin Bottling Works Museum and W.P. Kloster Annex are two of many museums that have been affected by COVID-19. UNESCO  or the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization  said museums were closed an average of 155 days last year, according to an April report. Museums also faced a 70 percent drop in attendance and a 40 to 60 percent loss of revenue.

Locally, the San Antonio Museum of Art closed its doors for three months during the beginning of the pandemic and is reported to have lost more than $1 million by the end of 2020. The McNay Art Museum also closed for three months; however, it received a $1.5 million COVID-19 relief grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to cover operating costs.

For museums that rely heavily on tourism and donations to fund day-to-day operations, COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions were devastating. When I spoke to Karen Wright, director of the Ben Hogan Museum  one of two Dublin museums where Ive completed internships  she had one word to describe the pandemics effect on the museum industry: Brutal.

On ExpressNews.com: Black history preserved in collection donated to San Antonio African American Community Archive

So how does a town move forward after losing the business that brought in most of its tourism? Wright told me the answer is profound community support and a deliberate effort by the other museum directors to maintain Dublins tourism industry.

Despite the loss of the two museums at Dublin Bottling Works, Dublin is fortunate to be the home of four other magnificent museums: the Ben Hogan Museum, the Rodeo Heritage Museum of Dublin, the Dublin Historical Museum and the Frontline Workers Museum. Together, the directors of each museum see a bright and prosperous future despite their significant loss. They are strategically coordinating and hosting events to boost tourism in Dublin and give visitors a memorable experience that will leave them saying, What a great little town.

As a Dublin native and history graduate student at the University of Texas at San Antonio, I am incredibly saddened by the closure of the Dublin Bottling Works soda shop and museums. Being from a small town that showcases so much exciting history helped motivate me to pursue a graduate degree in history.

I also know firsthand how resilient my hometown can be. I wholeheartedly believe Dublin will continue to prosper with the strength and unity of its community.

Cristobal Lopez is a Nau Fellow and history graduate student at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
A push to provide property tax relief for San Antonio homeowners was dead on arrival Friday amid concerns the relief would be too paltry for homeowners and too costly to the city.

San Antonios economy is improving faster than city officials expected. Along with shopping carts, hotel and dining rooms are filling up once more as the economic downturn spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic eases. Thats led to more tax revenue from hotel room bookings and retail and restaurant sales  though that money hasnt recovered to pre-pandemic levels.

With the citys economy on the mend, two North Side councilmen  John Courage and Clayton Perry  saw an opportunity to cut tax bills for homeowners as the City Council and city officials hammer out San Antonios next annual budget over the summer.

During a budget briefing Friday, Courage and Perry proposed expanding the citys homestead exemption, which lowers property tax bills by slightly reducing the taxable value of a homeowners primary residence.

The exemption currently knocks $5,000  the lowest amount permitted under state law  off a homes taxable value. That translates to annual savings of $28 on homeowners city property tax bills, regardless of the value of their home.

The citys homestead exemption applies only to the portion of property tax bills that funds municipal government. The lions share of property taxes goes to public schools, and under state law, homeowners receive a $25,000 homestead exemption for school district taxes.

Courage and Perry want to see the citys exemption raised to at least 5 percent of a homes value. For the average San Antonio home, valued at about $195,730, that would exempt about $10,000 from taxation and provide savings of $55.

The two men couched that bump as a crucial step to securing larger tax breaks in the future. Eventually, Perry said, San Antonio should expand the homestead exemption to 20 percent.

Thats real money to those people at that time, Courage said. This is a process. Its going gradually as well as we can afford it.

The idea didnt sit well with Mayor Ron Nirenberg and other council members  whose hesitance all but killed it for now. Wealthier households would see greater relief while some of the citys poorest would see none, they pointed out.

Those who own a home worth $600,000 or more would get $167 in annual savings  while residents who own a home valued at $100,000 or less wouldnt see additional relief. District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez said it was meaningless.

People clearly need relief, Nirenberg said. Thats been the theme of the entire pandemic. But what we want to do is make sure that were providing meaningful relief for folks.

The city would also see a bigger blow to its coffers. With the current exemption, the city misses out on more than $6.1 million in property tax revenue a year.

If the exemption grew, so would the loss  up to $13.4 million.

That seemed too steep to council members, given that residents have said they want more spending on basic city services such as streets and sidewalks.

Im having a problem seeing an increase on the homestead exemption when we could be spending those dollars on what my district has said they want to see it spent on, District 6 Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Havrda said.

Courage and Perry all but admitted defeat. The council would have to vote on the matter in a special meeting before July 1  the deadline for the city to inform the state of plans to expand the exemption. That looked unlikely Friday.

But there is motivation on the council to help more homeowners claim the current exemption.

The city is working on a program to help more people secure the savings, said Ben Gorzell, the citys chief financial officer. District 1 Councilman Mario Bravo proposed the city target households in low-income ZIP codes.

The North Side and South Side agree: dont defund the police

Residents on the North and South sides dont want cuts to the Police Departments budget, according to survey results presented to the council Friday morning.

Historically, the council has shown little appetite for cutting the police budget. Even if council members wanted to, much of the citys police spending is tied up in its contract with the police union  which guarantees annual increases in wages and health care benefits for the rank and file. State lawmakers also made it prohibitive for cities to cut their police spending.

But city officials are still eyeing police reforms. Council members were broadly receptive Friday to a slate of proposed changes to how police officers respond to mental health and domestic violence calls as well as complaints about the homeless. In those instances, officers would take a back seat to mental health professionals, emergency medical personnel or on-scene advocates.

Council members are looking for ideas on reducing crime without adding to the police force. District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez has pitched an independent city crime prevention office staffed with criminologists.

We need investment in addressing the root causes in crime, McKee-Rodriguez said Friday.

Police Chief William McManus is onboard with McKee-Rodriguezs broader approach.

We get on this merry-go-round where we continue to arrest people, McManus said. But were not addressing the root causes.

Theres not enough money in the budget to create such an office, City Manager Erik Walsh said. But the city is weighing a partnership with the University of Texas at San Antonio that would allow the city to tap researchers in a number of university departments, including criminology and criminal justice.

McKee-Rodriguez gained support from other council members on a simpler safety measure: figuring out which parts of the city need street lights and putting them there.

Across the board, the citys residents want more money plugged into street maintenance, sidewalk construction and public health, according to preliminary results of a city budget survey  priorities council members said they share.

San Antonio officials are on the verge of plugging more money into a slate of health initiatives, including improving mental health as well as closing gaps in health outcomes and health care access along racial and socioeconomic lines.

jfechter@express-news.net | Twitter: @JFReports
Dr. Rania Awaad was attending a virtual religion program this Ramadan when discussion turned to an unexpected question: Is it religiously acceptable to say a prayer for someone who died by suicide?

Suicide is a complex and delicate topic that Awaad, as director of the Muslim Mental Health & Islamic Psychology Lab at Stanford University, knows much about  but one she says isnt discussed nearly enough in U.S. Muslim communities. When it is, she said, its often poorly understood and shrouded in misconceptions.

Awaad and other mental health professionals are trying to change that, working alongside some faith leaders and activists to bring nuance and compassion to such conversations, raise awareness in Muslim communities about suicide prevention and mental health and provide religiously and culturally sensitive guidance.

The effort took on new urgency in the aftermath of an apparent murder-suicide that left six family members dead in Allen, Texas, in April, sending shock waves through Muslim communities in the area and beyond. Investigators believe two brothers made a pact to kill their parents, sister and grandmother before taking their own lives.

The incident sparked a flurry of activity in Muslim spaces, from public discussions on mental health and trainings on suicide response to healing circles and private conversations.

The initial reaction of the community was total shock, said Imam Abdul Rahman Bashir of the Islamic Association of Allen, where the familys funeral was held. Their reaction went from shock, grief to then concern about other families around them: Are they saying something that they cant hear? Is something out there that they cant see?"

"It definitely opened up the conversation for understanding what mental health is and the importance of mental well-being, he added.

Suicide is theologically proscribed under Islam, and Awaad while acknowledging that, takes a nuanced view on the issue, arguing that it's not up to people to judge. Contrary to what she's heard some say about people who took their own lives, she believes the deceased may receive prayers regardless of how they died.

We dont know the state of a person when they reach this point in their life, and we dont know their mental state in that moment," she said. "... Only God can judge on this.

The importance of seeking professional help for mental health struggles, without worrying about what people may say, is a message the Texas Muslim Womens Foundation sought to drive home in a recent video. Aimed at the South Asian American community, it featured actors, young activists and others sharing their experiences to help break the stigma.

Some community leaders in Texas addressed suicide and mental health issues after a Muslim American woman took her own life in 2018, according to Saadia Ahmed, director of the foundation's youth leadership program. Following the Allen tragedy, she's heard from lots of people who have reached out to share their personal battles or ask how to get help for loved ones.

One young man opened up about having previously had suicidal thoughts and about how getting help made things better. There was a high school student who needed therapy but her parents werent getting her any; with the aid of a school counselor, she ended up getting help. Ahmed also heard from parents worried about their kids.

I feel like at least I see progress," Ahmed said.

Sameera Ahmed  no relation  a psychologist and executive director of The Family & Youth Institute, a not-for-profit research and education institute, said that when her group was developing suicide prevention resources for Muslim communities a few years ago, some questioned the need.

People wouldnt share what was happening because they were afraid of the stigma," Ahmed said. "They were afraid people wouldnt come to their loved one's janazah, or funeral.

But today she sees more openness to conversation and says some well-known imams have begun addressing the issue from more compassionate perspectives. Still, much work remains, she added.

Following the Allen tragedy, Awaad gave virtual trainings on suicide response from her base in California to help people navigate the aftermath, including to religious and community leaders. Her lab at Stanford provided guidelines for Islamic sermons.

The crisis response is the hardest part, she said. Many imams and religious leaders grapple with striking a balance between healing the community and Islams stance on the impressibility of suicide.

She also co-authored a piece detailing dos and donts after a suicide, like providing resources and support to those who may be struggling, while refraining from speculation on spiritual implications such as whether someone who took their life will go to paradise.

By the end of 2022, Awaad hopes 500 Muslim religious leaders will have received training on suicide using material developed by a nonprofit, Maristan, in collaboration with her lab at Stanford thats grounded in both science and the teachings of Islam.

Several religious leaders have thrown their weight behind the effort.

One of them, Imam Bashir, of the Islamic Association of Allen, said that while Islam doesnt allow suicide as a way to solve problems, the faith encourages the community to be one body with ears, eyes and arms to help each other not get to a point where that would be a consideration.

Wrestling with difficult questions around suicide isnt unique to Muslims. Mathew Schmalz, a professor of religious studies at the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts, said a belief common to theistic traditions is that one's life belongs to God, so taking it fundamentally violates God's most precious gift.

Yet attitudes have been evolving with a greater appreciation of the complexities of mental illness, he added, and it's important to challenge beliefs that suicide signals moral weakness or a failure to be grateful of God.

While an understanding of God as merciful is important," Schmalz said, "equally important is being part of a faith community in which mental health issues are taken seriously and not stigmatized.

___

Resources from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline are available at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org and the 24-hour hotline number is 1-800-273-8255.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through The Conversation U.S. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Contributed / Getty

VERNON  Police said they had one suspect in custody on Sunday following a deadly shooting at a Motel 6 on Hartford Turnpike.

In a press release, Vernon police said the shooting was reported Sunday afternoon.
Several hundred people gathered Saturday on four acres in a subdivision in northern Helena to break ground for a new temple that church officials say will serve as not only a welcoming place, but a venue where covenants are made and heavy hearts are lifted.

The temple to be constructed here will be more than a beautiful building, said Elder Vern P. Stanfill, One of the Seventy for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The temple is a sanctifying place but it is also a strengthening place.

In April, church President Russell M. Nelson said that Helena would be among 20 cities worldwide that will receive a new temple. Officials said there are now about 60 temples either announced or under construction. Plans call for a single-story temple of nearly 10,000 square feet with a center spire at 1260 Otter Road in Treasure State Acres.

The churchs website notes that temples are special places of worship, "where members learn more about the gospel of Jesus Christ and participate in sacred ceremonies. Temples are not open on the Sabbath, so that members may attend their local congregations.

Carl Hatch on Saturday gave a history of the church, not only in Montana, but Helena as well. He said the Helena Stake was created in 1968. He said it was proposed in 1978 that they buy the Otter Road property in Treasure State Acres.

After fasting and prayer, we felt this was approved by the Lord, he said.

Hatch said a meeting house was built on the site in 1990. He spoke of the new temple and its mission.

This Helena, Montana, temple will assist in proclaiming the gospel to the world, Hatch said.  No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing. Persecution may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble ... but the truth of God will go forth, boldly, nobly and independent till it has penetrated every continent  swept every country and sounded in every ear until the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the great Jehovah will say the work is done.

Nancy Freeman told the audience temples have provided her with comfort and healing power during challenges in her life.

"Those who do temple work will be blessed in all aspects of their lives," she said, adding later that attending the temple has never been a sacrifice, because she feels she has been blessed.

Officials said construction should be quick as much of the temple will be pre-built and then assembled onsite.

Bret Romney, president of the Helena Stake, thanked those who attended.

Were especially grateful, brothers and sisters, for you, and for those who have come before you, with faith diligence over the generations, served, and made possible this event. We see many of you other there today.

Montana is home to more than 50,500 Latter-day Saints and nearly 125 congregations. The Helena Montana Temple will be the second temple in the state. The first is in Billings, which was dedicated in November 1999, the church noted on its website.

Church officials said earlier the Helena stake has 3,500 members. There are six wards in Helena, one in Townsend and congregations in Boulder, Lincoln and White Sulphur Springs.

This is the second-highest number of temples announced at one time in the history of the church. At the 1998 general conference, former Church President Gordon B. Hinckley announced plans to build as many as 32 new temples, but did not list locations.

Nelson has now announced 69 new temples in the three years he has served as church president. The church now has 251 temples announced, under construction or operating, the church said on its website.

For Stanfill, Saturdays dedication was something of a homecoming celebration as he noted he was born and raised in Townsend.

Brothers and sisters, it is a privilege for me to be here today in a place that I love that will always consider home, he said.

He prayed that the contractors will produce work of exceptional quality.

And he mentioned those who live nearby.

We pray for this community, that they who live here will not be unduly inconvenienced during the construction and they will be blessed for their patience and understanding, Stanfill said. We are grateful for their cooperation and goodwill.

Others participating in the ceremony were Jenna Nelson, who gave the invocation and Alex Brisko, who gave the benediction. Music was provided by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.
Oros, a Portland, Ore.-based apparel tech brand, $14.5m in Series A funding round.

The round was led by Elizabeth Street Ventures and Enlightenment Capital with participation from entrepreneur Thomas Tull, the Chairman of Snap Inc. Michael Lynton, and Brandon Shainfeld, among others.

Oros leverages NASA technology to develop advanced thermal materials and high performance, low impact apparel. The lightweight insulated material, launching in 2022, will debut in a new performance apparel collection that incorporates a suite of patents and exclusive rights to underlying NASA IP.

The recent capital raised will allow the company to further refine the new material, create new apparel products, and invest in a manufacturing facility in the U.S. The new manufacturing facility outside Boston, Massachusetts will allow them to convert recycled fiber into a novel thermal performance fiber, bringing to life a collection of garments using 3D engineered knitting. The domestic manufacturing line will also enable OROS to customize machinery, equipment, and engineering processes, while consolidating the supply chain in order to effectively and sustainably scale production.

FinSMEs

27/06/2021
Is your graduate headed to college, joining the military or headed into the workforce? Tell us all about it!
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Biden administration has extended the nationwide ban on evictions for 30 days to help tenants who are unable to make ren
HART, GA (FOX Carolina)- The Hart County Sheriff's Office says that one person died and two people, including a nine year old child, were injured during a wreck at Hartwell Speedway
Its federal transportation policy season, with the House and Senate advancing bills to fund federal surface transportation programs for the next five years. That makes it a great time to reflect on the social and environmental impacts of our transportation policy.

For decades, the federal government has spent 80% of transportation infrastructure funds on highways, with only 20% left for public transit. Such lopsided spending leads to serious adverse consequences.

Transportation is the largest and fastest growing source of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, ahead of even coal or gas-fired power plants. Vehicle tailpipes also emit other toxic pollutants including nitrogen oxides. These are serious health hazards, especially for the poor and people of color, who are disproportionately exposed.

Our transportation system kills people more directly as well. Roadway deaths climbed from 33,000 in 2010 to more than 36,000 in 2019, with the growth mostly driven by pedestrian fatalities.

Our governments 80-20 policy is subsidizing sprawl and traffic, even as traffic deaths and pollution keep rising. Meanwhile, it underfunds mass transit, passenger rail and pedestrian and bicycle safety.
Gillette, WY (82718)

Today

Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 65F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 65F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph.
ST. LOUIS, June 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) today announced the hiring of Charlie Smith as Managing Director in the Venture and Fund Banking Group. Based in California, Mr. Smith is responsible for West Coast fund banking to venture capital and private equity funds, primarily focused on the technology and life sciences sectors.



We are thrilled to welcome Charlie to our team as we actively expand our national footprint, said Brad Ellis, Head of Venture and Fund Banking at Stifel. Mike Breaux has done a tremendous job building our fund banking business over the last three years and driving us to this important point. We are now able to complement Stifels well-established investment banking team on the West Coast, with on-the-ground fund banking capabilities designed specifically for the venture capital and private equity communities. This is a key initiative for us, and we expect to make additional investments and hires in the coming months.

Mr. Smith brings more than two decades of finance experience, primarily working in the asset management space. He joins Stifel from City National Bank, where he was a Senior Vice President in the firms Structured Finance group. In this role, Mr. Smith developed and maintained holistic banking relationships with private equity firms and their affiliates. Prior to this, he was a Senior Vice President in the Wells Fargo Private Bank Specialty Finance Group focused on providing financing to general partners of private equity firms. He earned an MBA from the Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester, and a Bachelor of Science from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. He also holds a CFA charter.

Im excited to join the Stifel platform, commented Mr. Smith. Having the ability to tap into the broader Stifel network is a game changer. We are able to offer clients one-stop solutions, including direct lending and banking for portfolio companies, traditional investment banking services, fund placement, fund finance, and management company lending.

Stifels Venture and Fund Banking Group launched in 2018 and provides debt capital financing and commercial banking solutions to entrepreneurs, investors, and their businesses. With national coverage capabilities, the group has produced $2.5 billion in loan commitments and more than $1 billion in deposits in less than three years. The Group targets early-stage startups through mature growth companies and offers broad fund banking products such as capital call/subscription lines of credit in excess of $100 million, treasury management tools, and high-touch relationship management with a single point of contact.

Not only is venture and fund banking an attractive loan and deposit growth vehicle for us, it is also highly complementary to other businesses across the Stifel platform, noted Chris Reichert, CEO of Stifel Bank & Trust. We are incredibly pleased with our success to date and look forward to Charlies contributions on the West Coast.

Stifel Company Information

Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) is a financial services holding company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, that conducts its banking, securities, and financial services business through several wholly owned subsidiaries. Stifels broker-dealer clients are served in the United States through Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, including its Eaton Partners business division; Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.; Miller Buckfire & Co., LLC and Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC. The Companys broker-dealer affiliates provide securities brokerage, investment banking, trading, investment advisory, and related financial services to individual investors, professional money managers, businesses, and municipalities. Stifel Bank and Stifel Bank & Trust offer a full range of consumer and commercial lending solutions. Stifel Trust Company, N.A. and Stifel Trust Company Delaware, N.A. offer trust and related services. To learn more about Stifel, please visit the Companys website at www.stifel.com . For global disclosures, please visit https://www.stifel.com/investor-relations/press-releases .

Media Contact

Neil Shapiro, (212) 271-3447

shapiron@stifel.com

Jeff Preis, (212) 271-3749

preisj@stifel.com
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A major Aston Martin sponsor admits he is still trying to convince Lawrence Stroll to drop the new 'British racing green' livery.

When known as Racing Point, the Silverstone based team painted its cars pink as per the branding of BWT, an Austrian water treatment company.

Having re-emerged for 2021 and beyond as Aston Martin, however, mere pink flashes now feature on the predominantly dark green car.

"Lawrence Stroll understands my point of view," Andreas Weissenbacher, CEO of BWT, told Speed Week.

"If the Aston Martins were pink, the title sponsor Cognizant would also have more fun because the brand recognition would be much higher," he insisted.

"From a historical perspective, the British racing green is certainly understandable to many, but not to me. From a business point of view, it's wrong.

"As it is, the Aston Martin does not stand out on TV."

BWT is clearly only ramping up its presence in Formula 1, as it has taken naming sponsorship rights of this weekend's race in Austria with prominent trackside branding.

When asked if the company will sponsor other races this year, Weissenbacher answered: "It's a question of financial feasibility. We have to be very careful."

But when asked if Aston Martin's stance on the pink livery could trigger negotiations with other Formula 1 teams, he insisted: "We have a very professional cooperation with them.

"I am not negotiating with other teams."

Weissenbacher says the highlight of BWT's presence in Formula 1 so far was Sergio Perez's win in pink last year.

And the biggest disappointment?: "That I have not yet been able to convince Lawrence Stroll to make the Aston Martin pink.

"It's not out of selfishness, but out of pure reason. A pink car simply attracts more attention and has a much stronger advertising effect," he said.

(GMM)
Formula 1's ever-lengthening book of rules is becoming farcical, according to Red Bull team boss Christian Horner.

Reportedly due to Mercedes-instigated concerns that Red Bull has implemented automated and unsafe pitstop practices, pitstop times should be at least four tenths slower on average from Hungary onwards.

Horner is exasperated.

"Where does it stop?" he said at the Red Bull Ring.

"They're so focused on us because we're fast, but I'm expecting the next directive now - maybe they'll tell me when I can use the bathroom," Horner told Sky Italia after qualifying.

He denied that Red Bull is leading the way with record-setting pitstops because of automated processes that are faster than human reaction times.

"No, it's not due to an automated system - it's down to our guys. They practice, practice, practice.

"With this new rule, we have to hold the car for a certain amount of time, but how can you determine that? We're really unhappy with it.

"It feels a little like typical Formula 1. Really frustrating," Horner added.

Horner sees Mercedes as the horsepower beyond the FIA's latest clampdown.

"They've been paying a lot of attention to our pitstops," the Briton revealed.

"When you're fast, your competitors will always try to slow you down somehow. It's just part of the business we're in, but it's frustrating."

The even more outspoken Dr Helmut Marko, meanwhile, told Sky Deutschland: "Mercedes saw that they can't match our times so they're trying to use the rules instead.

"I find that completely wrong. Firstly, because it's all part of the show. Many viewers wonder 'Will it be under or over 2 seconds?' And sometimes it has been decisive for the race.

"But the safety argument doesn't apply at all. And how on earth you can check these rules is a complete a mystery to all of us," the Austrian added.

Horner said Red Bull is not prepared to simply let the matter slide.

"Of course we'll question it," he insisted.

"The safety of pitstops is important to us, but it's a manual system that the mechanics are in control of. So all you'd be doing is artificially stopping them for two tenths of a second for some reason."

(GMM)
Toto Wolff has ruled out a new one-year contract for Lewis Hamilton.

Both the Mercedes boss and the seven time world champion have revealed this weekend in Austria that talks for a new deal are now in motion.

Last year, 36-year-old Hamilton delayed the talks all the way through the winter, ultimately signing a mere one-year extension in mid February.

"We will no longer do one year contracts - or contracts that we only sign a month before the start of a season," Wolff told the Austrian news agency APA.

However, he also explained at the Red Bull Ring that it was mainly circumstances that caused the situation in 2020.

"We both had covid, then it was Christmas, then it just slipped into January," said Wolff.

"We have a good enough relationship that we can do that, but this time we've started earlier."

When asked if a new multi-year contract could be his last one before Hamilton slips into a non-driving role, Wolff answered: "No, that's too far away.

"We are talking about racing now. And it's about the next few years - not one year, not five years. Somewhere in between."

Wolff also told Bild am Sonntag newspaper in Austria: "We are beyond the exploratory talks already. Now we're in the hot phase."

It is suggested that Hamilton is not keen on being paired with young hotshot George Russell, but Wolff insisted: "I think we are a lot closer to an agreement than a split."

(GMM)
Robomart, the store-hailing platform (earlier post), announced its official launch in West Hollywood, California. Using the proprietary Robomart app, consumers can hail an automated store on wheels and have it arrive at their location in less than 10 minutes, making it the fastest delivery service available today. For this launch, Robomart has partnered with REEF, the largest operator of mobility and logistics hubs and neighborhood kitchens in North America, to manage product stocking, tagging, scanning, integrity and replenishment.





In 2018, Robomart made its debut at CES, where the company unveiled the worlds first self-driving grocery store. Robomart continues to develop its autonomous technology and will incorporate driverless vehicles into its fleet as regulations allow.

Robomart works in a similar fashion to Uber in that you can hail a mobile store to come to you and when it arrives, you open the doors with your app and handpick your own products. Robomart solves multiple pain points consumers experience when using other retail platforms and grocery delivery services.

According to a recent survey, 90% of grocery deliveries take more than 30 minutes to arriveat least three times longer than Robomart, and 87% of consumers who use other grocery delivery services often receive the wrong items, making these services less than ideal when people need items quickly.

Robomart eliminates these issues and allows consumers to view a list of all products in the Robomart app before hailing and then handpick their items when the Robomart arrives at their doorleaving no room for product selection error or out of stock items. The Robomart shopping experience also removes the lengthy, time-consuming shopping cart creation and checkout processes by implementing a proprietary RFID-based checkout-free system that allows users to take the selected products, place them in the bag and walk awaywithout physically checking out and paying.

As part of this initial launch, the company is premiering two Robomart types: a Pharmacy Robomart that includes shampoo, hand sanitizer, ibuprofen and more, which was recently piloted in West Hollywood; and a ready-to-eat Snacks Robomart that includes chocolates, chips, soft drinks and other snack products.

The company is in the development phase with its Grocery Robomart, which will feature fresh fruits and vegetables as well as other refrigerated items. Robomart plans to expand its fleet to include Pantry, Deli and Cafe Robomarts in the coming months.

Robomart has partnered with Zeeba, its vehicle fleet supplier, and Zebra Technologies and Avery Dennison, the worlds leaders in RFID, who have provided support for Robomarts proprietary RFID tracking technology.
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
If you hurry, you can still make it to Deborah Anns Sweet Shoppe in Ridgefield for the this-month-only Pride ice cream, a sugary concoction that includes gummy Skittles and candy-coated chips in rainbow colors.

You wouldnt think ice cream could be a line drawn in the sand, but earlier this month, a woman who identified herself as a customer called shop co-owner Deborah Backes to say her family would be taking their business elsewhere. Ice cream meant to mark Pride month was simply a bridge too far for the caller.

When someone does something like that, the only response is Cool! More for me! Except its that callers nastiness that makes Pride Month so important, especially for young people just beginning to embrace their orientation. The shop owners were surprised by the call, but they probably shouldnt have been, Backes said. Gay and lesbian people can get married, have children, and move next door to you on Sesame Street, and youll still have an angry kernel of people who spread hate.

Earlier this year, the mother of a member of a local student group approached Backes and her husband, Michael Grissmer, to ask if they would create a Pride-centric ice cream, with some of the profits going to help pay for a Ridgefield Pride in the Park event this month. Two years ago (pre-pandemic), the group had set up a table in front of the shop to raise money. The couple said Sure.

The ice cream needed to be rainbow-colored (like the Pride flag), and it needed to be sweet. Skittles came to mind (taste the rainbow) but frozen Skittles would be too tough to chew. Backes was able to find, through her distributor, gummy Skittles that worked.

The shop makes and sells seasonal ice cream all the time. Watch for their Summer Peach, which was a little delayed because the Pride ice cream took some time. Be sure to try their Summer Symphony, a mix of honey, vanilla and lavender, created to celebrate arts and music in the area.

After the phone call, Backes and Grissmer decided theyd donate all the profits from the Pride ice cream to the group, and profits have been healthy, especially after Backes wrote a Facebook post about that phone call. Since the post, Backes said theyve been getting people coming in from all around the state asking for Pride ice cream.

That is one thing the rest of us can do. We can shout out the haters. Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib came out recently on Instagram, and within a day, Fanatics network announced that Nassibs No. 94 was its top-selling jersey. We can replace stolen Pride flags. We can fly our own. We can go eat Pride ice cream. We can give radical support, and we can do that wherever we are.

Backes and Grissmer met as Yale Law School graduates, idealistic in that way law students can be. They were going to change the world, and then they got jobs in the city  Backes at a law firm, Grissmer at a talent agency  and found the corporate world wasnt as conducive to world-changing as theyd hoped.

Backes, whose mother made chocolate at home, suggested opening a boutique chocolate shop in Grissmers hometown, Ridgefield. Her suggestion was met with skepticism, but then they visited a homemade chocolate shop in New York, and the idea stopped seeming so far-fetched. They moved to Ridgefield, and in 1998, opened a chocolate shop, where if they couldnt change the world, they could at least make people happy.

They applied the same fervor to learning chocolate- and candy-making as they had to their law classes. They added ice cream to the menu a few years later. They got to know the town, especially the middle-schoolers who come in on Fridays after school. And they brought in Backes mother to help make chocolates.

People don't leave a chocolate shop unhappy. They usually get happy and stay that way once they smell the chocolate and see the candy. Thats true for just about everyone, except maybe homophobes, for whom no amount of chocolate and goofy ice cream will do.

Maureen Tyra, an East Ridge Middle School social studies teacher who is the faculty advisor for the schools student council and their Genders and Sexualities Alliance, said that by offering Pride ice cream, Backes and Grissmer are continuing their tradition of being good neighbors. She said the shop can be counted on for donations for various school and community events, but that one customers reaction is what some of these LGBTQ+ students live with every day.

The whole point is kids in this community can feel so picked on, alone, and afraid, Tyra said. Pride in the Park lets them be themselves. They can be joyful, she said.

This is about a group of kids, Backes said. They are trying to do something good for the community. And its been really nice that they can see that good voices outnumber the others.

Susan Campbell can be reached at Slcampbell417@gmail.com
The trend is easy to spot: On a chart of district special education outplacement costs over the last five years, theres been a steady, persistent increase.

In 2016-17, Greenwich Public Schools spent just under $5 million in special education outplacements and tuition settlements. By the current school year, the total cost had risen to $7.5 million, a 50 percent increase. And in each of the last five years, actual costs have been higher than the amount budgeted by the district.

This year, Greenwich was able to utilize COVID-19 relief funds to avoid asking for a special appropriation to cover the difference. But outplacement costs continued to escalate in Greenwich and elsewhere, causing uncertainty as districts try to balance budgets while providing educational services for students.

This is one of the most volatile portions of most school district budgets due to the many unknowns and limited control, Board of Education Chair Peter Bernstein said. Ultimately we need to remember that this is about serving students and their individual needs.

Greenwich Superintendent of Schools Toni Jones said similarly, that out-of-district tuition costs are difficult to project.

For example: one student can require a unique placement which costs close to $500K for the school year, Jones said. This student could be brand new to our district, having been previously outplaced by their former school district. Now that this student resides in Greenwich, we must continue to honor that placement. We also have students who, once they reach a certain age, are no longer able to have services provided in the district as our staff may no longer be able to physically manage behaviors, which can create an unsafe environment for staff and/or students.

In neighboring Stamford, too, costs have risen quickly.

In 2016-17, the districts out-of-district tuition costs were just under $17 million. In 2021-22, Stamford Schools are budgeting about $22 million. This represents an increase of just under 30 percent in only five years.

Besides the volatility of outplacements, there are several other reasons costs are rising, according to school officials.

There are many contributing factors, such as rising tuition costs which generally see a percentage increase on an annual basis, Jones said.

Stamford Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Michael Fernandes said in addition to the cost of private schools for special education students rising, state reimbursement, in the form of the Excess Cost grant, has stayed mostly stagnant, though Stamford did get a nearly million dollar bump in 2021. The amount Greenwich has received in the past two years has dipped considerably, from $1,206,119 in 2019, to $649,135 in 2021.

And, according to Fernandes, the total special education population is growing as well. In Stamford, Fernandes said there are roughly 500 more special education students in the district today than there were five years ago.

Special education is expensive and theres only so much money to go around, Fernandes said. So we always say we want to provide quality programs and services to kids and be fiscally responsible in doing that.

But boards of education and district administrators are often under pressure to curb out-of-district placement costs.

One way to do that, Fernandes said, is to create stronger programs within the district, though that requires resources and buy-in from special education staff and administrators.

Obviously, you need to do whats right for kids, Fernandes said. But if you create high-quality programs for kids in district, they wont have to go out. Out-of-district placement is not necessarily a bad thing, but it should be a very small percentage of students. We should be able to educate 95 percent of students in district.

But theres a potential pitfall to keeping students in-district, according to special education attorney Andrew Feinstein, of Mystic-based Feinstein Education Law Group. In some districts throughout the state, in an attempt to cut outplacement costs, students are often not given the educational opportunities they need.

There is this major effort to cut back on out-of-district placements, Feinstein said. The result is kids who have no business being in public schools basically being put in babysitting programs in those public schools.

Feinstein estimates the actual number of out-placed students is lower than it likely should be. And the number of students in need of services is only increasing, he suspects, as districts work to better identify students in need of services.

In Greenwich, as of May, the total cost of out-of-district placements and tuition settlements is $7,594,217, slightly above the $7.3 million the district projected and well over the $5.4 million that was budgeted. If Feinsteins prediction is accurate, the numbers may only continue to rise and raise further funding questions for school districts, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The other thing we could speculate about, but thats hard to demonstrate, is we have seen an enormous increase in a whole variety of emotional disabilities, Feinstein said. That really has skyrocketed in the last couple years and probably has gone up dramatically as a result of COVID.

justin.papp@scni.com; @justinjpapp1; 203-842-2586




Haiti - COVID-19 : Authorizing private importation of vaccines, an irresponsible decision dixit APH





Reacting to the Notice of the Minister of Public Health Dr. Marie Greta Roy Clement, on June 23 from Public Health authorizing the private sector to import vaccines against Covid https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34063-haiti-covid-19-the-ministry-of-health-authorizes-the-private-sector-to-import-vaccines.html Pierre-Hugue Saint-Jean, President of the Association of Pharmacists of Haiti (APH) reacted to this decision which it describes as "irresponsible".



"[...] By choosing to set up an accelerated procedure for processing import permit applications for pharmaceutical agencies wishing to import anti-Covid 19 vaccines, the Ministry of Public Health highlights the weakness of the State and the lack of will to attack the problem of anti-Covid vaccination in depth [...]



Stressing "Of course, this decision could be a business opportunity for the pharmaceutical sector but not for the population because :



The cost of vaccines will be exorbitant and the majority of the population will not have access to them;



The MSPP does not control the distribution channels for pharmaceutical products;



there is a high risk of introduction into Haiti of false anti-Covid 19 vaccines due to the possible multiplication of uncontrolled points of sale;



due to the possible multiplication of uncontrolled points of sale; Haiti does not have a quality control laboratory that can verify whether a vaccine is fake or not.

"

The President of the APH recalls "[...] at the global level there are illegal circuits for the distribution of fake anti-Covid 19 vaccines. At the beginning of March 2021 INTERPOL announced that it had already seized several thousand doses of false vaccines against Covid 19."



To reduce the risk of being vaccinated with a false vaccine, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) had urged the populations on March 26th "not to use anti-vaccines Covid 19 outside of State-run vaccination programs."



For the President of the AHP "[...] it is obvious that the decision to give the private sector the possibility of importing anti-Covid 19 vaccines is irresponsible and unfair. To deal with a pandemic, the mercantile approach should not be prioritized. In this sense, the APH asks the Haitian State to take all measures to ensure that quality vaccines are accessible to all because nothing is better than the health of the population."



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34063-haiti-covid-19-the-ministry-of-health-authorizes-the-private-sector-to-import-vaccines.html



HL/ HaitiLibre


















By William Schwartz | Published on 2021/06/26

Kim Hong-pa, Park Sojin, Sung Joon and director Jo Bareun

On June 25th the upcoming omnibus horror film "The Grotesque Mansion" held a press conference at the Yongsan CGV in Seoul. Director Jo Bareun, as well as actors Sung Joon, Kim Hong-pa, Kim Bo-ra, and Park Sojin were all in attendance. The story of "The Grotesque Mansion" deals with a webtoon author trying to find ideas by speaking to a caretaker at a sinister apartment complex where the denizens supposedly met many unfortunate fates.

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Jo Bareun claimed that the original idea of "The Grotesque Mansion" was to build an episodic drama series off of unused ideas. So a Markov chain Monte Carlo was used to narrow down all possible apartment based horror stories to the eight which had been used the least often. Though Jo Bareun did not explain how exactly the MCMC was programmed, strange sounds, shower stalls, drains, and elevators were all among the ideas confirmed to be used in the final film.

Purportedly the concept changed from episodic drama to omnibus horror film when the actors started asking questions about some of the more offbeat concepts. This gave Jo Bareun the idea to work the inherently strange way the stories were constructed into a framing device, at the expense of having to severely edit the existing stories. Sung Joon claimed not to think of the project as an omnibus at all, and that he signed up write away just based on the power of the script.

Elsewhere, Kim Hong-pa claimed to be impressed by the social messaging present in the story. Kim Bo-ra liked both the variety and sheer scope of the project, and saw it as a challenge. Kim So-jin said that despite being too squeamish for horror movies, when she read the script she became curious how the action would play out in the context of a film shoot. "The Grotesque Mansion" will open in South Korean theaters on June 30th.

Written by William Schwartz
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St. John in the Wilderness welcomes summer scholar

For nearly 150 years the Episcopal Church of St. John in the Wilderness was a summer parish that welcomed a guest priest in the warmer months to share the sacraments and proclaim the Gospel.

Beginning Sunday, July 4, the parish brings back the tradition by welcoming the Rev. Dr. William Bill Brosend, PhD. He will be preaching and teaching as part of the Summer Scholar-in-Residence Program each week until Aug. 1.

The public is invited to attend the services each Sunday to hear Dr. Brosend at the 8:45 a.m. or 11 a.m. service. No RSVP is required.

Originally ordained in the Baptist tradition, Brosend has been an Episcopal priest for two decades. He is currently professor of New Testament at the School of Theology The University of the South, in Sewanee, Tennessee, where he has served in various capacities since 2006. He especially enjoys equipping Episcopal seminarians to become better readers of Scripture and more engaging preachers.

In addition to preaching at both services on Sundays, Brosend will offer a month-long course called Parables of the Kingdom. He will offer a session between services (10:05-10:45) each Sunday across the street from the church in the Parish Houses Wilderness Room. On Thursday evenings, join Dr. Brosend for dinner at 5:30 p.m. and class from 6 to 7 p.m. So food is not wasted, please RSVP for the Thursday dinners on the church website or by contacting the church office. The dinners are $6/person or $12/family. Each session with Brosend will be unique so participants can join in on Sundays and Thursday.

This July, parishioners and neighbors will go on a journey with Jesus through the short stories he told to illustrate what the Kingdom of God is all about, said Fr. Josh Stephens, the Rector of St. John. Dr. Brosend is bringing a seminary quality course to us that will deeply shape our discipleship and how we understand our role in the world as followers of Jesus. Dont miss out on this unique chance to study with an expert.

While in Flat Rock, Dr. Brosend will be working on a book, Parable: A Commentary on the Stories of Jesus, to be published by Baker Academic Press in 2022. He hopes to find opportunities each week to talk about the parables, and also to talk about parish life, ministry and the future of the church. For more information contact the church office at 828-693-9783 or visit www.stjohnflatrock.org
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At first glance, the bipartisan infrastructure deal that emerged this week seemed like a ripe opportunity for President Joe Biden to take a dig at his predecessor, whose attempts at focusing on roads and bridges often went awry.

"Welcome to infrastructure week!" read the notecard Biden carried Thursday to microphones set up outside the West Wing.

He nixed the joke. If Thursday marked anything, it was more like the start of a long infrastructure summer, on the back of a sort of infrastructure spring, the outcome of which remains uncertain even as Biden hails victory for his long-held faith in bipartisan compromise.

Already, Republicans are hardening in opposition to Biden's scheme of passing the $1 trillion infrastructure deal  which hasn't been written yet  alongside a much larger package containing the remainder of his agenda that will require only Democratic votes. And Biden set off a frenzy by confidently telling reporters he would not sign the bipartisan deal he had just negotiated unless he had the larger package on his desk, too. "If they don't come, I'm not signing," Biden said Thursday. "Real simple."

The uproar gained enough steam that by Saturday afternoon, Biden was forced to release a statement clarifying his pledge not to sign the bipartisan bill on infrastructure unless it came paired with a reconciliation proposal for "human infrastructure," writing that his comments "created the impression that I was issuing a veto threat on the very plan I had just agreed to, which was certainly not my intent."

"The bottom line is this: I gave my word to support the Infrastructure Plan, and that's what I intend to do. I intend to pursue the passage of that plan, which Democrats and Republicans agreed to on Thursday, with vigor."

The President's statement Saturday was the latest in a series of cleanup attempts from the White House seeking to stem defections from the bipartisan agreement. The move came hours before many of the Republicans who helped broker the deal, and were subsequently frustrated with Biden's Thursday comments, were set to appear on the Sunday morning talk shows where it's expected they would publicly air their irritation.

In a Friday afternoon conference call, "frustrations boiled" among Republican senators, according to a person familiar with the conversation, who said lawmakers were "dumbfounded" by White House explanations for Biden's approach.

The White House also looked to reassure its own party.

Concerned about spooking moderate Democrats he had just spent weeks cultivating, Biden's aides hastily scheduled a midday call with Democratic Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema to reassure her of where Biden stood. The White House even took the unusual step of issuing a lengthy readout of their conversation, a practice typically reserved for foreign counterparts.

A senior administration official acknowledged they were attempting to walk back Biden's remarks, and directly tied his conversation with Sinema to that effort. While they believed his sentiment was accurate -- they want both deals passed in tandem -- his advisers acknowledged the tactic of demanding as much publicly was too forward and needed to be softened.

In their public comments, White House officials -- including press secretary Jen Psaki -- declined to directly reiterate Biden's threat of leaving the deal unsigned if the larger package doesn't materialize.

White House officials believe it has long been clear the two packages would move together and publicly scoffed at suggestions lawmakers were caught by surprise. But Biden's ultimatum did appear to test the durability of the agreement, leading the same aides who negotiated the deal to get back on the phone with lawmakers Friday who were balking. Aides stressed Biden's continued support for the deal and his plans to travel around the country selling its merits, according to a White House official.

Going forward, the White House plans to focus on selling the bipartisan bill instead of getting involved in the order of when Biden receives the legislation, letting Democratic leadership handle the timeline.

Some inside the White House believe the risky maneuvering was the only way Biden could secure enough Democratic support for the eventual $4 trillion reconciliation bill, a telling sign of the degree to which his party's divide is ever-present.

If the agreement falls apart, it could largely poison future opportunities for working across the aisle, particularly as midterm election season nears.

If he pulls it off, the two-track strategy would prove a striking show of legislative mastery for a career lawmaker whose presidency hinges on bringing together the progressive and moderate wings of his party. Aides said as much as Biden was invested in the substance of the deal, he was just as focused on the message it sent about the state of American government -- and the vindication it contained for his personal brand of politics.

Months of walking a tightrope ahead

It was a key ingredient for more than just Biden. Several senators in the bipartisan group that crafted the deal mentioned the need to show government could deliver as a driving force. In the Oval Office before Biden emerged with the group to announce the agreement, it was a central point of the conversation, one official said.

"People really felt committed to one another in this and I think everyone thought it was important for the country to send this signal that we could work together in this way," said Steve Ricchetti, counselor to the President and one of Biden's lead negotiators and closest advisors, in an interview.

After the deal was struck, Biden's victory lap took on an air of righteousness, claiming he'd proved his naysayers wrong. Behind the scenes, Biden frequently dismissed progressives who said he was wasting his time pursuing talks with Republicans, according to people familiar with the discussions, with the President claiming they knew little about how deals were struck in Washington.

But at best, neither bill will be ready for final passage until the fall, leaving weeks for potential pitfalls to throw off the carefully crafted political balance that the future of Biden's agenda is now contingent upon. Even if the deal ultimately falls apart, Biden's close advisers are still confident he'll get credit among voters for his public outreach to Republicans on the matter.

The tandem strategy flowed from both political necessity and the President's own inclination. As a long-time legislator with close relationships in both parties, Biden takes pride in his ability to cross the aisle and considers it a balm for a polarized nation. He also has ambitious policy goals, a mostly hostile Republican opposition and ultra-thin Democratic congressional majorities behind him, limiting his available strategic paths.

From the beginning, Biden's senior aides acknowledged the two-track strategy might not work. But they stuck with it deep into his fifth month, even as liberal Democrats pressed him to cut it short for fear that Republican negotiators real aim was a crippling delay.

Even as talks with an initial group of six Republican senators began to falter, Biden's advisers were eyeing other possible lawmakers or groups to continue their pursuit.

One of those groups, led by Sinema and Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman, had quietly been discussing a possible path forward for weeks. They carried with them a level of trust, and -- to some degree -- success based on an effort to unlock a long-stalled Covid relief package at the end of 2020. When Biden officially ended the talks with Republicans, led by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, he placed a call directly to Sinema shortly after.

"The President and the team tried to keep as many avenues to success open in this kind of bipartisan structure in the hope that we could keep getting closer and closer," Ricchetti said.

The White House strategy appeared to work Thursday when Biden announced the bipartisan deal. Even after Republican parties to the deal subsequently grew skittish, Biden aides expressed confidence it would hold, despite what one senior official called "faux outrage" over the second part of a publicly articulated Biden strategy they'd known all along.

"They will have to vote against their own deal," one senior official said. "What they cannot say is that the infrastructure bill is too big, or a waste, or pork, or whatever. Look, in the end, I think it will stick together."

The official added: "For us, every step forward is a step forward. It's never a straight line."

At least on Thursday afternoon, the image of Biden surrounded by Republican and Democratic senators -- none wearing masks -- declaring victory on a major legislative agreement seemed vindication for a President whose campaign pitch rested in large part on ending the pandemic and uniting the country.

Standing in a spot usually reserved for visiting lawmakers or out-of-town dignitaries, not presidents, Biden harkened back to his own days as a senator, when he was the one emerging from the White House to recount meetings with successive commanders in chief. The President insisted on walking out with the senators, aides said, mindful of the image that he believed told a story of unity.

"This reminds me of the days we used to get an awful lot done up at the United States Congress," he said, crowded by senators whose ranks he left more than a decade ago.

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"A lot of us go back a long way, where we're used to doing one thing: Give each other our word and that's the end. Nobody questions it," he went on. "They have my word, I'll stick with what they proposed, and they've given me their word as well. So, where I come from, that's good enough for me."

'Nobody is going to get everything they want'

Whether those rules still apply in today's Washington will be tested as White House aides and Senate staff put the bipartisan proposal into an actual bill, and as Democrats sweep up what wasn't included to put in the massive budget package.

White House aides remained convinced even the existence of a bipartisan bill in the current hyper-polarized environment was a sign that Biden's insistence on consensus was not misplaced.

"I think if you have said to anybody in my party a year ago that we would be talking about a $1.2 trillion infrastructure package, that they would have been pretty darn happy," said Anita Dunn, a senior adviser. "I think once they've look at the details of this, they'll see a lot to be for. You know, nobody is going to get everything they want when you have to compromise."

Yet Republicans grumbled that Biden would be getting everything he wanted, should his two-part strategy work, and many GOP senators were reluctant to lend a hand to a presidential victory.

The bipartisan group's efforts had begun in earnest months earlier with one-off meetings between colleagues. Lawmakers managed early to keep their work out of headlines, allowing the White House negotiation with Capito to play out.

Capito and a key Democrat in the bipartisan group, fellow West Virginian Sen. Joe Manchin, were close, and members thought it wise to give the White House the room it needed to try and make a deal with key Republicans who had top roles on the relevant committees.

That effort collapsed right before Biden left for his first overseas trip to Europe, undercutting his efforts at bipartisanship just as he was set to debut on the world stage. He left behind key staffers, including chief of staff Ron Klain, to try and salvage a deal.

The bipartisan group, working until this point in the background, saw an opportunity to step into the spotlight and finish their work.

"We aren't just a hot mess here"

Biden had a message for his senior team soon after he returned from the nine-day, high stakes diplomatic trip across Europe, according to multiple officials: He was ready to accelerate the process toward making a bipartisan deal.

He'd been briefed on the status of the group's work, which had sped up while he was overseas, and thought things were headed in the right direction on the policy side. The opportunity to clinch an agreement, one pursued with no success by a few of his predecessors and still crucial to unlocking the full scale of his economic agenda, was something he didn't want to pass up.

It was a message Biden's negotiating team delivered to the group of senators on Monday. They weren't authorized to strike a deal, and there was still significant work to be done with major differences that needed to be reconciled. But the signal was clear: Biden was ready to make it work.

Biden's team -- including Ricchetti, one of his longest serving advisers; Brian Deese, the National Economic Council director; and Louisa Terrell, Biden's legislative affairs chief -- were committed to be on Capitol Hill as the talks played out. A potential late-week meeting with Biden was dangled should negotiators near a deal -- something the President eagerly awaited, officials said.

Yet after a series of meeting Tuesday, there was little progress. South Dakota Sen. John Thune, the Republican whip, told reporters the talks had yielded little forward momentum, and members involved conceded afterward the sessions were not moving quickly enough to yield a deal.

One official acknowledged it had reached a point where there were real questions about whether key differences could be reconciled, with both sides ardently defending their redlines against efforts to massage them open.

On Wednesday afternoon, the attitude began to shift. Lawmakers -- on the cusp of a two-week recess -- marched into the Strom Thurmond room at the Capitol for a meeting with White House officials aware that if a deal didn't come together in a matter of hours, it was possible it never would.

That morning, a bipartisan group of lawmakers attended the memorial service for Sen. John Warner, a Republican from Virginia who had built a legacy of cutting hard deals in the Senate. A centrist Republican, he often crossed his party on issues of gun rights and abortion. In 2014, he was part of a group of more than a dozen senators who helped preserve the filibuster on judicial nominees.

"In the battle for the soul of America today, John Warner is a reminder of what we can do when we come together as one nation," Biden said in his eulogy at the Washington National Cathedral.

Sen. Mark Warner, a Democrat from Virginia who had been in the room for much of the negotiations trying to represent the White House's positions, told CNN that at a few moments he thought about packing up and leaving the room.

"There were three or four times where I thought we were literally minutes away in terms of the frustration level on both sides," Warner said.

After the memorial service that morning, he walked into talks Wednesday afternoon with a new sense of patience.

"What would John Warner do?" Warner said he asked himself. "Well, John Warner wouldn't have packed up his books, so I opened up my notebook again and tucked back in. I thought about it. It was vivid in my mind."

White House officials, frustrated and down about prospects just one day prior, recognized a different tone -- and impetus to find a path forward.

"Sometimes deals, before they congeal, spread apart a little bit and then they come back together," one official said.

Within hours a framework was clinched.

Since announcing their agreement, the bipartisan group's work has come under fire, with progressives arguing the package is "paltry" and Republican leaders signaling the bill could be in trouble if Democrats hold firm to their promise not to pass the bill out of both chambers without a Democratic-only infrastructure bill riding alongside it.

"We are going to have to sell it," Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat from Montana, told reporters. "Is it going to be as much as some people wanted? No. Is it going to be more than other people wanted? Yeah."

"It shows the world that we aren't just a hot mess here," Tester said.

That, of course, remained very much an open question as the senators returned home for a two-week recess and Biden headed off into the warm summer sun for a weekend at Camp David.

CNN's John Harwood, Jeff Zeleny, Arlette Saenz and Donald Judd contributed to this report.
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Hackers strike again at SolarWinds after an earlier cyberattack several months back. This activity was verified by Microsoft, noting that over 36 countries were targeted.

Hacked again

Microsoft confirmed on Friday a new cyberattack on SolarWinds, bolstered by the new campaign launched by the hackers that target the U.S. interests, reported Epoch Times.

Going by various names including Nobelium, the alleged Russian-based hacking group employed "password spray and brute-force attacks." It was able to shred firewalls with ease and bypassed protocols.

The attacks reportedly affected 45 percent of entities within the United States, 10 percent in the UK, and smaller percentages in Germany and Canada. It is only the most recent activity against western networks in the past couple of months.

Microsoft provided the details of the cyberattacks, saying that the hackers targetted particular customers and compromised IT companies, government agencies, and even non-governmental organizations, think tanks, and financial services.

"This recent activity was mostly unsuccessful, and the majority of targets were not successfully compromised - we are aware of three compromised entities to date. All customers that were compromised or targeted are being contacted through our nation-state notification process," as elaborated in a statement released by Microsoft Security Response Center.

Though only three entities of the U.S. were affected, it still posed alarming damage that needs an immediate resolution. If this activity were not promptly addressed and thwarted, the attacks would just become worse.

Read also: US Government Agencies Under Cyber Attack: Russia, China Main Suspects

For security purposes, Microsoft did not identify who was breached and targeted. All the clients who bore the brunt of the online breach were contacted. As the IT company addressed those who were seriously affected by the cyber-assault.

On one of Microsoft's customer support agent's computers used for accessing account information for a "small number" of customers, an information-stealing malware was detected. Microsoft named the threat actor as Nobelium, which "used [stolen] information in some cases to launch highly-targeted attacks as part of [Russian-based hacking group's] broader campaign."

'Nobelium' is back

MSRC identified the alleged group as Nobelium, a Russian-based hacking group that committed high-profile assaults online in wide computer raids. After learning about the infamous incident, Microsoft immediately cut all access and secured all portal devices.

This attack did inadvertently affect Microsoft employee accounts, pilfering software instructions on how the IT giant confirms users online. A spokesman for Microsoft confirmed that the cyberattack was not part of an earlier assault, per Reuters.

The hacking group thought to be behind the #SolarWinds hack has managed to acquire Microsoft customer data, pulled from an attack on a support agent's computer. https://t.co/s3J7t1tNwt pic.twitter.com/HiLJsmnKyT  AppleInsider (@appleinsider) June 26, 2021

Meanwhile, Moscow repudiated the allegation that Nobelium is linked to Russian intelligence as furious U.S. Officials blamed Russia. It can be recalled that recently, at the Geneva Summit, President Joe Biden gave Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin a list of untouchable entities online.

The measures are underway to secure the network holes caused by the incidents where hackers struck again at SolarWinds, said a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, overseer of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

Related article: Russian Intelligence Chief Slams Accusations from the US and UK Saying It Hacked Solar Winds

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A study revealed that a widespread coronavirus outbreak hit East Asia about 20,00 years ago. It was one of the earliest recorded epidemics in prehistoric times that left tell-tale clues about the DNA of the hominids living then.

Coronavirus has shaped the human genomic sequence

During the Paleolithic or Stone Age, the lifespans of ancient humans were not too long; but a study led by a group of multinational researchers based in the University of Queensland made a surprising discovery, reported The Daily Mail.

A team of researchers from Australia and the United States has found evidence of a coronavirus epidemic that broke out more than 20,000 years ago in East Asia, according to a study published in the Current Biology scientific journal.https://t.co/y3aBFhFIdZ  CNN (@CNN) June 26, 2021

Examining the DNA from samples that existed about 20,000 ago, they came across protein chains that exhibited signs of being exposed to coronavirus from that epoch.

The DNA of those who descended from East Asian origins showed that changes in natural selection developed resistance to severe coronaviruses.

Viruses that affected prehistoric humans

Taking a death toll of 3.8 million in almost two years, COVID-19 is only one of the many coronaviruses that emerged from animals and later infected humans.

In 2002, the severe acute respiratory syndrome or SARS spread. It was first detected in China, and it took a modest toll of fewer than 900 lives. Scientists realized that the extensive coronavirus epidemic that is believed to have struck 20,000 years ago has similarities to these modern viruses.

Read also: Hypoxia: Why Some Coronavirus Patients Can't Sense Their Alarmingly Low Oxygen Levels

Aside from SARS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome or MERS-CoV was detected in Saudi Arabia in 2012. The toll in deaths was more than 850 people during the outbreak.

According to Kirill Alexandrov, a synthetic biologist from the University of Queensland who authored the study, modern human genomic sequences were traced in the proteins, reported Science Daily.

These footprints, from the early evolution, were scrutinized in the same way the annual rings of trees are studied. Human DNA is a roadmap that records major changes marked by proteins as the species developed.

One of the sources used to back up the study was the 1000 Genomes Project, considered as an extensive mapping of the DNA or genetic variations existing at present. The focus was on the genes that control the coded proteins interacting with SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19.

To investigate further, they made human and SARS-CoV-2 proteins and observed how the two would interact directly and how the process worked when cells would be breached by viruses.

Alexandrov also said that the computation scientists analyzed how genes evolved over time. The study presented the hypothesis that the forbears of East Asians in the Stone Age were exposed to a severe outbreak of coronavirus disease almost like COVID-19.

The particular places where East Asians are native to are China, Japan, Mongolia, North and South Korea, and Taiwan.

He explained that during the ancient outbreaks natural selection chose human genes that resisted diseases. The genes then stabilized into less susceptibility to types of coronaviruses.

These data shed light on the viruses, particularly the coronaviruses. Studies that focus on uncovering past epidemics could greatly help us in preparing for epidemics that may arise in the future.

Related article: People With Neanderthal Genes Gives Them Three Times More Severe COVID-19

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
This week, experts warned against the implications of the delta variant of COVID-19. In politics, President Biden said that he and senators from both sides of the aisle have reached an infrastructure deal, only to get blasted by key Republicans later on. Meanwhile, Britney asks the court to end her 13-year conservatorship.

WHO asks fully vaccinated people to continue wearing masks

The World Health Organization (WHO) is urging fully vaccinated people to continue wearing masks because of the delta variant, a mutation of the COVID-19 virus that is reportedly more transmissible and virulent. As reported in CNBC, Mariangela Simao, a WHO official, said that people should not be complacent because they are fully vaccinated. It is still important to practice safety protocols like mask-wearing and social distancing.

Trudeau says the Pope should apologize for the Catholic Church's role in residential schools abuse on Canadian soil

Axios reports that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that he spoke directly with Pope Francis to signify the importance of an apology made on Canadian soil over the Church's role in the abuses experienced by indigenous Canadians. Trudeau's statement came at the heels of the discovery of 751 people, mostly indigenous children, in unmarked graves at a former boarding school in Saskatchewan, a province of Canada.

Read More Here: Trudeau Dares China for a Public Probe Over Uyghur Mistreatment as Beijing Attacks Canada's Human Rights Record

Britney Spears wants to end her long-running conservatorship

After 13 years of being under a conservatorship run by her father, Britney Spears broke her silence when she asked for her freedom in court. A Los Angeles judge heard her testimony in which she described her experiences, including being losing access to her money and passport. She also detailed being forbidden to marry her boyfriend and to remove her IUD to have another baby. As per CBS Los Angeles via MSN, Spears said, "The only similar thing to this is called sex trafficking."

Read More Here: Britney Spears Demands End of 13-Year 'Abusive' Conservatorship; Justin Timberlake and Others Voice Support

Supreme Court says that a cheerleader's First Amendment rights were violated when she was punished for a rant made on Snapchat

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court said that Brandi Levy, a teen cheerleader punished for posting a message with a swear word on Snapchat, had her First Amendment rights violated when she was disciplined for an act made off-campus. The Supreme Court noted that social media posts are protected speech, but also ruled that some student speech can be regulated by the school, such as threats or bullying towards classmates or teachers.

Biden announces a bipartisan arrangement on his signature infrastructure plan then encounters criticism from key GOP senators.

Just one day after President Joe Biden announced that he and a bipartisan group of senators came to an agreement on the infrastructure package, some Republican senators, including Sen. Graham, said that they will not support it. Their objection centers around Biden's statement that he will not sign the measure if it is not tied to a separate package that will fund his other key priorities. The proposed infrastructure bill had a $1.2 trillion plan aimed at infrastructure items like roads and bridges. However, Biden said that it had to be in "tandem" with a second package worth $6 trillion dollars that focuses on "human infrastructure" items like child care and housing. The White House later tried to walk back on his comments, saying that it was not meant to be a threat.

Related More Here: Inside the Infrastructure Deal That Biden Struck With Senators

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Aiming to preserve a fragile bipartisan deal on infrastructure, President Joe Biden endorsed it without hesitation Saturday, walking back from a threat to veto it if Congress also didn't pass an even larger package to expand the social safety net.

Biden said he didnt mean to suggest in earlier remarks that he would veto the nearly $1 trillion infrastructure bill unless Congress also passed a broader package of investments that he and fellow Democrats aim to approve along party lines, the two together totaling some $4 trillion.

Speaking on Thursday moments after fulfilling his hopes of reaching a bipartisan accord, Biden appeared to put the deal in jeopardy with his comment that the infrastructure bill would have to move in tandem with the larger bill.

Though Biden had been clear he would pursue the massive new spending for child care, Medicare and other investments, Republicans balked at the president's notion that he would not sign one without the other. If this is the only thing that comes to me, Im not signing it, Biden said then of the infrastructure bill. Its in tandem."

By Saturday, Biden was seeking to clarify those comments, after his top negotiators Steve Ricchetti and Louisa Terrell worked to assure senators that Biden remained enthusiastic about the deal.

My comments also created the impression that I was issuing a veto threat on the very plan I had just agreed to, which was certainly not my intent," Biden said in a statement.

I intend to pursue the passage of that plan, which Democrats and Republicans agreed to on Thursday, with vigor, Biden added. It would be good for the economy, good for our country, good for our people. I fully stand behind it without reservation or hesitation.

Biden's earlier remarks had drawn sharp criticism from some Republicans, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who tweeted on Friday, "No deal by extortion! Others felt blindsided by what they said was a shift in their understanding of his position.

Tensions appeared to calm afterward, when senators from the group of negotiators convened a conference call, according to a person who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private meeting.

My hope is that well still get this done, said Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, the lead Republican negotiator, in an interview Friday with The Associated Press. Our infrastructure is in bad shape.

Biden was set to travel on Tuesday to Wisconsin for the first stop on a nationwide tour to promote the infrastructure package, the White House said.

The sudden swings point to the difficult path ahead for what promises to be a long process of turning Biden's nearly $4 trillion infrastructure proposals into law.

The two measures were always expected to move together through Congress: the bipartisan plan and a second bill that would advance under special rules allowing for passage solely with majority Democrats votes and is now swelling to $6 trillion. Biden reiterated that was his plan on Saturday, but said he was not conditioning one on the other.

So to be clear," his statement said, our bipartisan agreement does not preclude Republicans from attempting to defeat my Families Plan; likewise, they should have no objections to my devoted efforts to pass that Families Plan and other proposals in tandem.

Before his clarification Saturday, not all senators were swayed by the White House outreach, which came after a tumultuous month of on-again, off-again negotiations over Biden's 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, as a way to assure liberals the smaller deal won't be the only one.

A bipartisan accord has been important for the White House as it tries to show centrist Democrats and others that it is working with Republicans before Biden tries to push the broader package through Congress.

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 criticism by Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Bidens approach could peel away GOP support.

___

Associated Press writers Darlene Superville, Josh Boak, Kevin Freking and Dan Sewell contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON (AP)  A bipartisan deal to invest nearly $1 trillion in the nation's infrastructure appeared to be back on track Sunday after a stark walk-back by President Joe Biden to his earlier insistence that the bill be coupled with an even larger Democrat-backed measure in order to earn his signature.

Republican senators who brokered the agreement with the White House and Democrats to fund badly needed investments in roads, bridges, water and broadband internet indicated they were satisfied with Biden's comments that he was dropping the both-or-nothing approach. In a statement issued Saturday after 48 hours of behind-the-scenes maneuvering by the White House to salvage the deal, Biden said it was not his intent to suggest he was issuing a veto threat on the bill.

That proved to be enough for some wavering Republicans, who have privately and not-so-privately registered their displeasure at the linkage.

Over the weeks and weeks in negotiations with Democrats and with the White House on an infrastructure bill, the presidents other agenda was never linked to the infrastructure effort, Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney said on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday. He said that if Biden had not put out the statement, I think it would have been very, very hard for Republicans to say, yes, we support this.

Were not going to sign up for a multitrillion-dollar spending spree, he added, referencing the larger Democratic bill.

Romney said he believed there was now sufficient GOP support in the Senate to reach the 60-vote threshold to overcome a potential filibuster and pass the bipartisan package. Another GOP negotiator, Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, even predicted that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has staked out a path back to the majority relying in large part on stiff opposition to the Biden agenda, would even support the final bill.

If we can pull this off, I think Mitch will favor it, he said on NBC's Meet the Press. I think Leader McConnell will be for it, if it continues to come together as it is."

Montana Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat, predicted the measure would draw more than the minimum 10 Republican senators needed to pass the bipartisan accord in the 50-50 Senate, where 60 votes are required to advance most bills, but he said there would likely be bumps in the road along the way.

Well work those problems, he said on CBS News' Face The Nation. I think well get far more than 60 votes.

The bipartisan accord has been a key priority for Biden as he tries to deliver on a campaign promise to restore bipartisan cooperation to Washington and to show centrist Democrats and others that the White House was working with Republicans before Biden tries to push the broader package through Congress.

The two measures were always expected to move together through Congress: the bipartisan plan and a second bill that would advance under special rules allowing for passage solely with majority Democrats' votes and is now swelling to as much as $6 trillion. Biden reiterated that was his plan on Saturday but said he was not conditioning one on the other.

So to be clear, his statement said, our bipartisan agreement does not preclude Republicans from attempting to defeat my Families Plan; likewise, they should have no objections to my devoted efforts to pass that Families Plan and other proposals in tandem.

Still, it remained to be seen what impact Biden's comments would have on progressive lawmakers in the House and Senate, who have pushed Biden not to moderate his agenda in pursuit of bipartisanship. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has said her chamber would not take up the bipartisan proposal until the Senate first acted on the larger Democrat-backed bill.

I think its very important for the president to know that House progressives, and I believe, you know, the Democratic Caucus, is here to ensure that he doesnt fail, New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said on Meet the Press. And were here to make sure that he is successful in making sure that we do have a larger infrastructure plan."

Its very important that we pass a reconciliation bill and a Families Plan that expands child care, that lowers the cost of Medicare, that supports families in the economy, she added.

Pressed on whether Biden was serious about signing the bipartisan bill without the Democratic one, White House senior adviser Cedric Richmond said Biden's words speak for themselves.

"I dont think its a yes-or-no question," he said on CNN's State of the Union. We expect to have both bills in front of us to sign. And I expect that President Biden will sign the infrastructure bill, he will sign the Families Plan."

Biden was set to travel to Wisconsin on Tuesday for the first stop on a nationwide tour to promote the infrastructure package, the White House said.
Metro Video Services

One person was killed and three more wounded in a shooting Saturday outside a north Houston business, according to police.

The shooting was reported around 10:45 p.m. and police then found a man dead in a parking lot near 4900 block of Laura Koppe in the Trinity Gardens area, authorities said.
Yolunda Milton cant count the number of times she has come into contact with people infected with COVID-19 at her job as a scheduler at Houston Methodists Imaging Center.

They would hand her their drivers licenses, forms theyd filled out and pens they touched as they stood just a few feet away to work out appointment specifics. She knew the risks, and despite those, she continued to work every day. But when officials at the hospital system told her that she would have to get a COVID-19 vaccine to stay, that was a risk she was unwilling to take.

I worked there for 27 years. There were days I would be the first one in and the last one out. I missed family vacations for Methodist, and this is how they treated me, said Milton, who was fired along with 152 other employees who were either terminated or resigned after they refused to get vaccinated. How can you have someone force something into your body you dont want?

On HoustonChronicle.com: 'Inappropriate' or a relief? How Houston Methodist patients, workers feel about vaccination firings

Milton joined more than 100 people gathered outside Houston Methodist Hospital late Saturday morning to voice their displeasure again with the systems policy that employees must get vaccinated against COVID-19 or be fired from their jobs.

While noted conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was rumored to make an appearance at the rally along Fannin Avenue, the Austin-based provocateur did not show. Instead, local speakers, including some physicians, railed against the hospitals policy and raised questions about the vaccines.

Methodist officials told employees in April that they must get one of the three available COVID-19 vaccines in order to keep their jobs, setting off a contentious few weeks of protests and a lawsuit filed by employees to fight the policy. That lawsuit was dismissed by a judge earlier this month, and Methodist finalized the firings of 153 of its 25,000 employees on Tuesday.

In an April letter, Houston Methodist Chief Physician Executive Dr. Rob Phillips wrote that the move was necessary to move forward on the fight against COVID.

I know we can count on you to help protect our patients and the community, he wrote. It is our duty as health care professionals to do no harm and protect the safety of all of us  our colleagues, our patients and our society.

Those gathered in front of the hospital Saturday, however, questioned whether the vaccine would do more harm than good in the long run.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Unvaccinated Houston Methodist employees appeal judge's ruling on COVID vaccine mandate

Jose Casores, a 32-year-old from the northside, said he felt the vaccine was rushed out and not enough is known about the long-term implications or side effects. He worried Methodist would become the first of many to mandate the shots for employees.

It shows corporations will mandate the vaccine for Americans, he said. People have the right to get vaccinated, we should have the right to not get vaccinated. We should have the right to choose.

Connie Perkins, a 39-year-old retired veteran from League City, agreed. She said when she was in the military, doctors over-prescribed her painkillers for back pain and she felt compelled to take them, leading to years of harsh side effects. Shes off them now, but said others should be given a mandate to take vaccines or drugs theyre not comfortable with.

Im not an anti-vaxxer  Ive been vaccinated up to this point, Perkins said. Theres just not enough research.

Much of the rally, however, was political in nature, with speakers and signs lambasting Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the Biden Administration.

Danita Bratton, Yolunda Miltons sister, said she didnt agree with most of the political messaging but said the choice on whether to get vaccinated should lie with individuals  not their employers.

It shouldnt be about politics, she said. I have family members that have taken it, and I have nothing against that. I just dont feel you should be made to take it.

shelby.webb@chron.com
Jay R. Jordan / Jay Jordan, Staff

A 4-year-old girl was struck by a vehicle Saturday evening in Houston and the driver fled the scene, authorities said.

The girl was taken to a hospital where her condition was reportedly stabilized following the incident around 8:10 p.m. on the 6700 block of Japonica Street, according to Houston police. She was playing on the street during a gender reveal party when a vehicle described as a four-door sedan struck her.
Houston Police Chief Troy Finner issued a formal, public apology Sunday to the family of Joe Campos Torres, a Mexican American Vietnam War veteran who was brutally beaten to death 44 years ago by Houston police officers and dumped in Buffalo Bayou.

Finner and Mayor Sylvester Turner apologized privately to three of Torres relatives on Memorial Day at Houston National Cemetery, but Sundays apology at the SER Center for Progress in the East End offered Finner a chance to speak directly to Torres mother, his extended family and roughly 100 community members who attended. Several of Torres family members spoke at the event as well.

I was 10 when I witnessed my mother die, the day that this happened to her child, to her son, to her firstborn, said Janie Torres, Joe Torres sister, through tears. No matter how many apologies we get, it can never change the fact that Joe, in the end, never got justice.

Torres was arrested by six officers May 5, 1977, for alleged disorderly conduct at a bar and was taken to a hideaway near Buffalo Bayou called the Hole, where they beat him for hours before taking him to the city jail. When they arrived at the jail, Torres injuries were so severe that officials ordered the officers to take him to the hospital instead.

Instead, the officers took him back to the bayou, beat him some more and dumped his body in the water. Torres body was found washed up on the banks of the bayou three days later. Two officers involved were convicted of negligent homicide, a misdemeanor, and sentenced to one years probation and $1 fines.

Finner promised to work with the Torres family to build a monument to the slain 23-year-old, who he said was killed in a straight-up murder. The project has the support of Turner as well, according to Finner.

I am the chief of police, but I am a son of Houston, and what people need to understand is if you cannot see and feel 44 years of pain and suffering of this family, you are not human, Finner said.

On behalf of this entire city, on behalf of the Police Department, I apologize to this family, Finner said. Im telling you, mom, it means so much to me to look you in the eye, face to face and heart to heart, and say I apologize.  I love you, and I know were just meeting, but youve got another son.

Writer and activist Tony Diaz, the events de facto emcee, called it an important moment in history.

Torres nephew, 38-year-old Richard Molina, said he wanted to see actions rather than words but noted that the apology was significant, especially for (his) 86-year-old grandmother who has borne the brunt of this throughout the years.

For the Torres family, the apology was the result of decades of activism that began with the Moody Park Riots, which speakers suggested be renamed the Moody Park Uprising, on the one-year anniversary of Torres murder. Dozens were arrested and at least 15 people were injured, and the events at Moody Park would lead to the creation of the Police Departments internal affairs division.

Willie Rodriguez, 50, came to the event because he remembers how Torres killing stuck with him even as a 7-year-old, saying it radicalized him. He thought a fitting way for the city to honor Torres would be to rename Moody Park after him.

If you want to remember Joe Campos Torres, lets do it in a big way, lets name a park the Joe Campos Torres Park, Rodriguez said. An ideal place for that would be Moody Park, where the Chicanos said, Enough is enough, this cant keep happening and finally put their foot down.

Torres cousin Arthur Navarro described how he grew up with Joe Torres on the East End  cutting yards, shining shoes and going to the movies after church on Sundays, stopping at a Tastee Freeze for burgers after if they could afford it. He said hed like to see a community center named after his cousin in the neighborhood where they grew up.

Molina said his family will stay in communication with the city to settle on a proper way to honor his uncle.

Our ultimate goal is humanizing our uncle at this point. We want to let the people know what kind of person he was and what he meant to my family, Molina said.
Water systems across Texas are being required to draw up emergency plans to guide them through long power outages, a less-discussed part of new legislation focused on strengthening the electric grid after the February freeze.

The statewide rules are similar to requirements put in place for water providers in Harris and Fort Bend counties after Hurricane Ike hit in 2008.

Those local rules fell short during this years freeze though, which packed a crisis within a crisis. In addition to extended power outages, water providers for nearly two-thirds of Texass population were at some point unable to guarantee clean water going to all taps.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas water systems failed during February cold storm. Now, the challenge is making them stronger.

Senate Bill 3, which Gov. Greg Abbott signed earlier this month, requires potable and raw water providers in the rest of the state to develop plans to operate during a lengthy power outage as soon as safe and practicable following the occurrence of a natural disaster.

The law offers 13 options for doing this, such as maintaining stationary, shared or portable generators. Other options: storing water, getting water delivered or issuing emergency rules for water use to keep demand lower.

Slightly more restrictive requirements have been in place for systems in Harris and Fort Bend counties, except for those exempted because of the financial burden it would impose. But Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Executive Director Toby Baker pointed out in March that many faltered anyway.

One of my questions that I keep wrestling with is: This requirement is there, Baker said. Why did we see so many struggles?

Systems in February faced a long list of troubles: generators failed or were non-existent. Diesel to fuel them turned to gel in the cold. Water treatment chemicals froze. Gauges broke. Demand skyrocketed as people dripped faucets and water gushed from burst pipes.

Requests that water systems be addressed reached the office of state Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, who authored SB 3. State Rep. Chris Paddie, R-Marshall, who sponsored it, agreed addressing water supply issues was critical.

The rules legislators settled on differ somewhat from what exists for the Houston region. Here, systems are to plan to maintain a pressure of 35 psi during outages. Statewide, they are to intend to maintain a pressure of at least 20 psi, the lowest pressure at which water is considered safe.

Suggested options for meeting pressure requirements here are also a bit narrower.

Luke Metzger, executive director of Environment Texas, was among those who praised the new laws flexibility. He noted generators can be significant polluters and suggested back-up solar power and harvested rainwater could be considered as part of the solution.

Generators too can be costly. Mandating back-up power to maintain 35 psi would have been a huge expense in a place such as San Antonio, said Steve Clouse, chief operating officer of the San Antonio Water System, when he testified on the bill.

Each utility needs to carefully study their unique issues on how to provide this service, Clouse said. Size, fuel types, fuel storage, number of locations needed, air quality impacts, those are just a few of the considerations we have to work through.

How to handle the question of alternative power remained the big question that Jessica Brown, a vice president at the engineering firm Freese and Nichols, said utilities were asking. They wanted to know: What should my utility do?

There is time still to figure it out: The new emergency plans must be submitted to TCEQ by March 1 and implemented by July 1, 2022. TCEQ has meanwhile been hosting roundtable discussions and surveying public water providers as part of a yearlong process for drawing up its own recommendations, too.

emily.foxhall@chron.com

twitter.com/emfoxhall
Uphold decency

Regarding Cheerleader's Snapchat F-bomb is no reason to limit student speech, (June 17): It saddens me that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that a school has no basis on which to set any standard of decency for its students for inappropriate conduct that is engaged in on their own time.

Its 8-1 decision requiring the school to reverse its decision to suspend from the cheerleading squad for one year the vulgar young woman who posted her offensive shenanigans on social media, the court takes a key tool away from educational entities.

I assume, then, that a school would have no legal authority to disassociate itself from a student who posted anti-Black, anti-gay or anti-Semitic slurs, the same type of behavior for which individuals have lost their jobs years after the fact.

Plaintiff Brandi Levy and her parents express pride in her actions, for her standing up for her right to be vulgar. I find nothing to be proud of in her or in a society in which there are now few standards of conduct.

Oren Spieglerm, Houston

Religious exemptions

Regarding Justices unanimous ruling on foster care was right, (June 23): Kathleen Parker misunderstands the Supreme Court foster care ruling. The court didnt rule the government must allow organizations like Catholic Social Services to perform certification of prospective foster families. It ruled that Philadelphia cant refuse to contract with CSS since its contract has a general exemption clause and it failed to allow CSS a religious-based exemption to the non-discrimination clause. As Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch pointed out in their frustration over the narrow ruling, the city can simply remove the exemption clause.

But it isnt Parkers lack of understanding of the ruling that is troubling, its that shes OK with what she thinks it enables. In her world, agencies can discriminate against whomever they want as long as its wrapped in religion. She asks Wheres the harm? since married gays can just go somewhere else. Not long ago, some churches denied interracial marriage based on religious belief. If religious organizations cant find it in their heart to avoid discriminating then it is they who should go somewhere else, not the LGBTQ community.

Ronnie Montgomery, Houston
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South African news startup Scrolla is the latest media company to secure equity investment from Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF). The mobile-first publisher specialises in a blend of high-quality, tabloid-style news and investigations.

Scrolla launched in South Africa in 2020 in both English and isiZulu, with plans to rapidly expand across the continent. Scrolla is a great example of African news innovation and were excited to join them on their journey, said Bilal Randeree, Program Manager for MDIFs South Africa Media Innovation Program (SAMIP). Scrolla joined SAMIP soon after its launch to focus on its digital expansion and has enjoyed impressive growth within the program over the last 18 months. We are proud to have MDIF as an investor. SAMIP has been hugely supportive, and MDIFs investment will help us develop our apps and expand our coverage, said Scrolla CEO Mungo Soggot. Scrolla has already established itself as a formidable news publisher with growing reach on its mobile platforms. As well as its own site, Scrolla has channels on two major data-free messaging platforms:  Ayoba, a data-free mobile platform hosted by MTN, the largest mobile operator in Africa;  Moya, a data-free messaging and payments platform that topped the Google Play Store in South Africa in 2021 with 5 million monthly active users. Scrolla has also launched a Beta version of its own Data Lite site, enabling cost-conscious users to access local and international news with minimal or no data. Scrolla was founded in 2019 by Mungo Soggot, an entrepreneur and former investigative journalist. The founding team includes: Phillip van Niekerk, former editor of the Mail & Guardian; Zukile Majova, former head of news for national radio station YFM; Everson Luhanga, veteran crime reporter; Toby Shapshak, tech journalist and publisher; and Garry Rogers, an African media sales expert formerly with the Daily Sun and the Mail & Guardian. In the past year alone, Scrolla has seen 400% audience growth across all its channels and introduced new products, such as its daily isiZulu news podcast, Scrollacast. The Scrolla team has also broken major stories, including being the first to report on the death of a civilian, Collins Khosa, at the hands of South African soldiers in the first days of the countrys Covid-19 lockdown For more information contact Peter Whitehead, MDIF Director of Communications, peter.whitehead@mdif.org
Yevette Cobb sits serenely in her neat living room, surrounded by the fruits of he
Former Daily Iberian reporter Danny Fenster was in court again Thursday in Yangon, Myanmar, but no word has been given as to when the 37-year-
Veteran Spotlight: Cpl. Adam Gonska



Gonska served in Kuwait, Qatar and in Afghanistan during a Middle East deployment. Some of his best memories were of the interpreters he met in Afghanistan. OTIS, Mass.  Cpl. Adam Gonska served his country in the Army Reserve as a battalion medic from 2011 to 2019.

He was deployed three times during his service, once in the Middle East and twice to Germany. Growing up in Sandisfield, he was sent to basic training in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.

"I was 22 years old at the time and already had a lot life experiences under my belt. The drill instructors were about my age. I had a great deal of respect for them and [they] pretty much left me alone," he said, continuing that "I had seen some pretty gruesome stuff as an EMT on the ambulance service in Southern Berkshire County, so I was prepared for casualties in combat."

Gonska's first deployment was to Kuwait, then to Qatar, finishing at Shorab, a base camp in Afghanistan.

"We were stationed with Marines," he said. "I really enjoyed working side by side with them. They put us in with the interpreters, too. That was a great experience  we shared tea and learned a lot about their culture, which they really liked  and we also got to train the Afghan army in weapons tactics."

When asked about being away for the holidays Corporal Gonska offered this: "Thanksgiving is the one that really sticks out in my mind. The chow halls did a really good job in making you feel at home. They decorated and made you feel at home with the food they cooked."

He also spoke about about two mentors that he had during deployment, both of whom provided guidance and wisdom.

"Staff Sgt. Speck was a really good mentor. He taught me a lot. We worked together during the day, ate together at

night and talked about our families all the time. Staff Sgt. Plows was another great mentor. We became good friends when I first came to the unit. He steered me away from making bad decisions. We still keep in contact," he said.

Gronska did share a life-moment that still bothers him to this day.

"We were pulling security for our detachment. Suddenly, three armored Humvees came roaring up. One stopped  thought it might have been the Taliban," he said. But they were Afghan soldiers. "They pointed a machine gun right at me and my sergeant said softly, 'you ready?' All I could see were the eyes behind the machine gun ... just saw the

hatred in the soldiers' eyes."

He also said some of the Afghan soldiers were less than reputable.

"The coalition was delivering fuel to the soldiers  next day it was all gone. They were selling it and doing God knows what else with it," Gronska said. "I did have the highest respect for the Afghan National Police, great respect. They were a totally different breed than the Afghan soldiers."

Gronska did share an extremely heartwarming story of the relationship he and other American soldiers formed with

the interpreters.

"We became friends with them on base. They loved it that we wanted to learn about their culture. Their stories were simply amazing! They actually spoke better English than we did! One interpreter spoke seven languages," he said. "We had a little going away party in honor of them and gathered some money and gave it to them to buy some local food ... had a lot of fun, sat around a bonfire. I stayed in touch with them for a couple of years. Just really good, decent people."

His thoughts on service? "I would do it again, in a heartbeat. I was quite lucky," Gronska said.

He and his wife, Sarah, currently reside in Otis with their son, Emmett. Cpl. Adam Gronska, thank you for your service to our great country.

Veteran Spotlight is a column by Wayne Soares that runs twice a month. Soares is a motivational speaker and comedian who has frequently entertained the troops overseas with the USO. To recommend a veteran for Soares' column, write to waynesoares1@gmail.com
Investigation into abuse involving millions of EU money in Romania meant for nature protection

by Ingrid Gercama/NRC, with Cornelie Quist. Translated from Dutch.

Brussels wants to know what happened to a 1.1 bn Euro subsidy for, among other things, nature protection in the Romanian Danube Delta. That money seems to have largely leaked to local politicians and entrepreneurs.



The city of Tulcea in the Romanian Danube Delta. Three quarters of the European subsidy for regional development in the area appears to have been spent outside the district.



The European Commission and the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) will both investigate allegations of misuse of EU funds earmarked for the Danube Delta, a protected nature reserve in southeastern Romania.

The reason for the two separate investigations is an article that was published in NRC in May, in collaboration with the Suddeutsche Zeitung and Romanian journalists from Info Sud-Est. The article shows that millions of euros, intended for improvements for residents and nature in the Danube Delta, have leaked to local politicians and entrepreneurs. The total subsidy for the region amounted to 1.1 billion euros.



After the publication, Dutch MEPs from PvdA, CDA, GroenLinks and JA21 put questions to the European Commission. In response, the Commission is launching an investigation, a spokesperson confirmed: 'The Commission is investigating allegations of mismanagement of EU funds published in the media'.

The Commission will cooperate with Romanian authorities on this. They check the projects concerned for possible misuse of European funds, according to the Commission spokesperson. Pending the outcome of the investigation, the undistributed part of the grant has been frozen 'to ensure that the EU budget is protected'. If irregularities or fraud are confirmed, national authorities and the Commission will demand money back, the spokesman said.



Dutch MEPs are not yet satisfied with the answers they have received from the European Commission. Michiel Hoogeveen, (JA21) , calls the Commission's replies 'vague'. According to Lara Wolters, member of the European Parliament for the PvdA, the Commission 'stays in the dark about the prevention of fraud in new payments. That is not reassuring yet, so a hearing with the Commission has been requested," she writes on Twitter.



Among other things, the European money was to improve the living standards of poor fishing communities in the Romanian Danube Delta  an isolated region in the province of Tulcea  and to protect the endangered ecology of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.



Since 2014, the European Commission has disbursed more than EUR 1 billion to the Danube Delta through a complicated financial mechanism of 'Integrated Territorial Investments' (ITI for short). The money came from various EU funds and was spread over eight different programmes. Four Romanian ministries were involved in the distribution.



Three-quarters of the subsidies for regional development were paid to companies located outside the Tulcea district. Only seven of the nearly 1,200 projects focused on conservation. Instead of the intended destination, companies received money from the EU investment from politicians and businessmen.



An example is county council president Horia Teodorescu, who had an advisory role in the ITI Danube Delta and secured more than 2.5 million euros for his construction company. His business partner's company and his wife's furniture factory also each received EUR 420,000 from EU funding.

Theme(s): Others.
X-Press Pearl agents agreed to pay Sri Lanka fishermen Rs720 mn as compensation

June 27,2021 | Source: ColomboPage News Desk

The insurers of the fire-ravaged X-Press Pearl have agreed to pay approximately Rs 720 Million as compensation to the Sri Lankan fishermen affected by the disaster.



Kanchana Wijesekera, State Minister of Ornamental Fish, Inland Fish & Prawn Farming, Fishery Harbor Development, Multi day Fishing Activities and Fish Export said the Attorney General has been informed that a payment of US $3.6 million (Approximately Rs 720 Million) will be paid for the Fishermen next week by the X-Press Pearl agents.



The payment would be the Initial payment of the First Interim Damage Claim of $40 Million made by the AG for the Period of 20th May - 3rd June.



A committee of government officials, including the Attorney Generals office, Auditor Generals Office, GA Gampaha, Ministry Of Fisheries, and other officials will be appointed to distribute the Damage Claims, the State Minister said in a Twitter post.

 2000, 2020 by LankaPage.com (LLC)

Theme(s): Others.
Two fishermen rescued, another missing, after boat collides with trawler in Perak, Malaysia

June 27,2021 | Source: Malay Mail

Two fishermen were rescued while another is missing after their boat collided with a trawler 25 nautical miles southwest of Kuala Kurau, Kerian in Ipoh, Malaysia, early yesterday morning.



Kuala Kurau Maritime Zone director, Maritime Commander Mohd Sharenliza Ghazali said the missing victim is Mohd Syarif Hasyim, 25, while the victims two other colleagues aged 21 and 35 were rescued.



Mohd Sharenliza said in the 4 am incident, their boat capsized after colliding with a trawler at the location and they were left drifting in the sea for three hours.



The skipper and a crew member were saved by other fishermen while one crew was missing.



Following the incident, a search and rescue operation was activated at 2pm yesterday to look for the missing victim and to date, the search sector was divided into four covering 186.30 nautical sq miles, he said in a statement here today.



He said among the assets involved were Maritime ship KM Gagah, Maritime Kilat 9 boat and a Maritime Malaysia helicopter and they were assisted by Royal Malaysian Navys KD Mahamiru and the fishermen community.

 2021, Malay Mail, All Rights Reserved.

Theme(s): Communities and Organisations.
Investigation launched over use of seal scarers by fish farms in Scotland

by Billy Briggs

June 27,2021 | Source: The Ferret

The Scottish Government has launched an investigation after receiving complaints from environmental conservationists over the use of seal scarers by a company which has fish farms in Argyll and Bute.



The row is over the use of acoustic deterrent devices (ADDs), aka seal scarers, which are used to deter seals from attacking fish farms by emitting a sound in the water they find unpleasant.



Critics of seal scarers  devices branded as sonic torture  claim they cause hearing damage and stress in dolphins, porpoises and whales and therefore breach legislation to protect cetaceans.



The farmed salmon industry says seals are a major problem and it is critical that farmers have deterrents to protect their livestock. According to the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO), net breaches in 2019 led to 500,000 lost fish.



The use of ADDs is allowed but remains controversial. In March the Scottish Government published a report expressing particular concern over the number of finfish farms using the devices. The report said they can have unintended consequences for non-target species, particularly cetaceans which are listed as European Protected Species.



A newer generation of ADDs have been developed that reduce sound outputs at frequencies most likely to cause disturbance, the report said, adding that questions remained over the efficacy of these devices in deterring seals and the potential for impacts on non-target species.



To coincide with the Scottish Governments report the SSPO announced in March that the sector is no longer using ADDs that may have been considered to cause disturbance to European Protected Species.



SSPOs Anne Anderson said then: Scottish salmon farmers are not using any acoustic deterrent devices that may have been considered to endanger cetaceans such as dolphins, porpoises and whales.



As such the Scottish salmon farming sector is committed to, where necessary, only using acoustic devices that have been scientifically proven to be compliant with the US Marine Mammals Protection Act (MMPA).



But now The Ferret has seen a copy of a complaint submitted to both Police Scotland and Scottish ministers by Inside Scottish Salmon Feedlots (ISSF), an environmental conservation group which opposes open cage salmon farming, and Clyde Porpoise CIC, a marine mammal project.



It refers to the use of seal scarers at 10 fish farms operated by The Scottish Salmon Company (TSSC) in Argyll and Bute. Clyde Porpoise and ISSF said these ADDs have been disturbing porpoises, which, they claim, would be an offense under Wildlife Countryside Act 1981 and Nature Conservation Scotland Act 2004.



They also pointed out that fish farms must obtain a European Protected Species (EPS) licence to operate an ADD unless they can demonstrate the equipment does not disturb porpoises. These licences can be issued by government agencies to permit activities that would otherwise be illegal.



Marine Scotland guidance says: It is your responsibility as the fish farm operator to determine whether you need to apply for an EPS licence. However given current scientific advice, it is likely that an EPS licence will be required for all currently available ADDs unless you can demonstrate that the device( s) operating at your site will not cause disturbance to cetaceans. The industry maintains that an EPS licence is not required if no harm is being caused.



In the complaint Clyde Porpoise CIC said it monitored seal scarers at 10 TSSC fish farms in May and June, claiming the output frequency is well within sensitive hearing range of harbour porpoise and amplitude at a level known to disturb the animals.



David Nairn, of Clyde Porpoise CIC, said: Our surveys support the overwhelming scientific evidence base that porpoises are being impacted by these devices.



Corin Smith of ISSF said: This is a powerful and groundbreaking investigation by community groups, which ultimately comes down to the simple issue of trust.



People will rightly ask why salmon farms in Scotland should be allowed to operate to weaker environmental standards than the same companies in other countries? Can communities and the Scottish Government really trust what the salmon farming industry says?



A spokesperson for TSSC said: The welfare of our salmon is of paramount importance and, like any farmer on land or sea, we have a responsibility to keep our stock free from stress and harm. This includes protecting our stock from attacks from predators like seals.

 The Ferret Media Ltd

Theme(s): Fisheries Development and Aquaculture.
Our plight as female farmers: Nigerian women speak out

June 27,2021 | Source: The Nation

In October 2019, the Federal Government of Nigeria launched the National Gender Policy in Agriculture (NGPA), to give women farmers across the country more access to farming inputs and enhance their participation in the agricultural sector. At the event, the then Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammed Nanono, said the scheme was expected to drastically reduce the vulnerability of women to biases in agriculture, address the unequal gender power relation and bridge gender gap. Two years down the line, many women farmers, some of whom are struggling widows, are yet to feel the impact of the policy and other government efforts as they are still bedeviled by most of the challenges the NGPA was meant to address.



INNOCENT DURU reports that budgetary allocations to the women farmers are also nothing to write home about, thus they lack the resources to deal with the myriad of challenges militating against their productivity.



Hannah Olaniyan is a graduate of Computer Science from Lagos State University (LASU). From childhood, she had nursed a keen interest in farming. For her, it was not out of place for her love for agriculture to grow stronger as she was rounding off her studies. Sadly, however, her fervor encountered a setback after she graduated. Her bid to access a piece of land for farming yielded no result.



Not willing to give up on her long-term dream of becoming a farmer, she journeyed from Lagos to Osun State to lease a piece of land on which she started planting cucumber. To maintain the farm, she had to regularly crisscross Lagos and Osun states, yet she remained undaunted because of her determination to make a success of her farming business.



Unfortunately, the modest success she recorded suffered a reversal last year when the government suddenly declared a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.



She said: I started from Osun State where I rented five acres of land to plant cucumber. But I left the place because of the lockdown restrictions.



One thing about the kind of crop I planted is that it needed regular attention. So, you cant just stay away for three days without attending to the farm.



If you stay away for a long time, you will automatically lose whatever you have planted. That was the major reason I lost my investment in that particular farm.



I actually reside in Lagos. And there was also restriction of movement at the same time. So, it was practically impossible for me to travel to Osun State.



That was how I lost over N2 million just like that. It was, and it is still heartbreaking for me to go back to that farm. I know that I wont see anything that will bring me one tenth of my investment on the farm.



Ordinarily, Hannahs initial loss on the Osun State farm should discourage her, but her undying love for agriculture was soon recharged. This time, she got another piece of land from land owners at FESTAC village, a residential area in Lagos, hoping to use it for farming before they would develop it.



But Hannah realises the risk involved in the new arrangement since the land owners can decide at any time to develop the land and kick her out.



She said: They could give about one-month notice to the farmer to remove whatever she has on the land. In fact, the owner could come at any time even if the farmer has just planted the crops. The farmer will then have to go elsewhere.



Nothing is certain for us farming here. That is why many people get discouraged and leave for other businesses.



In rainy seasons, Hannah and her fellow farmers also face the risk of drowning as the scaffold, which is the wooden bridge which they use to access the farm, often gets submerged.



The danger is, you dont get to see the bridge when it gets covered with water, let alone knowing where to place your feet. At this period, we usually come in through another community, which is a longer route, she said.



However, Hannahs is just one of the numerous challenges confronting women farmers. Not a few female farmers are still confronted with the age-long problem of not getting the land to farm on, besides lack of access to modern farming equipment and fertilizer, among others.



The Small Scale Women Farmers of Nigeria (SWOFON) had previously submitted to the federal government a document titled SWOFON Charter of Demand and Manifesto. The document contained a list of their demands which they believe will address their predicament if implemented.



The demands include access to soft loan from the government, provision of gender friendly machinery for increased productivity, supply and access to free/subsidised farming inputs like fertilisers, chemicals, pesticides, construction of good road networks for easy access to markets, among others.



Till date, most of these demands are yet to be met.

 2021. All Rights Reserved. Vintage Press Limited.

Theme(s): Communities and Organisations.
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Imperial Valley News Center

Naturalized U.S. Citizen Arrested on Charge of Fraudulently Obtaining Citizenship

Washington, DC - A Georgia man has been arrested on criminal charges related to allegations that he lied to obtain U.S. citizenship.

According to the indictment, which was unsealed following the arrest, Mezemr Abebe Belayneh, 65, of Snellville, served as a civilian interrogator at a makeshift prison in Dilla, Ethiopia, during a period in the late 1970s known as the Red Terror. At the prison, Abebe ordered and participated in the severe physical abuse and interrogation of prisoners held on the basis of their political beliefs. The indictment alleges that Abebe unlawfully procured U.S. citizenship, to which he was not entitled, by concealing his involvement in the Red Terror when he falsely claimed that he had not persecuted anyone because of their political opinions and had never committed a crime for which he had not been arrested.

Human rights violators have no home in the United States, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Departments Criminal Division. No matter how much time has passed, the Department of Justice will find and prosecute individuals who committed atrocities in their home countries and covered them up to gain entry to the United States.

The laws of the United States are designed to provide refuge for the victims of human rights violation and to exclude those who commit them, said Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine for the Northern District of Georgia. The defendants alleged lies through his immigration and naturalization process subverted this system. We commend our law enforcement partners at the Department of Homeland Security and the dedicated team at the Department of Justice who work tirelessly to assure that individuals such as the defendant do not have a safe haven in our communities.

Abebes lies and horrible past deeds have thankfully come back to haunt him, said Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. Now he will be held accountable. Thanks to some great work from the agents and officers involved in this case as well as our law enforcement partners, justice will be served.

Abebe is charged with two counts of unlawful procurement of naturalization. The maximum sentence for each count is 10 years in prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A conviction would also result in automatic revocation of Abebes U.S. citizenship.

Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta Field Office is investigating the case, and coordination was provided by the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC). Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the governments efforts to identify, locate and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female genital mutilation, and the use or recruitment of child soldiers.

Trial Attorneys Jamie Perry and Patrick Jasperse of the Criminal Divisions Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Morris of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP Senior Historian Dr. Christopher Hayden.
Imperial Valley News Center

Five Charged in Scheme to Export Thermal Imaging Scopes and Night Vision Goggles to Russia, in Violation of Arms Export Control Act

Los Angeles, California - A federal grand jury in Los Angeles unsealed an indictment Thursday that accuses five defendants of conspiring to unlawfully export defense articles to Russia. Specifically, the defendants allegedly exported thermal imaging riflescopes and night-vision goggles without a license, in violation of the Arms Export Control Act.

According to court documents, Elena Shifrin, 59, of Mundelein, Illinois, and Vladimir Pridacha, 55, of Volo, Illinois, were arrested June 17 for their roles in a nearly four-year scheme in which the defendants purchased dozens of thermal imaging devices, most of which cost between $5,000 and $10,000 and are controlled by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, from sellers across the United States. The other three defendants named in the indictment are: Boris Polosin, 45, of Russia; Vladimir Gohman, 52, of Israel; and Igor Panchernikov, 39, an Israeli national who, during much of the scheme, resided in Corona, California.

As outlined in the indictment, the defendants allegedly obtained many of the items using aliases, falsely assuring the sellers that they would not export the items from the United States. The thermal imaging devices were then exported to co-conspirators in Russia using aliases and false addresses to conceal their activities.

As alleged, the defendants hid the thermal imaging devices among other non-export-controlled items when exporting them to Russia, and they falsely stated on export declarations that the contents of their exports were non-export-controlled items with values of less than $2,500. In no case did any of the defendants obtain the required export licenses to export defense articles to Russia.

All five defendants are charged with conspiring to violate the Arms Export Control Act and face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted. The indictment also accuses all five defendants of conspiring to smuggle thermal imaging devices from the United States and file false export information to conceal their activities, which carries a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting U.S. Attorney Tracy Wilkison of the Central District of California and Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers of the Justice Departments National Security Division made the announcement.

The FBIs Los Angeles and Chicago Field Offices are investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys David T. Ryan and Wilson Park of the Central District of California and Trial Attorney Matthew Chang of the National Security Divisions Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Imperial Valley News Center

Former Deutsche Bank Commodities Trader Sentenced to Prison for Fraud Scheme

Chicago, Illinois - A former commodities trader was sentenced Monday in the Northern District of Illinois to 12 months and a day in prison for a scheme to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution.

James Vorley, 41, of the United Kingdom, was convicted by a federal jury on Sept. 25, 2020. Based on the evidence presented at trial, Vorley, who was employed as a precious metals trader at Deutsche Bank in London, engaged in a scheme to defraud other traders on the Commodity Exchange Inc., which was a public exchange. The defendant, together with Cedric Chanu and other Deutsche Bank traders, defrauded other market participants through a deceptive trading practice known as spoofing. Specifically, Vorley placed fraudulent orders that he did not intend to execute in order to create the false appearance of supply and demand and to induce other traders to transact at prices, quantities, and times that they otherwise would not have traded. Chanu is scheduled to be sentenced on June 28.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Departments Criminal Division and Assistant Director in Charge William Sweeney of the FBIs New York Field Office made the announcement.

The FBIs New York Field Office investigated the case.

Deputy Chief Brian Young, Acting Principal Assistant Chief Avi Perry, and Trial Attorney Leslie S. Garthwaite of the Criminal Divisions Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
Imperial Valley News Center

Turkish Businessman Arrested in Austria on Charges that He Allegedly Laundered Over $133 Million in Fraud Proceeds

Salt Lake City, Utah - A Turkish businessman was arrested in Austria on June 19, at the request of the U.S. Department of Justice. This arrest followed a superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City, Utah, on April 28, which was unsealed today. The superseding indictment charged Sezgin Baran Korkmaz with one count of conspiring to commit money laundering, 10 counts of wire fraud, and one count of obstruction of an official proceeding.

According to the superseding indictment, Korkmaz laundered over $133 million in fraud proceeds through bank accounts that he controlled in Turkey and Luxembourg. The proceeds allegedly related to a scheme by Jacob Kingston, Isaiah Kingston, and Levon Termendzhyan to defraud the U.S. Treasury by filing false claims for over $1 billion in refundable renewable fuel tax credits for the production and sale of biodiesel by their company, Washakie Renewable Energy LLC, in Plymouth, Utah.

Korkmaz and his co-conspirators allegedly used proceeds from the fraud to acquire the Turkish airline Borajet, hotels in Turkey and Switzerland, a yacht named the Queen Anne, and a villa and apartment on the Bosphorus strait in Istanbul.

The indictment further charges Korkmaz with 10 counts of wire fraud. As alleged, Korkmaz devised a scheme to defraud Jacob Kingston and Isaiah Kingston by falsely representing that he could provide them with protection, through unnamed government officials, from a federal grand jury investigation and civil lawsuits.

The United States will seek to extradite Korkmaz to the United States so that he can appear before U.S. District Judge Jill Parrish of the District of Utah to face these charges. If convicted, Korkmaz faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the money laundering conspiracy count, 20 years in prison for each of the wire fraud counts, and five years in prison for the obstruction count. Judge Parrish will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Departments Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Andrea T. Martinez for the District of Utah made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation, the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division, and the Department of Defense DCIS are investigating the case. The Justice Departments Office of International Affairs is providing significant assistance.

Trial Attorneys Richard Rolwing and Arthur Ewenczyk, and Senior Litigation Counsel John Sullivan of the Justice Departments Tax Division are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Imperial Valley News Center

Woman Owner and CEO of Government Contracting Firm Pleads Guilty to Bribery Scheme

Arlington, Virginia - A North Carolina woman pleaded guilty Tuesday in the Eastern District of Virginia to engaging in a bribery scheme with a former contracting officer for the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), now known as the U.S. Agency for Global Media.

According to court documents, Rita M. Starliper, 60, of Greensboro, was the owner and CEO of a government contracting firm that previously provided professional staffing services to the BBG. Between late 2014 and late 2016, Starliper, a BBG contracting officer, and others associated with Starlipers company agreed to and did hire and pay the contracting officers relative for a job involving minimal work and that resulted in payments to the relative of more than $68,000. In exchange, the BBG contracting officer took official actions that benefitted Starliper and her company, including the awarding of a professional staffing contract worth millions of dollars. The BBG contracting officer also took steps to steer the procurement process and provide preferential treatment to Starlipers company.

Starliper pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services mail fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on November 5, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh of the Eastern District of Virginia, Special Agent in Charge Elisabeth Kaminsky of the U.S. Department of State Office of Inspector General and Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. DAntuono of the FBIs Washington Field Office made the announcement.

The Department of State Office of Inspector General and the FBI investigated the case.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and Senior Litigation Counsel Edward P. Sullivan and Trial Attorney Jordan Dickson of the Justice Departments Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.
Imperial Valley News Center

Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Running Child Obscenity Website

El Paso, Texas - A Texas man was sentenced Tuesday in the Western District of Texas to 40 years in prison for multiple obscenity crimes involving children.

Thomas Alan Arthur, 65, of Terlingua, was convicted by a federal jury on Jan. 21, 2021, of three counts of trafficking in obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of a child, five counts of trafficking in obscene text stories about the sexual abuse of children, and one count of engaging in the business of selling obscene matters involving the sexual abuse of children.

According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, Arthur began operating the Mr. Double website in 1996 and began charging members for access to the site in 1998. The website was dedicated to publishing writings that detail the sexual abuse of children, including the rape, torture and murder of infants and toddlers. The evidence at trial showed that all submissions for publication were reviewed and approved by Arthur before he posted them on the site. Some of the author pages contained drawings depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Evidence at trial showed that the website was Arthurs sole source of income for more than 20 years. The site was taken offline in November 2019 when the FBI executed a search warrant at his residence near Terlingua, where Arthur administered the site. Pursuant to a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the Netherlands, additional evidence was obtained from the server in the Netherlands, where the site was hosted.

Additionally, according to court documents and statements made at the sentencing, Arthur sexually assaulted two females who came forward during the investigation of this case. Court documents and statements made in court showed that in approximately 1992, Arthur drugged an adult woman living with him, sexually assaulted her and video recorded it. In another instance, in the early 1980s, Arthur molested a girl when she was four or five years old, who was the daughter of a friend and business associate.

In addition to the term of imprisonment, Arthur was sentenced to three years of supervised release and a $50,000 fine.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Departments Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

Trial Attorney Austin M. Berry of the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Morrison of the Middle District of Tennessee and Assistant U.S. Attorney Fidel Esparza of the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case with assistance from the Justice Departments Office of International Affairs.

The FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Department of Public Safety, and Brewster County Sheriffs Office investigated the case. Special thanks are extended to the government of the Netherlands for its assistance.
Imperial Valley News Center

Defense Department Linguist Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for Transmitting Highly Sensitive Classified National Defense Information

Washington, DC - Mariam Taha Thompson, 62, formerly of Rochester, Minnesota, was sentenced Wednesday to 23 years in prison for delivering classified national defense information to aid a foreign government. As part of her March 26 guilty plea, Thompson admitted that she believed that the classified national defense information that she was passing to a Lebanese national would be provided to Lebanese Hezbollah, a designated foreign terrorist organization.

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.

The defendants decision to aid a foreign terrorist organization was a betrayal that endangered the lives of the very American men and women on the battlefield who had served beside her for more than a decade, said Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips for the District of Columbia. Let todays sentence serve notice that there are serious consequences for anyone who betrays this country by compromising national defense information.

This case should serve as a clear reminder to all of those entrusted with national defense information that unilaterally disclosing such information for personal gain, or that of others, is not selfless or heroic; it is criminal, said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler, Jr. of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division. By knowingly distributing classified information that would be passed onto a designated foreign terrorist organization, Mariam Thompson put our national defense in danger. The men and women of the FBI will continue to work tirelessly to defeat hostile intelligence activities targeting the United States and to hold those who assist our adversaries accountable.

Thompson was entrusted with highly sensitive information, and she chose to betray her country by providing classified defense information to a foreign terrorist organization, said Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. DAntuono of the FBI Washington Field Office. Todays significant sentencing shows the dedicated work of the FBI, the U.S. Intelligence Community and our global partners to work swiftly and diligently to safeguard our national security information and hold accountable those who break our nations trust."

According to court documents, Thompson worked as a contract linguist at an overseas U.S. military facility where she was entrusted with a Top-Secret government security clearance. Thompson admitted that, beginning in 2017, she started communicating with her unindicted co-conspirator using a video-chat feature on a secure text and voice messaging application. Over time, Thompson developed a romantic interest in her co-conspirator. Thompson learned that 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.

In December 2019, while 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. These airstrikes culminated in a Jan. 3, 2020, strike that resulted in the death of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force commander Qasem Suleimani, as well as the founder of Kataib Hezbollah, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

Following 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 admitted that she understood them to be Lebanese Hezbollah, including an unnamed high-ranking military commander.

After receiving this request for information in early January 2020, 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. 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.

When she was arrested by the FBI on Feb. 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. Thompson intended and had reason to believe that this classified national defense information would be used to the injury of the United States and to the advantage of Lebanese Hezbollah.

The sentencing was the result of the significant cooperation between law enforcement, the Department of Defense and the intelligence community in the successful resolution of this investigation led by the FBI Washington Field Office.

National Security Division Trial Attorneys Jennifer Kennedy Gellie of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Jennifer Levy of the Counterterrorism Section, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John Cummings for the District of Columbia prosecuted the case.
A man has been shot and killed by police at a property in Milton Keynes where a second man in his 30s was also found dead and a young child was found with serious injuries.

Police were called to the address in Denmead, Two Mile Ash, at around 9.40am on Saturday over a serious disturbance and made a forced entry to a property.

The man who was shot, and confirmed dead on the scene, was in his 20s.

Officers deployed a taser before shots were fired, Thames Valley Police (TVP) confirmed in a statement.

The man then received first aid and treatment from ambulance crews but was later pronounced dead.

The young child was taken to hospital, but no further information has been released by police on their age, gender or current medical status.

Police said the dead mens next of kin had been notified, and that officers were likely to remain on watch outside the property for several days.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed it had received a referral from TVP and said its investigation was at a very early stage and no further information can be provided at this time.

Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic incident, the IOPC statement added.

TVP assistant chief constable Christian Bunt, said: What has happened this morning can only be described as absolutely tragic and will no doubt have an impact on the community.

Our thoughts are with those who have been impacted by this incident.

Our major crime unit are working closely with the IOPC to understand exactly what has happened.

At this stage no one else is being sought in relation to this investigation and we are seeking to support everyone involved.

Members of the community will see an increased police presence. We would ask anyone who has any concerns or information to please speak to one of our uniformed officers.

Additional reporting by PA
A teenager has been arrested after a man was stabbed to death at a music event in south-east London on Saturday night.

Police were called at 11.50pm to an industrial unit in South Bermondsey, where the unlicensed event was taking place.

Officers and paramedics entered the premises on Stockholm Road and found an unidentified male with stabbing injuries who was pronounced dead at the scene.

A 16-year-old boy, who was taken to hospital after being found at the unit with non-life threatening head injuries, has been arrested in connection with the incident.

A spokesman said police were unable to release any details on the victims age. Police are also appealing for witnesses to come forward who may have been at the event.

The spokesman added: Enquiries are ongoing to establish the victims identity and contact his family. A post-mortem examination will be arranged in due course.

The Met has launched an investigation into the stabbing that will be led by detectives from the specialist crime unit that deals with homicide.

Additional reporting by PA
There was something poignant about the BBC radio profile of Matt Hancock broadcast last year. It started with a university friend of his, Gina Coladangelo, explaining how his parents had separated when he was very young, but that they had both happily remarried.

He grew up in Cheshire, and went to Exeter College, Oxford, where he took a first in the politicians degree  philosophy, politics and economics  followed by an MPhil in economics at Cambridge. He worked at the Bank of England, on the housing market, and then became an adviser to George Osborne, the shadow chancellor, in 2005. I first met him then: he was energetic, clever, and  as Osborne put it  a bit Tiggerish.

It was presumably around this time that he first encountered Dominic Cummings, who had been chief of staff to Iain Duncan Smith during the latters brief tenure as Conservative leader. Whenever it was, Cummings seems to have formed an early and abiding dislike for someone who was very much a conventional politician.
Trevor Phillips, the Sky News presenter, recalled his daughters recent death and funeral to question a government minister over the hypocrisy of now deposed health secretary Matt Hancocks coronavirus rule breach.

After a few minutes of quizzing Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis live on air, Mr Phillips said he wanted to do something I wouldnt normally do and put a personal, private, question to you.

He continued: For the past two days, MPs have come out to essentially defend the prime minister and Matt Hancock.

The pictures we saw were on 6 May. On 11 May, my family buried my daughter who had died not of Covid, but during the lockdown. Three hundred of our family and friends turned up online but most of them were not allowed to be by the graveside, even though it was in the open air, because of the rule of 30.

And because of the instruction by Mr Hancock.

Before allowing Mr Lewis the chance to respond, Mr Phillips finished by saying: Now the next time one of you tells me what to do in my private life, explain to me why I shouldnt just tell you where to get off.

Mr Lewis failed to acknowledge Mr Phillipss loss, and said: Look I absolutely accept the frustration, even the anger, from people and the situations theyve been through.

Ive lost friends whose funerals Ive not been able to go to. That is such a tragic situation for any of us to be in, which is why its so important for all of us to do what we can to keep ourselves and family members safe.

He again defended the former health secretary, and added: What Matt did was wrong and thats why he apologised and acknowledged that.

Mr Phillips, who is covering for Sophy Ridges Sunday morning politics show on Sky News, was referring to the death of his daughter who died in April after living with the eating disorder anorexia for more than two decades.

Sushila Phillips, who worked as a freelance journalist, died peacefully in her own bed with her parents at her side, according to reports at the time. She was 36 when she died.

It comes after Mr Hancock resigned on Saturday evening, following leaked CCTV footage of him in a tryst with government aide Gina Coladangelo inside his Department of Health office.

He remains as an MP and will join the Tory backbenches, replaced as health secretary by former chancellor Sajid Javid.

For anyone struggling with the issues raised in this piece, eating disorder charity Beats helpline is available 365 days a year on 0808 801 0677.

NCFED offers information, resources and counselling for those suffering from eating disorders, as well as their support networks. Visit eating-disorders.org.uk or call 0845 838 2040.
The death toll rose to nine people overnight after search and rescue workers discovered four bodies and more human remains in the rubble of a collapsed building, according to Mayor Daniella Levine Cava of Miami-Dade County.

As of today, one victim passed away in the hospital, and weve recovered eight more victims on-site, so I am confirming today that the death toll is at nine, the mayor said during a Sunday news conference. My deepest condolences to the friends, the families, the communities of those who lost their lives.

Authorities have not yet released the names of five of the victims to the public.

We are making every effort to identify those others who have been recovered, and additionally, contacting their family members as soon as we are able, Ms Cava said.

The Miami-Dade Police Department identified four of the victims as Antonio Lozano, 83, and Gladys Lozano, 79; Manuel LaFont; and Stacie Fang.

There are still more than 150 people unaccounted for since the 12-storey Champlain Towers South building collapsed overnight on Thursday.

Search and rescue teams were able to locate the additional bodies overnight after a 125ft long trench was dug through the rubble thats 20ft wide and 40ft deep, the mayor said. This trench has helped assist rescue workers to locate more bodies as they continue to search for any survivors.

If you look at that rubble now, you see folks on top, you see major machinery, and theyre working round the clock, said Governor Ron DeSantis during the press conference.

Mr DeSantis said that state and local officials were working to determine if more resources were needed for the search and rescue efforts. Israel Defense Forces Home Front Command search-and-rescue team arrived Saturday and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was also on the ground at the site.

Officials were asked if they had a timeframe of when the search teams might transition to recovery, as workers enter the fourth day of searching for any survivors.

Well continue moving through and doing what were doing, said Miami-Dade Fire Chief Alan Cominsky, adding that he had hope that search and rescue could continue.

The Champlain Towers South building collapsed overnight on Thursday without warning, with terrifying footage showing the moment the structure crumbled into dust and rubble.

Family members and friends of the loved ones missing in the collapse were now waiting to hear of any news about the fate of their missing person.

Why the building collapsed is not yet known.

A 2018 structural field report of the residential building raised concerns about structural damage in the condominium.

In the report, the consultant noticed damage to a concrete slab below the pool deck, as well as cracking and spalling located in the parking garage.

The failed waterproofing is causing major structural damage to the concrete structural slab below these areas. Failure to replace the waterproofing in the near future will cause the extent of the concrete deterioration to expand exponentially, wrote consultant Frank Morabito in the October 2018 report.

The report set in place a multimillion-dollar repair project for the building, which was set to start soon  nearly three years after the report was first released.

But then the building collapsed in the middle of the night on Thursday.

Residents in two sister buildings that were built around the same time with the same builder as the Champlain Towers South structure have been given the option to relocate following the collapse, according to Mayor Charles Burkett of Surfside.

Preliminary investigations of those buildings didnt find anything that was out of order, he added.

Officials have vowed to determine the cause of the Champlain Towers South building collapse and act accordingly.
An engineers report found evidence of major structural damage at a residential condominium complex near Miami three years before its fatal collapse earlier this week.

Rescue teams are working around the clock to search for survivors at the site of the Champlain Towers South condominium complex in Surfside, Florida. At least 159 people are missing after the building suddenly collapse in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Even as the search continues, families of those who lived in the buildings are demanding answers about how the 40-year-old structure fell apart so abruptly.

A 2018 report filed by the consultant warned of abundant cracking in the concrete columns, beams, and walls of the parking garage at he base of the structure. The report included images of the cracks and damage, according to a copy obtained by the New York Times.

The report gave no indication that the building was at risk of immediate collapse, but its author, consultant engineer Frank Morabito said that most of the concrete deterioration needs to be repaired in a timely fashion.

He wrote that the waterproofing below the pool deck and Entrance Drive as well as all of the planter waterproofing is beyond its useful life and therefore must all be completely removed and replaced.

The failed waterproofing is causing major structural damage to the concrete structural slab below these areas. Failure to replace the waterproofing in the near future will cause the extent of the concrete deterioration to expand exponentially, it added.

Kenneth S. Direktor, a lawyer who representing the association that runs the building, told the New York Times that work on repairing the damages when the collapse happened.

They were just about to get started on it, he said in an interview, adding that the owners were unaware the damages represented a serious threat.

Responding to the report, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava promised to get to the bottom of what happened.

Clearly, our buildings need to be structurally sound. We need to have regular reviews, and to the extent that we need to change laws, we will change laws, and we will make sure these things do not happen in the future, Cava told CNN.

For now, were focused on the families waiting for their loved ones and the search for survivors.

Experts have warned that finding the cause of the collapse could take months.
Senator Mitt Romney urged Americans to ignore Donald Trump and knocked the former president for spreading conspiracy theories in a new interview.

Speaking to Jake Tapper on Sundays State of the Union on CNN, the Utah senator who emerged as one of the few prominent national anti-Trump voices among the GOP compared the former presidents antics to the fictionalised storylines of professional wrestling.

"I do think its important for each person to speak the truth and to make clear that the big lie is exactly that," Mr Romney said.

"I think, frankly, Jake, a growing recognition in the US is this is like WWF [World Wrestling Federation], that its entertaining, but its not real," added the Utah senator.

Mr Romney went on to point out that the Justice Department as well as US intelligence agencies stated firmly that there was no evidence of voter fraud in the 2020 election that could have risen to the level of affecting state vote totals in a meaningful way. He then suggested that Mr Trump was receiving his information not from official sources, but from his now-suspended lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, as well as MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell.

"Where did he hear that the election had been fraudulently carried out? Did he hear it from the Justice Department? No. Did he hear it from the intelligence community? No, Mr Romney continued.

So where did he hear it from? The MyPillow guy? Rudy Giuliani? What are their sources of information? Its pretty clear the election was fair and not the outcome the president wanted, but lets move on, he said.

Mitt Romney on Trump continuing to push the Big Lie:



"This is like WWF, that its entertaining, but its not real... Did he hear it from the intelligence community? No. So where did he hear it from? The MyPillow guy? Rudy Giuliani?" pic.twitter.com/cQdhv1zudI  Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) June 27, 2021

Mr Romney was one of a handful of Republicans, among others including Rep Liz Cheney, who voted to support the second impeachment of Mr Trump earlier this year following the 6 January attack on the US Capitol.

The move earned him and other anti-Trump GOPers the ire of Mr Trump, who has vowed to support primary challengers in their respective states.

The former president has continued to release official statements and make comments to his supporters claiming, without evidence, that the 2020 election was stolen by President Joe Biden, while also suggesting in some instances that he could be reinstated later this year. The US Constitution has no provision for such an action.

Mr Trump has also made numerous remarks hinting at the likelihood of a 2024 run for the White House. Polls of Republican voters around the country indicate that the former president would be a heavy favourite should he make a second bid for the presidency.

On Saturday evening the former president appeared at a rally in Wellington, Ohio, where he repeated bogus claims that he had really won the election to the delight of his supporters. The stop was the first on what has been dubbed his revenge tour as he looks to boost loyalist primary challengers to Republicans who voted to impeach him.
President Donald Trump has dipped into his greatest hits during a speech at a conservative CPAC forum, reciting song lyrics that were a recurring feature of his campaign trail repertoire.

Entitled the Snake, the Al Wilson song serves as a cautionary tale about the danger of immigrants for Mr Trump. It features a woman who foolishly embraces a dangerous predator.

Think of it in terms of immigration, Mr Trump told his audience.

During the presidential campaign, Mr Trump prefaced reading the lyrics by talking about the perils of accepting Syrian refugees. He called during his run for a ban on Muslim immigration, and while in office he has repeatedly sought to block immigration from Muslim-majority nations.

Since assuming the presidency Mr Trump has constantly warned that a porous border is allowing criminals and drugs to flow into America, bolstering his case for a border wall. He has had similar criticisms for Americas legal immigration process, saying mechanisms like a diversity visa lottery and refugee admissions offer a route into America for terrorists and other people who endanger public safety. He also read the Snake during an event marking his first 100 days in office.

Here are the lyrics in full:

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

On her way to work one morning

Down the path alongside the lake

A tender-hearted woman saw a poor half-frozen snake

His pretty colored skin had been all frosted with the dew

Oh well, she cried, I'll take you in and I'll take care of you

Take me in oh tender woman

Take me in, for heaven's sake

Take me in oh tender woman, sighed the snake

She wrapped him up all cozy in a curvature of silk

And then laid him by the fireside with some honey and some milk

Now she hurried home from work that night as soon as she arrived

She found that pretty snake she'd taken in had been revived

Take me in, oh tender woman

Take me in, for heaven's sake

Take me in oh tender woman, sighed the snake

Now she clutched him to her bosom, You're so beautiful, she cried

But if I hadn't brought you in by now you might have died

Now she stroked his pretty skin and then she kissed and held him tight

But instead of saying thanks, that snake gave her a vicious bite

Take me in, oh tender woman

Take me in, for heaven's sake

Take me in oh tender woman, sighed the snake

I saved you, cried that woman

And you've bit me even, why?

You know your bite is poisonous and now I'm going to die

Oh shut up, silly woman, said the reptile with a grin

You knew damn well I was a snake before you took me in

Take me in, oh tender woman

Take me in, for heaven's sake

Take me in oh tender woman, sighed the snake
A nature documentary has won acclaim for shedding light on the existential battle to combat timber smuggling in Gabon.

The documentary, produced by TF1 subsidiary Ushuaia TV, follows the Gabonese authorities in their attempt to crack down on local mafias and big business engaged in illegal logging of forests.

Gabon is one of the most heavily forested countries in the world, with 85 per cent of its landmass covered by trees. The West African state forms part of the Congo basin, known as the earths second lung after the Amazon.

Timber smuggling, especially of the red wood referred to as Rosewood, is the single most lucrative good sold as part of the illegal wildlife trade, itself the fourth biggest illegal trade after humans, weapons and drugs.

It is estimated that a third of the global timber market comes from illicit sources, the trade of which is run by sophisticated criminal gangs. West and Central Africa are responsible for over 85 per cent of the trade, according to the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA).

David Ingueza, the chief of Gabons forestry police, told The Independent that the essential issue is forestry companies that are legally allowed to fell and process timber are cutting down more than their quotas permit and bribing officials to turn a blind eye.

Its a mafia-like business. We are certain, thanks to prior investigations, that it steals a tremendous amount of wood from the state, he is filmed explaining in the video.

Stop the Illegal Wildlife Trade We are working with conservation charities Space for Giants and Freeland to protect wildlife at risk from poachers due to the conservation funding crisis caused by Covid-19. Help is desperately needed to support wildlife rangers, local communities and law enforcement personnel to prevent wildlife crime. Donate to help Stop the Illegal Wildlife Trade HERE.

The forestry industry is the second largest employer in Gabon, offering jobs and income to rural communities where it is often the only employer. A 2019 investigation by the EIA found that multinational conglomerates operating in Gabon and the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) routinely overharvested timber for export to Europe, North America and East Asia.

The video shows an investigation led by the police and environmental authorities into one international company that harvested and exported timber to both East Asia and the West. It was found to have harvested 13 times its quota of trees in just one year.

It is estimated that a third of the global timber market comes from illicit sources ( )

A further investigation found that trees were felled before maturity and surrounding trees and ecosystems damaged beyond natural repair. The video also suggested that the tracks dug by traffickers into Gabons thick forests would allow poachers easier access.

Over 200 animal and plant species are considered threatened in Gabon, including the African Forest Elephant, which across Africa has seen 70 per cent of its population wiped out in the last 15 years, leaving Gabon as a crucial sanctuary for the remaining population.

(The Independent )

Professor Lee White CBE, the British-born conservationist and Gabons Minister of the Forests, of the Seas and of the Environment, said in the video that this illegal logging was an existential threat to the West African country.

We are at war, it's about defending our country, the future security of Gabon, the future of the country. The natural resources of Gabon must be used for the development of the country, not for the development of organised crime, whatever its origin. We are really fighting for the future of our country.
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Mam | Marketing

On MSME Day, OkCredit gives a shout-out to local biz with #PaasHaiToKhaasHai campaign The COVID-19 crisis and the resultant containment measures have not impacted everyone in the same way. Among the private sector, Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs), especially those led by vulnerable groups such as women, youth, and economically deprived communities, suffered the most. Read More...

Mam | Marketing

Tata Studi shows the right way to learn in its new ad campaign E-learning application, Tata Studi has launched a new ad campaign, positioning the platform as a 'perfect' after-school coach for students. Conceptualised by Gozoop, the campaign - Padhne ka Sahi Tareeka (the right way to learn' highlights the functionality of the application and showcases the science of learning that helps a child become an independent learner. Read More...

Mam | Marketing

Zupee appoints Gaurav Mehta as CMO Zupee has announced Gaurav Mehta as the company's new chief marketing officer. He was previously associated with GirnarSoft - the name behind the automotive market, Cardekho.com. A post-graduate in Brand Management and Media Planning from Mudra Institute of Communications (MICA), Ahmedabad, Mehta has diverse experience spanning 19 years, which includes 13 years as a digital business expert in a number of leading companies. Read More...

Mam | Marketing 'What if people Vlogged their periods', ask Paree in its latest campaign Women-centric hygiene brand Paree has been promoting progressive and open dialogue to address the 'real issues' related to menstrual hygiene. Be it rashes, heavy flow, or conversation with the family, it has believed in normalising the conversation around menstruation. Read More...
In June 1997, a fire tragedy broke Indias heart into pieces. The Uphaar Cinema fire still remains one of the worst fire tragedies in the history of India.

What led to the massive fire outbreak that claimed the lives of many?

BCCL

-On Friday, 13 June 1997 fire started at Uphaar Cinema in Green Park, Delhi during the three o'clock screening of the movie Border. A fire started due to a faulty transformer. It further spread to the parking lot where it destroyed 27 cars.



-Close to 59 people were stuck inside the movie theatre and died of asphyxiation, while 103 were seriously injured in the resulting stampede (suffocation).



-The victims and the families of the deceased later formed The Association of Victims of Uphaar Fire Tragedy (AVUT). They also filed the landmark civil compensation case.



-The association won 25 crores (equivalent to 51 crores or US$7.1 million in 2019) as compensation for the families of the victims.



-Apart from being one of the tragedies that completely changed the lives of many families and their members, the case is now considered a breakthrough in civil compensation law in India.



Mail Today

Years later, in December 2019, filmmaker Prashant Nair, who earlier collaborated and worked as a co-director with Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti, Nitya Mehra, and Alankrita Shrivastava on acclaimed web series Made In Heaven announced a series based on Uphaar Cinema fire tragedy in Delhi.

Platform-Mag

According to a News18 report, the makers have roped in Actor Abhay Deol to headline the series.

The show that remains untitled for now will be based on Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthys book Trial By Fire: The Tragic Tale of The Uphaar Fire Tragedy.

BCCL/FILE

It will be produced by Endemol Shine India. Sidharth Jain, founder of The Story Ink, will be the co-producer of the series. The news report quotes a source as saying, The show will be primarily told from the Krishnamoorthys point of view. They fought for justice for 19 years for their children, Unnati and Ujjwal, who lost their lives in the fire. The makers were looking for a mature actor and felt that Deol suited the role. They were convinced that the actor fit the leading characters shoes perfectly and would blend well into his character. When they approached him, he liked the script."

The source further adds that it will be a new challenge for Deol, who will be seen playing a father for the first time.

Twitter

He adds, Abhay will be seen playing the role of Shekhar Krishnamoorthy, the father of the two children. So he took his time to study his role before giving his nod. Its a complex character which goes through various phases in life."

A few earlier reports also hinted that the pre-production work on the show had kickstarted and the team has been aiming to redesign the facade of Navrang Cinema based in Andheri in the western suburbs of Mumbai to make sure it resembles Uphaar theatre.

Twitter

A detailed storyboard of the shoot has also been finalized so that the cast can carefully execute the entire schedule in a bio-bubble.



For the uninitiated, Abhay Deol has already entered the OTT arena with shows like JL50 and 1962: The War in the Hills.

Zee5

The audience gave a big thumbs up to Deol for his performances in both shows.
A girl from Jharkhand's Jamshedpur wanted to buy a smartphone to pursue online classes. The 11-year-old Tulsi Kumari sells mangoes by the roadside and was shocked to find a man named Ameya who bought 12 mangoes for Rs 1,20,000 - Rs 10,000 for each mango- from her.

On Wednesday, the money was transferred to her father Srimal Kumar's account.

TOI

Ameya is the Managing Director of Valuable Edutainment Private Ltd and had learnt about the struggles of the 11-year-old girl who spoke to the local media about the financial woes of her family that restricted her from buying a smartphone to attend online classes.

Tulsi is in fifth grade and attends a government school. Her school shut down during the coronavirus-induced pandemic.

Youth Ki Aawaz

After being helped out by Ameya, Tulsi said that she sold mangoes to save money to afford a smartphone, but now that she has the money, she can attend classes online and continue her education. reported Times of India.

The coronavirus-induced lockdown led to a lot of underprivileged students dropping out of school since they did not have access to smartphones and laptops. Many were helped out by their own teachers, while others had saviours like Ameya.




A bizarre and shocking incident has emerged from the UK where a man burnt down his house with a blowtorch, causing 550,000 worth of damage. An investigation revealed that the incident was not accidental but, in fact, a case of arson that included an 'outrageous' reason.

The man responsible for the fire, John McCorry, was unhappy about the upcoming sale of his house in Kennford that he shared with his estranged wife.

Three days before the sale, McCorry burnt down his house with a blowtorch to 'stop his estranged wife from getting a share', according to reports.

Exeter Crown Court Service

Reports also said that McCorry had been drinking on the night of June 17 before he decided to set his workshop on fire.

According to a Daily Mail report, he had prevented his wife from removing her belongings from the house earlier on the same day.

The house was reportedly uninsured as McCorry had not paid the premiums.

McCorry's wife, Hillary said that he had been quite happy after she had left him.

"It did bother him. He was also very angry that I had left him. I think he set fire to the house out of spite," Hillary said.



McCorry admitted to arson in court. However, he denied having started the fire deliberately, claiming he was drunk and in shock to do anything.

"I did not want a divorce. I was not seeking a divorce. I did not want to move out of the house. That came from her end. I was not angry, I was upset, he said.

BPM Media

Sounds like something to regret.
An Indian American nurse in Texas pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and was sentenced May 25 by U.S. District Judge Ada Brown to 20 years in federal prison. (pixabay.com representational image)
One terrorist was killed while another surrendered with an AK rifle during an encounter between militants and security forces on the Hanjipora area at south Kashmirs Shopian district in Srinagar on June 25, 2021. (IANS photo)
When Dinan Elsyad first saw the demographics of the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technologys class of 2025, she almost couldnt believe her eyes.

I was really blown away, said Elsyad, who graduated from the school this spring. As soon as I saw the numbers, I almost started crying.

Thomas Jefferson, or TJ, is a Fairfax County magnet school available to students across Northern Virginia who meet certain admissions criteria. It is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the nations number one public high school.

Demographics for TJs newest class  released last week as students were notified of their acceptance for the fall semester  showed radical improvements in the schools racial and geographic diversity. The numbers of Black and Hispanic students accepted shot up by 550% and 287.5%, respectively, compared with the class of 2024. Even more drastically, economically disadvantaged students went from just 0.62% of last years class to more than a quarter of the incoming class.

The changes to TJs racial makeup come six months after the School Board voted Dec. 17 to overhaul the admissions process.

The overhaul included eliminating the standardized test and teacher recommendations from admissions requirements, while introducing socioeconomic status and other experience factors into the criteria. Timed essays and grade-point average, features of previous years, remained a part of the process.

Fairfax County Public Schools also implemented individual-school quotas, dictating that the number of students admitted from each public middle school must equal 1.5% of that schools eighth-grade student population.

For Elsyad, a Black student who spent months advocating for the changes amidst ridicule from parents and students, the results triggered a rush of relief.

Its very heartbreaking to put your heart out there for the world just to have people step all over it, she said. But now that I can see that it actually amounted to something, Id do it again in a heartbeat.

However, while other demographics saw significant upticks, Asian student representation decreased from 74.4% to 54.4%. Glenn Miller, a TJ parent, argues that the admissions changes were intended to decrease Asian representation.

You cant really argue that this was race neutral when the system was structured in such a way that it would have a desired, racially balanced outcome, Miller said. We did modeling and predicted the outcome very closely to what actually happened. Thats a good indication that the county did the same thing and knew the likely outcome.

According to parents and students, the changes resulted in a large number of waitlisted students at normally top-performing middle schools such as Rachel Carson, Longfellow and Rocky Run.

Julia McCaskill, whose daughter attended Rachel Carson, said that even though her daughter was accepted to TJ, she is altogether unhappy with the results.

This equity thing is just not fair. I assure you that those kids who got put on the waitlist should have been in. Some of these stories are very heartbreaking," McCaskill said.

One of the students who was waitlisted, Krish Bommakanti, was less ready to blame his result on the admissions overhaul. Bommakanti told InsideNoVa in the spring that he spent a lot of time preparing for the standardized test before learning last fall it would be eliminated from the process.

I was not as diligent as I should have been in my preparation. I do believe had I been more diligent and managed my time to an extent more than I did, I would have easily gotten in, said Bommakanti, who attended Longfellow.

TJ alumni Rachel Lei, similarly rejects the idea of a crusade against Asian students, noting that the acceptance rate of Asian applicants this year is virtually the same as the rate from the TJ class of 2022. Lei is a part of the TJ Alumni Action Group, made up of former students in favor of the admissions changes.

Even though people say the process before was race neutral, the admissions test really wasn't, Lei said. Now we're getting closer to something that is race neutral.

Whether or not the admissions system is in fact discriminatory will be up to a court to decide. In early March, the Pacific Legal Foundation  acting on behalf of the Coalition4TJ  filed a lawsuit alleging that the admissions changes are explicitly designed to reduce Asian representation at TJ. Miller said the case will be heard in court by early next year.

Anuj Khemka is a rising senior at Thomas Jefferson, where he is the online editor-in-chief of the student news outlet tjTODAY.
Focusing on whats been done during his time as interim police chief and what he hopes to accomplish, Huff presented his goals and plans to a crowd of 50 on June 7 at the Ames Public Library.
There have been a further 340 cases of Covid-19 confirmed this evening as an expert in infectious diseases warned a rise in cases and variants is inevitable as society reopens.

The Department of Health has also reported that the number of patients in hospital with Covid-19 has increased today to 47 - up from 43 yesterday.

The number of Covid patients in ICU is up two to 15.

Speaking to RTE Radio 1 following reports the Government is considering delaying the next phase of the re-opening plan, Prof Paddy Mallon said there will always be a risk in re-opening indoor hospitality and a two-week delay will not stop an inevitable rise in cases.

A two-week delay would also not have a significant impact on younger people who are likely to still be unvaccinated in two to three weeks time, he said.

If we're going to wait for younger people to be vaccinated before opening up society, then we need to have that conversation because that's not going to happen this side of the summer.

Whether the 60 to 70 year olds are fully vaccinated or not, is probably not going to have a huge impact on the rise in the case numbers.

It may have an impact on the result and hospitalizations if those individuals put themselves at risk in the intervening period while awaiting the second vaccine, but the rise in cases is largely going to be driven by those people that are unvaccinated as society opens up again and those people are the younger people in society.

Professor Paddy Mallon said there will always be a risk in re-opening indoor hospitality

Under the next phase of the governments re-opening plan, indoor dining in pubs and restaurants was expected to return on July 5. The numbers allowed to attend a wedding was also set to increase to 50 people while four households would be allowed gather indoors.

However, in the past few days government ministers began signalling that a delay to the plan may be in the pipeline due to concerns about the more transmissible Delta variant.

Weve been able to live with a transmissible variant since January, Prof Mallon argued.

Is two weeks really going to make a huge difference for us to move on to the next step, given where we are in terms of our vaccination rates, and the fact that our young people are going to be the cause of most of the new cases, and they are going to remain unvaccinated?

You cant say were going to wait two weeks as if two weeks is going to have a huge impact and everything is going to be okay, he said.

The two weeks is not going to stop the rise in cases or have a significant impact on younger unvaccinated people.

At some point, we need to test the waters," he said.

Government will 'make sensible decisions' on re-opening, says Taoiseach

The Government will make an earlier than anticipated decision on the next step in reopening, the Taoiseach has confirmed.

However, Micheal Martin said reports that he is erring towards a delay in re-opening indoor hospitality are "not entirely accurate".

Speaking on RTE's the Week In Politics, he said that a decision could come by midweek, but said that he could not yet give specifics. He said that the "calculus and risk are different" now with regards to the spread of Covid-19 due to the Delta variant.

Mr Martin said that he is conscious of the fact that this year has been "devastating" for the hospitality industry and any delay beyond July 5 for indoor dining will make Ireland the only country in Europe to outlaw dining indoors.

He said he will meet the other party leaders in the coalition this evening and the Government will "make sensible decisions."

He said he has had engagements with Nphet over the weekend and confirmed a decision will be made early this week.

Vaccination programme 'the envy of Europe'

The chief executive of the HSE Paul Reid has said over 1.5m of the adult population (41%) are now fully vaccinated.

Up to Saturday evening, almost 310,000 vaccines have been administered this week, with almost 4m vaccines administered in total.

Up to last evening, almost 310,000 vaccines were administered so far this week. Now over 1.5M of the adult population (41%) are fully vaccinated & almost 4M vaccines administered in total. More and more people are being protected every day. Lots to be confident about. @HSELive  Paul Reid (@paulreiddublin) June 27, 2021

"More and more people are being protected every day. Lots to be confident about," he tweeted.

New data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) shows Ireland has the highest uptake of Covid-19 vaccination per capita of any EU/EEA country for people aged 50 and above.

The ECDC Covid-19 Vaccine Tracker also shows that 100% of people over the age of 80 have received at least one dose of a vaccine in Ireland.

In a video posted to Twitter today, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said the State's vaccination programme is "the envy of Europe."
Up to July 2019, a redress scheme for those abused in schools prior to 1992 was closed to applicants because of a prior complaint criteria. Since then a Government review of the scheme has been delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Some survivors are concerned that redress for survivors of Mother and Baby Homes will be handled in the same way as redress for school survivors.

Case Study: Christy Rainbow They are trying to sweep us under the carpet, and wait for us to die. What they say to survivors is: Go away child. Its how they treated children during a time when children were seen and not heard. Abused as a child, and not heard or listened to as an adult. Ultimately, it all comes down to the pennies to them. Christy Rainbow does not mince his words when it comes to talking about the failures of successive governments to respond to the plight of those abused in schools. He is a former student of Creagh Lane National School in Limerick, where he along with 17 of his classmates were abused by their teacher in 1967, during their first year in school. Sean Drummond, a former Christian Brother employed by the State, was jailed for two years in 2009, serving all but five months of his sentence. In 2013, he received a separate suspended sentence for the indecent assault of a 10-year-old pupil at CBS Sexton Street, another school run by the Christian Brothers in Limerick city, in 1968. Former Christian Brother Sean Drummond was jailed for two years in 2009 for abusing 18 first-year boys in Creagh Lane National School in Limerick in 1967. Picture Liam Burke/Press 22 Despite securing a conviction against their abuser, former Creagh Lane students could not access redress through the States ex gratia scheme, as they could not meet the prior complaint criteria. Their applications were not part of the independent assessors review, and they remain locked out of redress like many survivors of abuse in national and day schools. Weve been at this with three different Taoisigh, three different Attorney Generals, four different Ministers for Education, an investigation by an independent assessor appointed by the Government, Christy said. It is appalling. It is all just words to them, and no action. Theyve had seven years to examine this but now its a complex issue. Were supposed to be dealing with supposedly professional people here. The State was aware of its role and responsibilities in regards to abuse in many different institutions, Christy said. The Carrigan Report which went to the Government in the 1930s told them that abuse was rife in schools and homes, and they didnt act. "They knew and did nothing." In 2017, men from Creagh Lane along with other survivors in Victims of Abuse in Day Schools (VOCADS) traveled to Brussels to highlight the lack of action on progressing their redress. The Creagh Lane Action Group has traveled to Dublin five times over the last five years to protest outside both the Dail and the Department of Education. Their cases have been raised in the Dail by local TDs Willie ODea, Fianna Fail, and Maurice Quinlivan, Sinn Fein. Last September, Norma Foley, the Minister for Education, met them outside the gates as they protested at the Department of Education. Its not right that we have to fight like this when they have been proven to be wrong so many times. It is nonsense, Christy said. We just want them to honour their commitments. Christy worries that redress for survivors of Mother and Baby Homes will be handled in the same way as redress for school survivors. Someone faceless making the decisions, dragging people through the courts, telling people the issues are complex all to keep people in the dark. "It wasnt society who funded the Mother and Baby Homes, who supported them. It was the State."

State's 'unfair' redress scheme for day school survivors

Despite apologies from two Taoisigh, and the support of the countrys current leader while in opposition, the State has yet to meet its obligations to survivors of abuse in schools.

Since July 2019, a redress scheme for those abused in schools prior to 1992 remains closed to applicants, pending a review.

Many promises have been made when it comes to action; In March 2017, Micheal Martin described the States approach as cynical beyond belief. Many of the victims are in a very poor financial state and some have suicidal ideation because of the trauma that has been visited on them, he told the Dail during Leaders Questions.

They have been to the Supreme Court and back and to the High Court and back. They can no longer get redress in our courts notwithstanding the European Court of Human Rights. Political statements aside, the administration and the decision-making around the redress scheme have happened largely away from the eyes of the public.

The Ryan Report chronicled decades of systemic abuse inflicted on the most vulnerable members of Irish society in many institutions, including Magdalene laundries. File photo

The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (CICA) was a landmark inquiry for Ireland, its final publication making global headlines in 2009.

The Ryan Report, as it is now known, chronicled decades of systemic abuse inflicted on the most vulnerable members of Irish society.

The Commission spent the best part of 10 years scrutinising the pasts of industrial and reformatory schools, childrens homes, hospitals, national and secondary schools, day and residential special needs schools, and foster care.

It also looked at abuse in Magdalene laundries and hostels. It also established the Department of Educations role and responsibilities in the running and overseeing of these institutions.

In terms of redress for victims, the Residential Institutions Redress Board (RIRB) was set up in 2002. Under the legislation, those who suffered abuse as children while they were a resident at 139 listed institutions could apply for compensation.

This list included industrial schools, reformatories, and other institutions, such as hospitals or orphanages. It wasnt necessary for a person to have been prosecuted or convicted of any criminal offense in connection with the abuse reported to the RIRB.

Each award was made based on the evidence provided, which included evidence of having been a resident, and evidence of any injuries arising out of the abuse suffered. Crucially, those who suffered abuse in national or day schools were excluded from the scheme.

The State consistently argued that while it was acting in loco-parentis for children placed in industrial schools, it wasnt responsible for what happened in national or day schools.

It argued that even though teachers were on its payroll, responsibility for the day-to-day operations lay instead with each schools board of management, and not with the Department of Education.

Victims were free to pursue civil cases in the courts, the State always maintained.

However, an investigation by the Irish Examiner found that a settlement was reached in less than 4% of 408 legal actions of historical child abuse outside of residential institutions taken against the Minister of Education between 2006 and 2019.

Almost 85% of these cases were discontinued, withdrawn, or prevented from proceeding due to the statute of limitations. Indemnity was received in eight of these 408 cases, and a further 40 were dismissed.

Louise O'Keeffe

In 2014, Cork woman Louise OKeeffe won a landmark ruling at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) following a 15-year legal battle through the Irish courts.

She had sought to establish the States vicarious liability for her personal injuries as a result of the abuse she suffered in her national school in the 1970s.

During her litigation, the State repeatedly sought to pursue Louise OKeeffe for costs, and at one point, she stood to lose her family home.

When she lost in the Supreme Court, the State wrote to people pursuing similar cases in the courts, threatening to pursue them for costs unless they dropped their cases. Many of them proceeded to.

In 2014, the ECHR ruled the State was aware of a significant rate of sexual crimes against children.

Yet, it still tasked the management of schools locally, and failed to put an effective complaint mechanism in place for children.

This meant it failed in its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights.

Apologising in the Dail following the judgment, then-Taoiseach Enda Kenny described Louise as a woman of extraordinary commitment.

"Sadly, [her case is] one that's indicative of a long litany of cases in Ireland," Mr. Kenny said. "That's why in the past we've had to deal with an exceptional number of cases that scar our memory. The State established an ex gratia [without obligation] scheme to provide redress to other survivors, the design of which was not subjected to in-put from survivors or opened up to public consultation.

Ex gratia scheme's 'unfairness to applicants'

One criteria survivors were asked to demonstrate was that their abuse happened after a prior complaint about their abuser had been made, and not acted on, even if they had secured a conviction.

This was an impossible criteria to meet. In early 2019, it emerged that not one applicant to the scheme had been paid out.

According to Dr Conor OMahony of the Child and Family Law Clinic at UCC, this prior complaint criteria had no basis in the OKeeffe judgment, which was based on systemic failure to mitigate the risk of abuse rather than a specific failure to respond to a complaint. Retired High Court Judge Justice Iarfhlaith ONeill was appointed in 2017 by the government as an independent assessor to examine applications to the ex gratia scheme, declined by the State Claims Agency.

He examined 19 such applications. In July 2019, he concluded that the State had misinterpreted the ECHR ruling.

Justice ONeill described the scheme as presenting "a fundamental unfairness to applicants" and involving "an inherent inversion of logic", because of the prior complaint criteria.

A State apology was issued the next day in the Dail to all survivors by then-Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

Successive governments, including this one, have not put right this historic wrong, and so have perpetuated it and we will seek to right that wrong now."

The ex gratia scheme was frozen, pending a review. In the almost two years since that statement was made, the scheme remains closed to survivors.

The State is expected to file regular updates to the Council of Europe. In its latest update, it said its review was delayed for a time due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, the Department of Education and the Office of the Attorney General are now devoting significant resources to the matter.

The issues involved are highly sensitive and complex and therefore require careful deliberation before proposals can be finalised and brought to Government. This includes the number of people who could potentially be involved, the legal implications of any course of action, and an accurate estimate of likely costs.

The State expects to be in a position to commence a new or modified redress scheme for victims of sexual abuse in schools by the end of September, officials told Europe in June.

To date, 16 offers of payment have been made and accepted through the scheme.
Two Saudi womens rights campaigners have been released from prison, three years after a sweeping crackdown by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman targeting female activists, human rights groups have said.

It now appears that all the womens rights activists detained in the 2018 sweep have been released from prison, although the status of one woman remains unclear.

The London-based ALQST rights group, which primarily focuses on Saudi Arabia, said the two women  Samar Badawi and Nassima al-Sada  were released sometime late on Saturday or early on Sunday. Human Rights Watch also confirmed their release.

BREAKING: prominent #Saudi women human rights defenders Samar Badawi and Nassima al-Sadah have been released following the expiry of the sentences against them. pic.twitter.com/m1qEPLvpuH  ALQST for Human Rights (@ALQST_En) June 27, 2021

The women had been sentenced to five years imprisonment, two of which were suspended.

They had been vocal critics of Saudi Arabias male guardianship laws, which gave husbands, fathers and in some cases a womans own son control over her ability to obtain a passport and travel. They had also advocated for the right of women to drive. Both restrictions have since been lifted.

The two women remain barred from travel abroad for five years as part of their conditional release, rights groups said.

Like other Saudi womens rights activists released from prison, rights groups said the two women would be likely to face bans on speaking to the media and posting online about their case.

Most of the women detained in the crown princes campaign were arrested in May 2018, but Ms Badawi and Ms al-Sada were detained several weeks later in July of that year.

Nearly a dozen of the women previously told Saudi judges they were caned on their backs and thighs, electrocuted and waterboarded by masked men during interrogations.

A woman walks past a banner showing Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, left (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Some women say they were forcibly touched and groped, and threatened with rape and death. One of the women attempted suicide in prison.

The Saudi government has not commented on the individual cases of most of the women nor publicised their charges.

It is unclear what Ms Badawi and Ms al-Sada were found guilty of.

Several people with knowledge of Ms al-Sadas case said she had been charged under a cybercrime law and was found guilty of undermining public order by communicating with foreign journalists and organisations.

Ms Badawi is a well-known human rights activist based in Jiddah who first came to prominence when she petitioned Saudi courts to remove her father as her legal guardian on grounds he was barring her from marrying potential suitors.

Years later, she spoke out in defence of her brother Raif Badawi, who is serving 10 years in prison over internet posts critical of the ultraconservative religious establishment. He was publicly flogged in 2015 under King Abdullah.

The mother-of-two was later married for a time to Waleed Abul-Khair, a human rights lawyer currently serving 15 years imprisonment.

Amnesty International said Ms al-Sada had been held in solitary confinement for a year (Amnesty International/PA)

Ms al-Sada is a prominent womens rights activist from the Eastern Province, an area heavily populated by the kingdoms minority Shiite Muslims. She was also outspoken in defence of greater rights for Shiites.

Amnesty International said she had been held in solitary confinement for a year, and was not allowed to see her children or her lawyer for months at a time.

The arrests of the women, some of whom are mothers, grandmothers and well-known college professors, caught many by surprise because it came around the same time the kingdom lifted its longstanding ban on women driving in June 2018.

Activists with knowledge of female activist Mayaa al-Zahranis case said she was convicted in December by the same counter-terrorism court as prominent rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul and received a similar sentence. It is unclear whether Ms al-Zahrani has been released from prison.

Ms al-Hathloul was released from prison in February after serving nearly three years in detention. She had been convicted on charges related to her activism, such as agitating for change, pursuing a foreign agenda and using the internet to harm public order.

Several of the Saudi men who supported womens rights activists remain detained.
Burma Myanmar Junta Frees NLD Govt Spokesman

The ousted NLD government spokesman, U Zaw Htay, during a press conference in Naypyitaw on Jan. 8, 2021. / The Irrawaddy

The spokesman for Myanmars ousted civilian government, U Zaw Htay, was recently freed from military custody in Naypyitaw after more than four months of detention.

U Zaw Htay served as the director-general for the Office of State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and spokesman for the Presidents Office. The former military officer also served as spokesman for the U Thein Sein government.

On Feb. 1, government residences in Naypyitaw and the states and regions were surrounded by military vehicles and the majority of senior National League for Democracy figures and senior civil servants were detained.

Military vehicles were reported outside U Zaw Htays house in Naypyitaw and he has not been seen since. However, some reports emerged he was asked to keep his position following the coup but he resigned after one day.

A military source, who requested anonymity, said he was released around 10 days ago from military custody and discharged from his position.

It seemed he was told to stay out of view and keep quiet, the source added.

At his last press briefing in Naypyitaw on Jan. 8, U Zaw Htay dismissed accusations of voting fraud made by the military and its allied political parties as a refusal to accept electoral defeat.

These are the acts of those who cant accept defeat. The voters know best about the election and whom they voted for and supported, U Zaw Htay said at the press briefing.

Those who are making false accusations are committing political suicide, he added.

A regime source said military leaders were angered by the press conference.

U Zaw Htay also denied claims U Win Myint or Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had breached the 2008 Constitution or Union Election Commission rules while campaigning ahead of the Nov. 8 general election.

Hours before the newly elected Parliament was to convene, the military seized power.

The military claimed mass fraud and voting irregularities to justify its coup and says it will hold a new election.

You may also like these stories:

Myanmars Shadow Govt Deeply Concerned for Safety of Detained NLD Leaders

Myanmar Daily Post-Coup Update: May 31

Myanmar Regime Isolates Western Town of Paletwa Following Bomb Blasts
Just days after Thursday mornings devastating condominium collapse in Surfside, some Key Biscayne residents familiar with the process wouldnt doubt if changes are made to building inspections, not only in Miami-Dade County, but across the state as well.

However, they all agree, those who live among the islands 34 oceanfront condos and some 60 total high-rise structures that fit the countys definition should feel safe.

This story of collapse is very rare and an almost unique occurrence in the United States, said Fausto Gomez, condominium president of the Lake Tower at the Ocean Club and recently elected president of the Key Biscayne Condominium Presidents Council. To the best of my knowledge, we have no issues on Key Biscayne.

The collapse of one of three beachfront buildings in the 12-story Champlain Towers  one year away from its 40-year recertification inspection  has led to nine deaths and 152 people unaccounted for, as of Sunday afternoon. Naturally, it also has led to many questions and speculation on how this could have happened.

In the U.S., only four instances of building collapses have been recorded since 2001, when terrorist attacks destroyed the World Trade Center. Among those were a partially constructed Hard Rock Hotel that collapsed in New Orleans in 2019 that left three dead and 18 injured, and an apartment building in New York in 2015 that injured 12.

Aside from the Florida International Bridge walkway that collapsed in 2018, killing six and injuring 10, one would have to go as far back as 1981  when the Harbor Cay condominium in Cocoa Beach collapsed after the final construction process, the pouring of the roof cement  to get a near similarity in Florida. That incident left 11 dead and two dozen injured as the five-story building crumbled. One worker suggested the concrete had not dried before extra weight was added, but that was never proven.

Condominiums and high-rises go through extensive inspections, but the 40-year recertification rules (and every 10 years thereafter) only apply in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Nowhere else in Florida  and not even in earthquake-prone California  are such regulations applied.

Just recently, however, California did pass two Senate bills to bring into prominence inspections of Exterior Elevated Elements (EEE), or decks and balconies.

Michele Estevez, owner of Michele & Associates, a property management company overseeing a dozen condos or apartments on Key Biscayne, said she could see changes to local and state regulations on the horizon.

Now there is a report that says the building (in Surfside, 20.5 miles from Key Biscayne) was sinking, Estevez said. Probably now they might change that requirement to inspect the foundation (deeper than the slab). The same thing happened with Hurricane Andrew, when they changed all the building codes. And maybe not wait 40 years, maybe when you need to re-up the insurance.

Section 8-11 (f) of the Miami-Dade County code and Policy 05-05 of Broward Countys code, referred to as the Building Safety Inspection Program, requires a licensed professional structural engineer or architect to inspect electrical, structural and illumination tiers in certain commercial buildings, condominiums and rental apartments. Property owners, or the condo association, are required to hire the engineer at their own cost, said Joseph Garcell, Chief Building Inspector for the Village of Key Biscayne.

That inspection must be done within 90 days. If any work needs to be done, 180 days will be allowed. The Village then re-inspects the renovations.

According to Miami-Dade County, experts look at the buildings foundational and electrical systems, including foundation, roofing systems, masonry bearing walls, steel frames, flooring, concrete framing systems, windows, wood framing, loading, electrical service, branch circuits, conduit raceways and emergency lighting.

On Saturday, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said she was directing the Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources to immediately begin a 30-day audit of all residential properties 5 stories+ at the recertification point  40 years or older  that have not completed the process to identify and address any issues.

Cava, via Twitter, said that for any buildings located within our cities, we urge the municipalities to do their own aggressive review. We will work closely with them and offer any and all assistance necessary to conduct these audits.

On Sunday, Village of Key Biscayne Manager Steve Williamson told the IslanderNews that his staff would definitely be talking about it.

We all have to take it seriously, said Williamson, whose staff will take a look at all the 40-year and 50-year recertification certificates to make sure they are comfortable with (those inspections).

He also plans to acquire a list of all multi-level structures on the island that are at least 35 years old to get those property owners prepared for the recertification process.

In addition, Williamson wants to make sure that all building designs and blueprints, or layouts, were properly transferred from the county to the city when it incorporated in 1991.

Champlain Towers in Surfside was the subject of a reported 2015 maintenance lawsuit by Matilde Feinstein, alleging that one of the buildings outer walls was not being maintained properly and water was seeping through cracks onto her terrace. A 2020 study by FIU Institute of Environment Professor Shimon Wdowinski revealed the land the condo was built on showed signs of sinking about 2 millimeters a year in the 1990s, although he said that alone would not likely cause a building to collapse.

Structural engineer Greg Batista, president of G. Batista Engineering & Construction in Davie, said he is familiar with the Surfside location. He told Anderson Cooper on CNN that based on the video, ... you can see the actual collapse begins on one of the lower floors. All it takes is one column, maybe a column on the ground floor or in the garage. Beams, slabs and columns need maintenance ... these kinds of things happen if not tended to.

Buildings on or near the ocean are especially vulnerable, being exposed to effects of saltwater oxidation and corrosion as well as minor concrete and masonry cracks. Often, youll find workers reinforcing balconies in a timeframe less than five years apart.

The saltwater by the beach does create a lot of problems, Estevez said. Hey, the buildings have their life, 40 to 60 years, this is going to create a big change in requirements ... The (condo) board could be liable if they knew (the Surfside condo) was sinking. I think this is going to be very complicated. Theyll check how it was built, was there more sand than cement (in the mix)? Theyll test the concrete.

Already, there has been a $5 million class-action lawsuit filed against the condo association at Champlain Towers by resident Manuel Drezner and others similarly situated for failure to secure and safeguard lives and property.

Among the older multi-family structures on Key Biscayne are The Island House (built in 1961); The Sands (1969); Commodore Club East (1971), West (1973), and South (1974); Casa Del Mar (1971); The Towers (1972); and Mar Azul (1974).

Ileana Lopez, who has managed the 11-story Mar Azul condominium complex since 2005, already is in the restoration and planning stages for its 2024 recertification.

She described the examination process as extensive by the firm she hired, Howard J Miller P.E. Inc., of Boca Raton.

They combed the building up and down the scaffolding ... The whole process (with renovations) took a year to complete. It was very detailed, Lopez said. They checked the foundation slab, it was a very detailed, planned test ...In 2002, we had already done concrete restoration, so we were prepared.

She said the situation in Surfside left her baffled.

I mean, there are buildings from the 40s on Miami Beach, the art-decos, nothing like this has happened there, so you dont know, Lopez said. But, absolutely, theyve got to keep us in check. I hope they might get stricter, maybe just wait for 20 years (rather than 40).

Joe Maura has spent nearly 20 years as manager of The Towers of Key Biscayne. Built in 1972, the complex contains two main buildings of 14 stories and 538 units.

He remembers approaching the Building Department to get ready years ahead of the 40-year inspection back in 2012, but did not recall the foundation inspection.

Me, personally, I was not concerned because were always proactive, keeping the windows and columns, and things like that up to date, he said. By the time the engineer arrived, we were ready.

He said the collapse in Surfside is something we dont come to expect here, but is more common in Third World countries, which experience earthquakes and severe floods.

We feel very confident about this building, Maura said. Of course, its a concern on how you can improve (inspections and repairs) to avoid something like this. This will teach everyone a lesson: Do your due diligence to follow the law and well all feel safe.

So, whats next?

Gomez said he and Williamson spoke Thursday night and was hoping to meet with him this week regarding the condominiums here on the beachfront and what needs to be done, as far as internal procedures and inspections.

But we know of no issues on Key Biscayne, Gomez reiterated.

I think we will all learn a lesson from this, especially that they will (now closely) inspect the (entire) structure or foundation, said Estevez, who lives in a townhouse and not a high-rise. Im not qualified to say if any building here is safe, but if I see something, I certainly would have the responsibility to (have it checked) out.
Tesla recalled over 285,000 vehicles in China on Saturday, specifically the Model 3 and Model Y cars, over questionable safety features related to its cruise control mechanism, CNN reported.

This cruise control feature is activated as drivers shift gears or inadvertently touch the gear selector, which would result in accidental acceleration, CNN quoted China's State Administration for Market Regulation as saying.

Tesla Recall: Vehicles to Undergo Assisted Driving Software Update

For the recalled cars, Tesla is set to make a software update to its assisted driving feature, with owners not obliged to return their vehicles. The market regulator said it received the Tesla recall request days earlier that affects vehicles made from December 2019 to June 2021, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The software recall covers 249,855 China-made Model 3 and Model Y cars, and 35,665 imported Model 3 sedans, a Reuters report said. Based on industry data, Tesla had sold 33,463 China-made electric vehicles in May, a slight increase from about 26,000 in April, which had been on a downtrend. CNN reported that Tesla competitors in China, Xpeng and Li Auto, all had increased EV domestic sales.

Tesla had faced intense scrutiny before Chinese regulators over the safety of its Model 3 cars manufactured in Tesla's Shanghai plant that may have led to apprehension among Chinese buyers.

Read Also: Tesla Autopilot Crash Explained: Elon Musk Denies FSD Issue in Fatal Accident, Reveals Data Logs

Tesla Apologizes for Recall, Vows to Improve Safety Protection

In a statement posted on the company's Weibo account, Tesla apologized for the recall, saying that it will "strictly follow national regulations" while focusing on "improving our safety protection" to provide a safer driving experience for customers.

A Tesla spokesperson declined further comment, the Wall Street Journal said.

The Tesla recall would add to immense challenges the Elon Musk-led automaker is facing in China, wherein customer confidence had been shaken due to bad publicity over customer service and quality issues, CNN further noted.

Tesla Recall: 98.7% of Recalled Vehicles Made from Shanghai Plant

The Wall Street Journal report also mentioned that the recalled vehicles comprised 98.7 percent of all sold Tesla autos that were manufactured by the company's Shanghai plant, citing figures from the China Passenger Car Association. Tesla continues to keep mum on production figures and monthly sales domestically.

Last April, the Wall Street Journal further reported, a Tesla customer protested during Auto Shanghai, China's biggest car expo, calling out the automaker about faulty brakes in its vehicles. This led to Tesla issuing a public apology and vowed to create a customer satisfaction unit to handle such issues.

In February, Chinese authorities summoned Tesla over consumer complaints due to quality concerns. Tesla is the foreign owned car firm to operate a wholly owned manufacturing plant in China.

Musk: China will be Tesla's Largest Market

Tesla CEO Elon Musk had declared that China would potentially become Tesla's largest market, with its first operational plant outside of the US getting Chinese approval in 2018, even with worsening trade relations with the US under then president Donald Trump, the Wall Street Journal further reported.

However, bad publicity seemed to lead potential buyers to avoid the brand, with some users on Weibo declaring that the company had been "arrogant" in dealing with customers.

Related Article: Elon Musk Tesla Solar Panel-Powerwall Bundle Update: New Powerwall+ Specs, Design Leaked!


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OPINION: Microsoft has now BLOCKED ALL PCs without right CPU from even joining the Windows 11 Insider - here'a petition you can sign to ask Microsoft to reconsider

On Saturday, I wrote about creating a petition calling on Microsoft to enable more CPUs to officially run Windows 11, and the company seems to have responded by blocking ALL PCs without the right CPU from even joining the Windows 11 Insider Program as was originally going to be the case.

Even though Microsoft was going to allow PCs without the minimum CPU spec from at least joining the Windows Insider Program launching this week so people could test Windows 11, Microsoft has now decided to even block those PCs from being part of the beta program.

This will sadly block people who want to legitimately test Windows 11 out, and will see some go for insecure leaked builds - a terrible outcome when users with all kinds of PCs were going to be able to test Windows 11, which as reports of the admittedly early leaked version are running on all the kinds of hardware that Windows 10 can currently run on, even a Core 2 Duo I've seen out there, not that I'm advocating for compatibility that far back.

Microsoft seems really keen to deny what could be hundreds of millions of people from running Windows 11 unless they buy a new computer.

This is astounding! What should have been a resounding success for Microsoft has been tarnished by this arbitrary cut off of CPU types, even though a computer, like the 4 year old but Galaxy Book 12 I'd like to test Windows 11 on, passes every single test but has a 7th-gen processor and not an 8th-gen one.

Windows 11 will have a new tagline - Windows 11: No soup for you!

Windows 10 will be available to this and other PCs that don't qualify for Windows 11 or don't upgrade to it until 2025 with support, so users with these computers aren't being abandoned, but it's a shame Windows 11 support for these computers can't extend to 2025 before a new computer is needed and support is withdraw, and a Christmas/Holiday 2025 computer is going to be incredible compared to a 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th. 8th. 9th. 10th or 11th gen from today, or at least, I hope so!

Having people experience Windows 11 on their home computer or existing tablet might encourage them to buy a new computer sooner because they really like it!

But this type of home test is no longer available to these users unless they buy a new machine.



What a lost opportunity! Why does Microsoft choose the wrong direction on this, they have already proved they can be very flexible with Windows 10 support, officially AND unofficially.

No-one is asking Windows 11 to support the entire breadth and depth of machines that can support Windows 10, but to support certain Atoms. Celerons. Pentium Silvers and Pentium Golds for official Windows 11 support over 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Core i-Series processors seems like an arbitrary and customer-hostile decision, in the middle of a pandemic, a chip shortage, an economic shock and the most instability we've had as a planet in decades.

It just doesn't seem like the right decision for the times, and when you add in the eWaste and climate considerations, let alone the fact it creates a digital divide of Windows 11 haves and Windows 10 have nots just isn't the right decision, especially when the leaks have shown these computers run the existing Windows 11 dev beta just fine. Extending Windows 11 support to these currently unsupported CPUs to 2025, the same date as the end of Windows 10's support, gives people PLENTY of warning and time, and enhances Microsoft's reputation, instead of preserving the memories of Windows Vista and Windows 8 for the post-COVID 2021 generation.

What started out as a lot of excitement has been soured by the revelation Windows 11 can't be upgraded to by what is actually the vast majority of Windows users.

Microsoft can easily fix this and generate HUGE public goodwill, happiness and even sales of its own and its partners' Windows 11 machines, which are undoubtedly due to arrive in great number of the Christmas Holiday sales season of 2021 and all throughout 2022 and beyond.

It will cost Microsoft more to deny users of older processors but otherwise qualifying computers in the long run in more than money by taking this decision.

There is time for Microsoft to reverse this decision and allow more PCs to be able to officially run Windows 11, even if only officially support until 2025, by which time a LOT of new computers will be purchased.

Please sign the petition and share it with your friends! People have said "petitions don't work, waste of time etc" - but if you want Windows 11 to be able to run on your PC when it obviously can, even if it doesn't have an 8th-gen or better Intel Core i-Series CPU, then sign it! Let's see what happens!

Let's send Microsoft the biggest message it has ever received. Are we Microsoft's customers, or not? Do we have any power or not? Sign this petition and find out!

If we don't, we don't, but what if we do? Share this petition with your friends and SIGN IT! THIS SHOULD BE GOING VIRAL! Help make it happen!

Original Change.org petition: https://chng.it/YBBLG6s8

Original Reddit on the petition here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows11/comments/o8387c/petition_started_to_ask_microsoft_to_support_more/:

My latest Change.org update, which is also above:

https://www.change.org/p/microsoft-windows-11-microsoft-please-support-more-cpus/u/29262757

The tweet about it is here:

https://twitter.com/alexonline888/status/1409160032051105799?s=20
A Change.org petition has been set up asking Microsoft to allow more CPUs to run Windows 11, seeing as the 8th-generation Core i-Series processors and up are compatible, even though woefully underpowered select Atom, Celeron and Intel Pentium Gold and Silver processors are also on the list!

Ok, so you have probably already read about the TPM 2.0 requirements for official Windows 11 support on your computer, something that many people have had to enable in their BIOS to have the PC Health Check list their computer as being Windows 11 compatible.

You can download the PC Health Check app on this page with the software towards the end of this page. A lively Reddit discussion on the petition is here.

But even if your PC has a minimum of a dual-core 64-bit 1Ghz processor, if your CPU is NOT an Intel Core i-Series 8th-gen processor or better, or a select Atom, Celeron or Pentium Gold or Silver processor - then no Windows 11 for you!

It will need to be one of the processors on this list.

You won't be able to officially run Windows 11. Maybe there will be some unofficial way to run Windows 11, but for how long?

The latest build of Windows 10 has no problem in running on Intel Core i-Series processors from the 5th-generation and up, as this list shows, but even though Windows 11 has been called a fancy skin on top of Windows 10, Microsoft is effectively obsoleting older computers.

Sure, they'll run on Windows 10 until 2025, but the new start menu? The new App Store and Android apps? All the other Windows 11 goodies? You're not getting to play.

Now comes a world first petition calling on Microsoft to cease its arbitrary blocking of older processors being unable to run Windows 11, which you can see here.

The petition states:

"In a virus-weary world, where climate concerns are at the forefront, and most aren't millionaires or on the pay packets of Microsoft executives like Satya Nadella or Panos Panay, Microsoft's decision to cut older-gen Intel Core CPU's from the 7th-gen downwards from being able to officially run Windows 11 seems to be the wrong decision. Various Intel Atom and Pentium Silver processors can run Windows 11, but a 5th, 6th or 7th-gen Intel processor cannot?

"macOS 12 will support late 2014 Mac minis, early 2015 MacBook Pros and late 2015 iMacs, but my 3 year old Samsung Galaxy Book 12 with every spec matched except it has a 7th-gen Intel Core i5 processor cannot?

"A family with a 5 year old computer can't run Windows 11 officially later this year? People with computers purchased half a decade ago face a new digital divide?

"Unofficial support may well be coming, but forcing consumers and businesses to buy new computers in the midst of a global pandemic seems like a terrible decision.

"Windows 10 runs on much older equipment, and it will be supported until 2025, but Microsoft's famous backwards compatibility can't be turned up to 11, it seems.

"Microsoft: please reverse this decision, or make it clear that older processors CAN and WILL run Windows 11, or the day of Linux desktop might finally arrive, while Mac users will laugh and enjoy macOS 12. C'mon! Do the right thing, Microsoft!!!"

So, who started this petition? Me. I have a Samsung Galaxy Book 12-inch that matches all of the minimum specs - except it has a 7th-gen Core i5 processor.

It's a great tablet computer, and Windows 11 is the operating system should have delivered when it launched Windows 11. It's obviously the OS that Microsoft wished it should have launched with Windows 8.

But unless Microsoft changes its ways, it will be a tablet stuck on Windows 10. It doesn't have to be this way - the upcoming official beta versions of Windows 11 will run on computers that don't match the official spec.

It's just that when Windows 11 launches, those older computers will be forever barred.

Microsoft can change the requirements really easily. It's the author of the operating system.

Please sign the petition, and let's get a ton more Windows users on the Windows 11 train, and they'll be much happier than being forced to buy a new computer in an era where the pandemic is still causing massive economic dislocation.

Here's the petition - please sign and share it!
EVENT INVITE & GIN TASTING: : OvertheWire and VMware invite you to meet up with other thought-leaders in the IT industry to discuss connectivity in the new world.

Gain insight into the importance of secure network technologies, as you enjoy the charismatic charm of The Prohibition Liquor Co, Adelaide.

Agenda

Understand the future of SD-WAN and SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) from a world-leading vendor, VMware

Learn about use cases for deploying SD-WAN and SASE solutions

Open roundtable discussion; What strategies are businesses using to adopt SASE?

Experience a unique venue with exceptional food and enjoy a guided gin-tasting session

Come along to Prohibition Liquor Co, from 3-5pm on Thursday 22 July, and learn from our guest speaker and SD-WAN expert, VMware.

We promise you some fantastic food, gin-tasting and the opportunity to network with your local peers. Places are limited, so please RSVP by the 19 July.

WHEN: 3-5pm, Thursday 22 July 2021

WHERE: Prohibition Liquor Co, 22 Gilbert Street, Adelaide, 5000

We look forward to discussing your corporate networking and data security challenges.

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST FOR THIS EVENT CLICK HERE
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.
Mike has reported on the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem's wildlife, wildlands and the agencies that manage them since 2012. A native Minnesotan, he arrived in the West to study environmental journalism at the University of Colorado.
Fires on Saturday destroyed two more Catholic churches in indigenous communities in western Canada, following grim discoveries at former church-run indigenous residential schools of nearly 1,000 unmarked graves.

St. Anns Catholic Church on the Upper Similkameen Indian Band and the Chopaka Catholic Church on the Lower Similkameen Indian Band were set ablaze less than an hour apart in the early morning, federal police said.

Both churches have been destroyed, Sergeant Jason Bayda of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a statement.

Authorities consider the two fires suspicious, and are looking to determine any possible connection to the church fires in both Penticton and Oliver on June 21, 2021, he said.

The Penticton and Oliver fires  about 50 kilometers (30 miles) away  are still under investigation.

The destruction of the four churches comes at a raw time for many of Canadas indigenous peoples still struggling with the discovery, using ground-penetrating radar mapping, of the remains of 215 schoolchildren at a former residential school in Kamloops last month, and 751 more unmarked graves at another school in Marieval this week.

On Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized for the harmful government policy of indigenous assimilation applied at 139 of these schools across Canada until the 1990s, and called on Pope Francis to do the same.

Some 150,000 indigenous, Inuit and Metis youngsters were taken from their communities and forcibly enrolled at the residential schools.

Many were subjected to ill-treatment and sexual abuse, and more than 4,000 died of disease and neglect in the schools, according to a truth and reconciliation commission that concluded Canada had committed cultural genocide.
Alison Mack called her participation in NXIVM sex worship the biggest mistake and regret in her life because she begged the judge to not go to jail.

The 38-year-old former Superman actress wrote a lengthy letter to the court, claiming that she felt remorse before the hearing next Wednesday. Was sentenced for her criminal activities.

12 Alison Mack called her participation in NXIVM sex worship the biggest mistake in her life Credit: Getty

12 A few days before being sentenced, she also called this the biggest regret in her life Credit: Environmental Protection Agency

In the document, get Hollywood ReportAlison apologized to anyone who was harmed by her behavior.

She said: The most important thing for me now is, from the bottom of my heart, Im sorry.

I put everything I have into the teachings of Keith Lanier, she said of the 60-year-old felon who initiated the notorious sex worship.

The former TV star continued: I wholeheartedly believe that his guidance is leading me to a better and more enlightened self.

I dedicated my loyalty, my resources, and ultimately my life to him. This is the biggest mistake and regret in my life.

12 The downfall of the Superman former actress began in 2018, when her former victims began to speak up Credit: Getty-Contributor

12 The disgraced Hollywood star pleaded with the judge to not go to jail Credit: Splash News

12 The actress starred in the CW hit drama The Smallville

Alison mentioned those who were harmed by the collateral damage of my destructive choice, in which she wrote that she was committed to using the rest of her life to make up for and becoming a more compassionate woman.

In the memo from the actress lawyer, she pleaded with the judge not to go to jail because she felt that she had made a serious mistake and has been punished.

The letter also stated that Alison publicly condemned Lanier (and her own previous relationship with Lanier) in the strongest terms.

Her legal team continued: Ms. Mikes guilty plea statement clearly shows this. She decided to cooperate fully with the government and further emphasized in her letter to the court in general.

More specifically, to those who have hurt her. Therefore, there is no need to impose additional prison sentences on Ms. Mack to achieve a specific deterrent effect.

12 Alison apologizes to all those who have been hurt by participating in sex worship Credit: Getty

12 Keith Raniere was sentenced to 120 years in prison for starting and leading a cult Image source: East Side of New York

12 The victims of the cult were allegedly forced to be branded Credit: Getty Images-Getty

The prosecutor accused Mike of being a Senior member of the group And recruited women as sex slaves after the leader was arrested Keith.

Alison pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering and one count of racketeering conspiracy in April 2019.

She faces up to 40 years in prison for sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy and forced labor conspiracy.

Promote as a self-help group, NXIVM In 2018, former members produced a series of Shocking revelation about the organization.

12 Keith promotes the cult as a self-help organization

12 Keith wearing a mask in a courtroom sketch Credit: Reuters

12 Keith watched the victims tell their accounts as part of his sexual worship Credit: Reuters

They revealed that they were forced to hand over explicit nude photos, were beaten with a paddle, starved themselves, and unknowingly branded Keiths initials in their private area.

Other women claimed that they were trying to seduce and/or have sex with Keith.

A 31-year-old woman testified in court how Keith was blindfolded and tied to a table when she watched another woman perform sexual acts on her.

12 A woman claimed that she was bound and forced to have sex with another woman Credit: Reuters

exclusive Horned sauna Jack Whitehall bought a luxury house with sauna worth 12 million to share with Roxy Horner Suck it Ashley Cain filmed the painful cupping process as blood was sucked out of his body British holiday Britney Spears puts on a bikini and smiles with her boyfriend Sam in Hawaii after appearing in court Girl talking Pregnant Millie McIntosh reveals she is expecting a baby girl Days of legs Maisie Smith of EastEnders is stunning in a rara dress with the co-star at night CRIKEY companion Naked Charlotte Crosby flaunts her charming curves in Australia

Keith was sentenced to 120 years in prison After October is convicted Last June 7th Felony, Including sex trafficking, forced labor, and extortion.

The founder of the cult-called pioneer by his followers-has also been convicted of racketeering, identity theft, and the production and possession of child pornography.

He was arrested in Mexico in March 2018 and taken back to the United States, where he was subpoenaed in Texas and later tried in New York in 2019.
Due to the surge in cases related to the Delta variant, the authorities imposed a two-week lockdown in Sydney and a two-day strict stay-at-home order in Darwin.

Australias largest city, Sydney, began a two-week lockdown on Sunday as a group of highly contagious coronavirus Delta variants rose to 110 cases, and the outbreak in the northern city of Darwin prompted people to stay at home hard to order for two days.

South Wales Governor Gladys Berejiklian said at a news conference in Sydney: Given how contagious this strain is, we do expect that in the next few days, The number of cases may exceed the number we see today.

Through rapid border closures, social distancing rules, and a high degree of compliance, Australia has been more successful in controlling the pandemic than many other advanced economies, reporting more than 30,450 cases and 910 deaths from COVID-19.

But the country has faced an increasing number of small-scale outbreaks in recent months. So far, these problems have been controlled through rapid contact tracing, isolation of thousands of people at a time, or emergency lockdown.

The 30 new infections reported in Sydney on Sunday brought the number of Delta variants associated with a cluster in the Bondi community to 110. Two other cases are under investigation.

The rapid increase in cases and locations of exposure has forced the state government to reluctantly impose a lockdown. In this case, people can only leave their homes for basic shopping, work, education, exercise, and medical care.

After it was discovered that a flight attendant on multiple flights across the country was infected in Sydney, contact tracing officers were racing to get in touch with airline passengers.

The Northern Territory is home to some of Australias most famous ancient indigenous cultures and a strong mining industry. The first coronavirus case in months appeared on Saturday, and four local infections were reported, not related to the Sydney epidemic.

The Delta variant infection started with a worker in a gold mine owned by Newmont, which is currently in lockdown.

Since the authorities were unable to trace all close contacts of the miner, Darwin and some surrounding areas were immediately imposed a strict 48-hour blockade.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said at a press conference: I would rather regret that we were too early and tough, rather than being too relaxed and taking risks.

Neighboring Queensland reported two locally infected COVID-19 cases on Sunday. Authorities said both of these infections were Alpha variants and were first detected in the United Kingdom in September 2020.

A community case has been reported in Western Australia, and state authorities suspect it is a delta variant.
Lord Ashcrofts daughter-in-law returned to the notorious Belize prison after being accused of assaulting hotel staff.

Jasmine HatingOn May 28, the 32-year-old shot and killed 42-year-old policeman Henry Jemmott on Ambergris Caye and was released on bail.

11 Photo of Harding after leaving the court in San Pedro Credit: Coleman-Reina

Socialites also face charges of manslaughter

11 She was photographed boarding a plane and returning to prison Credit: Coleman-Reina

She used to be Arrested again on Thursday After the camera appeared, she confronted her separated partner Andrew Ashcroft at the resort where she lived with the twin children.

Belize authorities accused her of carrying out a general attack on Sarah Lee Grisham-Clothier, the resort manager during the Grand Colony incident.

They also added a new charge against the small amount of cocaine found on her the night she shot Germot.

The Canadian socialite pleaded not guilty in an exclusive photo obtained by The Sun after his appearance in San Pedro.

She was later taken to the Supreme Court and remanded in the notorious prison Belize Central Prison After the resort manager who lived with Andrew, the youngest son of Lord Ashcroft, withdrew her bail.

Frank Habert, 55, said: Ms. Harding appeared at the Grand Colony Resort, behaving disorderly and abusively, and caused a lot of disturbance in the hotel in front of the guests.

I now think that Ms. Hartin is fully capable of not appearing in court, so I hope to withdraw my cash deposit immediately.

Harting was detained because she claimed that she accidentally shot her friend Henry Germot with her pistol, because when she told him that she was sexually assaulted, he urged her to arm herself.

11 Canadian Hartin faces ordinary assault charges Credit: Coleman-Reina

11 She was photographed and taken back to Belize Central Prison Credit: Coleman-Reina

11 Jasmine Hartin was told that she was detained by the police for breaching bail conditions Credit: Coleman-Reina

11 Harting told reporters that she will be illegally detained Credit: Coleman-Reina

11 Superintendent Henry Germot was shot and killed by Harding on May 28 Credit: pixel8000

Hartins new legal team-replacing the former Belize Attorney General Godley Smith-described it as an ambush and tried to raise new funds for her bail so that she could be released next week.

Her mother, Candice Castiglione, said: Someone did their best to help Jasmine raise funds for her guarantor so that she can be released on bail again.

This is persecution and totally unreasonable. Without cocaine, it is a fabricated accusation and a complete lie. My daughter is not like that.

There are a lot of people who support Jasmine now, and they understand the corruption involved in what is happening. This is ridiculous.

Nothing is done here, the police are under Ashcrofts orders.

11 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

Its obvious. When we were there (in the large colony) that day, I told the officials, please escort my daughter to her apartment and help her retrieve her personal belongings-she has nothing.

But they refused, which is not right. Andrew is trying to eliminate Jasmine.

This is the mother of his child, and you would think he would show some sympathy for her. All this is a horse.

We dont know what Andrews motives are, which is strange. This is a setting.

Eventually all of this will be made into a documentary, all of this.

Jasmine is no longer represented by Godfrey Smith, because he can represent Ashcroft 100% better than her.

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

Once she asked him,Are you my lawyer?, he took a screenshot of the question and sent it to Andrew. Andrew called Molly back and said,Are you looking for trouble? Of course he is your lawyer. 

If he is her lawyer, why not answer her instead of running to Andrew?

Jasmine felt so lonely and neglected, so she continued to contact her new lawyer Dickie Bradley.

Jasmine cant even access her bank account because we believe Andrew has frozen it. Her card cannot be used.

Old friend Matt Hancock and Gina Coladangelo became UNIs good friends before she got a health show exclusive 11 year old mom The 11-year-old girl gave birth to a child and is considered the youngest mother ever in the UK Newest Matte treatment Matt Hancock resigns after humiliating photos of having an affair with his assistant Wives disputes Hancocks wife saw the ring because it was revealed that the liar dumped her when exposed Javids Downing Street announced that after the assistant incident was exposed, Javid would succeed Hancock Love mouse Hancock tells his wife that he will leave her after the night assistant incident is exposed

Belize sources described Hattings new lawyer Dickie Bradley as a Belize legal expert.

The source added: If anyone can find a way to get Jasmine out of prison, it is him.

There is a local joke, if you want to get rid of any crime or accusation, please hire Dickie.
Taiwan and the United States will discuss supply chain security and digital trade in their first trade talks in five years, as the two countries seek to deepen economic ties in the face of growing tensions with China.

Negotiations are scheduled to start on Wednesday and will make both parties pay more attention to trade to match their efforts Strengthen security and political relations In the case of increasing pressure with Beijing. China claims that Taiwan is part of its territory and threatens that if Taipei resists reunification indefinitely, it will invade it.

We hope to elevate our trade relationship to the next level of cooperation, a level suitable for the future, John DengThe Taiwan Trade Representative told the British Financial Times. We want to talk about supply chains, digital trade and trade facilitation.

Washingtons decision to restart negotiations under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (Tifa) marked a shift in the Trump administration, which prioritized reaching a limited trade agreement with Beijing.

Since President Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan has been promoting bilateral trade agreements turn on The country sold beef and pork to the US beef and pork market last week, a step that Washington has long demanded.

Deng admitted that such an agreement may not be reached immediately. BTA is our ideal, this is reality, he said. [The US] It will not be too soon to start negotiations on bilateral trade agreements with any country. But we can gradually pave the way. 

Sarah Bianchi, nominated as the deputy trade representative of the United States, said on Thursday that the re-engagement with Taiwan under Tifas leadership is an example of the Biden administrations cooperation with allies to respond to Chinas growing challenges.

I dont think the Trump administration has integrated business and strategic policies, said Jeff Short of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a think tank. The Biden administration is clearly taking a more comprehensive approach to its relations with China and views Taiwan relations as a more critical one.

The new talks follow an internal debate in Washington, which includes the State Departments call for economic factors to be added to efforts to strengthen relations with Taipei.

According to four people familiar with the matter, the enthusiasm of U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai is not high, but Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, urged her office to initiate negotiations.

Ambassador Dai and the Biden administration are committed to strengthening our economic and trade relations with Taiwan, and we look forward to discussing a series of issues at the Tifa meeting this week, said the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

The United States may focus on semiconductor supply chain security and digital trade, and urge Taipei to fulfill its promise to open the market to US pork.

The Cai government has done it small Encourage the public to accept American pork that may contain trace amounts of feed additive ractopamine. A referendum on US pork imports organized by Taiwans opposition is scheduled to be held in August.

Deng warned that the decision to oppose opening the market could derail the discussion. Will the United States continue the Tifa negotiations and further deepen our trade relations? I dont think they willthey will argue. If you cant even handle these current issues, why should we discuss future issues with you? He said .

But we cannot continue to rely mainly on the single market, which is too threatening for Taiwan, he added, referring to China.

Digital trade is one of the issues that both parties are concerned about, covering issues such as duty-free trade of digital products, data localization barriers, network security and privacy rules.

Former U.S. trade negotiator Wendy Cutler said that it is vital that the negotiations produce some joint initiatives, not just commit to more negotiations and coordination to effectively strengthen trade relations.

Cutler suggested that in the face of global chip shortages, the United States and Taiwan could actually cooperate in formulating a semiconductor supply chain.
British Health Minister Matt Hancock resigned on Saturday for violating COVID-19 regulations by kissing and hugging an assistant in the office, angering colleagues and the public who have been living under the lockdown.

After the recent scandal shocked a government that oversaw one of the highest official death tolls caused by the pandemic, Hancock wrote to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign, saying that he had let people down.

More and more Conservative MPs have privately urged him to go because The Sun published a picture of a married minister hugging a woman on Friday, who has appointed this woman in a taxpayer-funded role to review his department .

Those of us who make these rules must abide by them, and thats why I have to resign, the 42-year-old said in a video on Twitter.

Hancock has always been the center of the governments fight against pandemics. He often appears on television, telling people to abide by strict regulations and defending his department from criticism of its response to the crisis.

A copy of The Sun can be seen on a newsstand in London on Friday. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

He will be replaced by Sajid Javid, a former finance minister with extensive government experience but unfamiliar with health. In early 2020, Javid was defeated in a power struggle with Johnsons most senior ally at the time, Dominic Cummings, and was forced to leave the Treasury Department.

His mission is to help state-run health services recover from the pandemic and deal with any future waves of infection. The number of cases started to increase last month.

Hancocks departure also marked Johnsons embarrassment, because he said on Friday that he had accepted Hancocks apology and believed that the matter was over.

He said on Saturday that he regretted receiving a letter of resignation.

You should be extremely proud of your service, he wrote in response to Hancock. I thank you for your support and believe that your contribution to public service is far from over.

Last month, The Sun showed Hancock kissing his assistant in his office, when it was against the rules for people to have close contact with people outside the home.

Conservative MPs said that many of them had told the party that they could no longer support him.

The opposition Labor Party also questioned whether Hancock violated the Ministerial Code: The woman of this old friend was appointed as a non-executive director to review the operation of its department.

This perfectly sums up why Hancock wants to toast. ? pic.twitter.com/5begq7e15N @Pierre Morgan

Media reports on Saturday said she has now resigned.

Labour Party leader Kil Starmer said on Twitter that Hancock was right to resign, but added: Boris Johnson should fire him.

With 128,000 deaths and one of the worst economic contractions in history, Britain was shocked by the pandemic and Hancock was severely criticized. In the first few months, his department worked hard to provide testing and protective equipment to hospital staff treating patients.

However, the government was encouraged by the rapid introduction of vaccines. 84% of adults received a dose of the vaccine and 61% of adults had received the vaccine, far ahead of most countries.

Although the number of cases has started to rise-18,000 on Saturday-the vaccine appears to have weakened the link between infection and death, and most restrictions may be lifted before July 19.

Accusations of cronyism

Although the situation has improved, the revelations surrounding Hancock have sparked accusations of hypocrisy. They also accused the Johnson administration of being troubled by nepotism.

Hancock welcomed the resignation of a senior scientist who broke restrictions in a similar way last year. He was also blamed for awarding COVID contracts to companies with close ties to the government. He has stated that he needs to act quickly.

His case also echoes an incident in which Cummings violated the lockdown rule last year. Johnsons decision to keep him sparked anger across the country and undermined the governments position.

At that meeting, ministers and legislators expressed their support for Cummings through concerted efforts. In contrast, almost no one defended Hancock on Saturday.

A source in Downing Street said Hancock was not forced to resign. He said in a letter to Johnson that he wanted to apologize to his family and spend time with the children.
(NEXSTAR)-As the SARS-CoV-2 delta variant spreads globally, officials from the World Health Organization are urging continued public health measures-including wearing masks for vaccinated people.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a media briefing on Friday that the variant was first discovered in India and is the most contagious of the COVID variants discovered so far.

As some countries relax public health and social measures, we are beginning to see increased spread across the world, Tedros said of the variants currently seen in at least 85 countries. More cases mean more hospitalizations, which further increases the burden on health workers and the health system, thereby increasing the risk of death.

Tedros also blamed the increased spread of delta variants Unfair distribution of vaccines in poorer countries, Warned that the same thing happened during the AIDS crisis and the 2009 swine flu pandemic.

Speaking specifically about preventive measures, Dr. Mariangela Simao, WHOs Assistant Director-General in charge of access to medicines, vaccines and medicines, said at a briefing on Friday that continued health measures are still very important even among the vaccinated population. Specifically, Simao said that people should wear masks consistently, maintain social distancing, stay in a well-ventilated place, wash their hands and avoid crowds.

This is still very important, even if you are vaccinated, when you have community transmission, this is generally the case in Latin America, Simao said. Now you have a high level of continuous community transmission. So people cant feel safe just because they have taken two doses. They still need to protect themselves.

Despite the warning issued by the WHO on Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has not yet changed its Guide for vaccinated personsThe latest update on June 17 stated that fully vaccinated Americans can return to most activities without wearing a mask or maintaining physical distance, unless required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations , Including local business and workplace guidance.

At the same time, at the WHO briefing on Friday, Maria Van Kerkhove, WHOs head of COVID-19 technology, pointed out that the increase in cases of delta variants in Europe is an example of the fragile state of the worlds current health.

Van Kerkhove said that there have been many incidents leading to a surge in the number of people in some European countries, noting that sporting events, religious events and even backyard barbecues are some of the catalysts.

Van Kerkhove further urged the public to cheer up to reduce the transmission rate.

The delta variants of the virus will continue to evolve. Now our public health and social measures are effective, our vaccines are effective, our diagnosis work, our treatment work. But there may be some time this virus will evolve and these countermeasures will not ,she says.

Van Kerkhove added that the delta variant is just one of four COVID variants that deserve attention, and there are seven other variants of interest and many other alerts about the mutations that WHO is tracking.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Officials said on Sunday that the death toll after the collapse of a 12-story apartment building in southern Florida had risen to nine, and dozens of people were still missing because people questioned the towers structural integrity.

The Mayor of Miami-Dade, Daniella Levine Cava (Daniella Levine Cava) said that a victim died in the hospital and the workers removed more bodies from the wreckage.

We were able to find four other corpses in the rubble, as well as more human remains, she said. As of today, one victim died in the hospital. We have found eightvictims at the scene. Therefore, I confirmed the death toll as nine people today. We have identified four victims and notified them. Close relatives.

At the same time, emergency rescuers are continuing to search for the scene in Surfside, a coastal town near Miami, on the left side of Champlain Tann. Collapsed early on Thursday Because most of the residents are asleep. At a media briefing on Saturday night, officials stated that 156 people were still missing.

Officials said they have not yet determined the cause of the collapse. However, a 2018 report revealed that an engineer found evidence of major structural damage and concrete deterioration under the pool deck in the underground parking lot of a beachfront apartment.

Further documents show that the total estimated cost of repairs will exceed 9 million U.S. dollars. This includes more than $3.8 million in garage, entrance and swimming pool repairs and nearly $3.2 million in facade repairs.

This is a conclusion based on the Morabito Consultants engineering company email issued by the town of Surfside.

Another document released by the company earlier showed that the bottom pool deck of the 40-year-old building rested on a concrete slab that had major structural damage and required extensive repairs.

The report also found that the concrete columns, beams, and walls of the parking lot had cracked and peeled off a lot.

Canadian-owned units

four Canadians are still those whose whereabouts are still missing After the fatal crash.

On Saturday, Canadian Consul General in Miami, Susan Harper, standing in front of the family reunion center not far from the search and rescue site, told CBC News, This is a terrible situation, shocking and tragic. Surfing.

Harper confirmed that the four Canadians came from two different families. Relatives of a family are heading to Florida, waiting for more information about the search and rescue operation. A relative of another family is already in the state.

Due to privacy regulations, Harper cannot disclose the name, age or any specific details of the missing person.

Watch | Dozens of people are missing after the apartment collapsed: Hopes for a partially collapsed apartment building near Miami are fading. Officials said four people died, but as many as 159 people may have been buried in the rubble. The Canadian Department of Global Affairs stated that four Canadians may be affected. 2:10

Several Canadians owned units in the collapsed building. Although Harper could not provide specific numbers, government officials have been able to confirm the whereabouts of everyone except the four missing Canadians.

But she said that the consulate staff is working with family members to provide the information and support they can provide.
Surfside, Fla. (AP)  Rescuers dig in the rubble of a Florida beachfront apartment in an attempt to reassure their families that they are doing their best to find their missing relatives, but the staff said they need to work carefully. To get the best chance. Found survivors.

As the death toll rose to nine on Sunday, relatives became increasingly desperate for the news, and worried about slow progress and diminishing hope. Since Thursday, a few hours after the collapse, no one has been rescued from the pile. On Sunday, some family members were taken by bus to a location near the scene because their relatives were frustrated with the pace of rescue work and asked to go to the scene.

My daughter is 26 years old and in good health. She can leave there, a mother told rescuers during a meeting with her family on the weekend. Instagram user Abigail Pereira (Abigail Pereira) posted a video of the meeting.

Its not enough, the mother continued, her relative being one of the relatives who urged the authorities to bring in experts from other countries to help. Imagine if your children were there.

More than 150 people are still missing In Surfside, the authorities and relatives worry that the death toll will be higher.

Dozens of rescuers remained on the huge pile of rubble, looking for survivors, but so far only corpses and human remains have been found.

Watch Sundays top news stories from San Diego on FOX 5 News Now:

In a meeting with his family on Saturday night, Miami-Dade Assistant Fire Chief Raide Jadallah explained why he could not answer their repeated questions about how many victims they had found. People groaned and cried.

We dont have to find victims, okay? We are looking for human remains, Jadala said according to a video posted on Instagram.

Every time the staff found the remains, they would clean the area and remove the remains. Jadallah said that they worked with a rabbi to ensure that any religious ceremonies were performed correctly.

So the question is, why does it take so long? He said, What we are doing is making sure everything follows theT.

The authorities stated that their efforts are still search and rescue operations. Alan Kominsky, head of the Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue Department, said they have hope of finding people alive, but they must be slow and methodical.

The debris field is scattered everywhere, and its very compact, very compact, he said.

The debris must be stable and supported as it moves.

If there are spaces, we want to make sure to give all of us the possibility of survivors. Thats why we cant just enter and move things irregularly, because this can have the worst results, he said.

When meeting with the authorities, the family repeatedly urged rescuers to do more work. Someone asked them why they couldnt use crane surgery to remove the largest cement block in an attempt to find the larger gaps where survivors might be found.

Maggie Castro of the Fire and Rescue Agency replied: We cannot easily remove the huge debris with surgery. She described herself as one of the people trying to find her family. 

They are not big pieces. The fragments are shattered, and they are held together by the steel bars that are part of the building. Therefore, if we try to lift the fragment, even if we are careful, the crumbling fragments will fall off the sides and disturb the accumulation. Castro said.

She said that they tried to cut the rebar at key locations and remove large pieces of rebar, but they had to remove them in a way that nothing would fall onto the pile.

We are doing it layer by layer, Castro said. It wont stop. Its all day. All night.

According to Adrian Garulay, CEO of Spec Ops Group, which sells them, rescuers also used microwave radar equipment developed by NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Department of Homeland Security, which can see solid concrete up to 8 inches thick. This suitcase-sized device can detect human breathing and heartbeat. It was deployed by a seven-person search and rescue team from the Jewish community in Mexico on Sunday.

But with the delay of work, the family is increasingly desperate. Some people asked to visit the site so that they could yell at their loved ones, So they can hear our voice. On Sunday afternoon, when the staff continued to work, relatives were taken to a place next to the scene.

Television cameras showed that two buses stopped and a group of relatives got off. They walked to an area near the scene, where officials said they could observe and reflect on it.

The fire in the rubble earlier this weekend slowed rescue efforts, but the mayor of Miami-Dade, Daniella Levine Cava, said Saturdays fire had been suppressed.

She said that six to eight teams are actively searching at any time, and hundreds of team members are on standby at any time, ready to rotate. She said that since Thursday, the team has been working day and night without a shortage of personnel.

The rescue team also cooperates with engineers and sonar to ensure the safety of rescuers.

We need to make sure that this pile of things will not fall on them. It will not fall on any possible survivors, and we strive to pursue this in our work, she said.

The crew dug a 125-foot, 20-foot-wide, and 40-foot-deep trench all night, which, she said, allowed them to find more corpses and human remains.

Earl Tilton, who runs a search and rescue consulting company in North Carolina, said rescuers in Miami-Dade County did a excellent job. Tilton, who runs Lodestar Professional Services in Hendersonville, North Carolina, said that rushing into the rubble without careful planning and execution can harm or kill rescuers and the people they are trying to save.

I understand my familys concerns about this. If its my family, I hope everyone there will pull the rubble away as quickly as possible, Tilton said. But moving the wrong piece at the wrong time may cause it to fall on them and crush them.

Tilton said that in past urban rescues, rescuers found survivors a week after the initial disaster.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis praised the search team as the best team in the industry.

DeSantis said at a press conference on Sunday: I hope none of these things happen anywhere, but if this happens, the person you want is the Miami-Dade Search and Rescue Team. These The team has spread all over the world. These are the people you want. They were there in a few minutes, and they kept going.

The authorities also tried to directly assure the families that the rescuers were qualified, and told them at a meeting on Saturday that some rescuers were engaged in search and rescue operations in the World Trade Center after the 9/11 attacks after the Oklahoma City bombing. After the Haiti earthquake.

After the body is found, it will be sent to a forensic doctor. Authorities are collecting DNA samples from family members to help identification. Late Saturday, the four victims were identified as Stacie Dawn Fang, 54; Antonio Lozano, 83; Gladys Lozano, 79; and Manuel Lafon, 54 year old.

___

Associated Press writer Freida Frisaro of Fort Lauderdale, Bobby Caina Calvan of Tallahassee, and others from across the United States contributed to this report.
The Russian capital Moscow has recorded the most severe number of coronavirus deaths in a single day, while Indonesia has the largest number of cases in a single day, as countries in the Asia-Pacific region have extended or re-implemented restrictions in response to a new wave of COVID-19 infections. .

The pandemic has now killed nearly 4 million people worldwide. Vaccination campaigns have reduced the number of infections in many wealthy countries, but the Delta variant of the virus remains a cause for concern.

According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), as of Sunday, Delta has been launched in 85 countries/regions and is the most infectious of all COVID-19 strains found so far.

Nonetheless, in most parts of Europe and the United States, as vaccination programs have achieved results, restrictions on daily life are being relaxed, even though Russia is struggling to cope with the deadly third wave.

Rising cases in Russia

Moscow recorded 144 COVID-19 deaths in 24 hours on Sunday, the second day after the highest number previously set in St. Petersburg.

St. Petersburg has hosted six Euro 2020 matches, and the quarter-finals are scheduled to be held on Friday. The maximum number of spectators is half, but it still exceeds 26,000.

Since mid-June, driven by the Delta variant, there has been a surge in new infections throughout Russia.

After removing most of the anti-virus restrictions at the end of last year, Moscow officials are pushing for vaccination of Russians who are skeptical of vaccines.

In order to stop the pandemic, one thing needs to be done: rapid, large-scale vaccination. No one has invented any other solutions, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said on Saturday.

Russias surge comes as Moscow officials are pushing for the vaccination of Russians who are skeptical of vaccines [Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters[

The Delta variant is also increasing fresh outbreaks in Southeast Asia and Australia where authorities have brought back or extended restrictions.

More than five million Sydney residents endured their first full day of a two-week lockdown on Sunday.

Restaurants, bars and cafes were shuttered and stay-at-home orders were issued, leaving the city centre virtually deserted.

Given how contagious this strain of the virus is, we do anticipate that in the next few days case numbers are likely to increase even beyond what we have seen today, New South Wales state Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.

More than 110 COVID-19 cases have been reported in Sydney since a driver for an international flight crew tested positive in mid-June for the Delta variant.

The surge has been a shock for a place that had returned to relative normality after months with few local cases.

The Northern Territory is now facing its biggest threat since the COVID crisis began, Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner said.

Restrictions reimposed

Similar spikes in infections have been seen across Southeast Asia, with Indonesia setting a new daily infection record of more than 21,000.

Hospitals are flooded with patients in the capital Jakarta and other COVID-19 hotspots across the regions hardest-hit nation.

Thailand will from Monday reimpose restrictions on restaurants, construction sites and gatherings in the capital Bangkok.

The countrys latest wave began in April when a cluster was found in upscale Bangkok clubs.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha has said he plans to fully reopen the country by October, but this would require hitting a target of vaccinating 50 million Thais in four months.

Thailands latest wave began in April when a cluster was found in Bangkok [Rungroj Yongrit/EPA]

Newspaper columnist Pravit Rojanaphruk said that Thailands vaccine launch has been plagued by delays.

Only about 10% of the population received the first injection, and only 4% received the second injection, he told Al Jazeera.

In neighboring Malaysia, the Prime Minister announced that the nationwide blockade will last for about a month, but he did not give a date for lifting the restrictions.

His government has previously stated that as long as the number of infected people decreases, the use of intensive care beds decreases and the vaccination rate increases, strict restrictions will be relaxed in stages.

Bangladesh also stated that it will implement a new Nationwide blockade Starting from Monday, the office will be closed for one week, and only medical-related transportation is allowed.

The news prompted tens of thousands of migrant workers to flee the capital Dhaka, where the blockade would cut off their sources of income.

As the authorities ordered new lockdown measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus in Bangladesh, people carry their belongings with them before boarding the ferry [Munir Uz Zaman/AFP]

According to data from the Ministry of Health, the number of infections declined in May, but started to rise again this month. There were more than 5,000 new cases on Sunday and the death toll from the pandemic reached 119.

Dr. Mushtuq Husain, a medical adviser to the government of Bangladesh, said that the number of COVID-19 infections and deaths in the country is increasing.

He told Al Jazeera: Everything will be shut down [from July 1], So the transition chain will be put down. The number of cases is expected to decline in two weeks, and the number of deaths in three weeks. 

At the same time, AstraZeneca and Oxford University started a new trial on Sunday to test an improved vaccine against the Beta variant, which first appeared in South Africa.

The design of this new vaccine, called AZD2816, uses the same basis as AstraZenecas main vaccine, but with minor genetic changes to the Spike protein based on the Beta variant.
Euro result

Wow! What a good result we got in the European Cup recently.

The Welsh Dragon was killed by the Danes yesterday, and they surpassed the four of them without answering.

The Austrian team took the Italian team to overtime, but lost 2-1 in the final hurdle.

After defeating a man, the Dutch team surprisingly beat the Czech Republic 2-0 in Baku.

Belgiums golden generation eliminated the 2016 European Cup champion Portugal and staged a coveted match against Italy in the quarter-finals.
Sensitive documents contain a detailed overview of the movement of a warship that caused Russia to fire warning shots off the coast of Crimea

The British government is investigating how secret defense documents were discovered at a bus stop in England, which outline the movements of warships that caused Russia to fire warning shots off the coast of Crimea.

The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said on Sunday that an employee reported missing documents last week and has launched an investigation.

This shouldnt happen, Northern Ireland Minister Brandon Lewis told Sky News. It was properly reported at the time an internal investigation into this situation is underway.

Earlier on Tuesday, an anonymous member of the public found 50 pages of classified information in a wet pile behind a bus station in Kent and then contacted the BBC.

According to the BBC, the documents include a set of documents discussing Russias potential response to HMS Defenders trip to Ukrainian waters off the coast of Crimea on Wednesday, while another document lays out the possible presence of the United Kingdom in Afghanistan. The plan of the military presence.

The Ministry of Defense stated that HMS Defender passes through Ukrainian territorial waters harmlessly in accordance with international law and will consider all potential factors when making action decisions.

HMS Defender is part of the British aircraft carrier strike group currently heading to the Indo-Pacific region.

However, it was announced earlier this month that it would temporarily secede from the organization and perform its own series of tasks in the Black Sea.

The Type 45 destroyer clashed with Russian troops while sailing in the waters south of the Crimea Peninsula on Wednesday, and Russia unofficially annexed the area from Ukraine in 2014.

Moscows response was to allow several aircraft to obscure the ship at various heights, with a minimum height of about 500 feet (152 meters).
San Diego-Health officials are looking for anyone who may have been exposed to rabies bats at the San Diego Zoo recently.

The San Diego County Department of Health and Human Services stated that the live bat was found at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park on June 25 and tested positive for rabies.

The department said in a statement: Anyone who has direct contact with bats-such as touching or holding animals-should contact the San Diego County Department of Health and Human Services (619) 692-8499 as soon as possible. Press release.

If you have not been in direct contact with bats, you are not at risk of getting rabies.

The county says the animal is wild-not part of the parks collection. According to officials, it was found in the Mombasa Pavilion area of ??the park and collected by a trained park employee before being sent to the county.

Without timely post-exposure vaccines and treatment, human rabies is usually fatal, Dr. Wilma Wooten, the countys top public health official, said in a written statement.

There have been no reports of human or animal contact with this bat, but it was found in places where many park visitors passed by, and we want to make sure that no one has ever come into contact with it.

Watch Sundays top news stories from San Diego on FOX 5 News Now:

The county said that another rabies bat was found in the area this year.

Health officials explained that the spread of rabies may come from a bat bite, or if the animals saliva touches a wound or abrasion, or if it touches a persons eyes, nose, or mouth.

If direct contact with bats does occur, please wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention immediately, the county said.
The two countries may prevent the Polish legislation requiring World War II compensation from convening each others envoys.

Israel has summoned the Polish ambassador and expressed deep disappointment over a bill in Poland. Critics said that the bill would make it more difficult for Jews to reclaim the property they lost in World War II. This move triggered a reciprocal reaction in Warsaw.

The lower house of the Polish parliament passed a draft bill on Thursday imposing a statute of limitations on claims for the return of property, which caused an angry response from Israels Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, calling it disgrace.

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Sunday that the legislation may affect up to 90% of Holocaust survivors and their descendants requests for property restitution.

The statement said: This is not a historical debate about responsibility for the Holocaust, but Polands moral debt to citizens whose property was plundered during the Holocaust and under the communist regime.

Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Pavel Jablonski said on Sunday that the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Israeli charge daffaires in Warsaw on Monday.

Jablonski said Warsaw hopes to be straightforward in terms of legislation.

The Polish diplomat told the national television station TVP that Israels Charge daffaires Tarben Ariaron has been summonedwe will explain the truth to her in a decisive and factual manner.

We think that unfortunately, what we are dealing with here is a situation that is used by certain Israeli politicians for internal political purposes, he added.

The Israeli Embassy in Warsaw said on Twitter on Thursday that this unethical law will seriously affect the relationship between our two countries.

The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday that the introduction of a time limit would eliminate large-scale fraud and irregularities.

It added: Regardless of the nationality or origin of the plaintiff, the new regulations will not restrict the possibility of filing a civil lawsuit for damages in any way.

Compensation activity

Almost all Polish Jews, about 3 million people, were wiped out in the Holocaust. Since the fall of communism in 1989, former Jewish property owners and their descendants have been fighting for compensation from Poland. The Jewish property seized by the Nazis was kept in the custody of the communist rulers after the war.

The legislation will implement the 2015 Constitutional Courts ruling?? that there should be a deadline after which wrong administrative decisions can no longer be questioned. The law stipulates that this period is 30 years.

The legacy of World War II and related Polish legislation have previously strained relations between Poland and Israel.

During the war, thousands of Poles risked their lives to protect their Jewish neighbors. But research published since 1989 shows that thousands more killed Jews or condemned those who hid them before the German occupiers.

In 2018, the government was forced to make concessions and cancel parts of the Holocaust Act, which sentenced those who suggested that the country was complicit in Nazi crimes to imprisonment, which angered the United States and Israel.
A prospective student from Pakistan who will enroll at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver said that she was frightened step by step because she overcame obstacles to get an education, and COVID-19 made her more difficult.

Zohra Shahabuddin said that she could not sleep all night and was worried about how to organize her Canadian student visa application documents.

Her visa was approved last week. She will work hard to study for a masters degree in publishing.

I have no chance to be excited about coming to Vancouver, she said with a smile.

My mind is very busy. First is the visa, now it is the flight and isolation.

With the ups and downs of COVID-19 cases around the world, international students coming to Canada this year are facing many obstacles, such as a backlog of visas, insufficient vaccinations, quarantine measures, and fewer available flights.

A spokesperson for the Canadian Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship said the department continued to accept and process study permit applications throughout the pandemic.

It has updated its website to show that complete study permit applications for the fall semester of 2021 submitted before May 15 will be processed by August 6. However, spokesperson Nancy Caron said in a statement that some applications may take longer due to incompleteness.

In the context of the global pandemic and its related challenges, we want to provide a target date for those who plan to start learning in the fall, she said.

She said that the department issued nearly 100,000 study permits in the first four months of 2021, up from approximately 66,000 in the same period last year and approximately 96,000 from January to April 2019.

Muhammad Saad has been admitted to Centennial College in Toronto, obtained a diploma in project management, and received the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine for the first time.

He said he was worried about getting a second shot.

It depends on supply, he said. My second dose is in mid-July. I hope that the vaccine will be available in Pakistan by then.

At some universities, students who cannot be vaccinated before moving in will have 14 days to vaccinate. (Ben Nilms/Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Several universities will require students who live on campus to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by September.

Sandy Welsh, the deputy dean of students at the University of Toronto, said that students who cannot be vaccinated before moving in will have 14 days to get vaccinated.

Western University also stated that those who cannot be vaccinated will have 14 days to vaccinate on campus.

Caron said that those who have not been fully vaccinated need to comply with federal requirements.

She added that to be considered fully vaccinated, people entering Canada must prove that they have received both vaccines at least 14 days before entering the country, or have received both Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca vaccines or one dose at the same time. Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Shahabuddin said this means she must find another $2,000 to continue the quarantine. She plans to have the injection after coming to Canada.

As an international student, I have paid a lot of money, she said, this is an extra fee.

Many universities provide isolated accommodation.



Welsh said students will receive airport transfers, daily health check calls and other support. Welsh said students will receive airport transfers, daily health check calls and other support. Shahabuddins next worry is illness while traveling and the medical expenses that come with it. Bipin Kumar, the organizations international student representative, said the Canadian Student Federation heard the same concerns from others. At least one thing we have heard is whether the additional health insurance provided by private companies will cover students in case they get sick due to travel, he said. A lot of trips took place before they came to Canada, and usually the insurance was after they started registering on September 1. He said the federation is working with universities and the provincial government to obtain more details. Ali Hassan, who has been admitted to York University in Toronto, said that the visa process is progressing slowly and he may not have time to travel, so he is very happy that the university offers online courses. But Im a little worried, he said, adding that he checks his email several times a day to get his approval. I am hopeful, Hassan added, I hope I can come to Canada this fall.

This semester, many universities will offer courses that combine online courses and face-to-face courses, as students have to overcome obstacles caused by the pandemic.

Matthew Ramsey, director of media relations at the University of British Columbia, said that if students cannot travel to Canada this semester, they can choose online courses.

We will work with them on a case-by-case basis to ensure that they can access their courses, whether online or face-to-face.
After two low-intensity explosions (possibly from drones) occurred at the airport used by the military in Jammu City, the authorities launched an investigation.

After an air base in Jammu City, India-controlled Kashmir, was hit by two low-intensity explosions, the authorities launched an investigation. The explosion may have come from a drone.

The investigation is being conducted with civilian agencies, the Indian Air Force wrote on Twitter on Sunday. One of the explosions caused minor damage to the roof of a building at the station, while the other explosion exploded in an open area.

There is no damage to any equipment, it said.

Officials told Reuters that the explosion that occurred between 1:30 am and 2 am on Sunday injured two people and caused minor damage to a building.

They added that the explosion occurred only 14 kilometers away from the de facto border with Pakistan, which aroused the attention of the security community because it may mark the first use of drones in an attack in India.

Dilbagh Singh, the police chief of the Indian-controlled Kashmir (officially known as Jammu and Kashmir), told the NDTV news channel that a crude bomb was later found in another location.

He accused Kashmirs armed groups of wanting the Himalayas to become independent or merge with neighboring Pakistan. Both India and Pakistan claim to own the entire Muslim-majority area, but only control a portion of it.

New Delhi has more than 500,000 troops stationed in the area, making it one of the most militarized areas in the world as it tried to quell the armed rebellion that broke out in the late 1980s.

India accuses Pakistan of supporting armed insurgents-Islamabad denies this accusation. Since the two countries gained independence from British rule in 1947, the region has been a flashpoint. They fought two of the three Kashmir wars.

The United Nations and human rights organizations criticized New Delhi for violating human rights in Kashmir.

Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told pro-India Kashmir leaders that elections will be held there once the electoral districts in the region are reconfigured after the semi-autonomous state in the region was abolished two years ago. The area currently runs directly from New Delhi.

Early on Sunday morning, two low-intensity explosions were reported in the technical zone of Jammu Air Force Base. One caused minor damage to the roof of the building, while the other exploded in an open area. -Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) June 27, 2021

A senior government official in New Delhi said that Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh is expected to review the security situation and is investigating the latest bombing.

In addition, a senior security official told Reuters that if the use of drones in an attack is suspected, it will pose a major challenge to the security forces in the region.
Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna has decided not to seek re-election.

Her unexpected decision opened up some major political real estate. If he decides to run for the Liberal Party in the next election, this could become a springboard for the former central bank governor of Canada, Mark Carney.

Since McKenna wrestled with the New Democratic Party in 2015, it has been held in the center of Ottawa, which is a riding stable that includes Capitol Hill.

Carney did not promise to stand for election, but promised during his political debut at the Liberal Partys virtual conference in April that he would do his best to support the party.

McKenna will hold a press conference on Monday to announce that she has decided to abdicate in the next election, but the Canadian News Agency obtained an advance copy of her speech on Sunday.

The speech wrote: Eight years ago, when I entered politics, I made two simple promises to myself: always fight for my faith, and leave when I did what I had to do when I entered politics. .

McKenna appeared in a public transportation garage in Ottawa on March 4 to inform Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of her decision to retire on Sunday. She has offered to continue as Minister of Infrastructure until the holding of federal elections. (Adrian Wilder/Canada Press)

She said she wanted to spend more time with her three children and devote her professional energy to the fight against climate change.

Like many Canadians, having lived through COVID-19 in a long year, made me take a step back and reflect on what is most important to me. These are two things: my children and climate change.

McKenna notified Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of her decision on Sunday. She has offered to continue as Minister of Infrastructure until the holding of federal elections.

All parties have expressed that they do not want to participate in the polls during the pandemic, but as Trudeau seems increasingly prepared to pull out his minority government this summer, everyone is enthusiastically preparing to vote.

Introduce carbon price as Minister of Environment

As Trudeaus environment minister, McKenna insisted on implementing the Liberal governments National Climate Change Action Plan during his first term, which included a price on carbon emissions.

The carbon price-or taxation as the Conservative Party called it-was strongly opposed by the provincial governments of Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan, who challenged its constitutionality in court. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled in March that it was constitutional.

McKenna became a lightning rod against the climate plan, endured misogynistic slander and threats on social media, and graffiti in her constituency office. Last summer, after someone yelled at a McKenna staff member, the police were asked to investigate and the video was posted on social media.

In a speech announced on Monday, McKenna specifically mentioned young girls who are considering whether politics is suitable for them.

Do it. When you do, dont be afraid to run like a girl. Ill be there to cheer for you, she said.

Entering politics is to do something, never to be something. There are many things you dont like in this industry, but you can change more peoples lives than anywhere else.

Trudeau transferred McKenna to an infrastructure position after the 2019 election. Among other things, this move made her responsible for funding green projects designed to help Canada achieve its emission reduction targets.

But McKenna seems to have missed being at the core of the fight against climate change.

In the most important decade, this is a critical year for climate action, which will determine whether we can save the only planet we have, she said in explaining her decision not to seek re-election.

I want to use my working time to help make sure we do it.
The tripartite summit marked the first official visit to Iraq by an Egyptian leader since the first Gulf War.

Egyptian President Abdul Fattah Al-Sisi, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Kadimi and Jordans King Abdullah II met in Baghdad. This was since the invasion of Saddam Hussein in 1990 During the first visit to Iraq by the head of state of Egypt since Kuwait.

The first Gulf War broke down the diplomatic relations between Iraq and Egypt, but in recent years the situation has improved with the exchange of visits by senior officials of the two countries.

The summit was held within the framework of the tripartite cooperation mechanism of the three countries. The tripartite cooperation mechanism held its first round of summit in Cairo in March 2019.

The Egyptian President stated that on Sunday, the three leaders discussed several areas of regional interest, including the latest developments in the Palestinian issue, combating terrorism and economic cooperation.

It added: The leaders emphasized the need to strengthen consultation and coordination among the three countries on the most important regional issues.

Iraqi President Barham Saleh (center right) greets Egyptian President Abdul Fatah Al-Sisi (center left) after arriving at Baghdad Airport [Khalid Mohammed/AP Photo]

These meetings were seen in part as an attempt to offset Irans influence in the region. Al-Kadhimi also aims to consolidate regional alliances and strengthen Iraqs position as a mediator in the Middle East.

It recently hosted Iranian and Saudi officials in Baghdad in April, which was their first high-level meeting since Riyadh broke off diplomatic relations with Tehran in 2016.

In a statement issued by his office, Kadimi said: This visit has conveyed an important message to our people that we support each other and unite as one to serve our people and the people of the region.

Al Jazeeras Mahmoud Abdul Wahd reported in Baghdad that the summit is not only economic but also political.

Part of the intention of Egypt and Jordan is obviously to bring Iraq back to the Arab League and use Iraqs wealth to establish or create some mutual trade and investment and development projects, he said.

Widely discussed issues

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said at a press conference after the meeting that the two sides discussed a wide range of topics, including economic and political cooperation, large-scale industrial projects, medicine and pesticide trade.

The talks also involved regional issues such as the Syrian crisis, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the Yemen war, and were welcomed by the United States.

Iraq must be isolated from regional intervention, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi told reporters after the meeting, apparently referring to Irans influence in the country.

Iraqi President Barham Saleh meets with Jordanian King Abdullah II and Egyptian President Sisi [Khalid al-Mousily/Reuters]

He added that Ethiopias rehabilitation dam project was also discussed. Egypt is worried that the project will jeopardize its water supply. All three countries agree that a political solution and refugee return are needed to end the Syrian crisis.

The message from leaders is that we stand together in the face of these challenges, he said.

Iraq has signed important economic and trade agreements with Jordan and Egypt.

In November, Egypt signed 15 memorandums of understanding covering everything from oil to construction and trade. Jordan imports 10,000 barrels of oil from Iraq every day, but it stops due to coronavirus restrictions.

Iraq also plans to build a pipeline designed to export 1 million barrels of Iraqi crude oil from the southern city of Basra to the port of Aqaba on the Red Sea in Jordan every day.




If you are looking for laughter books that explain the rich/poor/racial differences in our country at the same time, please dont miss the former Minnesota Kevin M. McIntoshs debut novel Class (Regal House Publishing, $16.95) ).

The center of the story is Patrick Lynch, who was 30 years old and grew up on a farm in Minnesota. He is a caring teacher. During his seven years in the New York City school system, he did his best to let his downtown students listen and learn. His eighth graders are participating in the underfunded dustbin project at Marcus Garvey High School:

They are indeed co-learners in the cooperative learning experiment. Patrick understands that homework is a euphemism. These supplies will be provided by the coordinator. Beware of a thousand and one invisible mines: dont call Sanji Smith Mr Smith, For example; Sanji has never met the old Mr. Smith, and will only let Sanji quietly and glumly remind him of this fact. 

The pebbles in Patricks shoes are Josh Mishkin, a gifted child with dyslexia whose fierce mother is a professor. Josh, a white boy in a dress, drew everything from black culture. As one teacher said: If that child becomes darker, he will develop sickle cell anemia.

So Patrick cant discipline Josh, The more he jumps around him, the more respect he loses in the second quarter.

Josh finally got terrified on the day the principal visited and rushed out of the classroom. Patrick closed the door, and a gust of wind blew into the boys fingers in the door. Students are pointing fingers at the teacher, the newspaper headline screamed that Patrick was exiled to the rubber room, which is a purgatory, where teachers, janitors, lunch women workers and other union members waited for the hearing of the education committee, sometimes waiting several years.

So Patrick started the rabbit hole tour of the urban education bureaucracy:

He looked around the rubber room. It had the atmosphere of a late-night bus terminal: passengers slumped on their chairs with empty eyes, waiting for the vehicles to take them elsewhere.

Patricks cellmates include a woman who erects an easel and draws a picture, a juggler with a shaved head, and a woman who often cries. Artists, weepers, jugglers, and others were awed by the teacher who was accused of cutting the childs finger.

Between his work in New York, Patrick returned to his home in Minnesota to attend the funeral of his childhood best friend. Even if he returned to New York, he could have a conversation with him.

Mackintoshs description of the basement of St. Immaculata after the funeral will resonate with every reader who has been to a small community in Minnesota. Women wanted to hug him, but men didnt In 1992, when reading Robert Blys work in Winnipee Falls, a male hug would come to Petersons prairie. 

We also learned about Patricks personal life, how he followed a woman to New York (and did not last long) and his broken relationship with Susan, a social worker who lived with him. (Susans big-headed old cat, who often vomits, is one of the great characters in this book.)

When Patricks case was submitted to the head of the Ministry of Education, readers supported him, and he learned surprising things about his two students in several exciting scenes.

Mackintosh lives in Massachusetts, graduated from Carleton College (class of 1980), was a resident playwright at the Minneapolis Playwright Center, and worked next door to August Wilson. His music biography of the Gershwin Brothers was produced in Carlton and staged at the Playwrights Center. His short stories, many of which are about teaching life, have appeared in national publications.

Mackintosh will introduce the Class Dismissed launched by Harvard Bookstore in a virtual way at 7pm on June 30 (Wednesday). He will talk to Jane Hamilton (The Book of Ruth), a best-selling author and Carleton University graduate, who talks about Mackintoshs novel: Patrick Lynchs practice of teaching art is a heroic way. Clarified why teaching is a calling and indeed an art. This book is an enjoyment.

To register for Wednesdays show, please visit: harvard.com/event/virtual_event_kevin_mcintosh/.

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This is a knockout

At the 2020 European Cup, things are getting more and more serious.

After a dramatic match last night, Italy and Denmark safely advanced to the quarter-finals.

It looks like there are two games left today, the first of which is a great game in Bucharest.

The Dutch team faced the Czech Republic in the quarter-finals, and Frank De Boers team won the fourth consecutive game.

The Dutch enjoy being back to their peak and will enjoy the test against the Czech team who is second in Group D.

So far, the only victory for the Czech team is against Scotland. Patrik Schick showed his class with three goals and is still counting.

Optimistic Three Lions fans will pay attention to the pair and point out that England may encounter one in the last four games. Hold on.

But thats the stakes now, every moment is important-90 minutes, overtime, then penalty, if we need it.

The real game has begun, and the time for the Netherlands vs. Czech Republic is set at 5 pm.
As the second heat wave this month swept the Delaware Valley, residents of the Philadelphia area were encouraged to stay indoors and hydrate as much as possible this week.

The National Weather Service has Issue high temperature warning For most of the region, the hot and humid weather will continue until Wednesday.

The announcement went into effect at 12 noon on Sunday and will continue until 8 pm on Wednesday. It will be issued for Philadelphia and Delaware counties, as well as parts of Pennsylvanias Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery counties. The weather warning also covers Camden and Gloucester counties, as well as parts of Burlington County, New Jersey.

The high temperature index in some parts of the region this week is expected to be between 96-109. The heat index is expected to reach the mid-to-upper part of the 1990s on Sunday, and then break through 100 on Monday.

The strongest high temperature and humidity are expected on Tuesday and Wednesday, when the high temperature index is expected to reach a low of 100 degrees.

Below is Complete forecast for the Philadelphia area From the National Weather Service by Wednesday.

on Sunday: It is sunny most of the time and the maximum temperature is close to 91. It is cloudy at night and the lowest temperature is about 73.

on Monday: Most sunny days, the highest is close to 94. The heat index value is as high as 100. Most of the night is sunny, the lowest is about 74.

on Tuesday: After 2 pm, there is a possibility of slight showers and thunderstorms. The probability of precipitation is 20%. It is sunny most of the time and the maximum temperature is close to 96 degrees. The probability of light showers and thunderstorms before 2 am is 20%. It is cloudy at night and the temperature is as low as about 75 degrees.

on Wednesday: The chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm, the chance of precipitation is 40%. It is sunny most of the time and the maximum temperature is close to 96 degrees. There is a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2 am. It is cloudy and the night temperature is as low as 74 degrees.

This is the second heat wave that has swept the Philadelphia area this month.Hot consultation is Released in most regions in early June When the temperature reaches above 90 degrees, the heat index reaches 100.
Luis Carlos Bernal

Dos Mujeres (two women), Douglas, Arizona, 1979.

Elizabeth Ferrer is the vice president of contemporary art at Brooklyn non-profit organization BRIC Arts Media.She is also the author of this book Latino Photography in America: A Visual HistoryFerrers family is Mexican-American. She was born and raised in Los Angeles.She loved art since she was a child and grew up during the rise of society Chicano Civil Rights Movement, She witnessed how life shapes art. I remember one thing I saw when I was in elementary school was the nearby murals. When I was a kid, I didnt have many opportunities to go to museums, but I did see this. I saw that art can be used in society. The way of change and the community. She applied this philosophy of art for social change throughout the school and integrated her career as a young curator and champion of Mexican-American and Latin American art. We discussed with her how to find unrecognized Latino photographers at a young age created a platform for her and the artists themselves.

Max Aguilera Hellwig, courtesy of the artist



How did you become interested in photography? I was attracted by photography when I was in high school and started to take a lot of photos. I went to Wellesley to study art history, and then I went to Columbia. When I was studying art history, there was very little Latin art, Chicanques art or Mexican art. I was curious. When I moved to New York and started working in contemporary art, I became interested in the art world and started to travel to Mexico City. I started to get acquainted with the artists there and curated many exhibitions on Mexican art and photography for American venues since the 1990s. I like Mexican photography and I still follow it, but I started to realize that there are Latino photographers making important works. I started working with an organization in New York called En Foco, which was founded in the 1970s by a group of Nuyorican photographers. Through En Foco, I learned that many Latino photographers across the United States are basically excluded from media discussions. Their works are largely excluded from museum collections, and they did not appear in large survey exhibitions of American photography, nor did they appear in photo galleries. The visibility of these photographers is very low. I decided to write this book to solve the gap in the way people understand the history of American photography. What impressed you during your work in Mexicos photography? I went to Mexico as a young curator and wanted to curate an exhibition of contemporary Mexican artists, which I saw in the United States. I am very green. I dont really know the people there, but I started to go to the gallery.A gallery held a photography exhibition Flower GardunoShe is this young and budding traditional photographer, in the purist school of black and white photography that was very popular in Mexico for most of the 20th century. Very poetic. I was shocked by her photography and bought a photo from the show.

Chuck Ramirez, courtesy of the artist

Dia de los Muertos, from the 7 Days series, 2003.

Do you think you have to work hard to get American museums or galleries to recognize this work? Early in my career, I was lucky that the United States had a strong interest in Mexican art. The Five Hundred Years of Columbus took place in 1992. I also participated in a large-scale exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, where I was a co-editor of a catalogue of blockbuster exhibitions. Latin American Art of the Twentieth Century. Basically every museum wants to hold an exhibition of Mexican art or Latin American art. I am lucky that this is the right place at the right time and I am able to do many exhibitions and projects. But in that era, peoples interest in Latin art and photography was much less. This took a lot of time. . Interest is not so strong, it took a lot of time. Of course, in the past few years, people have become more and more interested in African American art, and to some extent, they have also become more and more interested in Latin art. People are beginning to realize the gap between what they know and what they dont know, and are eager to learn all about Latin. En Foco was founded in 1974 by a group of Puerto Rican photographers who had the same problem with visibility. They are knocking on the door, but they are not getting a job from the mainstream media. They certainly wont get their work in the museum, but they saw white photographers.A good example is Bruce Davidson, his book East 100th Street, Documenting a poor neighborhood in Harlem, and an African-American photographer has been reporting on the neighborhood. The same thing happened in East Los Angeles where I grew up. In the civil rights era of the 1960s, there were many protests and demonstrations, as well as the promotion of national pride and higher political awareness by Hispanics. And you know, these magazines reported many such demonstrations, but they sent Magnum photographers to these communities. Local photographers who photograph these communities day after day are also reporting on these things, but their works are not seen nationwide. When I participated in En Foco in the 1990s, they were very active and organized exhibitions, provided scholarships for photographers to produce new works, and published Shin Kong magazine. Although En Foco is important, it is still not mainstream. Getting mainstream coverage remains a huge challenge. I hope my book can help these photographers gain good exposure, but this is just the beginning. Many photographers in the book should have a monograph about them and there should be a solo exhibition. Many of these photographers were very successful, but many of the charms related to Latin American art and adapted by major institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art did not happen to Latino photographers.

David Gonzalez, courtesy of the artist

Dancer, Mott Haven, August 1979.

Many organizations today connect mainstream media with little-known photographers, thinking of diverse photos and indigenous photos. Can you see the difference in the past few years? I think it has changed a lot as we shifted from emphasizing printing to digitalization. This is a huge change. In the printed matter, there is always a gatekeeper.There are some smaller publications, such as Shin KongBut this will never be able to compete with the glamorous mainstream publications. Once the digital space opens up, with the proliferation of online news sites and blogs, for example, organizations dedicated to indigenous rights are more likely to hire indigenous photographers who may or may live in that community for a long time. Of course, another huge shift is the rise of social media. Many photographers, even older photographers, have Instagram feeds that can be used as a platform to show them without gatekeepers or filters. s work. In terms of the popularity of these photographers, one thing I have always worried about is the photography market.There are a few Mexican photographers like Manuel Alvarez Bravo or Graciela Iturbid, Who has a strong market, you see their works in commercial galleries. But Latino photographers are basically excluded from commercial galleries, with only a few. Especially for photographers who emerged in the 1980s and 1990s, this is not part of their experience. They can earn a living by teaching or getting funding, but they cannot earn a living by selling their work. The gallery thing is important, because a good gallery owner will help you get museum exhibitions and help put the work in your permanent collection. Excluding Latino works from these aspects of galleries and commercial photography hinders their ability to present their work in a long-term, long-lasting manner. What will happen to those works when the artist dies? What happens if this work is not appreciated from a business perspective?

Michael Gandert

Melissa Armijo, Eloy Montoya and Richard el Wino Madrid, Albuquerque, 1983.

Going back to what you said that Latino photographers put their lenses on todays social issues. What do you think is the role of Latino photographers today in reporting on these ongoing political issues? This is the border and the status of Puerto Ricans. This is an issue of immigration and equity. In the book, photographers used their lenses to serve farm workers who promoted unions in California in the 1960s. Or someone like Hiram Maristany in New York, a photographer for the Puerto Rican activist group Young Lords. But I found that all these photographers, even those modern photographers who work with more conscious artistic or conceptual methods, still maintain a political stance, eager to reflect their community.I want to specifically mention Harry Gamboa and his main series Chicano males are unbound. He started the series after hearing the radio announcement that the police were looking for a Chicano male. The stereotype of Mexican-American young people as criminals, just like young African-Americans being demonized, is the spark of his creation of this series of portraits of Chicano men of different ages and occupations, they just stand in the frame. Some of them are actors, lawyers, dancers, judges, priests. He deliberately photographed them at dusk, sometimes looking at the camera positively or confidently, forcing you to face your own stereotypes.

Christina Fernandez

Left, #2, 1919, Portland, Colorado; correct, # 6, 1950, San Diego, California, From Marias Great Expedition, 1995-96.

What do you want readers to gain from understanding the importance of American visual history through the Latin lens? This book introduces more than 80 photographers, and it tells a history that dates back to the 19th century. It is important to let people see that we are not only part of that history, but that we are also innovating in that history. For example, there are many Latino photographers working in the 1980s and 1990s, and their work is very prescient in how photographers use digital tools now. I want people to see and understand each photographer and appreciate their work.I think its important to write a book about Latino photographers because they are so invisible, but in the end these Latino photographers need to be considered American Photographer. They are part of the history of American art and the history of American photography. I dont think the entire history of photography has been written, and there are many things that have been left out. In order to write this richer and more dynamic history of American photography, it must include more Latino photographers, African-American photographers, Asian-American photographers, and queer photographers. So far, the definition of this history is too narrow.

Ricardo Valverde

Portrait of the artist in his youth, 1991.

Hiram Maristany, courtesy of the artist



Karen Miranda de Ribadnera

Mom took me to the park every weekend to feed them, healed me from the fear of iguanas, approx. 1994, 2012.
Palestinian protesters and security forces Conflict On Saturday, in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, the death of a radical in custody triggered the third day of demonstrations.

The family of Nizar Banat, a 43-year-old man from Hebron, said he was known for condemning the Palestinian National Authority (PA) for alleged corruption in social media videos. He was in the security forces on Thursday. He died shortly after rushing into his home and arresting him with violence.

On Saturday, hundreds of people took to the streets of the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah, the seat of the occupied West Bank, calling on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to resign.

The protester Ismat Mansour said that Banats death was only the tip of the iceberg, and at the same time accused the Palestinian Authority of corruption and demanded elections.

Others are holding placards pointing to PA, which says Leave.

Security guards in riot gear blocked the streets. An Agence France-Presse photographer said that the protesters threw stones at the security forces, who fired tear gas bombs to disperse the crowd.

Banat has registered as a candidate for the Palestinian parliamentary election, which was originally scheduled to be held in May until Abbas postponed the election indefinitely.

Banats family said that the police used pepper spray on him, beat him severely, and then dragged him away in a car.

The doctor who conducted the autopsy, Samir Abu Zarzour, said that the scars on Banat showed that he had been beaten on the head, chest, neck, legs and hands. The time to death was less than an hour.
A survey conducted by the British Financial Times revealed that since the Brexit rules came into effect on January 1, nearly one-third of British companies trading with the European Union have suffered business declines or losses.

The survey conducted by the Association of Directors also found that since the beginning of this year, 17% of British companies have had transactions with the European Union and have temporarily or permanently suspended transactions.

The survey results paint a bleak picture of trade arrangements with Europe, especially for small companies that do not have the resources to deal with the commercial barriers caused by Britains departure from the EUs single market and customs union.

Six months after Brexit, the company reported that they continued to work with New red tape Ushered in the Anglo-European Trade Cooperation Agreement.Although the Brexit deal is agreed Christmas Eve, Confirming the zero-tariff and zero-quota trade between the UK and the EU. The new arrangement requires companies to comply with costly inspections, customs controls and bureaucracy, which has increased commercial friction.

The relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union has also deteriorated due to the new trade border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which requires inspections of many goods crossing the Irish Sea, triggering violence in the pro-British trade union community in the region.

Six months have passed and many companies are still struggling to meet the challenges posed by our new relationship with the EU, said Jonathan Geldart, director general of the Institute of Directors.

In particular, small and medium-sized companies are struggling to cope with the new procedures related to import and export with the EU, while business leaders have more widely reported that with the end of freedom of movement, recruitment is difficult.

The IoD survey asked 651 companies to assess the impact of Brexit so far.

Among companies that trade with the EU, 31% said that the new barriers since January 1 have had a negative impact on trade with the EU. Only 6% said trade increased, while 58% said there was no change.

According to another survey conducted by the Chartered Management Institute for the British Financial Times, slightly more than a quarter of private sector managers stated that the changes in trade at the end of the Brexit transition period had an impact on their organizations January turnover Negative impact. Six months later, almost the same percentage26%still said there was a negative impact, and it was basically the same organization.

Private sector managers report that post-Brexit trade challenges are still having a negative impact on their organizations turnover, said CMI CEO Ann Francke, who asked 1,354 managers in the survey Views.

However, more than half of the managers participating in the CMI survey stated that the initial challenges surrounding trade with the EU were Brexit The transition period has been resolved at least to a certain extent-this shows that many companies are beginning to overcome the initial obstacles.

Some companies that responded to the IoD survey tried to focus on the positive aspects of Britains departure from the European Union: 17% of companies said Brexit made them more likely to invest in their business, while 15% said it made them less likely to invest.

An anonymous contributor to the survey said: Because of Brexit, I have become more optimistic about the economy in general and therefore more likely to invest in the future.

But some British companies have responded to Brexit by making profound changes to their companies, such as moving their business to the English Channel.

Many companies believe that when some of the mitigation measures taken to ease the Brexit transition are over this year, the impact of Britains departure from the European Union will become worse, including the introduction of import controls on the border between the United Kingdom and the European Union.

According to IoDs survey, about two-thirds of companies said that the new British customs control measures will have a negative impact on trade when they are implemented in January next year, that is, six months after they should have been implemented.

For many companies, the trouble with the new bureaucracy that has been introduced is enough to persuade them to give up EU business.

Last week, Cheshire Cheese Company decided to stop selling to the European Union in bulk. The cost of shipping goods to the EU has risen from about 300 pounds to more than 1,300 pounds, which means that its once successful European trade is about to end.

Simon Spurrell, who runs the Macclesfield-based specialty cheese maker, said that not only is it no longer feasible to ship directly to the 446 million EU consumers, we can no longer ship to Northern Ireland. Ship.

Professional cheese maker  Jon Super/FT

The government has successfully removed us from the European Union as a business, and it is no longer commercially viable

Simon Spurrell, Cheshire Cheese Company

He added: The government has successfully removed us as a company from the European Union. It is no longer commercially viable. Our distributors in France, Spain and Germany are not interested in doing business with us because of the additional costs. And difficulties. Paperwork.

At the same time, the motorcycle broker based in Totnes, who has been buying all bicycles from the European Union, has completely stopped serving the region. According to Paul Jayson, who runs a vintage motorcycle trader, about 15% of the companys sales come from the European Union.

Although Jason now introduces bicycles from non-EU countries such as Australia and the United States, it may take months instead of days. We have always been global, and we will survive, but we are in ano-deal situation. There is nothing but friction.

Vintage Motorcycle Merchant  Cameron Smith/FT

We have always been globalized and we will survive, but we are in ano-deal situation. There is nothing but friction.

Paul Jason, motorcycle broker

In a meeting with ministers, Sprrell was told to abandon the European Union in favor of markets such as Canada.

But Sprrell said: We shipped the first batch of packages to consumers, and after 14 packages were levied an additional 245% tariff, we had to stop sending packages to Canada within a week.

Leaving the EU single market and ending freedom of movement also exacerbated the growing Shortage of workers in England. According to IoDs survey, more than a quarter of companies said that Brexit has caused recruitment difficulties-17% of companies complained about the loss of highly skilled employees, and 10% of companies complained about a shortage of low-skilled employees.

British companies are forced to set up operations in the EU to serve the European market, but this has led to rising costs and the transfer of jobs from the UK to the EU. According to IoDs survey, nearly a quarter of companies that trade with the EU had to relocate some businesses or employees.

Laura Rudoe, the operator of Evolve Beauty, an environmentally-friendly beauty company in Hertfordshire, said that she has set up a warehouse in Ireland to export to the EU and reliably serve EU customers. She said this brings extra cost, time and paperwork.

Since Brexit, we have found that some key markets are closed to us, Ludo added.

Eco-friendly beauty brand Charlie Bibby/FT

Since Brexit, we have found that some key markets are closed to us

Laura Ludo, Evolving Beauty

Clothing retailer Rivets and hidden Plan to ship goods through the Netherlands to minimize costs.

Danny Hodgson, the founder of the London-based company, said: The time and mental effort to try to preserve our EU business is exhausting-I have almost given up several times, but I dont Will make this government fail me.

Hodgson said the additional tariffs, value-added tax and freight have caused the price of his companys goods to the EU to rise by 30% to 40%. The result-after the European Union grew at an annual rate of 20% before Brexit-trade with European countries was cut by more than half.

CMI found that, compared to managers of large organizations, managers of small and medium-sized companies are more likely to report that the end of the Brexit transition period has had a negative impact on their business turnover at 35%, compared with 23% for managers of large organizations. %. Minute.

Clothing retailer  Anna Gordon/FT

The time and mental effort to try to preserve our EU business is exhausting-I almost gave up a few times.

Danny Hodgson, Rivets and Hidden

Many people were forced to lay off staff. Alfred Van Pelt is the managing director of Something Different, which distributes clothes, gifts and other goods to small retailers and visitor centers across Europe. After Brexit, his number of employees has been halved.

Last year, the 30-year-old dealer in Somerset sent 2,500 parcels a day to EU customers during the peak trading period in November and December. Now, the company has sent about 100 to 150If we are lucky, van Pelt said.

The problem is the costs and border procedures that EU customers are unwilling to bear. The value of the packages may be low-less than 30 each-but the shipping cost is 8 and the import declaration fee is 17.50.

This made our business plummet, Van Pelt said, who had to lay off 9 of the 20 employees. The business tried to expand in the UK, but last year three-quarters of its sales went to the European Union, which was a difficult task.

He said that without Brexit, the company could have hired more full-time employees in the UK because its EU-based owners had planned to invest in its business. Most of our EU customers have just given up, he added.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said that as he re-imposes restrictions, South Africa faces a mass recovery from coronavirus infections.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (Cyril Ramaphosa) has re-implemented the two-week restrictions in response to the surge in the highly infectious Delta coronavirus variants.

In a televised speech to the nation on Sunday, the President said that the worst-hit countries on the African continent are facing a massive recovery of infections.

Our sanitation facilities have reached the limitthe demand for intensive care unit beds is in short supply, he said, placing the country on a four-level alert, only one level lower than a complete lockdown.

He banned all gatherings, except for the maximum number of people at the funeral of 50, and ordered the prohibition of the sale of alcohol. Restaurants and restaurants can no longer offer sit-down meals, and can only sell take-out or take-out food. The night curfew was extended by an hour.

Destructive wave

Authorities say that due to the countrys efforts to quickly roll out vaccination, the peak of the third wave  driven by the delta variant first discovered in India  will surpass the previous wave.

The president said: We are in a devastating wave, and from all indications, it seems to be worse than the previous wave.

The peak of the third wave looks to be higher than the first two waves, he added.

Robin Smith of Al Jazeera reported in Cape Town that according to the government, the Delta variant is currently the main variant in South Africa.

The President said that the current government restrictions are clearly not working, and people are not complying with these restrictions, Smith said, adding that the re-blockade aims to reduce the burden on the countrys health care system.

After recording 15,036 cases on Sunday, South Africa reported 1,928,897 cases, a decrease from the 18,762 new infections confirmed the day before. The country has recorded 59,900 deaths from the coronavirus.
Warning: The following story contains details of boarding schools that may be disturbing. The Indian boarding school survivor and family crisis hotline in Canada is available 24 hours a day at 1-866-925-4419.

Canada- Niigaanwewidam Sinclair said that the recent discovery of the mass graves of indigenous children proved that what his community had known for a long time was correct.

Sinclair, an associate professor at the University of Manitoba, told Al Jazeera: Every indigenous community has stories of missing children, so its not surprising. The only surprise is that Canadians are really surprised.

There have been at least three Aboriginal people in Canada recently Hundreds of unmarked graves were found Former boarding schools-assimilation institutions established by governments that have been run by various churches for more than 100 years have reduced the number of indigenous children.

From the late 1800s to 1996, Canada forcibly removed 150,000 Indigenous children from their families and forced them to enter these institutions. They were forced to cut their long hair, were forbidden to speak their language, and many were physically and sexually abused. thousand It is believed to be dead.

For decades, survivors have known about their deaths, but now with more technology, The tomb is under inspection. As the indigenous people announced the exact number of missing children, a wave of grief swept through the indigenous communities.

The research results also Strong demand for accountability From Ottawa and the churches that run day-to-day operations in these institutionsespecially the Roman Catholic Church, which is responsible for most of them.

But indigenous leaders said that neither the federal government nor the Catholic Church have taken enough measures to address the ongoing damage caused by these agencies  nor have they taken action to implement the long list of recommendations made by the FBI in 2015. The committee concluded that Canada had committed cultural genocide through the boarding school system.

They have no plan, no means or political will to fulfill the few measures they promised. If anything, they are disappointed with the promises they have made. Their words are not in line with their actions, Sinclair said, referring to the Canadian government. .

Call to action

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was conceived as a way to record the stories of boarding school survivors and bring justice to them, but years after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission issued a call to action, Canada and the Catholic Church implemented only 8 of the 94 recommendations. Article, the Yellow Head Research Institute, a research center led by aboriginal people, discovered in a report in December 2020.

However, following the inventory of the graves of indigenous children last month, Canada has made progress in four other areas. Eva Jewell, an associate researcher at the Yellow Blackhead Institute, said she is a co-author of the report, although She warned that it is not clear that these four have not yet been fully implemented.

She told Al Jazeera: Canada can arouse political will when they encounter hot spots.

Canada is facing a lot of pressure to take action and do something. Suddenly people regained interest in the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions call for action. They have been ignored for so long. Suddenly there is this discovery, and Canadians are eager to figure it out. Well, I thought we were doing something.

The Royal Canadian Department of Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs told Al Jazeera in an e-mail this month that the countrys 2019 budget provided 28 million U.S. dollars (33.8 million U.S. dollars) over three years to support a report on school deaths. Suggest. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his ministers reiterated that they will continue to be committed to supporting the efforts of Indigenous communities.

But indigenous advocates say that too little has been done, and Jewell said that when tragedies make headlines, existing developments will put pressure on indigenous peoples to take action.

There is no time to mourn, no time to sit in grief, this is just the spring of taking immediate action and seizing the opportunity, and trying to use attention and political will to push things that really matter, which will really affect the changes in our community, she Say. I hope to see more lasting commitments and actions, and I hope Canadians can make a commitment to this.

Church responsibility

TRCs call for action includes Pope Francis apology for the role of the Catholic Church in the boarding school system, and federal assistance to help find unmarked graves and identify remains.

But the pope did not apologize, Express pain This month, 215 indigenous children were found in unmarked graves at the Kamloops Indian Boarding School in western British Columbia.A few weeks later, the remains of approximately 715 indigenous people were Find Marieval Indian boarding school in Saskatchewan. Both institutions are operated by the Catholic Church, which further calls on the church to hand over all records.

The church needs to take full responsibility for publishing the records of all its boarding schools in India, and through actions to exchange superficial comforting remarks in exchange for meaningful apologies, Chief Stuart Philip, chairman of the Union of Indian Chiefs of British Columbia, said in a statement. statement.

People from Mosakahiken Cree Nation hug in front of the temporary monument of the former Kamloops Indian Boarding School [Cole Burston/AFP]

Donald Boren, Archbishop of Regina, the capital of Saskatchewan, said the record of boarding schools in the archdiocese is limited.But he said that the death records from 1885 to 1952 were handed over to Cowessess First Nation, the latter Unmarked grave found In Marieval. Bollen told Al Jazeera that the archdiocese also had some letters outlining when many priests started working in boarding schools in the area.

Within the limits of the privacy law, we are sharing what we have, and we will assist the indigenous communities to communicate with religious communities that may have more information, he said, adding that the archdiocese also provided in 2019 US$70,000 to help the first country find unmarked graves.

At the same time, the two religious groups of the Missionaries of the Immaculate Conception-operating the Marival and Kamloops institutions- Say On June 24th, they will disclose all historical documents we keep and have about our participation in accordance with all legislation.

When asked why Pope Francis has not yet apologized, Boren would not comment directly. He said that an indigenous delegation will travel to Rome to meet with the Pope before the end of the year. The Pope will have the opportunity to listen to their opinions directly and then get in touch with them, Bollen said. This process is really important.

Independent investigation

At the same time, the boarding schools discovery has aroused international condemnation, including condemnation from the UN expert group, who on June 4th call Conduct a full investigation of the Kamloops cemetery.

Former TRC chairman Murray Sinclair also recently told The Globe and Mail that any investigation should not be left to the government or the church, but must be negotiated with indigenous people.

Trudeau was asked at a press conference on June 25 to what extent his government is willing to hold accountable, including whether the police or international experts should investigate. I think the first thing we need to do is to serve the community, understand what they want, what they need, and what answers they need, he said. Responded.

At every step of this process, my commitment to all Canadians is that we will put the Aboriginal people and their wishes-for their loved ones, for their communities-at the core of any next steps we take. position.

When asked whether the police or international groups should investigate the land for boarding schools, Prime Minister Trudeau said that he needed to be held accountable, but said that this needs to be driven by the choices, wishes and needs of the people at the center and based on their choices. , Wishes and needs.#cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/JCMaUaqM7Y  CPAC (@CPAC_TV) June 25, 2021

Melanie Klinkner, an associate professor at Bournemouth University and an expert on mass graves, said that the boarding school found two factors that stood out: the childrens deaths and the potential illegality of the way their bodies were handled. .

She said that when there are reports of suspicious deaths, states have a responsibility to conduct a full and effective investigation. The investigation needs to be independent, it needs to be fair, it needs to be conducted in a way that has confidence in the results of the investigation. This also means that they must be able to establish accountability procedures, Klinkner told Al Jazeera.

Klinkner added that other forms of justice are also at work in Canada, including the identification, return and re-burial of indigenous childrens remains in a culturally sensitive manner, potential historical memorials at these locations, and boarding school survivors support. The government has a responsibility to uphold the rule of law, she said. Thats why I think it must be investigated.

Sinclair of the University of Manitoba said that for Canada to make appropriate atonement for its genocide, it must return the land to its indigenous peoples, recognize treaty rights, and adopt a long-term plan to implement the TRC call to action and A report Regarding missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.

Its time to create a country different from the one we inherited, he said.
The relationship between the EU and the United States today reminds me of the troubled celebrity couples on the red carpet-they smile at the camera and pretend that everything is fine, but in private, we all know that they are not satisfied.

At the recent G7 summit, there were pleasant group photos, and even some progress was made in trade conflicts, such as the truce between Airbus and Boeing. But in the final analysis, Europeans still deeply doubt whether the Biden administration is just a halfway point to another toxic populism. At the same time, Americans are frustrated with Europeans bets on a closer transatlantic alliance or a closer relationship with China.

It doesnt have to be. In fact, it should not be. If the EU really wants to protect free values ??in the age of surveillance capitalism, it needs the United States. If the United States really wants to decouple economically from China in strategic areas such as semiconductors, green batteries, and electric vehicles, it needs more than just domestic market demand. Here are some unresolved fruits. But this requires real sympathy and understanding from both sides.

First, Europeans should not mistake the new US industrial strategy outlined last week by Brian Deiss, director of the US Presidents National Economic Council, as protectionism. It just aligns the United States with the normal economic planning of most other developed countries and many developing countriesmaking strategic investments in high-growth technologies and using the power of government procurement to support local workers and businesses.

In addition, the plan aims to create more domestic and global economic resilience, in part by creating more geographic redundancy in areas such as semiconductors. According to a recent BCG report, 75% of the production capacity in these areas is concentrated in China and East Asia. Almost all of the worlds most advanced semiconductor manufacturing capabilitiesabout 92%are located in Taiwan.

Considering the geopolitics of the area, does anyone really think this is a good idea? Of course Europeans dont, so the EUs Digital compassPlanning to double its share of chip production by 2030. The US Senates $52 billion bill to promote domestic semiconductor production is a good complement to this. But the fact is that it will take ten years to rebuild the foundation of the US chip industry. Or longer, even so, the United States still needs partners to create enough demand to manufacture chips. Economies of scale For jobs in industries like semiconductors.

Allies such as Japan and South Korea, as well as countries such as the Netherlands, can all play a key role in reconfiguring the semiconductor supply chain. Reducing concentrationwhether in the region or within a specific companyis a good thing for the global market. In an ideal world, the United States, the European Union, and Asian allies will jointly develop common industry standards so that incremental innovation and demand in the fields of chips, green batteries, clean technology, and artificial intelligence can be spread across regions.

Another way for the EU and the United States to agree now is to focus on common answers to existing challenges in their respective democracies instead of focusing on China, because Europeans do not want to choose sides in China. Minister Renola Sus said that France is stationed in Washington Economic Affairs Counselor of the Embassy, ??and The revival of American democracy and the better angel in your nature, Tocqueville called for optimism about the future of the United States.

These challenges may include everything from large-scale technology regulation to the common goal of climate change, and may even be ambitious things like pricing carbon. Despite the opposition of some European countries including Poland, the EU may propose a draft carbon adjustment mechanism before July. The United States has the opportunity to respond with its own proposal.

This is a heavy burden for the government. Last weeks bipartisan infrastructure agreement barely touched on clean energy. But it meets the stated goal of putting climate at the center of its own industrial strategy. It will also begin to resolve certain common trade concerns with China through agents. For example, if there is a real price for carbon, Chinese steel dumping will become impossible.

The Biden administration may use any upcoming democracy summits convened by the White House as a place to start this work. The United States and the European Union have formed a virtuous circle of sharing ideas in areas such as digital privacy. The European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has inspired more radical California privacy laws, which may one day be adopted nationwide. Anti-monopoly is another such area, and both parties have informed each other of their efforts to curb the monopoly power of platforms.

One can imagine more cooperation on issues such as freedom of the press, ways and means to create a digital bill of rights, how to regulate artificial intelligence and genome research.

All of these will to some extent create a new foundation for transatlantic relations, which are more focused on resolving domestic weaknesses and strengthening regional advantages rather than attacking China. Fighting alone, both sides have too many losses.

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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.
It was only last year when Hannah Lindell-Smith woke up in the middle of the night with the taste of smoke in her mouth. The orange sky over Washington and Oregon was filled with embers as wildfires raged, leading to some of the region's most prolonged and dangerous air quality crisis.

As smoke poured into their Seattle home that night, the teen helped her mother fill every crack and crevice with towels and sheets  whatever they could find  to keep it out.

Now the 15-year-old is about to experience yet another record-breaking weather event, one that not even her mother has experienced in her lifetime.

By late weekend, vast swaths of Washington and Oregon will roast in temperatures 20 to 30 degrees above what's normal for this time of year. The National Weather Service in Spokane warned Friday it will be "one of the most extreme and prolonged heat waves" in Northwest history.

"I'm worried about how [Seattle] is going to handle this," Lindell-Smith told CNN. "It's scary seeing what the world is going to look like. This is clearly evidence that our climate is changing."

Extreme heat is one of the most pernicious consequences of human-caused climate change, killing more people each year on average than any other weather-related event. Climate change is also going to make record-breaking heat waves more frequent in the future  something researchers and policy experts say the Pacific Northwest is not prepared for.

Seattle and Portland rank first and third, respectively, among cities with the highest proportion of households without air conditioning, according to a US Census Bureau survey of 25 major metropolitan areas. And, experts say, those least likely to have air conditioning are the people who will endure the worst heat  historically underserved communities of color, the elderly, the houseless and low-income residents living in so-called urban heat islands.

"Unfortunately we're not well-prepared, generally speaking in the Pacific Northwest, for heat," Vivek Shandas, a professor of climate adaptation and urban policy at Portland State University, told CNN. "Our [power] grids are largely taxed during the wintertime for heating purposes, but in the summer, there's a lot less capacity in the grid to be able to actually manage some of the major drains on cooling infrastructure that's needed."

Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon, who has been outspoken on the climate crisis, says extreme heat is one of the region's weak spots.

"We had a preview last summer with the horrific wildfires and heat, and now it's coming with a vengeance as we look at three days potentially over 106 degrees [in Portland]," Blumenauer told CNN. "Heat at this level is something that will kill people and will get lethal very quickly."

When a wicked winter storm and days of bitter cold pushed the Texas power grid to its breaking point, experts warned that other states and grid operators should also prepare for atypical weather that could become more common in a changing climate.

Similarly, the Pacific Northwest now needs to adapt to heat, experts say. This weekend is likely just a curtain-raiser for what's to come as climate change makes these events  which used to be outliers  worse and more frequent.

Black and brown neighborhoods will disproportionately suffer the most from the warming trend, compared to their White counterparts, according to a 2019 study, on which Shandas was a coauthor, which examined the history of segregation and disinvestment in communities of color.

Low-income residents and communities of color tend to be in areas that lack tree cover, green spaces and access to cooling centers. Many work blue-collar jobs, where they are exposed to heat for long hours, to pay rent for apartments that don't have proper cooling systems, Shandas said. And some of these vulnerable communities also tend to live in multi-generational homes or apartments, where crowding makes the heat feel even worse.

Air-conditioning in the West and Northwest is less common than anywhere else in the United States, according to survey results from the US Census Bureau, and can be unaffordable for low-income residents. About 56% of Seattle-area homes, for instance, do not have air-conditioning units.

Shandas, who lives in Portland, said he only just bought an air conditioning unit for his family last week.

"We don't have a history of having long stretches of heat days," he said. "And whether people are recognizing that they're actually experiencing some level of heat stress, it might be an unfamiliar experience for them."

The urban heat island effect compounds these issues. Areas with a lot of asphalt, buildings and freeways tend to absorb a significant amount of the sun's energy and emit it as heat. Areas with green space  parks, rivers, tree-lined streets  absorb and emit less.

In his 2019 study, Shandas found that the hottest areas within city limits were low-income neighborhoods and neighborhoods of color, places that historically have enjoyed the least improvement and investment. These are neighborhoods slotted next to traffic-choked freeways, where you can walk blocks without seeing trees, let alone a park.

Meanwhile, more affluent neighborhoods, which have more green spaces, are cooler.

"We're seeing this intra-urban variation, where one street has a 15- or 20-degree difference from streets that are just less than a mile away," Shandas said.

That kind of temperature differential could put some neighborhoods in a deadly situation, especially for a region that emergency managers say is not acclimated to extreme heat. Since the mid-1970s, Seattle had an average of three or four heat-related deaths each summer. During a sweltering summer in 1992, the number jumped up to 50 to 60 deaths, according to the Seattle office of emergency management.

Deepti Singh, a climate scientist at Washington State University at Vancouver, said the lack of investment in low-income areas affects their ability to cope with extreme weather events.

"Investing in resources to help these communities is real important, because they have less ability to escape to cooler areas because it's not economically feasible for them," Singh said.

City officials are taking steps to keep residents safe this weekend.

"It's uncommon to have potentially three days above 100 degrees, but it's certainly not our first heatwave where we've had to take additional action," Dan Douthit, spokesperson for the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management, told CNN.

Douthit said cooling centers will be open through the weekend during peak heat hours, and if residents need transportation to get to cooling centers, the city will provide a ride.

Seattle city officials are urging residents to seek refuge in more than 30 cooling centers it plans to open, which include senior centers, community centers, libraries, and an emergency shelter as well as beaches, pools, and spray parks.

Blumenauer says that as summers get warmer, people in the Northwest are in for a wake-up call  all the more reason, he said, that climate resiliency plans should be included in the infrastructure package Congress passes.

"We're not ready for the strain that we're going to see in the electrical grid," Blumenauer said. "People's habits are going to have to change. Those who have air-conditioners are not going to be able to crank them up all the way. It's going to pose severe strains, which means we can look at blackouts."

But Portland General Electric said it is ready for the high demand: "There's no doubt we are looking at hotter, drier weather here in the Pacific Northwest than has historically been the case," Andrea Platt, spokesperson for the utility, told CNN. "The big message is that PGE is prepared for this extreme heat and high electric use."

Julie Moore, spokesperson for Seattle City Light, told CNN the utility is expecting a little over 20% more power use than what's normal for this time of year, but the utility and the regional partners are "confident we will ride this out."

"We do not anticipate any proactive service outages," Moore said, "but will be monitoring conditions and will respond appropriately if an unexpected concern arises that could be mitigated with a shift in operations."

In addition to improving infrastructure, Singh said investing in education and preparedness programs in vulnerable communities is key.

"Cities are doing the important job of opening cooling centers, which can provide respite from the heat for many members of the community that might not have access to A/C's," Singh said. "Investing in these community resources for vulnerable populations is critical as well as educating the public how to be prepared during these types of extreme events."

If the US fails to slash planet-heating emissions, people in cities like Portland and Seattle -- which today can still be considered sanctuaries from extreme heat -- would need to fundamentally change their way of life as temperatures continue to warm.

By the middle of this century, for example, the number of days that hit 90 degrees in the Pacific Northwest is expected to increase from a current average of around six to 16, according to a study from the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Lindell-Smith, who is still in high school, said last year's wildfires were an awakening. She joined the Seattle chapter of the Sunrise Movement, a youth climate activist group, and started working with local climate organizations in Seattle.

"The wildfires [were] a defining moment for me, and now we have this heatwave," said Lindell-Smith. "The climate crisis is scary, seeing what kind of world we're going to be growing up in."
SALEM, Ore-- On Saturday, legislature passed HB 3000, a bill that Representative Lily Morgan (R-Grants Pass)says will provide better protections for minors and communities related to more harmful hemp products that contain THC.

For my community, House Bill 3000 is more than a lifeline, said Representative Morgan. For us, it is an opportunity for us to regain control of our community, freeing citizens of fear of safety and deteriorating quality of life.

According to Rep. Morgan, the legislation was created with input from multiple resources, including both legal growers and law enforcement to better protect communities, especially in Southern Oregon.

Some of the impacts that the bill will have, if given final approval, will be to immediately prohibit the sale of hemp products that contain THC to minors, allows the OLLC and ODA to set THC concentration limits for hemp products sold in general commerce, expand ODAs regulatory authority to license all manufactures of hemp products, include provisions to allow ODA to have a state hemp plan to submit to the USDA to allow ODA to effectively regulate hemp production and manufacturing in the state and support enforcements of illegal cannabis operations.

Last week Jackson County Sheriff Nathan Sickler stated that illegal cannabis, mostly marijuana, operations are booming across Jackson County and that more resources are needed to put a stop to these illegal operations.

The bill now heads to Governor Browns desk for her signature.
UPDATE: WEED, Calif.-- NewsWatch has just got off the phone was the U.S. Forest Service and has found that the Lava Fire, that is burning about 3.5 miles northeast of Weed off of Highway 97 in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest has grown to about 410 acres in size.

According to estimates, that's about a 200 acre increase since late last night and approximately a 400% increase from yesterday morning.

Fire crews have told NewsWatch 12 that the fire is currently burning towards the southeast part of the area, on an upward slope towards Mount Shasta and away from the city of Weed.

Winds in the area continue to present a challenge to firefighters along with the intense record-breaking heat in the area. Multiple aircraft continue to fight the fire along with several tankers, helicopters and personnel.

Tomorrow a Type 2 Incident Management Team will be taking over the fire in the early parts in the morning.

All Evacuation Warnings that have been issued to the following areas because of the Lava Fire, including: State Route 97, north of Weed, CA: Angel Valley Road, Carrick Addition and Solus Drive are still in place according to the Siskiyou Co. Sheriff's Office.

(UPDATED 6/27/21 2:46 P.M.)

UPDATE: WEED, Calif.-- According to the latest update from the U.S. Forest Service, the Lava Fire which is burning about 3.5 miles northeast of Weed off of Highway 97 in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest has grown to roughly 220 acres.

All Evacuation Warnings that have been issued to the following areas because of the Lava Fire, including: State Route 97, north of Weed, CA: Angel Valley Road, Carrick Addition and Solus Drive are still in place according to the Siskiyou Co. Sheriff's Office.

A lightning strike caused the initial start of the fire Friday morning, but was only around two to three acres in size Saturday morning according to the Forest Service.

Approximately 25% of the fire is lined according to the latest update from the U.S. Forest Service.

UPDATE: WEED, Calif.-- An Evacuation Warning have been issued to the following areas because of the Lava Fire. This includes State Route 97, north of Weed, CA: Angel Valley Road, Carrick Addition and Solus Drive according to the Siskiyou Co. Sheriff's Office.

The Sheriff's Office is asking all residents in those effected areas, to be ready to evacuate at a moments notice.

(UPDATED 6/26/21 5:42 P.M.)

WEED, Calif.  A lightning-caused fire that started Friday morning has now grown eight times in size to now 80 acres as of Saturday afternoon, according to the US Forest Service. The Lava Fire is burning about 3.5 miles northeast of Weed off of Highway 97 in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.

According to USFS officials, winds and extreme temperatures pushed the once 10-acre fire into a dry patch of land, causing the fire to spread quickly.

Multiple crews and aircraft are working to quell the flames and stop the fire from spreading, according to the USFS. The fire is visible from US Highway 97 and I-5, and officials are asking people to avoid the area to allow crews to work unencumbered.

The fire is burning in rough, rocky terrain in brush and second-growth timber, according to the InciWeb report posted by the US Forest Service.

This is a developing story and updates will be posted as they become available.
SAMS VALLEY, Ore-- On Saturday, June 26, 2021, at approximately 6:11 A.M., Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a two vehicle crash on Hwy 234 near Tresham Lane.

According to Oregon State Police, a preliminary investigation has that revealed a Chevrolet pickup, operated by John Larson (37) of Medford, was westbound when it crossed into the eastbound lane and collided with a Ford pickup operated by Ariel Sanchez-Hernandez (22) Gold Hill.

Police say that Larson and Sanchez-Hernandez were transported to Rogue Regional Medical Center, while the passenger in the Chevrolet pickup, Monte Yates (56) Shady Cove, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.

Hwy 234 was closed with a detour in place for approximately 5 hours.

OSP was assisted by Jackson County Sheriff's Office, ODOT, Jackson County Fire, and Mercy Flights.
SALEM, Ore-- On Saturday, the Oregon House passed SB 762, by a vote of 49-6 , to fund nearly $200 million in wildfire response, recovery and mitigation.

SB 762 gives state agencies and local communities the funding they need to effectively and safely prevent and respond to wildfire, said Rep. Pam Marsh (D-Southern Jackson County). After two years of public input and testimony, we are finally funding a comprehensive program to help keep Oregonians safe. On the cusp of another devastating wildfire season, SB 762 cannot wait.

The bill would coordinate a comprehensive statewide response to plan for and mitigate wildfires with a focus on community preparedness and public health. The bill also forms a local Wildfire Programs Advisory Council to monitor and provide input on investments and planning.

The legislation comes in response to the states increasingly severe wildfires that since 2020 have destroyed over 4,000 homes and incinerated millions of acres of land.

The bill now heads to the Senate for approval.
The policy of music not noise continues.

Kochman said the motorcorps will have a brief run of the sirens just before the parade begins but are then asked to remain silent so we can all enjoy the music. There are some people who like to hear those sirens, so we try to balance it out.

Bands!

The parade is lighter than usual on marching bands, due to COVID-19 scuttling plans for the Kenosha Unified School Districts summer marching band season. Across the U.S., marching bands and drum and bugle corps arent performing this summer.

Parade spectators who enjoy traditional parade music  think Sousa marches and polkas  will hear those types of tunes from the 50-person Lutheran Vanguard of Wisconsin high school marching band, which leads off the First Division. The Kenosha Pops Concert (on a float, not marching) is in the Second Division, and the River City Rhythm drum and bugle corps from Anoka, Minn., is in the parades Fourth Division.

Also in the parade today are local rock bands Lunde (First Division), Auto-American (Second Division) and Vertigo (Third Division).

Do I need an umbrella?
As I reflect on my 41 years in education, I am reminded of how crucial it is for all young people to have the supports and resources they need to be successful in school and life.

Growing up in Mississippi during the Civil Rights era, I was one of 14 children in our family. We lived in poverty, surrounded by a racially segregated environment. By todays standards, I would have been considered at-risk.

Although our family did not have much financially, we had nurturing parents who, even with limited educational attainment, realized the value of education and saw it as our passport to a better future.

Despite certain adults in our school having disdain for us because of the color of our skin, my brothers, sisters, and I went home to encouraging parents who told us we could be anything we wanted. Fueled by the inequities and injustices I saw and experienced as a child, I desired to be an educator. I wanted to make a positive change and impact the lives of others. I wanted to make sure those who looked like me did not succumb to the feelings of inadequacy that others tried to impose on me.
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Mentorship. We all do it; we all benefit from it. But we rarely talk about how the mentor-mentee relationship looks. We rarely talk about ways to improve a mentorship relationship or even have decent mentor-mentee relationships. In fact, many of us likely get into medicine because we want to help patients, but forget how important mentorship often is on our way to learning to achieve such a goal.

Here are 5 ways to have an outstanding mentorship relationship:

1. A commitment to setting a good example. Mentors should be prepared to try to set good examples for mentees consistently. Meeting deadlines, caring behavior, competence and confidence in caring for patients, and always being ones best self are excellent ways to be a good example.

Commonly, mentors are the people who mentees pattern themselves after, for better or worse it is inevitably a two-way street.

I have found myself, as the mentee, being a good example of what good care looks like since I am less burnt out, tired, and overworked than my mentors commonly are. Mentees are young and thirsty for knowledge and experience, and that zeal is always something mentors can learn for. Understanding the value of setting a good example as well as consistently expecting each person in the mentor-mentee relationship to set a good example is invaluable.

2. Humility. As a mentor, it can be easy to forget when you dont know something. In fact, I frequently argue that medical education and training are so traumatic that they promote forgetting the trauma of learning something new. However, remembering that at some point, something didnt occur to us and humbling ourselves as mentors is important so that a mentee can come to you with questions and expect to feel listened to and cared for.

Mentees often approach the situation with humility  its their job to humble themselves before the mentor to know that they have room for growth, and they are specifically looking for that growth in the mentoring relationship. Yet, mentees should continue to stay humble as they grow in that relationship. Promoting humility in the relationship on both ends and both parties meeting the situation with humility will continue to foster this humility in the relationship.

3. Mutual respect. Many people can be liked and valued. But the people that I wanted to be mentored by were people whose work and personalities I respected. When meeting with new people, I respected them more when they showed interest in me and my work as well as what I had to bring to the table. A cornerstone of being an excellent mentor should be respecting what your mentee offers  and everyone brings something to the table. Mentees commonly bring enthusiasm and zeal for life and for the field that the mentor might have forgotten they had in the first place.

This refreshing and replenishing presence by itself might be enough to help get the mentor even in challenging spaces. Mentors also bring experience and expertise in their field of study.

Passing on this invaluable knowledge to a mentee is clearly one of the cornerstones of the relationship. However, respecting that both parties play a role in bringing something unique to the relationship elevates this mentorship so that it can go beyond what is commonly expected of it.

4. Love and understanding. It can be awkward to think that the best way to care for a mentee is through love and understanding. In the mentorship relationships that I have had both as a mentor and as a mentee, the mentor and I always prospered most when we met each other with love.

They loved me enough to be honest with me about my successes as well as my shortcomings. They loved me enough to point out deficits, but also strategize with me on how to improve on those deficits. They loved me enough to ask about my family and my personal life, understanding that my happiness, health, and safety are all inherently intertwined in the ability to perform in my professional role. There was also always an air of understanding.

There will always be shortcomings, and there will always be successes. Knowing from the outset that those would always be part of the picture forms bonds that are unbreakable but also an understanding that we are responsible to one another without fear associated with it.

When I had to tell my mentors about my shortcomings, I often thought about how to avoid the shortcomings in the first place. I wanted them to be proud of me. I wanted to get the work done. I also thought about how my mentees would feel if they had to disclose shortcomings to me. We all have them, so why not meet the person where they are and understand that these happen, and begin strategizing in the beginning about how to prevent them?

5. Seek out opportunities to mentor. In medicine, we have a tendency to get older, burned out, and greedy. We hoard our wealth, our time, our knowledge, and our expertise. We gave up so much time with our loved ones in the beginning that we forget how vital it is to see other people along this journey to ensure that they become exceptional physicians.

At every stage of training and practice, people in medicine should look for an opportunity to serve as mentors. Medical students to undergraduate students and more junior level medical students, residents to medical students, and attending physicians to everyone they can help along the journey.

We never know if we are going to make an important difference in someones life or career choice. We can be amazed at what kind of positive impacts we can make on another person and the world, one mentoring relationship at a time.

Micaela Stevenson is a medical student.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
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I was first diagnosed with major depressive disorder as a preteen after my teenage sister died. I attempted suicide three years later. This would be the first of several attempts and the first of countless times I felt my life was not worth living. But I am not unique.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 1 person dies by suicide every 11 minutes.

My depression is like a chronic autoimmune disease  constitutively present at a low level with flares. But theres no Humira for depression.

At baseline, I am exhausted, anxious, lacking motivation, and full of self-doubt. When severely depressed, I am at the bottom of the sea, struggling to breathe and unable to swim. I am paralyzed by a high-pressure, heavy and humid darkness. Through physical or mental isolation, I may not see another living creature for hours, days or weeks. I can look up and see the sun shining beyond the water surface, but the surface is miles beyond my reach. I must physically force myself to breathe as my mind tells me to stop. Trying to take a test, see patients or study can prove impossible.

But, I have to show up and perform. My career depends on it, especially as a person from a historically oppressed community. So, I force myself out of bed and go. In the back of my mind is the third-year orientation in which we were effectively told if we needed to be excused for a funeral, we better have the death certificate.

The benefit of living with a medical condition for almost two decades is that I have learned to work around it. I earned multiple degrees with varying levels of depression. As an already severely depressed college student, I was assaulted multiple times  once was a week after I went to a bridge with the intention to jump.

After a long period of intensive treatment, I graduated with the help of a team of university-based professionals. Had they not supported me and guided me through that time, I would certainly be dead. I wish that support was available for all medical students, but its not. Schools would first have to acknowledge that many of their medical students are struggling.

The downside to living with depression for almost two decades is that I have learned to succeed in spite of it by putting my health last. But in medical school, we are rewarded for this behavior. We are expected to prioritize school to succeed, spending long hours in classes, anatomy lab, or the hospital  leaving minimal time to study, let alone rest, eat or seek joy.

In my preclinical years, I was able to work therapy into my class schedule. But when rotations started, I had to stop until I found a therapist willing to meet late at night. And, even this required me to tell clerkship directors that I had a doctors appointment every week that I could not miss.

As medical students, we often sacrifice time with people and things we love for school. This forced isolation can worsen depression as well as foster anxiety, stress and burnout.

Though I have felt alone, the data show I am not. Medical students have abysmally high rates of depression and suicide, 27 percent and 11 percent, respectively. The data is not much better for residents: Almost 30 percent are depressed, and from 2000-2014, suicide was the second highest cause of death. By comparison, the CDC reports an 8.1 percent prevalence of depression in adults over 20.

Medical school educates us about our own physiology and mental illness, but little is done to help. So we live in shame.

Maybe this is secondary to the outdated notion that since previous students suffered, so should we. In fact, I have personally had faculty and classmates question my intelligence and tell me that I am not enough. I have even had my mental illness used against me in academic settings.

These trusted voices mirrored the negative thoughts with which my depression had already filled my mind. As a result, I began to rethink my career choice, developed poor test-taking and low confidence that has extended to my clinical decision-making.

I often wonder, how many students like me reach out just to be shut down? Just as Naomi Osaka experienced with her self-disclosure, medical students who seek help put themselves at risk of penalty and negative career effects. No one should be punished for protecting their health, particularly in health care.

So, what do you do when you reach out for help and your administration shames you into silence? Who do you talk to when your trusted advisers weaponize your mental illness as a weakness that should prevent you from becoming a doctor? Medical schools regularly create programs to address burnout like lectures, wellness days, or mandated yoga  but none of these treat or cure mental illness.

Our personal experiences with depression and mental illness allow us to uniquely connect with patients. As students, we are made to feel that our mental illness is our fault and weakens us. Medical school is difficult enough without the pressure to hide our struggles simply to appeal to an unrealistic standard of perfection. Medical schools need to choose to support students with mental illness if they want to stop losing us to depression and its consequences, including suicide. Because even with our illness, we are adults deserving of the same respect and empathy we give our patients. We are humans first.

Steps that medical schools could take to support students with mental illness:

1. Hire dedicated psychotherapists for medical students, particularly some from marginalized communities (i.e., Black, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, etc.).

2. Ensure that the counseling and psychological services have a separate EMR from the hospital and medical school.

3. Avoid punitive measures for mental illness and instead assist students to find the help they need.

4. Educate faculty and students about mental illness in medical school and resources available to them at and outside of the institution.

Free and cheap resources medical students can take advantage of:

1. The Physician Support Line is a free dedicated support line for physicians and medical students who need to speak with a psychiatrist to navigate mental health struggles.

2. The Loveland Foundation is an organization that helps Black women and girls access free therapy and healing.

3. The Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a free phone line and online chat geared to help people considering suicide.

4. The National Directory of Black Psychiatrists was created and compiled by the American Psychiatric Association Black Caucus.

5. Inclusive Therapists provides listings for Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and LGBTQ+ identifying therapists throughout the U.S.

The author is an anonymous medical student.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
EUGENE, Ore. -- Counties across Western Oregon are taking action this weekend during these record-breaking temperatures to help those without air conditioning.

In Lane County, several cooling centers are open for the public to break the heat.

One cooling center is at the Lane Event Center in Eugene. It opens at 9 a.m., and doors close at 10 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

While the air conditioning is running, Lane Events Center also provides free WiFi, cold water, snacks, and cots to rest on.



Lane County organized the centers and partnered up with American Red Cross to provide all the free resources.

Donda King, an American Red Cross volunteer at the fairgrounds cooling center, said that now it is more important than ever to organize events like these to protect everyone in the community.

"It's really important to us that people stay hydrated and stay out of the heat. So if you need a place to come, please come visit us," King said.

The Lane Transit District is also offering rides to and from the cooling centers this weekend.

All passengers need to do is tell the bus driver that you're headed to one of the cooling centers, and you've got the free ride.

Community members like Kiefer Gilfoy expressed gratitude today for having a place to go and escape the heat.

"Thank you for giving us this place just to cool down and get a meal or something and get a bed to sleep in," Gilfoy said.

You can go HERE to look at where these cooling centers will be located, and the times they'll be open throughout this weekend.
SALEM, Ore. -- Oregon's 2021 Legislative Session was adjourned Saturday.

Governor Kate Brown issued a statement following on the adjournment stating in part:

As I said at the beginning of session, as we recover from the challenging events of the past year-and-a-half, we must work together to emerge as a stronger, fairer, more equitable, and more resilient state  one where no one lacks for basic needs, where dismantling systemic racism is a collective commitment, and where the economy raises all boats."

The 2021 session was unlike previous session's in Oregon's history due to COVID-19 regulations.

The state was on fire. People were out of work. Families were struggling. We were in the middle of a pandemic but we came in and did the peoples work. We balanced our budget and made big investments in our communities. There were some bitter fights but in the end, we represented the people well," said Senate President Peter Courtney (D-Salem).

Several bills are now headed to Governor Brown's desk for final approval including:
SALEM, Ore.-- The Oregon Legislature has approved more than $600 million to support those impacted by the 2020 Labor Day wildfires.

Some of the highlights of the recovery funding package include:

$150 million- Wildfire recovery housing supply and land acquisition

$110 million- Water and sewer infrastructure projects in wildfire impacted communities

$75 million- Food and shelter for survivors

$23.2 million- Reimbursement for lost tax revenues

Over $20 million- Infrastructure projects to support recovery efforts

These communities are hurting badly. We have made great strides this session. But recovery will be a long-term effort. To everyone who spoke to the committee, were here with you for the long haul,"said Rep. Brian Clem (D-Salem), the chair of the House Special Committee on Wildfire Recovery.

The legislature also passed a plan to improve prevention included in Senate Bill 762. This includes developing publicly available maps of wildfire risk, creating policies for community-driven restoration of forests and rangelands, establishing electric utility planning requirements and increasing firefighter capacity.

Leaders statewide told us 'Were all in this together,' and made that real with this package. Well get through wildfire seasons ahead only by staying together. This could be the beginning of a new kind of Oregon patriotism, and Im grateful to be part of it," said Sen. Jeff Golden (D-Ashland), the chair of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire Recovery.
The annual Reek Sunday Pilgrimage on Croagh Patrick, which was cancelled last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, will be going ahead this year albeit in a much extended format from Wednesday to Saturday, July 1-31.

The Catholic Church has issued the following advice to those making the trip to the Mayo mountain near Wesport.

For this year only, the Reek Pilgrimage is to be extended to four days per week for the month of July.

Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, the Sacrament of Confession/Reconciliation will be available on the summit at 11am; Mass to be celebrated at 12pm

Saturdays Mass will be celebrated at 10am; Confessions at 11am.

The Masses will be limited to the numbers permitted for outdoor gatherings at that particular time, which currently apply to 100 people up to 4 July and 200 people from 5 July.

The Reek Pilgrimage normally takes place on the last Sunday in July, however the indulgence for the pilgrimage extends throughout the summer months up to the end of September.

This is the first time in the history of the pilgrimage that such an extended pilgrimage programme is offered in order to facilitate those wishing to fulfill the obligations of the pilgrimage on the mountain.

The QR code on the poster can be scanned for daily updates on the pilgrimage, particularly in relation to weather conditions.

Details of how to fulfill the spiritual requirements of the pilgrimage are available on www.westportparish.ie and on signage in the carpark at the start of the ascent.

Priests with a Celebret or letter from their bishop or superior are both invited and welcome to take part in the pilgrimage, to celebrate Mass and hear Confessions, the commitment will be for three hours on the summit on a given day.

Priests who wish to participate in the Sacraments must contact Father Charlie McDonnell in advance on frchaz@me.com or +353 (0) 86 819 3884.

Pilgrims are asked to plan their trip to Croagh Patrick as early as possible and keep in mind that mid-week is traditionally a quieter time to climb.

Please remember that pilgrimage is a journey with others and an opportunity for respect and support.

Each days pilgrimage is weather dependent and may have to change at short notice.

Pilgrims are asked to park in a careful manner and should not cause obstruction.

Please respect the local community and the environs.

Please be familiar with the Leave No Trace policy on the mountain.

It is a difficult climb please be prepared.

Please familiarize yourself with advice on www.westportparish.ie www.mayomountainrescue.ie and www.mountaineering.ie as well as checking the weather on www.met.ie

Please remember that all Covid-19 guidelines and precautions followed on the ground must also be followed on the mountain.

Administrator of Westport Father Charlie McDonnell announced the pilgrims were welcome back to Mayo.

Its been a different and a difficult year, a year in which we have had to hand so much over to the Lord, to place so much in His hands. Pilgrimage has always been a strong vehicle for both petition and thanksgiving and, in 2021, above any year, we are delighted to offer and extended Reek Pilgrimage acknowledging and giving thanks for the fact that we journey very much under the protective hand of God.

Each year, while all of the spiritual benefits of the Croagh Patrick pilgrimage have been available to pilgrims from June to September, up to now the Sacraments have only been available on Reek Sunday. This year, due to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, it would be impossible to facilitate the pilgrimage on one day only so I am arranging to greatly extend provision of the Sacraments for pilgrims throughout the month of July. It is my dear hope that this unprecedented and adventurous undertaking will provide all those who wish to come to Irelands Holy Mountain as pilgrims to do so safely and in their own time.

For generations, the annual Croagh Patrick Pilgrimage has held a central place in the life of the Church in Ireland and I am delighted that an extended version will be available next month. Reek Pilgrimage 2021 is an exciting and ambitious project to undertake and will require great generosity on the part of lay volunteers and priests alike. It is wonderful to be in a position to go ahead under very clear health management guidelines and I encourage all pilgrims to enter into it in a way that makes it a success for all involved.

I am especially grateful that, as in previous years, Archbishop Michael Neary will celebrate Mass at 6.30pm on the eve of Reek Sunday, 24 July, in Saint Marys Church, Westport. I would like to appeal to priests from all over the country to become involved so as to make Reek 2021 a truly national pilgrimage. The extended plan this year will involve three times the number of priests than would normally be needed, so help is very much required throughout July. It is important that all priests who wish to participate in the pilgrimage book in as early as possible and they can do so on frchaz@me.com.

To be safe, I ask that pilgrims take care to plan their pilgrimage well in advance and try as best they can to choose a day that would traditionally be quieter on the mountain. Parishioners throughout the country are by now well familiar with restrictions and while this will apply in the same way it will involve numbers allowed for outdoor gatherings.

Father McDonnell concluded: As we have all come through so much over the last fifteen months, I anticipate that the 2021 Reek Pilgrimage on Croagh Patrick will be particularly memorable from a faith perspective. I offer this prayer of thanksgiving to God as the pilgrimage will be extended throughout the month of July: 'In His Hand are the depths of the earth, the heights of the mountains are His also (Psalm 95:4).
The dead and unaccounted for residents of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida, reflected the area's rich cultural diversity, an international tragedy that has touched members of a tight-knit Jewish community and families from as far away as Argentina, Paraguay and Colombia.

Dozens of people remained unaccounted for after the collapse of part of the 13-story residential building. Search and rescue teams have been feverishly scouring the site since shortly after 55 of the building's 136 units fell on Thursday.

Twelve deaths had been confirmed as of Tuesday evening, officials said. Eleven have been identified: Michael David Altman, 50; Marcus Joseph Guara, 52; Frank Kleiman, 55; Leon Oliwkowicz, 80; Luis Bermudez, 26; Anna Ortiz, 46; Christina Beatriz Elvira, 74; Antonio Lozano, 82; Gladys Lozano, 80; Manuel LaFont, 54; and Stacie Fang, 54.

Fang's teenage son was pulled injured but alive from the rubble, according to family members. The Lozanos were the uncle and godmother of Phil Ferro, the chief meteorologist for CNN affiliate WSVN.

Here's what we know about those confirmed dead and those still unaccounted for.

Those who died

Antonio Lozano, 82, and Gladys Lozano, 80

At a time when Gladys and Antonio Lozano's family would have been planning for their 59th wedding anniversary celebration next month, their son Sergio prepared for their funeral.

The Lozanos lived on the ninth floor of Champlain Towers South. Antonio had been living out his dream of life on a beach.

Sergio Lozano had dinner with his parents hours before the collapse of part of their building, he told CNN's Randi Kaye. After dinner, he hugged and kissed his parents.

"That was it," he said.

The son said he returned to his condo in another tower, just two blocks away, at the same complex.

He woke up at 1:30 a.m. when he heard what sounded like a tornado.

Sergio Lozano recalled that he could once see his parents' kitchen from his apartment. Now it was gone.

"I could see my mom cooking ... when night would fall," he said. "Their kitchen, where my dad would sit and watch TV, it wasn't there."

Sergio Lozano said he held onto hope they would be found alive in the hours after the collapse. But the couple died in bed, where their bodies were found, authorities would tell their son.

"That's the end of the romantic story," he said. "They were together."

Their love story spanned nearly 60 years. They met in Cuba when they were just 12. Antonio migrated to the US first. He then sent for Gladys. They married on Miami Beach.

The Lozanos leave two children, seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Gladys was godmother to Phil Ferro, chief meteorologist for CNN affiliate WSVN. Antonio was Ferro's uncle.

"They were such beautiful people," Ferro wrote on social media. "May they Rest in Peace."

Sergio Lozano said his parents often joked about who might die first.

"My dad would say to my mom, 'If you die, I don't even know how to fry an egg. I'm going to die,'" he recalled. "And my mom would say that if my dad would die, 'I don't even know how to pay the bills,' and I always told my mom, 'Don't worry, I'll go and do it.'"

"But they died together," Sergio Lozano added. "It's not fair -- being crushed, being destroyed. It's not fair."

The couple perished in the collapse, along with all their possessions.

Sergio Lozano bought a new dress and suit to bury his parents.

Manuel LaFont, 54

Adriana LaFont says the memories of their time together between walls that no longer stand will be forever engraved in her heart.

Her former husband, Manuel LaFont, died in the collapse of the south tower, where Adriana LaFont said they lived together for nearly 10 years, CNN affiliate KTRK reported.

Manny LaFont, as he was known to family and friends, was a Houston native and a graduate of Sharpstown High School, family members told the station.

"My kids were born there," Adriana LaFont said of the condo she shared with her former husband. "They learned how to swim in that pool. We had birthday parties, first communions, baptisms. So many memories."

Days after the collapse, Adriana LaFont wrote an emotional post on Facebook, along with photos of the many special moments the family shared at the condo complex.

"So many memories within the walls that are no longer there will forever be engraved in the heart!," she wrote. "My Manny, who was my partner for so many years, father of my children, who scolds me and loves me at the same time. Adriana be on time!! Adriana don't change the plans!! Adriana, Adriana..."

She added, "Manny, Daddy, we want to hug you again and tell you how much we love you!"

Ana Ortiz, 46; Luis Bermudez Jr., 26; Frank Kleiman, 55

Luis Bermudez and his mother, Ana Ortiz, were confirmed as victims of the collapse on Sunday.

Ortiz's sister Nicole said the agony of waiting for news of their fate is indescribable.

"I screamed," she told CNN's Ryan Young. "I've almost fainted. I've cried."

Nicole Ortiz said she turned to her faith for help. She said she asked God for a miracle on the third day after the collapse.

"You always have the hope that a miracle could happen," Nicole Ortiz said. "For me, a miracle happened. I asked God that it happen on the third day ... On the third day my sister and my nephew were found and the agony of the waiting stopped."

She asked for prayers that the agonizing wait also ends for other families. If she could, Nicole Ortiz said, she would climb in rubble herself to help with the search.

She described her big sister as her "protector" and "a great mom" who gave her son -- who had muscular dystrophy -- "the best days of his life."

"They were all happy," she said of Ana Ortiz, Bermudez and Kleiman.

Bermudez studied graphic design and created a t-shirt line called Saucy Boyz Clothing.

A tag on one of his shirts reads: "Despite the poor mobility of my hands and fingers because of my muscular dystrophy -- I have achieved my dream because of my attitude."

"There are no limits," the tag says. "The perspective with which you look at things, at life and at the world, can be the key to you success."

His father and Ana Ortiz's former partner, Luis Bermudez, remembered his son on a Facebook post.

"Luiyo of my life, I miss you with every beat of my heart. I know you are with your mom in heaven, resting in peace and without any obstacles, you are free," Luis Bermudez wrote of his son.

Frank Kleiman, who Luis Bermudez identified as Ortiz's current partner, was also identified by authorities as a victim of the collapse. His brother, Jay Kleiman, and their mother are unaccounted for.

Stacie Fang, 54

The first victim of the Surfside building collapse was identified Friday as 54-year-old Stacie Fang.

She is the mother of Jonah Handler, the boy who was pulled from the rubble alive, 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."

Those still unaccounted for

Ilan Naibryf, 21, and Deborah Berezdivin

Ilan Naibryf and his girlfriend, Deborah Berezdivin, were staying in her family's condo in the building, according to Naibryf's parents, Ronit Felszer and Carlos Naibryf.

On Monday afternoon, more than four days after the collapse, his family said they haven't given up hope of seeing their son alive again, but they realize chances are slim.

"We want to believe in a miracle, because we still don't have the physical presence, in part or in whole, of our son," Felszer told CNN's Alisyn Camerota.

"A miracle can come, yes, but we have to be very realistic," Carlos Naibryf said.

Ilan and his girlfriend were in town for a funeral, Naibryf's parents said.

Ilan's siblings and his parents are there supporting each other, they said.

"We have three amazing, amazing children. They have their significant others here supporting them, too," Felszer said. "I'm embarrassed almost to even admit it: We thought we had the perfect family."

Ilan "was a 21-year-old young adult. Bright. Everywhere he went, he made an impact," his father said, adding that his son is a physics major at University of Chicago.

Sophia Lopez Moreira, husband Luis Pettengill and other relatives of Paraguay's first lady

The sister and brother-in-law of Paraguay's first lady, Silvan Lopez Moreira, were staying with their three children at the building, and Paraguay's ministry of external relations has not been able to locate the family, the ministry told CNN en Espanol.

That family -- including Sophia Lopez Moreira and her husband Luis Pettengill -- was in the US to receive Covid-19 vaccinations, Paraguay's foreign minister said.

The Paraguayan first lady, along with her parents and her brother-in-law's parents, arrived in Florida on Thursday after the collapse, the Paraguayan President's office said.

Six Paraguayans in all are unaccounted for, the ministry tweeted.

Andres Galfrascoli, Fabian Nunez and their daughter among 9 missing Argentines

Argentines Andres Galfrascoli, 45, his partner Fabian Nunez, 55, and their daughter, Sofia Galfrascoli Nunez, 6, are among the missing, according to a friend.

The three were on vacation in Florida, staying at the condo of a friend, Nicolas Fernandez.

Fernandez told CNN en Espanol he spent time with the couple Wednesday night and made plans to meet up Thursday morning.

"We don't know anything, we don't have any closure and that's what hurts," Fernandez told CNN.

Fernandez has looked for his friends in local hospitals with no luck.

Nine Argentines were missing as of Thursday afternoon, the country's consulate in Miami said on Twitter.

Pascale Bonnefoy, the first cousin of Chile's ex-president

The first cousin of former Chilean President and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet's father is among those missing, his daughter told CNN Chile.

Since the collapse, Pascale Bonnefoy has not been able to communicate with her father, who lived in the part of the building that fell, she said.

"We haven't been able to have specific information," Bonnefoy said, adding the whereabouts of her father's wife also aren't known. She did not specify his wife's nationality.

The Chilean consulate in Miami has offered to support the family in the search, Bonnefoy said. "I contacted the consul, and he offered his help, but since there is no information either, there is not much that can be done."

So far, Chilean authorities have not reported missing nationals after the collapse. CNN is trying to contact the Chilean consulate in Miami.

6 Colombian citizens

Six Colombian citizens are unaccounted for following the collapse, Colombian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Camila Mugno told CNN on Friday.

It wasn't immediately clear whether they were inside the building at the moment of the collapse. Records indicated that the six had been staying there, the foreign ministry's office said.

The six Colombian citizens include a family of three from Medellin, and other travelers, Mugno told CNN.

Venezuelans also missing

"At the moment we are handling information from six Venezuelans not located in the collapse of the building in Surfside," Brian Fincheltub, Venezuela's consular affairs director, tweeted.

Nancy Kress Levin, Jay Kleinman and other Jewish community members

Some members from The Shul of Bal Harbour synagogue are among the people unaccounted for, Rabbi Sholom Lipskar told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.

"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."

"The only thing that helps in these times is kindness and empathy and togetherness, because you can't take away the reality," Lipskar said.

Members of the synagogue believed to be missing are Nancy Kress Levin, Jay Kleinman, Frankie Kleinman, Arie Leib, Yisroel Tzvi Yosef and Tzvi Doniel, according to Lipskar.

Rabbi Zalman Lipskar told CNN's Randi Kaye he believes at least 20 people associated with the Shul of Bal Harbour are missing. Their ages range from 20 to 60 years old.

He said he spoke with one woman who believes that she is missing seven or eight of her family members. He told CNN he also knows of a couple, both 26 years old, and a doctor who is a member of his synagogue, who are missing as well.

The rabbi said an older couple -- the parents of his childhood friend -- are also missing.

"It's just been heart-wrenching ... not knowing, and not being able to really deal with this magnitude of the tragedy that's unfolding," the rabbi said.

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 that 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 are among those unaccounted for, he said.

He added, "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."

Uruguayan citizens missing

Three Uruguayan citizens are among the missing, according to the consulate in Miami.

The consulate is in contact with local authorities and with the families of the people missing, said Consul General Eduardo Bouzout.

"The relatives are very concerned, of course, because they have not been able to contact them since they have knowledge of this tragic collapse," said Bouzout in audio shared by the consulate with CNN.

Mother and grandmother unaccounted for

A woman who said creaking noises woke her up in the building the night before the collapse is missing, her son, Pablo Rodriguez, said.

Both his mother and grandmother were in the section that collapsed first, and the family hasn't heard from them, Rodriguez told CNN.

"You always hold out hope," he said. "Until we definitively know, we are trying to stay hopeful. But after seeing the video of the collapse it's increasingly difficult, because they were in that section that was pancaked in, in the first section that fell in, and then the other building fell on top of it, so it's not easy to watch."

Rodriguez said he and his mother didn't really think anything about the creaking noise.

"It was just a comment she made offhand, that's why she woke up, and then she wasn't able to go back to sleep afterward -- but now in hindsight, you always wonder," he said.

The family is still holding out hope for good news, Rodriguez said.

"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."

The Patel family

Vishal Patel, his wife Bhavna Patel, and their 1-year-old daughter Aishani Patel are believed to be among the missing, their niece Sarina Patel told CNN, adding that Bhavna Patel is four-months pregnant.

Sarina Patel told CNN's Chris Cuomo on Friday she last spoke to her family on Father's Day.

"I had actually called them to tell them I had just booked a flight to come visit because they've been asking me to come see their home and to meet their daughter. I haven't met her due to the pandemic."

They were home at the time the collapse took place, Patel told Cuomo.

"We have tried calling them countless of times and there's just been no answers, text messages, nothing," she said. "They haven't contacted anybody."

Judy Spiegel

Kevin Spiegel, who lived in Champlain Towers with his wife, Judy, said he was on a business trip in California when the building collapsed.

When he woke up in the middle of the night, he had an emergency notice on his phone, he told CNN's Anderson Cooper, and he notified the rest of his family.

"We're very hopeful that the community here will be able to find our loved ones," said Josh Spiegel, Judy's son, who lives in Orlando.

"My mom is an absolutely amazing person," Josh Spiegel said. "She's a fighter, and she fights for every single one of us, and we won't stop ... fighting until we find her," he said.

"We have a lot of hope that Judy is still alive, and still there," said Kevin Spiegel. "She's an amazing person."

Her daughter, Rachel Spiegel, last received a text from her mother around 9 p.m. Wednesday -- roughly four and a half hours before the collapse, she told CNN.

That text was about a princess dress that Judy ordered for one of Rachel's daughters. The family has been Judy's main focus, Rachel said.

Judy has a bond with her grandchildren, and "the other kids that we hang out with, they love Grandma Judy -- everybody calls her Grandma Judy," Rachel said.

Cassondra Stratton

Cassondra Stratton, the wife of Michael Stratton, senior policy advisor with the law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, is among those still believed to be missing, his law firm's spokesperson Lara Day told CNN.

Garciella Cattarossi and some of her relatives

Garciella Cattarossi, her daughter Estella and Cattarossi's elderly parents are missing after the collapse, Cattarossi's friend Mariela Porras told CNN on Friday.

When Porras learned of the collapse and realized it was Cattarossi's building, she called Cattarossi but got no answer, she said.

She described Cattarossi as a talented photographer who has been working to get her real estate license and "is just a wonderful person trying to always do the right thing."

3 members of Velasquez family

Three members of the Velasquez family are also believed missing after the building collapse, according to family members.

David Velasquez posted on Facebook that his parents, Julio Cesar Velasquez, 67, and Angela Maria Velasquez, 60, live in the 12-story residential building.

His sister Theresa Velasquez, 36, had come to visit her parents and was staying with them at the time of the collapse.

David Velasquez's wife confirmed that they were missing in a text message to CNN. She said the family requests privacy at this time.

Her father is missing

Debbie Hill says her father is also missing in the building collapse.

"Not knowing is the big issue," she told CNN's Erin Burnett on Friday. "I have a relative who's down there at the center and he gets more information off the news than he does being down there."

"When they show the live views, you don't realize how massive this is until you see a person standing on the top of the pile," she said.

Hill said her father was in one of the top floors of the building.

"My dad was in air freight sales most of his life," she said. "He had a lot of friends throughout the country, throughout the world. He loved what he did, he enjoyed fishing, he liked to travel. He was just getting ready to retire."

"He was going to be training somebody that's replacing him in the fall and then we got the phone call and everything in our world changed," Hill said.

Maria and Claudio Bonnefoy

Bettina Obias also said her aunt and uncle, Maria and Claudio Bonnefoy, are missing.

She told CNN's Anderson Cooper that as soon as she heard about the collapse, she went to the site herself.

"As soon as I saw this, I fell apart," she said, referring to the rubble.

She said that while she's trying to be realistic, she also is holding on to "a sliver of hope."

"I know in my heart somebody there is still alive and if it's not my aunt or uncle, I hope it's somebody's father, or somebody's son," Obias said. "I'm hoping that there are many survivors."

She said her uncle was a retired United Nations legal counsel and her aunt was an International Monetary Fund budget official.

Gil and Betty Guerra

Gil Guerra and his wife, Betty Guerra, lived on the ninth floor of the building, his daughter said, and there has been no word from them since the tragedy.

"We're doing our best to stay hopeful," Michelle Guerra told CNN via Facebook Messenger on Saturday. "That's what they would want."

Her father and stepmother were in the process of moving out of apartment 910 and had just gotten furniture at their new apartment on Monday, she said.

The couple was renting, and the owner was in the process of selling the unit, according to Guerra, who said she said she last spoke to her dad on Father's Day

"This is all so horrific and bizarre. They are both such caring, hardworking people," Guerra said.

"They only got married late 2017 and have been living it up like two teenagers in love traveling the world and eating all they can together," she said. "They lived a full time together."

Magaly Delgado

Magaly "Maggie" Ramsey missed a phone call from her mother on Wednesday night, thinking she could just call back in the morning. But she hasn't gotten the chance.

Ramsey's mother, 80-year-old Magaly Delgado, lived on the ninth floor of the building for more than 10 years. Ramsey said her mother was trying to "live her best life" in Champlain Towers South condos by the water.

"She loved the building, she loved the community," Ramsey said of her mother.

Ramsey learned of the collapse on the news, she said.

"Never in a thousand years did I think that was her building or that her building is just not there anymore," she said. "But that's how we found out, so we quickly packed up and headed down."

Delgado, who was originally from Cuba, was a "woman of faith" who taught Ramsey to have faith as well, and while the family is "burdened with such despair," they have faith "in the miracles that God can create," Ramsey said.

"The worst thing is not to know," Ramsey said. "Knowing, whatever the outcome may be, you hope that they didn't suffer if something did occur. But knowing is a little bit healing in itself."

Hilda Noriega

Michael Noriega said his 92-year-old grandmother had been living in the building for 20 years.

"She's just so vibrant, full of energy, extremely independent. She's probably the most popular person that I know, just tons of friends," he said. "And she lives her life with her faith first, her family, second, and her friends, third."

Michael Noriega said his father rushed to the site on Thursday as soon as they heard about the collapse.

Standing among debris, Michael Noriega's father found a birthday card given to Hilda by friends, and another family member found two photos of her. One of the photos, taken years ago, showed Hilda and her husband posing with Michael's father as a boy.

Ruslan and Nicole Manashirov

Recently married Ruslan Manashirov and Nicole Doran Manashirov are missing, Ruslan's sister-in-law told CNN affiliate News 12 Connecticut.

Ruslan grew up in Bergen Beach in New York City and worked as a physician, they said. Nicole grew up in Pittsburgh, CNN affiliate KDKA reported, citing friends.

Leah Caliguire told KDKA that she said stayed at the couple's Champlain Towers South condo last month. "It was a beautiful building, you would never think anything like this could possibly happen," she said.

Richard Augustine

The 77-year-old resident of Champlain Towers South planned to leave Florida and fly to Chicago, his daughter, Debbie Hill, told CNN affiliate WLS.

"He just finished up a trip with my brother out in California and he went home to repack his bags and he was coming to spend the weekend here," she said.

Hill said she's seen video of the collapse and saw her father's unit falling.

"He was right in the corner where the buildings met," she said. "Yeah, that was pretty scary to watch. And of course, immediately I tried to call him and his phone went straight to voice mail."

Correction: A previous version of this article misstated the ages of Antonio and Gladys Lozano based on initial information from police. Antonio is 82 and Gladys is 80.
MILTON TOWNSHIP, Minn.  A car/pickup truck collision sent two people to the hospital Saturday afternoon.

The Minnesota State Patrol says it happened around 2:30 pm at the intersection of County Road 22 and Highway 57 in Dodge County.

The State Patrol says Joseph Messai Corley, 18 of West Concord was driving east in a car and Kirsten Lorraine McCaleb, 49 of Mantorville, was northbound in a pickup. Both drivers suffered non-life threatening injuries in the crash and were sent to St. Marys Hospital in Rochester for treatment.

A passenger in McCalebs pickup was not hurt.

The State Patrol says road conditions were wet at the time of the collision. The Dodge County Sheriffs Office and Mantorville Ambulance and Fire Department assisted at the scene.
OSAGE, Iowa  A former Mitchell County man is sentenced after pleading guilty to a sex crime.

Marcus John McNealy, 24 of Sheffield and formerly of Osage, was initially charged with four counts of second-degree sexual abuse and four counts of third-degree sexual abuse. He was accused of abusing a child between May 2011 and November 2016 while McNealy living in Mitchell County.

McNealy eventually pleaded guilty to one count of lascivious acts with a child.

Hes now been given a deferred judgment and five years of supervised probation. McNealy must also pay a $750 civil penalty, register as a sex offender, and complete all recommended sex offender treatment. If he successfully completes his probation, this conviction will be removed from McNealys record.
UPDATE: The Clear Lake Police Department posted the following message to Facebook.

"Faith, our missing juvenile, has been located. She is safe and well. Thank you for all of your help and assistance."

Photo courtesy Clear Lake PD Facebook page. Photo courtesy Clear Lake PD Facebook page.

CLEAR LAKE, Iowa - Police in Clear Lake are asking for the public's help to locate a missing 15-year-old girl.

Police said in a Facebook post that Faith Wolcott was last seen in Clear Lake around 10 p.m.

She has blonde hair with purple highlights and was wearing gray sweatpants and a black sweatshirt.

Anyone with information is asked to call 641-357-2186.
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. (KMOV.com) -- Residents in Wellston gathered yesterday to remember a tragic chapter in American history and to offer support to business owners.

'Black Wall Street STL' group hoping to buy back land from city to revitalize north St. Louis Alderman Brandon Bosley said the group behind the effort is made up of 100 Black people, an intentional move to make a statement that they're taking it upon themselves to invest in their community.

Community organizations came together to remember Black Wall Street, a thriving business district, created by the Black community, in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the early 20th century. The 35-block district housed grocery stores, banks, libraries, barbershops, and schools.

Between May 31 and June 1, 1921, it was destroyed during a deadly race massacre which left nearly 300 Black Americans dead and about 10,000 were homeless. Over two days, a mob of rioters, armed with guns, clubs and bombs, tore through the neighborhood attacking innocent people, looting businesses and burning everything -- helped by private aircrafts which were flown over the city to drop incendiary devices on homes and storefronts.

The focus for Saturday's event was to remember the tragedy but cherish the legacy by celebrating local black-owned businesses. The 5th annual festival welcomed 100 local businesses to showcase their products to residents as they enjoyed a car show and live music.

Organizers said the event is getting bigger every year, but this year was a special. 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the destruction of Black Wall Street.
Loveland resident Michelle Sparks called the Loveland Police Department dispatch center after seeing the dog in a black Dodge Ram pickup truck parked at the Walmart store
(GOWER, Mo.) Emergency crews rescued two people and found one person dead Saturday morning after the trio drove into floodwaters, authorities said.

According to Clinton County Sheriffs Facebook post, county deputies and Gower Fires water rescue team were called to NW County Line Road at about 9 a.m.

Gower Fire rescued two people and assisted deputies in recovering a body from the car. No names have been released at this time.

Once the water had receded, Clinton County authorities and a tow company waded back out into the water and pulled out the car.

Sheriff Larry Fish added a note to residents in the post, This is a strong reminder to NOT drive through floodwaters.

The rescue crews were also assisted by the Buchanan County Sheriffs office and Highway Patrol.
MONTANA- Late Saturday night former president Donald Trump hosted one of his first rallies since leaving office, on stage the former president questioned the validity of the treasure states 2020 election.

"In Montana, over 6% of a certain county's mail-in ballots are missing evidence to prove that they were legitimate or not. They are missing all this evidence. Think of it, Montana, a lot of mail-in ballots. Where do you have the mail-in ballots, by the way?"- the former president said on stage.

WATCH:

Not sure what happened here but either the former President cant read his speech or he is now challenging the vote in Montana pic.twitter.com/lG1aoTaobv  Acyn (@Acyn) June 27, 2021

There have been no reports of 6% of any counties mail-in ballots "missing" in Montana, if that information changes or new information is revealed we will update this web copy.

There is potential the former president could be referring to State Representative Brad Tschida's claims that ballots that were missing affirmation envelopes and were counted, the Missoula commission sent a letter to Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen dismissing the claims.

The letter reads:

"When the Missoula County Elections Office receives mail ballots leading up to an election, stff begin a multi-step procedure to confirm the voter to whom a ballot was issued is the person who voted it. This includes verifying that the signature on the affirmation envelope matches the signature on file and contacting the voter if it does not. lt also includes scanning the unique barcode on each affirmation envelope into the Secretary of State's voter database, and then comparing those envelopes to a report generated by that database to verify each envelope listed as "accepted" is also physically present."

It should be noted there is a difference between an accusation of "missing ballots," and ballots that cannot be counted due to a voter not sending in the ballot with the correct information if a ballot is missing the affirmation envelope and barcode it can't be counted.

This is the first accusation by the former president of irregularities in Montana, it was stated by Twitter users that the former president may have confused the state of Montana with the state of Michigan.

Timeline of the 2020 election in Montana:

On August 6, Governor Bullock announced a directive giving Montana counties the option to include mail-in voting for the upcoming general election in November, but also required them to keep in-person voting as an option on election day.

Complaints were filed by the RNC and Donald J. Trump for President INC. The appellants contend that Governor Steve Bullock has overstepped in his capacity as Governor in his August 6th directive allowing Montana counties to conduct all mail-in elections for the general election if they so choose.

The Supreme Court rejected a bid by Republicans and the Trump campaign to block mail voting in Montana.

On October 24th, 2020 Stapleton came on Wake Up Montana and discussed the election. You can watch that LIVE interview by following this link.

Election night: Former President Donald Trump won the state by 16 points. According to the former Republican Secretary of State Corey Stapleton, the election was certifiable.

In total, the former president beat the current president by over 100,000 votes in Montana.

On November 7, 2020, the former Republican Secretary of State tweeted,

I have supported you, Mr. President, we (Montana) have supported youand @realDonaldTrump accomplished some incredible things during your time in office!But that time is now over. Tip your hat, bite your lip, and congratulate @JoeBiden. Blessings on you and your family.  Corey Stapleton (@Stapleton_MT) November 7, 2020

On November 30, 2020, Stapleton tweeted the certification certificate certifying the election in the state of Montana, that certificate was signed by then state auditor and current Congressman Matt Rosendale. Rosendale won his congressional seat in the 2020 election.

Rosendale is a staunch conservative who has been a steadfast supporter of the former president, Rosendale was also present for the interaction on the capital on January 6, 2021.

The congressman recently voted against awarding Congressional Gold Medals for fallen U.S. Capitol Police officers killed in the line of duty, two of which were killed in the line of duty at the capital on January 6, 2021.

Rosendale has been vocal about his belief that there was voter fraud and irregularities in other states. Rosendale has also been a staunch critic of Congresswoman Liz Cheney from neighboring Wyoming for her vote on impeachment.

In December of 2020, the Texas Attorney General filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Court asking that the 62 Electoral College votes in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin be dismissed. Montana's Attorney General did join that suit, the lawsuit was later dismissed.

Most recent:

The most recent headlines about Montanas involvement in the 2020 election was surrounding the Maricopa county recount.

We know copies of election data from Maricopa County in Arizona were sent to a lab in Montana.

However, it wasn't confirmed what security measures are in place, what the lab in Montana will do with the data, or how long it will have the copy.

As more information is available about this story it will be updated here.
Former James Bond star Pierce Brosnan has revealed who he thinks should step into the tuxedo next, saying there are two actors that he thinks fit the bill.

Brosnan, 68, played the iconic secret agent in four films - GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day - between 1995 and 2002, eventually passing the baton on to Daniel Craig.

Speaking to People magazine about the future of the franchise, Brosnan said he had 'no idea' who producers would choose to play the new Bond - but that hasn't stopped him offering up his opinion.

Pierce Brosnan in 2020. Credit: PA

It turns out he believes two big names stand out for him: Luther actor Idris Elba and Venom star Tom Hardy.

Brosnan said: "Idris Elba comes to mind.

"Idris is such a powerful presence and such a great former voice tensity. He would be magnificent."

Idris Elba. Credit: PA

He added: "There's Tom Hardy out there as well.

"Tom can really chew the furniture up, just be a ball boy - both men can."

Brosnan explained that he doesn't have any intel on who producers will go for, saying: "Your guess is as good as mine."

He added: "I think now that Daniel has left such an indelible footprint, they can go in many different ways."

Tom Hardy. Credit: PA

Related video:

In the meantime, we've got one last instalment with Daniel Craig to enjoy, with No Time To Die - the 25th film in the series, which is due for release this September after various delays due to the pandemic.

As well as being Daniel Craig's fifth and final portrayal of 007, the film will also see Rami Malek in the role of villain Safin. Other additions to the long-running franchise include Knives Out star Ana de Armas and Captain Marvel's Lashana Lynch.

We'll also be seeing some familiar characters alongside Bond, such as Ralph Fiennes as M, Naomie Harris as Moneypenny, Ben Whishaw as Q, Lea Seydoux as Madeleine Swann, Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter and Christoph Waltz as Ernst Stavro Blofeld.



The film's synopsis says: "James Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help.

"The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology."
Missionary, entrepreneur, cancer survivor, producer of homemade canned foods  meet Shirley Fry-Sopha, who at age 85 is still an active presence in the Williams Bay area, working hard to help those less fortunate around the world.

To anyone who knows Ma Fry, the owner of the former Keg Room in Williams Bay, this is not surprising.

My first paying job was when I was 3 years old, Fry-Sopha said. I worked 63 years before the Keg Room burnt down and I havent stopped since. So you know, basically, I never retired.

One of nine children on her fathers tobacco farm in a village on the Kickapoo River, Fry-Sopha said her dad hired her to pick worms off the tobacco plants and then kill them. Her pay: A penny a worm.

She said her father assumed, since she only knew how to count up to 15 back then, that his daughter would make 15 cents.

But with some help from her brothers and sisters, Fry-Sopha presented to her dad a coffee can full of 330 big, green, dead grubs.

So I got my $3.30, but I wasnt paid piecemeal anymore after that, she said.
Ordering food from the McDonald's drive-through in the City of Lake Geneva could be a little more convenient in the future.

Representatives from McDonald's Corporation in Oak Brook, Illinois plan to reconfigure the drive-through area at the 104 Wells St. restaurant from having two drive-through order points in one lane to two order points in two lanes.

Members of the Lake Geneva Plan Commission unanimously approved a conditional use permit, June 21, to allow the company to install the second drive-through lane.

The conditional use permit still has to be approved by the city council, which is set to vote on the issue during their June 28 meeting, which is scheduled for 6 p.m. in the city hall building, council chambers, 626 Geneva St.

Stephen Jeske of Haag Muller Inc. in Port Washington, architects for the project, said the purpose of reconfiguring the drive-through area is to improve traffic flow at the restaurant.

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"We're just changing the configuration of the lanes," Jeske said. "If the first car is ordering and the second car is done, you have that car stuck behind the first car. That's why we're going with a side-by-side lane. That is the primary configuration with most McDonald's restaurants. It is done for efficiency."
KENOSHA  The Wisconsin National Guard, which serves under the orders of the Wisconsin governor, says that it fulfilled all requests for assistance we received via official channels for assistance to put down riots after Jacob Blake was shot by a Kenosha police officer on Aug. 23.

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Both the National Guard and Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian are saying that the guard, since it isnt a standing army, couldnt have mobilized much faster than it did to Kenosha last summer. It takes time for them to get down here, Antaramian said in an interview Friday morning. The Guard responded. The governor responded. Everyone responded well.

Still, top Wisconsin conservatives are charging that Gov. Tony Evers did not act strongly enough to discourage violence and looting. They also allege that he delayed in deploying the Guard, a claim refuted by the governor, the Guard and Antaramian.

When asked if the Guard shouldve responded more quickly last summer, Antaramian said Friday I dont know that they couldve, adding that every request for more Guardsmen was met.

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, and Rebecca Kleefisch  the former lieutenant governor and a possible 2022 gubernatorial candidate  while speaking at a June 19 Lincoln Day Dinner at The Italian American Club in Kenosha did also call into question that his comments within hours of the shooting inflamed the unrest.

2022 matters

How preventable was the violence, destruction and two deaths in the days following Jacob Blake being shot last August? Its a question that will be brought up repeatedly on the campaign trail as Gov. Tony Evers seeks reelection in 2022.

The prevailing narrative also could have an impact on Donald Trumps reputation as Republican leadership wrestles with how to deal with the dividing but energizing ex-president who outperformed expectations in Kenosha while still losing Wisconsin in the 2020 election.

The gist of it

The Wisconsin National Guard, which serves under the orders of the governor, says that it fulfilled all requests for assistance we received via official channels for assistance to put down riots after Jacob Blake was shot on Aug. 23, according to an email from Maj. Joe Trovato.

Still, leading Wisconsin conservatives are charging that Evers did not act strongly enough to discourage violence and looting. They also allege his statement within hours of the shooting inflamed the unrest which followed.

Tonight, Jacob Blake was shot in the back multiple times, in broad daylight, Evers tweeted Aug. 23. While we do not have all of the details yet, what we know for certain is that he is not the first Black man or person to have been shot or injured or mercilessly killed at the hands of individuals in law enforcement in our state or our country.

In an interview at the Lincoln Day Dinner, Johnson said of the tweets: All I know is, Gov. Evers his statements were not helpful at all. I would term those as inciteful (sic). He didnt show any leadership. He didnt tell people we werent going to allow this to happen.

We are going to make Tony Evers a one-term Democrat, Kleefisch said during a speech at the Lincoln Day event.

Republicans have been rallying support within their base by vilifying Evers response to riots in Kenosha last summer, blaming him for not calling in the National Guard sooner and in greater force. Stirring negative sentiment toward the current governor could be instrumental in unseating him at the ballot box in 2022.

After the first night of rioting, Evers called for a limited mobilization of the National Guard.

According to the Wisconsin National Guard:

On Aug. 24  i.e., less than 24 hours after Blake was shot by Kenosha Officer Rusten Sheskey  there were 125 National Guardsmen on the ground in Kenosha.

By the next night, the night of the Kyle Rittenhouse shootings, there were 250 National Guardsmen bolstering crowd control with the many southeast Wisconsin law enforcement officers that were called into Kenosha.

On Aug. 26, the calmest night of the four since Blake had been shot, there were 500 Guardsmen active in the city. This was the night in which arrests picked up; even as protests became nonviolent, law enforcement moved quickly to arrest individuals and groups who broke off from the main crowd.

On Aug. 27, there were 750 Guardsmen in Kenosha.

On Aug. 28, there were 2,000; 800 of those came from the National Guards of Michigan, Arizona and Alabama, reportedly because Evers was now accepting outside help after having rejected it previously.

Phone calls

Steil said that Kenosha leaders had been begging for more help that wasnt coming fast enough. Steil said in a recent speech that, on Aug. 24, he received a previously unreported phone call from Antaramian, Sheriff David Beth and then-Police Chief Daniel Miskinis where they asked the congressman: What is the federal government able to provide specifically?

Steil said he replied by calling the White House and  after being put on hold and bounced around the White Houses switchboard  speaking with Trump directly.

According to Steil, Trump said: Youre calling me, but your governor hasnt called me, to which Steil replied: I cannot explain to you my governors actions, but I can tell you the people of the City of Kenosha need assistance.

Eventually, that conversation and others led to Mark Meadows, who was then Trumps chief of staff, having now-infamous and highly publicized conversations with Evers on Aug. 25 and 26.

On Aug. 25, Meadows said on Fox News that Evers had rejected federal help. The next day, after two people were killed and a third seriously injured by Rittenhouse, Evers reportedly accepted the aid. However, that aid reportedly mainly consisted of coordinating other states National Guards bolstering Wisconsins  conversations that had already begun without help from Washington, according to Evers office.

According to an email from an Evers spokeswoman: The Trump Administration did not speak to the governor until Tuesday (Aug. 25) afternoon  2:45 p.m. call with Meadows, 3:15 p.m. call with President Trump  well after the governor had already authorized the Wisconsin National Guard, declared a State of Emergency in response, and announced he would be doubling the Guard presence in Kenosha to 250 members on Tuesday night.

When asked via email: Is it accurate to say that Donald Trumps words/actions had any effect on how many troops were sent to Kenosha and how quickly they arrived? Trovato, the spokesman for the Wisconsin National Guard, replied: All troops that served in Kenosha last summer did so in a state active duty status, meaning they were all under the command and control of the Governor. The out-of-state troops responded under an Emergency Management Assistance Compact request from the State of Wisconsin and then fell under the command and control of the Governor. No National Guard troops served in a federalized status. All National Guard troops mobilized at the direction of Gov. Evers.

Added the governors spokeswoman: To date, the only assistance that has been provided by the federal government in our response has been additional FBI and U.S. Marshal support.

During Fridays interview, Antaramian said that, during that Aug. 24 phone call with Steil, he and Kenoshas other leaders were seeking more equipment and funds as they waited for more Guardsmen to arrive.

Credit to whom?

The emcee of the June 19 Lincoln Day Dinner, Brian Schimming  executive director and chief operating officer of the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority under then-Gov. Scott Walker, hes also been a radio host and lobbyist  said at the event: What it took to get help for Kenosha was the call from that guy (pointing to Steil) to the president of the United States.

To applause from the Lincoln Day Dinner crowd, Steil said in his speech: Ultimately, through the presidents actions, he (Trump) really, truly helped the City of Kenosha.

This is a narrative contested by the Evers administration, noting in particular that Trump neither publicly nor directly ordered any troops or resources to Kenosha. The only federal officers known to have been in Kenosha were a smattering of FBI agents and U.S. Marshals; all National Guard troops serve under states, despite the name implying they are national.

Amid the unrest, the National Guards leaders seemed uninterested in what Trump was saying.

On Aug. 25, Trump tweeted that Evers should call in the National Guard to Kenosha even though hundreds of citizen-soldiers were already there.

Then, during a news conference on Aug. 26, a reporter asked the adjutant general of the Wisconsin National Guard, Maj. Gen. Paul Knapp: Are you worried about the president tweeting about it as if its his decision, that it will escalate tensions here? Knapp replied: I dont worry about the presidents tweets.

What brought an end to it?

What actually brought an end to the violence is up for debate.

Steil and others have said that the show of force as well as the arrests of well more than 100 alleged agitators successfully put down the riots.

Making arrests in particular individuals from outside the community whore coming to Kenosha to cause disturbances, Steil said, was a difference-maker. Once those criminals knew that they risked arrest for their behavior and once there was a police and law enforcement force of scale necessary to enforce the rule of law, public safety was re-established by Wednesday evening.

Others, including Antaramian, have said its more complicated than that.

There was fear of more violence spawned by the Rittenhouse shootings as well as the typical winding down of high emotions  riots rarely last more than a couple of days, even in extreme cases. Antaramian said that the beginnings of community conversations between young protesters and local authorities also helped deter violence.

Its a combination, the mayor said.

Steil conceded that Evers making statements calling directly for an end to the unrest after the Rittenhouse shootings were very important in ending the violence.
Though millions of Americans have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the past few months, and infections are declining in most parts of the U.S., it has been a rough year, especially for teachers. Now that students are out of school for the summer, one agriculture teacher took time to talk about the pandemic year.

Skylar Peters is an Extension 4-H educator in Mifflin County, in central Pennsylvania.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020 and shut down everything  including 4-H  Peters felt at a loss.

However, Peters was used to things happening out of the ordinary.

With little to no agricultural background, Peters surprised her parents long ago when she told them she wanted to take agriculture classes in ninth grade.

My parents were like, Are you sure? Peters said.

When she insisted to them that this was her interest, they said that her uncle, an agronomy major, would be proud.

And so, Peters became active in FFA as a high school student. FFA allowed her to consider a career in agribusiness. She eventually received the high honors of a Star in Agribusiness for her FFA work. She had not been a 4-H member during this time, however.

The Winding Path to 4-H

Then, in her first year of college, Peters took an agribusiness course. Her professor pulled her aside and suggested that this was not the field for her.

Im not a math whiz. He was definitely right, Peters said.

That same year, she was sitting in a wildlife management class when someone did a presentation on outdoor school.

I always said I never wanted to be a teacher, but it intrigued me. So I tried it, she said of the outdoor school program.

It brought me out of my shell, said Peters, noting that she made a 180-degree change.

She began working in environmental education with the Shavers Creek Outdoor School.

My passion for agriculture was fueled and fully ignited in college, and I knew its where I belonged, she said.

She gained an internship with Penn State Extension as a 4-H program assistant. She also graduated with a bachelors of science degree in agricultural and Extension education.

Suddenly Peters choice to take that ag class in ninth grade made perfect sense to those around her.

My internship with 4-H provided me with the experience I needed, to understand what role a 4-H youth development educator played in the county and at the university, she said. So, I knew when this job opened up that the promotion and step up in the organization is what I wanted to pursue.

For seven years, since her college graduation, Peters has worked with Penn State Extension and 4-H. She currently oversees 27 4-H clubs in Mifflin County.

During that time, I have been able to attend a ton of conferences, workshops and events that I have been both organizer and presenter at and an attendee, Peters said.

I have been blessed to work alongside some of the states most brilliant educators (who) have grown to be some of my dearest friends, she added.

Peters said that despite the pandemic year, she is exceptionally pleased with this career and all of its opportunities.

Theres such a fine line between learning new things and being passionate about teaching those things to others, she said. And (it is) being interested in where we came from and learning about the rich history of agriculture from the people who lived it in Pennsylvania. It truly is an exciting position to be in and something that I take very seriously.

A self-described extrovert, these interactive in-person 4-H experiences were the high points for Peters. She was in her element.

Virtual 4-H

Then March 2020 happened.

We went from fully in-person activities and creative events  our scope of opportunity is so large  (but) like everywhere else, Peters said Everything came to a screeching halt.

In April 2020, 4-H clubs began meeting virtually, with youths quarantined at home and interacting with other club members through a computer screen.

It completely changed our jobs, Peters said.

She said it was difficult for the volunteers who lead the clubs in Mifflin County. Families who took part in the clubs were frustrated, too.

A ton of my families in Mifflin County dont have access to technology and many do not have the bandwidth, she said about the lack of good internet service for the newly online clubs.

Peters said another setback was the cancellation of the annual youth fair. An alternative and optional event was set up. The open show was not officially run by 4-H or FFA. There were no carnival rides or food.

Week-long camps were canceled.

I like to be busy. We had official tasks during the day, but our weekend and nightly activities that usually kept us busy all came to a screeching halt. It was very difficult for me. I took this job because I like to be around people, Peters said.

Peters said she understood Penn State Extensions decision to follow state health guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infections. She wanted safety for the children involved, too.

Due to mass vaccinations since January and declining COVID-19 cases in unvaccinated people, in April some Mifflin County clubs started returning to in-person meetings.

She said the 4-Hers are excited to be reunited. Because she and the 4-H office staff have been working from home, she said they are also looking forward to getting together again.

Even if things are not quite back to normal yet, Peters said, I do know we will have a new respect for being in-person at 4-H events, and be (glad to be) able to hug that friend at the fair.
Geneva, June 27: 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. COVID-19 Vaccination in India: Over 31.51 Crore Vaccines Provided to States, Union Territories.

In his words: There are no vaccines to allocate. Tedros says concerns being raised by some donors that African countries don't have the infrastructure to deliver vaccines or that there are vaccine hesitancy problems are inconsequential. He criticised rich countries that may be using that as a pretext not to donate vaccines.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
#Peru has registered the fourth case of the #Covid #Deltavariant, Health Minister Oscar Ugarte said.



The Ministry of Health ordered the isolation and sampling of all the relatives of the infected patient, Xinhua news agency quoted the Minister as saying on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/jfAa8e8SRb IANS Tweets (@ians_india) June 27, 2021

(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
Former police officer Derek Chauvin's mother, claims her son is not racist but the opposite. Sentence details and the aftermath of it all.

Chauvin's Mother Speaks Out in Court

Carolyn Pawlenty, the mother of former police officer Chauvin addressed the court wholeheartedly, talking about her son's good moral character and how not only his life but his entire family has changed drastically. Pawlentey has also stated within her address that Chauvin was a good man and not a racist.

She also addressed the media's comments regarding Chauvin that he is an "aggressive, heartless and uncaring person," being untrue. She called out the term that "racist" is simply not true, but that he is a "good man."

Pawlentey also added to the already powerful speech that when the people and the court sentences former police officer Chauvin, they will also be sentencing her. The mother also said that she believes in her son's "innocence" and will never waiver from it.

Read More: Kamala Harris, While Visiting U.S-Mexico Border, Blames Donald Trump, Touts 'Extreme Progress' Despite Record Migrant Surge Under Joe Biden

The Other Side of The Story

Philonise Floyd, one of the now-deceased George Floyd brothers, said that he understood Pawlentey since "that's her son."

He also added, "The same way she spoke up for her son, I spoke up for my brother. So we all, we all love our loved ones. But the fact that I will never see my brother again is worse because she still will have the opportunity to see her son in the cell anytime she wants to."

Not once did Pawlenty utter the word of the victim, George Floyd. Right at the end of her speech, people outside the courthouse started chanting, "No justice, no peace!" after they expressed worried looks and gasps of dismay.

Some family members of Floyd are not satisfied with the result of the verdict. Floyd's brother Rodney and Brandon Williams, nephew to Floyd, said that the result was just "a slap on the wrist." Family members said that they are serving a life sentence as they can no longer see George again.

The Aftermath

After all that has been said and done, Derek Chauvin is now sentenced to 22 and a half years for the murder of George Floyd. Chauvin has one of the longest sentences given to a former police officer due to his deadly force.

The sentence was carried on Friday, June 26. The jury decided Chauvin was guilty of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter towards Floyd. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who spearheaded the prosecution, said that it is rare to find justice against police officers.

Ellison said that the sentencing wasn't about justice but real accountability of people's actions and a road towards justice.

US President Joe Biden also said that the sentence is appropriate.

Read More: Derek Chauvin Gets 22.5 Years in Prison for George Floyd's Murder
The death toll on the Florida building that collapsed on Thursday rose to five, as search and rescue operations continue in the area. Miami-Dade Mayor Danielle Levine Cava confirmed with Associated Press on Saturday during a news conference, that another body was found. Initially, only four people were confirmed to be dead after the tragedy.

Meanwhile, officials also confirmed that at least 156 people were still unaccounted for in the wake of Thursday's tragic incident in Florida. On the other note, the mayor confirmed that another 130 people were already accounted for.

The update on the total number of deaths after the Florida building collapsed happened as search and rescue efforts were obstructed by fire and smoke, according to a report from Wall Street Journal. Officials confirmed that the fire was located deep in the debris of the 12-story condominium.

READ NEXT: Kamala Harris Had to Remind Joe Biden About Deadly Florida Condo Collapse as He Forgets to Address It

To address the issue, officials noted that they utilized heavy equipment to create an opening and contain the fire. Furthermore, the rescuers also utilized infrared technology, foam, and water to isolate the fire.

Details regarding the origin of the fire, located inside the rubble of the building, were still not clear.

Florida Building Collapse: Evacuation Might Be Needed on Sister Building

Meanwhile, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said that the sister building of the condo that collapsed might be evacuated. The warning was made by the governor during a press conference on Saturday in Surfside, according to a report from Fox News.

Governor DeSantis noted that the condo that collapsed in Florida and its sister building "was built at the same time with the same designer." DeSantis also underscored that the decision to evacuate the sister building of the condo that collapsed lies on Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett.

"I can't tell you, I can't assure you that the building is safe," said Burkett said in Fox News citing New York Times.

The Surfside Mayor also noted that he was concerned about the "structural integrity" of the sister building, but he was not "philosophically comfortable" in ordering the residents out.

Florida Building Collapse: 2018 Engineer Report Reveals "Major Error" in Condo that Collapsed

In the wake of Thursday's tragedy, a 2018 report came to light revealing that there was a "major error" in the design of the Florida building that collapsed. Wall Street Journal noted that the report was released by the town on Friday, citing that the error allowed water to pool near the condo's base.

Engineering firm Morabito Consultants inspected about half of the building's 136 units, including the roof exterior and other common areas. Moreover, the engineering firm also found cracked tiles on multiple boundaries which according to the report was evidence of "structural damage beneath the surface."

"We are obviously very interested in all of the evidence coming to light," said Mayor Levine Cava, assuring that occupants of other buildings were safe.

Despite the engineer's report coming to light, the official cause of the Florida building that collapsed was still not identified by the authorities.

READ NEXT: Sea Level Rise Due to Climate Change Is Being Linked to Florida Condo Collapse

WATCH: Florida Building Collapse: 2018 Report Found 'Major Structural Damage' - From TODAY
President Joe Biden took a U-turn on his "veto-threat" for the bipartisan infrastructure deal, arguing that it was not his "intent." The movement of the president happened after Republicans pushed back on his statements on Thursday, when Biden said that he would refuse to sign the bipartisan infrastructure deal or package until he received a Democrat-only package, according to a report from Politico.

READ NEXT: Pres. Joe Biden Unveils Strategy on Addressing Gun Violence

President Biden Issues Statement on Veto Threat After Republicans Pushback

Because of what happened, President Joe Biden issued a statement regarding his stand on the bipartisan infrastructure deal.

"I have been clear from the start that it was my hope that the infrastructure plan could be one that Democrats and Republicans would work on together," said President Joe Bien in his statement.

President Biden also acknowledged that his statement on Thursday angered some Republicans.

"That statement understandably upset some Republicans, who do not see the two plans as linked," said Biden, adding that Republicans hoped to defeat his "Families Plan." The president also accepted that his comments on Thursday created an impression that he was issuing a "veto threat" on the plan he agreed to. Biden underscored that it was not his "intent" to make that impression.

USA Today reported that some of the Republicans who agreed to Biden's bipartisan infrastructure deal said that they were not aware of the conditions. The GOP senators argued that President Biden did not raise the said issue during the negotiations, leading to some of the GOP lawmakers threatening to withdraw support on the infrastructure deal.

The Guardian reported that some of the senators like Lindsey Graham also felt blindsided when President Joe Biden made his comments on Thursday.

"If he's gonna tie them together he can forget it! I'm not doing that," said Graham in Politico, labeling Joe Biden's move as "extortion."

In response, President Biden noted in his statement that he would still support the bipartisan infrastructure plan.

"I gave my word to support the Infrastructure Plan, and that's what I intend to do," said President Biden, adding that he would pursue the passage of the deal that Democrats and Republicans agreed to on Thursday. The president also emphasized that the bipartisan agreement would not prevent Republicans from attempting to defeat his "Families Plan" and "they [Republicans] should have no objections to my devoted efforts" to pass other proposals in tandem.

President Biden emphasized that he intends to work hard in passing the American Families Plan and the Infrastructure Plan because he thinks that the U.S. needs both of the legislation.

President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal

The bipartisan infrastructure deal or package that was discussed on Thursday aims to make the largest investment in infrastructure history. The said plan would fix roads, bridges, as well as critical investments for a clean energy future, and help the U.S. compete with other countries, such as China.

President Joe Biden also noted that the infrastructure deal would also replace lead water pipes as well as expand U.S.' broadband connection.

READ NEXT: Pres. Joe Biden Voices 'Serious Concern' Over Delta COVID Variant, Says More Americans Will Die From It

WATCH: What to Know About President Joe Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal - From CNBC Television
Mike Gravel, a presidential aspirant and former Alaska Senator dies at 91 due to failing health issues. Celebrate his life achievements and know the cause of his death.





Details of Gravel's Death and Start of His Life

His daughter, Lynne Mosier said that he had been living in Seaside, California, where he died due to failing health issues. Multiple myeloma was the culprit to his demise. He was born into a working-class family and was already interested in politics at a very young age.

Right after graduation, he moved to Alaska, and after three years, it officially became a state. Sensing that there is a political opportunity there, he quickly went to work. Gravel prospered in real estate development and won a place in the House of Representatives, then promoted to the position of the speaker in 1965.





Read More: Donald Trump Rallies Targeting Ohio Republican | Future Plans and Problems





Gravel's Time in Politics

His most recent career in politics seated him as Alaska's Senator, and this was when he went head-on against Former US President Barack Obama in regards to nuclear weapons. Gravel also served as Alaska's Democratic Senator from 1969 to 1981.

His final two terms were hard times for the state of Alaska since this was the time when the construction of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline began and how Congress decided as to how to settle the Alaska Native land claims, among other pressing state issues.

He also stuck in a rock and a hard place when his time there as a Democrat was scarred due to Former US President Jimmy Carter's reputation was not the best at the time. The reason was Carter's decision to place large sections of the public lands under protection against development.

Gravel then fought with the Republican Alaskan Senator, Ted Stevens, regarding the land matter as he chose to fight Carter's choice and also rejected Stevens' to create a compromise. One of the final bills signed by Gravel before leaving the office was the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980.





Gravel for Presidency

Gravel started thinking about the US Presidency back in 2008 as the Democratic nominee and a staunch critic of the Iraq war. He received the attention of his heated comments at the Democratic forum, one of which he said,

"I believe America is doing harm every day our troops remain in Iraq - harm to ourselves and to the prospects for peace in the world," His platform focused on efforts that would give the decision to the people via a direct vote which includes health care reform all the way to declarations of war.

One of his most popular debates was in 2007 in which Gravel and Obama were debating about the possibility of nuclear weapons against Iran in which he then asked then-Senator Obama "Tell me, Barack, who do you want to nuke?" as Obama replied that he wasn't planning to nuke anyone as of the moment.





Read More: Pres. Joe Biden Backpedals on Veto Threat of Infrastructure Deal After Republican Pushback





This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by Alec G.




Senator Fiona OLoughlin revealed she was forced to ring 999 when she saw a man beating the head off another fella in Newbridge town.

The former TD spoke about the incident in the Market Square / Eyre Street area when addressing the quarterly Joint Policing Committee meeting on June 14 last.

Senator OLoughlin said: I rang the gardai myself when I was waiting for food and for coffee and I saw a row kicking off.

Plank

There was one very serious one where one guy had a really big, probably a four-foot plank and was, as they say, beating the head off another fella.

And the gardai came around quick.

But I know from business people in the area that gardai come around really quickly when theres an incident.

Its not just a garda problem, its a community problem. Its an issue for Kildare Co Council as well.

The politician added that markets being held in the area have helped to reduce the intimidating atmosphere in the area.

Supt Martin Walker of the Kildare Garda District commented that there are active Garda patrols in the area to prevent and detect public order and other incidents.

He said: From looking at the garda statistics for the area, there were 61 proactive patrols in 2019 and 74 proactive in 2020.

In 2019 there were no assaults but there were six public order incidents in the Eyre Street area.

In 2020, there was one assault and four public order incidents.

Statistics on crime delivered in a policing report to the meeting showed that public order offences across the Division dropped slightly from 94 to 92 between the first quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2020.

The number of drunkenness offences were broadly similar at 63 and 66 respectively.

Overall, the number of crimes against the person saw a small increase from 133 to 136 across County Kildare.
An armed raider who was recognised and tackled by customers as he tried to hold up his local pub has received a fully suspended sentence.

Derek Foran (36) had armed himself with an imitation gun which looked like an Uzi semi-automatic and shouted at customers This is the IRA, get down or I'll fucking shoot.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that he was wearing a balaclava, but this slipped and some drinkers in the Speaker Connolly pub in Firhouse recognised him as a regular customer.

Foran of Allenton Avenue, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery of Jason Doyle, the manager of the pub, on January 1, 2018. He has previous convictions for drug dealing and public order offences.

The court heard that Foran told customers to get down on the floor and they did this. He pointed the gun at Mr Doyle while he was on the lying on the ground and grabbed him and pushed him into the back of the pub.

He told Mr Doyle get me the money, get me fucking everything.

An off-duty detective who happened to be drinking in the pub at the time heard a commotion in the kitchen area. When he went to investigate he saw three customers wrestling Foran and trying to get the gun off him.

The detective took control and requested garda armed assistance as he didn't know if Foran had anyone else assisting him. The court heard it later emerged Foran had carried out the raid on his own and was in the depths of addiction at the time.

Judge Elma Sheahan had previously placed Foran on a 12 month probation bond after first hearing evidence at a sentencing hearing in January 2019.

Passing sentence on Wednesday, Judge Sheahan, reading from a probation report, said that Forans offending was very serious in nature.

She said, however, that the court was satisfied that Foran had displayed impressive efforts to remain drug-free and engage in pro-social activities within the community since offending.

The judge said it would be appropriate for the defendant to continue his current course of rehabilitation within society.

Judge Shehan sentenced Foran to four years imprisonment, but suspended the entirety of the sentence on strict conditions.

At a previous sentencing hearing, Garda James Ward agreed with Kieran Kelly BL, defending, that it was an unplanned flight of fancy. Foran had bought the replica firearm in a shop a few years earlier and had taken tablets before carrying out the hold up.

It was an act of desperation, the garda said. He agreed that Foran had drug debts and there were people coming to his family home looking for the money.

He said Foran has no previous conviction for violent offending and has not come to garda attention since the raid.

Counsel said his client is doing his best to deal with his addiction issues. He said on the day Foran went out on a wing and a prayer and was outmuscled by customers who disarmed him and effected summary punishment on him.

The court heard Foran was well known in the pub and had been previously barred. He told gardai that he choose to carry out the raid on this pub because he was barred from the other local pub.
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PUT the kettle on and raise a cup for the Irish Motor Neurone Association, urges Michael Clancy of Castletroy.

Michael, who was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in 2016, is keen to get as many people as possible involved in this years virtual Drink Tea campaign which is running throughout the month of June.

Our big fundraiser in any year is our Drink Tea campaign, explains Michael, who was the face of the campaign in 2017. Over 85% of what the association spends in the year would come from voluntary donations.

Michael is one of over 400 people in Ireland living with MND and the associations support and help are invaluable. There is no government agency for assisting people with MND, he points out. Specialised equipment, such as wheelchairs, stair lifts, beds and touch-screen computers for those who have lost the power of speech all have to be paid for and with little assistance from government, he explains.

MND is a progressive neurological condition that attacks the motor neurones, or nerves, in the brain and spinal cord. This means messages gradually stop reaching muscles, which leads to weakness and wasting. It affects peoples quality of life, how they walk, talk, eat, drink and breathe.

In Michaels case, it took almost two years of tests before he was finally diagnosed as having MND. But, he admits, he was having symptoms for about five years before that. I didnt know what it was. I was losing power in my hands, I was losing balance, my legs were getting weak and my speech was beginning to slur.

There is no definitive test for MND, he says, which is a big issue. The only way is to get to a specialist who deals with it on a regular basis who will be able to pick up the indicators.

The actual diagnosis, when it came, still came as a shock. But Michael is more fortunate than others in that his variant of MND variant is the least aggressive. MND wont kill me. I will die from perceived natural causes but I will still have MND,

There is, Michael adds, very little investment by pharmaceutical companies into finding a cure for MND or researching the symptoms because of the small numbers affected relative to other diseases globally.

His attitude however is to try to make the best of what has been visited on him. I have no choice really only to get up and get on with life. Life is for living. I am not waiting to die.

Fortunately, since his diagnosis, his symptoms havent gotten much worse, he explains. I am in a stable phase at the moment. I dont know how long that will last. I just try to get on.

For all that, the man who once had his own franchised business, is restricted in what he can do. And he misses simple things like being able to walk without a stick or an aid.

I cant walk very far. I have to have level ground, he says. And he describes his walking ability as middling going forward, very suspect on side to side and goosed in reverse.

But, with a week still left in June, there is still a chance for everyone to do their bit for MND sufferers and their families.

To organise your very own Drink Tea, all you have to do is visit imnda.ie and register your virtual tea event. For more information just email fundraising@imnda.ie

Invite friends and family to join you on Zoom or other online chat platforms. You can also ask friends to support you by purchasing tea, coffee or some delicious goodies from our Thoughtful Treats Cafe! Or if you cant host a tea event, you can make a donation.

Go to imnda.ie to find out how or just text MND to 50300 and donate 2.
COUNCIL has cleared the way for a new community centre in the village of Patrickswell.

Local planners have given conditional permission for the new purpose-built structure in Main Street, with the development set to consist of a multi-purpose community hall, meeting rooms and office areas.

On top of this, there will be a community cafe and coffee shop, with a new landscaped civic space at the front of the building.

The planning permission has been welcomed by local Fine Gael councillors Dan McSweeney and Daniel Butler.

Cllr McSweeney, who lives in the village, says the need for this centre has been apparent for the last 20 years, with a new five-year strategy drafted in 2019 putting it front-and-centre of the community councils goals.

This centre is at arms reach for the community and closer than it has ever been in the past. I have worked extremely hard to do whats best for our community, he said, In February 2019 I proposed to my fellow Councillors in Limerick City West to allocate 100,000 from our GMA fund. Following this allocation, I continued to work Limerick City and County Council and as a result a further 150,000 has been committed from our development levies fund over the next three years.

Cllr Butler added: This is good news day for the community. I have from day one been an advocate and supporter of this project knowing the value this facility will bring to the community to build on the great work already happening in the village. We now must unite as a community and get behind it to see it through to delivery.

Despite the planning consent, there had been opposition from some quarters, with five committee members from the Patrickswell Community Council lodging an objection.

Independent councillor Fergus Kilcoyne, who also lives in Patrickswell village, urged the council to withdraw the plans and start from scratch.

I am personally shocked that a layout of a tiny multi-purpose hall of 1,300 square feet was lodged as the original plans granted in 2017 were over 8,000 square foot. I agree with the objectors that this hall is not fit for purpose and does not even come with changing rooms or shower facilities despite it being called a multi-purpose community hall, he wrote in a letter to his constituents.
JAMES Treacy has often featured on Farm Leader in his role as a photographer at local marts but this time he is intent on capturing hearts, not cattle.

He is organising a dating trip to Ukraine for Irish bachelors to find wives. James reports good interest from Limerick men ahead of the trip in August 2022.

Its mostly for farmers but everyone is welcome, said James, who is from Clare.

The past student of LCFE and University of Limerick normally brings groups to Jerusalem and Fatima. James says he had to diversify due to the pandemic and the closure of Joe Walsh Tours. He is working with a company called A Foreign Affair.

Im really excited about my next venture. I have done a very big deal with an American dating tour company with a view to getting a wife for 50 Irish and British men in Ukraine and I am planning to bring this group in August 2022.

We are going to Kiev and Kharkov in Ukraine for 10 nights in total and we will be able to date as many women as we like. There are more women than men in Ukraine and Russia which means that a lot of them will never meet a partner. They are very family orientated, said James.

He describes what he is offering as something like a Ukrainian Lisdoonvarna.

It is a genuine matchmaking service just like in Lisdoonvarna except the average age of the women we are meeting would be 27 to 30-years-old whereas in Lisdoonvarna the average age would be much older.

There are a lot of scams in Russian dating sites. You could get many unsolicited emails wanting to get in contact with you but these are scams. All they want to do is get your credit card details and rob you but this is a genuine service, he stresses.

For more information on this unique trip contact James on 061 921470.
AHEAD of Limerick Pride 2021, the Mayor of the city and county of Limerick has raised the Limerick Pride flag at Limerick City Hall.

This year's festival takes place between July 4 and July 11 with a virtual parade on Saturday, July 10 at 2pm which will be streamed online.

Speaking at the flag-raising event Cllr Michael Michael Collins said: The theme for this years Pride is Different Families, Same Love and there are a huge number of online events planned for pride this year in Limerick. We are very proud to support Pride here in Limerick and I as Mayor am very honoured to be able to get involved in this event."

Richard Lynch, PRO of Limerick Pride Festival said: "With a physical Limerick Pride Festival not being able to take place the Pride committee wanted to bring Pride into your homes and to reach those who may not have ever seen or experienced a Pride event or a Pride parade before. We wanted to reach the wider and rural communities so that even if we cannot dance together in the streets, from the safety of our homes we will be able to celebrate all that makes our community so beautiful, so resilient, and so rich with diversity. Everyone is encouraged to display a rainbow flag or change their business lighting into the colours of the rainbow to mark Limerick Pride this year."

While most the events during Limerick Pride 2021 will be virtual, a physical event will take place on Sunday, July 4 when Grand Marshall Ranae von Meding launches Pride with the Rainbow River Swim Parade at 2 pm from St Michaels Rowing Club.

This event will see more than 80 swimmers from Limerick swimming group Limerick Narwhals taking to the river followed bysailing boats, paddle boats and kayaks in a celebration of Pride on the River Shannon.

Lisa Daly, Chairperson and Director of Limerick Pride Festival said: This year the Festival is offering something for everyone and events include educational workshops, Storytime with Carrie Deway, Youth Pride, Pride in our Pets, our Climax Party which will be hosted by RuPaul Drag Race star Heidi N Closet with limited meet and greet tickets and much more

For a full listing of festival events information check out Limerick Prides social media and website.
Shareholders of InterGlobe Aviation, parent of the country's largest airline IndiGo, have approved a proposal to raise up to 3,000 crore.

The funds would be raised through the Qualified Institutional Placement route.

The remote e-voting on the proposal commenced on May 27 and ended on June 25. Shareholders of the company have cleared the proposal, it said in a regulatory filing on Saturday.

Amid the airline industry facing strong headwinds due to the coronavirus pandemic, the company's board, on May 10, gave its nod to raise up to 3,000 crore through sale of shares to institutional investors.

On June 5, IndiGo reported a consolidated net loss of 1,147.2 crore in the three months ended March, mainly due to a sharp decline in revenues amid the pandemic.

The airline, which had a fleet of 285 planes at the end of March 2021, had a net loss of 870.8 crore in the year-ago period.

As air travel demand was significantly hit by the pandemic, the carrier's consolidated total income slumped over 26 per cent to 6,361.8 crore in the fourth quarter of the current fiscal. The total income was at 8,634.6 crore in the 2020 March quarter.

On June 7, IndiGo Chief Financial Officer Jiten Chopra said the daily cash burn increased to 19 crore in the March quarter from 15 crore in the earlier quarter and given the current situation, the cash burn is expected to increase further in the June quarter.

Emphasising that managing the cash position remains the primary focus, he had said, "we continue to work with all our stakeholders. For this purpose, we are working on securing credit line from lenders and entering into sale and leaseback for the new aircraft".

These two actions will likely result in an additional liquidity of 45 billion ( 4,500 crore) for the coming year, he had noted.

"Apart from this, we have also secured board approval for raising funds by way of qualified institutional placement up to 30 billion rupees ( 3,000 crore) and this proposal is under consideration by the shareholders," he had said.

For the full year ended March 2021, the company's net loss widened to 5,806.4 crore from 233.7 crore in 2019-20 fiscal.

Total income fell 58 per cent to 15,677.6 crore in the last financial year. The same stood at 37,291.5 crore in the year-ago period.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

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Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Sunday demanded the withdrawal of cases registered against farmers during their protest marches on June 26 to mark seven months of their agitation against the Centre's three farm laws.

SKM, the umbrella body of farmer bodies spearheading the agitation, said the Chandigarh police has booked several farmer leaders on several charges.

Farmers on Saturday marched towards the Raj Bhavan in different states to submit memoranda, addressed to the president, and to governors to mark seven months of protests against the Centre's three farm laws.

"In Chandigarh, it is reported that FIRs have been filed against several SKM leaders and many other protestors under IPC sections 147, 148, 149, 186, 188, 332 and 353," the SKM said in a statement.

It alleged that after barricading the roads, the "police also resorted to using water cannons and lathicharge on the protestors".

"On top of this kind of undemocratic and authoritarian behaviour, cases are now being filed against SKM leaders. Samyukt Kisan Morcha condemns this and demands that the FIRs be withdrawn immediately and unconditionally," it said.

In many places, farmers were not allowed to even take out rallies to Raj Bhavans and there were detention and lock-ins of SKM leaders, it said.

"SKM condemns this and points out that this itself is an illustration of the failure of democracy and the undeclared emergency that we are going though," it said in the statement.

Noting that cases have been filed against 15 farmers in Hisar who had taken part in a protest against a BJP meeting on June 25, the SKM said the FIRs should be withdrawn immediately.

The farmers started their stir against the contentious farm laws in November by camping at Singhu border between Delhi and Haryana, besides at Tikri and Ghazipur borders.

The protesting farmers have demanded the withdrawal of the Centre's farm laws and that a new law be made to guarantee minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

The protesting farmers will mark Monday "Kisan Mazdoor Bhaichara Diwas" at Sunehra protest site near the Haryana-Rajasthan border, it added.

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AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford on Sunday began new trials to test a modified vaccine against the Beta variant, which first emerged in South Africa.

The 'booster' vaccine's trial will involve around 2,250 participants from Britain, South Africa, Brazil and Poland.

They include people who have been fully vaccinated with two doses of the original Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine or an mRNA vaccine such as Pfizer as well as those who have not got the jab at all.

The new vaccine, known as AZD2816, has been designed using the same base as the main AstraZeneca shot but with minor genetic alterations to the spike protein based on the Beta variant.

"Testing booster doses of existing vaccines and new variant vaccines is important to ensure we are best prepared to stay ahead of the pandemic coronavirus, should their use be needed," said Andrew Pollard, chief investigator and director of the Oxford Vaccine Group at the University of Oxford.

Britain has had a succesful vaccine roll out programme, but experts do not know how long protection lasts.

"This study will provide vital evidence on whether further doses including 'tweaks' against new virus variants may be needed in the future," said Maheshi Ramasamy, Principal Investigator at the Oxford Vaccine Group.

Initial data from the trial is expected later this year.

Current vaccines are believed to be less effective against the Beta variant, although it is the Delta variant, which emerged in India, that is currently causing most concern.

Although the main vaccines are believed to be highly effective at preventing serious illness, the Delta variant's transmissible nature is leading to a spike in cases in some countries, including Britain.

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This archaeological site in Arizona in the U.S. shows evidence of an impact from a comet.

Could a devastating comet impact in Earth's distant past have forever changed human civilization?

Scientists think that a cluster of comet shards may have smashed into Earth's surface 13,000 years ago, in the most catastrophic impact since the Chicxulub event killed off Earth's large dinosaurs about 66 million years ago. In a new study, a team led by Martin Sweatman, a scientist at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, investigated the impact and how it could have shaped the origins of human societies on Earth.

While the first Homo sapiens emerged between 200,000 and 300,000 years ago, much farther in the past than this impact, the researchers found that this comet crash actually coincided with significant changes in how human societies self-organized.

Related: 4,000-Year-Old Stone Monolith Likely an Astronomical Marker

The researchers investigated the theory that a comet struck Earth 13,000 years ago, analyzing geological data from the areas where they think it may have hit, namely North America and Greenland. They found high levels of platinum, evidence of extremely high temperatures that could have melted materials at the site and nanodiamonds, which scientists know can be created from explosions and can exist inside comets.

This work builds on previous research that has suggested that a significant impact may have preceded the beginning of the Neolithic period , the first part of the Stone Age in which a number of major developments in human civilization took place, including notable steps forward in agriculture, architecture and stone tools.

At this time in history, humans in the "Fertile Crescent," which encompassed countries we know today as Egypt, Iraq and Lebanon, were moving away from nomadic, hunter-gatherer lifestyles to more permanent settlements.

"This major cosmic catastrophe seems to have been memorialized on the giant stone pillars of Gobekli Tepe [in Turkey], possibly the 'World's first temple,' which is linked with the origin of civilization in the Fertile Crescent of southwest Asia. Did civilization, therefore, begin with a bang?" Sweatman said in a statement .

While the new study work is exciting and suggestive, the team acknowledges that more evidence and more research is necessary to better understand how this impact could have affected global climate and, ultimately, human civilizations, according to the statement.

This work was described in a study published May 19 in the journal Earth-Science Reviews

Email Chelsea Gohd at cgohd@space.com or follow her on Twitter @chelsea_gohd. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
Alex Trebek and Larry King, two longtime television legends that died in the past year, both posthumously won awards at the Daytime Emmys ceremony Friday.

Trebek, who died in November 2020 following a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer, was awarded Outstanding Game Show Host, the seventh time the Jeopardy! host received that Daytime Emmy; Trebeks final season at the helm of Jeopardy! also won Outstanding Game Show.

Trebeks adult children Matt and Emily accepted the award on behalf of their father with a speech recorded standing by Trebeks old podium on the set of Jeopardy!, stood behind the hosts podium on the quiz shows set, the Associated Press reported.

Alex Trebeks kids, Emily and Matt, accepted the award for Outstanding Game Show Host on his behalf. Thank you, @DaytimeEmmys! pic.twitter.com/Ji6ipUsNs9  Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) June 26, 2021

For as long as we can remember, he was always so proud to be a part of Jeopardy!, to work on a show that was based on knowledge, risk and the challenge  people had to think, Matt said. He loved every bit of it. Emily added, He was always excited to go to work, even during his battle with cancer. He was so fortunate that he was able to do what he loved, and we know that he not once took it for granted.

Larry King was awarded his first-ever Daytime Emmy when he won Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host for his Larry King Now on Ora TV. King, who died January 21st, 2021, previously received a lifetime achievement award from the Emmys, despite having never won an individual award.

This last season was a testament to his love for broadcasting, Kings son Chance said of his fathers win. As much as he is gone, he is with us in our hearts forever.

Trebek and King were also both honored during the Daytime Emmys In Memoriam tribute.
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Allison Mack offered a series of apologies in her statement to the federal judge who will decide her fate on June 30 when she is set to be sentenced after pleading guilty to racketeering and conspiracy charges in connection with the NXIVM sex cult case.

I have experienced overwhelming shame as I have worked to accept and understand all that went on and all that I chose, Mack wrote.

The Smallville stars comments were included with more than a half-dozen letters from friends and family members to U.S. District Court Judge Nicholas Garaufis testifying to Macks transformation since breaking with NXIVM mastermind Keith Raniere following her arrest in April 2018. Raniere was sentenced in October to 120 years in prison on racketeering and sex trafficking charges.

Mack pleaded guilty in April 2019. Prosecutors asked the judge for leniency given Macks cooperation in the case, which included providing a crucial audio recording that documented Ranieres cruel schemes.

The jaw-dropping details of the psychological manipulation that Raniere masterminded by encouraging his followers to participate in master and slave relationships  among other bizarre mind games disguised as self-help efforts  has become a cottage industry for documentary and unscripted content. HBO fielded last years multi-part docu series The Vow, which has a second season on the way. Starzs Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult told the story of another Hollywood family wrapped up in NXIVM, actor Catherine Oxenberg and her daughter India.

Here is Macks full statement:

To those who have been harmed by my actions,

To this date, it has been over three years since I last communicated with most of you. This period of isolation has been the most devastating, but transformative time of my life. Because of the courts decision to allow me to remain on home-confinement, I have had the opportunity to be alone with my thoughts in the most supportive and loving environment. Such an opportunity has offered me the time and strength I needed to confront the darkest parts of

myself and come to terms with the pain my actions have inflicted on so many people I love, which is the reason for this letter. It is now of paramount importance to me to say, from the bottom of my heart, I am so sorry. I threw myself into the teachings of Keith Raniere with everything I had. I believed, whole-heartedly, that his mentorship was leading me to a better, more enlightened version of myself. I devoted my loyalty, my resources, and, ultimately, my life to him. This was the biggest mistake and greatest regret of my life.

I am sorry to those of you that I brought into Nxivm. I am sorry I ever exposed you to the nefarious and emotionally abusive schemes of a twisted man. I am sorry that I encouraged you to use your resources to participate in something that was ultimately so ugly. I do not take lightly the responsibility I have in the lives of those I love and I feel a heavy weight of guilt for having misused your trust, leading you down a negative path. I am sorry to those of you whom I spoke to in a harsh or hurtful way. At the time, I believed I was helping. I believed in tough love and

thought it was the path to personal empowerment. I was so confused. I never want to be someone who is considered mean, but those aspects of my humanity have been revealed in all of this; it has been devastating to reconcile.

I have experienced overwhelming shame as I have worked to accept and understand all that went on and all that I chose. There were times I was not sure I would make it through this alive, the pain was so crippling. That said, I know that coming out the other side, I am a better, kinder woman because of this. I know I cannot heal the pain my betrayal has caused to you and your loved ones, but I can promise you that your hurt has not gone unseen and acknowledging this has changed me to my core.

I also want to apologize to all the friends and loved ones I have hurt throughout this process who were not involved in Nxivm. I know many of you fought hard to show me the truth about Nxivm and Keith, but I didnt listen. I pushed you away and silenced myself toward you when you were trying to save my life. I am sorry I was so stubborn. I am sorry I was blind to your care and deaf to your pleas. I wish with everything in me that I had chosen differently, but I

cannot change the past. I lied to you, again and again, in order to protect the delusion I was so deeply committed to believing. I know that the sacred trust I broke cannot be reinstated without forgiveness and a significant passage of time. While I desperately miss my friends, I understand if you choose not to invest in a future that includes me. However, I hope you will accept this sincere apology and know that I will hold all of you close to my heart for the rest of my life, even if we never speak again.

The list of those harmed by the collateral damage of my destructive choices continues to grow as I become more and more aware of how my choices have affected those around me. I am grateful that I have made it through this process alive and that I was stopped when I was. I have the court, my family, my therapist, and a few amazing friends to thank for this. Please know that I am dedicated to spending my life working to mend the hearts I broke and continuing to transform myself into a more loving and compassionate woman. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I hope it offers at least a little bit of peace and closure as this horrific chapter comes to an end.

Allison

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Three whistleblowers wrote a letter to Congress urging President Bidens administration to increase its efforts to vaccinate migrants who are being held in detention in the United States.

The three doctors who authored the letter sent to Congress on Friday  Scott A. Allen, Pamela McPherson, and Josiah Jody Rich  work as medical and mental health subject matter experts for the Department of Homeland Securitys (DHS) Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. In the letter, they made four demands of the administration: create a comprehensive plan to vaccinate detainees, give detainees the same priority for vaccination as staff, secure vaccine supplies and distribute them to facilities, and address the well-known mental health consequences of the pandemic.

Immigration detention settings, the doctors wrote, continue to be a significant source of spread for Covid and disproportionate harm to detainees, workers and the public. But despite the dangers, they said, DHS has still not implemented a comprehensive plan to address the spread of Covid in immigration detention facilities.

The whistleblowers pointed to the growing population of detainees, which increases the risk greatly. They also mention the well documented failures by ICE and contractors to comply with applicable standards of care, which they say have only worsened during [the Covid-19] pandemic.

As of last week, 26,197 people were held in detention by ICE. And in May testimony to Congress, Acting ICE Director Tae Johnson reported that only 1,229 ICE detainees had been fully vaccinated, while another 1,478 had received one dose of a vaccine. The doctors compared those numbers to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, which has administered nearly 200,000 vaccine doses to people incarcerated in federal prisons.

Part of the problem, the whistleblowers wrote, is that ICE believes it is the responsibility of local health authorities  and not ICE  to distribute [the] vaccine to their facilities. But, according to the doctors, because the federal government is the detaining authority, it is the federal governments responsibility to ensure detainees are vaccinated.

In addition to vaccinations, the whistleblowers urged the administration to find ways to address the mental health consequences of using isolation, which may prevent the spread of the virus but can also have negative mental health effects on detainees who stay in isolation for prolonged periods of time. We reissue our call for full implementation of trauma-informed care and highlight the importance of screening for mental health issues and providing the necessary care, they wrote.

The whistleblowers letter echoes what immigrant rights organizations have been asking for. The ACLU in May wrote a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas pushing for vaccination of detainees. ICEs failure to ensure a coordinated strategy for vaccination continues to endanger people in detention nationwide, they wrote, adding, Meanwhile, Covid-19 outbreaks continue to spread in detention facilities nationwide, risking the health and safety of detainees despite ICEs duty to protect those in its custody, in violation of their constitutional rights.

According to the most recent data, as of June 24, ICE reported 831 positive Covid-19 cases among people currently in custody. Across the entire pandemic, ICE has reported more than 18,000 confirmed cases and nine deaths related to Covid-19.
Law enforcement agencies recently released their Click It or Ticket Campaign numbers and encouraged the community to continue buckling up.

Overall, we would want for Laredo to be educated and to understand all the dangers that exist for not wearing a seatbelt. They say its a victimless crime, but its a crime with a high price with the loss of life of a loved one, Webb County Precinct 1 Constables Office Deputy Mario Reyes said.

Precinct 1 deputies participated in six days of the two-week enforcement period, where they gave out 1,480 citations. Reyes said 1,090 were seatbelt violations and 416 were for unrestrained children.

As a deputy, Reyes said he has seen situations where seatbelts might have saved lives. Thats why during the campaign, deputies also educate the community. Recently, deputies held an informal but informative presentation about using the seatbelt correctly.

Reyes added that many people wear the seatbelt improperly, such as in the under pit. This could cause internal bleeding or damage an organ. Dangers also exist for children if the car seat is not properly installed.

Common excuses Reyes has heard for not wearing a seatbelt include: It bothers me; It doesnt fit well; Nothing is going to happen; among others.

Accidents happen when you least expect it. They could be driving properly, and the other driver could be impaired, Reyes said. Wear your seatbelt. Save a life. Keep children in a car seat  The price we can pay for not wearing a seatbelt is the life of a loved one.

Precinct 4 Constables Office

Webb County Precinct 4 Constables Office deputies worked over 130 hours during the morning and evening.

Precinct 4 is the largest precinct in Webb County with main corridors running through it. The Mines Road area, I-35 and Loop 20 are high traffic zones for Precinct 4, and we were out there enforcing the laws but most importantly educating the community that SEAT BELTS SAVE LIVES, said Constable Harold Devally.

Deputies carried out 173 traffic stops, issued 183 citations for a variety of offenses and arrested three people. With their second year of participation, Devally wanted to make sure that drivers would remember to always buckle up.

Our priority is safety. The law applies to everyone when it comes to seatbelts: Drivers and passengers. We especially want for children to be properly fastened in their seats, Devally stated. It only takes a few seconds to fasten your seat belts, and its the first thing to do when you get in your car.

Laredo Police Department

Laredo police said they issued more than 1,500 citations during the campaign. Officers said they conducted 1,709 traffic stops issuing 1,793 citations over the 14-day enforcement period.

Of those 1,793 citations, 140 were issued for occupants who were not wearing a seatbelt. In comparison, the 2020 Click It or Ticket Campaign in November saw only 65 citations issued for seatbelt violations.

Safety officials at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report that wearing a seatbelt reduces the risk of dying in a car crash by 45 percent and up to 60 percent if riding in a pickup truck, LPD said in a statement.

Police said state law requires everyone in a vehicle to buckle up or face fines and court costs of up to $200. Children younger than 8 years old must be in a child safety seat or booster seat unless theyre taller than 4 feet, 9 inches, according to authorities.
After being reappointed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, Anna Benavides Galo was recognized by city council this week and presented with a key to the city.

Galos term is set to expire in February 2027 during which she will be responsible for managing and conserving the natural and cultural resources of Texas. The commission provides hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities for Texas residents, states the Office of the Texas Governor.

Anna Benavides Galo is the Vice President of ANB Cattle Co. and is a co-trustee of her familys mineral trust. She is a member of the board of directors of the John and Marie Stella Kennedy Memorial Foundation and was a member of the City of Laredo City Managers ad-hoc search committee. She is a board member of the Laredo Boys and Girls Clubs and the Angel of Hope Foundation, Councilmember Alberto Torres said. Mrs. Galo received a Bachelor of Arts from St. Marys University, and most importantly, she is born and raised in Laredo.

Torres continued saying that Laredo was fortunate for her reappointment as a representative and to help give a voice to the city in the state.

Mayor Pete Saenz echoed the sentiments of Torres, adding that her involvement in the organizations across the city was evident of her care and dedication to the community. Over the years, Galo has been a part of numerous organizations including the Laredo Center for the Arts, the Border Cultural Promotion Foundation and the Webb County Childrens Advocacy Center, and she also served as the president of the board of directors of the South Texas Food Bank and United Day School.

She was joined by her husband, Webb County Commissioner John Galo, and son, Laredo Youth City Council Commissioner John R. Galo, as she received the key.

Its an honor. I never, ever in my wildest dreams ever thought I would be presented with the key to the City of Laredo, she said. And truly Laredo is our hometown, and I truly love it.

She continued by saying that despite hearing some youth say they would want to leave Laredo and never come back, she was different. She wanted to leave but always planned to return home in hopes of inspiring younger generations to make their hometown better, whether after leaving and returning or staying in Laredo for good.

Thats what my grandfather and father before me always said, Leave this place a better place than you found it, Galo said.

She said she was grateful for Abbott for appointing a woman from the border to the position and was thankful to Texas State Sen. Judith Zaffirini after hearing that her support and recognition helped Abbott with the decision.

If you look around Laredo, we have incredible people, she said. Anything that Ive been able to do, its because I have the team of my community behind me and, most importantly, my family.

cocampo@lmtonline.com
A 53-year-old Laredoan has been ordered to federal prison after he admitted to wire fraud and extortion under color of official right, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Rito Salomon Palacios pleaded guilty Sept. 9, 2020.

On Friday, U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana ordered Palacios to serve a 57-month sentence to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional information including testimony and evidence detailing the fraud scheme and the emotional and fiscal damage Palacios caused the victims. Four of them appeared in court and detailed the harassment and threats Palacios committed and the resultant ill effect on their lives.

In handing down the sentence, Saldana noted how heartless Palacios was in relation to his victims as well as his history of thefts and lies and the unfortunate lack of real punishment in previous cases.

The court upwardly departed and raised his criminal history category by two levels to adequately reflect his criminal history. Saldana also mentioned his threats and aggression and considered Palacios a threat to the community.

Palacios masqueraded at varying times as an officer or employee of Customs and Border Protection, an immigration officer or another federal officer or employee. At the time of his plea, the court also heard he delivered receipts in documents bearing the seal of the Department of Transportation and Customs and Border Protection.

Palacios defrauded and extorted members of the public who were not citizens or nationals of the United States. He took money or property by false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises to deliver immigration visas, permits or residency in the United States. As part of the scheme, he utilized the internet to set appointments for his victims to be fingerprinted.

Palacios admitted as part of the plea that he demanded and obtained more than $72,000 from the fraud and extortion scheme.

Palacios was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Immigration and Customs Enforcements Office of Professional Responsibility and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Laredo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Angel Moreno prosecuted the case.
In his first act Friday as governor-elect from the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, Dr. Samuel Garcia Sepulveda, who was elected June 1, visited the Gateway City.

During his visit to Laredo, Garcia Sepulveda talked about the prowess of the Mexican-American border, especially the border that connects Laredo to the city of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. He said the border must reopen once many people from Mexico are vaccinated, and he discussed the construction of new roads and projects to strengthen commerce between the countries.

I am very content that this is not only my first international visit and also my first act as governor-elect but am very glad to come to Laredo, Texas, Garcia said. I had the opportunity to study finance administration and also master in commercial business studies as well. Those years opened my eyes to the importance of free trade not just for Nuevo Leon but also for the entire country as well.

The governor-elect reflected on how as a student he learned the importance of the border just north of Monterrey that offered a true gateway to the Americas.

I was a student when I found out that the city of Monterrey was just two hours away from the most transited city in the world, Garcia said. Also, I found out that a great percentage of those goods that are traded from the Laredo border go mainly through Nuevo Leon. Even when everything stopped because of the pandemic, goods did not stop flowing through here, and about $1.5 million were made per minute in crosses of good through this year, which shows the huge potential that Texas and Nuevo Leon have together.

As Garcia Sepulveda discussed the importance of the relationship between his state and Texas, he also stated the importance of a new road project known as La Gloria Road on the Mexican side. He said it would foster much faster transportation of vehicles and goods to the area, and it would allow people heading from Texas to Nuevo Leon to go make a direct trip rather than going through Tamaulipas.

One of the first and main things to do and to provide life to the border entry in Columbia Bridge is to create the La Gloria Road, Garcia Sepulveda said. The project has already been proposed and waiting for any action for about 20 years; 20 years it waits there already designed and registered multiple times to be constructed and approved by federal authorities but never had we began construction of it. That lack of infrastructure is still forcing not just people from Monterrey but the whole country to saturate the traditional routes through Nuevo Laredo.

The La Gloria road will be a transportation corridor with an estimated travel time of 45 minutes from Monterrey to Laredo if constructed. The new road would also connect to I-35.

According to the governor-elect, more customs areas on the Mexican side are needed to export and import goods quicker. He said Nuevo Leon will be the main one to advocate for those changes.

We will be creative enough to find the funds needed for such projects whether they are public taxpayer money, mixed funds or private entities who would like to do these projects and begin the quest to change the landscape of the border area to strengthen trade, Garcia Sepulveda said. In the end, this road will pay for itself as Nuevo Leon is the state that put more money into the Mexican economy while it is also the state that gets the lesser share of federal funds as we pay more funds to other custom facilities outside of Nuevo Leon. We do not use our exterior one, but this road and other projects would change this.

He said Nuevo must become a shining example of what Mexico can do if infrastructure, energy and development are at the forefront of what is needed for a growing economy.

Nuevo Leon must be that national example of how the government can generate and develop infrastructure that will forever shape and redevelop the area for trade and commerce and connect the northeast side of Mexico with the southern portion of the United States, Garcia Sepulveda said. This is a great alliance that must be made between Laredo, Texas and Nuevo Leon.

The governor-elect also focused on other important topics such as electrical energy, the fact that Nuevo Leon suffered blackouts caused by ERCOT in Texas and how his state must become independent of such energy sources.

Various city dignitaries were present including city, state and Nuevo Leon officials at the event held at the Federal Inspection Station at 4719 Maher Ave.

jorge.vela@lmtonline.com
Residents of the Webb County municipalities of Rio Bravo and El Cenizo will soon see a new fire truck roaming the streets as Rio Bravo received a new truck this week from a state agency.

The City of Rio Bravo Volunteer Fire Department received a new fire truck known as the 1986 Oshkosh AS32P19a Firefighting Truck by the Texas A&M Forest Service. The truck was agreed to by the city under the Cooperative Agreement Department of Defense Firefighter Property Program.

I had made an application for the DOD from the Texas Forestry back in 2016, and recently we got the response that they have accepted it and we finally got it, City of Rio Bravo Fire Chief Juan C. Gonzalez said. The truck will be mainly used for brush fires and structure fires.

Gonzalez said the truck would be essential to use in narrower areas where the citys fire engine cannot enter as it is too big to enter various terrains, especially along the riverbanks or inside the ranches.

During the day the truck was received, the fire chief and various city officials monitored and checked the truck and found it was in good working conditions.

The truck was provided after the citys application for the Rural Fire Department Assistance Program (HB 2604) was approved by the agency as shown by records by city officials of the southern Webb County city.

Though the truck is already ready to be used, the fire chief said the city must first register the truck under the citys name to officially be able to use it regularly.

We need to register it here in Texas, get the license plate, get the signage to put on the truck to show that it says Rio Bravo Fire and Rescue on both sides, and then the Texas Forestry is going to come and check it out, Gonzalez said. And if it passes, then we are ready to use it.

While they continue to process the paperwork, Gonzalez said they are allowed to use it if their other vehicles and the fire engine fail. He expects to have all the paperwork for the new truck ready as soon as possible.

City Commissioner Julio Cavazos praised the chief and his continued efforts to provide more equipment and safety.

I am very proud to have Mr. Juan Gonzalez as fire chief for the Rio Bravo community, Cavazos said. He has proven to be a good, responsible leader who always seeks to improve the service to our city. Today, is a good example of that. Today we received a fire suppression to help fight fires and save lives.

Cavazos said he has seen the new fire truck in action and he is thrilled to know the city is prepared in case of significant emergencies or failure of other equipment. He also said there is more to come as the fire chief has already completed paperwork for additional equipment.

Gonzalez said this is the first truck of two the city may get. He said the city may receive another truck next week, and the timing would be good because fire season has already begun and the volunteer firefighters in his department have already been put to the test recently in major ranch fires near El Cenizo.

In fact, the fire chief said they recently stopped a major fire by Highway 83. It is due to these increased fires as temperatures rise that he hopes his fire department can get the second vehicle.

We havent gotten any new details, although supposedly it was going to be here next week, so hopefully it is, Gonzalez said. We are really thankful to the Texas Forestry for getting us this truck, and hopefully we get the other one soon, and we are going to be even more happy.

jorge.vela@lmtonline.com
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(Alliance News) - Sajid Javid's previous UK government roles a that of chancellor and before the home secretary a were great offices of state, traditionally thought of as more prestigious than his new job as Health secretary.

But since the coronavirus pandemic hit last year, the profile of the person tasked with keeping the nation healthy has been shot to the top of the agenda.

Matt Hancock was a regular face at press briefings and in the Commons, giving updates to the nation on the coronavirus.

Javid was appointed to the prominent role just 90 minutes after Downing Street announced Hancock had resigned on Saturday evening.

It came the day after video footage emerged of the married then Health secretary kissing an aide in his ministerial office in a breach of coronavirus restrictions.

Images and video showed Hancock in an embrace with married aide Gina Coladangelo last month, and Conservative members of Parliament told of how their inboxes had filled with complaints similar to those they received during Dominic Cummings's infamous trip to Barnard Castle during a national lockdown.

But it is not only the pandemic Javid will have to deal with, his in-tray will be full of challenges for the health and social care sector, some of which predate Covid-19 and others caused by it.

The most immediate test for Javid will be continuing the country's progress in lifting lockdown measures and vaccinating the rest of the population.

Even Hancock's fiercest critics had been complimentary about the rollout of the Covid vaccine, and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised Hancock for the creation of the UK Health Security Agency, which he said "built the foundation to ensure the UK is better prepared for any future pandemic".

But opposition parties and health leaders have warned of a "perfect storm" to hit the NHS this winter, as a backlog of cases reached more than five million.

Chaand Nagpaul, the British Medical Association's chair of council, said: "Sajid Javid has a huge and urgent task ahead.

"He must ensure completing the roll-out of the adult vaccination programme at rapid pace to control spiralling infection rates. He must also put forward a credible plan to tackle a backlog of care of unprecedented scale whilst at the same time rebuilding the trust of doctors and the wider healthcare workforce."

The health and care workforce will not only need looking after following a punishing year, but will need bolstering too.

A survey released by NHS Providers a which represents NHS trusts a earlier this week showed almost half of leaders said they have seen evidence of staff leaving their organisation due to early retirement, Covid-19 burnout or other effects from working in the pandemic.

While six former health and social care ministers have backed proposals to reform the social care workforce in the absence of long-awaited Government plans.

Javid will face questions over the plan, which the PM said was ready on the steps of Downing Street after the election in December 2019.

Meanwhile, those still in the sector will continue to push for a pay rise amid continuing anger over the government recommending a 1% increase.

NHS staff were due a pay rise in April, but ministers said they would await the recommendations of the pay review body, which is expected to deliver its report within days.

Pat Cullen, acting general secretary and chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, said: "Sajid Javid must hit the ground running.

"With the unrelenting pressure on the nursing workforce, their role in protecting the nation during the pandemic and role delivering the vaccination programme, we expect to meet with urgency.

"Javid's immediate priority must be tackling the shortage of nursing staff and paying them fairly for their highly-skilled and safety-critical work."

Hancock had also been poised to launch the new Health & Social Care Bill in coming days, expected to be the biggest shake-up in health legislation since the Andrew Lansley reforms, and which would hand more power to the secretary of state.

In his reply to Hancock's resignation, Johnson recognised this, saying it "will support our NHS and deliver greater integration between health and social care".

How Javid takes the legislation forward could indicate how he will tackle his new role.

And he will also be faced with a decision over who will replace Simon Stevens, who steps down as NHS England chief executive at the end of July.

Tory peer Dido Harding, who was executive chair of the government's coronavirus Test &Trace programme until April this year, has put her hat in the ring as a potential replacement for Stevens, who steps down as NHS England chief executive at the end of July.

And while NHS England's board chooses Stevens's replacement, the government a via the health secretary a has a right of veto.

Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, said Javid's "immediate challenge" was to steer the NHS through the Covid-19 pandemic while supporting the health sector to "clear the substantial backlog of care".

"More than five million patients are now waiting for treatment, demand for mental health and emergency services is rising fast and we face a potentially difficult winter on the horizon. These are significant tasks. This is all alongside making plans to live with Covid-19 over the longer-term," she said.

By Geraldine Scott, PA Political Correspondent

source: PA

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - The Irish government is bringing forward a decision on whether to delay the next planned round of Covid-19 relaxations in Ireland, the Taoiseach has said.

Micheal Martin said Cabinet would now deliberate on the scheduled July 5 reopening of indoor hospitality in Ireland early this week.

A decision on the return to indoor dining and drinking had initially been expected later in the week, however, ministers have faced intensifying calls from bar and restaurant owners to urgently provide clarity.

They have made the point that they need to tell their staff whether or not they will be working on July 5.

Martin said there were a number of moving parts to the decision, including the spread of the Delta variant of Covid-19 in Ireland.

He said whether the green light will be given to administering hundreds of thousands of surplus AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines to younger age cohorts in Ireland would also be an "important factor".

In an interview with RTE, Martin said a "steady" approach to the reopening of society had worked to date and he wanted to make sure that there would be "no going back" to forced closures.

"It will be a decision that will be taken early in the week," said Martin.

Martin did not rule out the prospect of the reopening proceeding but with more robust infection control measures in place.

He said "various scenarios" could emerge in how hospitality could operate in the weeks ahead.

The AstraZeneca PLC and Johnson & Johnson's Janssen jabs are currently not given to younger adults in Ireland as a precautionary measure in response to rare incidences of blood clotting linked to the jabs.

Martin said the National Immunisation Advisory Committee was considering whether to alter that advice in the face of the Delta variant's emergence.

He said Niac's advice would influence the National Public Health Emergency Team's deliberations on whether to recommend delaying the July 5 relaxations.

"Given the fact that the Delta variant is here, it's an issue that merits re-examination, it is being re-examined, and Nphet is anxious that that examination would feed into its deliberations," he said.

Martin said the government would also need to examine modelling in respect of the potential impact of the Delta variant.

He said he would also look to how the variant has spread in other countries, such as the UK.

"The calculus is different now, the risk is different now than Christmas time for example," he said.

"We have 2.5 million people vaccinated now, fully vaccinated, with close to four million overall vaccine doses administered a between first and second doses [and] the older age cohorts have been protected.

"So all of that has to feed into the decisions that we take in respect to this.

"And I understand just how difficult and devastating a year it has been for hospitality in particular a we get that, we understand that, and we also understand the need to give early notice."

Martin added: "We're going to engage with public health authorities, cabinet colleagues, the other party leaders and make decisions that are sensible.

"We're very conscious in terms of the impact that the entire pandemic has had on the hospitality sector. I'm always conscious also from the other side of the coin that retail people would have said to me, 'look, when you open this time, we want to stay open' and the same applies to hospitality.

"The worst thing that can happen is you open somebody up and then you start closing again."

International travel for non-essential purposes is set to be permitted across the EU from July 19 as a consequence of the introduction of the bloc's Covid passport.

Martin indicated that Ireland would continue to keep aligned with the rest of Europe on that date.

"We're part of the European framework and we've given a commitment in relation to the 19th, so I think we will continue to operate the European Digital Certificate from the 19th onwards," he said.

Many people within the 60-69 age cohort in Ireland have faced extended waits for their second vaccine jabs.

Martin said action was being taken to address the situation, with the intention to have all second does administered by July 19.

Asked about the government timeline for reducing public spending on Covid-19 supports, Martin said Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe and Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath would be making a summer economic statement.

"There will be a clear overall fiscal framework adopted by government in respect of the deficit and over time bring that down," he added.

Martin said the shorter term continuation of current coronavirus policies was important, warning of the potential to "cut off the recovery as it's happening".

He said sectors of the economy would be "weaned off" subsidies "over time".

Meanwhile, the Department of Health confirmed 340 more positive cases of Covid-19 in Ireland on Sunday.

The latest figures also show there are 47 people in hospital with the virus, including 15 in intensive care.

By David Young, PA

source: PA

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Today

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds light and variable.

Tonight

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds light and variable.

Tomorrow

Isolated thunderstorms in the morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. High 89F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
ARCADIA  The 2021 Arcadia Daze grand marshal has been chosen.

Arcadia native Sue Stoops will serve as grand marshal for the 40th annual Arcadia Daze celebration. Stoops is known to always keep the good of her family and the community in mind.

The Stoops family has a rich history of giving to the community of Arcadia, having put on the Friday night Arcadia Daze fireworks over Lake Michigan for a number of years. Many consider the display the highlight of the Arcadia Daze weekend. The fireworks are made possible by Stoops and her family's planning and organizing of numerous fundraising activities, including dinners at the local community center.

Stoops often can be found at the center of it all, cooking, serving and  most important to her  ensuring everyone is well taken care of.

Stoops and her husband, Ron, were married in 1965. They began their entrepreneurial business venture in 1975. They first rented camping and dock space at the old campground on Lake Arcadia and Ron, a skilled mechanic, did boat repair.

By 1978, the couple was blessed with three children and that year they purchased property on M-22, where their business sits today.

The Arcadia Ice House Ice Cream Shoppe, the Lily Pad Gift Shoppe and the Arcadia Marine Store are just a few of the places one can find Stoops diligently working and warmly welcoming everyone to Arcadia.

As a tribute to Ron, their beloved late husband and father, Stoops and her family hold the Minnehaha Brewhaha Music Festival on Labor Day weekend. The festival features live bands; food; and tastings from local breweries, wineries and distilleries. Ron was an avid music lover and a bass player in his band, The Galaxies, who often played in the Arcadia Ice House. In memory of Ron, the Stoops formed the nonprofit, Music Moves Me. Proceeds from the festival go to the Ronald Stoops Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Interlochen Center for the Arts and towards music education at local schools.

Stoops is family-oriented, a committed community leader and a devoted member of the historic Trinity Lutheran Church. She and her family are woven into Arcadia's history and have much more history yet to write.

Arcadia Daze is a fundraiser for the Arcadia Lions, with all profits going to local charities. The Lions feel they could not have chosen a more giving, generous and deserving Arcadian than Stoops to be the grand marshal of the 2021 Arcadia Daze.

For more information on Arcadia Daze, visit http://townshipofarcadia.org/arcadia-daze.html.
Mankato, MN (56001)

Today

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 70F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 70F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Atlanta, GA (30303)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 67F. Winds light and variable..

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Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 67F. Winds light and variable.
The second season of The Family Man is seeing an unprecedented level of success and fame. Not only was it one of the most-watched Indian OTT series this year, but it also managed to climb to the fourth spot, on IMDbs most popular shows in the world.



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Of course, all the actors, are getting heaps of praise for their performances, but a special mention has to go out to the antagonists of the series - Darshan Kumar, who plays Major Samir, Samantha Akkineni who plays Rajalakshmi, and of course, Shahab Ali, who plays Sajid.



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Shahab Ali in particular has been very impressive over the two seasons. In a recent interview, he shared how the fervorous response to The Family Man has been an overwhelming experience.



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Speaking to a national daily, he said, Ive been receiving sketches of Sajid and video edits. Frankly, I expected this, but I never thought it was going to get so big and people were going to like my characters so much. It has been overwhelming for me.



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He also shared how financial constraints, at one point, almost prevented him from becoming an actor. I started with street theatre in the Delhi University. The circumstances were not favourable so I did a course in journalism and even worked for a year for a newspaper. I always felt I was not very good at it. I was not enjoying it either.



 Instagram/shahab.thespian

He spoke to his mother about this, and soon, applied for the National School of Drama in New Delhi, after quitting his job. Here my life changed completely, he says. Shahab, who graduated from NSD in 2015, continued, I cracked the audition for Indias first Broadway-style musical, Zangoora, where I performed for three years till 2018. Then I started doing Mughal-e-Azam, the musical, in Mumbai, and I am still a part of it.



 Instagram/shahab.thespian

When asked about financial stability and acting, Shahab had quite a lot to say.



Financially, it has been tough for me, and it still is. Both the musical shows gave me some stability. I was able to support my family and pursue my dream, he said. Shahab added, I wanted to come to Mumbai but knew that I couldnt afford to be there. I could shift because of the stability these musicals gave me. The Family Man has also given me some hope.

 Instagram/shahab.thespian

However, the lockdown has been particularly hard for Shahab.Before the release of The Family Man, I was in a very difficult situation. All work had stopped and I vacated my flat in Mumbai and came back home. He says he still is in Delhi and is waiting to go back and resettle in Mumbai.



 Instagram/shahab.thespian

Shahab will be seen in another web series, this time on MX Player on one of their originals. We just hope that an actor of his calibre does really well and establishes himself in the industry.


Bollywood life may involve spending long exotic vacations across the globe while also maintaining a bunch of fancy cars under one's garage. However, it is not for everyone.



While it comes easy to some, a few born in the royal family of superstars choose to walk and do something else with their lives, other than just acting.

Be it a luxury clothing line or some other business venture, we have made a list of a few celeb siblings, who despite having it all wanted to carve their niche.

1. Shweta Bachchan-Nanda

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The daughter of Bollywood Hall of Famer Amitabh Bachchan and the older sister of Abhishek Bachchan, Shweta Bachchan-Nanda began her career by modeling for L'Officiel India, a French fashion magazine.



However, instead of continuing to work in the glamour industry and migrating to Bollywood like the rest of her family, she carved her path by working as a columnist for many publications, with The Tribune also praising her columns for being "funny" and "insightful".

In 2018, Shweta also launched her own fashion label called MXS, along with Indian designer Monisha Jaising. Other than that, she is also the brand ambassador for Kalyan Jewellers and also launched her debut novel, Paradise Towers, which was published by HarperCollins.

Surely, talent oozes out throughout the Bachchan family.

2. Riddhima Kapoor Sahni

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Sister of Indian heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor and daughter of late veteran Rishi Kapoor, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni was born in a family full of Bollywood stars.



Cousins with the super successful sister-duo of Kareena Kapoor Khan and Karishma Kapoor, Riddhima chose to stay away from the life of turning up on film sets to ply her trade in the field of fashion designing.

The 40-year-old fashion jewelry designer has her own personal jewelry line known as R Jewellery.

In 2016, she also designed the earrings for American actress Goldie Hawn and followed it up by launching her own clothing brand in 2018, called "Sam & Friends", which is named after her daughter.

3. Rhea Kapoor

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Sister to actors Sonam Kapoor Ahuja and Harrshvardhan Kapoor, and daughter of Bollywood's ageless superstar Anil Kapoor, Rhea Kapoor is someone who is known to juggle from being a producer, a celebrity stylist, and entrepreneur.



While the 34-year-old has worked on movies like Aisha, Khoobsurat, and Veere Di Wedding as a producer, she also is the co-founder of a high-street fashion brand called 'Rheason, which probably stands for "Rhea and Sonam", as she launched it along with her older sister back in 2017.

4. Siddharth Roy Kapur

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Oldest of the brother trio which also has actors Aditya Roy Kapur and Kunaal Roy Kapur, Siddharth Roy Kapur is the former head MD of Walt Disney India and a renowned film producer.



Despite hailing from a film background, Kapur went on to do an MBA from the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute and had successful stings with The Procter & Gamble Company and Star TV across India, Dubai, and Hong Kong in marketing leadership roles.

While his brothers made a household name for themselves with a host of Bollywood movies, Siddharth worked his way up the ladder in the business world, and to staggering success.

Well, talent sure runs in the Kapur Family, and in all forms.

5. Ekta Kapoor

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The word Ekta Kapoor remains a brand name in itself. As of today, the sister of Tusshar Kapoor and daughter of veteran actor Jeetendra stands as the spine of the Indian television industry.



The 45-year-old is clearly a force to be reckoned with in regard to her status as being one of the most highly respected entrepreneurs across India.

Back in 2012, Kapoor was featured in the Forbes list of Asia Power Businesswomen and deservedly so.

The joint Managing Director and Creative Head of Balaji Telefilms Limited is clearly at the top of her game and with a plethora of soap operas, movies, and television web series that are currently being made under her supervision, there is no doubt her empire will only expand further.
In a story that would perhaps make the perfect sequel for a film like Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, a disgruntled employee of a news channel posed as PM Modis personal secretary to get a new and better paying job at a different news channel.



 UTV Motion Pictures

Bharat Verma, a resident of Greater Noida, works with a news channel based in Noida. Recently, Vermas organisation introduced a series of pay cuts for all of its employees. While all the other disgruntled employees accepted their fate and those pay cuts begrudgingly, Verma decided to act on it.



 iStock

He sent an email to the CEO of a national news channel based in Noida, where he introduced himself as Abhijeet, the personal assistant to the personal secretary of Prime Minister Modi. In the email, Verma informed the CEO that PM Modis secretary would like to have a word with him, and would like to allocate a time for that.



 BCCL

The CEO of the news channel promptly set up a call for the next day. The next day, at the set time, a person called the CEO and introduced himself as the personal secretary of Prime Minister Modi. The caller then said that a man named Bharat Verma should be given an opportunity to work for the news channel and that he would be sending his resume shortly.



 iStock

The next day, an interview was set up between the CEO & Verma. When Verma arrived for the job interview, the staff, as well as the CEO, grew a little suspicious. Upon further investigation, they found out that it was Verma who had sent them that email, and it was Bharat who had called them.



A complaint was lodged against Verma and he was promptly handed over to the police, who booked him under sections 419 (cheating by personation) and 170 (personating a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code.

 iStock

In a statement to the Times Of India, the Noida police said that Verma worked at the desk of a news channel, where there were pay cuts. They believe Verma hatched this plan, thinking that this would be the best and possibly sureshot way to land a job at a different news channel, without having to go through a rigorous background check.



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Now, we know that people often lie on their resumes, but this was a boss level move that ultimately backfired. Do let us know in the comments what you think about fudging references and work history to secure a new job.


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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
KABUL - Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Mohammad Haneef Atmar met with the Special Representative of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mohammad Ebrahim Taherian, this afternoon.

Mr. Taherian briefed Minister Atmar on the outcomes of his recent visit to Pakistan.

Referring to the importance of regional consensus and strengthening relations between the three countries, he proposed a trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan.

Underscoring the need to further strengthen friendly relations between Kabul and Tehran, Minister Atmar noted that consolidating and expanding bilateral and multilateral relations were of vital importance.

Minister Atmar acknowledged in principle the proposed trilateral meeting and states that the holding of the meeting was instrumental for strengthening regional consensus for the success of peace process.

Given the importance of practical cooperation between the two countries, Minister Atmar underscored convening of the sixth Joint Economic Commission meeting between Afghanistan and Iran.
Thousands of people are without power in the Huron County, dozens of properties were destroyed and approximately six people were injured following a storm system that produced a tornado in Port Austin June 26.

According to the DTE Energy power outage map, approximately 3,200 people have been without power since late afternoon June 26, and the company expects to have power restored to most areas by 11:30 p.m. June 27. The majority of the power outages were in Port Austin, with additional outages in Kinde, Bad Axe, and other areas scattered around the county.

"An unannounced, unexpected tornado came out about a half mile south of town," Emergency Manager Randy Miller told Robert Creenan following the storm. "It took out a bunch of power lines, hit a couple of houses, we have injuries down there but I can't give you an extent at this time."

Miller and Huron County Sheriff Kelly Hanson flew over the damaged area June 27 to survey the damages. Hanson said the damage path was approximately three and a half miles long.

Miller said in addition to injuries caused by the storm, two firefighters suffered heat exhaustion during emergency efforts after the storm.

The primary path of damage stretched from M-53 just north of Dollar General and continued on a northeast path narrowly missing Bird Creek Farms, damaging several houses in the Forest Creek subdivision, traveling along Pointe Aux Barques Road and eventually departing in Eagle Bay.

Veronica Heins Wolschleger captured a video of the funnel cloud while driving parallel to the storm and posted it to several Facebook groups.

There was also reports of damage in downtown Port Austin. Several people told the Tribune they watched roofing lift off the historic Port Austin gymnasium.

A visitor from Lansing was able to watch the possible tornado as it went through town.

"I was standing there and all of the sudden it was really dark off to the edge," visitor Nick Hart told Birdsall. "Winds picked up and you see a big white explosion across the way. Then the roof of that building over there starts coming apart. You see the funnel start forming and roof pieces are flying all over the place. It came across from there and went to a field to the left."

"I saw a funnel," Hart continued. "It was very quick. It wasn't long. It got almost to the building, I don't know if it touched the ground or not."

Another woman saw a similar thing as Hart.

"I saw that building, the old Port Austin gym, there was stuff flying from the top of it and went right behind this gas station and hit the power line," Breyton Meeks said.

Following the storm, the American Red Cross set up a shelter in Bad Axe for anyone displaced by the storm. Bad Axe business Huron's Finest also reportedly opened up one of the company's coolers for any Port Austin businesses that remained without power and needed cooler space.

Several community members turned to the "You must be from Port Austin, Michigan if ..." Facebook page expressing gratitude for the efforts of Huron County emergency crews following the storm.

"I just wanted to tell all of the fire departments that were here yesterday, all of the police officers, all of the ambulance personnel that showed up from all over the county both on duty and off duty... good job," Port Austin resident Jennifer Upthegrove said. "To all of those who are still on duty out patrolling keeping everyone safe everyday, thank you. What you do is a thankless job and you all certainly don't hear it enough."
JERUSALEM (AP)  Shipments of Qatari-funded fuel into the Gaza Strip will resume for the first time since last month's 11-day war between Israel and Gaza's militant Hamas rulers, the U.N. envoy to the Mideast said Sunday.

The move indicates a return to the informal understandings between Israel and Hamas in recent years, in which the Islamic militant group has traded calm for much-needed aid and development projects in the blockaded territory.

The fuel will be delivered to Gaza's sole power plant starting Monday, U.N. envoy Tor Wennesland said in a statement.

The Israeli military body that oversees civilian affairs in Gaza confirmed the deliveries without saying who was paying for the fuel. The military said permission for the deliveries was conditional on the continued maintenance of security stability.

Last month's war was halted by an informal truce brokered by Egypt. Hamas has demanded a significant easing of the blockade, while Israel has vowed to respond militarily to even minor attacks from the territory.

The delivery of Qatari aid is controversial in Israel, where critics say it rewards militancy. When he was education minister, current Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in a 2018 interview with Israeli media compared it to protection money.

Qatar has provided hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years to pay for electricity, help Hamas cover the salaries of its civil servants and provide monthly stipends to poor families. Qatar has also funded the construction of new roads and hospitals in Gaza.

Israel and Egypt imposed a crippling blockade on Gaza in 2007 after Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces. Israel says the restrictions are needed to keep Hamas from importing military resources, while critics of the blockade view it as collective punishment of the territory's more than 2 million Palestinian residents.
MIDDLETOWN  Amid calls to remove police officers from the citys schools, an education board committee has voted to mostly keep them, while adjusting the program.

The student resource officer exploratory committee was asked to vote on 11 points on whether to eliminate police in the schools or make changes to the program.

The majority of the group voted Wednesday against fully maintaining the program. They voted to remove SROs from the primary schools, and phasing out SROs and replacing them with mental health workers. Nearly all members voted to support an updated agreement between the education board and police department.

The full Board of Education will consider the panels recommendations and vote on a final decision.

Earlier this month, more than a dozen people offered insights and first-hand perspectives to the panel on whether SROs are needed in district schools. The debate has been playing out across the nation in response to calls last year to defund the police.

Middletown Police Chief Michael Timbro, who said hes been contacted by many parents about the program, said SROs are invaluable to building relationships with youth, especially in the elementary schools.

SROs do that before, unfortunately, maybe the first time they met an officer was in a crisis or domestic violence. Theyre scared and already shaken, said Timbro, who has mentored a primary school student.

When he went in to the classroom the first few times, children looked at him in surprise, he said.

Some of them were already scared, he said.

Eventually, the chief built a relationship with his mentee and other students, which he found phenomenal.

At the three- or four-month mark, the kids were wondering where was Officer Timbro? Why isnt he here today? They were looking forward to it, he said.

Over the past few years, Timbro said, the force would not have known about violent incidents in town if students werent comfortable alerting the SROs.

He also sees the other side of the issue  that students may be uncomfortable with police in the schools. Timbro suggested the SROs could meet with students and their parents, teachers, counselors or others to talk about concerns.

Sgt. Bill Porter told panel members police have a great relationship with school administrators.

Were all just a phone call away, he said.

However, Board of Education Chairwoman Lisa Loomis referenced a national study conducted earlier this year that examined 133 incidents that occurred between 1980 and 2019 in which at least one person was intentionally shot in a school or a person arrived at a school heavily armed. Among those, 85 percent were current or former students under 21, she said.

An armed guard was on the scene in almost a quarter of the cases, she said.

The death rate was nearly three times higher when armed guards were present, which, the study said, may be because shooters anticipate security personnel and come more heavily armed, Loomis said.

Many parents and students have said there is a need for mental health support, especially in the wake of the pandemic. Social workers and psychologists are more equipped to deal with those situations, Loomis said.

One student told Loomis he had to wait three months to talk to someone at the local health center, she said.

After reviewing the evidence, Loomis said, shes determined SROs create an illusion of school safety while contributing to a fear for students.

The city has never defined the program, she said.

About 10 years ago, we were among the top high schools in the state for arrests, and that rate has gone down, said Loomis, who questioned whether that has declined because of SROs or an increase in restorative justice practices.

Most school districts in Connecticut do not have SROs, Loomis said.

We need to be more intentional and imaginative in the work were doing, said Youth Services Coordinator Justin Carbonella, who recommended officials flip that script of police-centered solutions instead of engaging youth in the process.

Theres a broader world view we need to bring in, Carbonella said

Parent Diana Martinez said she doesnt know what her childrens rights are when they are in school without the presence of their parents if they are arrested or questioned by police.

We have a responsibility as a district to say were going to have officers in this school, heres how theyve been trained, their scope of practice, and what rights parents and children have, Martinez said.
MIDDLETOWN  Police say a routine traffic stop last week led to the discovery of a stash of fentanyl worth $16,000 hidden in the pants of the drivers father.

An officer attempted to pull over a Nissan Maxima after seeing the driver, who was identified as Nahkyn Durazzo, of Omo Street, talking on his cellphone around 4:30 a.m. June 21, police said.

However, police said Durazzo sped up and pulled into Wharfside Commons apartments. The officer called out several times for Durazzo to stop as he ran toward the apartments, police said.

Durazzo ran toward his father, Rudolph Durazzo, who pulled his son into one of the units and closed the door, police said.

As officers detained both men, police said Rudolph Durazzo was found in possession of $727 in cash, packaged in small denominations, which is indicative of street-level illicit drug sales, the police report said. They also identified a digital scale with remnants of fentanyl on it, the report said.

Inside the car, police said they found baggies containing 3.35 grams of marijuana, and 3.1 grams of crack cocaine.

Police said Nahkyn Durazzo is a self-proclaimed Campanella Park Piru Bloods gang member who was released from prison in March and is suspected of several shootings in Middletown.

Police said a search inside Rudolph Durazzos pants turned up 15.88 grams of fentanyl worth $16,000.

Nahkyn Durazzo faces numerous charges, including conspiracy to commit the sale of a controlled substance, conspiracy to commit possession of less than a half-ounce of marijuana, conspiracy to commit the operation of a drug factory, conspiracy to commit the sale of a controlled substance, and conspiracy to commit the sale of a controlled substance within 1,500 feet of a day care.

Hes being held in lieu of a $75,000 surety bond and is expected to appear Tuesday in state Superior Court in Middletown.

Rudolph Durazzo, of Burgundy Hill Lane, was charged with operation of a drug factory, sale of hallucinogens, sale of a hallucinogenic substance, use of drug paraphernalia, possession of drug paraphernalia in a school zone, use of drug paraphernalia, counts of possession of drugs near a school, possession of drugs near a day care, resisting arrest, and possession of less than a half-ounce of cannabis.

He was released on a $20,000 surety and given an Aug. 2 court date.
WASHINGTON (AP)  A closely watched voting rights dispute from Arizona is among five cases standing between the Supreme Court and its summer break. But even before the justices wrap up their work, likely later this week, they could say whether theyll add more high-profile issues to what already promises to be a consequential term, beginning in October.

This month, the court has already issued big decisions on health care and religious freedom. And next term, the high court has agreed to take on cases about abortion and guns. The court could say as soon as Monday what it will do about these issues awaiting action:

TRANSGENDER RIGHTS

A Virginia school board is asking the court to uphold a policy, struck down by lower courts, that prohibits transgender students from using school bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity. The case has been around for six years, since then-high school student Gavin Grimm filed a federal lawsuit over the Gloucester County board's refusal to allow him to use the boys bathroom.

RELIGION

The justices just wrapped up a case involving a church-affiliated foster care agency that declined to work with same-sex couples, ultimately siding with the agency. Now they'll have to decide whether to hear other cases involving religious freedom claims. Alternately, they could send the cases back to lower courts for review in light of their recent decision.

The pending cases include a dispute out of Washington state involving a florist who refused to provide arrangements for a same-sex wedding. The Supreme Court already sent that case back once to lower courts to be revisited after the court's 2018 ruling involving a Colorado baker who declined to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple.

Also waiting is a case involving a Catholic hospital in Maryland sued by a transgender man who sought to have a hysterectomy. The hospital canceled the procedure, saying it was contrary to its Catholic faith, after learning the reason for it.

ABU GHRAIB

Seventeen years after shocking photographs of prisoners being abused at the U.S.-run prison in Abu Ghraib were first made public, Iraqis who claim they were victims of torture are still seeking their day in court against a U.S. defense contractor that supplied the military with interrogators. The company, CACI Premier Technology of Arlington, Virginia, is appealing to the court on a technical legal issue that could delay or even prevent a trial. The inmates say they were beaten and tortured by military police officers who were acting at the direction of civilian interrogators who wanted the inmates softened up for questioning. CACI says none of its interrogators is linked to the abuse suffered by the men who are suing.

PROPERTY RIGHTS

A chocolate companys expansion plans are at the heart of what could be the courts biggest case about property rights in years, if the justices take it. The case involves a property the city of Chicago took by eminent domain in order to allow the Blommer Chocolate Company to expand.

Agreeing to hear the case would give the court the opportunity to overturn a 2005 case that has been roundly criticized by conservatives. In that case, the court divided 5-4 to say that the city of New London, Connecticut, could use eminent domain to take private property and then sell it to private developers as part of an attempt to revitalize the city. The decision was written by Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, who acknowledged it was the most unpopular opinion he ever wrote. Justice Antonin Scalia, who dissented, ranked it among the courts biggest mistakes. Only two justices who decided the case remain on the court: Justice Clarence Thomas and Justice Stephen Breyer. Stevens died in 2019 and Scalia in 2016.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

A book that became the Hollywood movie War Dogs is at the center of what could become a landmark First Amendment case. Shkelzen Berisha, the son of the former prime minister of Albania, says the book harmed him by falsely linking him to would-be arms dealers from Miami.

He sued for defamation and wants the justices to revisit the high bar the court has set for public figures to win defamation lawsuits. Berisha's complaint stems from a landmark civil rights-era case, New York Times v. Sullivan. As a result of Sullivan and cases that followed, public figures can win defamation lawsuits only if they can prove that the person publishing the falsehood knew the statement they made was false or made it with reckless disregard for the truth. Former President Donald Trump has complained about the high bar, and Thomas has said the court should consider overturning the case.
Catherine Avalone / Hearst Connecticut Media

Themis Klarides, the former House minority leader, took another step toward running for governor on Saturday, launching her campaign website a month after filing documents indicating that she may be self-funding her candidacy for the Republican nomination for governor in 2022.

The Themis2022.com website will be a place for voters to interact with Klarides, a former longtime representative from Derby who now lives in Madison, according to her campaign staff.
A lieutenant colonel with the Air National Guard has died while deployed to Qatar in support of the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the Defense Department announced Sunday.

Lt. Col. James Willis, 55, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, died Saturday in a non-combat incident at Al Udeid Air Base, the Defense Department said in a release. The incident is under investigation.

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Willis was the commander of the 210th Red Horse Squadron, New Mexico Air National Guard at Kirtland Air Force Base, the release states. According to the Air Force, the unit deployed on April 16 for missions in Southwest Asia.

Red Horse, or "Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers" squadrons typically oversee substantial engineering operations in a combat setting, such as rebuilding runways in the event of a base attack.

A spokesman for the New Mexico Air National Guard was unable to immediately provide further information on Willis' career.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.

Related: Air Force Cadet 1 of 2 Killed in Small Plane Crash in Texas
ROME (AP)  Hush-hush diplomacy. In-person visits. And a very public no-surprises agreement on Iran.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid will meet in Rome on Sunday as their new governments look to turn the page on former President Donald Trump and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose close alliance aggravated partisan divisions within both countries.

Now, with Trump sidelined in Florida and Netanyahu leading the opposition, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett are focused on pragmatic diplomacy rather than dramatic initiatives that risk fomenting opposition at home or distracting from other priorities.

That means aiming for smaller achievements, such as shoring up the informal cease-fire that ended last month's war with Gaza's militant Hamas rulers and replenishing Israel's Iron Dome defense system. A major push to revive the long-dormant peace process between Israel and the Palestinians could unsettle the delicate balance.

Nobody thinks its a good idea to start charging through on a major new peace initiative, said Ilan Goldenberg, a Mideast security expert at the nonprofit Center for a New American Security. But there are things you can do quietly under the radar, on the ground, to improve the situation.

That approach  of managing the conflict rather than trying to solve it  may succeed in papering over domestic divisions. But it also maintains a status quo that the Palestinians find increasingly oppressive and hopeless, and which has fueled countless cycles of unrest.

The Americans and Israelis will try to work out differences away from the public, as in Biden's quiet" diplomacy, when he privately urged Netanyahu to wind down the Israel-Hamas war ahead of a truce that took effect May 21.

They know you can have a pitched battle, or handle it behind closed doors and try to move the policy, said U.S. Democratic pollster Mark Mellman, who worked as a consultant on Lapids campaigns.

Both governments will try to preserve Israel's fragile governing coalition, in part by reducing provocations that played a part in sparking the 11-day war that claimed at least 254 Palestinian lives and killed 13 people in Israel.

The new coalition in Israel shares little beyond the conviction that Netanyahu had to go. It's composed of eight parties, each effectively with veto power on decisions. So if even one party bolts, Israel's government would be at serious risk of collapse, with Netanyahu waiting just offstage.

At least in the short term, Lapid, a centrist, will be Israel's point man on repairs to the tattered relationship with Biden and the Democrats. The party controls both houses of Congress but is increasingly divided on the Mideast conflict, with progressive members calling for the U.S. to exert more pressure on Israel.

What theyre building now is mutual trust, said Michael Oren, former Israeli ambassador to the United States under Netanyahu. I expect a change of tone rather than of substance... but there's a possibility that it could produce something better for Israel.

Topping the agenda in both countries are talks in Vienna over reviving Iran's 2015 accord with world powers to limit Tehran's ability to develop nuclear weapons. Trump, with Netanyahu's backing, pulled the U.S. out of the deal in 2018 and imposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic. Biden promised to restore and expand the agreement.

Though opposed to a new accord, Israel's new government seems intent on trying to influence the talks rather than scuttle them altogether. Netanyahu enraged many Democrats when he condemned the very bad deal before a joint session of Congress in 2015.

Netanyahu's defiance of the Obama administration, followed by his close ties to Trump, was widely seen as having undermined the traditional bipartisan U.S. support for Israel. And while Israelis welcomed Trump's diplomatic gifts to Netanyahu over the years, their timing often led to suspicions that he was trying to keep the prime minister in power through deadlocked elections and an ongoing corruption trial.

In contrast to Netanyahu's approach during the Obama era, Lapid recently announced that he and Blinken had agreed to a no-surprises policy in an effort to keep the lines of communication open. The two are expected to discuss the issue Sunday in Rome.

Even the right-leaning Bennett, who is ideologically aligned with the hawkish Netanyahu, has toned down the rhetoric on Iran.

We will continue to consult with our friends, persuade, discuss, and share information and insights out of mutual respect, Bennett said Thursday. But at the end of the day, we will be responsible for our own fate, nobody else.

Tamping down tensions  or at least not inflaming them  is a key strategy, the officials said. For example, Bennett is a religious nationalist who supports settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank. But he risks losing his job if he alienates his dovish coalition partners.

Officials expect there will be little settlement expansion beyond so-called natural growth." But that's a vaguely defined term that could allow for considerable construction, as well as moving ahead with major infrastructure projects that pave the way for explosive future growth.

An Israeli Defense Ministry body advanced plans for 31 settlement construction projects last week, including a shopping center and a special needs school, Israeli media reported.

On the U.S. side, the Biden administration has made clear it wants to extricate the country from intractable conflicts in the Middle East and focus on other challenges, such as climate change and competition with China.

On Monday, outgoing Israeli President Reuven Rivlin is to visit Washington at Biden's invitation. A group of House Democrats are planning an official trip to Israel as soon as Congress July 4th recess.

There's even talk of Lapid and Bennett traveling to Washington later in the summer, separately or together, the officials said. Bennett will serve as prime minister for the first two years, followed by Lapid, the architect of the coalition.

All the officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss administration plans and logistics, which have not been finalized.

So far, the reset seems to be functioning. But with the Israeli coalition barely two weeks old, significant challenges loom.

Biden has moved to reverse Netanyahu-backed Trump policies that alienated the Palestinians, and the administration has said Israelis and Palestinians should enjoy equal measures of security and prosperity.

But the U.S. has yet to explain how it intends to bring that about without ending Israel's half-century military occupation of the West Bank, its blockade on Hamas-ruled Gaza and discriminatory policies in Jerusalem that fueled a spring of unrest.

On the Israeli side, making peace with the Democrats appears to be the more urgent priority.

"They are angry, Lapid said as he took the helm of Israels foreign ministry. We need to change the way we work with them.

___

Kellman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Knickmeyer reported from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
BAGHDAD (AP)  Thousands of members of Iraqs umbrella of mostly Shiite militias known as Popular Mobilization Forces marched in a parade Saturday, the largest show of strength since the founding of the controversial paramilitary group.

Russian-made tanks, boats, rocket launchers and ammunition were on display in the parade in Diyala province, north of Baghdad, held to mark the seventh anniversary of the formation of the PMF, established after a 2014 call to arms by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani to defeat militants from the Islamic State group.

At the time, IS held a third Iraq's territory and the Iran-backed militias were critical to boosting the Iraqi government forces, which aided by the U.S.-led coalition eventually defeated the Islamic State group.

However, a rift has recently emerged between the paramilitary force and the government, following the arrest of PMF commander Qassim Musleh last month on terrorism charges. Musleh was later released, a move that embarrassed Iraqs leadership and laid bare the limits of the governments ability to bring militia leaders to account.

Also on Saturday, a bomb-laden drone struck a building in an empty village just 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the new location of the U.S. Consulate in Irbil, in Kurdish-run northern Iraq. The building was still under construction and there were no casualties, according to a senior Kurdish official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters.

Rockets and drones have continued to target the U.S.-led coalition across Iraq, with Western officials blaming Iran-backed Shiite militias. Iran-backed groups have become the most powerful and influential within the PMF.

The parade, held in Camp Ashraf, saw Russian-made tanks, boats and locally made rocket launchers come down a broad thoroughfare. The event was broadcast on Iraqi state TV.

Also taking part in the parade were PMF units with Yazidi militiamen, who marched wearing their ceremonial white, as well as Christian and Sunni groups.

The marchers also held large posters of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a top militia leader killed in a U.S.-led airstrike last year outside the Baghdad airport. The strike also killed top Iranian commander, Gen. Qassim Soleimani of the Revolutionary Guard's Quds Force, whose slaying came close to pushing Iran and the U.S. into full-blown conflict.

However, though PMF often brandishes Soleimani's image together with that of al-Muhandis at the paramilitary banners that line the streets of Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq, images of the Iranian general were absent from the parade  likely an attempt to project cross-sectarian unity of the militias.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, officially the country's commander-in-chief, presided over the parade.

We affirm our work is being done under the flag of Iraq, and the protection of its land and its people is our duty, he tweeted during the parade.

Also conspicuously absent from the parade were militias affiliated with firebrand cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and al-Sistani, a sign of deepening divisions within the PMF and dissatisfaction with the growing influence of Iran-backed groups.
June 27, 2021 'Leaked' Documents: British HMS Defender Stunt Near Crimea Was An Intentional Provocation Last week someone 'leaked' a number of confidential papers from the British Ministry of Defence to the BBC: Classified Ministry of Defence documents containing details about HMS Defender and the British military have been found at a bus stop in Kent. One set of documents discusses the likely Russian reaction to the ship's passage through Ukrainian waters off the Crimea coast on Wednesday. Another details plans for a possible UK military presence in Afghanistan after the US-led Nato operation there ends.

...

The documents, almost 50 pages in all, were found in a soggy heap behind a bus stop in Kent early on Tuesday morning. A member of the public, who wishes to remain anonymous, contacted the BBC when he realised the sensitive nature of the contents. The BBC believes the documents, which include emails and PowerPoint presentations, originated in the office of a senior official at the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Last week saw a provocative move against Russia by a British warship in the Black Sea. The documents include this map which shows two potential routes that the HMS Defender could have taken to sail from Odessa in the Ukraine to Batumi in Georgia.

bigger The British government ordered the ship to take the aggressive route through territorial waters of Crimea which the Russian government had announced to be off limits. Those three designated off-limits zones are marked on the British map! Taking that route was patently illegal under international law. The map thus proves that the move of the HMS Defender was an intended provocation, not an 'innocent passage' as the British government had originally claimed. The BBC acknowledges this but insists on the false claim that the British move was legal: Following the controversy generated by HMS Defender's mission, the documents discovered in Kent confirm that passage through the TSS was a calculated decision by the British government to make a show of support for Ukraine, despite the possible risks involved. Was this gunboat diplomacy? It was certainly the use of a warship in pursuit of diplomatic goals. But its primary objective was not to "poke the Russian bear" (a phrase and sentiment conspicuously absent from the documents). This was all about freedom of navigation and a clear endorsement of Ukraine's sovereignty, following Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. Meanwhile Russia has adopted new policies on how to handle repeats of such provocations. Until recently the response from the Russian border guards to infractions in its territorial waters was the firing of machine canons as warning shots followed by aerial bombing of the target. The bombing of a ship could lead to significant casualties. The new policy will allow more nuanced responses: The Russian Ministry of Defense is creating a unified procedure for Russian aviation against ships violating the state border in response to the incident involving a British warship in the Black Sea on June 23, Izvestia writes. The new regulations will cover the use of lighter weapons to reduce the risk of serious military incidents since the use of conventional aerial bombs can be too dangerous.

...

The regulations are now under the consideration of the main command of the Navy and the Aerospace Forces. It will revise the set of weapons that aviation can use to fire warning shots against intruders. A proposal has been put forward to abandon the use of aerial bombs in favor of unguided aircraft missiles, sources in the military department told Izvestia. The next ship that tries to repeat the HMS Defender's stunt will leave with some holes in its hull and upper structures. The other main part of the leak is about U.S. requests to Britain to leave special operation forces in Afghanistan even after the NATO pullout: [O]ne document, addressed to Ben Wallace's private secretary, and marked "Secret UK Eyes Only", outlines highly sensitive recommendations for the UK's military footprint in Afghanistan, following the end of Operation Resolute Support, the Nato operation currently winding down in the wake of President Biden's decision earlier this year to withdraw American forces. The document discusses an American request for British assistance in several specific areas, and addresses the question of whether any British special forces will remain in Afghanistan once the withdrawal is complete. Media reports have already suggested Britain is considering leaving some forces behind. To keep special operation forces in Afghanistan without the backing of air support and a well protected logistic train would be lunatic. There will soon come a phase in Afghanistan during which the Taliban will fight against local warlords and drug kingpins in what will be number of highly chaotic battles. The Brits know this: "Any UK footprint in Afghanistan that persists... is assessed to be vulnerable to targeting by a complex network of actors," it says, noting that "the option to withdraw completely remains." Afghanistan, it says, is already becoming more dangerous. The reduced presence of Nato forces "is already impairing the situational awareness that we (and the US) used to enjoy across the country". The 'leak' to the BBC may not have come out of the Ministry of Defence or the military. There have been reports in the British press that the Foreign Ministry had opposed the decision to send the HMS Defender through Crimean waters: In a report released on Thursday night, the [Telegraph newspaper]  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 'leak' may thus to be a round in a fight within the British cabinet over a more or less aggressive foreign policy. Posted by b on June 27, 2021 at 11:30 UTC | Permalink Comments
President Joe Biden, with a bipartisan group of senators, speaks Thursday June 24, 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.
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP)  Maerg was serving customers at his cafe in Ethiopias Tigray village of Togoga when the military airstrike occurred, filling the room with dust and bringing down debris that struck him on the head.

Everything was covered in black smoke, it was like a hell, he told The Associated Press by phone, recounting one of the deadliest attacks in the Tigray conflict. There was so much blood.

Seven people were killed in his cafe alone, and some 30 were wounded, including his sister-in-law, who suffered burns on her face, hands and legs. Outside, he said, he saw dozens more bodies. As time passed, he watched in horror as survivors realized that Ethiopian soldiers were blocking medical aid from arriving.

We feel very angry because a lot of lives could have been saved, he said.

Such witness accounts are emerging after Ethiopias military has said it was responsible for the airstrike that struck Togogas busy marketplace on Tuesday, which health officials said killed at least 64 people and injured dozens more. Many died when soldiers blocked medical teams from reaching them, or from taking them to hospitals in the regional capital, Mekele, just 60 kilometers (37 miles) away, health workers said.

The military said the airstrike targeted Tigray fighters dressed in civilian clothes who had gathered to celebrate Martyrs Day. But witnesses told the AP that although fighters loyal to Tigrays former leaders had been active in the surrounding countryside days before the airstrike, armed men were not in Togoga on the day of the attack.

Most of the victims were women and children, said a doctor who treated people at the scene.

In a war that has been largely fought in the shadows, with communications and transport links often cut since fighting in Tigray began in November, the airstrike in Togoga was a rare instance of a massacre emerging almost immediately. Within minutes, one former resident had tweeted the news. Within hours, there was international condemnation.

Reprehensible, the United States said, as it, the United Nations and the European Union again called for a cease-fire in Tigray, where thousands of people have been killed and hundreds of thousands now face the world's worst famine in a decade.

Shaken survivors of the airstrike challenged the Ethiopian governments narrative, saying only civilians had been killed.

There were not any fighters in the marketplace, just rural people who had arrived for the market, said Luel, a farmer who was buying clothes there when the earth shook and his leg was broken by the blast. He said he saw around 60 bodies on the ground. As with others interviewed, the AP is using only his first name for his safety.

Habtay, who also was shopping in the market, also said no fighters were present. He suffered a shrapnel wound to his stomach but couldnt reach a hospital until Thursday, two days after the bombing.

Everything was covered in dust and smoke, he said. Helpless, he watched some survivors try to give each other first aid.

Medical care would not reach people for hours, even more than a day. Health workers told the AP they were repeatedly denied access to the Togoga by Ethiopian soldiers on the day of the attack and the following morning. One doctor, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, said soldiers shot at his ambulance when it tried to pass a checkpoint.

Yohannes, a farmer hit in the chest by a bomb fragment, said a convoy of four ambulances attempting to evacuate him and other patients to hospitals in Mekele was blocked by soldiers and ordered back to Togoga. One patient died after returning to the village, he said.

Even after reaching Mekele, six wounded survivors of the airstrike were detained en route to a hospital, a regional health official said, on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. Three were later released, but the others, including a teenage boy, were held at a military barracks, the official, who described the situation as very desperate. It was not clear why they were detained.

The airstrike occurred at a pivotal moment in Ethiopia, a day after much of the country voted in a national election that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize winner, has promoted as part of political reforms.

But the war in Tigray, sparked in part because the national election was delayed last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, has overshadowed the vote. The election itself has drawn criticism by the U.S. and other observers who pointed to the detention or harassment of some opposition figures and deadly insecurity in parts of the country.

Ethiopia, with the airstrike, again finds itself on the defensive. It has disputed allegations that its troops have committed widespread human rights violations in Tigray  though the U.N. has said all sides in the war have committed them  and it asserts that aid has reached 5.2 million people in the region of 6 million.

The murder of three Doctors Without Borders staffers, announced by the aid group on Friday, brought a new round of condemnation of the atrocities in Tigray. It was not immediately clear who killed them.
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The housing market in Myrtle Beach is still running hot, with homes selling in days well above the purchasing price.

Everything is going into multiple offers within 24/48 hours over asking price, said Seth June, owner and broker-in-charge of S.H. June and Associates.

According to the National Association of Realtors, 8% of Myrtle Beach-area homeowners bought their home in the past year, during which the median home value increased by over 10% to $267,000.

Nationally, the median existing-home price for all housing types saw a record year-over-year increase of 23.6% in May 2021," read an NAR press release. In April, national median home prices were up 19% from April 2020.

Jason Potter, owner and broker in charge of Grand Strand Coastal Realty, said homes are selling so fast that he has record-low inventory.

We are usually managing 5-7 months worth of inventory, meaning that if we were not to introduce any more homes to our inventory wed run out in 5-7 months, he explained. We were around 3-4 months before the pandemic. Now, were just over one month inventory levels.

The housing market has been booming nationwide, but the south is driving much of the trend. NAR found that the 45% of home sales were in southern states, leading the west and midwest by over 20% each.

The Myrtle Beach area is no exception.

Its historic, Potter said. I dont know that weve ever seen inventory levels this low.

Realtors interviewed by My Horry News attributed the housing boom to people trying to move closer near the ocean and pandemic-related lockdowns.

People have spent more time staying or working at home during the pandemic and so people are choosing places they would like to live more, June said.

Potter found this especially applied to older households.

When people were trapped in their home so many reconsidered what they wanted, Potter said. It really just sped up peoples retirement and relocation plans.

This was the case for Kathy Smith, who splits time between upstate New York and Myrtle Beach. During the first months of the pandemic, she was stuck in her smaller Myrtle Beach home with her husband and son visiting from college.

We realized during this pandemic that we wanted to make plans for a future home, she said, explaining that she and her husband plan on eventually living in Myrtle Beach full time. The house we had in Little River Road was too small to accommodate my family.

Smith said the home received three offers in less than two weeks. She decided to take early offers to hasten the move.

We found a new house, and the owner allowed us to wait for us to sell our old house so we went quickly, she said. We broke even, but if we wanted to wait we could have gotten more.

Others felt they couldnt turn down what might be a once-in-a-lifetime surge in equity.

Jim Jeffries, whose home is under contract, said he hadnt considered moving until he saw the potential offers.

Prices are really good, so we decided lets just see, he said, adding that hes lived in Myrtle Beach for five-and-a-half years. We needed to try to sell now while its hot. We still love Myrtle Beach, but we feel like God has a different plan.

He said his home sold in 9 days, for more than we paid initially.

Residents at Myrtle Beach's Del Webb shared that property values have appreciated considerably even for newer residents who bought homes shortly before the pandemic.

Lou Ann Barker moved to the age-restricted community from Florida to live closer to her daughter after her husband passed away.

Homes used to begin at 200s, she said. Now its at 300s, over the course of a year.

Like many others, she said she moved to Myrtle Beach for the amenities and activities available for people 55 and older.

Charles Williams, who had lived in Arcadian Shores, moved to Del Webb to downsize just before the pandemic.

We sold the house in 10 days, it was three bedroom, three bath, he said. My home here has appreciated by $35,000.

Michael and Diane Ivan, retired schoolteachers who signed their contract at the end of January 2020, have seen neighborhood home values appreciate even more.

We had a contract within six days, said Michael Ivan. Our property value is up drastically. One home nearby is selling for 60k more than we paid.

The rapid sale rate has likely contributed to a shortage in apartments, as many are selling homes before they have a chance to relocate.

People are looking at quite a bit of equity, so theyre faced with: If I sell it, I will make a lot of money, but I wont have anywhere to go, Potter said.

Larry Partridge, property manager of Patriots Way at the Beach, said there is currently a 30-person waiting list at his apartment complex.

Its been going off the wall for probably the last two months, Partridge said. Spring is usually a busy time of year, but this year its even moreso.

And while the surge in property values has been a boon to homeowners, it has also contributed to rent hikes in nearby apartments.

Myrtle Beachs Workforce Housing report, released in April, notes that higher income households can put upward pressure on prices and rent, placing housing further out of reach for those with more modest incomes.

Donna Ives, manager of Sandygate Village, which provides Section 8 housing, said she has seen more prospective applicants since the pandemic.

Theres always a high demand, since were income based, Ives said. But theres more demand and weve generated a lot of walk-ins lately. I think its people cant find housing in the area thats affordable.
For 42.9 million student loan borrowers, its been 18 months without a payment. That ends in October  ready or not.

The interest-free federal student loan payment pause, known as a forbearance, was extended three times after it initially went into effect in March 2020 as a way to help reduce the financial blow many borrowers experienced as a result of the pandemic.

But with payments set to resume in a few months, servicers  the companies that manage student loan payments  are already fielding thousands of calls a day from borrowers seeking student loan help, according to Scott Buchanan, executive director of the Student Loan Servicing Alliance, a nonprofit trade organization for student loan servicers.

Time is running out for both servicers and loan borrowers to prepare for repayment.

While Education Secretary Miguel Cardona has indicated its not out of the question to extend the loan forbearance beyond Sept. 30, for now borrowers should be prepared for bills to come due sometime in October (theyre supposed to be notified at least 21 days prior to their exact billing date).

TALK TO SERVICER

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.

If youre not sure who your servicer is, log in to your My Federal Student Aid account to find out. To ensure you dont miss any notifications, check that your contact information is up to date on your loan servicers website and in your StudentAid.gov profile.

KNOW OPTIONS

Your options are not pay or default, says Megan Coval, vice president of policy and federal relations at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. There are options in between for lowering payments. Nobody, including the federal government, wants to see you go into default.

Default happens after roughly nine months of late federal loan payments. It can result in a damaged credit score, wage garnishment, withheld tax refunds and other financial burdens.

 If payments will be a hardship: Enrolling in an income-driven repayment plan sets payments at a portion of your income, which could be $0 if youre out of work or underemployed. Or you could opt to pause payments (with interest collecting) using an unemployment deferment or forbearance.

 If you were delinquent before the pause: Your loans will be reset into good standing. Making monthly payments on time will help you retain that status. But if you think you might miss a payment or you dont think you can afford payments altogether, contact your servicer about enrolling in an income-driven plan.

 If you were in default before the pause: Contact your loan holder or the education departments default resolution group to find out how to enter into loan rehabilitation and get back into good standing.

FIND RESOURCES

Servicers may be your first point of contact, but they dont have to be your last. You may have other needs your servicer isnt providing, such as financial difficulty beyond your student loans or legal advice.

Cash-strapped borrowers can find legitimate student loan help for free with organizations such as The Institute of Student Loan Advisors . Other student loan help, such as a credit counselor or a lawyer, will charge fees. You can find reputable credit counselors through organizations such as the National Foundation for Credit Counseling .

Financial planners can also help, but its best to look for one with student loan expertise, such as a certified student loan professional.

You can find legal assistance, including advice on debt settlement and pursuing bankruptcy, with lawyers who specialize in student loans or with legal services in your state as listed by the National Consumer Law Center.

If your issue is with your servicer, contact the Federal Student Loan Ombudsman Group, which resolves federal student aid disputes. You can also file a complaint with the Federal Student Aid Feedback Cente r or the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

AVOID SCAMMERS

Legitimate student loan help organizations wont seek you out with offers of debt resolution through unsolicited texts, emails or phone calls. Most importantly, you dont have to pay anyone to apply to consolidate your debt, enter into an income-driven repayment plan or apply for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

The hard and fast rule is that applying for (consolidation and repayment) programs is free, says Kyra Taylor, staff attorney focusing on student loans at the National Consumer Law Center. I think when people realize what they can do for free, it makes it easier for them to spot scams.

And dont fall for any company that promises to forgive your student loans or wait for the government to do so  thus far, no executive action from President Joe Biden or legislation from Congress has come to pass.
Lomachenko batters Nakatani, scores 9th-round TKO in return View Photo

LAS VEGAS (AP)  Former three-weight world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko was successful in his return to the ring, with a ninth-round TKO of Japanese veteran Masayoshi Nakatani on Saturday night. With Nakatanis left eye closed after eight devastating rounds, Lomachenko (15-2, 11 KOs) used a flurry of battering lefts to finish off his much taller opponent in what was a statement return in his first bout since an upset loss to Teofimo Lopez in October. Lomachenko landed 59% of his power punches, as he dominated from the opening bell, peppering Nakatani with a steady stream of hard, straight lefts. Lomachenko was only hit by 12% of Nakatanis power punches.

W.G. RAMIREZ

Associated Press
UK: Joint airdrop drill affirms UKs support for Jordan View Photo

RAF AKROTIRI, Cyprus (AP)  British paratroopers have trained together with Jordanian soldiers in an airdrop over the Middle Eastern country to underscore the U.K.s support for Jordan and its commitment to regional stability, Britains armed forces minister said.

Minister James Heappey said in a statement that Wednesdays joint exercise of 150 paratroopers from Britains 16 Air Assault Brigade and 84 Jordanian parachutists demonstrates that U.K. armed forces stand with Jordan against shared threats in the region.

Brigade Commander Brigadier James Martin said British forces will play a role in deepening strong, historic bilateral ties in the Middle East and North Africa region, which are vital to U.K. prosperity and security.

The jump by the paratroopers  the Brigades lead assault force  took place during Jordans 100th year of independence.

The brigade is a key element of the U.K.s Global Response Force, a versatile force that can quickly undertake assigned missions around the world.

They are the soldiers of the future, ready to tackle changing threats around the world, Heappey said.

The British paratroopers jumped from a C130 Hercules transport aircraft flying at 1,000 feet that took off from RAF Akrotiri, a British air base on the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Armed with SA80 and sniper rifles, light and heavy machine guns, an 81mm mortar and a light artillery gun, the British paratroopers were joined by Jordanian troops in assaulting a mock village.

The Brigade is also conducting other military exercises with Jordanian forces including infantry and artillery training.
Blinken, Lapid meet in Rome amid reset US-Israel relations View Photo

ROME (AP)  Hush-hush diplomacy. In-person visits. And a very public no-surprises agreement on Iran.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid met in Rome on Sunday as their new governments look to turn the page on former President Donald Trump and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose close alliance aggravated partisan divisions within both countries.

Now, with Trump sidelined in Florida and Netanyahu leading the opposition, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett are focused on pragmatic diplomacy rather than dramatic initiatives that risk fomenting opposition at home or distracting from other priorities.

In the past few years, mistakes were made, Lapid told Blinken as they sat down for talks in a Rome hotel. Israels bipartisan standing was hurt. We will fix those mistakes together.

Lapid said he had spoken with Democrats and Republicans since taking office and had reminded them all that we share Americas most basic, basic values  freedom, democracy, free markets and constant search for peace.

Blinken noted that even though the two governments are new, the foundation that were working on is one of an enduring partnership, a relationship, friendship between the United States and Israel.

The push means aiming for smaller achievements, such as shoring up the informal cease-fire that ended last months war with Gazas militant Hamas rulers and replenishing Israels Iron Dome defense system. A major push to revive the long-dormant peace process between Israel and the Palestinians could unsettle the delicate balance.

Nobody thinks its a good idea to start charging through on a major new peace initiative, said Ilan Goldenberg, a Mideast security expert at the nonprofit Center for a New American Security. But there are things you can do quietly under the radar, on the ground, to improve the situation.

That approach  of managing the conflict rather than trying to solve it  may succeed in papering over domestic divisions. But it also maintains a status quo that the Palestinians find increasingly oppressive and hopeless, and which has fueled countless cycles of unrest.

The Americans and Israelis will try to work out differences away from the public, as in Bidens quiet diplomacy, when he privately urged Netanyahu to wind down the Israel-Hamas war ahead of a truce that took effect May 21.

We believe the way to discuss those disagreements is through direct and professional conversation, not a press conference, Lapid said.

Both governments will try to preserve Israels fragile governing coalition, in part by reducing provocations that played a part in sparking the 11-day war that claimed at least 254 Palestinian lives and killed 13 people in Israel.

The new coalition in Israel shares little beyond the conviction that Netanyahu had to go. Its composed of eight parties, each effectively with veto power on decisions. So if even one party bolts, Israels government would be at serious risk of collapse, with Netanyahu waiting just offstage.

At least in the short term, Lapid, a centrist, will be Israels point man on repairs to the tattered relationship with Biden and the Democrats. The party controls both houses of Congress but is increasingly divided on the Mideast conflict, with progressive members calling for the U.S. to exert more pressure on Israel.

What theyre building now is mutual trust, said Michael Oren, former Israeli ambassador to the United States under Netanyahu. I expect a change of tone rather than of substance but theres a possibility that it could produce something better for Israel.

Topping the agenda in both countries are talks in Vienna over reviving Irans 2015 accord with world powers to limit Tehrans ability to develop nuclear weapons. Trump, with Netanyahus backing, pulled the U.S. out of the deal in 2018 and imposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic. Biden promised to restore and expand the agreement.

Now, Israels new government seems intent on staying engaged and trying to influence the talks, rather than scuttle them.

Israel has some serious reservations about the Iran nuclear deal that is being put together in Vienna, Lapid said, before pledging that Israel would make its objections privately. Netanyahu had loudly and publicly opposed the deal when the Obama administration was negotiating it.

We have the same objective, Blinken said. Sometimes we differ on the tactics, and we, I think, are very clear and direct to each other when thats the case and thats exactly how its supposed to be.

Even the right-leaning Bennett, who is ideologically aligned with the hawkish Netanyahu, has toned down the rhetoric on Iran.

We will continue to consult with our friends, persuade, discuss, and share information and insights out of mutual respect, Bennett said Thursday. But at the end of the day, we will be responsible for our own fate, nobody else.

Tamping down tensions  or at least not inflaming them  is a key strategy, the officials said.

Blinken spoke of the need to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but did not offer any kind of timetable or any strategy to offer a more hopeful future for everyone: Palestinians and Israelis alike with equal measures of opportunity and dignity.

And, while the Biden administration supports and hopes to expand on the Trump-era Abraham Accords that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab countries, Blinken said they are not a substitute for engaging on the issues between Israelis and Palestinians that need to be resolved.

On the U.S. side, the Biden administration has made clear it wants to extricate the country from intractable conflicts in the Middle East and focus on other challenges, such as climate change and competition with China.

On Monday, outgoing Israeli President Reuven Rivlin is to visit Washington at Bidens invitation. A group of House Democrats are planning an official trip to Israel as soon as Congress July 4th recess.

Theres even talk of Lapid and Bennett traveling to Washington later in the summer, separately or together, the officials said. Bennett will serve as prime minister for the first two years, followed by Lapid, the architect of the coalition.

All the officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss administration plans and logistics, which have not been finalized.

So far, the reset seems to be functioning. But with the Israeli coalition barely two weeks old, significant challenges loom.

Biden has moved to reverse Netanyahu-backed Trump policies that alienated the Palestinians, and the administration has said Israelis and Palestinians should enjoy equal measures of security and prosperity.

But the U.S. has yet to explain how it intends to bring that about without ending Israels half-century military occupation of the West Bank, its blockade on Hamas-ruled Gaza and discriminatory policies in Jerusalem that fueled a spring of unrest.

___

Kellman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Knickmeyer reported from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

By LAURIE KELLMAN, MATTHEW LEE and ELLEN KNICKMEYER

Associated Press
MILTON, N.H. (AP)  A 32-year-old man was accidentally shot in the head in New Hampshire after the bullet fired by his 8-year-old nephew ricocheted while they were shooting chipmunks, police said.

The man was injured Friday in Milton and is expected to recover, Fosters Daily Democrat reports.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  Two Saudi womens rights campaigners have been released from prison, three years after a sweeping crackdown by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman targeting female activists who'd peacefully advocated for greater freedoms, rights groups said Sunday.

It now appears that all the womens rights activists detained in the 2018 sweep have now been released from prison, although the status of one woman remains unclear.

The London-based ALQST rights group, which primarily focuses on Saudi Arabia, said the two women  Samar Badawi and Nassima al-Sada  were released sometime late Saturday or early Sunday. Human Rights Watch also confirmed their release.

The women had been sentenced to five years imprisonment, two of which were suspended.

They had been vocal critics of Saudi Arabias male guardianship laws, which gave husbands, fathers and in some cases a womans own son control over her ability to obtain a passport and travel. They had also advocated for the right of women to drive. Both restrictions have since been lifted.

The two women remain barred from travel abroad for five years as part of their conditional release, rights groups contacted by The Associated Press said. Like other Saudi women's rights activists released from prison, rights groups said the two women likely face bans on speaking to the media and posting online about their case.

Most of the women detained in the crown prince's campaign were arrested in May 2018, but Badawi and al-Sada were detained several weeks later in July of that year.

Nearly a dozen of the women previously told Saudi judges they were caned on their backs and thighs, electrocuted and waterboarded by masked men during interrogations. Some women say they were forcibly touched and groped, and threatened with rape and death. One of the women attempted suicide in prison.

The Saudi government has not commented on the individual cases of most of the women nor publicized their charges.

It is unclear what Badawi and al-Sada were found guilty of. Several people with knowledge of al-Sada's case said she'd been charged under a cybercrime law and was found guilty of undermining public order by communicating with foreign journalists and organizations.

Badawi is a well-known human rights activist based in Jiddah who first came to prominence when she petitioned Saudi courts to remove her father as her legal guardian on grounds he was barring her from marrying potential suitors. Years later, she spoke out in defense of her brother Raif Badawi, who is serving 10 years in prison over internet posts critical of the ultraconservative religious establishment. He was publicly flogged in 2015 under King Abdullah. The mother of two was later married for a time to Waleed Abul-Khair, a human rights lawyer currently serving 15 years imprisonment.

Al-Sada is a prominent women's rights activist from the Eastern Province, an area heavily populated by the kingdom's minority Shiite Muslims. She was also outspoken in defense of greater rights for Shiites. Amnesty International said she had been held in solitary confinement for a year, and was not allowed to see her children or her lawyer for months at a time.

The arrests of the women, some of whom are mothers, grandmothers and well-known college professors, caught many by surprise because it came around the same time the kingdom lifted its longstanding ban on women driving in June 2018.

Months later, the crown prince faced widespread international criticism over the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in an operation planned by two of the princes top aides, although neither was found guilty by Saudi courts. Eleven men faced trial in Saudi Arabia for the killing. The kingdom maintains the crown prince had no knowledge of the operation, despite a U.S. intelligence assessment implicating him.

Activists with knowledge of female activist Mayaa al-Zahrani's case said she was convicted in December by the same counter-terrorism court as prominent rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul and received a similar sentencing. It's unclear whether al-Zahrani has been released from prison.

Al-Hathloul was released from prison in February after serving nearly three years in detention. She'd been convicted on charges related to her activism, such as agitating for change, pursuing a foreign agenda and using the internet to harm public order.

Several of the Saudi men who supported women's rights activists remain detained.
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  A draft U.N. Security Council resolution circulated Friday would authorize the delivery of humanitarian aid to Syria across the borders of Turkey and Iraq, but Syrias close ally Russia holds the key to its adoption.

Russia has come under intense pressure from the U.N., U.S. and others who warn of dire humanitarian consequences for over a million Syrians if all border crossings are closed. Russia says aid should be delivered across conflict lines within Syria to reinforce the countrys sovereignty over the entire country.

The Security Council approved four border crossings when deliveries began in 2014, three years after the start of the Syrian conflict. But in January 2020, Russia used its veto threat in the council to limit aid deliveries to two border crossings, and in July 2020, its veto threat cut another. So today, aid can only be delivered through the Bab al-Hawa crossing from Turkey to Syrias rebel-held northwest, and its mandate ends on July 10.

The draft resolution circulated by Norway and Ireland and obtained by The Associated Press would keep the Bab al-Hawa crossing and restore aid deliveries through the Al-Yaroubiya crossing point from Iraq in the mainly Kurdish-controlled northeast that was closed in January 2020. It would also end the six-month mandate Russia insisted on and restore a one-year mandate.

Security Council experts are expected to discuss the proposed resolution early next week.

The one-page draft resolution states that the devastating humanitarian situation in Syria continues to constitute a threat to peace and security in the region.

Former U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock, who just stepped down, told the council last month that delivering aid across conflict lines cannot replace cross-border deliveries and called the cross-border operation at Bab al-Hawa a lifeline.

If it isnt reauthorized, he warned, food deliveries for 1.4 million people every month, millions of medical treatments, nutrition for tens of thousands of children and mothers and education supplies for tens of thousands of students will stop.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who recently visited the Bab al-Hawa crossing, expressed disappointment that the resolution falls short of the three crossings the United Stated is seeking to restore. She said a second crossing from Turkey to the northwest at Bab al-Salam that was closed in July 2020 should also be restored.

Since then, she said, not a single cross-line convoy has reached Idlib in the rebel-held northwest. And she said since Al-Yaroubiya was closed, needs have risen 38% in northeast Syria.

Millions of Syrians are struggling, and without urgent action, millions more will be cut off from food, clean water, medicine and COVID-1 vaccines, Thomas-Greenfield said. The situation is devastating and will only get worse if we dont act.

David Miliband, president and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, welcomed efforts to continue aid to the northwest and restore deliveries to the northeast but also expressed concern that the resolution didnt also seek to restore deliveries through Bab al-Salam. He called the crossing from Turkey a direct gateway to northern Aleppo, which is home to 800,000 displaced people.

Violence and insecurity have previously forced Bab al-Hawa ... to close, jeopardizing the timely delivery of aid to millions of Syrians, he said, calling on the Security Council to maximize the number of crossing points, and access to aid, as a matter of urgency.

Russias Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the strongest militant group in the northwest, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, of blocking cross-line humanitarian convoys with the connivance of Ankara.

Lavrov accused Western donors, who are the major providers of humanitarian aid to Syria, of blackmailing, by threatening to cut humanitarian financing for Syria if the mandate for Bab al-Hawa is not extended.

We consider it is important to resist such approaches, he said in a recent oral statement conveyed to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and obtained Tuesday by AP.

Russias U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia insisted on Wednesday that aid can and should be delivered across conflict lines in Syria and accused the U.N. and the West of doing nothing to promote such deliveries during the past year.

Unless Western nations both in words and deeds prove their commitment to this goal, he warned that there is no point in speaking about renewing the mandate for the one remaining border crossing from Turkey to northwest Idlib at Bab al-Hawa.

We still have some time before the `D-Day. Hopefully it will not be wasted, Nebenzia said.
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John Langley, who created the long-running TV show Cops which helped usher in the reality TV era, died Saturday of an apparent heart attack in Baja, Mexico, according to his reps. He was 78. Langley was competing in the Coast to Coast Ensenada-San Felipe 250 off-road race.

Cops was canceled in 2020 after the George Floyd protests, and had become controversial for showing primarily the point of view of the police.

For 32 seasons, it was a reality TV juggernaut, running for over 1,000 episodes and introducing the cinema verite style of documentary to television. The familiar theme song by Ian Lewis of Inner Circle became a part of pop culture. It remains in production for overseas networks.

After being canceled by Fox in 2013, Cops moved to the Spike network, now Paramount Network before being canceled again in 2020. A podcast had detailed how police were able to remove portions of the shows that showed them negatively and how some people were coerced into signing waivers.

After trying for several years to find a network, Langley and his production partner Malcolm Barbour were able to get the show on the air at the fledging Fox in the aftermath of the 1988 Writers Guild strike, since it had no union writers.

In its early years, Cops was nominated four times for Emmys in the outstanding informational series category. Barbour retired in 1994.

When Langley was honored by NATPE in 2013, Variety wrote, Before the show premiered, Langley recalls, there was considerable doubt whether anybody would agree to have their image used in the context of being arrested. The network thought it was a legal nightmare, he says. By the time Cops had been on a few years, though, that became almost a non-issue. In fact, one of the occasional logistical pitfalls involved people seeing the camera crews and beginning to hum the shows Bad Boys theme, as they or someone else were being marched off to jail.

Before moving into TV, Langley wrote and co-directed the 1983 documentary Cocaine Blues with Barbour. Pop culture figures including Frank Zappa, Hoyt Axton and Paul Krassner appear in the documentary which also features footage of a drug raid with undercover officers.

Langley started out in reality television with his 1986 special American Vice: The Doping of a Nation, which showed live drug arrests on primetime television.

He went on to produce series including Inside American Jail for TruTV and Las Vegas Jailhouse, both with his son Morgan. His other productions included Street Patrol, Vegas Strip, Road Warriors and Undercover Stings.

He was a producer on Antoine Fuquas Brooklyns Finest, a crime drama that screened at the Sundance Film Festival. His other documentaries included Terrorism: Target USA and Who Killed JFK?

Born in Oklahoma City, Langley served in the intelligence unit of the U.S. Army in the early 1960s before graduating Cal State Dominguez Hills and attending U.C. Irvine for grad school.

Langley told the TV Academy in 2009, Im a kid of the 60s. Im sort of anti-authoritarian by nature. If you told me I was going to do a show about cops, I would have said, What am I going to call it, Pigs ?'

A racing enthusiast, he started the Cops off-road desert racing team.

Langleys son Morgan, who oversees Langley Productions and is an executive producer of Cops, survives him as does his wife Maggie, son Zak, daughters Sarah Langley Dews and Jennifer Blair, as well as seven grandchildren.

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Andy Wong/AP

BEIJING (AP)  China said Saturday that it provides vaccines to other countries with no political conditions attached, responding to a story by The Associated Press saying China pressured Ukraine into withdrawing from a multi-country statement on human rights in Chinas Xinjiang region by threatening to withhold a COVID-19 vaccine shipment.

A statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry said it welcomed Ukraine's decision to take its name off the statement at a meeting of the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, adding "we havent heard that Ukraine has encountered any difficulty in importing vaccines from China.
BAGHDAD (AP)  Iraq, Egypt and Jordan took a step toward deepening a regional alliance by holding tripartite talks in Baghdad on Sunday, in a first visit by an Egyptian head of state to the country in 30 years. Talks ranged from trade to Mideast crises.

Abdel Fattah el-Sissi was greeted by Iraq's President Barham Salih upon arriving Sunday morning. It marked the first time an Egyptian president paid an official visit to Iraq since the 1990s when ties between both countries were severed after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait.

Jordan's King Abdullah II arrived shortly afterwards, he and el-Sissi then met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi for a third round of tripartite talks. The meetings are seen largely as an attempt to neutralize Iran's influence across the region and have been welcomed by the U.S.

Al-Kadhimi also aims to shore up regional alliances and bolster Iraq's standing in the Middle East as a mediator capable of bringing even the staunchest of foes to the negotiating table. Baghdad recently hosted talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia focusing on the war in Yemen.

This visit is an important message to our people that we are mutually supportive and unified to serve our people and the people of the region, al-Kadhimi said, according to a statement from his office.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said in a press conference following the meeting that a wide range of topics had been discussed, including economic and political cooperation, large-scale industrial projects, and trade in medicine and agricultural pesticides.

The talks also covered regional issues including the Syria crisis, the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, and the conflict in Yemen.

Ethiopias Grand Renaissance Dam project, which Egypt fears will imperil its water supply, was also discussed with Iraq and Jordan siding with Cairo, he added, and all three countries agreed that a political solution and the return of refugees was needed to end the Syrian crisis, said Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.

The message from the leaders is we stand together in the face of these challenges, he said.

A statement issued after the meeting said the three sides also agreed on the importance of security and intelligence coordination to combat terrorism, drug trafficking and cybercrime.

Cooperation in the energy sector was also discussed, including the possibility of linking gas transmission networks between Iraq and Egypt through Jordan. To date, Iraq is highly reliant on Iranian gas and electricity imports to meet domestic demand.

They also highlighted the importance of re-opening borders to encourage more trade in light of the economic crises brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

No tangible new agreements were signed on Sunday following the summit. But the event is considered an important step for Iraq in particular to moderate neighboring Iran's sway over internal state affairs. Political parties and militia groups friendly with Iran are entrenched within the state, its security institutions and the parliament.

Iraq must be isolated from regional interventions Jordans Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi told reporters after the meeting, in an apparent reference to Irans powerful influence.

Iraq has previously signed key economic and trade agreements with both Jordan and Egypt.

In November, Egypt signed 15 memoranda of understandings that spanned sectors from oil to construction and trade. Jordan imported 10,000 barrels a day of oil from Iraq, but this was halted due to coronavirus restrictions. The two countries were also in talks to build an oil export pipeline from Basra to the port of Aqaba.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  A judge has ruled that prosecutors in the first-degree murder trial of a Nashville police officer next month can call a law enforcement expert witness who earlier this year testified that Derek Chauvin used excessive force against George Floyd in the moments prior to the Black man's death.

The ruling Friday by Judge Monte Watkins also lets the defense team of 27-year-old white Officer Andrew Delke use a former Nashville district attorney as an expert witness in the July 2018 fatal shooting of 25-year-old Daniel Hambrick, who is Black.

The judge's approval of Jody Stiger, a Los Angeles Police Department sergeant who testified as a use-of-force expert during the Chauvin trial, and former Nashville District Attorney Torry Johnson, helps set up some of the final parameters before the trial begins on July 12. It will be preceded by jury selection the week before.

Defense attorney David Raybin opposed Stiger's inclusion, arguing that prosecutors missed a deadline to add the witness and were now trying to inject the landmark Chauvin case into Delke's trial. Prosecutors said they wouldn't mention that case, but Raybin wondered how it would not come up during questioning.

Johnson, the former prosecutor, testified in a pretrial hearing that he believes Delke had probable cause to pursue Hambrick, both in his police cruiser and later on foot when Hambrick got out of a car.

Delke fatally shot Hambrick while he was fleeing from the officer on foot and carrying a gun.

Delkes attorneys have argued the officer acted in line with his training and Tennessee law in responding to an armed suspect who ignored repeated orders to drop his gun. Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk has argued Delke had other alternatives, adding that the officer could have stopped, sought cover and called for help.

Friday's order solidifies some other rules for the trial. Defense attorneys can't bring up the former arrests and convictions of Hambrick, who had a felony record. The defense can't show the jury a photo of Daniel Hambrick with money and several handguns, or other photos used to counter the 8 x 10 photo of Hambrick that prosecutors can display.

Delke didnt know who Hambrick was when he chased him and shot him three times, an arrest affidavit states.

The ruling does not address the defense's hope to keep the jury from seeing any video evidence of the shooting.

Raybin asked the judge to exclude all video evidence because of additional footage that the defense argued could have shown a key, unseen blip in the chase, but was not retained in the investigation. Prosecutors countered that its unlikely that the additional, unreviewed video would show anything new.

In the surveillance footage available, there is a blip of a blind spot in the angles seen, a point the defense has focused on. The defense has said the weapon became pointed at Delke during the chase, but prosecutors have cast doubt about that.
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.
By Jerri-Lynn Scofield, who has worked as a securities lawyer and a derivatives trader. She is currently writing a book about textile artisans.

New York State Attorney General (AG) Letitia James yesterday announced a $230 million settlement agreement with Johnson & Johnson (J & J) of opioids claims, shortly before a trial was scheduled to begin on Tuesday in Long Island.

From the press release issued by James

Todays agreement also makes enforceable a bar stopping J&J and all of its subsidiaries, predecessors, and successors from manufacturing or selling opioids anywhere in New York, and acknowledges Johnson & Johnsons exit from the opioid business nationally.

The opioids industry faces more than 3,000 lawsuits throughout the country for its role in fomenting prescription and street opioids use, according to the NYT. These include actions by the Department of Justice; numerous state AGs, cities, and counties; and a plethora of private lawsuits. A bench trial in Oklahoma concluded with a $572 verdict against J & J in August 2019, as I wrote in Judge Issues $572 Million Verdict Against J & J in Oklahoma Opioids Trial: Settlements to Follow? Four companies settled with two Ohio counties on the very day a bellwether trial was to have begun in October 2019, as I wrote in Four Companies Settle Just Before Bellwether Opioids Trial Was to Begin Today in Ohio. Opioids litigation stalled during the pandemic, as was the case with most legal proceedings across the United States, with courts closed and trials delayed. Opioids trials are now in progress in California, where four drugmakers are the defendants, and in West Virginia, where drug distributors are the targets.

Long Island Trial Targets the Entire Opioids Supply Chain

J & J opted to settle just days before a key trial is scheduled to begin on Tuesday on Long Island. The New York trial targets multiple defendants, along the entire opioids supply chain and the trial will now go forward without the participation of J & J. It will also be the first opioids case to be heard by a jury.

According to the James press release:

In March 2019, Attorney General James filed the nations most extensive lawsuit to hold accountable the various manufacturers and distributors responsible for the opioid epidemic. In addition to J&J, the manufacturers named in the complaint included Purdue Pharma and its affiliates, as well as members of the Sackler Family (owners of Purdue) and trusts they control; Mallinckrodt LLC and its affiliates; Endo Health Solutions and its affiliates; Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. and its affiliates; and Allergan Finance, LLC and its affiliates. The distributors named in the complaint were McKesson Corporation, Cardinal Health Inc., Amerisource Bergen Drug Corporation, and Rochester Drug Cooperative Inc. The cases against Purdue Pharma (and subsequently the Sackler family), Mallinckrodt, and Rochester Drug Cooperative are all now moving separately through U.S. Bankruptcy Court. The trial against all other defendants is currently slated to begin this coming week.

The $230 million settlement is the largest James has secured during her tenure as NY state AG since she took office on the 1st of January 2019. The other terms of the settlement bind the company in what might appear to be significant ways. Per her press release:

In addition to negotiating the largest monetary settlement since she took office, Attorney General James negotiated substantial injunctive relief securing the end of J&Js manufacturing of opioids and their distribution across New York and the rest of the nation. J&J has committed to ending the manufacture and sale of all opioids and opioid products for distribution in the state of New York, as well as to no longer ship these products anywhere within the United States. The company will also provide the Office of the Attorney General with details of when the last of the inventory of opioids it has already shipped expires. Additionally, J&J will be prohibited from promoting opioids or opioid products through sales representatives, sponsorships, financial support, or any other means; will not be allowed to provide financial incentives to its sales and marketing employees for the sale of these products; and will not, directly or indirectly, provide financial support or in-kind support to any third party that primarily engages in conduct that promotes opioids, opioid products, or products for the treatment of opioid-induced side effects. J&J will additionally be forbidden from disciplining its sales and marketing employees for not hitting opioids sales quotas  one of the key motivators J&J and other companies had in marketing opioids so heavily to the American public  and will not be allowed to use, assist, or employ any third party to engage in any activity that J&J itself would be prohibited from engaging in pursuant to todays agreement. J&J will also be prohibited from lobbying federal, state, or local legislative or regulatory authorities about opioids or opioid products.

As for J & J, the company hasnt admitted culpability and issued its own press release, as reported by the NYT:

In a statement, Johnson & Johnson said that the settlement was not an admission of liability or wrongdoing and that the companys actions relating to the marketing and promotion of important prescription pain medications were appropriate and responsible.

This is no doubt a prudent stance on J & Js part, as Saturdays settlement is with the state of New York only and the company still faces considerable liability in other lawsuits in other states.

The settlements apparent sweeping ban barring J & J from manufacture, distribution or sale of opioids in New York or throughout the United States is less significant than it appears on its face  as J & J has already stopped producing and selling opioids, as of last year. In addition, while at one time, J & J supplied 60 percent of the ingredients used to make opioids to other companies that in turn manufactured drugs like Oxycodone, yet J & J sold that business in 2016, according to the NYT.

Status of Global Settlement Negotiations

The clock is now ticking, loudly, for Tuesdays NY trial. During the earlier stage of the pandemic, many trials were postponed, and those delays reduced the urgency for settlement. As the WSJ reports, J & Js settlement with the state of New York will intensify negotiations with the company and three drug distributors to clinch a $26 billion settlement of thousands of other lawsuits blaming the pharmaceutical industry for the opioid crisis.

Per the WSJ:

Johnson & Johnsons New York deal removes it from a coming trial on Long Island but not from the rest of the cases it faces nationwide, including a continuing trial in California. The New York settlement includes an additional $33 million in attorney fees and costs and calls for the drugmaker to no longer sell opioids nationwide, something Johnson & Johnson said it already stopped doing. States have been trying to re-create with the opioid litigation what they accomplished with tobacco companies in the 1990s, when $206 billion in settlements flowed into state coffers. More than 3,000 counties, cities and other local governments have also pursued lawsuits over the opioid crisis, complicating talks that have dragged on since late 2019 and that have been slowed down by the Covid-19 pandemic. Johnson & Johnson, along with the nations largest drug distributors, AmerisourceBergenCorp. , Cardinal Health Inc. and McKesson Corp. , have been in talks with state attorneys general and plaintiffs lawyers for local governments to resolve the cases for $26 billion. The company said Saturday there continues to be progress on the nationwide deal and that it remains committed to providing certainty for involved parties and critical assistance for communities in need.

Jerri-Lynn here. So, dont touch that dial. The upcoming couple of days look to be busy ones for the lawyers involved in these lawsuits. According to the WSJ:

A core team of attorneys general have had regular settlement conferences by phone and have engaged in in-person negotiations in New York on a near-daily basis over the course of the last few weeks, according to a disclosure made in mid-June in an opioid case in San Francisco. The trials and settlement talks come after more than four years of litigation pursued by states, cities and counties to recover some of the costs of an opioid epidemic that has killed half a million people in the U.S. since 1999.

This outcome would come not a moment too soon for cities, states, counties, and other communities battling the opioids crisis. Over to the WSJ:
(Natural News) American citizens are being tortured right now within five miles of the White House. Illegally held in DC-GITMO as political prisoners, they are being physically and psychologically tortured.

(Article by Joseph D. McBride, Esq. republished from LinkedIn.com)

Tell me are you okay with this?

Like the Gestapo did in Nazi Germany, the Federal Government is targeting anyone who dares criticize it decision making processes, questions its motives, or challenges its legitimacy. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been vocal about her desire to put Trump supporters on lists. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar frequently makes antisemitic statements during times where Jewish persons are regularly attacked in public. United States citizens are being rounded up and held in federal prison absent due process for protesting their government. And DC-GITMO detainees are being physically and psychologically tortured on President Bidens watch. None of the persons being held in DC-GITMO are Democrats. Is there even a question as to whether this is political? I think not. But to any person who needs that question answered. Our official answer is a resounding Hell yes.

My name is Joseph Daniel McBride, and I do not care what your politics are. I represent Richard Bigo Barnett, also known as the man who had his feet up on a desk in Speaker Pelosis office on January 6, 2021. I understand that many of you disagree with Richards actions, and that is okay. What is not okay, however, is your acquiescence to his torture, or the torture of any January-sixer currently being held at DC-GITMO.

Your reaction to January 6th is valid. Some of you are scared, others are sad, many of you are angry. Your feelings are validated. I understand what it is like to experience these kinds of emotions as well. In 2006, my brother Anthony, a paranoid-schizophrenic, was tricked into pleading guilty to a crime that he absolutely did not commit. Anthony was sentenced to fifteen years of incarceration as a result. I was furious, scared, heartbroken, and inspired to action. I decided that I would become a lawyer to get Anthony out of prison. I went to college in my late twenties, then law school, and eventually became a lawyer. I was not able to get myself into a position to help Anthony before he maxed-out of prison. Even so, I dedicated my career toward raging against the machine that locked him down and ruined his life.

I spent the first five years of my legal career primarily defending indigent Black and Latino men in New York City. During that time, I saw how the Manhattan District Attorneys Office would cleverly label accused persons as repeat offenders felons predators violent criminals and so on. These tactics worked masterfully, because when you reduce your fellow New Yorker to a prosecutorial label that produces fear, triggers anxiety, and corroborates stereotypes, sending them to prison for the greater-good seems like a great idea. Time and again I watched Black and Latino men receive unjustifiably harsh prison sentences simply because the jurors were afraid of them and/or could not understand the circumstances from which they came from.

These same dangerous and disgraceful tactics that Manhattan District Attorneys Office routinely uses against Black and Latinx persons are now being used by the Department of Justice against January-sixers for nefarious reasons. Most troubling of all however, is the fact that the same fear and lack of understanding that infects Manhattan jury pools has now infected throngs of fair-minded, rationale, well-thought-out defense attorneys and human rights activists. Advocates who during any other similar circumstance would without question be ferociously criticizing the federal government for its abuse of power, are all of a sudden choosing to remain silent?

The ultra-harsh treatment that January-sixers are enduring at the hands of the U.S. Government is unprecedented and entirely out of line with the way that other Capitol Protestors have been treated in the past. Make no mistake about it, this is not the first time that a group of protestors have breached the Capitol, nor is it the first time that acts of violence have taken place at the Capitol. This is however, the first time that a group of American citizens from one political party have been hunted down, rounded up, and thrown into prison absent any trial by the political party who is currently in power.

Do Not Fall Into The Insurrectionist Trap

The term Insurrectionist is nothing more than propaganda designed throw a blanket of criminality over each person that traveled to the Capitol on January 6th, regardless of their participation in any act of violence. Do not buy into this false narrative. You are being baited. It is a fact that no January-sixer has actually been charged with insurrection, and that the vast majority of people who went to the Capitol on January 6th, did so peacefully, despite this, each person who went to the Capitol that day has been labeled an insurrectionist? This is wrong. You must not participate in this kind of scapegoating.

The proliferation of the term, Insurrectionist must be seen exactly for what it is, namely, a deliberate attempt to dehumanize and scapegoat the January 6th protestor, because it is much easier to be willfully blind to the egregious human rights violations taking place at DC-GITMO, when the violated person is an insurrectionist, as opposed to your fellow American citizen. Do not buy into this falsehood. You, my fellow American citizen know better than that!

Defense Attorneys and Human Rights Activists

If you have failed to speak out against the constitutional and human rights violations taking place at DC-GITMO. You need to drop what you are doing and speak out now. Put your politics aside. Put your selfish ambition aside. Put your fear of criticism aside. Step up, and speak up. Yes, this is uncomfortable, too bad speak up. Yes, this is controversial, too bad speak up! Because if you condone this treatment. If you fail to speak out against it. Then you will come out on the wrong side of history. And you will have betrayed your sacred duty to speak out against injustice everywhere, despite the inconvenience, and in every circumstance no matter what. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.  Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King, April 16, 1963.

American citizens are being tortured right now within five miles of the White House. Illegally held in DC-GITMO as political prisoners, they are being physically and psychologically tortured.

Tell me are you okay with this?

Now I will tell you the answer to this question. It is this:

The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power, pure power. What pure power means you will understand presently. We are different from the oligarchies of the past in that we know what we are doing. All the others, even those who resembled ourselves, were cowards and hypocrites. The German Nazis and the Russian Communists came very close to us in their methods, but they never had the courage to recognize their own motives. They pretended, perhaps they even believed, that they had seized power unwillingly and for a limited time, and that just around the corner there lay a paradise where human beings would be free and equal. We are not like that. We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now you begin to understand me. George Orwell, 1984

God Save The United States of America.

Stay tuned for a follow up article specifying how January-sixers are being tortured in DC-GITMO.

Yours Truly,

Joseph D. McBride, Esq.

#DCGITMO #CloseTheGulag #RichardBarnett #January6th #FreeAllJanuarySixers #CruelAndUnusualPunishment #BillOfRights #HumanRights #SpeakUp #RightSideOfHistory #FIGHTthePOWER

Read more at: LinkedIn.com
(Natural News) Three of the largest hospital systems in Massachusetts have announced that they will require their workers to get Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations.

The three hospital systems in question are Mass General Brigham, Beth Israel Lahey Health (BILH) and Wellforce. Between these three hospital systems, they control over two dozen hospitals and even more clinics, community and emergency health centers and other healthcare facilities. All three hospital systems are headquartered in Boston, but have facilities all over Massachusetts.

Vaccine mandates will be enforced after FDA authorization

On Thursday, June 24, Mass General Brigham told its more than 80,000 employees that it will be requiring all of them to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The company added that more than 85 percent of its workers are already fully vaccinated.

Over the past 16 months we have come together as a system to care for our patients and each other as never before and the efforts of our employees have been extraordinary and inspiring. The evidence of COVID-19 vaccine safety and effectiveness is overwhelming, said CEO Dr. Anne Klibanski in a press release. Getting vaccinated is the single most important and responsible step each of us can take to put an end to this devastating pandemic and protect patients, families and each other.

Klibanski claimed her companys decision was made based on research, data and trends. She will enforce the companys vaccine mandate once the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) gives full approval to one of the three vaccines in the U.S. that have already been granted emergency use authorization.

BILH announced its vaccine mandate a day earlier on Wednesday, June 23. CEO Dr. Kevin Tabb said his workers must set an example for their patients by getting vaccinated. He said this condition of employment will help them protect each other and make certain they do not infect patients.

I think it would be very hard for any of us, either individually or collectively as an organization, to live with ourselves knowing that we have potentially caused harm or death if we can avoid it, said Tabb.

Like Mass General Brigham, BILH will only start enforcing its vaccine mandate on its 35,000 employees once one of the vaccines receives final FDA approval.

Wellforce, which has over 13,000 employees, is also waiting for full FDA approval before it enacts its vaccine mandate. The company anticipates this to happen later this year. The company also claims that evidence continues to grow each and every day of the effectiveness and safety of the COVID-19 vaccines.

Healthcare union plans to oppose vaccine mandates in hospitals

The vaccine mandates in Massachusetts are not being implemented without opposition. 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, the largest healthcare union in the country, has pledged to fight mandatory vaccine requirements for workers.

The union, which is based in New York, represents over 70,000 healthcare workers in Massachusetts.

George Gresham, president of 1199SEIU, came to this decision after Houston Methodist announced that 153 employees had been fired or resigned for refusing to get vaccinated. He is weighing the unions possible legal options. (Related: Over 100 Houston Methodist Hospital employees sue over COVID vaccine mandate.)

Whether there is a legal challenge that we can make, or whether its just a pure organizational challenge that we can make, we are not going to give in, said Gresham.

The 1199SEIU president said he has been vaccinated against COVID-19. But he argues that healthcare workers have the right to make their decision about their own health.

Learn more about the vaccine mandates being implemented across the country by reading the latest articles at Vaccines.news.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

NBCBoston.com

WBUR.org

BIDMC.org

Wellforce.org 1

Wellforce.org 2

TheCenterSquare.com

1199SEIU.org
(Natural News) The despicable movement propagating hate-filled critical race theory in schools is now getting pushback from a new education organization that has had enough.

(Article by Joseph Vazquez republished from NewsBusters.org)

The Free to Learn Coalition (FLC) is joining the fight against critical race theory (CRT), launching Thursday with over $1 million in ads, according to Fox News. The ads will reportedly be launched on national cable networks and local markets, specifically targeting New York City, Arizona and Virginia. FLC President Alleigh Marre blasted the CRT political scheme in a statement to Fox News: While American students fall behind the rest of the world in reading, writing, math, and science, our school systems are prioritizing political agendas over academic achievement.

Marre outlined FLCs commitment to fighting against woke school boards indoctrinating students:

After a year of having a seat in the classroom with virtual learning, parents across the nation have had enough. Free to Learn will help parents hold school boards and administrators accountable.

In one of the ads targeting the state of Virginia, a narrator slammed executives in Fairfax County for destroying Thomas Jefferson High School by hiring expensive consultants to push a controversial curriculum [CRT]. The narrator also demanded the county executives stop pushing political agendas and teach.

Marre stated in FLCs press release that parents are waking up to the increasingly political climate in their childrens schools. She noted that FLC will provide a platform and tailored resources to those ready to take on political activism by school boards and administrators.

But FLC isnt the only group to take on the wave of CRT purism that is blanketing schools across the country. Fox News reported that other groups fighting back against racial content in education included the following: Parents Against Critical Theory, 1776 Action, Oregonians for Liberty, Educators for Quality and Equality, Parents Defending Education, 1776 Project, Fight for Schools PAC, and No Left Turn in Education.

Read more at: NewsBusters.org
(Natural News) On Thursday, June 24, Pfizer announced it is temporarily halting the distribution of its anti-smoking pill, Chantix. The company is doing this after it found heightened levels of a cancer-causing compound in the drug.

Chantix was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2006 as a prescription medication that is supposed to help adults quit smoking. It is meant to be used regularly for 12 to 24 weeks.

Pfizer said that it was recalling certain lots of Chantix from distribution, but refused to divulge how many lots. The company added that it was pausing the distribution of Chantix out of an abundance of caution, pending further testing of the drug.

Canadian health regulators have also announced a recall of the anti-smoking drug, known as Champix outside the U.S.

We have worked hand-in-hand with regulatory authorities around the world, said Pfizer in a statement.

Cancer-causing compound found in Chantix and many other drugs

The cancer-causing agents found in Chantix are known as nitrosamines. Pfizer found the substance after the FDA and other drug regulatory authorities around the world asked pharmaceutical companies to assess their products for nitrosamines. These bodies did this after one nitrosamine, N-Nitrosodimethylamine, or NDMA, was found in blood pressure medication three years ago.

Nitrosamines are common in water and certain foods, such as grilled and cured meats, dairy products and vegetables. The FDA claims that ingesting very low levels of nitrosamines should not cause harm.

The FDA added that nitrosamines may increase the risk of cancer if people are exposed to high levels of it over long periods of time. Levels in drugs are not currently supposed to exceed a theoretical excess cancer risk of one in 100,000.

Pharmaceutical companies have since found nitrosamines in a variety of their drugs.

The heartburn drug Zantac, sold by Sanofi SA, and its generic form, ranitidine, were pulled from the market in 2019 after it was found with compounds that had the potential to form NDMA over time and in high temperatures. NDMA was also found in Zantac after a solvent used during the drugs manufacturing process created a side reaction that formed the nitrosamines.

The diabetes drug metformin was also pulled later that year after it was discovered to contain nitrosamines.

Pfizer still supports Chantix as anti-smoking medication

Eamonn Nolan, a spokesman for Pfizer, said in an email that the benefits of Chantix outweigh the very low potential risks, if any, posed by nitrosamine exposure from varenicline on top of other common sources over a lifetime. Varenicline is the generic name of Chantix. (Related: Dead is dead: Drug for helping smokers quit found to increase risk of heart attack AND self-harm.)

The spokesman added that Pfizer has not detected any cancer-related safety issues in testing of Chantix or in individuals taking the drug who are trying to stop smoking. He argued that smokers are up to 30 times more likely to get lung cancer than non-smokers.

Despite Pfizers insistence, there are many problems with Chantix. Concerns about the drug were first raised soon after it received FDA approval in 2006. Reports immediately came in of psychiatric side effects. In 2009, the FDA ordered Pfizer to put a warning label on Chantixs box. The company protested this for years and in 2016 the FDA stopped requiring the warning label.

In 2020, Chantix sales earned Pfizer $919 million, around 17 percent lower than in 2019. One of Pfizers main patents on Chantix expired in Nov. 2020. In a quarterly report in May, the company warned that although generic competition for Chantix has not yet begun, it could commence at any time.

Learn more about different dangerous medicines like Chantix by reading the latest articles at DangerousMedicine.com.

Sources include:

JPost.com

Bloomberg.com

WSJ.com
(Natural News) Portland police late Thursday night issued a statement clarifying that the person they allegedly shot in the back while he was running from them armed with a screwdriver outside a motel in Northeast Portland was white and not a person of color as antifa had claimed.

(Article by Chris Menahan republished from InformationLiberation.com)

Portland Police had to issue a tweet clarifying that the person shot today in NE Portland was white after antifa said it was a person of color. Antifa & far-left protesters have gathered at the scene to confront police based on the racial rumor. https://t.co/B4dJ71S5yF  Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) June 25, 2021

There is erroneous information being circulated on social media regarding in the officer involved shooting in the Lloyd district. We can confirm that the subject involved is an adult white male. No one else was injured.  Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) June 25, 2021

Their statement also seemed aimed at quelling protests:

We are in the early stages of the investigation. PPB appreciates the communitys patience as we gather information. @ChiefCLovell is on scene.  Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) June 25, 2021

We are in the early stages of the investigation. PPB appreciates the communitys patience as we gather information. @ChiefCLovell is on scene.  Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) June 25, 2021

Nothing to worry about folks, we just killed a white guy!

My statement from the scene of the officer involved shooting in the Lloyd District. pic.twitter.com/Qg0Cxfbl0i  Chief Chuck Lovell (@ChiefCLovell) June 25, 2021

It appears Portland police also leaked to the Oregonian that the officer who did the shooting was black.

Man shot by police is white . He was taken by ambulance to a hospital. Officer who fired shots is Black.  Maxine Bernstein (@maxoregonian) June 25, 2021

Protesting may actually have been valid in this case as the Oregonian reported that a witness told them the white victim was shot in the back by the black police officer while running from police:

A Portland police officer shot a man after he came at the officer with a screwdriver outside a Motel 6 near the Oregon Convention Center on Thursday evening, sources say. Police initially were called to the Northeast Holladay Street motel on a report of a suicidal man. They met the man in the area of the lobby, according to sources with knowledge of the shooting who were not authorized to speak publicly about it. The man went back to his room at one point, but police were later talking to him outside. Two officers were asking him whether he wanted to be taken to a hospital. Police eventually told the man they needed to pat him down before he got into an ambulance. The man became agitated and came at an officer with a screwdriver, according to sources. The man appeared to have a weapon in his hand, said Kalli Temple, who lives across the street from the motel and watched the scene unfold from her window. 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 as he fled toward the nearby Kaiser Permanente Park, she said. The officer is Black, a source said. The man is white, according to police. The man was taken to a hospital, and his condition wasnt immediately clear. Temple said it appeared he had been having a mental health crisis. No officers were hurt.

Did Portland police just try to quell criticism of a potentially unjust shooting just by playing the race card?

There was a similar case in Minnesota back in April where the police seem to have tipped the media and protesters off that a carjacker they shot and killed was a white man.

BLM protesters rally for victim, leave after learning he was white carjacker https://t.co/R4RWEKIGV6 pic.twitter.com/hx6tVSZHUA  New York Post (@nypost) April 19, 2021

Is this the new normal?

Read more at: InformationLiberation.com
(Natural News) A pair of South African brothers have vanished, taking with them $3.6 billion worth of bitcoin from the cryptocurrency investment platform they put up.

A Cape Town law firm hired by investigators says it is unable to find Ameer and Raees Cajee, founders of Africrypt, the countrys largest cryptocurrency exchange. The firm has since reported the matter to the Hawks, an elite unit of South Africas police force.

It has also told crypto exchanges around the world to be on the lookout should anyone try to sell the digital currency on their platforms.

Largest crypto scam in history

Back in April, when Bitcoin had reached its highest valuation yet, Africrypt warned clients of a hack. But it strangely asked clients not to alert law enforcement authorities or lawyers, claiming that doing so would slow down the recovery process.

Not all of the companys clients believed that, and some investors retained Hanekom Attorneys to look into things.

We were immediately suspicious as the announcement implored investors not to take legal action, Hanekom Attorneys said to Bloomberg. Africrypt employees lost access to the back-end platforms seven days before the alleged hack.

The law firm eventually found that Africrypts pooled funds had been transferred from its clients accounts so many times and through so many filters that it was nearly impossible to trace the cryptocurrency.

A total of around 69,000 bitcoins are missing from the firm. At the time of their disappearance, this was equal to around $3.6 billion, but with recent drops, their value now stands at just under $2.4 billion.

Even at the lower number, the amount still makes it the largest cryptocurrency loss in history should the money not be recovered. According to a report from April, the 80 largest cyber thefts from the past decade only resulted in a collective loss of $2.5 billion.

Recovering the missing bitcoin could also be made more complicated by the fact that cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, are not legally recognized as financial products in South Africa. This means that the Finance Sector Conduct Authority, which normally handles these matters in the country, is unable to start a formal investigation.

Scam highlights problems with decentralized, unregulated crypto

The Africrypt case is the second high-profile scam involving cryptocurrencies to hit South Africa. Last year, the collapse of bitcoin trader Mirror Trading International resulted in the loss of around 23,000 coins, totaling about $1.2 billion in the biggest crypto scam of 2020.

Cases like these highlight the concerns that many government regulators have over cryptocurrencys decentralized, unregulated nature. In some instances, regulators are all too happy to step in.

In China, the countrys central bank recently called on financial institution executives to enforce a ban on offering financial services related to cryptocurrency trading.

In its announcement, the Peoples Bank of China identified cryptocurrencies, such as bitcoin, as a risk for illegal cross-border transactions and money laundering, as well as a challenge to economic and financial order. (Related: Chinese crypto crackdown causes bitcoin prices to plunge.)

Even in the U.S., there the general mood towards crypto tends to be more positive, many are also starting to call for increased regulation. Billionaire investor and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban recently called for crypto regulation following the collapse of an algorithmic stablecoin that he put money into.

Stablecoins  a type of cryptocurrency thats pegged to an asset, usually the U.S. dollar  have rocketed in value in recent years. The latest of this, Tether, now boasts a market capitalization of $62 billion.

There should be regulation to define what a stable coin is and what collateralization is acceptable, said Cuban who declined to reveal how much he lost, only telling Bloomberg that it was enough that I wasnt happy about it.

Meanwhile, in a recent blog post this month, Cuban noted that banks should be scared of the largely unregulated technology.

But while regulation still doesnt exist, Cuban warns would-be investors to be wary of putting everything into crypto.

All tokens are not created equal. In some projects, there is a risk that everything goes to zero, he said. We urge those investing in the ecosystem to educate themselves in these new financial projects. Never invest what youre not prepared to lose in entirety.

Follow Risk.news for more on the dangers of investing in unregulated cryptocurrencies.

Sources include:

Bloomberg.com

Fortune.com

CoinDesk.com

Forbes.com

BlogMaverick.com
(Natural News) SASKATCHEWAN: The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms represents Dr. Francis Christian, Clinical Professor of General Surgery at the University of Saskatchewan and a practising surgeon in Saskatoon. Dr. Christian was called into a meeting today, suspended from all teaching responsibilities effective immediately, and fired from his position with the University of Saskatchewan as of September 2021.

(Article republished from JCCF.ca)

There is a recording of Dr. Christians meeting today between Dr. Christian and Dr. Preston Smith, the Dean of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan, College of Medicine, Dr. Susan Shaw, the Chief Medical Officer of the Saskatchewan Health Authority, and Dr. Brian Ulmer, Head of the Department of Surgery at the Saskatchewan College of Medicine.

In addition, the Justice Centre will represent Dr. Christian in his defence of a complaint that was made against him and an investigation by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan. The complaint objects to Dr. Christian having advocated for the informed consent of Covid vaccines for children.

Dr. Christian has been a surgeon for more than 20 years and began working in Saskatoon in 2007. He was appointed Director of the Surgical Humanities Program and Director of Quality and Patient Safety in 2018 and co-founded the Surgical Humanities Program. Dr. Christian is also the Editor of the Journal of The Surgical Humanities.

On June 17, Dr. Christian released a statement to over 200 doctors which contained his concerns regarding giving the Covid shots to children. In it he noted that he is pro-vaccine, and that he did not represent any group, the Saskatchewan Health Authority, or the University of Saskatchewan. I speak to you directly as a physician, a surgeon, and a fellow human being. Dr. Christian noted that the principle of informed consent was sacrosanct and noted that a patient should always be fully aware of the risks of the medical intervention, the benefits of the intervention, and if any alternatives exist to the intervention.

This should apply particularly to a new vaccine that has never before been tried in humans before the vaccine is rolled out to children, both children and parents must know the risks of m-RNA vaccines, he wrote.

Dr. Christian expressed concern that he had not come across a single vaccinated child or parent who has been adequately informed about Covid vaccines for children.

Among his points, he stated that:

The m-RNA vaccine, is a new, experimental vaccine never used by humans before. The m-RNA vaccines have not been fully authorized by Health Canada or the US CDC, and are in fact under interim authorization in Canada and emergency use authorization in the US. He noted that full vaccine approval takes several years and multiple safety considerations  this has not happened. That in order to qualify for emergency use authorization there must be an emergency. While he said there is a strong case for vaccinating the elderly, the vulnerable and health care workers, he said, Covid does not pose a threat to our kids. The risk of them dying of Covid is less than 0.003%  this is even less than the risk of them dying of the flu. There is no emergency in children. Children do not readily transmit the Covid virus to adults. M-RNA vaccines have been associated with several thousand deaths in the Vaccine Adverse Reporting System in the US. These appear to be unusual, compared to the total number of vaccines administered. He called it a strong signal that should not be ignored. He noted that vaccines have already caused serious medical problems for kids worldwide, including a real and significantly increased risk of myocarditis, inflammation of the heart. Dr. Christian notes the German national vaccine agency and the UK vaccine agency are not recommending the vaccine for healthy children and teenagers.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority/College of Medicine wrote a letter to Dr. Christian on June 21, 2021, alleging that they had received information that you are engaging in activities designed to discourage and prevent children and adolescents from receiving Covid-19 vaccination contrary to the recommendations and pandemic-response efforts of Saskatchewan and Canadian public health authorities.

Dr. Christians concerns regarding underage Covid vaccinations are not isolated to him. The US Centre for Disease Control had an emergency meeting today to discuss the growing cases of myocarditis (heart inflammation) in younger males after receiving the Covid-19 vaccines.

The CDC released new data today that the risk of myocarditis after the Pfizer vaccine is at least 10 times the expected rate in 12  17 year old males and females. The German government has issued public guidance against vaccinating those under the age of 18.

The World Health Organization posted an update to its website on Monday, June 21, which contained the statement in respect of advice for Covid-19 vaccination that Children should not be vaccinated for the moment. Within 24 hours, this guidance was withdrawn and new guidance was posted which stated that Covid vaccines are safe for those over 18 years of age.

Dr. Christian says there is a large, growing network of ethical, moral physicians and scientists who are urging caution in recommending vaccines for all children without informed consent. He said, physicians must always put their patients and humanity first.

Dr. Byram Bridle, a prominent immunologist at the University of Guelph with a sub-speciality in vaccinology, recently participated in a Press Conference on Parliament Hill on CPAC organized by MP Derek Sloan, where he discussed the censorship of scientists and physicians. Dr. Bridle expressed his safety concerns with vaccinating children with experimental MRNA vaccines.

Justice Centre Litigation Director Jay Cameron also has concern over the growing censorship of medical professionals when it comes to questioning the government narrative on Covid. We are seeing a clear pattern of highly competent and skilled medical doctors in very esteemed positions being taken down and censored or even fired, for practicing proper science and medicine, says Mr. Cameron.

The Justice Centre represented Dr. Chris Milburn in Nova Scotia, who faced professional disciplinary proceedings last year after a group of activists took exception to an opinion column he wrote in a local paper. The Justice Centre provided submissions to the College on Dr. Milburns behalf, defending the right of physicians to express their opinions on matters of policy in the public square and arguing that everyone is entitled to freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, as guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms  including doctors. The Justice Centre noted that attempting to have a doctor professionally disciplined for his opinions and commentary on matters of public interest amounts to bullying and intimidation for speaking out against the government.

Last week, Dr. Milburn also faced punishment for speaking out with his concerns about public health policies, as he was removed from his position as the Head of Emergency for the eastern zone with the Nova Scotia Health Authority. In an unusual twist, a petition has been started to have Dr. Milburn replace Dr. Strang as the provinces Chief Medical Officer.

Censoring and punishing scientists and doctors for freely voicing their concerns is arrogant, oppressive and profoundly unscientific, states Mr. Cameron.

Both the western world and the idea of scientific inquiry itself is built to a large extent on the principles of freedom of thought and speech. Medicine and patient safety can only regress when dogma and an elitist orthodoxy, such as that imposed by the Saskatchewan College of Medicine, punishes doctors for voicing concerns, Mr. Cameron concludes.

Read more at: JCCF.ca
(Natural News) The employees and clients of investment bank Morgan Stanley who have not been fully vaccinated against the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) will be barred from entering the banks offices in New York.

Starting July 12 all employees, contingent workforce, clients and visitors will be required to attest to being fully vaccinated to access Morgan Stanley buildings in New York City and Westchester, read an internal memo signed by Chief Human Resources Officer Mandell Crawley. The memo added that the vaccine mandate was put in place to speed up the process of reopening its offices.

Crawley said any employee, client or visitor of Morgan Stanley properties in New York will lose their privilege to access the building if they remain unvaccinated. He added that the overwhelming majority of staff have already reported getting vaccinated.

Before the release of this memo, Chief Executive Officer James Gorman warned its employees who were hesitant about returning to its buildings. If you can go to a restaurant in New York City, you can come into the office and we want you in the office, he said during a conference.

The company has already implemented vaccine-only workspaces in some of its divisions, including its wealth management and institutional securities divisions. These workspaces supposedly enhanced collaboration and productivity.

While Morgan Stanley is adding restrictions to unvaccinated staff, it is loosening its rules for those who have taken the COVID-19 vaccines. Vaccinated individuals no longer have to fill up the daily health check form if they want to go to work in the office. This requirement was dropped on Wednesday, June 23.

Many Wall Street firms have already mandated that their employees return to the office. Morgan Stanley has not done so yet, but Gorman said if the offices werent filled up by Labor Day in September, then well have a different kind of conversation.

To check the vaccination status of its employees returning to the office early, Morgan Stanley uses the VaccineCheck system. This vaccine passport currently operates on an honor system, but the bank may later decide to require proof of vaccination status using it. (Related: OBEY: New York becomes first state to launch vaccine passport for coronavirus jab recipients.)

Other Wall Street firms setting their own vaccination policies

Wall Street banks like Morgan Stanley have been at the forefront of pushing to convince workers to return to the office. Its own vaccination policies are the strictest yet among these large banks.

As of press time, only one other Wall Street firm  BlackRock, the worlds largest asset manager  has banned unvaccinated employees from entering its offices. Bank of America has made a similar policy. It will prioritize the return of vaccinated staff to its offices by early September. The bank said it will make arrangements for unvaccinated employees at a later time.

Earlier this month, Goldman Sachs made it mandatory for staff to disclose their vaccination status. It did not go so far as to ban unvaccinated employees from entering the building. But unvaccinated staff do have to wear masks and practice social distancing at all times. At JPMorgan Chase, disclosure of vaccine status is voluntary.

Back in December, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said companies have the power to bar employees from their workplaces if they refused to get vaccinated, so long as these corporations provide medical and religious exemptions.

In a survey conducted in May by advisory and risk management firm Willis Towers Watson, about 72 percent of employers said they will not require vaccinations to return to the workplace. Instead, many plan to follow Goldman Sachs policy of requiring unvaccinated staff to wear masks indoors.

Learn more about the vaccination policies being implemented by companies like Morgan Stanley at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

SHTFPlan.com

FT.com

Bloomberg.com
+2 Volant council poised for turnover with newcomers on ballot Volant's already shaky borough government appears headed for an overhaul, with the potential

A timeline of events in Volant over the last 10 months.

Sept. 26  Witches Night Out is held, one of the lone events held in Lawrence County during 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This event attracted hundreds to the borough.

Dec. 21  Council approves three controversial ordinances. At a borough council meeting held on Zoom, council voted 4 to 1 to require permits for events, prohibited the consumption of alcohol and prohibited portable toilets in the borough.

Jan. 12  Council failed to form a supermajority and override Mayor Ingrid Both-Hoesl's veto of the three ordinances. Both-Hoesl decided against resigning from her post after previously announcing she would.

April 9  New Castle attorney Christopher A. Papa, on behalf of nine merchants, files a lawsuit against the borough for neglecting its duties to keep open a public restroom paid for with a yearly merchant tax. The total amount of money collected while the restroom  open sporadically over the last six years  totals about $15,000.

Story continues below video

April 21  Council president Robert McGary disputes a previous statement by Both-Hoesl to the New Castle News that the borough was broke, saying instead it is in sound fiscal shape.

April 22  Detectives from the Lawrence County District Attorney's office served a sealed search warrant and were seen taking boxes from the borough office.

April 22  Volant holds its monthly meeting at the adjacent fire department building after previously canceling the week before. It's the last time the borough has met in public.

May 11  Volant's May meeting is canceled after a lack of quorum shows up. Only Both-Hoesl and councilmen Donald Little and John Wayne Edwards attend the meeting.

May 18  The Lawrence County sheriff's office is called to a dispute on Election Day over how close campaign signs can be to a polling site.

June 8  Volant's monthly meeting is canceled, again due to a lack of quorum. Both-Hoesl, Little and council president Robert McGary show up.
Anuradha Shukla By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: On Friday, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister P Thiaga Rajan sparked a controversy, when he said that the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) was faulty and that there is a need to

re-tool and restructure it.Sensible people may agree or disagree on a design or system or platform, but logic says you keep re-evaluating based on the outcomes. Have you achieved the goals you wanted? Have you avoided the failures you feared? If the answer to both those is no, logical people would say re-tool, re-structure, Rajan said while addressing a virtual meeting organised by IIM-Bs Alumni Association, Chennai Chapter on Tamil Nadu: The Road Ahead. The criticism may sound strongly worded but as the GST regime is set to complete four years this week, even its strongest supporters agree that the GST regime is still a work in progress and there is a need for many structural changes for a more stable and hassle-free system.

Good intent, but marred by tech glitches & design flaws

Introduced as one of the biggest economic reforms by the BJP-led Modi government, the GST kicked off with the promise to streamline taxation and compliance burden. Experts also claimed that in many ways, it has streamlined the process. Based on the one nation one tax ideology, GST has helped in reducing the cascading effect of tax considerably. Also, multiplicity of compliances under various indirect taxes has been reduced. Hence, introduction of GST in India has brought in efficiencies in indirect tax compliance, incidence and reduced the number of indirect tax authorities that a taxpayer needed to interact with, said Saloni Roy, senior director, Deloitte India.

Another positive is the concept of e-invoicing which seeks to ensure greater transparency in supplier-receiver transactions. The introduction of e-way bill coupled with the crackdown on fake invoicing has helped in bringing in a substantial portion of GST revenues, which were either being evaded or under-reported, in order.

However, the technical glitches, difficulty in claiming input tax credit and ever changing rules make compliance a cumbersome business.Input Tax Credit (ITC) is an area which has certain limitations that need to be addressed. The GST regime sought to have a seamless flow of ITC, however, conditions for availing ITC being stringent, many taxpayers lost out on ITC. Also, taxpayers lose their ITC due to non-reporting or mistakes by their suppliers, Roy said.

That apart, taxpayers are also complaining about the imposing an arbitrary monetary limit on availing input tax credit through Rule 36(4) and mandating that a certain percentage of GST has to be paid in cash. These laws are making life difficult for even the most honest taxpayers.In the initial years of GST rollout, former finance minister Arun Jaitley had promised to reduce the tax slabs to three by merging 12 per cent and 18 per cent slabs. However, it remains a distant reality after so many years. Falling revenue amid disruptions causued by the Covid-19 pandemic has continuously delayed the reform, leaving a large number of items in high tax slabs. Lack of clarity on many rules is also leading to various litigation and different interpretations (of the same laws) by Advanced Ruling Authorities in different states.

The government needs to establish GST Tribunals to reduce litigation timelines and the pressure on courts. The state authorities for Advance Ruling should ideally also have an independent jurist member, apart from a representative from the tax department, Roy suggests. Centre Vs States When the states had agreed to the GST implementation, they knew they had to let go of some share of their taxes. But the Centre promised to compensate the state with revenue foregone for the first five years after implementation of GST.

The nationwide lockdown, however, intensified the problem of revenue shortfall for states with the Centre not paying up the dues on time. Also with coffers drying up and with social and health spending going up, states are growing disenchanted with the system. We knew we were losing our independence of taxation as States. Already all direct taxation was Centre, the indirect was partially with us and the Centre. We went in with a lot of trepidation and fear and some hope of outcomes that would give long term and widespread benefit, Rajan said, adding that five years down the line, fears have grown immensely while the benefits have not even been realised by 20-30 per cent. This largely sums up the frustration faced by many states.

Meanwhile, the meetings of the GST Council are not as frequent as they were earlier, if the recent incidents are anything to go by, and it often end up with disagreement, fight and strong letters and statements. States have also accused the Centre of cornering a substantial portion of tax in forms of cess. Last year, the GST Council had borrowed `1.1 lakh crore to pay the states in order to make up for the shortfall. Still, `63,000 crore is pending which the Centre intends to pay this year.

Road ahead As the GST council is likely to meet soon to decide on this years compensation, the opposition-ruled state governments are likely to seek an extension of GST compensation on their revenues beyond June 2022, when the five-year window ends. The Fifteenth finance commission, in its latest report, has addressed many issues including large shortfall in collections as compared to original forecast, high volatility in collections, accumulation of large integrated GST credit, glitches in invoice and input tax matching, and delay in refunds. The Commission also observed that the continuing dependence of states on compensation from the central government for making up for the shortfall in revenue is a concern. While at the same time it suggested that the structural implications of GST for low consumption states need to be considered.
By PTI

MUMBAI: Seeking to accelerate its general awareness campaign, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has started looking for an entity that can develop multimedia publicity material in 14 languages.

The pan-India campaign to educate the general public about the essential rules and regulations will be launched in Hindi, Assamese, Bangla, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu besides English.

The media mix, according to an RBI document, will include traditional as well as new media.

Besides newspapers, magazines, radio, television channels and cinema halls, the campaign will also cover digital media, web portals and social media, the RBI said while inviting applications from advertising agencies for designing the creatives for the awareness campaigns.

"The public awareness campaigns of RBI will be full-fledged multimedia, multilingual, pan-India level campaigns. The objective of the campaigns is to create general awareness among citizens of India about the RBI regulations and other initiatives," said the request for proposal (RFP) in this regard.

Financial inclusion and education are two important elements in the RBI's developmental role.

Towards this, the central bank has created a critical volume of literature and has uploaded on its website in 13 languages for banks and other stakeholders to download and use.

As per the RBI website, the aim of the initiative is to create awareness about financial products and services, good financial practices, going digital and consumer protection.

The central bank runs a media campaign 'RBI Kehta Hai', is an initiative to educate the public about its regulations which are aimed at enhancing the quality of customer service in banks.

The number of followers of the Reserve Bank's Twitter handle @RBI surpassed the one million mark touching 1.15 million as of March 31, 2021, signifying the "largest following among the central banks" of the world, said the RBI's annual report.

During 2021-22, the apex bank aims to use public awareness programmes, social media presence and other channels of communication to further deepen engagement with the society.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: The protest held by fitness trainers and gym owners demanding permission to open gyms has gone viral on social media. Fitness model and short film actor Bithul Babu along with his friends Babu Chacko and Jeff Ajith organised a work-out protest standing in the queue in front of a beverages outlet at Vaniyakkadu near Paravur in Ernakulam district on June 22 demanding permission to open health clubs.

There is crowding in front of beverages outlets across the state. If the government allows health clubs to function adhering to Covid regulations, it will be of great help. We can admit five people each in half-an-hour sessions, said Bithul.

A health club needs an investment of Rs 20 lakh and most of us have availed bank loans for investment. Besides, we need 2,000 sq ft space for the club and paying monthly rent is a big challenge. Most of the gym owners are in crisis and many are facing bank attachment. Many gym owners were forced to sell their health clubs. The government should consider our plight and relax restrictions, said Bithul.

The protest has evoked huge response on social media and many people have extended their support to the demand.

ALSO WATCH | How Mumbai, India's most crowded city, beat the odds, and the coronavirus:
By PTI

KOLKATA: Twenty-eight-year-old Debanjan Deb, who was arrested for setting up dubious inoculation camps in the city, claimed during an interrogation that he had written to Pune's Serum Institute seeking Covishield vaccines, a senior officer of the Kolkata Police said on Sunday.

Deb, who had impersonated as a joint commissioner of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, also insisted that he had set up two fake camps in the city, and not multiple ones, as suggested by many quarters, the officer told reporters.

"Sleuths, so far, have unearthed eight bank accounts which were used by the accused to carry out his criminal activities. Ten others, who worked under him at some point, have been summoned for questioning," the senior officer said.

ALSO READ | Fake IAS officer duped people of lakhs of rupees: Kolkata police on vaccine scam

During investigation, the police also found out that the 28-year-old used to write letters to various government agencies and "put receipt stamps on those to convince people", he said.

"Debanjan has confessed conducting two vaccination camps -- one in City College on Amherst Street and the other at his office at Kasba. He also claimed that he had written a mail to a Serum Institute official seeking Covishield vaccines. We are verifying his claims," the officer noted.

Apart from the ten who have been summoned by the police, several others are being cross-examined for their alleged association with Deb, he pointed out.

"Deb had created an email account using gsuite for his activities.

Stamps of various offices, including those of KMC, Public Works Department and West Bengal State Election Commission, were found in his possession," he said.

The Kolkata Police had on Saturday slapped attempt- to-murder charge on Deb and three of his associates along with other sections of the IPC.

Actor and Trinamool Congress MP Mimi Chakraborty, who had taken her jab at the Kasba camp set up by Deb, was the first to raise alarm as she did not receive the customary SMS sent by government after inoculation.
By PTI

MUMBAI: Actors Sidharth Malhotra and Shraddha Kapoor celebrated the seventh anniversary of their drama-thriller "Ek Villain", directed by Mohit Suri.

Backed by Ekta Kapoor-led Balaji Motion Pictures, the film was a hit upon its release in 2014.

"Ek Villain" chronicled the story of a criminal, Guru (Malhotra), whose terminally ill wife Ayesha (Kapoor) is murdered by Rakesh, a sadistic serial killer, played by Riteish Deshmukh in his first negative role.

Kapoor, 34, took to Instagram and gave a shout-out to her fan clubs for marking the film's anniversary with their fan edits.

"My most precious fan clubs, just going through all your edits and again you guys just keep overwhelming me," she posted on her Instagram Story.

"Ek Villain" was a departure for Malhotra, who appeared in the action-thriller space after romantic comedies like "Hasee Toh Phasee" (2014) and the Karan Johar directorial "Student of the Year", which marked his debut in 2012.

The 36-year-old actor took to Instagram and shared behind the scenes footages from the film.

The official account of Balaji Motion Pictures shared the film's poster on social media.

"Celebrating Ayesha's free-spirited soul, Guru's heartwarming nature and Rakesh's devious side that made this incredible story of a villain.

Cheers to #7YearsOfEkVillain," read the caption.

The film's soundtrack, composed by Mithoon, Ankit Tiwari and the band Soch, featured chartbusters like "Galliyan", "Banjaara", "Hamdard" and "Awari".

Suri is currently working on the film's sequel, which stars Arjun Kapoor, John Abraham, Disha Patani and Tara Sutaria.

Titled "Ek Villain Returns", the movie is scheduled to be released on February 11, 2022.
Ayesha Singh By

"We need more of us, cried Dr Rohit Narang, a pulmonologist working double shifts at a well-known government hospital in Delhi, as he reported the 13th Covid-19 casualty in two days under his watch. The caseload is overwhelming and there are very few of us to deal with it. Even though the challenge cannot be overcome overnight, he believes that with sustained effort, the youth, including the large population of unemployed youth, can be skilled and trained to solve the shortages within healthcare. With National Doctors Day on July 1, we speak to experts on the need to bolster the system with new calibre.

Desperate demand

To prepare for a possible Covid third wave and given the paucity of qualified manpower, the Delhi government will be training 5,000 youngsters as health assistants. This kind of preparedness is better rather than scrambling when a crisis such as the pandemic hits you in the face. Given that India needs at least 1.8 million doctors, nurses and midwives to achieve the minimum threshold of 44.5 health workers per 10,000 population in 2030, according to WHO, the future belongs to the healthcare industry. And active participation can achieve this, says Dr Jeedhu Radhakrishnan, Consultant and Head Emergency Medicine, KMC Hospital, Mangaluru. Fields such as home care, emergency and advanced care, sample collection, medical equipment manufacturing and distribution will be in high demand in the future, according to him.

Specialised care

The ageing population of baby boomers in India needs specialised care. With this, geriatric care is set on a growth trajectory, says Radhakrishnan. The population of people aged 65 and above is projected to grow from 524 million in 2010 to nearly 1.5 billion in 2050, according to the Global Health and Aging report by the WHO. It is obvious then that this surge will create employment opportunities for youngsters, says Radhakrishnan.

Beyond doctors, surgeons and nurses Positions that have been under the radar until now, will come out of the shadows, according to him. These include prosthetics technicians, dosimetrists, phlebotomists, medical transcriptionists and more. Each of these accommodates different educational levels. Amateurs should apply their innovative approach to education across five core areas: inclusion and diversity, promoting person-centred care, longitudinal learning, professional identity, practice and digital health and education. This will stand you in good stead, says Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, Senior Consultant, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi.

The added advantage of flexibility at work cannot be ignored as some positions allow for remote working, a choice between day or night and weekday or weekends, or a mix of all, according to Chatterjee. Customer engagement and customer enhancement-driven jobs offer promise but departments that are perpetually short-staffed need most attention. These include medical roboticist, custom implant organ designer and developer, occupational therapist/physical therapist, nutritionist, audiologist, radiation and nuclear physicist, bio-technologist, gene therapist, cryopreservation specialist, and genetic counsellors, says Chatterjee.
Susmita Saha By

The Netflix documentary The Ivory Game asks a prescient question to its audiences, Are we really in our generation going to allow the biggest mammal on earth to disappear? The extinction of wildlife is a thought haunting conservationists, activists, and forest officials alike, even as animal species face pressures on their fragile ecosystems. Sherni, the latest release on Amazon Prime, addresses these anxieties through the politics around relentless human intrusion into wildlife habitats.

The movie has Vidya Balan playing Vidya Vincent, a Divisional Forest Officer caught up in the complexities of her jobprecariously balancing tiger conservation with the interests of forest communities who lead a hand-to-mouth existence. A multi-layered bureaucracy, manned by officials often serving their own agendas, spells doom for the striped cat threatened by constant habitat loss. Producer-writer-director Amit V Masurkar does not offer easy answers in a film about healthy ecosystems for both man and animal. But he does showcase how human greed knows no bounds, and how it is perfectly capable of profiteering both from the poors desperate forest dependence and the tigers annihilation.

Vidya is not always successful in keeping local politicians exploiting the man-animal conflict at bay, but soldiers on with understated resolve. Often, she is aided in her efforts by a college professor and an environmentalist at heart, Hassan Noorani (Vijay Raaz). She operates in a hostile work environment, with patriarchy blocking her at every step of the way. Her attempts to forge ties with villagers facing unimaginable deprivations are thwarted by both politicians and big-game hunters. Ultimately and in time, she learns to choose her battles.

For any film that especially talks of ecology and where the forest plays an integral role, the cinematography is very important. And Sherni gets it on point. With drone shots interspersed with intimate shots of assorted insects, macaques, and spotted deer, silhouetted against the backdrop of ancient forests, it is a photographic meditation on forest trails, streams, rocks, and a variegated shade card of darkness. Every frame comes alive with rich visual and sonic details.

The actors too shine. Some play ordinary individuals tasked with responsibilities beyond their means. Yet they persist in their doggednessa symbol of the harmony between mankind and nature. Sampa Mandal, playing Jyoti, an impoverished woman living on the fringes of the forest and voicing the concerns of her community, throws up important questions. Others like Sharat Saxena as a trophy hunter and Neeraj Kabi, in the role of a senior bureaucrat, are delicate studies of the human character. While Balans character is almost on a parallel journey with the tigress. It is the films most enduring takeaway.
Pushpesh Pant By

After days of depressing and disturbing news, it seems that things are cheering up a bit. We can take pride in the news that our PM enjoys higher popularity ratings than the President of the USA and almost all other leaders of democratic countries many of them much older and more affluent and developed than India. Indeed, 66 percent approval in the middle of the second term in office should be considered impressive by any standards.

The catch is that PM Modi had approval ratings much higher than this about six months back before the governments fumbling to cope with the Corona pandemic severely dented its image. Its true that even today there is none who can come close to matching his charisma and nationwide popularity but shouldnt the not so insubstantial dip cause concern? We dare not whisper the apprehension how this trendif it continuesmay impact the forthcoming UP and other state elections.

The party that enjoys brute majority in the parliament has repeatedly shown itself miserably dependent on Modi Magic. The debacle in West Bengal has punctured the mythical balloon of invincibility. Not many are overawed by the larger-than-life shadow cast by the modern-day Chanakya or unstoppable momentum of the ruling partys Juggernaut. But lets not get bogged down by party politics and electoral obsessions.

There are other reasons to be positive. The number of coronavirus infections is declining sharply as are the morbidity figures. How one wishes that one could heave a sigh of relief. The sliver of silver lining continues to be surrounded by dark clouds. Each day unveils shocking revelations about fudging by the state government, including the ones ruled by NDA-BJP, of pandemic-related statisticstesting, vaccination, and deaths. Its only after the higher judiciary has adopted a stern posture that disclosures and explanations have started surfacing. We cant be complacent about the Third Wave surging due to a deadly mutant of the coronavirus.

Forex Reserves continue to rise though its not quite clear how this is happening. In the Covid-crippled international economy, Indian exports are not winning new markets. From the USA to the EU, many countries are girding up to protect their markets. Harsh economic sanctions and undeclared trade wars have only shrunk the space for our products and services.

Monsoon is on time and meteorologists predict that this will boost a stagnant economy. This is very reassuring but as we scan the horizon there are disturbing portents. From Iran to Russia, there are more challenges than opportunities. China, at present and for a long time in the foreseeable future, cant be projected as a reliable partner. It would be unwise for diplomats and responsible leaders to name the enemy but it has become impossible post-Galwan to underplay Chinas hostility and belligerence.

There is no evidence that supports the over-optimistic view that the ASEAN nations are waiting to switch their international trade from China to India. True, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines feel threatened by Chinas aggressive expansionist drive in the South China Sea and beyond but the asymmetry in economic and military power between India and China is so glaring that it would be naive to suggest that India can challenge China in this region.

Indias neighbourhood continues to be turbulent. From Nepal to Sri Lanka, Maldives, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, recent events have transformed the milieu adversely for the pursuit of Indian national interest. Bhutan and Bangladesh are tranquil on the surface but the Chinese have decided to change from push to a shove. No useful purpose can be served by blaming leaders in the past for blunders made by them. What we are confronted with is explosive volatility all along our bordersland and maritimethat is going to cause a heavy drain on our already strained resources.

Unfortunately, boasts about our capacity to give more than a befitting reply to anyone who threatens us have not been enough to deter intruders. Obviously, not all details of defence preparedness can be shared in the public domain but excessive opacity identifying friends and foes can only erode the credibility of those at the helm.

Indias ranking has slipped sharply on various indicatorssocial development, freedom of expression, tolerance of dissent. Our premier universities struggle to survive in the list of top 200 or top 500 in the world. Can we continue deluding ourselves that our PMs outstanding popularity and approval scores can offset all other gloomy numbers?

The long and short of this is that we cant have it both ways. When the foreign Western media pats our back and puffs us for its own reasons we go to town but when it criticises us we shout ourselves hoarse crying conspiracy! How long can we find consolation in statements like one made by an acting assistant secretary of state in the US government praising India for its rule of law and strong democratic institutions?

Pushpesh Pant

pushpeshpant@gmail.com

Former professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University
By PTI

BHOPAL: Encouraged after a chat with Prime Minister Narendra Modi who urged people to shed hesitancy against COVID-19 vaccine, a villager from Madhya Pradesh got inoculated along with his family members.

Seeking to make people shed their reservations about vaccines against coronavirus, Modi spoke to residents of Dulariya village in MP's Betul district.

The chat was aired on the PM's monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' broadcast on Sunday.

Modi counselled them to take the vaccine amidst their doubts about the inoculation exercise.

Rajesh Hirave (43) was one of those who had a chat with the PM.

"After talking to the prime minister on Friday, I along with my family members got the vaccine shot for prevention from the coronavirus infection on Saturday," Hirave told PTI over phone.

"I encouraged others also, following which 127 people from the village got vaccinated," he said.

ALSO WATCH: How Mumbai, India's most crowded city, beat the odds, and the coronavirus

The villager further said he is now inspiring other locals to get the jab.

"I am very happy to talk to the prime minister. I have no words to express my happiness," Hirave said.

The prime minister also spoke to another 60-year-old village resident Kishorilal Dhurve, who also later got vaccinated.

"My father has got vaccinated and is now encouraging others to get the vaccine jab," Dhurve's son Ravindra told PTI.

Hirave, while talking to the PM, said people were hesitating to get inoculated due to misconceptions being spread about it on WhatsApp.

While speaking to Hirave and Dhurve, the prime minister said he and his nearly 100-year-old mother have taken both doses of the vaccine, and asked people not to believe in rumours and trust science and scientists.

"The threat of COVID-19 remains and we have to focus on vaccination as well as follow COVID-19 protocols," the PM said.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Making COVID-19 vaccine available for children will be a milestone achievement and pave the way for reopening of schools and resumption of outdoor activities for them, AIIMS Chief Dr Randeep Guleria has said.

He said the data of phase two and three trial of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin on two to 18 years age group is expected by September.

The vaccine can be available for children in India around that time following approval from the drug regulator, he said.

"If the Pfizer vaccine gets approval before that, then it can also be an option for children," Dr Guleria told PTI on Saturday.

According to a senior government official, pharmaceutical major Zydus Cadila is also likely to soon apply to the Drugs Controller General of India for emergency use authorisation for its COVID-19 vaccine ZyCoV-D, which it claims can be given to both adults and children.

"So, if the Zydus vaccine gets approval, it will be another option," Dr Guleria said.

ALSO WATCH: How Mumbai, India's most crowded city, beat the odds, and the coronavirus

He stressed that though children mostly have mild infections of COVID-19 and some even are asymptomatic, they can be carriers of the infection.

Underscoring that there has been a major loss in studies in the last one-and-half years on account of the COVID-19 pandemic, the AIIMS chief said, "Schools have to be reopened and vaccination can play an important role in that."

Vaccination is the way out from the pandemic, he said.

The government has recently cautioned that even though COVID-19 has not impacted children greatly till now, that can increase if there is a change in the behaviour of the virus or in epidemiology dynamics.

It said that preparations are being made to deal with any such situation.

A national expert group has been formed to review COVID-19 infections among children and approach the pandemic in a new way and reinforce the nation's preparedness for it.

On the issue of vaccinating children, NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr V K Paul recently said, "Child cohort is not a small one. My rough guess is that if it is between 12 to 18 years, this itself is about 13 to 14 crore population for which we will need about 25-26 crore doses."

He further shared that not only Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, Zydus Cadila's vaccine is also being tested on children.

"So when Zydus comes for licensure soon, maybe we have enough data to take a view on whether the vaccine can be given in children," Paul said.
By PTI

JAIPUR: Delta-plus variant of coronavirus is highly infectious but there is no need to panic, former ICMR chief, Dr Raman Gangakhedkar said on Sunday.

With ICMR data showing over 70 per cent of people having developed immunity against coronavirus, the country appears to be heading towards herd immunity but the Delta-plus variant has created a frightening environment, said another doctor in a webinar on Covid.

Noting the highly infectious nature of the Delta-plus variant, former chief of the Indian Council of Medical Research, Dr Gangakhedkar said a vaccine is also less effective to it.

Dr Gangakhedkar, however, added, "There is no need to panic. Researches have shown that mRNA vaccine is likely to be more effective against it."

The ex-ICMR chief was part of a group of doctors from different parts of the country who held an in-depth discussion on the possible third wave of coronavirus infection through a webinar organised here on Sunday.

The organiser of the webinar and a senior dermatologist, Dr Dinesh Mathur said doctors from top medical institutions took part in the conference to share their opinion.

Dr Gangakhedkar also dispelled the popular misconception that people should avoid taking the Covishield vaccine if they have been given 'heparin' to stop bleeding or they have a low blood platelet count.

He also said the risk of HIV infection can also be found higher in some groups like homosexuals, sex workers and transgenders during the pandemic.

The former ICMR chief rejected the notion of taking two different vaccines and insisted that one should never take two doses of different vaccines.

Dr Virendra Singh, a respiratory disease expert, said ICMR data reveal that more than 70 per cent of people have developed immunity against the virus due to infection or vaccine and it seems the country is moving towards herd immunity.

"But, the Delta-plus variant has created a frightening environment," he said.

He, however, counselled caution, saying "instead of being afraid, this pandemic can be avoided with Covid-appropriate behaviour."

Dr Raman Sharma of the Department of Medicine of Sawai Man Singh Hospital said it is known from the experience so far that the drug Remdesivir should be used only appropriately and equitably.

It has also been found from research that drugs like Jack State Inhibitor are proving effective in the treatment of Covid.

Steroids should also be used at the right time and in the right dosage, he said.

Other medical science experts who participated in the webinar included Dr Vishwa Mohan Katoch, a former director-general of ICMR, noted microbiologist Dr Nitya Vyas of the Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and chief executive Dr Jaswant Goyal of JNU Medical College, among others.
By PTI

RAIPUR: Police have cracked a 10-year-old murder case after an accused during a casual conversation with a friend told him that he had killed a man in Raipur in 2011, an official said on Sunday.

After getting the lead, the police on Friday arrested the main accused, identified as Santosh Yadav alias Ghanshyam (30), and his associate Lokesh Yadav (32), Additional Superintendent of Police (Rural) Tarkeshwar Patel said.

The victim, Lekhram Sen (40), a resident of Kosrangi village here in Chhattisgarh, was killed in January 2011 at Farhada village in the district, he said.

Santosh Yadav, during a conversation recently with a friend at a 'dhaba' (roadside eatery) in Farhada village, told him that he killed Sen in 2011, following which the police got a whiff of it and rounded him up a few days back.

The official said during questioning, Santosh Yadav told the police that he strangulated Sen to death in January 2011 with the help of Lokesh Yadav and dumped the body at a paddy field in Farhada village.

In his statement to police, Santosh said in 2011, he went to his maternal home and got into a relationship with a girl.

While he was meeting his girlfriend at a paddy field in the village late at night, Sen, who was passing by, spotted the duo and threatened them to reveal about their relationship to villagers," the official said.

"Later, Santosh with the help of Lokesh allegedly strangulated Sen to death with his belt," Patel said quoting the statement of the main accused.

The two accused have been booked under relevant sections, he added.
By PTI

CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday said he will be meeting External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to seek his intervention in securing the release of 24-year-old Vishal Jood from a prison in Australia.

According to local media reports, Jood, who hails from Haryana's Karnal, is lodged in an Australian prison for his alleged role in a series of hate attacks on suspected pro-Khalistan Sikhs in Sydney this year.

Khattar said he would also urge the Australian High Commission to intervene in the issue, an official statement said here.

The chief minister had earlier also spoken to Jaishankar and was assured of full cooperation from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian High Commission in Australia regarding Jood's release, it said.

Khattar, who is in Manali, said continuous efforts are on to secure the release of the youth.

Meanwhile, on the second day of his visit to the resort town in Himachal Pradesh, the Haryana chief minister held a virtual meeting with representatives of NGOs and NRIs living in Australia and thanked them for sending oxygen concentrators and other medical equipment to India amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

He also urged the Haryanvi diaspora and foreign investors to invest in Haryana.

Describing Haryana as a preferred destination for investment, Khattar said the state government has constituted a Foreign Cooperation Department to resolve various issues related to foreign investment and to coordinate with foreign investors.

Along with this, a single-window system has been created through which investors can get all types of approvals online easily in 45 days to set up their industry, he said.

Apart from this, Khattar said, a relationship manager will be assigned to investors who wish to set up their business in Haryana.

Khattar added that the Haryana government was committed to create a progressive business environment in the state.

In Haryana, 10 industrial model townships with all necessary facilities have been set up.

A separate MSME Department has been created for the purpose of promoting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the state, he said.

Haryana is a preferred destination for auto companies and auto-component manufacturers, the chief minister said.

Haryana has immense potential for industry in the fields of auto manufacturing, skill development, IT and ITES, agro and agro-based industries such as food processing, health and animal science, tourism, integrated aviation hubs, he added.
By PTI

PORT BLAIR: A former councillor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands has been arrested for allegedly issuing residence certificate to Bangladeshi nationals which helped them to acquire voter card and other Indian documents, police said.

Bangladeshi national Nayan Sarkar and his family were staying in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands illegally as their visa had expired, the police said.

Ex-Councillor Sanjay Meshack had issued residence certificates to Nayan Sarkar, his brother and parents.

These residence certificates helped them to get voter card, pan card, Aadhaar card.

Sarkar was arrested by police for illegally staying in India without valid documents and Meshack was arrested for allegedly issuing residence certificate to Sarkar and his family members.

Further investigation into the matter is on, they said.

The police requested the general public to be eyes and ear of the police and report about any Bangladeshi illegally staying in the islands.

The name of the informer will be kept secret.

One can contact on Phone No 233307, 232586, 100, and 9474290250 or by email at shoccs.and.nic.in.

Cooperation of general public is very vital to weed out the illegal immigrants from the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a government release said.
By PTI

JAMMU: An FIR was registered Sunday under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act after two explosives-laden drones crashed into the IAF station at Jammu airport, officials said, while indicating the case may be taken over by the terror probe agency NIA.

The drones crashed into the IAF station at Jammu airport in the early hours of Sunday, perhaps the first time that suspected Pakistan-based terrorists have used unmanned aerial vehicles in an attack, the officials said.

An FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Explosive Substances Act, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Satwari police station on the application of a junior warrant officer of the IAF, the officials said.

"The NIA is likely to take over the case. They are already supervising the investigation at the scene of the blast after joining the probe," one of the officials said.

He said an FIR was registered under UAPA sections 13/16/18/23 of the (unlawful activities/terrorist act/conspiracy/enhanced penalties), and IPC section 120-B (criminal conspiracy).

Sections 3 and 4 of the Explosive Substances Act (causing explosion likely to endanger life or property/attempt to cause explosion, or for making or keeping explosive with intent to endanger life or property) have also been included.

The explosions took place around 1.40 am within six minutes of each other.

The first blast ripped off the roof of a single-storey building at the high security technical area of the airport manned by the IAF in Satwari area of the city.

The second one was on the ground, the officials said.

Two IAF personnel were injured in the incident, which Jammu and Kashmir police chief Dilbag Singh has termed a "terror attack".

Probe teams from the IAF and Special Forces have also visited the scene along with forensic experts to investigate the nature of the blast and collect evidence, they said.

Meanwhile, a battery of mediapersons camped outside the main gate of the IAF station hit by the twin blasts.

However, no out of ordinary movement was noticed at the gate except visits by senior officers of the Army, police, CRPF and other agencies.

Labourers engaged for routine work inside the station reported on schedule and were allowed in after usual checking of their identity cards and frisking.

Army quick reaction teams (QRTs) were seen making rounds to maintain watch outside the IAF station, while security forces also carried out area domination in the adjoining residential localities, the officials quoted above said.

Security has been beefed up across Jammu region including on highways where special checkpoints were set up to carry out checking of vehicles especially at the entry and exit points of the city.

DGP Dilbag Singh also said while officials were investigating the drone attack, another major strike was averted as a person, probably owing allegiance to the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, was arrested along with an improvised explosive device weighing around six kg.

The person was tasked with triggering the IED blast at a crowded place, Singh said.

"The suspect has been detained and is being interrogated. More suspects are likely to be picked up in this foiled IED blast attempt."
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: President Ram Nath Kovind, who is on a visit to his birthplace in Uttar Pradesh, on Sunday said he had never imagined that an ordinary village boy like him would occupy the highest post in the country. He was addressing a gathering at Paraunkh village in Kanpur Dehat district.

I had never imagined, even in my dreams, that an ordinary village boy like me would have the honour of occupying the highest post in the country. But, our democratic system made this possible. Wherever I have reached today, the credit goes to the soil of this village, this region, and to your love and blessings, the President said.

This is Kovinds first visit to his village after assuming charge as the first citizen of the country. Though he desired to visit the place earlier, plans could not materialise because of the pandemic, an official statement stated.

Kovind paid tributes to Dr BR Amedkar and other freedom fighters and also visited the Veerangana Jhalkar Bai Inter College and Milan Kendra. He also visited the Pathri Devi temple with his family. According to my familys sanskaar (values), the oldest woman in the village is given the status of mother and the oldest man is given the status of father, irrespective of caste or community.

Today, I feel happy that this tradition of giving respect to the elders in our family is still continuing, he said. Paranukh was not only a village but also his motherland from where he drew inspiration to serve the country, he added. This inspiration has made me reach from high court to the Supreme Court to the Rajya Sabha. From the Rajya Sabha, I moved to the Raj Bhavan and from there to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Kovind said.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Centre has told the Supreme Court that Indian missions all over the world have been working on a "war footing" for sourcing medicines like Amphotericin or additional and alternative drugs for the treatment of COVID-related Mucormycosis (CAM) in the country.

The Union health ministry, in a 375-page affidavit filed in the apex court on Saturday, responded in detail to the query of an apex court bench about the steps being taken to ensure drug availability for Mucormycosis.

It said the projected production of L-Amphotericin B by domestic manufacturers in August is likely to be 5.525 lakh units of injections and in order to maintain equitable distribution, states are given the medicines in accordance with the proportion of their reported caseload.

Besides ramping up domestic production facilities of medicines like Amphotericin, the government said it has also issued guidance on the judicious use of the drug, and states and UTs have been required to put in place transparent arrangements for allocation to private and government hospitals.

"The drug Amphotericin is available both through domestic production and by imports, and both sources have been ramped up. The capacity and supply have had to be increased manifold in a very short period of time to cope with the surge in demand seen for the first time in May and June 2021.

"Further, allocation is being made as an interim measure to enable equitable distribution across states, using patient data of Mucormycosis as reported on the portal created for this purpose by MoHFW (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare)," it said.

The affidavit said in order to augment domestic manufacturing, the Centre has been continuously engaging with manufacturers to resolve issues related to raw materials.

In this regard, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is playing a critical role in reaching out to various manufacturers abroad, and with the active participation of MEA, several important and critical steps have been taken to augment both domestic production and imports.

"It may be noted that vide OM dated 16.05.2021, MHFW had requested MEA to explore all possibilities of sourcing Amphotericin B/Liposomal Amphotericin B injection from abroad through Indian Mission.

"Accordingly, MEA has also instructed Indian Missions all over the world to immediately identify additional sources of the drug and alternative drugs for the treatment of Mucormycosis. The said exercise is in process at war footing," it said.

In order to augment domestic production, the Department of Pharmaceuticals and the Drug Controller General of India has actively coordinated with the industry for the identification of manufacturers, alternate drugs and expeditious approvals of new manufacturing facilities, the affidavit said.

"The DCGI after consultation with the association of Drugs manufacturers has recently issued manufacturing/marketing permission of Amphotericin B Liposomal Injection to eleven companies so as to augment the production which would be available.

Some of such 11 companies have already started producing and some are commencing production from July 2021," it said.

The affidavit also dealt with the availability of Remdesivir and said that looking at the sudden increase in demand for the patented drug in April 2021, the central government had made efforts to augment the production by the seven licensed domestic manufacturers.

"The domestic production capacity was augmented from 38 lakh vials per month to nearly 122 lakh vials per month with the accelerated approval of 40 additional manufacturing sites by the DCGI (Drug Controller General of India) taking the number of sites to 62," it said.

The government also undertook allocation of the drug to all the states and UTs in a move to ensure fair and equitable distribution for an interim period till production was ramped up and the drug became adequately available in the market, it said.

Beginning with the first distribution to states and UTs on April 21, 2021 to the last allocation made on May 23, 2021, the total cumulative allocation of 98.87 lakh vials of Remdesivir was made to them, it said.

"Meanwhile, noting the slowdown in the demand of Remdesivir, owing to decrease in the number of active cases and sufficient availability of the drug with States/UTs, allocation by Government of India has been discontinued in the end of May 2021, and states / UTs can purchase as per their requirement from the manufacturers," it said.

Dealing with the availability of Tocilizumab, the Centre said, this medicine is listed in the treatment protocol for the management of COVID 19 patients.

"Since the drug is not manufactured in India it is sourced from a company Roche in Switzerland and marketed by Cipla Ltd in India.

"Till about March 2021, the demand of Tocilizumab by various hospitals across the country was adequately being met until the sudden spike of COVID cases April 2021 onwards whereby the demand for the drug went up hugely," it said.

ALSO WATCH:
By PTI

JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir police on Sunday arrested an alleged terrorist belonging to the Resistance Resistance, a frontal group of Lashkar-e-Taiba and seized a 5.5-kg-IED from his possession.

Jammu's Senior Superintendent of Police Chandan Kohli identified the arrested accused as Nadeem-ul-Haq, a resident of Zainhal-Banihal in Ramban and said with his arrest, a major tragedy has been averted.

Haq was in contact with his handlers in Pakistan and south Kashmir Shopian, the SSP said.

The SSP said Haq was given the task to trigger the blast by the Resistance Force, a frontal group of Lashkar-e-Taiba, by planting the IED at some crowded place.

ALSO READ | Police files chargesheet against two for trying to revive militancy in J-K's Reasi

Haq was nabbed by a police team during a routine checking by it at Barmini road where he was spotted carrying a yellow bag and heading towards Bathindi, the SSP said.

On seeing the police party, he tried to run away, raising suspicion and was swiftly chased and intercepted, he said.

The search of his bag led to the recovery of the IED and he was arrested and booked under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosive Substances Act, Kohli said.

Terming the arrest as a "major success", the SSP said the investigation is still at a nascent stage and more arrests are likely as the probe progresses.

He said the success was achieved due to the heightened security and alertness and manual surveillance by police teams through strong checkpoints and intensified foot patrolling at several places for the past several days.
By PTI

DAMOH: A 40-year-old mentally unstable man, who inadvertently crossed into Pakistan in 2019, has returned to his village in Madhya Pradesh's Damoh district, local police said.

Barelal Adivasi, a resident of Pati Shishpur village near here, was arrested at Bahawalpur in Pakistan on November 14, 2019 for unlawful entry.

On Saturday, he returned to his native place, located around 20 km from the district headquarters, Damoh Superintendent of Police D R Tenivaar told reporters.

It was not known how he landed in the neighbouring country, officials said.

Following talks between the Pakistan government and the Ministry of External Affairs, Adivasi was released and he returned to India via the Attari border in Punjab, Tenivaar said.

A family member received him at Amritsar and brought him back, he said.
By PTI

JAISALMER: A man was detained by the intelligence agency of the Indian Army on suspicion of espionage in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer district, officials said on Sunday.

The suspect, identified as Bai Khan, a resident of Basanpeer of the district, was under surveillance of the intelligence agency from the past several days and was detained near TSP gate of the Army area late Saturday night, they said.

The suspect operated a canteen so he frequented easily in the Army area, the officials said.

Several suspicious phone numbers from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, London and Australia have been found in his mobile phone, they said.

WATCH | How Mumbai, India's most crowded city, beat the odds, and the coronavirus
By Express News Service

GUWAHATI: A local court in Arunachal has drawn flak over the manner in which it handled a case involving a minor rape survivor.

The court not only ordered the survivor to be handed over to her local guardian, who is the sister-in-law of the alleged rapist but also allegedly did not allow a member of the local Child Care Institute (CCI), who had accompanied the child, to be by her side while her statement was recorded.

The child wanted to stay at the CCI but the court said, The said survivor, who is having a biological father and a local guardian, cannot be treated like a child who needs care and protection. Hence, the child is handed over by the CCI.

The 14-year-old girl, who hails from Nepal, worked as a domestic help at the house of the accused, Aka Kalung. He was arrested by the police who filed a charge sheet against him on April 20.

Kalung, who hails from Lower Dibang Valley district in the state and is now out on bail, had allegedly raped the girl multiple times.

The Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (APSCPCR) decided to send one of its members to Lower Dibang Valley capital Roing for an assessment of how the case was handled. The child rights body, which viewed the courts judgement questionable, has already taken up the case with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights.

Given that the girl is from another country, the police had suggested the APSCPCR take up the case at the embassy level.

She was reported missing on March 1 and traced the next day. She had told the police how she was subjected to sexual assault by the accused before being sent to the CCI. The survivor was brought to Arunachal from Nepal when she was very small and ever since then, she had been staying at the house of the accused, the police said.

The CCI was critical of the court for not allowing its member into the court while the childs statement was recorded. It said as per the Juvenile Justice Act and Section 164 of the CrPC, the child had to be accompanied by a confidante.

The girls father came to Arunachal a few months ago and has been staying at the house of the accused.


By PTI

JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir Police has filed a chargesheet against two terrorists for attempting to revive militancy in Reasi district at the behest of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group, officials said on Sunday.

The chargesheet against the arrested accused -- Mohammad Yousaf of Dewal and Mohammad Ashraf of Lar -- was filed in the court of third additional sessions judge Jammu on Saturday, a police official said.

On January 1 this year, police station Mahore received intelligence input about the revival of militancy in the area of its jurisdiction in Reasi district, he said.

ALSO READ | FIR registered under UAPA in Jammu IAF station blast case; NIA likely to take over probe

Acting swiftly, police zeroed in on Yousaf and Ashraf who during sustained questioning revealed their links with LeT terrorist Talib Hussain, who had crossed over to Pakistan occupied Kashmir from Mahore over two decades ago, the official said.

He said they were in constant touch with Hussain through social media and were planning and working upon to revive militancy and carry out a major terrorist attack in the Jammu zone.

A huge cache of arms and ammunition including Chinese pistols with magazines, pistol cartridges and grenades were recovered at their disclosure from a hideout, the official said.

He said a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Arms Act stands registered against the accused.
By PTI

THANE: An 18-year-old man was arrested for allegedly raping a seven-year-old daughter of his neighbour in Navi Mumbai, police said on Sunday.

The accused had also threatened family members of the victim against approaching the police, an official said.

The alleged incident occurred on the June 24 night in Chinchpada area of Rabale after the accused asked the girl to accompany him to a marriage function.

He took her to an isolated godown and sexually assaulted her, the official said.

The accused was arrested on Friday while he was planning to flee to Nepal and booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Centre on Saturday told the Supreme Court that till June 25 more than 31 crore Covid vaccine doses have been administered across the country which includes over 1.73 crore doses to Health Care Workers (HCWs).

Over 2.66 crore doses have been administered to Frontline Workers (FLWs), over 9.93 crores doses to persons between 45 to 59 years of age and over 8.96 crore doses to persons above the age of 60 years, it said.

The government said besides these, over 7.84 crore doses have been administered to persons between 18 to 44 years of age.

"Total 44.2 per cent of the priority population of persons above 45 years of age and 13 per cent of the population group of 18-44 years of age have received the first vaccine dose," the Centre said in its affidavit filed in the top court in the suo motu matter on COVID-19 management.

The Centre which gave the status of COVID-19 vaccines administered from January to June 25 said that a total of 27.3 per cent of the eligible population (18 years and above) have received one dose of vaccine.

"It is humbly submitted that prior to the initiation of the New Liberalized Pricing and Accelerated National COVID Vaccination Strategy on May 1, 2021; a total of 15,49,89,635 (15.49 crore) COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered in the country from January 16 to April 30, 2021," it said, adding that the total figure includes 94,12,140 doses to HCWs and 1,25,58,069 doses to FLWs.

This also includes 5,27,07,921 doses to people in the 45 to 59 years of age group and 5,23,78,616 doses for people above the age of 60 years, the Centre said.

"It is further stated that, in the month of May, 2021, a total of 4,03,49,830 doses were provided by Union government to the states and union territories (UTs) for vaccination of priority group of HCWs, FLWs and persons aged 45 years plus and above as supply from government of India channel, for which no amount is collected from anyone," it said.

The government said in May, 3,91,80,160 doses were available for states and UTs, and private hospitals, which would be proportionate to the people of 18-45 age group in each state and UT.

Therefore, in May, 7,95,29,990 doses were available for the national COVID-19 vaccination programme, it said.

The Centre said each state is informed by it in writing about the number of vaccine doses it would receive on a monthly basis and this exercise is absolutely essential so as to have uniform vaccination throughout the country.

"This endeavour can be successful only by treating India as one unit and considering the question on a pan-India basis. This can be achieved only with each state following the discipline in letter and spirit, and be in tune with simultaneous vaccination of the country avoiding any demands by one state at the cost of other states and residents of the rest of the country," it said.

The Centre said, similarly, in May and June, it has provided advance information to states and UTs regarding vaccine doses to be supplied to them for July.

"It is humbly submitted that allocation for the month of July 2021 for available vaccines was done amongst all States/ UTs on a pro-rata basis based on population of 18 years and above, it said.

It said that there is no global scientific evidence of viruses selecting to affect a particular age group.

The central government said it has ensured that all state governments are geared-up to deal with any such potential threat to children.

"Since health is a state subject and hospitals are under the state governments, the central government has proactively prepared two SOPs - one for prescribing an ideal clinical treatment and second prescribing the infrastructural facilities mandated in the hospitals," it said.

The Centre added that it is in constant and direct touch with state governments to ensure that these facilities are created and augmented on war footing.
By PTI

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Law Commission is examining the feasibility of having a state enactment for population control.

Asked if the panel is ascertaining the viability of a population control law in the state, the Uttar Pradesh, Law Commission Chairperson Justice (Retd) Aditya Nath Mittal told PTI, "Yes. It is under study. We are studying various incentives and disincentives (of having the law)," he added.

Asked about the possible salient features of the legislative proposal, Justice Mittal said, "We are also examining various family units, besides their polygamy and polyandry aspects. It is premature to say anything.

"Moreover, it will only be our recommendation which the government may accept or reject," he added.

He hoped to submit his panel's report on the issue to the government in around two months.

ALSO READ | Assam to soon implement its population policy in government schemes

Speaking to reporters earlier in Sambhal, Samajwadi Party MLA Iqbal Mehmood said the Yogi Adityanath government was planning to bring in a law on population control and termed it as a conspiracy against Muslims.

"Any law against population control will be a conspiracy against Muslims," asserted the SP MLA from Sambhal.

Mehmood made the assertion, claiming that "the rise in the country's population is due to Dalits and tribals and not because of Muslims".

"It is actually an attack on Muslims in the garb of population control," he said.

"If the BJP thinks only the Muslim population is increasing in the country, a bill for this law should have been brought in the Parliament so that it could be implemented throughout the country. Why is it being brought in UP?" Mehmood asked.

Claiming that "Muslims have already understood not to go in for more two or three children", the Sambhal MLA asserted that the population of the country is rising due to people belonging to the scheduled castes and tribes and not because of the minority community.

Mehmood also warned that any population control law will meet the same fate as the move on the National Register of Citizens.

"The impact of NRC in Assam was more on non-Muslims than on Muslims. The population law will also have the same fate. I fail to understand why the Yogi Adityanath government, which has barely seven months left in the office, is talking of a population control law?" he asked.
By PTI

VISAKHAPATNAM: Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday stressed the need for a people's movement to preserve languages, complementing the efforts of the government in order to deliver the benefits of our language traditions to future generations.

Highlighting the power of language to unite people across generations and geographies, Naidu called for a concerted efforts to preserve, enrich and propagate our languages, cultures and traditions.

Speaking at the 6th annual 'Rashtretara Telugu Samakhya' conference, he suggested that Telugu people should come together as one for the cause of Telugu language and the revitalisation of our local traditions.

Noting that neglecting a language will lead to its decline, the Vice President said it is the duty of each individual to preserve and promote one's mother tongue, without belittling other languages and cultures.

He also underscored the need for primary education to be in one's mother tongue, as envisaged by National Educational Policy, 2020.

He noted that persons presently occupying the highest constitutional offices of the country, including the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of India all had primary education in their mother tongue.

"People should not have the false impression that one cannot succeed and grow in life if they learn in their mother tongue. We have many past and present exemplars to disprove that," he said.

The Vice President also called for more initiatives in translating Telugu literature into other Indian languages, thereby spreading the richness of one's language tradition.

Appreciating the fact that many such cultural organisations continued their work online in the wake of the pandemic, Naidu suggested that efforts be intensified to integrate language and technology in the same spirit.

Noting that there are more than a thousand organisations outside the Telugu states for the preservation and propagation of the Telugu language, he commended the initiative of the organisers in coming together on a common platform called 'Rashtretara Telugu Samakhya.

He conveyed his best wishes for their future endeavours.

Himachal Pradesh Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, West Bengal Minister for Women and Child Development and Social Welfare Dr Shashi Panja, former Deputy Speaker of Andhra Pradesh Mandali Buddha Prasad, President of All India Telugu Federation Dr C M K Reddy, President of Rashtrethara Telugu Samakhya Sundara Rao and others were present during the virtual event.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Sunday demanded the withdrawal of cases registered against farmers during their protest marches on Saturday to mark seven months of their agitation against the Centre's three farm laws.

SKM, the umbrella body of farmer bodies spearheading the agitation, said the Chandigarh police has booked several farmer leaders on several charges.

Farmers on Saturday marched towards the Raj Bhavan in different states to submit memoranda, addressed to the president, and to governors to mark seven months of protests against the Centre's three farm laws.

"In Chandigarh, it is reported that FIRs have been filed against several SKM leaders and many other protestors under IPC sections 147, 148, 149, 186, 188, 332 and 353," the SKM said in a statement.

It alleged that after barricading the roads, the "police also resorted to using water cannons and lathicharge on the protestors".

"On top of this kind of undemocratic and authoritarian behaviour, cases are now being filed against SKM leaders.

Samyukt Kisan Morcha condemns this and demands that the FIRs be withdrawn immediately and unconditionally," it said.

In many places, farmers were not allowed to even take out rallies to Raj Bhavans and there were detention and lock-ins of SKM leaders, it said.

"SKM condemns this and points out that this itself is an illustration of the failure of democracy and the undeclared emergency that we are going though," it said in the statement.

Noting that cases have been filed against 15 farmers in Hisar who had taken part in a protest against a BJP meeting on June 25, the SKM said the FIRs should be withdrawn immediately.

The farmers started their stir against the contentious farm laws in November by camping at Singhu border between Delhi and Haryana, besides at Tikri and Ghazipur borders.

The protesting farmers have demanded the withdrawal of the Centre's farm laws and that a new law be made to guarantee minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

The protesting farmers will mark Monday "Kisan Mazdoor Bhaichara Diwas" at Sunehra protest site near the Haryana-Rajasthan border, it added.
Kapil Sibal By

All who inhabit our planet cannot escape natural disasters. They spell havoc without notice, without warning. We have seen towns and cities flattened, lives lost and habitations washed away. Such is the power of nature.

All we can do is to help those who survive natures furythose who have lost their livelihoods, are orphaned and feel that there is nothing left to live for having lost those dear to them.

It is at such times that the state steps in to help stitch lives, to make a citizen feel that he is cared for. Understandably, the Ministry of Home Affairs, on 8 April 2015, delineated the norms of assistance available both under the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) and the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) in the event of a disaster. These norms were applicable over the period of 2015 to 2020 during which the Covid-19 pandemic wreaked havoc and shook us all. The gratuitous relief available under the said norms allowed for ex-gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh to the family of a deceased person, including those involved in relief operations and preparedness activities, subject to verification regarding cause of death. It is logical to assume that such a dispensation is available to all those dealing with the Covid-19 pandemicdoctors, frontline workers and those who by virtue of their vocation were required to put themselves at risk of getting infected while trying to save those infected with the virus. There are others who performed civic functions necessary to keep essential services functional. Having sacrificed their lives to save the lives of others, we owe these brave citizens more than just a debt of gratitude.

It is, however, a matter of great concern that the Government of India has refused to apply the norms under the 2015 order to our frontline soldiers who lost their lives while attempting to save us from the Covid-19 pandemic. On 14 March 2020 the government declared the pandemic as a notified disaster. Within hours, the order was modified. The list of items and norms of assistance appended to the new order did not specify payment of any ex-gratia amount to the families of the deceased. This borders on inhuman conduct. The governments position is that a disaster contemplated by these norms is a one-time event; that Covid-19 is not one such disaster as it is an evolving global pandemic. It is a phenomenon that differs in its intensity and mutates through waves, making it a global public health challenge. In fact, according to the government, successive Finance Commissions have recommended allocations for providing financial relief against 12 identified disasterscyclone, drought, earthquake, fire, floods, tsunami, hailstorm, landslide, avalanches, flash floods, frost and cold wavesto which the norms would apply.

The government has decided that the norms applicable to identified disasters are not available to victims of Covid-19, the logic being that this pandemic was not known to man before the virus-infected people. However, the nature of new viruses will never be known till they attack the human body. Covid-19 is one such virus. Globally, millions have been victims of this virus. In India alone, if we accept official data, almost 4,00,000 people have fallen prey to this virus. The numbers are without doubt much higher. To put it simply, according to the government, an unidentified disaster is not akin to an identified disaster that requires the surviving families of its victims to be compensated. Such an interpretation defies reason.

The government, by its own logic, cannot deny that Covid-19 is a disaster. It boasts of a National Plan under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, providing relief to those affected. It claims to have adopted a multipronged tailor-made response taking into account the evolving nature of the virus. At the same time it absolves itself of the obligation to provide the minimum standards of relief required under Section 12 of the 2005 Act. Given this position of the government, it has taken a conscious decision to provide relief depending upon the ever-changing requirements that are needed to ameliorate the effects of this pandemic. Because of the nature of challenges that lie ahead and the enormous burden on the economy along with pressures on the Centres exchequer, the government is providing support to the public under its various schemes. The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package, the Comprehensive Personal Accident Cover of Rs 50 lakh provided to 22.12 lakh healthcare workers, including community as well as private healthcare workers who may have been exposed to Covid-19 patients, are a few of such schemes that cover the staff of even private hospitals, volunteers, daily wagers, and others.

The defence of the government in not applying the policy decision of 8 April 2015, as also modifying the list of items and norms of assistance, is on the assumption that it has already done enough to take care of the needs of those who have been directly or indirectly impacted by the pandemic.

The state is obligated to protect its citizens when such a disaster destroys lives and livelihoods. Any relief granted is not in the nature of an act of mercy or generosity. It is the states constitutional duty. To deprive families of compensation granted to others because of the nature of the disaster is crass discrimination. Whether the disaster is a one-time event or a continuing tragedy, the duty to compensate the families of those who have lost their loved ones is no different and cannot depend on whether the disaster is notified by the government or not. A notification cannot alter the nature of the compensation. Government discretion cannot alter the status of the tragedy.

The corporate sector, to boost the business environment, gets massive economic packages and tax benefits. Banks take thousands of crores in haircuts in insolvency proceedings. For that, public monies can be sacrificed. But not for lives lost in a disaster. That is a burden on the exchequer!

Kapil Sibal

Senior lawyer, Congress leader and member of Rajya Sabha

(Tweets @KapilSibal)


T J S George By

Freedom is a funny thing. When it is there, we dont notice it. When it is not there, we dont notice anything else. In a country as populous as India, half the people can take their freedom for granted without knowing that the other half is denied basic freedoms. This half-half reality is the defining feature of Narendra Modijis India.

People are getting arrested as in the days of Indira Gandhis Emergency. And, as in those days, people know only bits and pieces of what is happening. Fear is a reality. The public has no way of knowing how many poets, professors and pundits are in prison. Ordinary criminals are not seen as a threat. For those who wield power, poets are the threat.

Not surprisingly, the weapon of FIR was used frequently against Muslims. Twitter responses summed up the reaction when one said: And then they came for the poets as mass murderers roamed free. Another put it more pungently: Here goes fascism for you, you may call it patriotism. The lynch mob is free while the poets will be hounded.

The lynch mob was vicious when it hounded poet Varavara Rao. The world knew about it only when serious medical problems developed as a consequence of his life in jail and the authorities were forced to move him to hospital. He had spent more than seven months in Taloja Jail, the notorious glamorous jail in Mumbai. Why? Because he wrote lines like: The foe fears the poet/Incarcerates him/But already the poet in his notes/Breathes among the masses.

As a result of the foes fear, there were activists who found themselves in jail, not for breaking the law, but for offending those in power. They were men and women who came from different backgrounds and nursed different ambitions. Among them were young Delhi University students who started the brave Pinjra Tod (break the chain) movement. Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal were PhD scholars at Jawaharlal Nehru University. Their arrest was resented by the student community which issued a statement appealing to all democratic-minded citizens to remain vigilant and strong in our struggles in face of this repression.

Kafeel Khan, a popular doctor, was jailed because he made fun of Amit Shahs citizenship amendment games. In Jammu and Kashmir, the Abdullahs were silenced with house arrest.

The case of Stan Swamy is, perhaps, the saddest and also the most illustrative of government high-handedness. A priest-turned-tribal activist, Swamy spent more than seven months in jail. No court ordered his imprisonment; he was not even produced before any court. Yet, he was kept in jail in inhuman conditions. When he entered prison, he was able to eat, take a bath, read, go for a walk. Jail changed all that. Taloja Jail has brought me to a situation where I can neither write, nor go for a walk by myself. I am requesting you to consider why and how this deterioration of myself happened. He was, subsequently, shifted to hospital on the orders of the High Court.

How many knew about the incarceration of Delhi University Professor Hany Babu in connection with the so-called Bhima-Koregaon case. (A Pune Conclave in December 2017, which, police said, triggered violence between Dalits and upper castes. Dalit leaders were arrested. Brahmins who attacked them were not touched.)

The Bhima-Koregaon arrests brought discredit to India. More than 50 Nobel laureates, MPs and professors joined civil society organisations to send a letter to the Indian Government demanding release of those arrested. It turned out that an unknown hacker had planted more than 30 documents on a laptop belonging to an activist who was accused of terrorism. Among these was one that outlined plans to kill Modi.

Who plotted this? Who was trying to project Dalits as dangerous and upper castes as harmless? Who was keen to show that Modi was under assassination threat? Who calculated that talk of assassination would produce a sympathy wave in favour of Modi?

When sympathy waves do arise, how beneficial are they? Some of the worlds most admired leaders were assassinated  Lincoln, Kennedy, Martin Luther King, our own Gandhiji. Were any lesson learned from these tragedies? Freedom might be a funny thing, but the message conveyed by these incidents is not funny. The message is that leaders play games with the state. All of them win in one way or another. Its the people who lose. They are at the mercy of a class of people famous for not knowing the quality of mercy.
Terror and talks cannot go together was a maxim written in stone by the Sangh Parivar. That was the guiding principle for the BJP refusing to have any dialogue with not just Pakistan but also internal elements like the fundamentalist Hurriyat Conference and left-wing extremism. Crushing them with the full force of the state was the advocated line of action. The negotiations the Vajpayee government was forced to have with the Taliban following the hijacking of Indian Airlines IC 814 to Kandahar in 1999 were an aberration, as this was meant to resolve a hostage crisis and rescue over 170 passengers. Yet, it was a moment of shame for a government that put a premium on its no-talks-with-terror hardline. Also, the Sangh faulted Vajpayee for keeping the democratic space open for the Hurriyat.

Now, in a significant U-turn, India has opened secret contacts with the Talibans Afghan leadership. That at present the non-state actor has the upper hand as compared to the Afghanistan government, with the deadline for full withdrawal of US troops from the country on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 fast approaching, is well known. The Taliban already controls over 50 of the 374 districts in the country. So, doing business with the group was an imperative as India is heavily invested in the region and has executed a slew of development works like construction of roads, schools and dams. India has taken up at least 400 projects so far, spending over $1.5 billion and earning a lot of goodwill, making them Pakistans eyesore. On the flip side, India quietly closed its consulates in Jalalabad and Herath last year ostensibly due to the Covid first wave, but actually since they ended up serving as target practice for terrorists over the years.

Foreign minister S Jaishankars prescription for lasting peace in Afghanistanpeace within the nation and around itwould necessarily include softening of Indo-Pak edges. Since ideological rigidity must give way to supreme national interest, back-channel talks with Pakistan are on, with the latter said to be now ready for formal dialogue if J&Ks statehood is restored, sacrificing Article 370 in the process. One hopes India stays the course of pragmatism for resolving external and internal conflicts.
By PTI

BENGALURU: Kannada actor Chetan Kumar has filed a Re one defamation suit in a city court against Karnataka Labour Minister A Shivaram Hebbar for using 'defamatory' language against him, for allegedly criticising Brahminism.

The actor had on Saturday said that he has sued the minister for using demeaning and offensive language against him on Twitter on June 11.

Hebbar, who is a Brahmin himself, took offense to Chetan Kumar's statement and tweeted that he would ask the Chief Minister to initiate action against the actor for his tweets, which "could be aimed at getting himself identified or for petty gain (Ganji Kaasu)."

"I have filed a Re 1 civil defamation suit against current Labour Minister Shivaram Hebbar," Chetan said in a statement.

As a sitting cabinet minister in a party that is in power in both Karnataka and the Centre, Hebbar has used 'demeaning' and 'offensive' language attacking him personally, Kumar added.

He charged Hebbar with 'misusing' his role as a public servant and said the minister must be held accountable.
Chetana Belagere By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: With the threat of Covid Delta-Plus surge looming and Maharashtra deciding to go slow with its unlocking, Karnatakas Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) has come out with a list of measures to be taken immediately. It has also advised the government not to hurry with relaxing the norms.

The Centre too has urged Karnataka, where two cases of Delta-Plus are seen, to take immediate containment measures, prevent crowds, conduct widespread testing and increase vaccine coverage on priority in districts where the variant has been detected.

TAC, which held a meeting on Saturday to discuss measures to contain Delta-Plus, advised the government to take follow-up action in districts, sources said. After confirmation of the variant, a detailed epidemiological investigation shall be done by the district Rapid Response Team (RRT) under District Surveillance Officer (DSO) and the reports should be shared with the deputy commissioner, district expert committee and state Covid war room, the TAC suggested.

Keeping in mind that it takes one to two weeks to genome sequence the samples, the TAC has advised RRTs to investigate the clinical status of Covid-positive person, whether he/she is admitted, under home isolation, recovered or died, etc. Also, they should find out if a Covid-negative test is warranted for such people after 14 days of recovery, said the TAC advisory. The teams are also expected to verify whether all contacts of the person tested positive for the variant were identified and tested on day 0 to day 7.

TAC bats for micro-planning

Contact tracing should be done and RT-PCR conducted on all such patients contacts. If tested positive, their samples too should be genome sequenced. TAC members stressed the need for micro-planning and making reporting formats stringent at the state level and then sharing it with districts for regular reporting. They said that strict containment protocols should be put in place.

An active influenza-like illness (ILI) survey in the community  an entire village in rural areas and around 100-metre radius in urban areas -- should be done urgently, TAC said. All ILI cases should be tested with RTPCR. The State needs to step up epidemiological investigation of cluster cases along with concurrent genomic sequencing.

Rapid response teams in each district should implement the recent guidelines on strengthening epidemiological surveillance for variants of concern, said Dr Giridhara R Babu, epidemiologist and TAC member. Dr Manjunath C N, Director, Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, asked the government to postpone any decision to allow large gatherings.

In the earlier waves, we have noticed that the surge in Karnataka has always occurred 2-4 weeks after the spurt in Maharashtra, Kerala and Delhi, he said. He suggested that genome sequencing should be increased from 5% of samples to at least 20% to detect VOCs early. Testing should be made mandatory for those coming in from these states of concern, he said.

State logs 4k cases in 1 day

In what appears to be a clear indication of people flouting Covid norms, Karnataka on Saturday reported about 1,000 cases more than what it recorded on Friday. The state logged 4,272 fresh cases on Saturday compared with 3,310 cases the previous day.However, the positivity rate marginally dipped from 8.43% on Friday, to 8.40% on Saturday. Meanwhile, experts attribute the case increase to various factors.

strict vigil at state borders

Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi on Saturday said the government contemplates making it mandatory for people entering Karnataka by crossing the border to produce a Covid-negative report. Expressing concern over rising cases of the Delta+ variant in Maharashtra, he added that his department had been working on measures to ensure strict vigil across all checkposts on the Karnataka-Maharashtra border.

ALSO WATCH | Delta Variant is 'most transmissible' identified so far: WHO
P Ramdas By

Express News Service

KOCHI: Former Isro scientist Nambi Narayanan was arrested by Kerala police in 1994 without any material or record to show his involvement in the espionage, according to the Justice D K Jain Committee report. The committee found the arrests of Isro scientists B Sasikumaran and K Chandrasekharan, and labour contractor S K Sharma too were without any proof. The panel, which delved into the conspiracy angle in the espionage case, suggested a detailed investigation into the physical and mental torture of Nambi and Chandrasekharan by interrogators.

The portion of the report, accessed by TNIE, is part of the FIR filed by the CBI before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Thiruvananthapuram, on June 17. The case, which had made headlines in 1994, pertained to allegations of transfer of certain confidential documents on Indias space programme to foreign countries by two scientists and four others, including two Maldivians.

Citing the report, the seventh paragraph of the FIR stated the undocumented interrogation of Maldivian Mariyam Rashida was illegal. The report also cited deliberate leaking of information to the press by the investigating agency to create a narrative implicating the scientists.

The panel also mentioned the representation by Narayanan before it alleging that during the course of his arrest and interrogation he was pressured by the interrogators to falsely implicate his immediate bosses Muthunayagam and U R Rao of ISRO in the matter. Narayanan had also informed the panel there was deliberate attempt to remove him from the development of Cryogenic technology and there was a design to harm the ISRO cryogenic technology project.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: Lakshadweep-based filmmaker Aisha Sultana has said that the sedition case charged against her by Kavaratti police was part of an agenda. Aisha, who arrived in Kochi after a week-long stay in Lakshadweep, told mediapersons that the police checked the bank account details of her brother and mother as part of investigation.

I arrived in Lakshadweep expecting arrest. The police questioned me for three days and gave permission to leave the island on June 24. But after the court granted anticipatory bail, the police summoned me and seized the mobile phone. The court order came as a big relief, she told reporters.

Aisha also said that the allegations of violation of quarantine rules were not true. The Lakshadweep administration had issued a caution notice on June 22 for violation of quarantine rules alleging that she visited public places and interacted with Covid patients at a first line treatment centre.

Aisha stays in Kochi along with her mother and brother. Aisha said she returned to Kochi to visit her ailing uncle. The Kavaratti police booked the sedition case against Aisha based on a complaint filed by the Lakshadweep state president of BJP for the remarks made during a media discussion.

She had said that the Union government had used a bio-weapon on the people of Lakshadweep, while referring to the easing of Covid quarantine rules. Aisha boarded an Air India flight from Agatti to Kochi on Saturday afternoon. However, the flight was diverted to Coimbatore due to bad weather. The flight finally landed in Kochi at 5.45 pm.
Krishnachand K By

Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: At a time when the people are finding it difficult to get slots for COVID vaccination, a young Malayali IT engineer, Limnesh Augustine, based in Bahrain has developed a Windows desktop application titled 'CowinSearchHelper' for searching and finding the slots easily.

Several people have been able to get slots using this app. He decided to develop this application after his parents in Kochi could not get slots due to the high traffic on the CoWIN portal.

The complete free source code can be downloaded from the GitHub repository or Google Drive link.It was really tough for my parents to get appointments for their second dose vaccination. Since they are old and not used to these booking systems, it was very difficult for them to search for the appointments. My wife Jincy Babu and I tried to help them out in getting the appointments but, unfortunately, whenever we searched on the website, there were no slots available.

There were too many limitations on the portal and our specific request for the second dose of Covishield for the 45-plus parents near our location was not possible. Instead, we had to search for general options and then go through each one to check if there was a slot of second dose available. There was also a limit of 20 maximum searches and the slot would be cached. It would be refreshed only every five minutes. By the time we found a slot, it might be already booked and closed, Limnesh said.

Fortunately, he found that the government has published the web APIs (Application Programming Interface, which is a software intermediary that allows two applications to talk to each other). There were two sets of APIs, one public and second protected.

"The public APIs will enable us to query with detailed parameters and there were no session limits and the query was dynamic and real time. So, the moment the slot is uploaded in the system by any hospital or vaccination centre, it can be queried through the API. I then developed the application in Dotnet/C# on June 10 to use these APIs for vaccination slot search," he said.

It is a desktop application and it has been designed in such a way that it will run throughout and alert the people via SMS whenever an appointment is available in any of the centres within five kilometres from their houses for getting Covishield and Covaxin doses.

As expected, it worked and Limnesh was able to get the appointments for his parents. He also found out that many of his friends had also faced the same problem in India. So, he decided to publish this application for public use. But since the SMS option uses his account, he disabled that feature.

Multiple record holders

Limnesh and Jincy are international 3D artists and have multiple Guinness World Records in their names. Limnesh is an electronics and communication engineer by profession, and is working as a project manager in GBM Bahrain, while Jincy is an art educator.

ALSO WATCH | Kerala's Covid-19 fight: A tale of two waves | TNIE Documentary
Unnikrishnan S By

Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: When he booked the lone flight from Kochi to Dubai immediately after the UAE announced the lifting of travel restrictions from India on June 23, Rahul Balakrishnan was hoping to make a quick return to rejoin the banking firm he was working with in the emirate city and finally renew his rental agreement.

However, all his hopes were dashed soon enough, with the flight being cancelled after the UAE extended the suspension of flight services to and from 14 countries including India till July 21."The bank I am working with asked me to take leave when I was forced to extend my stay here. Now I am on loss-of-pay and the situation has become a threat to my job security," Rahul said.

Binu Mathew, who works with a hospitality firm, also rued his decision to wait for direct flights while his colleagues travelled via Armenia to reach Dubai. "It was a risky decision because there were reports of travel agencies cheating customers. Besides, any ban during the transit would result in them getting stranded and losing money. However, my colleagues took the decision anyway to protect their jobs," he said.

Indian expats have started exploring newer transit locations such as Armenia, Uzbekistan and Ukraine to circumvent the travel restrictions. They travel using chartered flights to reach the transit countries, where they spent a 14-day quarantine period before taking the trip to the UAE. The trip is costly and fraught with risks.

"My company has started preparations for the Dubai Expo. If I cannot make it, they will not keep me on the roll for long. I am easily replaceable," said Binu. The Dubai Expo 2020 was rescheduled to be held from October 1 this year.

Even the employees who were offered the work-from-home option are feeling the pressure. Archana TK, a software employee with an Abu Dhabi-based company, complained that she had to undertake a 40 per cent salary cut for the extended stay.

The travel ban, which was imposed on April 25 and later extended in batches, is currently expected to be lifted on July 21. Earlier, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh were popular among the diaspora as transit countries, but this option too went away after the UAE banned travel from these countries.

The vice-president of the state chapter of IATA Agents Association of India, CM Girish Kumar, said lakhs of people are waiting to return as soon as the ban is lifted. "There are several people who came just for a 10-day leave. They are frantically trying to save their jobs, reunite with their families and restart their businesses in the UAE," he said.

ALSO WATCH | How Mumbai, India's most crowded city, beat the odds, and the coronavirus
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam on Saturday urged Chief Minister MK Stalin to pay special attention to the lakhs of Covid vaccine vials lying unused with private hospitals, and use them efficiently to expedite the vaccination drive.

Tamil Nadu will need 16 crore more doses of Covid vaccine. As on June 26, 1.44 crore doses have been administered to the public, meaning less than 10 per cent of the States residents have received both the doses, Panneerselvam said in a statement here.

As many as 13.9 lakh doses were allotted to private hospitals in Tamil Nadu during the months of May and June, and of this, over eight lakhs doses are still to be administered. Further, 17.75 lakh doses would be given to the private hospitals in July.

So, they might then have over 25 lakh vaccine vials. People normally approach government hospitals for the vaccine as it is free of cost and no prior registration is needed. So, the Chief Minister should urgently take steps to use the unused vials available with the private hospitals, Panneerselvam urged.
By Express News Service

ADILABAD/HYDERABAD: Adilabad Superintendent of Police M Rajesh Chandra appealed to Maoists suffering from Covid-19 to surrender and receive treatment offered by the government.

The SP visited the house of Maoist area committee member Dasariwada Sumana in Dedra village on Saturday. He handed over money, clothes and groceries to Sumanas mother and family members and enquired whether they were availing schemes like Rythu Bandhu.

Chandra appealed to Sumana, who had joined the Maoist party 20 years ago, to surrender and utilise the benefits the government had assured them, which include a 2BHK house, agricultural land and medical treatment.

For students of Dedra village, the SP purchased a television set worth `30,000 and distributed books and pens to them. Later, he participated in a medical camp and requested a local doctor, Dr M Suresh, to regularly monitor the villagers health. The SP said that Maoists couldnt do much by hiding in forests and that if they wanted to accomplish anything, they should stay among the common people.

Sumanas mother Anjanabai also appealed to her daughter to surrender so that she could support her in her old age.

COPS VISIT KIN OF ACTIVISTS

Rachakonda police reached out to the family of Maoist party member Alwal Chandrahas, who is part of the team protecting top leader Ramakrishna, on Saturday. They also met the family of a woman Maoist leader Pallepati Radha. DCP Rakshitha K Murthy interacted with Chandrahas elder sister and Radhas parents, and asked them about their health. They provided groceries to them and requested them to appeal to their kin to quit the Maoist party.

HARIBHUSHANS WIFE ALSO SUCCUMBS TO COVID-19

Three days after the death of Maoist party central committee member and Telangana State Maoist party secretary Haribhushan, his wife Bejjeri Sammakka, also known as Saradakka or Sharada Dala, also succumbed to Covid-19. She was the commander of Charla-Shabari area.

While Haribhushan died on June 21, 2021, Saradakka died on Thursday. Her last rites were performed by the Maoist party members. Saradakka was a native of Madagudem village of Gangaram mandal in Mahabubabad district. Speaking to Express, Mahabubabad SP N Koti Reddy said that they had received information of Saradakkas death through her relatives. The Maoist party has still not confirmed her death
R Pridhvi Raj By

Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Clearing the cobwebs of delays in decision-making, the Congress high command on Saturday appointed Malkajgiri MP A Revanth Reddy as president of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC). His appointment and the balancing act that the party has done in taking senior leaders of different castes in key positions of the party indicates that it has realised the need for a team that can stand up to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and the BJP, which is raring to come to power in the State in the next Assembly elections in 2023.

The new-look committee has, among five working presidents, one SC person (J Geetha Reddy), two BCs (Anjan Kumar Yadav, B Mahesh Kumar Goud) one Reddy (T Jagga Reddy) and one Muslim (Md Azharuddin). Among the 10 senior vicepresidents, there are two Reddys (Vem Narender Reddy and Damodar Reddy), two SCs (Sambhani Chandrasekhar and Mallu Ravi), one ST (Podem Veeraiah), three BCs (Suresh Shetkar, Ramesh Mudiraj, Gopishetty Niranjan) one Velama (T Kumar Rao) and one minority (Javed Ameer).

The party has eased out Ponnam Prabhakar and Jetti Kusum Kumar, who were working presidents in the outgoing team. Though the party considered the reconstitution of Telangana committee immediately after its drubbing in the 2018 Assembly elections at the hands of the TRS, it had kept it on the back-burner despite the fact that the delay was harming its prospects in Telangana. The party lost all elections, big and small, held subsequently and even though 12 of the 18 MLAs had defected to the TRS, the party took no decision to give its Telangana committee a new face.

Though incumbent TPCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy put in his papers quite some time ago, the party did not act on his resignation. According to sources, the only reason that the party did not appoint Revanth Reddy as president though his impending selection was an elephant in the living room, was because it was deeply worried over what would happen if all the seniors begin pulling the party in different directions. There were instances of party leaders washing dirty linen in public, denouncing the candidature of Reddy so much that the latter opened his own office in Jubilee Hills in the guise of a parliamentary constituency office and rarely went to the party headquarters in Gandhi Bhavan.
Sumi Sukanya Dutta By

NEW DELHI: The Centre is planning to allow single doctor clinics across India to offer Covid vaccines in yet another tweak in its vaccination policy for coronavirus, The New Indian Express has learnt.

As per the Centres existing Covid vaccination strategy, 25% of the total vaccines available in the country are to be procured by private hospitals and offered to recipients at a price -- Rs 150 administrative cost plus the actual price of the vaccine per dose -- while in government hospitals, jabs are to be administered free of cost.

However, in terms of actual vaccinations carried out so far, the role of private hospitals has remained quite limited and only private hospitals in some cities have been able to participate in a big way.

In the most populous states such as UP and Bihar, where there are a few corporate hospitals, inoculations have largely been conducted in government facilities, data by the Centre show.

As of Saturday, there were only 2,417 private hospitals carrying out Covid vaccinations accounting for less than 5% of 54,977 vaccination centres across India.

The proposal of permitting single doctor clinics to carry out Covid vaccinations has been given in-principal approval after many states suggested this and bodies of private hospitals also recommended that this move will raise their participation, said a senior official in the Union Health Ministry.

ALSO READ | Over 1.45 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses available with states: Centre

This will allow people to access vaccines at their trusted doctors next door and help remove the vaccine hesitancy which is emerging as an issue in many towns, the official added. "However, there is a concern related to the monitoring of adverse events following immunisation and detailed guidelines for it are being worked out."

Another source in the ministry said that in some states, state aggregators have already started asking doctors practising independently to raise the demands which will then be conveyed to vaccine makers via the Centre.

Representatives of private hospitals, meanwhile, welcomed the proposal. It is a much-needed step as vaccination has now reached almost a saturation level in big cities while a large population in smaller towns are yet to get the shots, said Girdhar J Gyani, director general of the Association of Healthcare Providers of India, a body of private hospitals.

Gyani added that if the vaccination service is offered by the regular doctors people see in their neighbourhood, it will help overcome the vaccine hesitancy to a great extent.

The government has been emphasising that it wants more private hospitals, especially those in far-flung and remote areas and smaller ones, to come forward to take part in the vaccination drive.

It has said that this scale-up is required to remove the regional inequity in access to vaccination.
Richa Sharma By

NEW DELHI: As the Congress leadership is firefighting in Punjab, trouble is brewing for the party in the majority of the states going to polls in 2022. The high command is having a tough task in hand to contain infighting and dissent in state units where the party stands a chance of coming to power. Seven states are scheduled to elect new assemblies next year  Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Punjab, UP, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.

After a series of meetings with Punjab CM Amarinder Singh and other state leaders and MLAs, the party is expected to announce organisational changes in the state unit early next month with a hope to end factionalism. However, it is yet to take up issues concerning other poll-bound states. If not addressed on priority basis, the party may end up meeting similar fate as seen in the recent Kerala elections, where the Left won a record second term. The Congress also fared poorly in Assam and West Bengal.

Uttarakhand: The state has never voted for an incumbent government since its formation in 2000. The factionalism-ridden Uttarakhand unit is expected to see organisational changes with former CM Harish Rawat pitching to be named CM candidate, though he has denied this. He has also asked the party high command to free him from organisational duties as AICC in-charge for Punjab so that he can focus on Uttarakhand. The party is expected to soon announce the name of new leader of opposition following the demise of Indira Hridayesh.

With the state unit also slated to get a new chief, lobbying is going on for the post.Uttar Pradesh: The Congress is not a major player in UP though it is working to strengthen the state unit under the leadership of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. State leaders have been at loggerheads, with many of them accusing party chief Ajay Kumar Lallu of sidelining them. Jitin Prasadas switch to the BJP eight months before elections came as a jolt to the party. There are reports of more state leaders leaving before the elections.

Goa: Congress Lok Sabha MP Farncis Sardinha has gone on record to attack state chief Girish Chodankar after the partys women wing chief Pratima Coutinho joined the AAP citing weak leadership and infighting. Sardinha said the party needs to change the Goa Congress chief ahead of elections to boost its chances.

The state unit has been ailing for long and the party leadership has failed to address the issues. In 2019, 10 of 19 Congress MLAs led by leader of opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar joined the BJP. Gujarat: In this key state, the Congress gave a tough fight to the BJP in 2017 and but later several party MLAs switched sides. Dealing with factionalism, the party is yet to appoint state chief though elections are scheduled in February- March 2022. The appointment of AICC in-charge is also pending.

The post fell vacant following the demise of Rajiv Satav. According to reports, Patidar leader Hardik Patel, who was appointed as working president, is also unhappy and is in talks with the AAP. Many state leaders feel Late Ahmed Patels political acumen will be missed.Himachal Pradesh: The tallest Congress leader and six-time CM Virbhadra Singh is ailing while the party is unable to contain factionalism. Party leaders agree there is a need to put up a united front.
Express News Service By

NEW DELHI: The directorate of education (DoE) of the Delhi government has devised a three-stage plan for online teaching with specific activities for students nursery to class XII of the state-run and aided schools to compensate for loss due to continuous closure of the schools during the coronavirus pandemic. The department will provide short notes and worksheets to students who cant access online classes due to non-availability of digital devices. The arrangement will remain in place until the schools are not reopened in the national capital.

Starting next week, the schools will start seeking details of students and parents, update contact details, and make whatsapp groups to convey regular instructions to them. They will also prepare a list of students with smartphones, normal phone or no phone.

Briefing about the action plan for online classes prepared for session 2021-22, the Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds the charge of the education department, on Saturday reiterated that schools would remain closed until the situation of the pandemic eases but the engagement between teachers and students would resume immediately, using online and semi-online approach.

With the onset of the pandemic, learning loss has been massive. This year, we not only need to reduce the learning loss but also provide deep emotional support to our children. They need to be mentally prepared for any teaching learning activities. This year, we will have close alignment between teaching learning strategies and assessment so that the dependency on one time exam for year end results is reduced, said the minister.

The DoE has also issued a circular on the action plan for online classes, which says that the students who have difficulty in accessing digital devices will be provided short notes capturing the points of their online classes. These notes can be collected by the parents from the school weekly. The parents who do not have smart phones can collect the worksheets on a weekly basis from the school of their child.

In terms of assessing students, there shall be regular monthly assessment, using innovative approaches to understand the participation level and learning of students. The nature of these assessments will be based on project/activity/assignment. The record of such assessment shall be maintained by the schools which will be uploaded on students modules as part of Internal/External assessment for the session 2021-2022, it reads.

Schools shut till situation gets better

Deputy CM and education minister Manish Sisodia, reiterated that schools would remain closed until the pandemic situation eases but the engagement between teachers and students would resume immediately, using online and semi-online approach
Rajesh Asnani By

RAJASTHAN: On the International Yoga Day on June 21, Puran Mal Jain (64) held a special yoga session in Udaipur. At Bhateshwar, a village about 30 km from Udaipur, Jain displayed his poise at a Shiva temple and urged people to adopt yoga as a part of their lifestyle.

Besides displaying a range of asanas in his hour-long session, Jain also showed the Plavani Pranayama at the village lake. Through this special technique, the practitioner can experience as if one is quietly afloat, symbolizing how yoga can bring about harmony and balance between physical, mental and emotional aspects of our life.

On International Yoga Day, Puran

Mal Jain and his family held a

special yoga session at a Shiva temple in

Bhateshwar village near Udaipur

Jain is a successful lawyer in Udaipur but is better known as a free yoga trainer. His son and four daughters are also yoga experts. Jain had a keen desire to learn yoga ever since he was 10 and lived in Bhateshwar village. With the help of yogic and other exercises, Jain performed various stunts, such as stopping a motor vehicle with his bare hands and letting the vehicle loaded with passengers to drive over his chest.

In nearly five decades of learning and teaching yoga, he claims to have trained over 10,000 people in the Patanjali discipline of yoga. Though many of his students have turned into yoga trainers and charge a lot of fees, Jain has never thought of making money from yoga.

A reason for not charging anything for yoga training stems from an accident that Jain suffered nearly three decades ago. Though he was saved, a speeding car had badly smashed his legs in the accident. Doctors in Udaipur said he would need crutches to walk for the rest of his life. He underwent an operation in an Ahemdabad hospital where he had to stay for over a month.

When I returned home from the hospital, I cried a lot, worried as I was about how I would take care of my family if I couldnt walk again. But then I gathered courage and my yogic training helped me to gain mental strength. With the help of meditation and support of my family, soon I realised I could walk alright again.

My doctor at Ahemdabad had said that I wouldnt be able to walk for six months. But two months later, when I went to meet him walking on my own, the doctor was overjoyed. From then on, I decided to dedicate my life to yoga which I believe saved my life, says Jain.

Jains 32-year old daughter, Reena who teaches law at the Sukhadia University and also trains in yoga, remembers: I was barely 10 when my father had that horrific accident. He never lost hope and trusted his will power. When we saw the miracle of him walking again, our whole family decided to dedicate our lives to yoga.

Today, Jain trains around 150 people in yoga and meditation in the daily classes he holds in Udaipurs famous Bhopalpura ground. Besides youngsters who come to enhance their fitness, there are many sick people who come to seek a cure or improvement in their condition.

Jain says the lesson he has learnt in life is simple: if you want to live a disease-free life, practise half-an-hour yoga daily. A person should always remain positive. Yoga offers you a chance to remain in good mental shape. So, if you never want to see a doctor, just integrate half-an-hour of yoga into your routine.

Teaching Yoga TO 10K PEOPLE

In nearly five decades, Puran Mal Jain claims to have trained over 10,000 people in the Patanjali discipline of yoga. Though many of his students have turned into yoga trainers and charge a lot of fees, Jain has never thought of making money from yoga
Express News Service By

While different lifestyle brands, corporates and MNCs are going all out with marketing and ad campaigns to celebrate Pride Month, promoting inclusivity and even encash on the money, members of the LGBTQIA community are not taking to this rainbow washing very kindly.

Making such discrimination is itself so dated, so sticking your neck out to sound smarter is equally dated, says hotelier and architectural restorer, Aman Nath. Many from the community share Naths views.

Fiza, Runs a cloud kitchen, Nizamuddin

Rainbow washing is a rage these days. Every company is in a race to show itself as inclusive. But this is just one side of the coin. The other side is that companies are just promoting their brands. Promoting your products is fine, but when the company earns a big chunk of money in the name of left behind genders and invests a meagre amount in the welfare of the community, we feel cheated.

Pink Money is about purchasing power of LGBTQIA community, but no one cares for us. The TQIA+ are left far behind, their economic condition is not good and at many places they are not even allowed to enter a shop.

If business conglomerates really want to support the community, open employment opportunities for us. I used to work with an MNC before the pandemic hit. I had to quit that job and opened my own venture, a cloud kitchen, for which I needed financial help but no one extended any. There are scores like me who are merely surviving.

iLLUSTRATION: Soumyadip Sinha

Sahil Arya, Talent Manager, Dwarka

India is booming right now in terms of the LGBTQIA community gaining recognition. If such topics were picked up in the past, people wouldnt pay much heed. Companies taking such initiatives augurs well for our community. Members of the community gain confidence that a good message is going across, and that all heterosexual men and women will get to know our community better.

For example, I work with Pocket Aces, a production house and a digital marketing agency. In our office, a lot of activities were organised for Pride Month. I noticed that people had no inhibitions now as they did earlier. They are ready to ask questions, even if those were stupid questions.

It is a big deal for one month against the earlier one day of queer marches. But I feel, it should not be limited to a month, more should be done throughout the year as it will help us gain acceptance in the public eye. For example, if I marry a man in the near future and there is a greet and meet session in my company, I presume people will be very accepting when I will introduce him as my husband.

Sunny Sharma, Marketing Director (India), Blued, Noida

These short-lived campaigns are not the only way to encourage and empower the LGBTQIA community. Activities, meaningful campaigns on gender inclusivity and sexuality  still taboo subjects in our country  should be held throughout the year. Blued India is a gay social app wherein we are focused on our vision to create awareness all-year around, and do multi-fold campaigns and initiatives for LGBTQIA space in India. More brands should come forward and hold workshops for their employees, roll out different policies that can strengthen LGBTQIA+ community in India.

Sumitro Sircar, Queer Social Media Influencer

I have a few questions for these brands. If you are celebrating pride as a whole why dont I get to see your commercials with LGBTQIA content throughout the year? If you are showcasing inclusion by changing your logo to pride colours, then why not having same-sex romance in your advertisements? Rainbow washing on social media does not remove homophobia or transphobia from peoples minds.

But, even if it is for a month, rainbow washing also does help the community gain some recognition  which was a dream a few years back.

Many transgenders and transsexuals along with the other members of the community get brand collaboration opportunities in this month. They get donations, a platform, and a voice. However, we can turn this into a recurring affair throughout the year just like the usual influencer tie-ups. Have regular conversations on LGBTQIA+ stories, culture and issues. Hire and normalise inclusion of diverse backgrounds at schools, colleges and workplaces. Include LGBTQIA+ education in the school syllabus along with sex education. Lastly, legalise same-sex marriage. Only then we can be a proud, developed and progressive country.
Manish Anand By

NEW DELHI: With the West Bengal verdict making the BJP go on the back foot, party chief J P Nadda on Saturday hosted senior ministers for a brainstorming session for Assembly elections coming up next year, with thrust on stepping up the Covid-19 vaccination drive to showcase achievements, even as unrelenting farm agitations remain a top concern for leaders of the saffron outfit.

Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Narendra Singh Tomar, Nirmala Sitharaman took part in talks with Nadda. The BJP president held another brainstorming session with party vice-presidents and national general-secretaries to chalk out plans for the election-bound states, particularly UP, Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur and Punjab, where polls are scheduled early next year.

It has been reliably learnt that BJP will soon roll out senior ministers for a tour of the districts in these states to build the narratives in favour of the party on the basis of the achievements of the Central government and the respective state dispensations.

BJP is worried at the prospects of the farmers not relenting against the Central government, with Jat mobilization against the saffron outfit potentially being remaining the key electoral risk for the Yogi Adityanath-led government in UP.

BJP is banking on Rajnath, seen as a farmer leader within the party, to help the party counter the anger of the farmers. Besides western UP, BJP is also staring at the risk of being on the electoral sidelines in Punjab, where its oldest ally Shiromani Akali Dal is chartering an independent path with Bahujan Samajwadi Party.

While the government is aiming to cover the eligible people with vaccination against Covid-19 by December, party leaders stressed the need to advance it to October so that theres time to build the narrative in favour of Brand Modi, which took a hit due to the second wave, which cost the party in the last phases of polls in Bengal. Also, farmers need something concrete to calm them down ahead of elections, which could be additional benefits under the existing schemes, sources said.
By PTI

LONDON: Classified documents from the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) containing secret information about a warship and the British military was discovered at a bus stop in south-eastern England, according to a media report on Sunday.

The MoD said an employee reported the loss of the documents last week, which were discovered by a member of the public in a soggy heap behind a bus stop in Kent early on Tuesday morning, the BBC report said.

One set of documents reportedly discusses the likely Russian reaction to HMS Defender's passage through Ukrainian waters off the Crimea coast on Wednesday and another lays out plans for a possible UK military presence in Afghanistan after the US-led NATO operation there ends this year.

"It would be inappropriate to comment further," an MoD spokesperson said, as it was confirmed an investigation has been launched into the incident.

A member of the public, who wishes to remain anonymous, found the 50-odd pages of documents and contacted the BBC when he realised the sensitive nature of the contents.

The BBC believes the documents, which include emails and PowerPoint presentations, originated in the office of a senior official at the MoD.

The documents relating to the Royal Navy's Type 45 destroyer, HMS Defender, show that a mission described by the MoD as an "innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters", with guns covered and the ship's helicopter stowed in its hangar, was conducted in the expectation that Russia might respond aggressively.

On Wednesday, more than 20 Russian aircraft and two coastguard ships shadowed the warship as it sailed about 19-km off Crimea's coast.

Moscow's defence ministry said a patrol ship fired warning shots and a jet dropped bombs in the destroyer's path but the UK government rejected this account, denying any warning shots had been fired.

The mission, dubbed "Op Ditroite", was the subject of high-level discussions as late as Monday, the documents show, with officials speculating about Russia's reaction if HMS Defender sailed close to Crimea.

The bundle of documents also includes updates on arms exports campaigns, including sensitive observations about areas where Britain might find itself competing with European allies.

And there are briefing notes for last Monday's session of the UK-US Defence Dialogue, including observations on US President Joe Biden's first months in office.

Most of the papers are marked "official sensitive", a relatively low level of classification used, according to the government, "where there is a clear and justifiable requirement to reinforce the 'need to know'".

But one document addressed to UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace's private secretary and marked "Secret UK Eyes Only", outlines highly sensitive recommendations for the UK's military footprint in Afghanistan, following the end of Operation Resolute Support, the NATO operation currently winding down in the wake of President Joe Biden's decision earlier this year to withdraw American forces.

The document discusses an American request for British assistance in several specific areas and addresses the question of whether any British special forces will remain in Afghanistan once the withdrawal is complete.

Due to the sensitivity of the document, the BBC said it has decided not to report details that could endanger the security of British and other personnel in Afghanistan.
By PTI

ISLAMABAD: One year after Prime Minister Imran Khan described slain Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden as a "shaheed" (martyr), Pakistan's information minister on Sunday clarified that it was a "slip of the tongue" by his boss.

Speaking in Parliament on June 25 last year, Khan said the American forces entered Pakistan and killed bin Laden without informing the government after which everyone started abusing his country.

"I don't think there's a country which supported the war on terror and had to face embarrassment for it.

Pakistan was also openly blamed for US' failure in Afghanistan," Khan had said.

"For Pakistanis across the globe, it was an embarrassing moment when the Americans came and killed Osama bin Laden at Abottabad. Martyred him. The whole world started abusing us after that. Our ally came inside our country and killed someone without informing us. And, 70,000 Pakistanis died because of US' war on terror," he told lawmakers, drawing criticism from the Opposition as well as from the media.

Bin Laden, then the world's most wanted terrorist, was killed by US Navy Seals in a covert military operation in the Pakistani garrison city of Abbottabad in May, 2011.

Speaking on Geo News programme Jirga, aired on Sunday, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said, "It was a slip of the tongue. He had clarified it," the minister said while referring to Khan's controversial remarks.

The controversy surfaced again last week when Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi refrained from calling Osama bin Laden a terrorist in an interview with Afghanistan's Tolo News.

When the interviewer quoted Prime Minister Imran as calling bin Laden a "martyr", Qureshi said: "Well, again. Out of context. He (the PM) was quoted out of context. And, a particular section of the media pair it up."

Asked if he would disagree, the foreign minister paused for a while and then said: "I will let it pass," the Dawn newspaper reported.

The leading Pakistani in an editorial noted that Qureshi's refusal to call bin Laden a terrorist in an interview with an Afghan media outlet is perplexing and defies logic.

"There are times to be diplomatic and parry sticky questions. However, this certainly didn't appear to be one of those instances," the Dawn said.

"Mr Qureshi could have used this opportunity to clearly state that Pakistan considers the late Al Qaeda mastermind a terrorist.

However, his non-committal comments sent the wrong message to a global audience," it pointed out.

"Pakistan's top leadership needs to be absolutely clear when it comes to describing fighters like bin Laden," the editorial stressed.

When asked about Qureshi's remarks by Tolo News anchor, Information Minister Chaudhry said the foreign minister's refusal to call bin Laden a terrorist might have had to do with his desire to "move forwards, instead of looking at the past".

The information minister said a clarification had been issued last year by Prime Minister Imran's spokesperson after his remarks.

He emphasised that Pakistan had rendered the most sacrifices in the war against terrorism.

"Our position is entirely clear," the senior leader of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said, adding that "when our own media exaggerate things then, of course, the foreign [media] will pick them up from local sources."

ALSO WATCH | Demons and Genies: Yemen's mysterious 'Well of Hell'
By PTI

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's leader says the country will indefinitely extend a near-total lockdown that's been in place for a month, as coronavirus infections remain high.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Sunday said the lockdown won't be eased unless daily new cases fall below 4,000, the vaccination rate reaches 10 per cent and demand is reduced for intensive care in hospitals.

The national Bernama news agency quoted Muhyiddin as saying he hopes this will happen by mid-July. The lockdown was set to expire Monday.

Daily new cases have stubbornly stayed above 5,000, with the Health Ministry on Sunday reporting 5,586 new infections, taking the country's tally to 734,048 cases and nearly 5,000 deaths.

Only 6 per cent of Malaysia's 33 million people have been fully vaccinated so far, but the government has stepped up vaccination efforts.

Malaysia halted most economic and social activities since June 1, after daily cases shot up to more than 9,000 cases. It was the second nationwide lockdown in over a year and is expected to hurt its economic recovery.

The World Bank has cut its growth forecast for Malaysia to 4.5 per cent this year, from an earlier estimate of 6 per cent.
By PTI

KATHMANDU: Nepal inked a concessional loan agreement of USD 150 million with the World Bank (WB) on Sunday for post-COVID-19 recovery and development.

Nepal Finance Secretary Sishir Kumar Dhungana and WB, Country Director, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, Faris Hadad-Zervos, signed the loan document.

A concessional loan is a debt instrument where more favourable terms are agreed upon for the borrower than the marketplace.

After signing the agreement, Dhungana said the funds will help Nepal build back better and greener, especially in view of the adverse effects of the pandemic.

"The proposed budgetary support will be utilised in infrastructure projects and economic recovery according to the requirements and priorities of the government," he said.

"The financial assistance will help speed up the ongoing large development projects, creating jobs, accelerate markets, and support green recovery," the Finance Ministry said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Nepal reported 1,920 new cases of coronavirus on Sunday, taking the nationwide tally to 665,777.

The death toll rose to 9,009 with 34 more fatalities, heath officials said.

Authorities said 6,000 swab samples were taken for RT-PCR tests in the last 24 hours, of which 1,353 results returned positive.

The virus was detected among 567 people in antigen tests conducted on 3,836 people in the same period.

There are 40,336 active coronavirus cases in the country.

The number of people who have recovered from the disease is 584,334.

In the last 24 hours, 3,007 people have recovered from the disease.

Nepal's COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 92.2 per cent.
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ROME (AP)  Hush-hush diplomacy. In-person visits. And a very public no-surprises agreement on Iran.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid met in Rome on Sunday as their new governments look to turn the page on former President Donald Trump and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose close alliance aggravated partisan divisions within both countries.

Now, with Trump sidelined in Florida and Netanyahu leading the opposition, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett are focused on pragmatic diplomacy rather than dramatic initiatives that risk fomenting opposition at home or distracting from other priorities.

In the past few years, mistakes were made, Lapid told Blinken as they sat down for talks in a Rome hotel. Israels bipartisan standing was hurt. We will fix those mistakes together.

Lapid said he had spoken with Democrats and Republicans since taking office and had reminded them all that we share Americas most basic, basic values  freedom, democracy, free markets and constant search for peace.

Blinken noted that even though the two governments are new, the foundation that were working on is one of an enduring partnership, a relationship, friendship between the United States and Israel.

The push means aiming for smaller achievements, such as shoring up the informal cease-fire that ended last month's war with Gaza's militant Hamas rulers and replenishing Israel's Iron Dome defense system. A major push to revive the long-dormant peace process between Israel and the Palestinians could unsettle the delicate balance.

Nobody thinks its a good idea to start charging through on a major new peace initiative, said Ilan Goldenberg, a Mideast security expert at the nonprofit Center for a New American Security. But there are things you can do quietly under the radar, on the ground, to improve the situation.

That approach  of managing the conflict rather than trying to solve it  may succeed in papering over domestic divisions. But it also maintains a status quo that the Palestinians find increasingly oppressive and hopeless, and which has fueled countless cycles of unrest.

The Americans and Israelis will try to work out differences away from the public, as in Biden's quiet" diplomacy, when he privately urged Netanyahu to wind down the Israel-Hamas war ahead of a truce that took effect May 21.

We believe the way to discuss those disagreements is through direct and professional conversation, not a press conference," Lapid said.

Both governments will try to preserve Israel's fragile governing coalition, in part by reducing provocations that played a part in sparking the 11-day war that claimed at least 254 Palestinian lives and killed 13 people in Israel.

The new coalition in Israel shares little beyond the conviction that Netanyahu had to go. It's composed of eight parties, each effectively with veto power on decisions. So if even one party bolts, Israel's government would be at serious risk of collapse, with Netanyahu waiting just offstage.

At least in the short term, Lapid, a centrist, will be Israel's point man on repairs to the tattered relationship with Biden and the Democrats. The party controls both houses of Congress but is increasingly divided on the Mideast conflict, with progressive members calling for the U.S. to exert more pressure on Israel.

What theyre building now is mutual trust, said Michael Oren, former Israeli ambassador to the United States under Netanyahu. I expect a change of tone rather than of substance... but there's a possibility that it could produce something better for Israel.

Topping the agenda in both countries are talks in Vienna over reviving Iran's 2015 accord with world powers to limit Tehran's ability to develop nuclear weapons. Trump, with Netanyahu's backing, pulled the U.S. out of the deal in 2018 and imposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic. Biden promised to restore and expand the agreement.

Now, Israel's new government seems intent on staying engaged and trying to influence the talks, rather than scuttle them.

Israel has some serious reservations about the Iran nuclear deal that is being put together in Vienna, Lapid said, before pledging that Israel would make its objections privately. Netanyahu had loudly and publicly opposed the deal when the Obama administration was negotiating it.

We have the same objective," Blinken said. "Sometimes we differ on the tactics, and we, I think, are very clear and direct to each other when thats the case and thats exactly how its supposed to be.

Even the right-leaning Bennett, who is ideologically aligned with the hawkish Netanyahu, has toned down the rhetoric on Iran.

We will continue to consult with our friends, persuade, discuss, and share information and insights out of mutual respect, Bennett said Thursday. But at the end of the day, we will be responsible for our own fate, nobody else.

Tamping down tensions  or at least not inflaming them  is a key strategy, the officials said.

Blinken spoke of the need to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but did not offer any kind of timetable or any strategy to offer a more hopeful future for everyone: Palestinians and Israelis alike with equal measures of opportunity and dignity.

And, while the Biden administration supports and hopes to expand on the Trump-era Abraham Accords that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab countries, Blinken said they are not a substitute for engaging on the issues between Israelis and Palestinians that need to be resolved.

On the U.S. side, the Biden administration has made clear it wants to extricate the country from intractable conflicts in the Middle East and focus on other challenges, such as climate change and competition with China.

On Monday, outgoing Israeli President Reuven Rivlin is to visit Washington at Biden's invitation. A group of House Democrats are planning an official trip to Israel as soon as Congress July 4th recess.

There's even talk of Lapid and Bennett traveling to Washington later in the summer, separately or together, the officials said. Bennett will serve as prime minister for the first two years, followed by Lapid, the architect of the coalition.

All the officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss administration plans and logistics, which have not been finalized.

So far, the reset seems to be functioning. But with the Israeli coalition barely two weeks old, significant challenges loom.

Biden has moved to reverse Netanyahu-backed Trump policies that alienated the Palestinians, and the administration has said Israelis and Palestinians should enjoy equal measures of security and prosperity.

But the U.S. has yet to explain how it intends to bring that about without ending Israel's half-century military occupation of the West Bank, its blockade on Hamas-ruled Gaza and discriminatory policies in Jerusalem that fueled a spring of unrest.

___

Kellman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Knickmeyer reported from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
SEASIDE, Calif. (AP)  Mike Gravel, a former U.S. senator from Alaska who read the Pentagon Papers into the Congressional Record and confronted Barack Obama about nuclear weapons during a later presidential run, has died. He was 91.

Gravel, who represented Alaska as a Democrat in the Senate from 1969 to 1981, died Saturday, according to his daughter, Lynne Mosier. Gravel had been living in Seaside, California, and was in failing health, said Theodore W. Johnson, a former aide.

Gravels two terms came during tumultuous years for Alaska when construction of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline was authorized and when Congress was deciding how to settle Alaska Native land claims and whether to classify enormous amounts of federal land as parks, preserves and monuments.

He had the unenviable position of being an Alaska Democrat when some residents were burning President Jimmy Carter in effigy for his measures to place large sections of public lands in the state under protection from development.

Gravel feuded with Alaskas other senator, Republican Ted Stevens, on the land matter, preferring to fight Carters actions and rejecting Stevens advocacy for a compromise.

In the end, Congress passed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980, a compromise that set aside millions of acres for national parks, wildlife refuges and other protected areas. It was one of the last bills Carter signed before leaving office.

Gravels Senate tenure also was notable for his anti-war activity. In 1971, he led a one-man filibuster to protest the Vietnam-era draft and he read into the Congressional Record 4,100 pages of the 7,000-page leaked document known as the Pentagon Papers, the Defense Department's history of the country's early involvement in Vietnam.

Gravel reentered national politics decades after his time in the Senate to twice run for president. Gravel, then 75, and his wife, Whitney, took public transportation in 2006 to announce he was running for president as a Democrat in the 2008 election ultimately won by Obama.

He launched his quest for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination as a critic of the Iraq war.

I believe America is doing harm every day our troops remain in Iraq  harm to ourselves and to the prospects for peace in the world, Gravel said in 2006. He hitched his campaign to an effort that would give all policy decisions to the people through a direct vote, including health care reform and declarations of war.

Gravel garnered attention for his fiery comments at Democratic forums.

In one 2007 debate, the issue of the possibility of using nuclear weapons against Iran came up, and Gravel confronted then-Sen. Obama. Tell me, Barack, who do you want to nuke? Gravel said. Obama replied: Im not planning to nuke anybody right now, Mike."

Gravel then ran as a Libertarian candidate after he was excluded from later Democratic debates.

In an email to supporters, he said the Democratic Party no longer represents my vision for our great country. It is a party that continues to sustain war, the military-industrial complex and imperialism  all of which I find anathema to my views, he said.

He failed to get the Libertarian nomination.

Gravel briefly ran for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020. He again criticized American wars and vowed to slash military spending. His last campaign was notable in that both his campaign manager and chief of staff were just 18 at the time of his short-lived candidacy.

There was never any ... plan that he would do anything more than participate in the debates. He didn't plan to campaign, but he wanted to get his ideas before a larger audience, Johnson said.

Gravel failed to qualify for the debates. He endorsed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the contest eventually won by now-President Joe Biden.

Gravel was born Maurice Robert Gravel in Springfield, Massachusetts, on May 13, 1930.

In Alaska, he served as a state representative, including a stint as House speaker, in the mid-1960s.

He won his first Senate term after defeating incumbent Sen. Ernest Gruening, a former territorial governor, in the 1968 Democratic primary.

Gravel served two terms until he was defeated in the 1980 Democratic primary by Gruenings grandson, Clark Gruening, who lost the election to Republican Frank Murkowski.
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The Clinton Power Station, one of Exelons six nuclear power plants in Illinois, is shown in 2016 from across Clinton Lake. At the time, Exelon said it would close its Clinton and Quad Cities plants in 2017 unless it got support from the state, which it eventually did in the 2016 Future Energy Jobs Act. In 2020 and 2021, the utility made similar claims about its other four plants as negotiations on a new energy bill continued.
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(Newser)  Juliane Diller, nee Koepke, hasn't made public comments about the accident in many years, writes Franz Lidz for the New York Times. She does with Lidz, recounting the Christmas Eve 1971 plane crash that killed 91 people; there were 92 aboard. The then-17-year-old and her mother had left Lima, Peru, eventually bound for Panguana, the biological research station her parents had founded within the Amazon. First came the shaking as the plane entered the storm, then she saw lightning strike the right wing. "Now it's all over," she recalls her mother saying. And then the plane splintered, and "I was outside, in the open air. I hadnt left the plane; the plane had left me." She remained strapped to a three-seat bench and fell about 10,000 feet, losing consciousness along the way. Dense foliage is thought to have provided a life-saving cushion. She woke the next day and began an 11-day trek to civilization.

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As Lidz writes, she kept returning to Panguana, despite the fact it meant flying there from her new home in Germany, where she became a renowned zoologist. It's the fulfillment of what she says was a promise made during those 11 days: that if she survived, she would devote her life to something that benefitted nature and humanity. "That cause would become Panguana," which thanks to her efforts has grown from 445 acres to 4,000, writes Lidz. He goes on to outline the staggering biodiversity found there, as well as how it came to be, starting with her father Hans-Wilhelm Koepcke's improbable journey to Peru. He was offered a job with the natural history museum in Lima in 1948, but getting out of Germany in the aftermath of WWII was no easy feat. His own trek involved crossing mountain ranges, being imprisoned in Italy, and stowing away on a cargo ship headed to Uruguay. When he got there two years later, the job had been given to someone else. (Read the full story here.)
(Newser)  "I was such an idiot." So declares a UK man identified only as James as he explains to the BBC how he became the victim of a $250,000 scam. The 52-year-old charity worker was in Ukraine when his translator set him up on a blind date with a 32-year-old woman named Irina. After an odd courtshipbecause of the language barrier, the translator was always presentthe pair fell in love. Or so James thought. Within a year, they were engaged. James says both Irina and the translator, Julia, had been pressuring him to take that step, and he acquiesced. Then came the big mistake of transferring $200,000 to Ukraine to buy an apartment in Odessa. This is around the time when things in the tale get "surreal," writes Jonah Fisher at the BBC.

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Under the ruse of helping James navigate Ukraine's banking system, Irina convinced him to wire the $200,000 to their wedding planner. She then told him the bank wouldn't release the money unless he was married to the wedding planner; he agreed to do that, too. The idea was that it would be a quickie marriage that would be just as quickly undone, and that he would go ahead with the planned wedding to Irina, just leaving out the legal part for now. Did we mention that Irina and the wedding planner both were already married? James ended up paying for a lavish wedding to Irina filled with what he now realizes were about 60 paid "guests." His $200,000 was spent, but he later learned the apartment cost just $60,000. Police have "laughed in my face," says James, and he is now working with a private investigator who unapologetically admits to using intimidation tactics to get his money back. (Read the full story, in which James describes being drugged at his wedding and landing in the hospital.)
(Newser)  "To understand how a man could arrive at the point where he abandons his children to chase a phone, you might want to follow him on a journey." So writes Lauren Smiley in a lengthy piece for Wired about Jeffrey Fang, a "ride-hailing legend" who in 2014 started working for Lyftthen later Uber, Amazon Flex, Instacart, DoorDash, and morein pursuit of making a decent living. In the beginning, the money was good: $2,000, then $2,500 a week, all while playing by the rules and avoiding some of the hacks other drivers engaged in. But achieving those figures meant barely sleeping. "He was swigging four espressos a night. Psoriasis flared on his back and scalp ... His accelerator ankle started to pop like an arthritic knuckle. He grew a gut." That was 2015. From there things got worse, with the battle between Uber and Lyft continually cutting fares and eating into the commissions.

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Fang kept making less and less, but was caught in a sort of hamster wheel: too busy driving to look for something better. His story as a driver essentially ends in February 2021, when he made national news after he brought his 21-month-old and 4-year-old daughter along with him as he did DoorDash deliveries near San Franciscos Billionaires Row. His wife needed a break and a babysitter was too pricey. He dropped off a delivery then came back to the car to find a man in it. The man took off with "Fangs phone ... his moneymaker, manager, fixer, and dictator for the past seven years," writes Smiley. He ran after it, getting it back two blocks later. When he returned to the driveway, the car was gone. (He had left the keys in it with the engine running so as not to cut off the movie the older child was watching.) The kids were found safe hours later. (Read the full story for much more on Fang's experience with the gig economy.)
(Newser)  ProPublica is continuing its investigative series on how the richest of the rich avoid paying taxes, and the latest story is surprising in that it revolves around a "relatively humdrum retirement" toolthe Roth IRA. The idea behind the Roth is that modest earners can sock away money for retirement and withdraw it tax-free in their golden years. Typically, contributions are limited to $6,000 a year, and the average Roth account had about $40,000 at the end of 2018. Ah, but the uber-rich have found a loophole, and nobody has exploited it as successfully as PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel. "Using stock deals unavailable to most people, Thiel has taken a retirement account worth less than $2,000 in 1999 and spun it into a $5 billion windfall," per the story. And the kicker is that when Thiel turns 59 and a halfhe's now 53he can start withdrawing the money tax-free.

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The story explains the loophole with an example: Open an IRA for $1,000. "Then, in a scenario that only a handful of people have access to, you use that money to buy 1 million shares in a new startup company for just a fraction of a penny per share." In a few years, the company goes public, and each share is worth $50. Suddenly, that humble $1,000 account is worth $50 millionand because all of this transpired within a Roth IRA, it's not subject to taxes. It flies against the face of the original intent of the Roth and amounts to a "Bermuda-style tax haven right here in the US," per the story. Thiel is far from the only member of the 1% to exploit the loopholeWarren Buffett aide Ted Weschler has $264 million in a Roth, and hedge fund manager Randall Smith has $252 millionbut Thiel earns the title "Lord of the Roths." (Read the full story.)
(Newser)  Churches on western Canada's Indigenous land keep burning weeks after the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves of children at the former sites of Catholic-run residential schools. Per the BBC, fires at St Ann's Church and the Chopaka Church, both in internior British Columbia, began within an hour of each other. The Catholic churches are on the Upper Similkameen Indian Band and Lower Similkameen Indian Band reserves, respectively, per CBC. Officials said both churches were completely destroyed and called the incidents "suspicious." The fires occurred less than one week after twin fires on June 21, Canada's Indigenous Peoples Day, left churches burned on land of the Penticton Indian Band and 25 miles away on Osoyoos Indian Band land just north of the Washington state border.

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As the number of burning churches has gone up, so too have the number of gruesome finds at the sites of former Catholic schools. Per the AP, leaders of Indigenous groups in Canada said last week that investigators have found more than 600 unmarked graves at such sitesa discovery that follows last month's report of 215 bodies found at another school. Starting in the 1800s, Indigenous children were forced to attend such residential schools scattered around the country, and in many cases, the children were never returned home, with little or no explanation offered to families. The children are believed to have died from neglect, abuse, and sicknesses like tuberculosis. The government apologized in 2008, but the church has yet to do so. Investigators have not yet named a cause or motive in the fires. (Read more First Nations stories.)
(Newser)  Graduating from high school isnt always easy. Graduating as your classs valedictorian? Harder. Slogging it out with great grades during a global pandemic? Challenging isnt a big enough word. Bryce Dershem did it, though. But while he was giving his valedictorian address at Eastern Regional High School in Voorhees, New Jersey, the schools principal added just one more challengehe took the speech away. Dershem, 18, was speaking about the struggles of being an out, queer, teen struggling with an eating disorder, when his mic went silent. Principal Robert Tull marched up to the stage, took away the mic, and the speech, too. Tull can be seen in a video posted to YouTube by Dershems father holding the mic aloft in one hand while the other hand holds Dershems crumpled speech.

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Another man brings out a replacement mic, but Dershem is silent until his classmates cheer. Then, the kid who apparently learned a lot about preparation and resilience in high school, recites from memory the speech he says the school told him not to give. They said that if I used any sort of discussions on LGBTQ matters, that I would just exclude people, Dershem told the Philadelphia Inquirer. Eastern Camden County Regional School District superintendent Robert Cloutier said Dershem had not been asked to give a different speech. 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, Dershem said. (Read more uplifting news stories.)
(Newser)  Tesla has taken steps to avoid further bad press in China, where owners of 285,000 of the electric vehicles have been told they must update their car software in order to fix a potentially dangerous cruise-control issue. Per the Wall Street Journal, China's State Administration for Market Regulation has called the move a recall. However, most owners can make the fix remotely and avoid trips to their dealer. The regulator said the defect has the potential to cause unexpected increases in speed in "extreme cases." The recall covers more than 90 percent of the vehicles produced locally at Tesla's China plant, the country's first and only to be fully foreign-owned.

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The recall is another in a string of headaches for Tesla in China, including accusations of poor treatment of customers, per the AP . In April, a customer protested at a car show that faulty brakes on her familys Tesla caused a crash that sent her parents to the hospital. After initially blaming the driver, Tesla issued a public apology to the unhappy customer and vowed to learn from the incident. Per the WSJ, Elon Musk has even previously had to assure China and its Tesla buyers that his company's cars would not be used to spy on China.

(Read more China stories.)
(Newser)  Serena Williams, who's already won four gold medals, said Sunday she's not going to Tokyo for the Summer Olympics. "I'm actually not on the Olympic list, not that I'm aware of," she said to reporters Sunday at Wimbledon in London. "If so, then I shouldn't be on it." Williams, 39, did not discuss why she's skipping the Tokyo Games, which start next month, ESPN reports. "There's a lot of reasons that I made my Olympic decision," she said, adding: "I don't feel like going into them today. Maybe another day. Sorry." Williams has compiled a glittering Olympic resume. She won singles gold in London in 2012, playing on the Wimbledon grass courts. With her sister Venus, she won doubles in 2000, 2008, and 2012. Williams' withdrawal opens a roster spot on the US team for Jessica Pegula, who would join Sofia Kenin, Jennifer Brady, and Coco Gauff.

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Williams had expressed doubt about participating in the Olympics this time, referring to the travel restrictions that might have kept her from bringing her daughter, daughter, Olympia, with her. Olympic officials have not said whether they'll let athletes' children attend. "I would not be able to go function without my 3-year-old around," Williams said earlier, per the New York Times. "I think I would be in a depression. Weve been together every day of her life." On the men's side, Rafael Nadal has pulled out of the Olympics, per the Guardian, and Roger Federer said he'll decide after Wimbledon, which begins this week. Asked Sunday if not competing in the Olympics will bother her, Williams said that "it's been a wonderful place for me." But, she added, "I really haven't thought about it, so I'm going to keep not thinking about it." (Read more Serena Williams stories.)
(Newser)  Never-before-seen case files, photographs, and other records documenting the investigation into the infamous slayings of three civil rights workers in Mississippi are now open to the public for the first time, 57 years after their deaths. The 1964 killings of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner in Neshoba County sparked national outrage and helped spur passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. They later became the subject of the movie Mississippi Burning. The materialsdating from 1964 to 2007were transferred to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History from the Mississippi attorney generals office in 2019. The files, which include informant reports and witness testimonies, are now available for viewing by the public at William F. Winter Archives and History Building in Jackson, the AP reports. The three Freedom Summer workers, all in their 20s, had been investigating the burning of a black church near Philadelphia, Mississippi, when they disappeared in June 1964. They also were there to register voters.

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A deputy sheriff in Philadelphia had arrested them on a traffic charge, then released them after alerting a mob. Mississippi's governor claimed their disappearance was a hoax, and segregationist Sen. Jim Eastland told President Lyndon Johnson it was a "publicity stunt" before their bodies were dug up, found weeks later in an earthen dam. Nineteen men were indicted on federal charges in the 1967 case. Seven were convicted of violating the victims' civil rights. None served more than six years. In 2004, the Mississippi Attorney Generals office reopened the investigation. That led to the June 2005 conviction of Edgar Ray Killen, a 1960s Ku Klux Klan leader and Baptist minister, on manslaughter charges. Last week, for the 57th time, the annual memorial service for the three men was held at Historic Mt. Zion United Methodist Church in Meridian, per WTOK. "If it hadnt been for them coming here, checking out Mt. Zion, trying to get people here registered to vote, they would probably still be alive today," an organizer said. "So, we try to do something to remember them." (KKK member convicted in the case died in prison.)
(Newser)  After looking through them, the person who found nearly 50 pages of British government documents realized they probably weren't supposed to be left on the ground behind a bus stop in Kent. The classified papers included information about a British destroyer and how Russia might respond to the Defender sailing through Ukrainian waters off the Crimea coast, the BBC reports. The documents also address plans for a potential deployment of UK troops to Afghanistan once the US has pulled out. The Defense staff member responsible for the documentswhich included copies of emails and PowerPoint presentations, per the Guardianhad reported the loss, and an investigation has begun. The "member of the public" who discovered the files last week was not identified.

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The opposition Labor Party called for answers from the government about whether national security was compromised. "The loss of classified documents that cover a wide range of vital areas of national security is as embarrassing as it is worrying for ministers," the shadow Defense minister said. The ministry assured the public that the information in the documents do not indicate that any operations will take place. "As the public would expect, the Ministry of Defense plans carefully," an spokesperson said. "As a matter of routine, that includes analyzing all the potential factors affecting operational decisions." (Read more classified information stories.)
It's more transmissible, and as we saw from that CCTV footage from Bondi Junction in Sydney, it can transmit in just incredibly casual contact, being in the same space for 30 seconds.

Modelling of the Sydney outbreak suggests a high R value, he says.

The R value that our models generate from this outbreak, even though it's very early days, is much higher than we've seen before.

So, you can actually see in the data evidence of what the epidemiologists are saying, that this is transmissible, maybe 50 to 200 percent more transmissible, and it creates a really dramatic outbreak from the get go, which is what's happening in Sydney.

New South Wales is better placed to manage the new variant than New Zealand, he says.

New South Wales is actually better than us, you have much more use of the use of the COVID apps, restaurants make you check in, taxis make you use it. So, they've been doing a better job, they've got better contract tracing.

And yet this outbreak is outpacing them, is outrunning them. And so that just tells us that the sorts of tools that were so effective in 2020 are not so effective against the Delta variant.

Lock-down decisions have to be made far quicker to contain the new variant, he says, and if the Delta variant took hold in New Zealand we would be classing it as a Level 4 outbreak.

The Delta variant exploits unvaccinated populations, Jones says.

We're seeing that in the UK, we're seeing that in Israel, which you know, had been a tremendous success case and cause for optimism, they've now got a new outbreak.

If elimination was the strategy for 2020, vaccination is the strategy for 2021 and 2022, Jones says.

But you have to have the right vaccines. That's the other thing with the Delta variant, you need these mRNA vaccines, you need the Pfizer.

Until we get new vaccine supplies we are holding our breath, he says.

But he doesnt believe the bubble between New Zealand and Australia needs a rethink as it is working well.

I think the system's working and we just need to get through the next four months but of that four months we may be closed to Sydney for another month.
Speak Up for Women has recently faced several hurdles when trying to hold its meetings. They had planned to hold an event at a council-run library in Palmerston North about the issue, but it was cancelled just days before it was due to be held.

But a High Court ruling on Friday determined the group was allowed to hold their meeting since Speak Up for Women "cannot rationally be described as a hate group".

Their event in Auckland was also cancelled due to health and safety concerns, but it was later moved to a different council-run building.

In the High Court hearing, counsel for both Auckland and Palmerston North City councils said it was neither councils' position that the case was about "hate speech".

Speak Up for Women spokesperson Beth Johnson says the group has faced trouble with councils in almost every town they've tried to hold a meeting.

"The reasons [councils gave for cancelling] were to do with generalised health and safety concerns to do with the wellbeing of the community and staff. They were all quite vague concerns but all the councils had similar kinds of concerns," she tells Newshub.

"Actually, what's happening is a number of our political opponents who are activists are targeting these venues and asking that we be cancelled, and the councils have been caving into that."

Both the Christchurch and Dunedin city councils refused to allow the group to hold meetings.

The meetings involve talking about the impact the proposed Bill will have on women and girls, Johnson says, since it will "actually replace biological sex with the concept of gender identity in our laws".

"There are obviously people on the other side of this argument that are really keen for that law to pass without any scrutiny, and that's why we've been painted in the way that we have for so long by these activists."

The group has been criticised as anti-transgender - something they reject.

"We don't accept that talking about women's rights is synonymous with being anti-trans. You can be positive about trans inclusion and improving the rights of transgender people and still want to protect women's rights, and that's the position our group takes," Johnson says.

The Auckland event is being held in the Town Hall complex on Sunday from 6:30pm to 7:30pm. It was originally meant to be held at the Ellen Melville Centre.

Before the High Court made its ruling, Auckland Council customer and community services director Dr Claudia Wyss said its community venues are available for the public to use, as long as the event is safe and the location is suitable for all involved.

"We have offered the group a number of alternative venues for the event and remain open to working with them to identify a suitable venue," she said.

Johnson says anyone is welcome to attend their meeting, regardless of their viewpoint.

"Our political opponents have been clear that they don't want us to be heard because when we are heard, people can hear that we're reasonable and we have genuine concerns," she says.

"It's a lot more nuanced than just being pro or anti something, it's about doing something right and actually advancing the cause of transgender people whilst also protecting and enhancing women's rights, and I believe those things are possible if we can talk to each other."
Residents in some parts of Horowhenua are being given sandbags in case flooding threatens their properties.



Motorists in Levin, Shannon and Foxton are also being urged to stay off the roads because of heavy rain.

Horizons Regional Council staff are currently monitoring Manawatu River levels with predictions signalling the possible opening of the Moutua floodgates mid-morning on Monday.

Acting river management group manager Craig Grant said a significant amount of rain has fallen over the region this weekend, in particular for the Tararua, Manawatu and Horowhenua districts.
Vaccination will not be a "magic bullet" in New Zealand's arsenal against COVID-19, according to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, as countries with high rates of immunisation continue to grapple with outbreaks of the virus.

New Zealand's vaccination rate has become a point of contention, with the Government insisting the staggered rollout is meeting its targets despite public pushback against the sluggish progress. According to the Ministry of Health, only 381,517 New Zealanders had received both doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine as of June 22 - meaning just 7.76 percent of the population is fully protected against the virus. According to the data, 637,847 have had their first jab - roughly 13 percent.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom is steamrolling ahead with its immunisation campaign. As of June 26, 32,460,191 of its residents have received both jabs - meaning more than 61 percent of the adult population is fully vaccinated. About 84 percent of adults in the UK have had their first dose, according to the government's official statistics.

But health officials have consistently denied that vaccinations are lagging behind other developed nations, with COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins reiterating the rollout is going "as fast as it can". However, New Zealand is currently ranked around 100th in the world, and is sitting near the bottom in the OECD for its number of vaccinations - well behind the UK, Israel and the US.
Here's the latest on the COVID-19 pandemic from around the world.



Europe

UK

British health minister Matt Hancock quit on Saturday (local time) after he was caught breaking COVID-19 rules by kissing and embracing an aide in his office, enraging colleagues and the public who have been living under lockdown.

In the latest scandal to rock a government that has overseen one of the highest death tolls from the coronavirus pandemic, Hancock, 42, wrote to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign, saying he had let people down.

Since the Sun newspaper published photos on Friday of the married minister embracing a woman whom he had appointed to a taxpayer-funded role to scrutinise the performance of his department, an increasing number of his fellow Conservative lawmakers had privately called for him to go.

Hancock has been at the centre of the government's fight against the pandemic, routinely appearing on television to tell people to follow strict rules and to defend his department against criticism of its response to the crisis.

The UK recorded 18,270 new coronavirus infections on Saturday, the highest daily rise since February 5, and 23 deaths, official data showed.
British health minister Matt Hancock quit on Saturday (local time) after he was caught breaking COVID-19 rules by kissing and embracing an aide in his office, enraging colleagues and the public who have been living under lockdown.

In the latest scandal to rock a government that has overseen one of the highest death tolls from the coronavirus pandemic, Hancock, 42, wrote to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign, saying he had let people down.

Since The Sun newspaper published photos on Friday of the married minister embracing a woman whom he had appointed to a taxpayer-funded role to scrutinise the performance of his department, an increasing number of his fellow Conservative lawmakers had privately called for him to go.

Hancock has been at the centre of the government's fight against the pandemic, routinely appearing on television to tell people to follow strict rules and to defend his department against criticism of its response to the crisis.
The UK government will investigate how images of former Health Minister Matt Hancock kissing an aide found their way into the media and forced his resignation, in the latest scandal to hit Prime Minister Boris Johnson's cabinet.



After first rejecting calls for Hancock to be fired or to resign after pictures were published on Friday of him embracing a woman he had appointed to a taxpayer-funded role, Johnson accepted the minister's decision to step down on Saturday.

The departure put renewed focus on the government over its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Led by Hancock, it stumbled in the early days over testing and protective equipment. The UK has one of the highest official coronavirus death tolls in the world.

A report by the BBC on Sunday that sensitive defence ministry documents had been found by a member of the public at a bus stop this week did little to dispel a sense of chaos at the heart of government. The ministry said it was investigating the incident.

Asked whether the health ministry was investigating how the images of Hancock had been taken in his government office and then leaked, Northern Ireland minister Brandon Lewis told Sky News: "It is a matter I know the department of health will be looking into to understand exactly how that recording... got out of the system."

He later told Times Radio there were two issues for the government to look into - whether the camera in Hancock's office was there "appropriately" and, if it was there for security reasons, "how that video got out to the public domain".

The Sun newspaper published photos on Friday of Hancock kissing the aide last month - at a time when coronavirus guidelines banned people from hugging others who were not members of their household. It has also posted video footage.
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The Pioneers of Alaska from the Anchorage, Fairbanks, Homer, Palmer, Cordova, Seward and Valdez igloos attended the June 19th dedication ceremony for the new informational kiosk at the McCarthy Cemetery. Photo courtesy Joan Skilbred
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TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Indian Ambassador, Piyush Srivastava, urged the Indian community members to get their COVID-19 jabs immediately to support Bahrains battle against the pandemic and for their safety. The ambassador also urged all those finding it difficult to register to use this link: https://forms.gle/pMT3v1g3o4yVgnES8.

The link is also available on the website and social media handles of the Indian Embassy. Speaking during a virtual Open House on Friday, Srivastava thanked Bahrains leadership for providing free COVID-19 vaccines to expatriates and citizens alike. During the Open House, the ambassador interacted directly with community members on resolving consular and labour issues.

Srivastava told the meeting that the COVID-19 situation in India is improving, with daily infection rates declining significantly to as low as 50,000. The government of India, he said, is also aggressively pursuing vaccination with daily doses administered ranging between 6 to 8 million.
Your mental health is important to us, says Bahrain Red Crescent society

Your mental health is important to us, says Bahrain Red Crescent society

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Never in the past had a disease occupied so much of our feelings like the coronavirus.

Newspaper with pandemic on their front pages, radio and TV having back-to-back death toll coverage, and the frightening statistics and practical advice on the social media platform are shooting stress levels to new heights.

Experts had warned that these conditions could easily twist our psychological responses, leading us to behave in unexpected ways. Reports had also said that this could heighten the anxiety among people who overly stressed by stay-at-home mandates.

The Bahrain Red Crescent Society had come up with the programme Your Mental Health Matters to Us at this juncture.

The programme, the society said, aims at reassuring people who are experiencing an excessive fear of contracting the virus and help people cope with the loss of their loved ones to the outbreak. The initiative Your Mental Health Matters to Us is led by Maysir Awadallah, head of the societys Health Awareness Committee.

Health specialists at the Ministry of Health are also helping citizens and residents in clearing their doubts while ensuring privacy and confidentiality.

The society had organised programmes like the virtual meeting with trainer Iman Al Khaja and an interactive lecture with Professor Seddiqa Ali Abbas from the University of Bahrain on Your Mental Health in the Time of Corona in Bahrain.

Fathia Al-Tublani, a nurse in the Kingdom, told the society that working as a team is one of the most important ways to overcome the psychological and social pressure of the pandemic.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

More than 1000 restaurants faced legal actions in Bahrain in about a month, for violating the COVID-19 restriction.

The news comes as countries worldwide are battling a spike in the delta variant by putting their masks back on. Bahrain has already tightened its preventive measures, which the authorities had extended by a week.

Health Ministry officials are inspecting around 300 restaurants daily, with them also charging nearly 100 restaurants on any given day for COVID-19 violations.

Almost 16 restaurants were also closed during inspections from the 27th of last month.


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New Milford and Redding were awarded state grant funding that could lead toward cleaning up properties considered eyesores in their respective towns.

Gov. Ned Lamont announced his administration is issueing approximately $19 million to help 23 municipalities pay for expenses tethered to assessing and remediating 31 blighted properties across these cities and towns, according to a press release.

The grants coming from the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Developments brownfield remediation program allocated Redding $200,000 to assess the Gilbert and Bennett property, and New Milford $199,000 to appraise a parcel on West Street that can potentially lead to restoration of the property that was formerly the Ruggles/Stilson mills and hydroelectric plant. There is hope of developing a new public park or addition to a public trail with the latter property.

If we remediate these properties now, we can turn an eyesore into an asset, revitalize neighborhoods, and transform otherwise unusable property into new space for businesses and residents, Lamont said in a statement.

Cleaning up blighted properties that have been vacant for decades and putting them into productive use will ultimately generate back many more times the amount of these grants through private investments, he added.

The old Gilbert and Bennett Wire Mill

The Gilbert and Bennett property has longed for remediation since the previous developers plans to convert it into a mixed-use community with a new train station failed following the Great Recession. The town took over the old mills deed in February and is laying the groundwork for what First Selectwoman Julia Pemberton believes will be a years-long redevelopment project.

Much of the work being done now is centered on evaluating the propertys conditions. The grant money will cover the cost of bringing in a licensed environmental professional to draw up an assessment, which the findings of will later be discussed by town officials during a stakeholders meeting.

The town had a remediation plan compiled in 2005 that is now antiquated. As a brownfield, the mill needs to be inspected for hazardous substances and pollutants that can get in the way of any redevelopment.

Pemberton previously told the News-Times this is the first step in establishing a baseline for whats to come.

At a Board of Selectmen meeting Monday, Pemberton noted the proposed assessment will be going out to bid. The board also unanimously authorized Pemberton to contract an engineering firm, Tighe & Bond, to inspect the propertys dam and provide an emergency action plan pending the board of finances approval.

The dam is currently out of state compliance but with these two steps,  costing roughly $6,500 and not covered by the state grant money  it will be brought up to state standards.

State Sen. Will Haskell, D-Westport, said the site has tremendous potential.

And with this grant, the town can learn exactly what needs to be done in terms [of] remediation. Im excited to see what the future has in store for this historic property, he said in a press release.

The Ruggles/Stilson mills and hydroelectric plant property

Like Redding, New Milford hopes to use this grant as the first step to a larger-scale revitalization project.

New Milford Mayor Pete Bass said the town will use the grant to assess work that would have to be done to repurpose a former hydroelectric plant and mills complex that dates back to the 1800s for recreational use.

The project has been discussed for many, many, many years, according to Bass.

Before the town can begin revitalizing the land for public use, they will need to assess it for possible soil contaminants, check out the remaining building structures on the property, and determine what kind of remediation work would be needed to create a potential park or addition to the local walkway.

A walkway on the property would potentially make up part of the industrial walk section, where signage would discuss tell visitors about the industrial buildings history in New Milford.

A final land use plan is dependent on what the study finds, Bass said.

The town is currently reviewing the grants fine-print and Bass said he plans to officially present the grant and other pertinent information at the town council meeting early next week.

By the first council meeting in July, he said he plans to start discussing next steps for the grant.

Its been talked about and thought about for many decades, Bass said of the towns desire to revamp the old property.
Days after Gov. Ned Lamont signed legislation legalizing marijuana, some Danbury-area communities are taking a step back.

Newtown and Ridgefield plan to consider banning cannabis establishments, while Danbury looks to impose at least a temporary moratorium. Local police departments, meanwhile, are bracing for challenges, such as how to tell if someone is driving while high.

Danbury and Newtown officials say they arent saying no to cannabis establishments forever. Danbury officials say they want more time to decide how to regulate them or whether to prohibit them.

The best way to do that is to take a time out, said Sharon Calitro, the citys planning director.

Danbury took the same pause when Connecticut approved medical marijuana, but now allows these dispensaries and expects one to move to the city soon.

The stigma against pot has died down in recent years, said Carl Tirella, general manager of New York-based Acreage Holdings, which owns the medicinal dispensary moving to Danbury.

It has been amazing to watch the growth of the program from a few hundred patients to over 50,000 patients in just over seven years and with rec(reational weed) on the horizon, it shows Connecticut is continually open for growth and change, he said.

His companys Compassionate Care Center of Connecticut hopes to move from Bethel to Danbury by early August. The company is evaluating whether it would want to sell recreational marijuana, too, he said. Becoming a hybrid retailer comes with a $1 million fee.

The law goes into effect Thursday, with retail sales expected to begin in late 2022.

The Town of Prospects Planning and Zoning Commission already voted unanimously to ban cannabis establishments.

Attempts to ban retailers

Newtown First Selectman Dan Rosenthal said hes fine with decriminalizing marijuana, but he doesnt want his town to be one of the first with recreational dispensaries. The Planning and Zoning Commissions public hearing on the issue is Thursday.

Its best to sit on the sidelines, see how it plays out, he said. If at some point in the future, the willingness is there to reconsider, then perhaps they do that.

Rosenthal and Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi said theyre worried about the message selling weed in town would send to young people. Pot is legal only for adults 21 and over.

Alcohol and vaping have been a problem among young people, Marconi said.

What I dont want to have happen is find ourselves in the same position with the use of weed or marijuana increasing and additional accidents for various reasons that have been experienced in some states that have passed it, said Marconi, who plans to recommend the Planning and Zoning Commission prohibit the sale of marijuana in town.

A 2019 study found marijuana use among youth may decline after its been legalized, while a 2020 study found minimal short-term effects of pot legalization on substance use among young people, with small declines in marijuana use and an increase in the likelihood of e-cigarette use.

The Danbury Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on July 27 on the citys proposed temporary moratorium on applications, petitions and issuance of permits related to cannabis establishments. The commission will also consider amending the zoning regulations to include definitions related to cannabis.

The state will not begin issuing permits for recreational marijuana retailers until 2022, but businesses could still try to apply beforehand to open a dispensary in Danbury, Calitro said.

We have to get ahead of the curve, she said.

Existing regulations permit two medical marijuana dispensaries in the city, she said. One has already been approved and would not be affected, but new applications could not be submitted under the moratorium.

The moratorium would be in effect for a year at most, less if the city develops regulations on marijuana use sooner, she said.

The city will need to consider what affect weed establishments would have on certain areas in the city and the already permitted uses in those zones, Calitro said.

On the other hand, there is potential revenue to be had, she said. We have to weigh both things.

Newtowns existing regulations allow medical marijuana dispensaries, although the town does not have any, said George Benson, director of planning. The proposal would ban recreational and medicinal marijuana establishments.

Ridgefield prohibits medical marijuana facilities already, so the town must see how that ban is affected by the new law, said Richard Baldelli planning and zoning director and zoning enforcement.

The Brookfield Zoning Commission is expected to discuss how to handle the new law, said Nina Mack, land use administrative assistant. Existing regulations allow medical marijuana dispensaries with special permit approval, but they are not allowed to sell recreational weed without additional approval from the town.

Bethels existing zoning regulations do not permit cannabis to be grown or sold in town. Officials plan to discuss what to do now with legal counsel, said Beth Cavagna, town planner.

Bethel changed its zoning regulations to ban pot in 2014 after approving a medical marijuana dispensary, Compassionate Care Center of Connecticut  the one moving to Danbury. Approval of that dispensary had been contentious at that time, but the new regulations did not affect it, Cavagna said.

Since then, the publics views on pot have changed, and the fears residents had over the dispensary did not play out, she said.

Weve never had issues over there, she said.

The dispensary is moving to Danbury because it needs a bigger space, Tirella said.

Police concerns

Some local police chiefs are worried the new law will make activities like traffic stops more difficult.

Redding Chief Mark ODonnell said police should have been better consulted on the law.

Im just dead set against it, he said.

Few officers in the area are trained to identify whether someone is driving while high on drugs, chiefs said.

It just hasnt been something thats been necessary by and large for quite some time, Danbury Chief Patrick Ridenhour said.

Its harder to test for marijuana than it is for alcohol. Officers must get trained as drug recognition experts, a lengthy, expensive process, Newtown Chief James Viadero said. Grants may be available to do so, he said.

Two officers in Newtown are trained as these experts, which is more than some departments have, he said. When police dont have one of these experts on duty, they call in officers from nearby departments, Viadero said.

Ridenhour said hes not sure whether any Danbury officers are trained as drug recognition experts  maybe one is  but more will need to be.

Well manage, Ridenhour said. We have to do everything we can for the safety of our residents and citizens and our visitors.

Cops can learn the law, but telling K-9s that weed is legal is harder. Police dogs cannot differentiate between pot and other drugs and could prompt an officer to search someone with a legal amount of weed, Viadero said. That could lead to lawsuits over claims of illegal search and seizure.

There is a possible Fourth Amendment issue, Viadero said. Were going to have to work through that.

Departments expect to get more guidance from the state Police Officers Standards and Training Council and will get feedback from officers in other states where marijuana has been legal.

Municipal employees, including cops, could still get in trouble for smoking pot.

Ridgefield plans to create a new policy based on the law, Marconi said. ODonnell is reminding his officers, too.

Its still a federal crime, ODonnell said. Police officers cant smoke marijuana regardless of if its legal here or not...Not that I worry about our personnel. Theyre all pretty good.

Reporters Alyssa Seidman and Shayla Colon contributed to this report.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  Minnesotas top Democratic and Republican lawmakers reached agreement on the highlights of a public safety bill that includes police accountability measures, a day after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison for the death of George Floyd.

While some details had yet to be finalized, leaders from both parties said the compromise reached late Saturday settles the major issues after months of negotiations. It has been the most contentious piece of budget negotiations among a divided Legislature that's up against a Wednesday deadline to avoid a government shutdown.
There are no immediate reports of any casualties or damage to any equipment and investigation underway along with civil agencies. However, the security forces have sealed the area to assess any further threat to security. Use of drones to drop bombs at the station has been suspected by security agencies. Reports say that drones were used to drop weapons in the past as it cannot be detected by radar. The defence spokesperson of Jammu urged media to restrain till the investigations are on and only report based on the official statement.

Two low intensity explosions within a gap of 5-10 minutes rocked the high security technical area of Jammu Air Force Station in the early hours of Sunday. The explosions took place around 1.45 am. The first blast ripped off the roof of a building and the second one was on the ground. In this incident, the political context is importance as the blasts happened days after the possibility of recommencement ofpolitical processes in the region made headlines.

Recently, the centre reached out to Kashmiri politicians to improve relations that were embittered after revocation of theArticle 370 scrapping regions statehood and the special rights it enjoyed. Things were finally showing some improvement as the Kashmiri leadership agreed for dialogue with New Delhi, and the Centre too accelerated efforts to restore democracy in the Union Territory but at this point, these explosions have generated serious concerns. Though officials have not confirmed if they are treating it as an attack, but the Jammu and Kashmir Police have lodged a case under Section 16 and 18 of the UAPA Act and under relevant sections of the Explosives Act.

There are no immediate reports of any casualties or damage to any equipment and investigation underway along with civil agencies. However, the security forces have sealed the area to assess any further threat to security. Use of drones to drop bombs at the station has been suspected by security agencies. Reports say that drones were used to drop weapons in the past as it cannot be detected by radar. The defence spokesperson of Jammu urged media to restrain till the investigations are on and only report based on the official statement.

Indian Air Force senior officials, police and forensic experts rushed to the scene and a high level meeting was underway at the Air Force station, sources said. Defence minister RajnathSingh, who is on three-day visit to Ladakh, spoke to Vice Air Chief, Air Marshal H.S. Arora regarding explosions at the station. Rajnath Singh informed that Air Marshal VikramSingh would soon reach Jammu to review the two blasts.
Both countries notably acknowledged the threat presented by terrorists, particularly cross-border terrorism. They also agreed on a plan for an Indo-Pacific that is free, open, inclusive, and cooperative, ensuring connectivity and development for all in the area.

Greece and India committed to work together to improve bilateral relations and develop a strategic alliance. Greece joined the Indo-Pacific vision on Saturday, uniting with India. S Jaishankar, the Indian External Affairs Minister, met with his Greek counterpart Nikon Dendias in a bilateral visit that took place after 18 years.

The two nations showed agreement on several topics, namely terrorist attacks and freedom of navigation. Both countries notably acknowledged the threat presented by terrorists, particularly cross-border terrorism. They also agreed on a plan for an Indo-Pacific that is free, open, inclusive, and cooperative, ensuring connectivity and development for all in the area.

EAM S Jaishankar stated that the bilateral relationship between Greece and India was one side, but that Indias engagement with the EU as a whole was progressing. The leaders also confirmed that Greece would join the International Solar Alliance, a project led by India. The group consists of 121 nations, the majority of which are sunshine countries that fall entirely or partially between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. The alliances major goal is to promote efficient solar energy use in order to lessen reliance on fossil fuels. The framework contract for the International Solar Alliance was signed and handed over by Greeces Foreign Affairs minister.

Jaishankar also called Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to express his greetings on the two-hundredth anniversary of Greeces independence. In Athens, he also uncovered a statue of Mahatma Gandhi. Greeces PM Mitsotakis stated that the countrys relations with India are extremely important, stressing that both Greece and India have long histories of civilization. It is also decided that the Foreign Ministries and the Joint Trade Committee would hold their next round of discussion soon.
China invaded Vietnam in 1979 with unknown intentions, citing mistreatment of ethnic Chinese and Vietnamese occupation of Cambodia as casus belli. Vietnam, despite being heavily outnumbered by the juggernaut, managed to halt and devastatingly reverse the Chinese invasion before they could even cross more than twenty kilometers.

1st July will mark the hundredth anniversary since the foundation of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that has remained the permanent administrative body of China ever since winning the Chinese Civil War in 1949.

Indo-China, the region east of India and south of China (thus the name) had been colonised by the French in the 19th century. However, the Second World War broke out in 1939 that led to the initial defeat and occupation of France by Nazi Germany. The war tied up French forces in other theatres and Germanys ally Japan had also managed to occupy Indo-China for some brief period. Although, the Allies eventually won and the British helped France regain control of Indo-China, French authority and military prowess had been severely weakened by the Second World War and a brutal guerrilla campaign against their rule led to the independence of Indo-China. The countries formed out of the region were Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

During the Cold War between USA and the USSR (an espionage war between their respective ideologies of capitalism and communism), Vietnam split into two with a Communist regime in the North and an anti-Communist one in the South, with both being ruled over by autocratic dictators. Attempts at a peaceful reunification failed and a long war ensued, with the US supporting the South and the USSR and China supporting the North. US had deployed hundreds of thousands of troops in Vietnam but the North used the forested terrain to full advantage, using jungle ambushes and guerrilla warfare. The US had to pull out because the war remained stalemated and public opinion about the war at home was faltering, leading to the North winning within an year.

Vietnam, now unified under a Communist regime, helped the Communist Party in neighbouring Cambodia to overthrow the monarchy and establish a Communist state. It also improved relations with the Soviet Union and signed a defensive pact. China, on the other hand, had a falling out with the Soviets when the 3rd Soviet leader, Nikita Krushchev had revealed Stalins tyrannical rule after coming to power and their relations had since been in a long decline.

Just four years after the formation of Communist Vietnam, China declared war, citing poor handling of the ethnic Chinese minority and illegal occupation of the Spratley Islands (South China Sea) and Cambodia. The Chinese invaded with two maain armies from the Eastern and Western areas of Vietnams borders with China. The Vietnamese militias engaged in guerrilla warfare, attacking supply lines and camps, inflicting heavy casualties and morale loss on the Chinese, whilst slowing down their advance. The regular Vietnamese soldiers, were held mostly in reserve, avoiding direct confrontation and also conducting guerrilla warfare. The Chinese forces only managed to penetrate 20 kilometers into Vietnam, before their attack ran out of steam even as Vietnamese resistance stiffened.

The Chinese forces, sensing that no further gains could be made, declared that they had completed the wars main objective of subverting Vietnams aggression and teaching it a lesson. They then turned back North and retreated back to China, pillaging and looting as they went. The war ended with the withdrawal and China made no demands at any concessions, territorial or otherwise. Vietnam had to deal with the economic damage the Northern reaches had suffered by the Chinese looting but had ultimately managed to beat back an invasion by a numerically superior foe. Both China and Vietnam claimed victory and their respective accounts claim unreliable number of casualties, with the Chinese inflating Vietnamese losses and downplaying their own, and Vietnam doing vice versa. Western estimates suggest 25,000-30,000 fatalities on both sides with just as many, if not more, wounded. Civilian deaths remain unknown and harder to estimate, as the Chinese did ravage the occupied territory but also had to avoid killing civilians, as some were Chinese minorities whome they ostensibly claimed to protect with the declaration of the war.
Photo EA43MI7T ne062721PrisonCalls.1

The phone calls to her son cost thousands of dollars over the 14 years he was in prison, but Diane Lewis felt she had to make sure he was safe.

When he first went to prison, he was 17 years old, so I needed to speak with him on a very regular basis, Lewis said of her son, Jovaan Lumpkin, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit first-degree assault in 2004, reduced from a charge of attempted murder.

If your child is in prison, you want to talk to him every day, just to check if hes alive, she said. It could get costly; you juggle it around. Sometimes the lights went off. Sometimes the gas went off.

But the law signed June 16 by Gov. Ned Lamont that will make phone calls to prisoners free will bring Lewis and other members of prisoners families peace of mind without having to take on a tremendous financial burden. The law also grants each prisoner up to 90 minutes per day of phone time. But the law, which takes effect July 1, 2022, also will increase the likelihood that, once released, those who have been incarcerated will succeed when they reenter society, according to advocates.

Connecticut is the first state to make phone calls to prison free to inmates and their families; New York City made the calls free from city jails in 2019. The state, which charges up to $5 for a 15-minute phone call, has a contract with Securus Technologies of Dallas. Securus makes about $7 million a year and Connecticut keeps $6 million, according to CT News Junkie.

Karen Martucci, spokeswoman for the state Correction Department said in an emailed statement that the agency anticipates phone usage to increase with the new guidelines within the recently passed legislation.

We plan to revise operations to ensure maximized phone access, she said.

Commissioner (Angel) Quiros and the Department of Correction supports efforts to keep incarcerated individuals connected to their families, Martucci said. We acknowledge family reunification as a factor that leads to a successful transition to the community.

Connected

Lewis, who lives in Hartford, said her son was allowed four calls a day, and we basically used those four calls. As a mother, when your teenager, who hasnt even finished high school yet, is in prison, you want to talk to your kid. Hes at his lowest point and you need to support him.

Over the years, Lewis said, she spent tens of thousands of dollars on calls to Lumpkin. I wanted to make sure he didnt go crazy, Lewis said.

Its not just the money, she said. When your family member is in prison and connected to the family, it lowers the recidivism rate. Keeping in touch meant Lumpkin, once he was released, knew about family members who had died or were born while he was in prison.

For me it was everything, because sometimes you just need that escape when youve got a lot of chaos going around you, Lumpkin said. I was fortunate enough, grateful to be able to use the phone pretty much any time I wanted.

It wasnt so overwhelming when I came back because the phone calls kept me in touch with reality per se, he said. I didnt have to be a prisoner 100 percent of the time. I could be a normal person.

He said opponents of the bill had raised concerns that the free calls would result in long lines and fights over the phones. Quiros testified that additional phone lines likely will have to be installed. But Lumpkin said worries over inmates fighting for phone time are not justified.

When he was in prison, Lumpkin said, I noticed people who used the phone a lot or got visits a lot were more likely to stay out of trouble in order not to lose those privileges. He said if he was told to call Thursday and that his son would be on the call, its easier for me to stay out of trouble, walk the line.

My lifeline to him

Rahisha Bivens is conservator for her brother, Joshua Stanley, who served three years pretrial, was sentenced to time served, and was in his cell up to 21 hours a day in general population, she said.

Contributed Photo

Stanley, who pleaded under the Alford doctrine to first-degree assault in order to reduce his sentence, said it was very important to have contact with his family, and said his sister wouldnt have been able to advocate for him without being able to talk by phone. I needed to talk to my sister to find out what the plan was, he said.

Bivens said talking to her brother was essential to advocate for him and to get his sentence reduced. An Alford plea means the person charged does not admit guilt but admits the state likely has enough evidence to convict.

When I went months without talking to them I was in a bad mood all the time, Stanley said. I got into a lot of arguments, felt lost.  Its really helpful to have support and just love. You got that love when youre in prison. You dont feel like its the end of the road. [Its] like theres light at the end of the tunnel.

He knew he was empowered. He knew he was loved, said Bivens, who is an organizer with the prison-reform organization Stop Solitary. It was just a lifeline to make sure that he didnt give up hope and that he was loved, that he had treatment and care.

Stanley has several mental health issues, and Bivens said the days when she couldnt talk to her brother were definitely anxiety-producing for me and for him. There were moments when he could have become hopeless.

She said while the calls would cost $100 every couple of weeks, family members were able to pool money. We were able to afford it.

However, she said, If the phone calls werent so high, we could have saved that money for when he returned to the community. We dont have that anymore to direct to other resources.

Contributed Photo

Bivens said prisoners need to be recognized as people with lives and family and not just people who have broken the law. Many, like her brother, are in pretrial detention.

My brother was in college before he was incarcerated, Bivens said. He had a whole life and I think thats what people forget. They have potential. If people dont maintain that connection to mental health it can get real ugly for people and their well-being.

Charging for phone calls means youre putting that financial burden on their loved ones  who already have enough burden. Many are low-income families and people of color, Bivens said.

A costly experience

Jacqueline James, a former New Haven alder, once had a brother in prison and said the cost of keeping in touch was a burden. My parents, who are on a fixed income, wanted to be there for their child in any way possible, she said. If you do daily calls for a year, its eight, nine, ten thousand dollars.

James said she also has friends in prison who she talks to. Its just a costly experience, she said. When you talk about the process of keeping people connected, the state has done a really poor job of it.

She pointed out that Securus is a private company that makes a profit from multiple prison-communications platforms.

They do video technology. They do phones. They do debit cards, she said. Its specifically a prison communications firm.

Securus, which has held the state contract since 2012, did not respond to a request for comment.

edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com; 203-680-9382
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
The family of late Usifo Ataga, the Super TV CEO stabbed to death, has threatened to sue bloggers whom they allege are peddling falsehood...

The family of late Usifo Ataga, the Super TV CEO stabbed to death, has threatened to sue bloggers whom they allege are peddling falsehoods about his murder case.





Last Tuesday, Chidinma Ojukwu, a 300-level mass communication student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), with whom Ataga lodged in the hotel where he died, was arrested for inflicting the wounds that claimed his life.

However, the 21-year-old, who was paraded at the Lagos state police command, had later alleged that the media businessman forcefully had sex with her, prior to a second attempt that resulted in a violent confrontation.

Amid multiple reports on it, the development spurred a flurry of reactions and conspiracy theories on social media.





Rickey Tarfa & Co, solicitor to the family, has charged those behind what it termed malicious publications to refrain from falsehoods that infringed on the integrity of the deceased, his wife, and children or face a lawsuit.

They alleged that some of such claims have been planted by culpable parties as a smokescreen to cover their tracks.

In a statement signed by Olusegun Jolaawo (SAN) on behalf of the law firm, the family further urged the general public to allow the police conduct their investigations without any distraction or interference.





Atagas family demanded that false publications and the several ordinarily unrelated stories and pictures of the deceased and his wife Brenda be pulled down or an action to seek redress in court for libel and slander may follow.

We know Chidinma Adaora Ojukwu has been arrested. Yes, we know that investigation is continuing. Our client is however convinced that there is much more to this than is already apparent from the police investigation, the statement reads.

It has become apparent even to the most undiscerning reader that, from the variety and inherent malice in most of the said publications that they are planted to embarrass and malign Usifo Ataga, Brenda Ataga, and the family.

They called for an in-depth investigation of the murder, urging the police to go beyond just arresting the suspect.
A former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has faulted a recent report by the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, that conflict ...

A former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has faulted a recent report by the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, that conflict in the North East has directly led to the death of approximately 35,000 people.

UNDP had further warned that the conflict could amount to the loss of 1.1 million Nigerian lives by 2030.

The report warned that indirect deaths, including disease and hunger resulting from the conflicts physical and economic destruction, already far outnumber those from direct causes.

But Fani-Kayode says much more people than were indicated have been killed by the decade long insurgency.

Countering the report, Fani Kayode said he believes about one million people have lost their lives to the conflicts, adding that Fulani herdsmen have killed over five hundred thousand Nigerians.

North-East: 1.1 million Nigerians may die if investment deficit continues  UNDP

The UNDP claims that Boko Haram has killed 350,000 Nigerians since it began its operations in 2010, he tweeted.

Sadly I believe they have killed far more than that & that the figure is closer to 1 million. I also believe the Fulani terrorists have killed no less than 500,000 souls in 5 years.

Similarly, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain called on popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, to tell the world what he has been benefitting from defending bandits who kill, maim and kidnap innocent citizens in the North West.

Fani-Kayode also wants the Islamic scholar to tell Nigerians the centre of the discussion whenever he meets the bandits in the forests.

The issue is not who goes into the forest to meet the terrorists with you but rather what you say to them when you get there and what you gain by constantly defending them and attempting to justify and rationalise their barbaric actions.

You are their best friend, that makes you a terrorist as well and you ought to have been arrested long ago.
Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It was learnt that Matawalle defected to t...

Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

It was learnt that Matawalle defected to the to the All Progressive Congress.

Personal Assistant to Nigerias President, Muhammadu Buhari on Digital and New Media, Bashir Ahmed disclosed this on his verified Facebook page on Sunday morning.

The presidential aide wrote So Zamfara is back home! Welcome, Matawalle.

However, the Governor is yet to confirm his defection officially.




Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has declared that he has never insulted President Muhammadu Buhari despite a face-off with the presiden...

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has declared that he has never insulted President Muhammadu Buhari despite a face-off with the presidency.

In a 24-second video posted on his official Facebook page on Sunday morning, the governor said his criticism of the president over the security reality in his state was misconstrued by some Nigerians.

According to him, he criticizes the president to ensure that his administration succeeds.

He said, Sometimes I talk about the presidency and at one point some ignorant people said that I was castigating President Muhammadu Buhari.

Some were so ridiculous to the extent of saying that I insult Mr President, I did not insult him. It is true that as a leader, I want him to succeed so I criticize.

The Benue State Government and the presidency have several times engaged in face-off over alleged inability of President Buhari to tackle insecurity in the state.
The General Overseer of the Living Faith Church International (Winners Chapel), Bishop David Oyedepo, has shared the story of how he spent...

The General Overseer of the Living Faith Church International (Winners Chapel), Bishop David Oyedepo, has shared the story of how he spent seven hours in the same room with a cobra.

Oyedepo who was not hurt by the snake shared the story to prove how God manifests Himself in the life of someone who loves Him.

The clergymen, in a Youtube video, said when you become a lover of God, the enemy will leave you alone, because every attempt on your life will bounce back on him.

He said, You may read all the books I have written but until you discover my heartbeat for God, you dont know my secret. God knows I love him, all the devils know I love God and God proves perpetually and unending that I truly love him. So He manifests himself concerning me at His own time. He does it naturally in all the realms.

I was in my office and a cobra was found in my wardrobe, the third floor of the building and I worked in that floor seven hours in the previous night and the morning when they were cleaning, there was a cobra and it stood up. It was there all night and I was there.

Let me tell you this, when you become a lover of God, the enemy will leave you alone, because every attempt on your life will bounce back on him.

Everybody desires supernatural intervention in their finances but there is nothing you earn as wages that will be equal to wealth, it is the blessing of God that makes you rich and he adds no sorrow to it. So, to bring the hand of God to bear on your finances, whatever God says to you to do regarding your finances, do it.
Kaduna-based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has disclosed why he opted to meet with bandits terrorizing the Northern part of the coun...

Kaduna-based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has disclosed why he opted to meet with bandits terrorizing the Northern part of the country.

Gumi disclosed that his interaction with bandits was borne out of his quest to find a solution to the crisis in the North.

Speaking with Dailypost, the controversial Islamic cleric said bandits want peace and are willing to interact with well meaning Nigerians who can be trusted.

He, however, maintained that military confrontation was not the solution to banditry.

Bandits: Gumi discloses role he, Obasanjo played in release of Kaduna students

Gumi stressed that military confrontation would lead to collateral damage for both the security agencies and the country.

According to Gumi: My interest is that my own country is ravaged with a problem nobody is willing to find a solution to, loss of life, peasant farmers cant farm anymore. And we as intellectuals cant fold arms and wait for the government to solve our problems. We have to do it ourselves.

And as a trained medical doctor, you dont tackle a problem without diagnosis; that is what made me veer into it, going into the bush to find the solution.

The solution we found indicates that there can never be military attacks because the collateral damage would be too much for them and the country.

Look at the American Army, they have not been able to conquer the Taliban and I can tell you that the nomadic Fulanis are more in number than Talibans, so a military conflict is not the solution.

Suddenly, I realized that these people too want peace and that gave me the inspiration that I should take this dialogue to the national stage, let Nigerians understand that we are doing this to broker permanent peace by sitting down with these people and showing them what is possible and what is not.

And they are ready for that so I dont see why Nigerians should be so engrossed. Many people are not ready for discussion once they hear Fulani, so also in the bush, once they hear vigilante they say we can never sit down to discuss anything with them. So I think well meaning Nigerians who can be trusted to come in between.
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The scores of people lined up outside seemed normal. But once they paid their $10 admission fee Saturday morning and filed into the Oddities and Curiosities Expo at the John A. Alario Sr. Event Center near Westwego, all indications of normalcy evaporated immediately.

So cute, gushed Lorelei Hedrick of Gulfport, Mississippi, studying a tiny turtle carcass preserved in a glass jar by a century-old process called diaphonization. It had caused the creature to become as translucent and brightly colored as a gummy bear. The silhouette of its tiny bones could be clearly seen through the jellied, rainbow flesh.

Hedrick happily plopped down 70 bucks for the macabre, palm-sized treasure. I bought him because he has such a cute little face, she said. I actually have a whole room dedicated to stuff like this. Theres a parlor where you can look at all my cool stuff.

A sign at the Aphelion Necrology booth, where Hedrick bought her Technicolor turtle, assured shoppers that all of the specimens had been ethically sourced, presumably meaning that the turtles, snakes and baby kangaroo had died of natural causes before being, uh, diaphonized.

The Aphelion Necrology booth was one of 125 exhibitors from across the United States gathered in the show, which travels to 26 cities from coast to coast. Hedrick was among a predicted 5,000 visitors to the event, which blended the wonders of zoology with tongue-in-cheek ghoulishness. It was a place where Grizzly Adams and Morticia Addams could easily find common ground.

Nick Cestone, a purveyor of skulls and bone-based arts and crafts, said his biggest seller was the brass knuckles made from the toothy jaws of deer. Potential customers want to be reassured that, if they were to punch someone in the face with the $20 to $40 knuckles, it would leave tooth marks, he said.

Asked to explain the enthusiasm his customers have for bones, skulls and such, Cestone said that he thought they had the kind of moms who encouraged them to go outside and get dirty and find something.

Stephanie and Brian Magby are still going out and finding things. Such as delicate mouse and parakeet skeletons that they pose in shoebox-sized cityscape dioramas scrawled with authentic-looking miniature graffiti tags. Theres a lot of apocalyptic stuff going on, Brian Magby, with sublime understatement, said of the disquieting artworks.

Stephanie Magby explained that the couples charmingly grotesque sculptures, which can run to $350, were inspired by a naturally mummified mouse they discovered under their mattress.

Speaking of rodents, New Orleans artist Miette Jackson displays powder blue-dyed, stuffed rats as if the tiny taxidermied pests were either entering or escaping a hole in a small picture frame. She said the front half of her rats cost $100, while the rear ends cost only $80 because the butts dont take as much work.

Some of the show's vendors eschewed artistry altogether and simply offered unaltered preserved animals. On Saturday, bargain hunters could have purchased an enormous vintage water buffalo head and shoulders for $4,500, a caribou trophy for $500 or a whole stuffed baboon for $1,000.

There would seem to be nothing more captivating than crumpled creatures in jars of alcohol, especially murky alcohol. Such things, which are known as wet specimens in the biological studies trade, drew an awe-struck crowd at the show.

The jarred cats were some of the most disturbing offerings. At $75, they were also some of the most expensive. Rattlesnakes cost $50, the best-selling octopi were $25 and tiny leeches were $5. As Boss, owner of the Bossities wet specimens booth, joked, Theyre really easy pets.

At $25, the pickled parasitic fish known as lampreys probably provided the most creepiness for the buck. As Rose F of the Bossities booth put it, The lampreys make you cringe, if youre normal at all.

One of the most stomach-fluttering objects in the entire sprawling show was the $950 embalming kit from the 1930s, complete with tools, makeup and four bottles of embalming fluid. When asked whether the antique kit came with a cadaver, Justyn Travers, owner of Dark and Deviant Oddities, laughingly replied: I cant do all the work for you.

Not everyone was eager to discuss their odd and curious purchases. The handsome young man proudly carrying the handsome stuffed crow declined to describe the motivation behind his purchase. And when asked what she planned to do with a $5 bag of snake ribs, a woman wearing fluorescent green work boots said, spells. She would not elaborate.

You dont know somebodys weird until they feel at home, said Michelle Cozzaglio, who founded the Oddities and Curiosities Expo with her husband in 2017, and we try to provide a safe place to feel at home. New Orleans is weird anyways.

Cozzaglio hit the nail on the head. Despite the endless array of forbidding displays, the Expo vibe wasnt alienating, it was inviting. To wander the aisles was like being invited to the worlds best Halloween party held in a haunted hunting lodge, connected to a mad scientist's laboratory, occupied by an artists commune. Wonderment was in the air. After all, deep down were all fascinated by the icky stuff that reminds of death and, conversely, of life, arent we? Its just normal.

The expo lasted only one day. Cozzaglio promised it will be back next year.
Two years ago, the Louisiana State Legislature passed a law requiring district attorneys to publicly report how often they use warrants to arrest witnesses and victims of crime for allegedly failing to cooperate with prosecutors. The reporting requirement was passed as part of a bill that also put tighter limits on the controversial warrants, called material witness warrants, by limiting their use against victims of sexual assault or domestic violence.

But since the law took effect in June 2019, no reports have been released.

Under the law, the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement is supposed to make the data publicly available on its website. But it appears that district attorneys offices across the state have not been submitting the data. An LCLE spokesperson said that two years after the law passed, the agency had not received any data on the use of material witness warrants until just last week, after The Lens inquired about the missing reports.

Proponents of strict limits on the use of material witness warrants, including the bills sponsor, former state Sen. J.P. Morrell, blamed prosecutors failures to report on the legislations lack of penalties, though they added that a penalty provision would have been a non-starter in the legislature.

Morgan Lamandre, Legal Director of the Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response (STAR) nonprofit organization  who was involved in negotiating the bill in the legislature  agreed.

If we had a fine attached, we wouldnt have gotten it passed, Lamandre said.

The law, which took effect in June 2019, requires district attorneys offices and other prosecution agencies to report the number of material witness warrants applied for, issued by judges, and executed, as well as the number of victims incarcerated as a result.

DAs offices are supposed to report the data to the LCLE by February 15 each year, and LCLE is in turn supposed to publish the data on its website by March 1 each year.

That has not happened.

We have not received any reports since the statute was passed, LCLE Director Jim Craft told The Lens in a written statement last week. We think they may be reporting to [the] Supreme Court.

But the Louisiana Supreme Court didnt get the data, either, a court spokesperson told The Lens on Tuesday.

Courts can use material witness warrants to arrest and detain witnesses and victims of crime whose testimony is considered material to a criminal proceeding. The warrants are meant to be used when a person refuses to comply with a subpoena requiring their attendance at court, or when a subpoena is otherwise found to be impractical.

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But their use is controversial because in some cases, they have resulted in the detention of victims for refusing to testify out of fear for their lives, and sometimes for longer periods of time than the defendants they were held to testify against.

The infrequently used warrants became a major political issue in 2017, after the watchdog group Court Watch NOLA released a report showing that under then-Orleans Parish DA Leon Cannizzaro, at least six victims of crimes were jailed in 2016, including a rape victim who was jailed for eight days.

The law requiring DAs offices to report material witness warrants was in part intended to ensure that victims of intimate partner violence, in particular, are not jailed in violation of the limits on their use against victims of sex crimes and domestic abuse, which were passed as part of the same 2019 bill.

With that bill in particular, the goal was to end district attorneys locking up victims to make them testify, especially in many instances where the victim would end up serving more time than the person they convicted, Morrell said.

Morrell said he was not particularly surprised at prosecutors lack of compliance with the reporting requirement. He said the problem was that the requirement was toothless. There are no penalties for failing to turn over the data.

But Lamandre said that part of the issue is several agencies are mutually responsible for this report, including LCLE and the state legislature. She questioned why they didnt do more to ensure compliance.

Asked what LCLE would do to facilitate DA compliance with the reporting requirement in the future, Craft said, After your initial contact I sent a reminder to the DAs and we set up a link to our website with a form for reporting. We began receiving reports last Friday.

In an email last week, Craft added that of the reports the office has received so far from DAs offices, all have said that no material witness were issued. The email did not say how many have come in or from which DAs offices.

Curtis Elmore, director of communications for Orleans Parish DA Jason Williams, said the office did not issue any material witness warrants last year, the last full year of Cannizzaros term. It is unclear if the law requires DAs offices to report to LCLE when no material witness warrants were sought for the previous year. Other DAs offices, including Jefferson Parish DAs office, the North Shore DAs office and the East Baton Rouge DAs office, did not respond to questions last week.

Still, it is unlikely that no material witness warrants were sought by any district attorneys office in the state for the last two years. And to Lamandre and Morrell, that lack of oversight is concerning.

Without proper reporting and oversight on the use of material witness warrants, we have no idea if survivors are continuing to be victimized by systems meant to protect them, Lamandre said.
A man was was killed Saturday afternoon after being shot multiple times in the Lower Ninth Ward, the New Orleans Police Department said.

The incident occurred in the 5900 block of North Johnson Street, according to officials.

Around 3 p.m., the man was driven to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

+2 Man, woman and child found dead in vehicle submerged in New Orleans East canal A man, a woman and a young girl were found dead Saturday in a car submerged in a New Orleans East canal, the New Orleans Police Department said.

The investigation is ongoing. The Orleans Parish Coroner's Office will release the identity of the victim and conduct an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Investigators are gathering evidence and information to identify the person or people involved in the incident, as well as a motive.

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Anyone with information is encouraged to call Homicide Detective Brett Mathis at 504-658-5300 or Crimestoppers at 822-1111, toll free 1-877-903-STOP.

In other overnight crime reported by the NOPD, a man was carjacked in the 4800 block of Werner Drive Saturday afternoon. A man approached the victim, pushed him to the ground and took off in his car.

Police also reported that a man was shot as he was walking in the area of Chef Menteur and Lancelot Drive at about 10 p.m. Saturday. The victim heard shots coming from a vehicle and realized he had been struck and went to a local hospital by private vehicle.

Staff writer Sara Pagones contributed to this report.
Almost exactly a year after driving a city-owned SUV across the Elysian Fields Avenue neutral ground and into another vehicle while allegedly drunk, New Orleans City Councilmember Jared Brossett is betting that by October, voters across the city will forgive and forget.

Brossett announced his entry into the race for an at-large City Council seat this week, throwing a wild card into what's expected to be a punishing contest between political heavyweights Sen. JP Morrell and Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer and adding a patina of scandal to the citywide election.

District councilmembers like Brossett are often natural candidates for citywide at-large seats, bringing with them name recognition and fundraising advantages. But political observers said this week that they were surprised the 38-year-old councilmember had entered the race with the shadow of the crash  and the widely-shared video of Brossett stumbling in its aftermath  hanging over his candidacy.

+2 New Orleans City Council race begins; see which candidates are announcing campaigns this week Election season has kicked off in New Orleans, with several high-profile contenders for the City Council announcing this week, or confirming t

Few were willing to speak publicly about a sitting councilperson that still has strong bonds with the city and many of its leaders. But privately, the city's political class gives him slim odds of prevailing, given both the scandal and the pummeling he took three years ago in his last and only citywide race, for clerk of Civil District Court.

Still, his entry could force Morrell and Palmer to recalibrate their campaigns and threatens, at minimum, to force the race into a runoff.

Brossett, who has said little about the incident since returning to public life last July, acknowledged on Friday it would continue to present a challenge for him as he faces off against two strong opponents.

Look, Im going into this with my eyes open, Brossett said. I recognize that there are people and opponents that will be like crabs in a barrel hoping to pull me down because they cant lift themselves up. But I believe people believe in rehabilitation.

I think they want to root for the person who falls and wants to stand proud again, he added later.

With no sign that Mayor LaToya Cantrell will face a major challenger with political experience, name recognition or significant resources to burn, the at-large City Council race is expected to be the marquee contest on the fall ballot.

Observers were already expecting a punishing contest between Morrell and Palmer, both experienced politicians and campaigners, to fill the seat formerly held by Jason Williams, who was elected district attorney last year.

In his two terms on the City Council, Brossett has earned praise from progressives for efforts to improve pay for city employees and those working for city contractors, and for his opposition to short term rentals. He has touted his efforts in the Louisiana Legislature to require equal pay for women. In this race, he said, he would be focusing on fighting crime, promoting equality and improving infrastructure.

I have a record on the City Council and the Legislature of bringing people together and building relationships throughout the community, listening to people and providing those quality of life needs, he said.

Brossett enters into that fray politically wounded by the crash, which physically injured the driver of the vehicle he hit when his car jumped the neutral ground and careened into on-coming traffic in the early morning hours of June 14, 2020.

Certainly politicians have been involved in scandals, whether theyve had legal difficulties or extramarital affairs, but this is a different breed, said Ed Chervenak, a veteran observer of New Orleans politics and head of the University of New Orleans Survey Research Center. He certainly wasnt in a condition to get behind a wheel and not only did he put himself in danger but he put other people in danger as well.

A neighbor also captured video of the aftermath, showing him stumbling over his words as he says hes trying to resolve the issue.

+2 Watch: Video shows Councilman Jared Brossett after alleged DWI wreck A witness to the car crash that landed City Councilman Jared Brossett in jail on a drunken-driving charge Sunday morning said the councilman's

When police arrived, Brossett refused a breath-alcohol test but performed poorly on a field sobriety test. He was booked into the Orleans Parish jail after being treated for minor injuries and released a few hours later.

In a statement released the next day, Brossett apologized to his family and the citizens of New Orleans and said he was entering a treatment program, but has said little about the incident since.

Following his crash, Brossett entered an intensive treatment program focusing on coping mechanisms, stress management and helping individuals with a prior history of trauma, he said on Friday, something he said was needed due to domestic violence in his household growing up. The program lasted 30 days, he said, stretching past the time he returned to the council.

Brossett has since pleaded not guilty to drunk driving charges and entered into a diversion program through the District Attorneys Office. He has also entered into a payment plan to reimburse the city for the cost of the SUV.

He has since continued to receive counseling and has volunteered with the program assisting others, he said.

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Asked whether hed had a drink since then, Brossett responded, No, I havent.

Its a difficult hurdle to cross but when you set your mind to anything you can overcome it, Brossett said.

Of course, criminal charges aren't always a political death sentence. Last year, Williams won his race for district attorney even while under indictment for tax fraud. Williams has denied wrong-doing, and has cast those charges as politically motivated.

Meanwhile, Oliver Thomas, who resigned his council seat and was sentenced to 37 months in prison after pleading guilty to taking a $20,000 bribe in 2007, is attempting a rebound. Three weeks ago, Thomas said hes considering challenging Councilmember Cyndi Nguyen for the seat representing New Orleans East and the Lower Ninth Ward.

+6 Oliver Thomas, former New Orleans Councilman felled by bribery scandal, eyes District E seat Former City Councilman Oliver Thomas, the popular New Orleans politician widely seen as a future mayor before a bribery scandal ended his poli

Brossetts troubles may be more difficult to overcome due to how recently the incident occurred and the inability to deny what is clear on the video.

You can see it for yourself, that he wasnt in any kind of condition to get behind a wheel, Chervenak said.

Brossett got his introduction to the New Orleans political scene as an intern for then-Councilmember Marlin Gusman, now Orleans Parish Sheriff, before rising through the ranks in the office of his successor, Cynthia Hedge Morrell. With Hedge Morrells backing, he launched his own career in the state House and retained strong support from establishment figures through two elections in the Legislature and two successful runs for the District D council seat.

He flirted with the idea of making a run at the at-large seat in 2017. Instead, he opted for another term in his Gentilly-based district  in which he bested his opposition with 80% of the vote  and then a run for Clerk of Civil District Court a year later.

He lost in that race to Chelsea Napoleon Richard, former Clerk Dale Atkins' second-in-command, winning only 46% of the vote. That loss had already raised questions about whether he could win citywide office, even before his crash.

And this time, hell be running without some of his traditional supporters.

Hedge Morrells support will be going to JP Morrell, her son. And Brossett said this week he had not yet sought the blessing of LIFE, the political organization that rose to prominence with former Mayor Dutch Morial that he and Gusman are both aligned with.

I havent talked to them about an endorsement. The endorsements that matter to me are the voters of this city, Brossett said.

The strongest indicator in Brossetts favor may be his funding, though it remains to be seen whether that will hold up as the race picks up.

Brossett headed into this year with more than $100,000 in his campaign account, a seemingly enviable war chest that dwarfed that of any other incumbent councilmember at the time. But the report also points to a potential vulnerability: less than $10,000 of the haul was raised last year and none of it came in after the crash.

At-large races require significantly more than Brossett has in hand. Williams spent more than four times that to oust Hedge Morrell in 2013, and Palmer is already catching up, raising $85,000 in the first four months of this year.

Because of the timing of their campaign announcements, neither Brossett nor Morrell will have to file their first financial reports this year until the middle of July.

So far, Brossetts opponents are treading lightly about his candidacy.

Palmer responded to questions about his entry by saying she welcomed him to the race and was looking forward to talking about our different visions for addressing crime and rebuilding after COVID.

Morrell declined to comment.

For his part, Brossett said he wasn't going to focus on what happened last year.

Im not going to dwell on the past. Im going to look to see a brighter future from the initiatives I'm asking voters to consider, he said.
Admirable though it is to take a lively interest in local government, whipping out a smartphone to videotape the Kenner City Council would strike most people as verging on the obsessive.

Rather pointless too, since all meetings can be viewed on YouTube, and archives are maintained for the benefit of any citizen eager to thrill once more to the eloquent cut-and-thrust of old debates.

That is not enough for Traci Fernandez, who pays such meticulous attention to her civic responsibilities that she switched on her phone camera at a Kenner City Council session last year. Members did not simply smile and show their preferred profile, however. Since the clerk had told everyone present that recording was verboten, and that phones had to be turned off, it was inevitable that a cop would swoop pronto.

Fernandez was nevertheless so outraged not to get her way that she filed a suit alleging that the cop had no right to confiscate her phone and that the council's no-videotaping rule violated the state's open meetings law. Talk about admirable. By the time she got to the courthouse, less dedicated citizens were fussing about some virus, but Fernandez stuck to what mattered.

State Attorney General Jeff Landry, in a letter to the council last year, opined that its recording ban did indeed contravene the sunshine law. That should be proof enough that the ban is perfectly legal.

State District Judge Michael Mentz certainly thinks so  he rejected Fernandez's claims a few weeks ago  and it would be foolhardy in the extreme to trust the attorney general's legal acumen over his.

Common sense also says that, so long as everyone is free to attend all meetings, and posterity can revisit the council's deliberations until Kingdom Come, the public's right to know is adequately safeguarded.

State law gives the council authority to set rules for the sake of decorum at its meetings, and activists flashing smartphones might conceivably be regarded as an indecorous distraction. On the other hand, it is hardly a big deal. Both sides seem to lack a sense of proportion.

Fernandez suffered no harm whatsoever. In a sane system, Mentz would have thrown out the suit as too trivial for a serious court to consider. But we do not have a sane system.

When Fernandez's attorney Stephen Petit says he will take the case all the way to the state Supreme Court because it is that important, we can forgive him for talking nonsense because he is not being paid to take an objective view. Mentz, who is, averred that the recording issue was an interesting one and he is keen to see what the Court of Appeal has to say about it. In fact, it is obvious that upholding Mentz would make sense. Don't bank on it, though.

The suit does provide a reminder that the computer age has been both good and bad for democracy and an informed electorate. It has hurt the cause by birthing alternative media that robbed newspapers of the advertising dollars that sustained them and underwrote coverage of local government.

Yet while so many newspapers were dying or cutting back, anyone with internet access could suddenly watch state and local government in action with the click of a mouse. These days you can get all the Kenner City Council you want.
At 63, Bill Cassidy is a tad younger than your average United States senator, a select club that includes several members old enough to be one of his parents. And yet his view of the job, from all recent evidence, is kind of old school.

In a good way, I should add.

The Republican Louisiana senator found himself outside the White House Thursday, smiling for the cameras alongside the Democratic president and a larger-than-usual assemblage of his colleagues from both parties. They were celebrating an agreement in spirit on $1.2 trillion in new and already planned spending for badly needed infrastructure  a bipartisan priority that risks being swallowed up by the countrys never-ending partisan warfare, because pretty much everything is these days.

Its a lot less than Biden initially wanted but its still an enormous sum, the largest infrastructure package in the history of the American government, Cassidy noted in a Twitter video touting the agreement.

The deal was made possible by the fact that there are old school politicians on the Democratic side too, not just a few senators from swing states but President Joe Biden himself, who seems bent on proving that its still possible to get past division and work together on common priorities. So invested is the president in this idea that Politico labeled the announcement the type of I told you so moment Joe Biden lives for.

That Cassidy was there is a mark of his evolution as a politician, and perhaps the freedom that comes with having just been reelected to a second six-year term.

He can go his own way despite pressure from some members of his base to stick to the party line, which is pretty much that Bidens win is suspect, that former President Donald Trump bears no responsibility for any belief otherwise, and that the new administration's winning agenda is somehow inherently dangerous. To date, Cassidy is the only member of Louisianas GOP delegation to fully reject those premises.

Cassidy's own way, it so happens, has led him in the same direction of past Louisiana senators such as Mary Landrieu and John Breaux, Democratic centrists who were often part of small groups trying to find common ground.

On infrastructure, he joined with nine other senators to craft the compromise that Biden endorsed last week. Another 11 have agreed in principle, which puts an infrastructure bill in reach of passage despite the Senates filibuster rules.

Not that its a done deal, or even necessarily close.

Sure to push back are the purveyors of todays zero-sum politics, politicians on the right who dont want to see Biden notch any kind of accomplishment and certainly not one thats sure to be popular with most Americans, and politicians on the left who dont want to see him give an inch to Republicans who are bent on obstruction.

Biden, in fact, linked his ultimate support to passage of a separate measure supporting Democratic priorities originally cast as soft infrastructure. They include things like money for child care, health care, paid family and medical leave act, and climate change initiatives.

Cassidy argued, meanwhile, that if the deal falls apart because too many Democrats dont want to compromise on a measure that their own president endorses, theyll be cast as the party of obstruction instead.

Boy, those are pretty miserable politics for (House Speaker Nancy Pelosi) going into the midterm, arent they? Cassidy said.

Yet Democrats could also just go it alone on the whole enchilada through the reconciliation process, as they did with the pandemic relief bill earlier this year, a prospect that is already raising Republican hackles.

So theres plenty of gamesmanship still to come.

The attempt at a bipartisan deal, though, pushes back against the modern day conventional wisdom that the only way to accomplish anything in Washington is to do it without talking to the other side.

If the gambit works, Cassidy will be able to say he told us so, too.
Weve had far too many shootings in the United States and Louisiana.

We nearly always focus on the mass shootings and confrontational shootings, forgetting or ignoring the majority of firearm deaths caused by suicide. According to the University of California Davis Health, half of all suicides in the nation involve firearms. These self-inflicted deaths are sad, but they tend to disturb the loved ones of the victims more than they bother neighborhoods, communities and states.

Many shootings get some news mentions with the basic facts, including day, time, location and general circumstance. Its a developing story that we may or may not get back to, in part because other shootings have happened in the meantime. Shootings with storylines that tug at our heartstrings are those involving celebrities or prominent people; every day people much loved by their associates or communities, and kids.

Most of these shootings involve people and their families or friends, instances where someones anger got so hot that they reached for a gun to threaten someone else, and they shot. Far too often, these are same-home, same-street, same-neighborhood situations with well-intentioned gatherings going bad.

Far too often these involve Black people hurting or killing other Black people. There, I said it. And its true. But lets not call it Black on Black crime. Its not. Not really. Its situational.

When do we call it White on White crime when White people shoot and harm or kill their White relatives or friends? Its often a boogeyman retort to Black Lives Matter and social justice demands, demonstrations and protests as well as a scare phrase to push people to support certain law enforcement moves.

Often its a phrase used to scare White people, making them think Black people are coming after them  next. But facts and reality show otherwise. For years, the FBIs crime stats show Black people kill Black people and White people kill White people and fewer Black people kill White people. The agencys Universal Crime Report in 2014 shows that of all Black people killed, 90% were killed by Black people. Of all White people killed, 14.8% were killed by Black people.

But lets not put all of this on White people. Lots of Black people say this, too. Even some Black police chiefs. They mimic others who use it because they know the easy-to-remember catch phrase is likely to grab attention and be a good sound bite, as they cry out about injuries and deaths in Black neighborhoods. It is a political dog whistle, used on the left and the right.

President Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland didnt have to say Black on Black crime as they announced a federally-funded effort to combat crime, specially shootings, by going after bad actor gun dealers who put firearms in the hands of people who shouldnt have them and by doing more to prevent crime. They didnt need to use this inherently racist phrase. Biden said theyre going after gun dealers who are "the bad actors doing bad things to our communities.

In addition, the Justice Department is creating strike forces to help police departments in a handful of cities fight crime. The chosen locales have large Black populations, and big crime problems: Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

Baton Rouge is one of 15 communities receiving funding to work with the ATF and FBI on anti-violence and prevention programs as another part of the federal effort to stem crime. The City of Baton Rouge has a Black population of more than 54%. BRPD Chief Murphy Paul was at the White House for the big announcement. There are lots of legal gun sales, and Black people are increasingly buying more firearms. The federal effort isnt going to stop that. It would help if gun dealers and owners report those they know are selling guns illegally.

I wish Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Monroe and Shreveport were a part of the strike force effort, and perhaps mayors in those cities can ask for more help as cities nationally struggle with increasing crime as pandemic restrictions are lifted and the weather warms up.

The help being sent by the feds isnt enough. Local cities, police departments and communities have to focus on root causes, not scare phrases. Wrong is wrong. Not Black or White.
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.
Dave Moore, CISSP, has been fixing computers in Oklahoma since 1984. Founder of the non-profit Internet Safety Group Ltd, he also teaches Internet safety community training workshops. He can be reached at 919-9901 or internetsafetygroup.org.
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After one reads the daily newspaper or watches the evening news, there often arises a temptation to lose hope. We are flooded with bad news.

Natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods seem neverending. Along with natural disasters, we have countless problems created by the sinfulness in the world. We see reports of political unrest, public disorder, war, famine, just to name a few from a list that seems endless and, at times, overwhelming.

To add to the list are our own personal issues. As you read this, you may be one who is suffering from a physical pain or ailment, a medical problem that appears to have no end. Or, you may be one struggling with emotional challenges that seemingly make you less than a whole person. Your problems may be causing you to be stooped over physically, emotionally, or spiritually, and because of that, you find yourself with little hope.

Yet, as people of God, we cannot yield to the temptation of hopelessness. Prophets such as Jeremiah remind us of a need for hope: For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11 ESV). The New Testament writers tell us again and again of the hope that comes through Jesus Christ.

I remember a point about hope made by a noted politician as she addressed a large number of Army chaplains gathered for a meeting. At the time she addressed us, as with all times I suspect in history, there were problems as there are now. She pointed out the familiar words that Paul wrote to the Corinthians: Now these three remain: faith, hope, and lovebut the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13 CSB). Nestled right between faith and love is hope, where it always has been and always will be.

For each of us, God wants us to have hope in our faith walk. God wants us to have a hope that is contagious. While being realistic in our expectations, may our faith make us into a person filled with faith and hope God is our ultimate source of hope, but is left behind by many who seek it from other sources. Science, medicine, all have a role to play in our lives, but it is our faith that ultimately gives us hope. We can have hope even when it seems hopeless.

If you are bent over by problems, I trust that your faith walk can give you hope. Whether you are released from the burden or standing in spite of it, you can help send a message of hope into a world that desperately needs it.

My mind goes back to a movie that in many ways became a classic: Rocky.

When I first saw it in the theater, it created a desire in me to do more; in many ways, it gave me.hope. Perhaps the greatest scene was near the end of the movie. Rocky is bruised and battered and on the mat. The referee is counting. Apollo Creed, his opponent, is dancing with victory arms raised up. As Rocky struggles to stand, his manager is yelling to stay down, his assistant is yelling to stay down, and his girlfriend turns away. To the amazement of all, he stands. In the theater, you almost wanted to jump to your feet and cheer.

May our God, may our Lord, inspire us to stand tall in hopeless situations and, in so doing, cast hope to all around.

The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed in this editorial do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of NorthcentralPa.com
Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced an extension of the moratorium on foreclosures from properties financed by USDA Single-Family Housing Direct and Guaranteed loans. The extension lasts until July 31, 2021.

The United States is recovering from a nationwide housing affordability crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. To support this recovery, USDA is taking this important action today to extend relief to the hundreds-of-thousands of individuals and families holding USDA Single-Family Housing loans, USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Justin Maxson said.

Actions like the one were announcing today are part of President Bidens strategy to get Americans vaccinated and the economy back on track. Together, these coordinated actions will enable more homeowners with federally-backed mortgages to remain in their homes and build equity for years to come as we transition back to a functional housing market," Maxson added.

After July 31, the USDA says that it will continue supporting homeowners facing hardships due to the pandemic through loss mitigation options, keeping people from losing their homes.

Homeowners and renters can visit here for the most recent information on their relief options, protections, and key deadlines from USDA, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.




Rockefeller Township, Pa.  Pennsylvania State Police at Stonington are reportedly investigating the death of a man found at a residence in Rockefeller Township, Northumberland County.

EMTs responded to an emergency call for an unresponsive man around 11 a.m. Sunday morning at the 700 block of Twin Hill Road, according to WKOK News Radio.

The county coroner was later called and declared Justin Brosious, 23, of Sunbury, dead at the scene, according to the WKOK report. A toxicology report is pending.

Trooper Mark Reasner said he could not comment, but the incident is still under investigation.
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Matt Hill is executive director of Douglas Timber Operators. He and his wife Liz are volunteers for Douglas County Search & Rescue.
Marcie Sirbaugh, of Browntown, walks her dog, Cooper, outside the O.J. Rudacille Store on Bentonville Road.
CROWN POINT  An East Chicago man made a formal appearance last week on charges alleging he shot a man four times after the man argued with him while he was bagging up drugs.

Antonio L. Curry, 28, can be seen in a video obtained by police bagging what appears to be a white, powdery substance inside an apartment, Lake Criminal Court records state.

Curry, who was extradited to Lake County after an arrest in Chicago, has pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of battery. His bail was set at $100,000 surety or $10,000 cash.

The inside of the apartment in the video appears to match an apartment seen in photos taken by East Chicago crime scene investigators after a shooting April 4 in the 3500 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, records state.

The man told police he and Curry got into a heated argument and Curry grabbed a handgun and cocked it, according to court documents.

The man asked Curry what he planned to do with the gun, and Curry allegedly said he was leaving. As he walked around a table past the man, Curry took the gun out and began shooting, records allege.

The man told police every time he tried to grab Curry's gun, Curry fired another shot. The man suffered four gunshot wounds, records state.
A parking garage being incorporated into the new train station will serve as a jump-start to see more investment in that area, consultant Aaron Kowalski of MKSK said.

The new transit development district being created is nearly the same as a tax increment financing district, but with one notable exception. Not only does it capture an increased amount in property tax revenue resulting from development inside the district, but it also collects any increase in income tax. That money is used for capital expenditures inside the district, including adding sidewalks and utilities.

The proposed boundaries  which will need to be shaved to get from 346 acres to the desired 320 acres  shoot north along Franklin Street from the train station and go east and west in irregular branches from there. The map and other information are at nwitdd.com.

Some of the notable areas currently being included are the former St. Francis hospital, Lighthouse Place Outlet and a stretch along Trail Creek that includes the Blocksom & Co. factory.

We want to ensure that the boundaries of the transit development district encompass the areas of the city you want to promote, Lucas said.
And if it does, its a good thing, Cramer said. Anyone thats been in this game long enough knows that it comes down to hiring practices and training, but at the end of the day its a certain officer in a certain situation. And I dont see these situations ending anytime soon.

Knowing that their encounters could be captured on cellphone video also could give officers pause, experts said. Minneapolis police originally said Floyd died in a medical incident. But video shot by 17-year-old Darnella Frazier showed Chauvin ignoring Floyd's pleas that he couldn't breathe and continuing to press his knee into Floyd's neck even after the Black man was dead.

But Kirk Burkhalter, a criminal law professor at New York Law School and a former 20-year New York Police Department detective, said police are being asked to do too much, especially in situations involving people with mental health issues or minor crimes. Floyd was suspected of trying to pass a counterfeit $20 bill at a corner store.
Multiple videos emerged on social media recently of another confrontation between Black Americans and police officers. Just exactly what was the ruckus about? Several teenagers  all 18 or older  were vaping on the Ocean City, Maryland, boardwalk.

Whats the issue? For one, smoking and vaping are prohibited on the boardwalk. The Ocean City Councils top priority in 2014 was banning smoking and use of e-cigarettes there, except in designated smoking areas. The policy went into effect May 1, 2015.

When the ban began, former City Manager David Recor said the city would not haul people off to jail for smoking on the boardwalk, and that the city didnt expect to take a heavy hand, but expect visitors to self-police themselves.

The opposite happened on June 12 when four teens from Pennsylvania were arrested after vaping on the boardwalk. Initially, police confronted the teens and informed them of the smoking and vaping ban. But the teens continued to vape. What began as a small public nuisance matter became a violent altercation, with police eventually arresting the offenders for disorderly conduct, assault, and resisting arrest. Videos of the incident have gone viral and the Ocean City Police Department is reviewing its policy.
As Alito pointed out, the city could remove the latitude for exceptions in its law, and suddenly Catholic Social Services' First Amendment protection is gone.

It is a tragedy that something so fundamental as religious freedom is now buried in the weeds of legal hair-splitting.

Plaintiff: Not personal

There could be no better example of what this is all about than Sharonell Fulton, who was the lead plaintiff in this case against Philadelphia.

Fulton is a Black foster mother, who has fostered over 40 children in her home over the last 30 years.

LGBTQ activists like to portray Christians as hateful and discriminatory. But listen to Fulton:

"Children need to be accepted and loved. They have to feel that somebody cares ... I've had gay couples stop me in the supermarket ... And I told them, 'Listen, this is not personal. I'm standing with the church because this is what I believe.'"

The Catholic Church has been reaching out to orphans in Philadelphia for over 200 years. This is motivated by one thing: love.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 62.4% of Americans ages 12 and up have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine. About 53% of Americans ages 12 and up are now fully vaccinated. Thats about 45% of the total U.S. population, which is good, but not nearly good enough.

In Illinois, the numbers are comparable to the national averages: 67.8% of the 12-and-up population has at least one shot and 51.6% are fully vaccinated.

Again, good. But not good enough.

Mutations inevitable

Like all nasty viruses, this one mutates and forms variants that can be more contagious, more deadly and, in a worst-case scenario, more capable of evading vaccines.

The more the virus lingers, spreading among those who refuse the vaccine, the higher the chance of a vaccine-resistant variant developing and moving us back to restrictions and higher risk.
Lets quit using the term gun violence. Theres no such thing. But violent people do exist. The Constitution gives citizens the right to use guns as a tool to guarantee their freedom and security. What should be done when people misuse this tool? Put the guilty before a firing squad so families victimized by gun crimes can witness the administration of justice.
The thing is everything should be on the table. There is not one answer to solve this problem. It takes a holistic approach devoid of partisanship.

We need to start having some uncomfortable but much needed conversations about violence, its origins and solutions.

Prince said an executive order from Biden could make more funding available for mental health services in communities affected by violence, such as Gary.

Those sort of services are sorely lacking in places like Gary.

Bottom line it takes money to help get kids into programs that offer a chance to heal and an alternative to the streets.

Gary is suffering.

As reported last week in The Times by Sarah Reese, as of Wednesday, the city had recorded 20 homicides in 2021.

While that's a slight decrease from 23 at the same time in 2020, more work needs to be done.

There are plenty of people like Joy Holliday, director of the Gary for Life initiative and Thrive youth program, who was at Thursday's event and are devoting their lives to improve the lives of others.
Name: Akeem Smith

Age: 29

Hometown: the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn

Now Lives: In the same, four-bedroom Crown Heights apartment that he grew up in and which he now shares with his grandmother.

Claim to Fame: Mr. Smith is a multimedia artist, dance-hall archivist, fashion stylist for Helmut Lang and other labels, and a creative conspirator for Hood by Air, the influential street wear label. Being so multidisciplinary, it turns out, requires discipline. I have always been drawn to this idea of self-presentation, but it took years for me to reprogram myself away from this idea that you can only work on one thing, Mr. Smith said.

Big Break: Growing up, Mr. Smith shuttled between New York City and Kingston, Jamaica, his parents hometown, where he whiled away hours at Ouch, a colorful atelier operated by his aunt, Paula Ouch, and a second cousin, Debbie Ouch.
Giulia Heyward , Christina Morales and

Search and rescue workers at the site of the deadly collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium building in Surfside, Fla., found one body and other human remains on Saturday evening, bringing the confirmed death toll to five, with 156 people still unaccounted for, according to Mayor Daniella Levine Cava of Miami-Dade County.

Late Saturday night, the Miami-Dade Police Department identified three of the victims as Antonio Lozano, 83, and Gladys Lozano, 79, of Apartment 903; and Manuel LaFont of Apartment 801.

Mr. LaFont was 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 him as a loving and devoted father who had a passion for baseball  one he had inherited from his Cuban parents. Mr. LaFont had played the sport when he was young and coached his sons team, never missing a practice or a game.
WELLINGTON, Ohio  Former President Donald J. Trump returned to the rally stage on Saturday evening after a nearly six-month absence, his first large public gathering since his Save America event on Jan. 6 that resulted in a deadly riot at the Capitol.

On Saturday, the same words  Save America  appeared behind Mr. Trump as he addressed a crowd of several thousand at a county fairgrounds in Wellington, Ohio, about 35 miles southwest of Cleveland.

He repeated familiar falsehoods about fraudulent 2020 votes. He attacked Republican officials for refusing to back his effort to overturn the election results  including Representative Anthony E. Gonzalez of Ohio, who voted to impeach Mr. Trump, and whose primary challenger, Max Miller, was the reason for Mr. Trumps visit. The former president praised Mr. Miller as they appeared onstage together.

Mr. Trump remains the most powerful figure in the Republican Party, with large numbers of G.O.P. lawmakers parroting his lies about a stolen 2020 election and fearful of crossing him, and many in the party waiting to see whether he will run again for the White House in 2024.
When the pandemic hit, forcing Dance Theater of Harlem to cancel performances and suspend classes, the company, like many arts organizations, was devastated. It had no safety net: with only very modest financial reserves, it was able to make it through with help from the federal Paycheck Protection Program and the Ford Foundation.

Then, this month, the company unexpectedly got the biggest gift in its 52-year history: a $10 million donation from the philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.

The gift, coming at a moment of such institutional peril, was nothing short of transformative, said Anna Glass, Dance Theaters executive director. It will allow the company to say We have a future, Glass said. We know we can exist 50 years from now.

Dance Theater of Harlem was one of 286 historically underfunded and overlooked organizations around the country that were included in the latest $2.74 billion in donations from Scott, a novelist and the former wife of Jeff Bezos, and her husband, Dan Jewett. This round included arts organizations, and in New York City that meant aid for groups including El Museo del Barrio, the Studio Museum in Harlem and Jazz at Lincoln Center.
When you read these worlds in books, its normally by a middle-class writer who creates a one-dimensional villain, Douglas Stuart, who won last years Booker for Shuggie Bain, his debut novel about working-class life, said in a phone interview, but Gabriels created a world so rich in detail, and motivation and consequence.

Image Who They Was, published last year in Britain, is coming out in the United States this week.

Krauze insisted the book is far more than a lurid tale. Its a moral confrontation with the reader, he said, claiming it forces readers to realize some people commit crime because of their psychology, as well as poverty or a lack of opportunity.

The authors note in some editions of the book is clearer still. This is the life I chose, he writes. Maybe I was looking for a sense of family and identity that I couldnt find at home. Maybe its the way I found my people and they found me.

Krauze was born in northwest London to a newspaper cartoonist and a painter who had both immigrated from Poland. He grew up around the corner from the South Kilburn estate, in an apartment where his twin brother practiced violin for hours a day. He became obsessed with books as a child, devouring everything from Tolkien to nonfiction about World War I, and realized he wanted to become a writer by the time he was 13.

That same year, he also threatened someone with a knife for the first time, and saw his first stabbing. I was in a youth club, and someone right next to me just got poked up, blood all over the floor, boom, boom, boom, he said.

At 14, Krauze was arrested for the first time after he was caught stealing video cassettes. He began spending more time on the South Kilburn estate with his friends, partly to escape his mothers glare. By age 17, he was involved in so many brushes with violence and the law that he started writing it down  on scraps of paper, in cellphones  insisting he would one day turn it into a book. At one court hearing, he joked with his lawyer about the books he should read in prison.
Though Congress approved billions in aid for small companies to help them keep paying their employees during the pandemic, there was a big problem: It wasnt reaching the tiniest and neediest businesses.

Then two small companies came out of nowhere and, through an astute mix of technology and advertising  and the dogged pursuit of an opportunity that big banks missed  found a way to help those businesses. They also helped themselves. For their work, the companies stand to collect more than $3 billion in fees, according to a New York Times analysis  far more than any of the 5,200 participating lenders.

One of the companies, Blueacorn, didnt exist before the pandemic. The other, Womply, founded a decade ago, sold marketing software. But this year, they became the breakout stars of the Paycheck Protection Program, the governments $800 billion relief effort for small businesses. Between them, the two companies processed a third of all P.P.P. loans made this year, the Times analysis found.

Blueacorn and Womply arent banks, so they couldnt actually lend any money. Rather, they acted as middlemen, charging into a gap between what big banks wouldnt do and what small banks couldnt do. First, they unleashed marketing blitzes encouraging freelancers, gig workers, sole proprietors and other small merchants to apply for loans through their websites. Next, they directed those applications to lenders. In return, they took a hefty cut of the fees that lenders made on each loan.
GREENSBORO, N.C.  The thin young man quietly took in the room as he waited for the free supplies meant to help him avoid dying: sterile water and cookers to dissolve illicit drugs; clean syringes; alcohol wipes to prevent infection; and naloxone, a medicine that can reverse overdoses. A sign on the wall  We stand for loving drug users just the way they are  felt like an embrace.

It was the first day the drop-in center in a residential neighborhood here had opened its doors since the coronavirus forced them shut in the spring of 2020. Im so glad you all are open again, the man, whose first name is Jordan, told a volunteer who handed him a full paper bag while heavy metal music riffed over a speaker in the background. He asked for extra naloxone for friends in his rural county, an hour away, where he said it had been scarce throughout the pandemic.

Overdose deaths rose by nearly 30 percent over the 12-month period that ended in November, to more than 90,000, according to preliminary federal data released this month  suggesting 2020 blew past recent records for such deaths. The staggering increase during the pandemic has many contributing factors, including widespread job loss and eviction; diminished access to addiction treatment and medical care; and an illegal drug supply that became even more dangerous after the country essentially shut down.

But the forced isolation for people struggling with addiction and other mental health issues may be one of the biggest. Now, with the nation reopening, the Biden administration is throwing support behind the contentious approach that the center here takes, known as harm reduction. Instead of helping drug users achieve abstinence, the chief goal is to reduce their risk of dying or acquiring infectious diseases like H.I.V. by giving them sterile equipment, tools to check their drugs for fentanyl and other lethal substances, or even just a safe space to nap.
Times Insider explains who we are and what we do, and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together.

Its very hard to photograph buildings, says Jonno Rattman.

It is even harder to capture every building on a city block in a similar frame from across the street. The light changes, the buildings are different sizes and cars get in the way. But thats what Mr. Rattman, a photographer and printer, spent a lot of time doing earlier this year in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

An article published this month details how downtown Wilkes-Barre held on during the coronavirus pandemic without the economic lifeblood of foot traffic. Mr. Rattmans pictures of a two-block stretch of South Main Street are stitched together into panoramas that readers can scroll through. A special print section in Sundays paper makes use of a horizontal print format Times designers call a pano-8.
The British novelist Jackie Collins wrote thick, steamy, devourable books that, in the 1970s and 80s, enthralled millions while threatening to topple their bedside tables. In these fantasies, sexually voracious glamazons with names like Lucky and Fontaine called the shots and drank them, too.

Lady Boss: The Jackie Collins Story, Laura Fairries fond and frisky documentary, sifts a vast trove of archive material to pin down this gifted storyteller. Diaries reveal a shy and insecure teenager whose life was changed after joining her older sister, the actress Joan Collins, in 1960s Hollywood. Hobnobbing at parties with Garland and Brando was heady stuff for a 16-year-old; but Jackie, a keen observer and a wily eavesdropper, drank in the gossip that would fuel the most successful of her 32 books, Hollywood Wives.
Beginning September of senior year, I spent six months in treatment for anorexia, he said in the speech. For so long, I tried to bend and break and shrink to societys expectations.

Mr. Dershem wanted to emphasize to students that their identities are valid, he said.

From a formerly suicidal, formerly anorexic queer, he said, he wanted the students to know that one person could save another persons life.

When he arrived at the ceremony, Mr. Dershem wore a pride flag over his robe. A school administrator wanted him to take it off, but he refused. During the speech, Mr. Dershem suspected the principal was trying to pretend that there were technical difficulties.

Mr. Tull had read Mr. Dershems speech before the ceremony and wanted Mr. Dershem to deliver the version that the school administration had approved.

The principal and Mr. Dershem had been debating the contents of the speech for weeks, Mr. Dershem said. The student sent the principal three drafts, he said, because Mr. Tull said his speech was not broad enough for his 500 fellow seniors.

Mr. Tull did not respond to a request for comment on Saturday. The high school is in Voorhees, a township of about 30,000 people, about 20 miles from Philadelphia.

Robert Cloutier, the superintendent of the Eastern Camden County Regional School District, said in a statement that the district had not asked any students to remove mentions of their personal identity from their speeches.
Even major figures of religious history do not tell us that the fetus is a person. St. Augustine says he searched Scripture trying but failing to find out when in the procreative process personal life begins. But St. Thomas Aquinas knew. Aristotle told him  that it came at or near childbirth, after an earlier stage of having a nutritive soul (like plant life), which developed into an animal soul, at last receiving a rational soul. Thomas kept Aristotles biology, just adding that God himself infuses the soul into the body at some unspecified time during the last stage of this process. In other words, the fetus in its long pre-rational life is not a human being.

In 1930, Pope Pius XI, in his encyclical Casti Connubii, forbade all ways to prevent procreation, lumping them together with the condemnation of Onan, who prevents his widowed sister-in-law from childbirth by coitus interruptus. But the Vatican was embarrassed by scholars who noted that what was attacked there was a violation of the duty of Levirate marriage, to continue his brothers line. The Vatican has never again tried to connect abortion with Scripture. The best comment on the popes disastrous church teaching came via Alexander Woollcott, who said of Dorothy Parker: Of her birds, I remember only an untidy canary whom she named Onan for reasons which will not escape those who know their Scriptures.

The religious opponents of abortion think that the human person actually antedates the Aristotelian scheme, dating it from conception (when the semen fertilizes the ovum). But the Catholic theologian Bernard Haring points out that at least half of the fertilized eggs fail to achieve nidation  adherence to the uterus  making nature and natures God guilty of a greater holocaust of unborn babies than abortion accounts for, if the fertilized ovum is a baby.

The opponents of abortion who call themselves pro-life make any form of human life, even pre-nidation ova, sacred. But my clipped fingernails or trimmed hairs are human life. They are not canine hair. The cult of the fetus goes even farther down the path of nonsense. This cult, which began as far back as the 1950s, led to debate over whether, in a pregnancy crisis, the life of the fetus should be preferred to that of the mother.

In her brilliant book Policing the Womb, Michele Goodwin records how state legislatures are now inventing a new crime, feticide. Does a pregnant womans smoking or drinking endanger the fetus in her? Haul her into court and convict her of attempted feticide. Bring doctors in to testify against her.
To the Editor:

Re Support for Teachings on Race (Arts pages, June 17):

The debate surrounding critical race theory for young students has left me asking, Too much or not enough?

Reading the childrens book Empathy Is Your Super Power with my 6-year-old granddaughters, I wondered how they would integrate its message to think about how the other person feels, when within a few short years they will encounter a history curriculum sufficiently explicit regarding the evils their nation committed against Native American and Black people. Of course they should learn what happened, without sugar coating. But what do they do with that information after an early childhood of exhortations to be nice, to care about and be kind to others?

Helping them to see that they themselves have developed biases against differently colored or categorized people may be a worthy objective. But the problem is when it ends there. They need to ask, what went wrong and why? Could it happen again?

Some teachers find time to engage students in such discussions, but most are fearful of getting into politics, as off-limits as religion. In their absence, the history lessons can leave children with unanswered questions: Is there something bad about me? How did I get my biases? And how can we do better?
In 1885, a 22-year-old Dutch woman named Johanna Bonger met Theo van Gogh, the younger brother of the artist. He asked her to marry him after only two meetings. In 1888, a year and a half after his proposal, she agreed. It was Paris in the belle epoque: art, theater, intellectuals, the streets of their Pigalle neighborhood raucous with cafes and brothels.

Theo talked incessantly  of their future, and also of things like pigment and color and light, encouraging her to develop a new way of seeing. But one subject dominated. From their first meeting, he regaled Jo with accounts of his brother Vincents tortured genius.

Twenty-one months after her marriage, Jo would be left alone. During a stay in the village of Auvers-sur-Oise to the north of Paris, Vincent shot himself. Less than three months later Theo suffered a complete physical collapse during the latter stages of syphilis. He died in January 1891.
Mike Gravel, a two-term Democratic senator from Alaska who played a central role in 1970s legislation to build the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline but who was perhaps better known as an unabashed attention-getter, in one case reading the Pentagon Papers aloud at a hearing at a time when newspapers were barred from publishing them and later mounting long-shot presidential runs, died on Saturday at his home in Seaside, Calif. He was 91.

The cause was myeloma, his daughter, Lynne Mosier, said.

Defeated in his bid for a third Senate term in 1980, Mr. Gravel remained out of the national spotlight for 25 years before returning to politics to seek the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination. He was a quirky fixture in several early debates in 2007, calling for a constitutional amendment to allow citizens to enact laws by referendums. But when the voting began in 2008, he never got 1 percent of the total in any primary.

He nonetheless persisted, showing the same commitment to going it alone that he had displayed by nominating himself for vice president in 1972, staging one-man filibusters and reading the Pentagon Papers aloud  efforts that even senators who agreed with him regarded as grandstanding.

But the pipeline was a lasting achievement, and one that forced him to develop allies. Senator Gravel (pronounced gruh-VELL), like most of his states leaders, favored construction of a pipeline to bring crude oil 800 miles from Alaskas North Slope to the ice-free port of Valdez.
Then in February, the Russians led government troops in an attack on the Takwa mosque in Bambari, where rebels had taken shelter among worshipers. At least six civilians were killed as Russians stormed the mosque, firing their weapons, the report said.

The report also documents the killing of five other civilians by Russian forces, including two disabled men, and accuses them of looting money, motorbikes and other valuables during house searches.

Russian officials deny that their forces fired on civilians or committed abuses. The coordinator of the Russian military mission in Bangui told investigators that the rebels had used the Takwa mosque as a firing position. But he denied that Russians had entered the building or fired on civilians.

In recent years Russian security contractors have appeared in other conflict-hit African countries, including Libya, Mozambique and South Sudan. Three Russians were killed in a military clash on the border between Chad and the Central African Republic in May.

This month 10 Russians were detained in northern Chad in an area where the government was battling rebels. One of the Russians told the Reuters news agency they were visiting the area, in the Sahara, to go sightseeing.

Mr. Prigozhin has previously been linked to mercenary operations in Africa through his ties with the Wagner Group, a private military company that has played a role in the war in Libya and Syria. The word Wagner has also become shorthand for Russian involvement in the Central African Republic, where companies with links to Mr. Prigozhin have deployed mercenaries and scored lucrative mining and logistics contracts.

In 2019, three Russian journalists were killed in the country while investigating Mr. Prigozhins links to the gold and diamond trade. The local authorities promised an investigation, but nobody has been arrested or prosecuted.
VATICAN CITY  A leader in the Roman Catholic Churchs effort to reach out to L.G.B.T.Q. Catholics revealed on Sunday that Pope Francis had sent him a deeply encouraging note, capping an especially disorienting week on the Vaticans attitude toward gay rights.

On Tuesday, the Vatican confirmed that it had tried to influence the affairs of the Italian state by expressing grave concerns about legislation currently in Parliament that increases protections for L.G.B.T.Q. people. And days later, the Vaticans second in command insisted the church had nothing against gay rights, but was protecting itself from leaving the churchs core beliefs open to criminal charges of discrimination.

Nearly eight years after Pope Francis famously responded, Who am I to judge? on the issue of gay Catholics, it has become increasingly difficult to discern where he stands on the issue. A growing dissonance has developed between his inclusive language and the churchs actions.

The result is confusion and frustration among some of the popes liberal supporters who wonder whether the 84-year-old Argentine remains committed to a more tolerant church and is simply struggling to grasp the rapidly shifting contours of a difficult issue, or is really a social conservative trying to please everyone.
Airstrikes and explosives flattened large parts of the old section of Mosul and killed thousands of civilians as well as hundreds of Iraqi security forces. Rebuilding the mosque complex is seen as essential to the idea that despite its losses, the battered city has moved beyond ISIS.

Al-Nouri mosque, named after Nur al-Din Mahmoud Zangi, the ruler of Mosul and Aleppo, dates back to the 12th century but was completely rebuilt in the 1940s.

The $50 million project will also restore two heavily damaged churches nearby and repair a 12th-century brick minaret near the mosque  a symbol of Mosul so iconic that the tilted minaret is on Iraqs 10,000 dinar note.

In announcing the architectural competition, the U.N. cultural agency said the new design was intended to advance the citys reconciliation and cohesion.

But in many circles, it has done anything but, prompting an uproar among architects, urban planners and some Mosul residents who say it ignores Iraqi heritage. Perhaps in a nod to the United Arab Emirates, which is footing the bill, the winning design features cream-colored brick and straight angles of the kind found in the Gulf  a contrast to the arches, blue-veined local alabaster and limestone of traditional Mosul buildings.
Stillwater, OK (74078)

Today

Clear skies. Low near 65F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low near 65F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
Money was tight in the 1950s. When a business wanted to expand it would first try to do so on its own premises.

If it was on a main street and there was space at the front, then the simplest answer was to build out to the back of the path without breaking the building line. In Tullamore at that time, there was no adopted town plan or preservation legislation, so you could effectively do what you liked, as long as you didnt create a fire hazard.

That is what Dermot Kilroy did when he built a new shop front across what had been the Charleville Estate Office on High Street and what Dick Conroy did when he converted his house on Colmcille Street to a garage and extended it out to the road. In the straitened circumstances of the time, both structures were utilitarian and unsophisticated and added little to the architectural quality of the town.

As a young and enthusiastic architectural student, I protested fruitlessly against the building of the Kilroy shop front which I felt would compromise the facade of a fine building which today is attributed to the great architect Richard Castle, the designer of Leinster House. But the Tribune wouldnt print my anguished and probably intemperate letters and the Council didnt want to know.

Almost sixty five years later, I am gobsmacked to discover that the compilers of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage now rate these two mundane extensions as part of the glories of the architectural heritage of Tullamore and deserving of the same level of statutory protection as the Market House in OConnor Square.

Dick Conroys Garage, they believe, provides a view that is fast disappearing throughout Ireland. Small scale urban garages and mechanics are now under threat from generic multi-national forecourts, while the Mr Price shop front is appealing with its arcaded timber pilasters and recessed round-headed doorway with double wrought iron security gates.

These NIAH recommendations owe more to a misplaced nostalgia for times past than an objective architectural critique. Just like myself, something isnt necessarily any good simply because it is old.

The planners in Offaly County Council accepted and promoted the NIAH evaluations, but following objections, they have now decided to review the Mr Price designation, while the Councillors forcefully and correctly rejected the listing of Dick Conroys garage, describing it as a derelict eyesore.

The planners were sensible enough not to go along with the NIAHs other surprising recommendation that the very derelict building in Church Street whose removal is essential to provide the long promised link between the Square and Church Street, be preserved as a Structure of Regional Importance also.

Placing an individual building on the list of Protected Structures creates a stringent obligation to conserve every single element, internal as well as external. No changes whatsoever can be made without obtaining consent and the burden of maintenance falls on the unfortunate owner. Grants are meagre and access to them costly and frustrating. Those with an interest in historic or beautiful buildings will willingly take on the work and costs of restoration, but for many it may be beyond their means or abilities. The preservation of a building should only be proposed therefore as an integral element of an overall plan.

Under its Town Centres First programme, the Government will provide significant funds for urban regeneration. While the 1979 Tullamore Town Plan listed only five buildings for preservation there are today two hundred and six Protected Structures, of which three quarters are located in the historic centre of the town. Some are sadly semi-derelict, and many might provide new uses, particularly as dwellings, but their listed status along with other bye- law restrictions does not encourage flexibility. This dilemma requires resolution.

We now need an integrated plan for the town centre of Tullamore which embraces its real and valuable architectural heritage and identifies the role it can play in its future

Fergal MacCabe is an architect and town planner
Oskaloosa, IA (52577)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low around 70F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low around 70F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
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
FILE - In this Jan. 27, 2020, file photo, Iowa attorney general Tom Miller speaks in Iowa City, Iowa. A three-year review by Iowa's attorney general has found that Roman Catholic priests sexually abused minors across the state for decades while church leaders covered it up, but reforms implemented since 2002 have ended the crisis. A report issued Wednesday, June 23, 2021 by Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller said the number of complaints, victims and the duration of the abuse was overwhelming and the cover-up was extensive."
PARIS (AP)  Mainstream candidates delivered a stinging setback to Frances far right in regional elections Sunday, thwarting its hopes of winning control of a region for the first time and slowing its momentum ahead of the presidential contest next year.

National Rally leader Marine Le Pen quickly conceded that the far-right, anti-immigration party failed to win any of mainland Frances 12 regions. She immediately looked forward to next year's presidential vote, saying it appears more than ever to be the election that allows for changes of politics and politicians.

Le Pen complained that the organization of the two rounds of voting over successive weekends had been disastrous and erratic. Still, the National Rally's showing in Sunday's decisive runoffs suggested that the party remains anathema to many voters. It accrued no more than 20% of votes nationally, the Ifop polling agency calculated, trailing both the mainstream right and the combined showing of green and leftist candidates.

Most notably, the National Rally was roundly beaten in the southeast, the region that had been seen as its best chance of securing a breakthrough victory in the balloting for regional councils.

As in previous national and local elections, voters put political differences aside in coming together to prevent a National Rally breakthrough.

Mainstream candidates crowed that they had delivered painful blows to the far-right party previously named the National Front. No region changed camps, with the right keeping the seven it had previously and the left still in control of the other five, according to official results and polling agencies' projections.

On the right, winning incumbent Xavier Bertrand crowed that the National Rally wasn't only stopped in his region, the Hauts-de-France in the north, but we made it retreat greatly.

Another winner on the right, Laurent Wauquiez, said the far right had been left no room to prosper in his region, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes.

Although focused on local issues, and marked by record-low turnout, the regional voting was scrutinized as a test of whether the National Rally is gaining in acceptability. Le Pen has spent a decade trying to cast off the extremist reputation that repelled many French voters in the party's previous guise as the National Front. The party's renewed failure to win a region suggested that Le Pen and her party remain unpalatable to many before the 2022 presidential vote.

But voter interest was also tepid, at best, with only one-third turning out. Among the few who cast ballots, some lamented that young voters, in particular, appeared to be squandering the last voting opportunity before the 2022 presidential poll.

Its shameful, said Suzette Lefevre, a retiree who voted in Saint-Quentin in northern France. "Our parents fought for us for this and people arent following suit.

Philippe Corbonnois, another retiree who turned out in Saint-Quentin, opined that young people "maybe dont believe in politics.

A record-low turnout of 33% in the first round of voting June 20 proved particularly damaging for the National Rally and Le Pen's hopes of securing a regional breakthrough.

Polls had suggested Le Pen's party had some momentum. But that wasn't borne out at the ballot box. A major question in the runoff had been whether voters would band together to keep Le Pen's party out of power as they did in the past, repulsed by her anti-immigration and anti-European Union populism and the racist, anti-Semitic image that clung to the National Front, which was founded by her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen.

The party dominated the first round of the last regional elections in 2015, but also collapsed in the runoff as parties and voters joined together against it.
New York, US (PANA) - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and heads of several UN agencies have condemned the killing of three employees of medical charity, the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), in Ethiopia's restive Tigray region
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Members of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF), a body for intra-Libyan consensus talks under the auspices of the United Nations, will meet in Switzerland on Monday to finalise the draft proposal for a constitutional basis for the upcoming December elections
Back when Travis M. Spencer's daughter was in fourth grade, there were times when she struggled to fall asleep. On those nights, Spencer used to take a few minutes for mindfulness.

First, Spencer invited her to list a few things she was grateful for. That usually included friends or a favorite video game.

"I'm like: 'I'm glad that you're noticing those things,'" said Spencer, a mindfulness educator and the executive director of the Institute of African American Mindfulness in Washington, D.C. "Let's hold onto that feeling and that goodness you're feeling right now. And maybe just take a breath or two as we're falling asleep."

Spencer's work in mindfulness goes beyond the home. He trains teachers and students in practices designed to increase awareness of the present moment. It's an approach that's grown in recent years, with mindfulness programs appearing in classrooms and other education settings.

It helps develop their attention and focus, Spencer said, but also helps kids notice their feelings, physical sensations and the world around them. Such practices could help kids with anxiety, stress and other mental health issues, research shows.

"Mindfulness to me is like a superpower for children," he said. "The more they can feel connected to themselves, to others and to their environment, the more they can thrive and feel supported, and feel like they can do whatever they want to do."

You don't need to be an expert to try mindfulness with kids. Trying mindfulness together can be powerful, said Susan Kaiser Greenland, a mindfulness expert and the author of "Mindful Parent, Mindful Child: Simple Mindfulness Practices for Busy Parents."

"Modeling is key," Kaiser Greenland said. "The true benefit of it is not just bringing in an outside mindfulness teacher like you bring in a piano teacher. Where it really starts is with the parent themselves."

In fact, it can sometimes help for parents to experiment on their own first, Kaiser Greenland said. (You can begin right now with one of these five 1-minute mindfulness techniques.)

Or you can make it a shared endeavor. We've got five great ways to practice mindfulness with your children  and Kaiser Greenland said it's never too early (or too late) to start.

1. Try mindful breathing

Breathing is among the most common mindfulness practices. Often, mindful breathing means choosing one sensation  such as the breath in your nostrils or the rise and fall of your chest  and bringing your attention there.

You can try it for 30 seconds or five minutes. When you get distracted, simply redirect your attention back to the sensation of breath.

With children young enough to have stuffed animals and dolls, Kaiser Greenland recommends a simple breathing practice using a favorite toy.

"They have the stuffed animal on their tummy or on their chest, or someplace where they can really feel the movement of breathing," she said. "Focus in on that sensation of moving the animal up and down with their breathing. That's a wonderful bedtime ritual."

2. Take a gratitude walk

You don't have to sit still to practice mindfulness, said Kaiser Greenland, who recommends inviting kids to join you for a "gratitude walk."

It's something you can try inside or in a peaceful place outside. With your gaze on the ground, simply take slow steps. With every footfall, think of something that you're grateful for.

"It could just be a walk from the kitchen sink to the dining room table and back," she said. If you're doing a mindfulness walk with a younger child, ask them to share their gratitude out loud.

"With every step we say something we're grateful for. I'm grateful for macaroni and cheese, I'm grateful for my puppy, I'm grateful for you, that sort of thing," Kaiser Greenland said. For older kids and adults, the gratitude can be spoken silently if they choose.

3. Shake it off

If your kid is feeling restless, Kaiser Greenland said, it can help to try something even more active.

"First thing you need to do is release some nervous energy," she said. "If you toggle between movement and stillness, that has a more grounding effect."

Kaiser Greenland recommends alternating a minute of movement with a few minutes of stillness. "You just shake to the sound of a beat of a drum, or you shake your arm then shake your leg," she said.

After that, it's time to bring your child's attention to the sensations in their body or things in the immediate environment. "Feel your breathing. Listen to a sound. You feel your feet against the floor," she said. "Then you shake again."

4. Practice noticing

While many mindfulness practices involve looking inward, it's a perspective you can bring to observing the world around you, too.

"If a child is having a hard time, I might ask them to find three blue objects in the room they're sitting in," said Spencer, the mindfulness educator. "Just to give them something external to focus on. That way, they can downshift their nervous system a little bit."

Noticing is a mindfulness practice adults and children can try together, wherever they are. It doesn't have to be visual.

Sometimes, Spencer will invite children to listen to the most distant sound they can identify. Then, he'll shift the focus to sounds in the middle distance. Finally, kids tune into sound in their immediate surroundings.

"Connecting to their senses in that way, I think, is really supportive," he said. "It's really focused on that self-awareness, and building the capacity to pay attention."

5. Stream a guided meditation

Trying out mindfulness doesn't have to be complicated, but it's nice to have help as you start to explore. That's where guided meditations come in, a wide range of mostly free recordings that walk you through mindfulness step by step.

Kaiser Greenland narrates a series of guided audio meditations and exercises for children, designed for specific purposes including quieting, focusing and caring. Children's mindfulness expert and author Annaka Harris also has a free series of mindfulness meditations to try with kids.

"If you're a beginner, it's great to be guided," said Diana Winston, director of mindfulness education at UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center. "You have some support and learn how to do it correctly."(The free UCLA Mindful App has guided meditations that Winston helped develop.)

Winston, who has practiced meditation for decades, believes mindfulness practices can be enormously helpful to children. She cites stress reduction, attention building, improved test scores and social-emotional learning as key benefits.

But research into mindfulness for children, she said, has a long way to go.

"If the research is young with adults, it's significantly younger with children," said Winston, who is the author of books including "The Little Book of Being: Practices and Guidance for Uncovering Your Natural Awareness."

"It seems to be very positive, but it's not like we should immediately say mindfulness is going to solve all the problems of our failing school systems. It's not like that." Not only that, Winston said that mindfulness practices aren't for every family.

"It's a wonderful tool that can be useful and helpful," she said. "Just like there's no medication that works for everybody. It's the same for meditation. Some people really respond to it and love it, and others don't find it helpful. And that's absolutely fine."

___

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BLOOMINGTON  Sex education legislation passed through the Illinois General Assembly this session, but lawmakers havent brought critical race theory to the floor  and Bloomington-Normal educators say it wouldnt be part of their curriculum, anyway.

First of all, its not part of any K-12 teaching and learning standards, so thats one big reason for why its not taught in McLean County schools, Superintendent Kristen Weikle said.

A full school board meeting heard the same message last week, and Bloomington District 87 administrators agreed.

It is not in the Illinois State Learning Standards, which govern what is taught in Illinois schools, said Superintendent Barry Reilly.

Nor has it ever been discussed to be part of our curriculum, added Diane Wolf, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction for District 87.

Protesters at recent school board meetings equated critical race theory with efforts to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion in schools, but Wolf said the two things are not related.

Megan Zimmer, a parent of a District 87 student and two graduates, told the Unit 5 school board she believes critical race theory and diversity, equity and inclusion are the same thing.

Being opposed to this stuff doesnt mean were racist, she said, though she did not speak specifically about her concerns regarding critical race theory.

In speaking against the theory at the same meeting, Kelly Andres, a Unit 5 parent, said: I am a white lady, everybody can see that, but nobody that I am related to ever once owned anybody else.  I am not an oppressor. I never have been an oppressor. I always have been inclusive of all of my friends no matter their race or genre.

Joe Walden, another community member who spoke to the Unit 5 board, said growing up the poor white kid, he learned his success depended on himself, and he viewed equity as bringing some people up and bringing some people down.

We were given equality of education, not equity of education. Our success was dependent upon ourselves, not social justice warriors, Walden said. The world has never been one of social justice.

'A crusade against American history'

The concept of critical race theory has sparked conversations across the country, especially among conservatives. Many local residents have expressed opposition to the theory, saying it is an effort to rewrite American history and persuade white people they are inherently racist.

In September, then-President Donald Trump took aim at critical race theory and the 1619 Project, a New York Times project that aims to reframe the countrys history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the very center of our national narrative.

Trump called both a crusade against American history and ideological poison that ... will destroy our country.

According to the American Bar Association's "Human Rights" magazine, CRT is not a diversity and inclusion training but a practice of interrogating the role of race and racism in society that emerged in the legal academy and spread to other fields of scholarship.

Bloomington-Normal educators said its unclear why members of the community believe critical race theory is part of K-12 curricula. However, it may stem from a comprehensive education bill signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker in March. The Education and Workforce Equity Act, which was House Bill 2170, requires the creation of a 22-member Inclusive American History Commission to review education resources to reflect racial and ethnic diversity and include information on non-dominant cultures.

Educators across the region have expressed support for the expansion of social studies to be more inclusive of all Americans since this bill was passed.

Nathan Carpenter, a parent of children who will attend Unit 5, spoke in support of the district's efforts to include issues of racism, diversity and inclusion in the curriculum, saying, if anything, we would like to see that work expanded.

"The only danger I hear regarding this topic are the calls to ban, censor and otherwise criminalize critical examinations of racism," he said at the Unit 5 meeting. "These are the types of calls we expect from authoritarian regimes, not from our friends and neighbors."

'We're proud of that diversity'

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Both District 87 and Unit 5 have taken measures this year to advance their diversity, equity and equity practices, with teams dedicated to the review of curriculum and staffing, among other things. At Unit 5, that includes hiring Kristal Shelvin as the new director of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Our school district is very diverse and were very proud of that diversity, said Wolf. There are 40 different languages spoken in our homes.

In addition to diversity in language, race and ethnicity, the district also is diverse on a socioeconomic basis, Reilly said.

One way the district addressed socioeconomic diversity and equity was to provide internet access at home for students from low-income families, making sure they had the same access as their peers who had high-speed internet access in their homes," Reilly said. That was about seven years ago.

Some speakers at school board meetings earlier this month equated these initiatives with critical race theory, while others labeled critical race theory as Marxist and divisive.

Its not the same, and I think as an educator, and I know as a district, we want all of our students to feel welcome, safe, included, that they recognize people who might look like them or who may have had similar experiences, in the lessons and in the buildings that they come to every day. But theyre two very different things, Weikle said.

Because critical race theory is an academic concept that addresses racism in legal systems and policy, it is taught at the university level.

Expanding sex education

Also sparking comments at recent meetings is comprehensive sex education that is LGBTQ-inclusive, as outlined in Senate Bill 818, which is awaiting the governors signature.

We do not start planning for any curricular change until the legislation is signed, given to the Illinois State Board of Education and we receive guidance from them, Wolf said.

Under the bills provisions, course materials will include education on and cannot reflect or promote bias on the basis of family structure, gender identity, sexual orientation or other factors.

Shannon Schwartz, who spoke at the Unit 5 school board meeting and identified herself as a nurse, said when she first read this bill, she was shocked, angry and sickened.

The only thing schools should be including in their sexual education curriculum is male and female reproductive organs, puberty and the science of how reproduction works. That is it, she said. When different types of sex are included as part of sex education, Thats when this goes from being a school textbook or teaching to more like a child sexual grooming tool, and in my opinion, every pedophiles dream.

Becky Swan, who spoke at both districts, said a book titled Its Perfectly Normal would be part of the curriculum and described it as having graphic images that were a form of sexual harassment.

But Wolf said of the book, Ive never seen that before, and the bill says nothing about such a book. Reilly said, Its rare for the state to designate a textbook. Rather, the state sets standards and school districts choose the materials, which are vetted and displayed.

Addi Weaver, 17, who will be a senior at Bloomington High School this fall, said, Ive never been taught critical race theory or comprehensive sex education in District 87, but said the district does provide culturally and emotionally responsible teaching and tries to present a curriculum that reflects the student body and teaches the true scope of American history.

Other students expressed support for comprehensive sex education and an inclusive social studies curriculum.

Weikle said she was surprised that we had so many speaking specifically about certain topics that were not even teaching.

Because Unit 5 does not teach comprehensive sex education to elementary students, this bill would not affect students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

Students arent exposed to that until they take a health class in eighth grade and then again in high school, Weikle said.

Senate Bill 818 includes sex education inclusive of LGBTQ health, and Weikle said a health task force made up of educators is working to create a health curriculum for Unit 5 high schools that is more inclusive and affirming for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

A task force for the junior high schools will begin meeting in the fall.

Contact Lenore Sobota at (309) 820-3240. Follow her on Twitter: @Pg_Sobota

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MCLEAN  Both sides of Interstate 55 between the McLean and Shirley exits opened Saturday afternoon after at least 16 hours of road crews working to mitigate flooding and collapse caused by heightened water levels of nearby Timber Creek.

The southbound side of I-55 reopened before noon on Saturday and the northbound side opened at 2:35 p.m., the Illinois Department of Transportation said on social media.

Funks Grove Township highway road commissioner Russ Broadfield said traffic was being diverted to US Old Route 66, which runs parallel to I-55. This would be the plan again if the road becomes flooded again as more rain falls this weekend, he said.

He added that motorists should continue to expect bottlenecks and closures in the area as local road and IDOT crews continue to to clear lanes of debris and water.

"I think it's just a mess," Broadfield said.

Photos posted on social media early Saturday by the Mt. Hope-Funks Grove Fire Protection District showed areas of the state highway covered by water and by chunks of pavement, likely dislodged by flash flooding.

Emergency responders from the district were dispatched at 11 p.m. Friday to a point along Timber Creek, near the Funks Grove Rest Area, for a report of a sinking vehicle with four people trapped inside.

According to an account of the rescue posted on the district's social media page, responders first arrived from the south, finding the vehicle inaccessible.

One person was clinging to a tree and three people who tried to rescue that person also ended up needing help, McLean County Sheriff's Sgt. Luke Werts said, adding he could release no more details of the incident.

The Hudson dive team and the MABAS 41 Water Rescue Team  staged at the Bloomington Fire Department headquarters  were both deployed to the scene. Responders in the meantime approached via US Old Route 66 toward Shirley to reach the vehicle from the other side of Timber Creek.

Rescue crews in boats reached the vehicle at 1:30 a.m. Saturday, and by 2:48 a.m. all four victims and responders were out of the water. The four were transported to the hospital with no reported injuries.

Contact Timothy Eggert at (309) 820-3276. Follow him on Twitter: @TimothyMEggert

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BLOOMINGTON  Hours after severe storms produced heavy rains, strong winds and flash flooding across Central Illinois Friday, another round of the same weather is expected to pass through the region on Saturday.

A flood warning is in effect for McLean County until 2:15 p.m. Saturday and a flash flood watch is in place until 7 a.m. Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.

Scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop again Saturday and move through the area this afternoon and evening. Another 1 to 3 inches of rain could fall across the area.

"There is a threat for some of these storms to become strong to severe," said Nicole Batzek, a meteorologist with the NWS in Lincoln. "With the current environment, having high humidity, any thunderstorms that do develop that are an efficient rain-producer does not make for a good situation."

Batzek said although the chance for hail is low, storms on Saturday afternoon could "kick up some winds," meaning there may be conditions that produce funnel clouds.

"We can't completely rule out another tornado or two this afternoon," Batzek said.

There were two reports of tornadoes across Central Illinois on Friday  one confirmed in Champaign County, southeast of Fisher, and another reported, but unconfirmed, in Piatt County, northeast of Decatur, near Cisco.

Friday's severe storm events across McLean County also produced impressive rain totals, ranging from 1 to 7 inches, the NWS reported. The heaviest of rains fell in the southern part of the county.

Bloomington-Normal recorded 4.5 to 5.5. inches of rainfall, with 4.32 inches logged at the Central Illinois Regional Airport. Downs logged 6.94 inches, Heyworth measured 5.79 inches and Mackinaw recorded 2.68 inches of rainfall.

Batzek said weather officials expected the heavy rains and frequent storms on Friday, and that "rainfall totals can quickly stack up" if storms continue to "repeat over the same areas" on Saturday.

Friday's storms also produced intense flooding around the Twin Cities, with multiple low-lying streets and intersections reported to be under 3 to 4 feet of water.

The Bloomington public works department had crews working overnight to clear flooded streets and intersections, and street sweepers are working Saturday to remove debris and mud from local streets that were engulfed, the city said in a statement.

Bloomington city manager Tim Gleason in a statement said the department's own building and facilities experienced flooding, but there was no damage to any equipment and the water has since subsided.

Preliminary reports in Bloomington indicated vehicles were stranded at Empire Street and Towanda Avenue; Oakland Avenue and Veterans Parkway; and on Four Seasons Road, Morrissey Drive and Morris Avenue.

The McLean County Area EMS System logged over 100 calls for service during a 12-hour period amid the storm, far more than the 60 call per day the system averages.

"We had multiple water rescues, working structure fires and our regular call volume as well," the EMS System said in a social media post on Saturday.

Bloomington police and fire departments responded to reports of stranded and abandoned vehicles throughout the city, and the fire department was also called for several gas leak and odor investigations, the city said in statement.

Bloomington Fire Chief Eric West said the MABAS 41 Water Rescue Team was staged at BFD headquarters and was deployed to provide mutual aid with rural agencies on a water rescue.

The Hudson dive team was called about midnight to where McLean County Road 900 East crosses Timber Creek near Funks Grove, according to reports.

One person was clinging to a tree and three people who tried to rescue that person also ended up needing help, McLean County Sheriff's Sgt. Luke Werts said, adding he could release no more details of the incident.

All were taken to the hospital to be checked out, but injuries weren't life-threatening, he said. The incident was over by about 4 a.m.

Timber Creek flooding also forced state police to close Interstate 55 between McLean and Shirley, he said.

Rescue crews were called about midnight to help a resident near Heyworth whose home was surrounded by floodwaters, according to weather service reports. About that same time, stranded motorists were aided on Interstate 74 when Kickapoo Creek flooded near Downs, on I-55 on Bloomington's southwest edge and near LeRoy. Emergency responders from the Mt. Hope-Funks Grove Fire Department on Friday aided four motorists who were stranded on I-55 near McLean when the highway was damaged by severe flooding. A social media post from the department said all four were rescued without injury.

A number of roads were still closed or impassable as of 9 a.m. Saturday, with water flowing over the pavement, emergency officials said Saturday morning. The McLean County Emergency Management Agency said roads near the Mackinaw River or at nearby creeks are to be avoided because of standing or moving water caused by severe storms overnight. "That water is still flowing over those roads," MCEMA assistant director Cathy Beck told The Pantagraph. "Those are definitely areas to stay out of."

Beck said many rural and local roads near Heyworth, McLean and Funks Grove are closed, and won't be reopened until local road crews and crews with the Illinois Department of Transportation can work to clear them.

According to MCEMA and IDOT, these roads should be avoided:

Interstate 55 in all directions between from McLean to the Shirley exit

Eastbound US-136 from McLean to Heyworth

US-51 at East 350 North Road

Towanda Barnes Road at U.S. 150

Old Route 66 from Heyworth to Route 350

Contact Timothy Eggert at (309) 820-3276. Follow him on Twitter: @TimothyMEggert

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EAST ST. LOUIS  A Cahokia Heights man was shot and killed Friday night on Interstate 64, causing the interstate and lanes of the Poplar Street Bridge and Martin Luther King Bridge to close.

St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye identified the victim as Kendis Glenn, 37, of Cahokia Heights. He said Glenn was pronounced dead at 9:50 p.m. Friday at the 2.5-mile marker of I-64, near the merger of I-55/70. Dye said the victim had a gunshot wound but the cause of death is pending an autopsy.

The Illinois State Police were investigating a death Friday evening, closing lanes of the two bridges and both directions of I-64 at one point and some portions of northbound Interstate 55. Dye couldn't confirm if the death was related and Illinois State Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

State Police have released no other details of the shooting.

The Illinois Department of Transportation District said police work would continue for another two to three hours into Saturday morning and encouraged drivers to use alternate routes if they were traveling to or from Missouri.

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JACKSONVILLE  A Jacksonville native's passion for hiking and exploring nature recently landed her on national television.

Alissa Hembrough Nickerson was featured on the "Today" show in a segment on how busy national parks have been since pandemic restrictions were lifted across the United States.

"It was a random experience," Nickerson said.

Nickerson attended Routt Catholic High School for the first three years of her high school experience and then went to Jacksonville High School for her senior year, graduating in 2009.

An outdoor enthusiast, Nickerson created an Instagram account  @nationalparkbff  that grabbed the attention of "Today" producers.

"The 'Today' people saw it and called," Nickerson said. "It's all the topic right now."

The segment shows national parks from Tennessee to Nevada with long lines of visitors. During the show, park rangers said January through May set record attendance numbers at national parks and that the year ahead is likely to be challenging because of staffing issues. They asked visitors to the parks to help by picking up their own trash.

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Knowing how crowded national parks are these days, Nickerson plans on arriving at parks she visits super early and possibly visiting less-popular parks.

"So many people are getting out and enjoying the parks," Nickerson said. "The goal is not to be in a long line."

Nickerson still intends to visit national parks, she said during the show.

"It might change how we go about our hikes," she said. "I don't think it'll change the fact that I want to go to all of the national parks, but it does requires more planning."

A doctor of audiology who now lives in Phoenix with her husband, Brandon Nickerson, Alissa Nickerson said visiting the parks and taking in the beauty of what the country has to offer is one of their favorite hobbies.

"I enjoy seeing all the diverse geography," she said. "Driving one hour can make such a difference."

Being interviewed remotely from her kitchen table for the "Today" appearance, Nickerson wasn't nervous, she said. At least, she doesn't think she was.

"It was a great experience," she said.

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An 18-year-old man was arrested Friday in connection with fatally shooting his Uber driver in March during a West Side carjacking.

Edmond Harris, 18, is accused of killing Javier Ramos, 46, on March 23 and was taken into federal custody Friday morning. Harris had an initial appearance Friday afternoon where he pleaded not guilty to carjacking, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and causing death through the use of a firearm, Joseph D. Fitzpatrick, assistant U.S. attorney of the Northern District of Illinois, said in a news release.

Harris was ordered to remain in federal custody as he awaits an Aug. 10 hearing, Fitzpatrick said.

The Chicago Police Department at the time said the attack happened in the 3700 block of West Douglas Boulevard at about 3:40 a.m. on March 23.

Ramos left behind a 9-year-old daughter, his father, two sisters and a brother.

The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of death.

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Fans and foes can agree on one thing about Rodney Davis  he is a master politician.

Thats intended as a compliment for the U.S. Representative from Taylorville. Republicans dont survive in blue-state Illinois unless theyve managed to walk the line well or have a favorable district map. Davis hasnt had help from the mapmakers.

No favors will be done for him again this time around as Congressional districts change to reflect the mess that continues to be the 2020 census. Illinois lost a seat in the House of Representatives, a best-case scenario considering flight from the state. Davis last two races have been decided by the thinnest margins this side of the Macon County Sheriff 2018 election. Those two factors alone would be enough to make Davis reconsider his possibilities.

Reporter Brenden Moore explored the possibilities in a column this week. Davis has been stepping up his direct critiques of Gov. J.B. Pritzker while injecting his opinion on state legislative matters.

Illinois GOP chairman Pat Brady told Moore the party needs "a candidate that can win both upstate and downstate," with Davis representing "our best hope" of achieving that.

I think Rodney fits that perfectly because I think he'll do very well downstate given his roots and I think he's a guy who's a conservative, so he can win the primary, but can also do well up in the suburbs  meaning he's a conservative thinker but doesn't scare suburban voters away like we've done in the past."

Davis spokesman Aaron DeGroot said Davis' "intent and preference is to run for Congress again," where he would continue to climb the ranks of the House Transportation Committee and potentially be in line to chair it in a few years if Republicans retake the majority.

The ultimate decision doesnt belong to Davis alone. Money matters, and the Republican gubernatorial nod will go to those who most please those with deep pockets.

Davis wont make a decision until he sees how the map is drawn. Theres a lot of wait-and-see and concern between now and when theyre finalized.

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Fireworks are on the minds of many, with the July 4 holiday fast approaching. The Illinois Insurance Association and its member companies encourage residents to remember that fireworks are dangerous explosives that need to be handled with extreme caution.

Personal fireworks are responsible for thousands of injuries and structural fires each year. Sparklers seem harmless but burn at temperatures as high as 1,200 to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Protect yourself and your loved ones by leaving the fireworks display to professionals.

Residents bent on lighting displays are urged to confirm compliance with federal, state, and local laws and ordinances and make safety a priority. Some tips to keep in mind:

 Buy pre-packaged fireworks from a licensed store or stand. Homemade and professional-grade fireworks are unsafe for personal use.

 Store fireworks in a cool, dry, dark location away from any source of heat until ready to light.

 Designate a sober adult to oversee lighting fireworks. Alcohol and drugs do not mix well with explosives. Confirm children are supervised and well away from the staging area. Move pets inside.

 Light one firework at a time in a flat, open, outside location away from homes and buildings.

 Maintain a safe distance from guests. Never point fireworks toward the crowd.

 Read package directions before igniting and wear safety glasses.

 Keep a hose and water bucket near the lighting area. Thoroughly soak spent fireworks in water before disposal.

 Never relight a dud firework.

Enjoy the Fourth of July  but celebrate safely and responsibly.

Kevin J. Martin,

Executive Director,

Illinois Insurance Association

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Cate Shortland has been desperate to work with Florence Pugh for years.

The 52-year-old director recently joined forces with Florence, 25, to shoot the long-awaited 'Black Widow' movie, and Cate admitted she's been inspired by Florence since seeing her in 2016's 'Lady Macbeth'.

Cate told SFX magazine: "I'd wanted to work with Florence since 'Lady Macbeth'. When I did my interview at Disney, Kevin [Feige] asked me who I was inspired by, and she was the first person: I said she'd be great to have in this movie, and we hadn't read the script yet.

"I just thought, 'What an interesting person she is'. There's a sense of reality to her in any part."

Rachel Weisz also stars in the new movie, and Cate relished the experience of working with the acclaimed actress.

She said: "Rachel Weisz and I had been talking and emailing each other for a couple of years but we had never found a project.

"So it's interesting that this project was the one. But what she already said, which was really lovely, was that she never felt the hugeness of the project when we were on set, because we managed to create a very simple, supportive environment for the actors."

Last year, Cate admitted to being wowed by Florence's performance in the movie.

She also revealed that Scarlett Johansson - who plays the titular character - was similarly impressed by her co-star.

The director explained: "[Kevin Feige] realized that the audience would expect an origin story so, of course, we went in the opposite direction.

"And we didnt know how great Florence Pugh would be. We knew she would be great, but we didnt know how great.

"Scarlett is so gracious, like, Oh, Im handing her the baton. So its going to propel another female storyline."
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









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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Friday received letters of credence from five envoys at the Jubilee House, Accra.



They are the ambassadors of Russia, Sergei Berdnikov; Carl Michael Grans from Sweden; Ethiopias Hadera Abera Admassu; Lamidosa Lamatou Bala Goga of Niger; and Jamaicas High Commissioner Esmond Reid.



At separate ceremonies, President Akufo-Addo, welcomed them warmly and wished them a pleasant stay and a successful tour of duty.



Recounting the long-standing relations between Ghana and their respective countries, he assured the envoys of the governments commitment towards strengthening ties, boosting trade, investment and economic cooperation towards mutual benefits.



When he met the Russian Ambassador, President Akufo-Addo noted the key role played by the former Soviet Union in the decolonization of Africa, and the strong ties between the citizenry in the periods just after the countrys independence.



He said though relations between Russia and Ghana had not always been very pulsating over the years, with current developments, especially Russia prioritising its foreign policy to deepen ties with Africa, the situation would improve.



The President spoke of the huge investment opportunities in many sectors of the Ghanaian economy, which Russian investors should embrace for the common good of the two countries.



He said Ghana would work closely with the Russian Federation on the UN Security Council for the greater good of the world, and expressed the hope that President Vladmir Putin would include Ghana his foreign visit to Africa.



On his part, Ambassador Berdnikov congratulated the President on his reelection as president of Ghana, Chair of the ECOWAS, and the countrys election to serve a two-year term on the United Nations Security Council.



He admitted that although relations between Ghana and Russia had slowed during certain periods, he was optimistic that there would be encouraging developments in Soviet-Ghanaian relations, especially in trade, economic, technical and scientific cooperation, which would strengthen for mutual benefits.



After receiving the credential of the Nigerien Ambassador, President Akufo-Addo recalled the long-standing relations between the two countries, saying that the Nigerien Community had become a social part of Ghana.



He said Nigeriens in Ghana, often called the Zamrama people, had, for many years, contributed to the socio-economic development of Ghana.



The President noted that the immediate past President of Niger, Mahamadou Issoufou, had worked very well to deepen bilateral relations, and praised him (Issoufou) for his role in gathering support for the ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AFCFTA), which is currently headquartered in Ghana.



He said the current Nigerien head, Mohamed Bazoum, was also making a mark as President and expressed the commitment to explore ways to deepen the cordial bilateral relations.



The President also gave the assurance that he would leverage Ghanas new position on the United Nations (UN) Security Council to champion the concerns of Africa.



He pledged to articulate the concerns of Africa on the Council by consulting leaders within the region, and the continent, to define the common position in the Council's deliberations.



The Nigerien Ambassador thanked the Government and people of Ghana for accommodating his countrymen and pledged to explore ways to deepen relations.



On meeting the Ethiopian Ambassador, President Akufo-Addo acknowledged the relations between the two countries dating back to the days of Emperor Haile Selassie and Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.



He said he had good working relations the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, and praised the role he also played in getting Ghana to host the AFTCA.



The President expressed the hope that Ethiopia would surmount its current democratic challenge and urged the country and its neighbors to find amicable solutions to the issues of the Nile Basin for the peaceful development of the region.



He pledged the support of his administration to the Ambassador.



With the Swedish envoy, President Akufo-Addo expressed the hope that bilateral relations and economic cooperation would be strengthened during his tenure.



He was optimistic that both countries would find more common grounds to deepen relations.



To the Jamaican High Commissioner, the President also expressed the hope that his time in Ghana would improve and economic and socio-cultural ties.

Source: GNA









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The Church of Pentecost has commissioned a state-of-the-art health centre at Kultamise, near Bawku in the Upper East Region.



The single-level health facility, fully funded by the Church, comprises an attached residential accommodation for the staff, fully furnished Outpatient Department (OPD), Male and Female Wards, Delivery Ward, Dispensary, washrooms for both patients and staff, Laboratory, and Consulting Rooms. The total amount spent on the project was GH 850,000.00.



Commissioning the health facility on Thursday, June 24, 2021, the General Secretary of the Church, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, said the construction of the edifice was informed by the urgent need to provide a health facility that can serve Kultamise and its surrounding communities to help reduce maternal and child mortality in the district.



According to him, during the rainy season, the people living in the area usually go through hell in accessing healthcare as they often had to cross a major river to Pusiga. This situation, according to residents, has contributed to worsening the plight of pregnant women in the area, especially when in labour, as their spouses had to carry them on their back or on motorbikes to cross the river to access healthcare in Pusiga.



Apostle Kumi-Larbi noted that the project which commenced in 2019 is part of a package of social development projects undertaken by The Church of Pentecost across various locations in the country. He disclosed that another clinic is currently being constructed by the Church at Abesiwa, on the Kumasi-Sunyani Highway.



He stated that The Church of Pentecost, in 2018, launched its 5-year vision (Vision 2023), dubbed Possessing the Nations with an overarching goal of equipping the Church to transform every sphere of society with values and principles of the Kingdom of God.



As part of the Possessing the Nations agenda under Vision 2023, the Church envisaged partnering the Government of Ghana in contributing to the accelerated socio-economic development as part of the effort to launch our transformation agenda in society.



Besides this edifice, the Church has over 96 educational institutions, 9 healthcare facilities (3 hospitals and 6 clinics), other social interventions such as the construction of four prison holding facilities to enhance the reformation and integration of inmates, the construction of police stations and posts across the country, constructed over 76 water facilities in deprived communities and institutions, he mentioned.



He also disclosed that the Church has established social enterprise ventures which are providing employment opportunities to the youth in Ghana.

The General Secretary pointed out that one scripture that has spurred the Church on in initiating and completing the facility has been Matthew 25:36b, which reads: I was sick and you looked after me.



It is our prayer and hope, therefore, that anyone who enters the corridors of this clinic will receive the best of care and divine healing when necessary. This feat can only be achieved if all the major stakeholders i.e. the Ministry of Health, CHAG, Pentecost Health Services, and the Ghana Health Service play their respective roles well.



The ceremony was attended by the Overlord of Kusal, Bawku Naaba, the Chief of Pusiga Naaba Tambiss-Baalug Kunwaik, the chief of Kultamise, Naaba Tigre Lasgud, representative of the Regional Director of Health Services, District Chief Executive of Pusiga  Hon Abdulai Zubeiru, the clergy, among others.

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The Government of President Akufo-Addo is undertaking a radical reform in Ghana's education sector with the aim of preparing Ghana's population and economy to fully participate in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.



This reform will be underpinned by a greater focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) with the overall aim of repositioning the entire educational system to produce a critical mass of assertive and empowered Ghanaian students equipped with the relevant skills for socio-economic transformation.



The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who disclosed this on Saturday, June 26, 2021 at the launch of the 70th anniversary celebration of Tamale Senior High School, said the Presidents vision of producing well-equipped, rounded Ghanaians has resulted in one of the most fundamental reforms in the school system to be carried out in this country.



The reform programme is anchored on interventions that will leverage Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to prepare our population and national economy to become active participants in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.



The reason is simple: a strong national STEM programme will develop learners with 21st century skills (i.e. creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration) required to drive the country into economic prosperity beyond aid.



This focus on STEM is starting at the basic level with a B-STEM (Basic STEM) programme under which essential equipment, including robotics kits, electronics, computers, promethean boards, projectors, etc are to be provided. In addition, the Ministry of Education is in the process of setting up eleven (11) model state-of-the-art, never-before-seen STEM Senior High Schools across the country, each of which shall be equipped with 12 laboratories that can rival any such school anywhere in the world, he pledged.



I am also happy to announce that, as part of the plan, a STEM pathway will be established in some existing Senior High Schools, which will benefit from additional four (4) laboratories and Tamale Senior High School (TAMASCO) will be one of them.



The Vice President, who joined past and present students of the first secondary school in northern Ghana to launch the celebrations, said lessons had been learnt from the history of educational deprivation in northern Ghana, where the effects of a lack of access to secondary education laid the foundation for the development gap between the north and the south.



Thus, Government is determined to provide access to every Ghanaian child wherever they may be in order to create a level playing field and bridge the gap, he reiterated.



TAMASCO @ 70



Dr Bawumia, who is a member of the 1980 Year Group of TAMASCO, praised early politicians from the north who recognized the importance of education and through the Northern Peoples Party advocated for more access to education and significantly influenced the 1961 Education Act to be more sensitive towards the north.



Seventy years of secondary education has improved human quality, equipped beneficiaries with much knowledge and skills which in turn have improved the ability to analyse, appreciate, assimilate, socialize with others as well as opened better avenues for employment. Ultimately, these have helped to minimize poverty.



The establishment in 1951 of the then Government Secondary School in the northern territories created the opportunity for students of northern Ghana to, for the first time, access secondary education in northern Ghana, 75 years after secondary education was introduced in southern Ghana.



This created access for people living in and around areas such as the upper part of the then Brong Ahafo Region, the northern part of the Volta Region, now Oti Region, the Northern Region which then included the newly created regions of Savanna and North East, and the Upper Region, now Upper East and Upper West Regions.



70 years later, Tamale Secondary School, affectionately called The Northern Light, has produced several illustrious sons and daughters, including a President of the Republic, two Vice Presidents, two Supreme Court Justices, an Inspector General of Police (IGP), two Chiefs of Defence Staff (CDS) as well as a Speaker of Parliament.



In a related development, Vice President Bawumia Saturday commissioned a Girls dormitory constructed by the MTN Foundation and a Boys dormitory constructed by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) at the Tamale Senior High School. The school, in appreciation of the Vice Presidents continued support, has also named a House, Bawumia House, after him.

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An incentive deal that lured the E&J Gallo Winery to Chester County also includes money from the State Ports Authority that will steer the winemaker's business to the Port of Charleston instead of its top competitor in Savannah.

The SPA's board of directors on June 22 approved spending $500,000 on public infrastructure, such as roads or water lines, at the 600-acre East Coast production and distribution site in Fort Lawn that's expected to employ 500 workers over the next eight years.

Jim Newsome, the maritime agency's president and CEO, said Gallo narrowed its choices to locations in South Carolina and Georgia, with Charleston's port a key factor in the final decision.

"It was a very competitive project that was dependent on port infrastructure," Newsome said. "They are going to be a significant port user. We were competing against an adjacent state and were successful in that competition."

California-based Gallo sells more than 130 brands of wine and spirits in more than 100 countries. The company exports its California wines and imports wines from Argentina, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa and Spain. Gallo also imports spirits from Australia, the Caribbean, Italy, Mexico, the United Kingdom and Venezuela.

In addition to the SPA money, the incentive package to land Gallo included: a $16 million infrastructure grant to the county from a South Carolina economic development fund that targets rural areas; $8 million in state bonds to offset environmental mitigation expenses; tax credits tied to the number of jobs Gallo creates; and 50 years worth of property tax breaks that lowers the company's rate to 4 percent from 10.5 percent.

The private sector also chipped in: Duke Energy, which serves that area of the state, is also providing a utility tax credit grant.

In addition to Gallo's import and export business, Newsome said, the deal provides an opportunity for Charleston's port to capture other types of cargo.

"This one was worthwhile because, in addition to the quality of the company itself, there's a significant back haul arrangement that's possible here  there are some forest product exporters in that area where we could round-trip containers," he said.

Construction of the first phase of the $423 million distribution center is scheduled for completion in October 2022.

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In addition to all the public and private financial incentives, lawmakers changed state liquor laws to reel in Gallo, a.k.a. Project Magma.

Spec surge

More speculative industrial construction is on the way at Palmetto Commerce Park in North Charleston  part of more than 10 million square feet of warehouses and distribution centers being built without tenants on the line.

Charlotte-based Trinity Capital Advisors is moving ahead with plans to construct four buildings at the property's Trademark East development.

Construction has started on the first building, an 850,000-square-foot structure to be completed in 2022. The cross-docked structure  which means goods come in on one side and leave on the other  is the project's largest. Charleston-based Frampton Construction filed a notice of commencement, meaning it is ready to start building, for the first structure, on June 24 with the Charleston County Register of Deeds.

The second and third buildings will total 174,720 square feet each. The fourth building will be 145,600 square feet.

"Interest in both Charleston and the port area is showing no signs of slowing, and theres a notable lack of industrial supply," said Lee Allen, managing director at commercial real estate firm JLL, which is marketing the project.

Massie Flippin, partner at Trinity Capital, said the company is "accelerating our development plans" and expects the project's location and access to the Port of Charleston "will drive significant demand from a diverse range of manufacturers and distribution companies."

There has been a surge in speculative industrial development in the Charleston area due to an increasing number of retailers importing goods through the port and looking for nearby sites to sort and distribute cargo to brick-and-mortar stores and customers.
Some years ago, I was making my rounds as a staff chaplain in a Catholic hospital when a nurse sent me to see a patient on her unit.

Shes on life support, the nurse explained. If she dies, this will be the third death today.

When I walked into the patients room, I met the womans husband, a Baptist pastor, praying he wouldnt lose this battle.

I barely found the breath to announce myself when he stood and pointed to the crucifix hanging above his wifes bed, the same one placed in every patient room.

Can you remove that? he asked.

Regular readers of my column know that chaplains honor all faiths and are called to create a sacred space for our patients. So I said, Sure.

I plucked the crucifix from its hook, opened the bedside drawer, and reverently laid it on the top of the Bible.

The pastor quietly replaced it with a sentimental picture of sunflowers hed brought from the home he shared with his wife.

In the next 15 minutes, he became noticeably relaxed as we chatted about his marriage of 57 years and his Baptist career of half a century.

Soon, the nurse returned to the room to hang new IV bags. The chore brought her attention eye level to the photo that supplanted the crucifix.

Wheres my Jesus? she asked.

Pardon, My Jesus?  the patients husband said.

Wheres the crucifix? she asked.

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The patient requested that I replace it with their artwork, I explained.

That launched a frantic search-and-recovery effort. The nurse started opening dresser drawers, emphasizing her possessive pronouns. Wheres MY Jesus? Wheres MY Jesus?

Fortunately, she regained her composure when she located the crucifix where Id put it.

It seemed like an odd moment, but in hindsight, her question of Wheres my Jesus? makes sense to me now.

My guess is that a lot of you during this pandemic have felt much like this nurse, and you have occasionally lost your Jesus.

Perhaps you dont say Jesus. You may be of another faith tradition and use words such as love, or family or Spirit. These expressions likely point to the peace youve found in the past.

When I feel like Ive lost my Jesus, Im reminded of a suggestion my mother gave me when I lost something tangible: Go back to where you last remember seeing it, and maybe youll find it.

So, where did you last see your Jesus?

I encourage you to go back to the place you last knew spiritual peace. Itll be a physical or spiritual place where peace and serenity join hands and surround you with solace. For me it can be the church altar, but its also been fluid places, like the beach, lake or waterfall.

I call these places my God spots. Its here I find that my Jesus has not gone missing. It is I who wandered away.

Hes everywhere. Hes in the eyes of the people returning to work, the hands of nurses whove healed this nation, in the heart of those housing the homeless. I saw him that day in the eyes of the husband who wiped the brow of his dying wife.

Jesus, or whatever you call the strength that sustains you, has been with you all this time. Hes not lost, not stowed away in a drawer. He is with you.

But whatever word you use, I think we can borrow a page from my Baptist theological heritage, which tells me that once you find your Jesus, he will never lose you.
South Carolina still has hundreds of millions of federal dollars to help tenants catch up on overdue rent and utilities, and a one-month extension of the eviction moratorium has created a little more time.

Despite outreach efforts, South Carolina and seven counties handling the funds directly still have the majority of the money they received. The money goes to landlords and utility companies, but tenants must apply for it.

The money is there, its for our community and we want them to come get it," said Bob Mihalic, Greenville County spokesman. Were promoting it, and putting it out there as much as we can."

He said the county received $15.8 million from the federal government and has so far distributed $3.3 million, to about 750 households. Greenville is among seven counties large enough to have received federal funds directly. Residents of that county should call 855-216-9195 for information.

SC Housing, which is in charge of $271.8 million in rent and utility funding for the state's 39 smaller counties, has received more than 7,000 applications since the first week of May that add up to about $30 million in potential assistance.

However, SC Housing has distributed less than $100,000 so far. Chris Winston, spokesman for the housing authority, said the distribution of funds should accelerate in the coming days and weeks.

He said reaching tenants in 39 counties has been a challenge, and the June 24 announcement that the federal eviction moratorium would be extended for one more month, through July, was great news.

"It allows us the opportunity to get federal funds out to landlords, many of whom have had to go without it for much of the past year, while keeping our state's vulnerable residents in their homes," Winston said.

The money is intended to help tenants with low to moderate incomes who can show they suffered financially due to the COVID-19 pandemic and face potential eviction. Overdue rent and utilities dating to March, 2020 can be paid with the money.

Renters who need assistance in Anderson, Berkeley, Charleston, Greenville, Horry, Richland and Spartanburg counties should contact those counties directly. In all other counties, renters should contact SC Housing at 803-336-3420 or online at schousing.com.

Charleston County started with $12.4 million, has processed 681 applications, and has $7.4 million left, according to the county. On top of that, the county has received another $10 million in federal funding. County residents should call 855-452-5374, on weekdays, for information.

Berkeley County initially had $6.89 million to distribute, but stopped taking applications in mid-April with about $5 million remaining. In June the county received another $5 million from the U.S. Treasury and, with about $10 million on hand, started taking applications again.

County spokeswoman Hannah Moldenhauer said $3,252,178 in rent and utility assistance has been requested, and $863,574 has so far been approved. Berkeley County renters should call 843-377-8507 to learn more.

Moldenhauer said that out of 717 applications, 142 were denied because they didn't meet the requirements for the program.

Under federal guidelines, renter households are eligible if at least one person living there meets all of these criteria:

Qualifies for unemployment or has experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced a financial hardship due to COVID-19. Documentation, such as a 2020 federal income tax return, could demonstrate the hardship.

Demonstrates a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability. Example: A past-due rent notice, eviction filing, or utility shut-off warning.

Has a household income at or below 80 percent of the area median. Median income varies by county and by family size. For example, a single person could earn up to $46,000 in Charleston County and qualify, but only $29,350 in Bamberg County.

In Spartanburg County, "things are going well, but not as fast as we would like," said Kathy Rivers, director of community development.

The county has been working with four local agencies to process applications and distribute funds, and as of June 18 had distributed about $1.5 million of the $9.6 million the county received.

"We want to see families remain in their homes," Rivers said. "We're realized it's just hard to reach everybody."

The one-month extension of the federal moratorium on evictions creates more opportunity for tenants to get caught up on rent before they are potentially forced out  and an opportunity for landlords and utility companies to collect what they are owed.

"This is intended to be the final extension of the moratorium," said Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, when the extension was announced.
NORTH CHARLESTON  Ronjanae Smith's phone was her diary.

Portrait-mode photos. Selfies. Ronjanae and her friends dancing to TikTok videos. Theyre all on the 14-year-olds cellphone or tucked away on social media and in editing applications.

Katrina Sinclair, Ronjanaes mother, spends parts of each day scrolling through her daughter's phone. She reads Ronjanaes old posts and watches videos she recorded, some of which Sinclair had never seen before.

I love looking at those posts, she said. Those posts are pieces of my babys life.

It's a life that was ended on the evening of May 22, when dozens of shots rang out at a party in the Deas Hill community in North Charleston. Ronjanae was among 14 people caught in the crossfire of a gang shooting in a field adjacent to her home on Gaillard Lane.

She died of a gunshot wound the evening of May 23.

A little more than a month after her death, Ronald Smith, Ronjanaes father, and Sinclair sat in Sinclairs living room to discuss Ronjanaes life.

In the weeks since her death, Ronjanae's parents have decided to dedicate their lives to addressing gun violence in North Charleston. They've created an organization and plan to mentor kids in the community and help them resist violence. They also are cultivating support systems for parents like them  those who already have lost their children to guns.

Sinclair furnished the room with some of Ronjanae's things. Family photos. Ronjanae's favorite scented candle. A ring light she used to put on makeup and record videos. Sinclair said Ronjanae wanted to be a YouTuber, perhaps a fashionista, too.

She liked to dress up, Sinclair said. She would take pictures all day.

Sinclair smiled when she spoke of her daughter. Ronjanae loved cranberry juice and her favorite meal was anything from Taco Bell. She made lots of TikToks, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Ronjanae loved Rod Wave, a rapper whom she referred to as her boyfriend, Sinclair said.

Ronjanae helped around the house. At times, she took care of her young nephews and assisted with cleaning up at the end of the day, Sinclair said.

She was just a bright, loving young lady, Sinclair said. She had a heart of gold, would go out of her way for anybody.

Ronjanae is the second child Sinclair has had to bury. Ronjanaes brother, G'Vonne Sinclair, died in 2018.

I just try to take it one day at a time, because Ronjanaes death is different, Sinclair said. Its different from losing my son because God had already been preparing us for what he was going through. Her death was more traumatizing.

Positive Vibes Ronjanae Smith

Ronald Smith is carrying on his daughters legacy by working to end gun violence in North Charleston.

Smith and Sinclair created a nonprofit: Positive Vibes Ronjanae Smith Inc.

When people die, eventually everybody goes away, Smith said. But, with this organization, everyone will always be able to see her pictures and her name everywhere. Theyll stay, and shell stay with us.

Smith and Sinclair seek to rent a space for Positive Vibes Ronjanae on the corner of Reynolds and Rivers avenues, they said. Smith said he plans to launch the nonprofit by the end of July.

We're working on this program to be able to give back and invest in the community, Smith said. The program could also be healing for other families that have been through the same thing we went through.

Smith and Sinclair intend for Positive Vibes Ronjanae to provide free counseling and job searches for community members.

The nonprofit will also provide free lunches and after-school activities for children, including a Big Brothers and Big Sisters mentorship program.

We also will have drug addiction classes for parents and children that are trying to get off drugs, Smith said. And we are working with MUSC to try to see if they would want to sponsor us or send us counselors.

Smith and Sinclair said creating the nonprofit is helping them heal. They hope the 13 other victims from the May 22 shooting could be a part of the foundation.

We just want to let them know that we haven't forgotten them and try to get counseling for the parents and the child victims, Sinclair said.

Sinclair and Smith are dedicated to changing a culture that incites gun violence.

In some way or somehow, we have to at least try to bring gun violence to attention, Sinclair said. You know we get some children in counseling or some guidance and let them know that it does not have to be this way.

Gun culture and gang violence

Smith and Sinclair, born and raised in North Charleston, recognize that gangs have incubated both in the city and throughout South Carolina for decades.

But they have noticed a new surge of violence in the rising generation of gang members over the past five to 10 years.

Its a different generation, Smith said. Our generation wasn't as hard and violent as it is now." He said gangs recruit members far "too young."

Investigators have said the May 22 shooting was related to gang violence, reports show. On June 3, four people were arrested in Ronjanaes shooting death, North Charleston police said.

Tyquan Cooper, 20, was one of the four arrested. Cooper and Ronjanae are remotely related in that they both share a half-sister, who is one of Smith's daughters.

Smith said that daughter was hurting considering Ronjanaes death and Coopers arrest.

My daughter, she might be taking it harder because she is stuck, Smith said. She is in the middle. She was thinking that we were not going to deal with her no more because her brother may have had something to do with the death of her sister.

Cooper, along with Manqual Horlbeck Jr., 21; Tye Robinson Jr., 19; and Malachi Wigfall, 18, was taken into custody by North Charleston police on June 3, Deputy Police Chief Ken Hagge said that evening.

Witnesses told detectives the gun violence was caused by a gang rivalry. Horlbeck and Wigfall, who police said are members of the Bloods street gang, exchanged gunfire across a large crowd with Cooper and Robinson, who officials said are members of the Rollin 20s Crips street gang, court documents show.

The four each face one count of manslaughter, one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime, and 12 counts of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature. All four suspects remain in the Charleston County jail in connection with the shooting.

The shooting took place at a raucous party for teenagers after nighttime, reports show. It was initially promoted online as a drunk fest, community members say.

Ronjanaes mother said gun violence impacts every community member, not just the victims of the May 22 shooting.

If you dont think gang violence can happen, it can, Sinclair said. I did not expect that I would be burying Ronjanae or any one of my children. Its still unbelievable to this day. It still hasnt sunk in. Like this is actually what's going on in our life right now.

Healing and community

Up the road from Sinclairs home, Ronjanaes friends gathered to take photos at Union Baptist Church on the corner of Gaillard and Piggly Wiggly Drive throughout the past couple of weeks.

Ronjanae was always taking photos at that church, Sinclair said. I'll be honest with you, the community surprised me. I didn't know that Ronjanae had so many friends, so many people that cared.

Sinclair and Smith spoke of how members of the community showed up after Ronjanae's death.

Days after the shooting, there was a drive-through across North Charleston in honor of Ronjanae. The drive-through ended with a vigil held at the field where she died.

The community also showed up at Ronjanaes funeral on June 1. Hundreds of people came to Royal Baptist Church Family Life Center to honor Ronjanae.

Smith and Sinclair hope the community will continue to show up as they work to end gun violence.

Thats what we need," Smith said. "We all need to get together, like we did back in our days, and show up for each other. That is what Ronjanae was all about.

Only time will tell.
Soaring home prices and a surge in real estate sales that began in 2020 should create an unusual rise in property taxes for many South Carolina towns and cities.

That's because in South Carolina many homes are taxed on far less than they are worth  until the ownership changes. A sale triggers a reassessment, so that the property is taxed on its full value, which can mean a large jump in the tax bill.

For local governments, homes that were already receiving public services can suddenly start contributing more tax money because of an ownership change. And in 2020, there were far more of those than usual.

In a typical year, that piece of the property tax puzzle is not a big deal for municipal budgets. For example, in the greater Charleston area from 2016 through 2019, the number of homes sold from one year to the next didn't change by more than 4 percent, and the average home price didn't rise by more than $20,000.

Last year, homes sales in the Charleston area increased by 17.2 percent, and the average price rose by $46,913, according to the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors. In the first five months of 2021, the average home sale price increased by another $66,265.

"Cities are going to see an increase in their property tax revenues simply as a function of prices being reset at the sale prices," said Scott Slatton, director of advocacy and communications for the Municipal Association of South Carolina.

"That's what Act 388 does," he said, referring to the statewide changes in property tax laws that took effect in 2007.

Act 388 gave sweeping tax relief to homeowners, partly by capping how much their taxable property values could rise during countywide reassessments as long as the ownership didn't change.

For example, there's a house on James Island that Charleston County had calculated was worth $634,014 during the latest countywide reassessment. But due to Act 388 it was taxed as if it were worth $421,216. That house was sold in late 2020 for $625,000, and that sale should reset the taxable value to approximately the sale price, adding more than $200,000 to the city of Charleston's tax base.

Changes like that account for a small percentage of municipal revenue, but in 2021 it will be a larger amount than usual. For now, Charleston County's budget assumes that reassessments due to home sales will raise the tax base just 2 percent, and towns and cities don't appear to be anticipating an unusual rise in revenue.

You dont want to budget an unknown," Charleston's Chief Financial Officer Amy Wharton said. It would be kind of hard for us to predict."

In Charleston County, local governments won't know the value of all the property they can tax until September, when the county auditor's office provides the data. By then, most will have already approved new yearly budgets, many of which begin on July 1.

"I don't think you're going to have a bunch of folks going out and buying firetrucks because the real estate market is hot," county Auditor Peter Tecklenburg said.

He thinks town and city officials will wait to see hard numbers, which he believes will show larger than usual increases.

Weve had a lot more homes sold," Tecklenburg said. "A lot of that is going to show in specific places, like Mount Pleasant."

That would be great, said the town's Chief Financial Officer Marcy Cotov.

"Im looking forward to September to find out how well I did with budgeting," she said. "I dont try to estimate home sales."

Cotov said if foreclosures increase as mortgage forbearance programs end, that could offset some gains in the property tax base.

The blazing hot real estate market has been particularly evident in more costly areas, including Mount Pleasant and the barrier islands near Charleston.

On Sullivan's Island, for example, one house the county valued for tax purposes at $6 million in 2020 was sold in November for $8.2 million. That single sale would add $2.2 million to the town's property tax base.

For most taxpayers, the question will be what their town, city or county does with any unexpected boost in revenue. More money could ease pressure to raise taxes, for example, or fund more services.

Mount Pleasant and Charleston both increased their property tax last year and cut expenses as other revenue sources such a hospitality-related taxes and business license taxes declined during the pandemic.

Lets just say September is like 'wow,' " said Cotov. "Town Council always has three choices (with property tax rates): up, the same, or down."
After a year of craziness, Sheilas Baking Company in North Augusta decided to celebrate the only way it knew how: with the people that helped it reach the one-year milestone.

The bakery, which began as a food truck, opened in June 2020, soon after the pandemic began, at 434 Georgia Ave. selling pretzels and other pastries.

Sheila Martin is ecstatic to celebrate this anniversary.

I feel like it is somewhat significant because when we opened, everything was shut down. Everything was so strict. We had no tables in our entire storefront and now here we are a year later, we can actually have an event and the community can come again, Martin said. Thats super amazing because Ive wondered how long it would take for that to happen.

During the event, West Pine Grove Avenue was blocked off with a food truck, corn hole, face painting, giveaway prizes and free doughnuts.

North Augusta resident Mary Bates wanted to support the local business and their success. Bates comes every Saturday with her daughter and her two grandchildren to Sheilas Baking Company.

Were just super excited at the variety that they have. Theyve got the glazed doughnuts, theyve got the orange twist, which is my husband's favorite. I love the cappuccino coffee doughnut, Bates said.

Martin hopes for a prosperous future after a year with the community.

Its very overwhelming to me that the community has just embraced our business so much ... Ive lived here for a year now and I feel very integrated with these people and I really love that, Martin said. I feel very honored that I get to be a part of this community and that I get to bake every day because it is what I am passionate about and doing this makes my world go round.
Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg has some strong feelings about all these calls to defund the police.

That whole concept? It aint happening here, the mayor says. Hell no. No way, no how, nowhere. Its just not in our vocabulary. Public safety is priority Number 1.

This should come as no surprise to anyone, since thats exactly what Tecklenburg and other city officials have said since defund the police became a thing. But this past week, a coalition of Lowcountry social justice activists and civil rights groups delivered a nine-page list of demands for Revisioning Public Safety in Charleston County.

Of course, it included divesting from traditional law enforcement, as Gregory Yee reported in The Post and Courier.

The mayor didnt get the memo, because it was aimed at county officials. But the coalition singled out Charleston police a couple of times. Unfortunately, one of those mentions came in a section that demanded to see policies for handling people in mental health crisis from all the institutions involved in the death of Jamal Sutherland at the county jail earlier this year.

Uh, Charleston had nothing to do with that  other than serving as the site of the protests. And that leads to the citys other mention, which derided an increased police presence on the peninsula. Which isnt wholly unconnected to the proliferation of said protests.

If somebody wants to complain about too many police officers on King Street, Im not going to apologize, Tecklenburg says. Thats what were supposed to do. Weve had some incidents there, and we have to be responsive.

The mayor also disagreed with the call to remove officers from public schools. The city provides some of those school resource officers, and he says its too dangerous out there these days to leave children unprotected.

But it would be wrong to assume Mayor Tecklenburg is unsympathetic to the concerns of these activists. He says some people simply misunderstand what the city and the police actually do  much of which is on the list of demands aimed at the Charleston County Sheriffs Office.

The city is putting $50 million toward affordable housing, and the police just opened a substation and gathering center in Gadsden Green to better interact with the public. The department has increased community policing, and hired advocates for both victims and the homeless.

And, because theres always room for improvement, the mayor says the city continues to implement ideas from the Illumination Project, a city-led effort to improve community relations while respecting individual rights and promoting public safety.

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City officers, the mayor notes, routinely try to steer people to the social services they need  particularly with regards to mental health treatment  instead of just locking them up. They work with several mental health providers to do just that, and its perhaps the most important point in the coalitions manifesto. But 

You have to respect and obey the law, or they will arrest you, Tecklenburg says.

Charleston is apparently doing something right. The New York Times reported last week that police departments around the country have been plagued with record attrition in the past year. Asheville, notably, has lost a third of its force.

Much of that is attributed to negative attitudes toward police in the wake of George Floyds killing by a now-former Minneapolis cop. Which led to protests around the country, and sparked a riot on King Street in May 2020.

In response to all that, some cities did cut police department budgets  and came to regret it.

Charleston, perhaps not coincidentally, has seen no mass exodus of officers. In fact, the citys police department has seen a record number of applicants and hires in the past year, and is bringing onboard its most diverse class of officers ever. Officials say 100% of sworn officer positions will be filled in the next year, which is the exact opposite of defunding police.

About 90% of the police department budget is salaries, so theres not much there to defund unless you take officers off the street. And, as Tecklenburg says, that aint happening.

Now, in fairness, many people who chant defund the police dont mean that literally. They simply want to redistribute some police funding and duties to social workers or the like. Which is exactly what shouldve happened in the Sutherland case.

Unfortunately, the left isnt nearly as good at bumper-sticker politics as the right. Frankly, defund the police doesnt sound good to many folks (including the mayor) ... with good reason.

As Tecklenburg says, Charlestons goal is to police with integrity. Hes right, thats the ideal.

And thats not something you can do on the cheap.
The Supreme Courts latest ruling on anti-social social-media posts deserves some attention.

No, not the cheerleader wannabe who won a great victory for potty-mouthed pubescents everywhere when the U.S. Supreme Court said her high school overreached by suspending her from the squad for a Snapchat screed filled with obscene gestures and text that polite people dont use in polite (or impolite) company. That decision was about a pretty narrow legal question of when schools can override students First Amendment rights, and besides its getting plenty of attention elsewhere.

Im talking about the Mount Pleasant attorney who was stripped of the right to practice law for six months because of his racist, misogynist screeds on social media  also filled with words that polite people dont use in polite (or impolite) company.

In a June 18 order first reported by Columbias State newspaper, the unanimous S.C. Supreme Court said David Traywicks posts to a public Facebook page (its private now) where he identified himself as an attorney tended to bring the legal profession into disrepute and violated the letter and spirit of the Lawyers Oath to maintain the dignity of the legal system.

The court said it was disturbed by all 12 posts that had drawn 46 separate complaints, but it based its order on just two, one of which was expressly incendiary and intended to incite intensified racial conflict not only in Respondents Facebook community, but also in the broader community of Charleston and beyond. The posts, littered with f-bombs, mocked George Floyds murder and challenged readers to disprove what apparently was a highly offensive slur on the morality of women with tattoos. (The court quoted the Floyd post but not the tattoo post.)

Its not the First Amendment implications of the case that interest me, although I do realize that a court punishing someone for being an incendiary, foul-mouthed jerk can raise some significant free-speech issues.

In fact, though, there are no First Amendment implications in this particular case, since the court is involved only because it, rather than an administrative board, regulates the practice of law, and because Mr. Traywick entered into a consent agreement with the state Office of Disciplinary Counsel. (Perhaps he did that because he realized he had crossed a line; perhaps it was because he had been serving an interim suspension since June 12, 2020, so the courts retroactive suspension actually ended his suspension.)

What interests me more than legalities is the idea of holding people accountable for the sort of uncivil behavior that has become commonplace on social media and is creeping into face-to-face encounters.

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A certain segment of people who misapply the word "conservative" to themselves have decided that they're making a political statement when they stick up for the cop who murdered George Floyd or say Jamal Sutherland deserved to die or call women sluts when they hold liberal political opinions, and any suggestion that theres anything wrong with their behavior is denounced as cancel culture. Extremists on the left can be just as abusive. How else would you characterize shouting down anyone who thinks theres room to debate, oh, the pros and cons of reparations or dismantling Confederate monuments or whether minors should be allowed to undergo something so life-altering as sex-change operations?

Clearly, people have a legal right to do all that, without fear of being arrested. But the fact that you have a right to do something doesnt mean its the right thing to do. And for the life of me I can't figure out how constant exposure to so much rage for the sake of rage benefits anybody.

How much better would it have been for the suspended cheerleader if her parents had allowed her to learn a valuable lesson about the danger of throwing a temper tantrum on social media rather than filing a lawsuit to protect her right to be so publicly petulant?

Even if we dont like the idea of people being legally barred from practicing their profession, shouldnt they be subject to some sort of professional consequences when they engage in boorish or even incendiary behavior? Wouldnt that tend to reduce the supply of that commodity?

The free market is built on the idea that everybody uses whatever criteria they choose to decide which products and services to purchase and from whom. Were free to frequent this restaurant because we like the food and avoid that one because we dont. Or because we like or dislike the owners politics. Or her incivility. Or her employees incivility.

Likewise, business owners usually get to decide they dont want certain people working for them because those people are incompetent or lazy or tend to be rude to customers  or because they post incendiary comments on social media that could make customers decide not to do business with the company. And they should.

The constant exposure to incendiary and abusive social media postings and, worse, face-to-face rudeness is not doing anybody any good. Just the opposite.

Imagine how much better off we would be if more employers said they didnt want people who act like jerks working for them. If all of us said we didnt want people who act like jerks in our circle of friends. And if we said that even when we agreed with their politics.
Whether you call it bringing home the bacon or pork barrel spending or something we cant print in a family newspaper, funding for unvetted local projects is an inevitable part of writing South Carolinas state budget.

After all, legislators have to get reelected by the people who live in their districts; bringing home funding for civic projects the district wants or for large or beloved community organizations can buy a lot of goodwill among voters.

And budget writers have to get enough votes to pass a budget; directing $152.5 million in an $11 billion budget to projects that individual lawmakers request can seem like a reasonable cost of doing business.

So as usual, the state budget that the Legislature passed last week includes money for small-town theaters and big-city convention centers, for selected individual police and fire departments and for private colleges, churches and well-known and not-so-well-known nonprofits; 226 of them in all.

As usual, some of the earmarks pay for projects it makes sense for state taxpayers to subsidize. Some fund worthy projects that should be paid for by local communities. And some almost certainly go to projects that are wholly undeserving of public funds, that benefit mainly the family, friends and cronies of their legislative patrons.

Whats different this year is that the projects are listed in the budget, so everyone knows where the money is going. A list on the legislative website even identifies the sponsors of most of them.

This marks the first time since Mark Sanford was governor that weve been able to see which special projects were paying for; it's the first time the sponsors of so many earmarks have been publicly identified.

The new transparency comes thanks to a change in Senate rules that grew out of reporting by The Post and Couriers Seanna Adcox and related reporting by Columbias State newspaper, which exposed the ugly details of the allocations for local government and nonprofit projects that most legislators themselves didnt even know about. Until this year, lawmakers approved large pots of money under vague names, such as tourism marketing; legislative staff contacted state agencies after the budget was signed into law to tell them who to cut checks to and which legislators to contact so they could deliver those checks themselves.

There is no way to justify the system lawmakers had used for more than a decade, and so what we have this year is a definite improvement. Maybe a huge improvement. Perhaps even an improvement worth celebrating and praising. So well done, lawmakers.

And in particular well done Sens. Shane Massey, Wes Climer and Dick Harpootlian, whose dogged pursuit of reform made it happen. Well done, too, to House leaders, who didnt have to comply with the Senate rule but nonetheless provided the names of the House sponsors of $92 million worth of earmarks. (In several cases, senators and representatives requested the same earmarks.)

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But its still not enough improvement.

And were not even talking about how earmarks by their very nature have everything to do with politics and nothing to do with merit or value or need. That its merely a happy coincidence when some of them pay for worthwhile projects of statewide value.

Were talking about accountability  or the lack thereof.

As Gov. Henry McMaster said Friday in vetoing the whole lot of them, most of the earmarks still lack sufficient context, description, explanation of merit, or justification as to how the recipient intends to spend the funds.

Some dont necessarily need an explanation. The budget tells us, for example, that the Florence County Sheriffs Office would get $1 million for body cameras, the Newberry County Sheriffs Office would get $225,000 for emergency call equipment, the state Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services $238,000 for renovations to its Lauren County office. Thats all pretty clear.

But what is the Trinity Technology Center, and whats it going to do with its $100,000? Or the Graduation Alliance? Or The Therapy Place? Or Lisa School House Rocks? Or dozens of other private (we hope nonprofit) recipients for which even a location isnt listed, much less an indication of what our tax money is supposed to pay for?

And while state law requires earmark recipients to report how they plan to use the money and then how they actually did, an audit last year found that only a quarter of them complied with those requirements. The Senate added more reporting requirements, but the House refused to accept them, so as Mr. McMaster noted, theres really nothing in state law to ensure the funds are ultimately spent appropriately by the recipient.

Unfortunately, Mr. McMaster didnt clearly have the option of vetoing individual projects  and lawmakers dont have the option of salvaging individual projects. But they do have the option of passing a separate measure this summer that spells out what the organizations are that will receive the money and what they will use it for  and that includes enforceable reporting requirements.

The Legislature should sustain Mr. McMaster's vetoes, and then if lawmakers believe that some of the projects are valuable enough to withstand subjecting the details to public scrutiny, pass them in a stand-alone bill.
I feel a personal connection more than ever to the experience of Juneteenth, a newly created federal holiday to observe the end of slavery.

Through the African Ancestry DNA test, I discovered my maternal connection to Cameroon. I am a descendant of the Bamileke people.

Through research, I understand the geography, agriculture, art, religion, education and infrastructure of Cameroon, providing a richness to my African roots.

Specifically, what does Juneteenth mean to me? Wholeness, freedom, wellness.

I am more than my chocolate skin. I am a descendant of an African mother who persevered through enslavement and the evils of captivity.

I am a descendant of her lineage that never ceased to carry God in their hearts, using their anointed hands to not only cultivate crops but to make a way out of no way.

I am a descendant of a mother who lived the realities of pickin greens, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, tobacco and cotton and handlin hogs, chicken and more.

She, through the strength of her mother, prevailed to become more than a black farmhand.

My mother received her education and helped cultivate my educational experiences, creating the person I am today.

When attending Gullah/Geeche professional development opportunities in Charleston County, I was fascinated by the cultural similarities and was propelled to find myself.

Here I am, a proud African American who truly feels a connection to freedom in more ways than I can fully fathom

Juneteenth is more than a new notch on the national calendar.

Take this time to become enriched in the glory of the African American spirit and the importance of freedom.

SHARESE PEARSON-BUSH

Deerpath Trail

Summerville

Virus choice is yours

There are several ways to get antibodies to gain immunity from the COVID-19 virus.

There is the Pfizer vaccine, the Moderna vaccine or the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

These three are free and widely available. More than 320 million doses have been given in the United States so recipients can develop antibodies to fight off these viral infections.

Or, perhaps you have chosen the fourth way to gain these antibodies: Not getting vaccinated and eventually becoming infected by the live virus.

You might be sick for a few days, even hospitalized for days, weeks or months, and, yes, maybe even die.

But you will have the antibodies because, eventually, we all will likely have them from either a vaccine or an infection.

Its your choice to take your chance catching COVID, especially with the far more infectious variants that are putting more people in the hospital.

If unvaccinated, you also may be a carrier and infecting other people, including your friends and family.

Most of the people now being hospitalized have not been vaccinated.

You can change your choice and do it the way so many already have to protect you. But the unvaccinated still spread it, perhaps eventually to you.

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If you do nothing, you are risking your health. And that is your choice.

ROGER HART

Riverwood Drive

Mount Pleasant

Greenway hazards

I have been riding my bike on the West Ashley Greenway for several years.

Recently I had an accident when my handlebar hit one of the posts that are designed to keep cars from driving on the greenway.

Fortunately, I wasnt seriously injured, although I did suffer some scrapes and bruises.

I know other people who have had accidents of this sort. I dont understand why the posts need to be so tall and close together.

If the posts were below handlebar height, they would still provide a barrier but not be such a hazard to cyclists.

PRISCILLA ADAMS

Coburg Road

Charleston

Okra and peanuts

I grew up in West Ashley in the 1970s and 80s.

My folks were from Missouri but they were transferred by the Navy to Charleston in the late 1960s. They fell in love with the area and planted roots.

Mom lost her long battle with multiple sclerosis in 2013.

When my wife and I recently visited my aunt and uncle on their farm in Missouri, we reminisced and looked at old family photos. There were shots of us sailing our Catalina 22 in area regattas and eating at neighborhood oyster roasts.

My aunt said my momma wrote a letter to the news-paper about her disdain for slimy okra. I was shocked because I never knew this.

I joined the Coast Guard in 1990 and was stationed on the Gulf Coast of Alabama in 2001. That is where I fell in love with Cajun food, especially gumbo, fried okra with Tabasco sauce and fried oyster poboys.

My daughter loves to eat hot boiled okra. We search for green peanuts when they are in season so we can boil them. Most stores in Alabama sell canned boiled peanuts.

No self-respecting Charlestonian should ever lower themselves to canned boiled peanuts.

Can I get an amen?

JASON BAKER

Gordy Road

Tibbie, Alabama
COLUMBIA  Influential industry groups in South Carolina are gearing up for a lobbying push to change a state law they say unfairly leaves businesses on the hook for extensive financial damages in lawsuits when they are only partially responsible.

But some top lawmakers and plaintiffs attorneys are prepared to vigorously oppose that effort, saying the measure is unnecessary, would only benefit a small handful of wealthy elites and was already dealt with in a legislative compromise 16 years ago.

A far cry from the culture war debates that tend to dominate headlines out of the Statehouse, the issue known as tort reform may not generate much interest from the general public. In the words of one industry executive, it's "very complex"  or, in the words of one trial lawyer, it's "just not sexy."

Still, the fight promises to pit two of the state's most powerful and well-funded interest groups against each other with significant judicial ramifications at stake, becoming the latest battle in a long-running legislative war between big business and trial lawyers.

The debate centers around legislation proposed by state Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, who casts it as an attempt to fix a hole that was left in a sweeping 2005 compromise bill.

That agreement limited the instances in which one party in a multi-defendant civil lawsuit would be forced to pay the entire verdict amount, a concept known as "joint and several liability."

In 2017, the S.C. Supreme Court ruled that a strict interpretation of the 2005 law meant only defendants specifically named in lawsuits could be included among those who would need to pay damages, so the apportionment of fault could not include people who had already settled with the plaintiff or who were never named as defendants.

Massey's bill would alter that language to let juries consider all the people or entities who might have contributed to the injury when deciding what portion of the damages they each need to pay.

"What I've tried to do with this legislation is ensure that there is a fair division of fault among the people who caused the injury," Massey said. "Not compensating the injured party would not be fair, but requiring someone who's 10 percent at fault to pay the whole thing is not fair either."

Critics of the legislation say that change would risk creating a scenario in which injured people never receive their full payment. If one potential defendant is a cash-strapped child and another is a profitable corporation, for example, they argue it makes sense to target the company with more resources.

"The Legislature and our Supreme Court has recognized that there is a valid public policy interest in seeing to it that injured people are made whole," said Richards McCrae, the president of the S.C. Association of Justice. "Where there are defendants who are capable of paying out verdicts, the law should see to it that they are made to pay."

Opposition to Massey's proposal is only partly about the bill's current form, however. The more pressing concern, some legislators and lawyers say, is what they suspect is the underlying goal to protect businesses that sell alcohol  and one business in particular.

Under the 2005 law, most defendants can only be held liable for an entire verdict if they are at least 50 percent responsible. But the Legislature excluded alcohol sellers from that agreement, so they can be forced to shell out even if the jury determines that the alcohol sale was only a minor contributor to the injury.

That provision has come into play in a high-profile lawsuit surrounding a 2019 Beaufort County boat crash, which led to the death of 19-year-old passenger Mallory Beach.

The lawsuit alleges that Georgia-based Parkers Kitchen, which operates 28 convenience stores in South Carolina, bears liability for the death because the boat's driver, then-19-year-old Paul Murdaugh, illegally bought alcohol at one of their Ridgeland locations by using his older brother's ID.

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Murdaugh recently died in what law enforcement agencies are investigating as a double homicide.

Representatives from an array of top business groups convened a "Tort Reform Summit" in Columbia on June 22 to strategize their efforts. A reporter was barred from attending the private event, as was state Sen. Dick Harpootlian, D-Columbia, who opposes Massey's bill and was told the meeting was invitation-only.

But according to an agenda obtained by The Post and Courier, one of the speakers at that meeting was Greg Parker, the founder and CEO of Parker's Kitchen. And the summit was held at the office of Parker's lobbyist.

Parker declined to comment for this story. But he told The Post and Courier in May he is considering pulling his company out of South Carolina because the liability law has raised their insurance costs.

Mark Tinsley, the attorney representing Beach's family in the lawsuit against Parker's Kitchen, said changing the rules to ease Parker's legal troubles would undermine the ability for innocent victims to get justice.

"If you're about protecting the people of South Carolina, you leave this law in place," Tinsley said. "If you're about making sure that Greg Parker can become a billionaire, then you would want to get rid of it."

While Massey said ending the alcohol exception was not the primary motivation for him to file his bill, he said he expects "there will be attempts to reexamine that as well."

The bill, which has already been introduced multiple times but never come up for consideration, may continue to struggle to gain traction due to opposition from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Luke Rankin, R-Conway, who has substantial control over the panel's agenda.

Rankin said the state has a "wonderful business climate" and sees little need to make the judicial framework friendlier to corporations. Making it easier to rope non-parties into lawsuits, he added, is "not about accountability, it's about deflection."

"Things can change, but I've not heard calls for this from the folks at home and I've not heard it from folks across the state," Rankin said. "Is this about accountability, is this about justice, or is this just a flex of political muscle to advance a cause that may not meet the light of day in terms of its merits?"

S.C. Manufacturers Alliance CEO Sara Hazzard, one of the attendees at the June 22 summit, countered that the state still has work to do to keep up with its neighbors.

"As states around us that we compete with every day are improving their environments to be more and more business-friendly and more competitive, we've got to constantly be reviewing where we are as a state," Hazzard said.

Senate Minority Leader Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, said lawmakers have far more pressing problems to spend their time solving as the state recovers from the coronavirus pandemic, saying the tort reform issue is "pretty esoteric and only benefits a few people."

"There's no doubt that we're one of the most business-friendly states in the country and so any notion that we need to do this to attract more businesses is ludicrous," said Hutto, who is also a trial lawyer. "We had this discussion more than a decade ago and resolved this issue. I just do not to see us revisiting it."
OMBRE GA'CHONG

As we celebrate the birth of our nation today, the United States of America, it is a good time to take pause and look how far we have come, wh Read more
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The umbrella body of Yoruba actors and filmmakers, TAMPAN, has dissociated itself from a recent statement made by one of its members Deji Aderemi aka Olofa Ina, regarding Baba Ijeshas alleged rape case.

PREMIUM TIMES previously reported how Olofa Ina accused his colleague Iyabo Ojo and comedienne Princess of pranking and setting Omiyinka Olanrewaju ( Baba Ijesha) up.

He also said Ms Ojo disrespected him by failing to heed his advice and added that sexual relationships among actors are nothing new in the industry.

The 71-year old actor said this after Baba Ijesha was granted bail by the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja on Thursday.

The 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, said this while addressing journalists after his colleague was granted bail.

He has since apologised.

TAMPAN

TAMPAN made its stance known at a press briefing held on Saturday in Lagos.

The associations secretary, Jide Kosoko, condemned the immoral perception of the Yoruba movie industry and actors as portrayed by Olofa Ina.

The association also expressed their belief in law taking its due process. .

Mr Kosoko said, We do not support any form of criminal behaviour in whatever unit. We stayed away from commenting on the Baba Ijesha saga because we believe in the rule of law, due process and ability of the court to decide cases without being swayed by emotions.

The views presented by one of us is in no way representative of the associations stand as he spoke in his personal capacity and not on behalf of TAMPAN. The association does not condone immorality.

If two consenting adults decide to have this in common, it does not mean that it is the standard practice of the association

Also in attendance were the associations chairman, Adebayo Salami; the President, Bolaji Amusan; Lagos chapters governor, Yinka Quadri and other elders of the association.

Warning

The association called on all members of the industry to desist from using social media to voice out their grievances against each other as the association has mechanisms for dispute settlement among actors.

Kosoko said, Individual characters should not be the parameter to measure the association. The association can only lay down rules as to how members can comport themselves. If such rules are disregarded, necessary punitive measures will be taken.

Backstory

Baba Ijesha was accused by a Nigerian comedienne, Princess, of raping a minor (when she was 7-year-old) who was kept in her care.

The 48-year old comedian-actor was arraigned before the Special Offences Court in Lagos on charges of sexual assault, indecent treatment of a child, and sexual assault by penetration.

He 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.

Oluwatoyin Taiwo, the judge, has granted the defendant, Mr Omiyinka, bail in the sum of N2 million.

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She said bail is a constitutional right and not a discretionary right.

She added that one of Baba Ijeshas sureties, who must be a 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.

The trial was adjourned to July 27.
The embattled Yoruba comic actor, Olanrewaju Omiyinka better known as Baba Ijesha, has undergone an emergency medical evaluation at an undisclosed hospital in Lagos.

His colleague and close friend, Yomi Fabiyi, made this public when he shared two short clips on Instagram on Sunday.

Mr Fabiyi captioned the video, Everyone has a right to life and prayed for the  healing hand of God on his colleague.

In the video, Baba Ijesha who was shirtless could be seen being examined by a man believed to be a doctor.

It isnt clear if he has perfected his bail conditions as his lawyers and Fabiyi refused to share details when PREMIUM TIMES contacted them on Sunday.

He is going for some test and that will determine other things, Fabiyi said.

Ordeal

In the second video posted by Fabiyi, the comic actor could also be heard making some health complaints to a medical practitioner.

He complained of pains owing to alleged jungle justice meted out on him by Nigerian comedienne, Princess, after he was allegedly caught in the act.

The actor is being accused of a raping a minor (when she was 7-year-old) who was kept in her care.

He 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.

He said he stooled and coughed blood for five days while he was in detention.

They used boot to hit me here (he pointed to his stomach area) then here particularly (pointed to his head) they hit me several times and it is always aching me like, I wont be able to control myself, it will just come like a sharp pain, and draw my eyes, he said.

I feel weak everytime. Five days after I arrived the cell, I became very sick.I was rushed to a hospital, he said.

Background

Back in May, Baba Ijeshas ex-lawyer, Adesina Ogunlana, raised an alarm over his then clients deteriorating health condition.

He said the actor was traumatised and walked with difficulties in police detention.

Mr Ogunlana, a former chair of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja branch, said this in a letter addressed to the Lagos Commissioner of Police seeking Baba Ijeshas bail on May 16.

His letter partly read, As of today when I met with Omiyinka in the company of his thespian colleague and ready surety, Mr Yomi Fabiyi, he appeared traumatised, emaciated, and walked with a limp in his right leg. May I assure you, sir, that Mr Omiyinka is not a flight risk and he is prepared to face trial.

In the letter, the lawyer lamented Baba Ijeshas continuous detention at the SCID Panti Yaba facility for almost a month, saying it is in gross breach of his fundamental human rights as cognisable under the 1999 constitution.

Allegations

Narrating how Baba Ijesha was caught in the act, Princess said she had a very cordial relationship with him and always came to his aid on several occasions.

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He was also a regular visitor at her Lagos home. They also starred in some movie productions together.

She said it was during one of his visits that he molested one of three girls living with her.

After seven years, the girl opened up to Princess and her friend.

She said she wanted to catch him red-handed and had to call him for a meeting in her house where she set up a CCTV camera, and he was captured trying to molest the girl again.

Baba Ijesha said he was beaten after he was allegedly caught in the act. According to him, the beatings and ill treatment affected his health so much that hes always in pain.

Baba Ijesha, who opted for a quiet wedding in 2012 , was arrested and detained on April 22 for alleged sexual assault.

The actor has since parted ways with his wife.

The actor was arraigned before the Special Offences Court in Lagos on charges of sexual assault, indecent treatment of a child, and sexual assault by penetration.

Oluwatoyin Taiwo, the judge, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N2 million.

She said granting him bail is to release him from the custody of the law and entrust him to appear for trial when required to.

He earned the moniker, Baba Ijesha, due to his ability to mimic in Ijesha dialect an old unintelligent man in movies.

He shot into limelight after starring in Omo Orita which was written and produced by Saheed Balogun.
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Nigeria on Saturday recorded 35 new cases of coronavirus disease, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has said.

In an update on its Facebook page Sunday morning, NCDC said the new cases, which were recorded in four states, raised the total infection in the country to 167,465.

Lagos leads Fridays infection tally with 30 cases.

The commercial city of roughly 20 million people has recorded over 60,000 cases and more than 450 deaths.

According to the NCDC update, nobody died from the disease in the last 24 hours. One death was recorded a day earlier dragging the fatality toll in the country to 2,119 in total.

Specifics

Aside Lagos, the three other states that contributed to the 35 new cases on Saturday are Kwara with three cases while Gombe and Kano reported one each.

A breakdown of the NCDC data shows that nine persons were discharged on Saturday after testing negative for the virus. This brings the total number of discharged persons after treatment to 163,946.

Meanwhile, about 1,400 infections are still active in the country.

The NCDC, in the update, said Nigeria has tested 2,231,409 samples since the pandemic spread to the country in 2020.
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Despite repeated denials that he was not planning to join the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, has now joined Nigerias ruling party, an aide to President Muhammadu Buhari has suggested.

In a cryptic post shared on his verified Facebook account on Sunday morning, the presidents Personal Assistant on Digital and New Media, Bashir Ahmad, suggested that Mr Matawalle has left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC.

So Zamfara is back home! Welcome Matawalle, Mr Ahmad wrote.

Mr Matawalle was elected on the platform of the PDP after the Supreme Court nullified the victory of the APC in the 2019 elections in the state due to an internal party crisis. Before then, Zamfara was an APC state with the governor and majority of the federal and state lawmakers from the ruling party.

Prior to Mr Ahmads announcement, PREMIUM TIMES reported the dissolution of the Zamfara State Executive Council by the governor, a move a source close to the governor confirmed was in preparation to join the APC on June 12.

The source said Mr Matawalle dissolved his cabinet due to the reluctance of some members to defect with him to the ruling party. After that report, Mr Matawalle denied plans to join the APC.

The governor said that he sacked his cabinet members in a bid to reinvigorate his government for the second half of his tenure. He said he has not decided on defecting nor fixed a date for such.

On Sunday, state officials close to Mr Matawalle confirmed again to PREMIUM TIMES that the governor was set to join the APC. Some of them said they had already been told to start ditching the PDP flag in preparation for the official defection.

However, Mr Matawalles spokesperson, Yusuf Idris, told PREMIUM TIMES early Sunday morning that Mr Ahmads post should be ignored. The governor has not decamped, the spokesperson told this newspaper, declining to speak on whether or not there were plans to decamp/

A Gale of Defections

When Mr Matawalles defection is made official, the Zamfara governor would be the second governor from the PDP to join the APC in less than two months and the third in the last seven months.

The Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade, formally defected to the ruling APC in May after months of speculation.

His defection came six months after the exit of his Ebonyi State counterpart, David Umahi, who also joined the ruling party in November 2020.
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Aggrieved members of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in Jigawa State are currently holding electoral officials hostage for not declaring election results presumably won by the partys candidate in a unit in Birnin Kudu Local Government Area.

The states electoral commission conducted the local government elections across the 27 local government areas of the state on Saturday.

The hostage situation is taking place at the polling unit of a former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, in Chiyako ward in Birnin Kudu Local Government Area. The returning officer in the polling unit reportedly fled without declaring the PDP candidate winner despite that the counting of votes had been done.

The PDP chairman in the state, Babandi Ibrahim, told reporters on Sunday that the sudden disappearance of the returning officer prompted the aggrieved voters to hold the election officials hostage. The officials passed the night in a room in a primary school where they had been held hostage since Saturday afternoon.

Mr Ibrahim insisted that the returning officer must return to the polling unit and declare the election results as prescribed by the electoral law.

The protesters locked up all the electoral officials including Ramlah Isah, the daughter of the former All Progressive Congress (APC) chairman in Birnin Kudu, Yusuf Isah.

Mr Isah is also currently the outgoing vice chairman for Birnin Kudu Local Government Area.

A PREMIUM TIMES reporter who visited the polling unit Sunday morning saw dozens of protesters with weapons such as stones and knives. They vowed that the people held hostage would not be released until there was a formal declaration of the result in the unit, believed to have been won by the PDP.

The area was still tense at 10:00 a.m. with some journalists escaping mob action after they were mistaken for government officials. Some police officers and members of the vigilante group were seen in the area, although the protesters effectively controlled the movement of persons.

At the time of this report at about 10:00 a.m., the election officials were still held hostage. However, they were provided with breakfast and polythene bags to urinate and defecate.

The states electoral commission is yet to officially announce the outcome of Saturdays election marred by pockets of violence in Hadejia, Auyo and Malammadori local government areas.

In the election, the PDP contested in only six out of 27 local government areas. The state is currently being governed by the APC. Local government elections are usually not transparent with the ruling party in each state winning overwhelmingly.
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Representatives of President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday sought the consent of the family of the Emir of Bichi, Nasiru Ado Bayero, for their daughter to marry a son of President Buhari, Yusuf.

BBC Hausa service reports that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, led the representatives of the groom, which consist of governors of Kebbi, Jigawa and Borno States, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Badaru Abubakar and Babagana Zulum respectively.

Other members of the delegation include a former governor of Zamfara state, Abdulaziz Yari, and Kano state deputy governor, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna.

The delegation had on behalf of Yusuf Buhari sought the hand of Zahra Nasir Ado Bayero from the Emir of Kano, who is the elder brother of the Emir of Bichi.

The delegation had also paid homage to the Bichi emir and in-law to be of President Muhammad Buhari.
President Muhammadu Buhari has responded to a fresh threat by a militant group, Niger Delta Avengers, to cause instability in Nigerias Niger Delta region.

The group in a recent statement attributed to it said it was planning to sabotage Nigerias economy by attacking oil installations in the region.

The group also threatened to attack politicians collaborating with the Nigerian government to undermine the interest of the region.

But Mr Buhari on Sunday described the groups statement as curious.

It is curious that the threat was coming less than 48 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari met with the leadership of the Niger Delta and Ijaw National Congress (INC), at the Presidential Villa, and the germane issues had been responded to, especially call for restructuring of the Federation, and the inauguration of a Board for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), a presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina said in a statement.

The statement contained Mr Buharis remarks during his meeting on Friday with the leadership of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) who visited him at the Presidential Villa. The remarks could be seen also as the presidents response to the latest threat by the Niger Delta Avengers, apparently.

Mr Buhari, who expressed concern about the environmental pollution in the Niger Delta, said he had directed the Minister of Environment to ensure that the ongoing cleanup of Ogoniland is implemented with a high percentage of local content and inclusion of the surrounding communities.

He said relevant government agencies were working to reduce oil spills in the region.

President Buhari also talked about a request for the creation of additional states and more local government areas for the Ijaw people, as well as the call for the restructuring of the Nigerian federation.

In addressing your call for immediate restructuring, the National Assembly whose responsibility it is to ensure that our constitution responds to the call for a restructured Nigeria, has already concluded regional consultations and as soon as they finalise the process, necessary action would not be delayed on my part.

In the same vein, your call for creation of two additional states and more local government areas for the Ijaw people is a legislative matter, which should naturally be handled by the National Assembly and seeking concurrence at the state levels, the president said.

He said he agreed with the call for the allocation of operational licenses for marginal fields to Ijaw people, but that it would have to follow laid down rules and regulations. I see no reason why they should not be granted such licenses if they qualify, he added.

Mr Buhari also said the completion of the East-West Road, which is meant to link together the states in the Niger Delta region, was top on his administrations agenda.

On the issue of fair and balanced appointments to reflect federal character principles, I re-affirm that this has always been my focus and would continue to be because I have always seen Nigeria as a country where everyone should be given equal opportunities.

A contentious issue that has been a subject of discourse amongst the Ijaw people of recent has been the need for the Niger Delta Development Commission to live up to its billing by delivering the required succour to the people of the region. Based on the mismanagement that had previously be-devilled the NDDC, a forensic audit was set up and the result is expected by the end of July, 2021.

I want to assure you that as soon as the forensic audit report is submitted and accepted, the NDDC Board would be inaugurated.

I am particularly happy to note your call for promoting ownership of modular refineries by the Ijaw people and I will urge you to interphase with your sons who are involved in the processes of establishing these refineries, especially the Honourable Minister of State Petroleum Resources to actualize this quest, the president said.

The presidential spokesperson, Mr Adesina, said Mr Buharis comment renders any sabre-rattling rather unnecessary.

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As part of the activities to mark his 59th birthday, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Friday, enrolled 38 children of Persons Living With Disabilities (PLWDs) in school in Abuja.

The beneficiaries have all been supplied school uniforms, sandals and bags.

This was contained in a statement by the media aide to the Speaker, Lanre Lasisi.

The speaker also sponsored the GCE/WAEC fees of Husefah Mohammed Kabir and made a cash donation to the Blind Association in the area.

Furthermore, Mr Gbajabiamila made a cash donation to the Association of Physically Challenged Persons in the FCT.

Sanusi Rikiji, the Chief of Staff to the Speaker, supervised the enrolment at L.E.A. Nursery and Primary School, Anguwan Guragu, Karmajiji, Abuja.

Mr Gbajabiamila sponsored the physically challenged empowerment bill and in 2019, employed a physically challenged man, Abdulsalam Kamaldeen as his Special Assistant on Needs and Equal opportunities.

Speaking at the event, Mr Rikiji, said the gesture was in keeping with his concern for the PLWDs and the promise he made to improve on their welfare.

I urge the beneficiaries of the scholarship and their parents to continue to pray for our speaker. You have promised that you will dedicate some hours every Friday to pray for him.

I urge you not to relent. Continue in this path that you have chosen and God will reward all of us abundantly; he said.

The women leader in the community, Rahina Haruna, commended the Speaker and prayed for him to live long.

It has been a long time that the speaker has helped us, especially in the past three years. May God help him to progress more. May God supports him, she added.

Elela Maryam, the headmistress of the school, urged the speaker to help in providing basic amenities for the school.

In addition to the 38 children enrolled in school, Mr Gbajabiamila offered a bursary award to Hauwa Adamu, a visually impaired student of the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo.
The federal government says it has facilitated the use of a tracking device to track every truck loading petroleum product from any of its depots as part of efforts to nip smuggling in the bud and arrest culprits.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, said this at a forum organised by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to gauge the achievements recorded in the oil and gas sector in the last two years.

Mr Sylva noted that a lot had been achieved in the industry but that the activities of smugglers had continued to overshadow the successes especially as it concerned fuel subsidy and the quantity of petroleum products consumed in the country.

This is one big question that we try to answer ourselves because when we look at the number of load-outs from our depots every day, we know that we dont have that level of consumption of petroleum products in Nigeria, he said.

According to Sylva, time has come for the government to track products that go out from its depots to ensure they deliver straight to designated filling stations in the country.

He said the era of smuggling products across the countrys borders was over as it negatively contributed to the high number of litres of petroleum products said to be consumed in the country on a daily basis.

We have been able to put a tracking system to track the trucks that load from the depots, so that we are sure that when they load products from the depots, they take it straight to the filling stations.

When you say that Nigerians are consuming 60 million litres, and you look at the number of cars on the Nigerian roads, you will know that those 60 million litres cannot be possibly consumed in Nigeria.

But we have a situation where our price for products here are cheaper than the price across the border; sometimes the price across the border is double or even more than double our own price here.

So, its an opportunity for profit, and some people will want to take our product and sell it across the border to make extra money.

That is what has been happening and its really distorting our own system here because if you say you are going to be subsidising the product, the subsidy is meant to be subsidising for Nigerians, not those outside Nigeria.

But the way it is now, we seem to be subsidising the whole of Africa, and how can we sustain such a move; that is why the subsidy amount is going up every day, Mr Sylva said.

He also said that security agents, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) would swing into action to ensure the smugglers were apprehended and brought to justice.

We know that our consumption data is inflated, not by us but because of the leakages which we are trying to control.

If you have a structure as it is today, and the incentive the smugglers get is too high, it makes them not to stop unless the government is ruthless, and that is why we are involving security agencies.

This month maybe they will smuggle to Niger Republic and next month somebody will discover a route to Chad and another person is smuggling to Cameroon and Benin Republic, while some could go as far as Togo or Ghana.

And this is why our perceived consumption figure is going up every day and if we continue to do that and keep our petrol price low, it will be difficult for us to progress.

In some communities, we have a situation where someones farmland is in Cameroon and their home is in Nigeria, so how do you stop that person from not crossing the border, Mr Sylva added.

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The petroleum minister further said that apart from tracking device systems, other technological solutions would be applied to get the problem solved in the shortest time possible.

(NAN)
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The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) says it has the power to prosecute for noise pollution, churches and mosques that use loud speakers without control while worshipping.

Aliyu Jauro, the director-general of NESREA, made this known while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

According to Mr Jauro, noise is one of the serious environmental pollutants, adding that a noisy place affects plants, animals and humans.

Once they are subjected to the noise, it leads to a lot of health problems ranging from hypertension and other diseases. So, as an agency, we have a specific regulation on noise control.

What we do as an agency is that we go out to ensure compliance. There is a lot of activities people engage that affect the environment and individuals. We receive complaints from a lot of people.

For instance, places like churches, mosques, even industries are causing a lot of noise which we receive complaints from people, so we do visit such areas, sensitising them about the problem people are facing.

We also advise them on how they can go about their activities without polluting the environment by the noise. We carry out enforcement when the need arises, he said.

Mr Jauro also called for effective sensitisation by relevant environmental stakeholders to curb environmental pollution in Nigeria.

He said that the sensitisation would help the public to understand the havoc pollution was causing both to humans, animals, plants, as well as the environment.

Sensitisation is the key, people dont even know the impact of this noise pollution so we always try to sensitise the public.

There is need to sensitise and educate the public on environmental issues so that everybody will key-in to support NESREA so that we will have a cleaner and healthier environment, Jauro said.

He also called on Nigerians to ensure they complied with environmental rules and regulations, adding that there should be a noise limit in worship centres, industries, and social gatherings, among others.

Mr Jauro said the agency had the mandate and power to prosecute any organisation or individual who refuses to abide by environmental rules and regulations.

All these provisions are there in our regulations, there is a provision for fine first, when we receive a complaint we go there and look at the complaint.

Then, we go back and serve another compliance notice. We will do that about two times, the third one, we can take either the facility or individual to the court of law.

But most of the time, we try to see that we resolve the matter amicably with those responsible.

We do make sure we resolve those disputes, but if they persist, yes, we can sanction the offenders, and also take them to court of law and some of them can be judged, he said.

(NAN)
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The African Development Bank (AfDB) plans to spend an additional two billion dollars on infrastructure targeted at promoting the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The President of the AfDB, Akinwumi Adesina, said this in a virtual media briefing at the end of its 2021 Annual Meetings of the bank on Friday.

Mr Adesina said the infrastructure development plan would be executed over the next two years, adding that the AfCFTA initiative has enormous potential to develop economies across Africa.

For the potential to be realised fully, it is very important for the private sector to play a big role and the AfDB is supporting the AfCFTA to do that, he said.

You cannot trade if there is no infrastructure to trade; roads, rails, ports, highways. Those are the things the AfDB has been doing. We did not wait for the AfCFTA.

The work of the bank is at the core of driving regional integration for Africa. In the next two years we expect to spend an additional two billion dollars on AfCFTA related infrastructure to further deepen regional integration.

Mr Adesina explained further that the AfDB was driving its industrialisation strategy to support value chains and help Africa build its manufacturing capacity.

Mr Adesina, who served as Nigerias minister of agriculture between 2011 and 2015, added that the AfDB is investing in the pharmaceutical industry and the work on textile and garments supported by its private sector group.

We are supporting the development of the special agro industrial processing zones that will allow African countries industrialise their agriculture and add value to every product they produce, he said.

Regional value chains that are well supported with infrastructure and will allow Africa unlock its capacity in all of those areas.

AfCFTA is a trade agreement aimed at creating a single market for the movement of capital, goods, people and investments in order to deepen economic integration across Africa.
The Federal Government says it is targeting Trans-Saharan and European markets with the ongoing construction of the Ajaokuta, Kaduna, Kano Gas Pipeline, popularly known as AKK Gas Pipeline.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, told a forum of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the gas pipeline would be one of the legacy projects of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

The plan is if we can get it to Kano, then it can continue all the way to Algeria at the Trans-Saharan gas pipeline and then link up with the Algerian pipeline and then we move it to Europe.

So, our gas can move all the way from the South to the European market. So, it is a very important piece of infrastructure and the president is very committed to it and it is very much on track.

Mr Sylva said that when completed, the gas pipeline would also serve as a development backbone along the Southern-Northern corridors of the country.

AKK gas pipeline is good for producers and the market because we have a lot of situations where gas is capped in the South and not produced because there is no market.

But what we want to do now is to bring the gas across Nigeria, so that when you are now moving gas from South to North, all the people along that corridor can key into that pipeline.

What that means is that people will have access to gas anywhere in Nigeria. It will also enable Nigerians to invest in a gas-based industry anywhere in Nigeria.

This is also good for the producer because he now has incentives to produce more. Before now, the gas in the South was capped but with this backbone, anybody can produce and link up with the AKK pipeline, Mr Sylva said.

According to him, the construction of the AKK Gas Pipeline will eliminate gas flaring completely in the country as it will absorb the remaining eight per cent currently being flared.

Today as we speak on gas flaring, it is so much exaggerated. Gas flaring has been reduced to about eight per cent. We have taken down about 92 per cent of flares.

Gas flaring is no longer the major problem of our communities today. There has been a lot of monetisation on gas.

All the gas that was going into NLNG was previously flared, all the gas going into the power plants was previously flared, and there is a lot of gas also being re-injected into the ground so that we dont flare it.

We also use some of the gas to spike the crude oil, so we have found a lot of use for gas which brought flaring down by eight per cent, but people still exaggerate it.

Before now in my own community, I saw the flares in the horizon when I stood by the Atlantic, but today its no more.

Mr Sylva urged communities in the Niger Delta to tap into various opportunities created by the federal governments gas utilisation projects and stop complaining about the dangers of gas flaring which had almost been eliminated.

Gas flaring is no longer a problem in the Niger Delta, eight per cent of gas being flared cannot be the problem.

If I dont know what to do with my gas that is when I flare, but if I can monetise my gas, why should I burn it when I can make money out of it.

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In fact, it is in my interest not to burn my gas because it now has value. The problem with gas before was that it has no value because nobody was buying it.

But now, if I can monetise it, I will be guarding it so that I can get some benefits from it, Mr Sylva added.

(NAN)
The suspended aide of Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Abidemi Rufai, who is facing $350,000 fraud charges in the United States, has denied authorities fresh allegation of his involvement in a fraudulent surety scheme.

PREMIUM TIMES reported on Saturday how the United States Department of Justice accused Mr Rufai of knowingly participating in a fraudulent surety scheme therefore misleading the court in his desperate bid to get a surety for the bail earlier granted him by a magistrates court.

Acting U.S. Attorney, Tessa Gorma, in documents filed at a United States Courthouse, in Tacoma, Washington, on June 23, alleged that Mr Rufai misled the court by presenting before the court a surety he barely knew as his friend.

The government said it got a transcript of a recorded call between Mr Rufai and his brother, discussing the issue on May 25, four days after a hearing on his detention.

Denial

Responding to the claims, Mr Rufai, through his lawyer, Michael Barrows, said the government failed to establish the allegations against his client.

Mr Barrows said a review of the governments most recent memorandum, purporting to depict Mr Rufais informal and innocuous conversation with his brother  where they each refer to the surety as lady  as evidence of a fraudulent surety scheme is both self-serving and unsupported by the transcripts themselves.

The lawyer argued that nothing in the transcript of the conversation referred to by the U.S. authorities indicates that the defendant was unfamiliar with his surety.

He described the governments claim as a pure fiction indicative of its desperation to keep Mr Rufai in detention at all cost.

The governments position that Mr. Rufai did not even know his surety and did not know basic biographical information about her is an absolute fabrication and cannot be found anywhere in the transcript of conversation between Mr Rufai and his brother.

This is pure fiction, and is a further indication that the government will say anything, supportable or not, in an effort to keep Mr Rufai incarcerated pending his trial so as to exert maximum pressure, the lawyer stated.

Mr Barrows added tthat the governments intentional mischaracterisations of both Mr Rufais conversation with his brother, and the nature of his relationship with the proffered surety, demonstrates the underlying weakness of the governments position vis-a-vis their request for review of the Eastern Districts decision to grant Mr Rufais pre-trial release.

He added, The governments further claim that Mr Rufais statement to his brother that the money is available somehow indicates that Mr Rufai has significant assets which he is willing to use however he can to secure his own release is equally unsupported by the record, yet offered as fact.

In actuality, Mr Rufais statement that money is available is indicative of the fact that he has the support of caring friends and family that he can call upon should this Court require a bond, Mr Barrows said in court documents on June 24, in response to U.S. government surety scheme allegations against Mr Rufai.

Genesis

Mr Rufai was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York while heading to Nigeria on May 14.

He was said to have used the identities of more than 100 Washington residents to steal more than $350,000 in unemployment benefits from the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) during the COVID-19 pandemic last year.

At the end of a detention hearing held on May 19, 2021, the Magistrate of the District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Ramon Reyes, agreed with the government that Mr Rufai posed a serious flight risk, but found that the risk could be addressed by conditions of release, including a $300,000 bond.

The magistrate went on to issue an order releasing Mr Rufai based on the bond in which Mr Rufais brother, who is licensed as an attorney in New York, was proposed as surety.

Knots

Mr Rufai was not released because his brother did not sign the bail bond. The suspect was then remanded pending when he would provide an alternate surety.

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Following the refusal of Mr Rufais brother to stand as a surety, the defendants lawyer, Michael Barrows, on May 21, presented Nekpen Soyemi, a registered nurse, whose family comes from Nigeria.

The U.S. later exposed her as a suspect in an investigation into an email impersonation scheme. Her husband, Idris Soyemi, is also said to have been convicted for wire fraud in 2014.

Now, U.S. findings have further shown that Mr Rufai planted the surety and they never knew each other before now. He has denied this.

The U.S. government on May 24 filed an emergency motion of stay release order before the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington at Tacoma. The court granted the governments motion as the U.S. uncovered more criminal activities involving the suspect.

A federal grand jury in late May ratified the charges involving conspiracy, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft against Mr Rufai.

He was subsequently arraigned on fraud charges before a United States Courthouse, in Tacoma, Washington.
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The Governor of Jigawa State, Muhammad Badaru, on Sunday, directed the states electoral commission to declare the results of Saturdays council elections held in the 27 local government areas of the state.

The governors directive came amidst allegations of manipulation of the polls in favour of the the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

PREMIUM TIMES reported how some members of the People Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday took to the streets in protest against the alleged fraud.

The protest was recorded in Malammadori Local Government Area of the state

Violence broke out in Dunari ward in Malammadori town after some aggrieved PDP members alleged that the votes were being manipulated by electoral officials in favour of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).

The party members burnt used tyres on the highway as they castigated the electoral officials.

On Sunday, Mr Badarus media aide, Habibu Kila, in a statement, said the governor was satisfied with the outcome of the elections and directed that the winners should be declared.

The conduct of local government council elections in the state. The Governor says the way and manner in which people in the state conducted themselves during the election is commendable and results should be declared to anybody who wins, Mr Kila said in the statement.

Governor Badaru enjoined the people of the state to always pray for peace to reign, the official added.

Earlier, an opposition leader in the state, Umar Danjani, told reporters that the opposition had taken the lead before the result was allegedly tampered with, prompting the protest.

Mr Danjani said similar incidents of fraud were recorded in Auyo and Hadejia local government areas.

He said PDP members who stood firm to guard their votes were chased out of the voting units in Hadejia Local Government Area.
The Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Elkanemi, has urged the Chief of Army Staff, Farouq Yahaya, to pay more attention to certain locations that are still inaccessible in the state due to the activities of Boko Haram insurgents.

The traditional ruler made the call Friday evening when he hosted Mr Yahaya, a major general, who paid a courtesy visit to his palace in Maiduguri.

The traditional ruler said though considerable progress has been made in fighting the insurgency in the state, especially from 2015 to date, there are some locations that remain flashpoints for insurgency activities.

He said no local government is fully under the control of the insurgents as was the case pre-2015 when at least 17 council areas of Borno were effectively under the insurgents.

We have suffered so much in the hands of these criminals, compared to the relative peace that we enjoy now, said the monarch.

There was a time when we had no GSM network, no airport, no accessible roads, except the Maiduguri-Kano road, and many of our people were killed, including our district heads. Some of the district heads you see here in the palace are either replacing their fathers or grandfathers that were targeted and killed by the insurgents

It was a sad moment for us all because everyone was a target  be you Muslim or Christian; they just killed people even though none of the holy books, neither the Holy Quran nor the Bible allows the killing of innocent people.

He said though a lot has been achieved in the war against insurgence, many works still need to be done.

As I said before 2015, a total of 17 local governments of Borno were under Boko Haram; but now they are all under the control of the Nigerian military.

He said fear was the main reason that has so far prevented people from willingly returning to their liberated communities.

We want the Chief of Army Staff to explore the possibility of helping the farmers return to their farms because in Borno most of the people are farmers or fishermen.

The Shehu thereby listed some of the flashpoint locations and roads which he said need serious attention of the military.

Places like Baga, Krenoa, Marte Gamboru-Ngala, that are bordering the shores of Lake Chad, are locations where the majority of our people either farm or fish. We seriously need the help of the military to make those locations safer.

Roads like Maiduguri to Damboa are only about 85km, and another centre for agriculture has been closed for many years because it is too dangerous for us. And due to the closure of that route, people travelling to Yola, for example, have to take a longer route, travelling hundreds of kilometres before getting to their destination.

Roads like Gubio to Damasak are only 86km; though the road is pliable for now, it becomes dangerous occasionally too, especially when the insurgents resurface occasionally.

The highway from Magumeri to Damasak is another big problem because these criminals used to come out to harass travellers.

The Maiduguri to Monguno road, as well as places like Brimari, Gasara also need the attention of the COAS to help us see to making it safer. We also want the Gubio-Damasak road which is still unsafe just like Damboa-Biu, Dikwa-Ngala is also not safe. Places like Malumfatori and Gudumbali, the two local governments, as I have said earlier, are still no-go areas because of fear, the monarch said.

Earlier, the COAS, in his homage speech, said he was in the palace to pay his respect as he arrived at Borno State on his first official working visit since he became the army chief.

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The COAS expressed appreciation to the monarch for the leadership he has been providing in the region, especially around Lake Chad.

Your Royal Highness, we want to acknowledge that your efforts have yielded so many positive results especially in the area of civil-military relations. We will continue to solicit your blessings, prayers and guidance in the job we are doing.

The army chief said with the support of the Shehu, he sees a quick end to the decade-long insurgency.
The United States Courthouse, in Tacoma, Washington, has ruled that the suspended aide of Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Abidemi Rufai, cannot be released on bail.

Mr Rufai is facing $350,000 fraud charges in the United States.

On Friday, U.S. District judge, Benjamin Settle of Tacoma, agreed with federal prosecutors that Mr Rufai represented a flight risk, hence he will remain in jail until his trial.

Mr Settle said the defendant poses a serious risk of non-appearance. No condition or combination of conditions can reasonably assure the defendants appearance as required, The Seattle Times reports.

The judge further ordered that Mr Rufai, who is in detention in New York, be transported by federal marshals to Washington for trial, which is set for August 31.

Fraudulent surety scheme

The decision of the court comes after Acting U.S. Attorney, Tessa Gorma, accused Mr Rufai of participating in fraudulent surety scheme.

Mr Rufai was said to have presented a person he barely knew to the court as his friend in his desperate bid to get a surety for the bail earlier granted him by a U.S. magistrates court.

The government said it got a transcript of a recorded call between Mr Rufai and his brother, discussing the surety matter on May 25, four days after a hearing on his detention.

Responding to the claims, however, Mr Rufai, through his lawyer, Michael Barrows, said the government failed to establish the allegations against his client.

Mr Barrows said a review of the governments most recent memorandum, purporting to depict Mr Rufais informal and innocuous conversation with his brother  where they each refer to the surety as lady  as evidence of a fraudulent surety scheme is both self-serving and unsupported by the transcripts themselves.

Flashback

Mr Rufai was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York while heading to Nigeria on May 14.

He was said to have used the identities of more than 100 Washington residents to steal more than $350,000 in unemployment benefits from the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) during the COVID-19 pandemic last year.

At the end of a detention hearing held on May 19, 2021, the Magistrate of the District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Ramon Reyes, agreed with the government that Mr Rufai posed a serious flight risk, but found that the risk could be addressed by conditions of release, including a $300,000 bond.

The magistrate went on to issue an order releasing Mr Rufai based on the bond in which Mr Rufais brother, who is licensed as an attorney in New York, was proposed as surety.

Controversy

Mr Rufai was not released because his brother did not sign the bail bond. The suspect was then remanded pending when he would provide an alternate surety.

Following the refusal of Mr Rufais brother to stand as a surety, the defendants lawyer, Michael Barrows, on May 21, presented Nekpen Soyemi, a registered nurse, whose family comes from Nigeria.

The U.S. later exposed her as a suspect in an investigation into an email impersonation scheme. Her husband, Idris Soyemi, is also said to have been convicted for wire fraud in 2014.

Now, U.S. findings have further shown that Mr Rufai planted the surety and they never knew each other before now. He has denied this.

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The U.S. government on May 24 filed an emergency motion of stay release order before the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington at Tacoma. The court granted the governments motion as the U.S. uncovered more criminal activities involving the suspect.

A federal grand jury in late May ratified the charges involving conspiracy, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft against Mr Rufai.

He was subsequently arraigned on fraud charges before a United States Courthouse, in Tacoma, Washington.
We must work out what God has worked in.

Have you ever been to an expensive wedding that was a no-holds-barred affair? The champagne was ordered custom-made from France. The wedding cake was a three-story building. Forget about the wedding, but tell me, what happened to the marriage?

One year later, they got divorced. What a waste of money. All that expenditure went up in smoke. You did not know at the time that the best man was also a divorce lawyer.

Have you not noticed that the rich tend to be more security conscious than others? Why is that? They have more to lose and therefore have more to protect.

What about you? Do you have anything to protect? Have you received anything that you need to guard jealously? If indeed the thief has come to steal, to kill, and to destroy (John 10:10), do you have anything worth stealing? What kind of security system do you have against the thief?

The songwriter says: Let the weak say that I am strong because of what the Lord has done for him. (Joel 3:10).

Despising Gods grace

Your uncle gave you an exclusive car. It was the latest Lexus SUV, custom-made. It was one of a kind. When they made it, they broke the mould. Everybody came and admired it. But what happened to the Lexus?

Within two weeks you had crashed it into the Carter Bridge. They had to use a chain saw to remove you from the wreckage. What happened to the car? It was damaged beyond repair. Whose fault was it? Yours, because you despised, in effect, the gift of your uncle.

The Bible tells the story of two women. Both of them were sinners: harlots as a matter of fact. Nevertheless, the merciful Lord, who is not a respecter of persons, who makes the sun to shine on the good and the bad, blessed both with children.

But one was careless with her gift, so careless that she slept on her child and suffocated him to death. Thereafter, she envied the other her living child and stole it. Her game plan was simple. Either I end up with the child, or neither of us would have a child.

When the matter was brought before the king, she readily accepted his verdict to cut the child into two. She said: Let it be neither yours nor mine. (1 Kings 3:26).

Devil at work

That woman was working for the thief. The devil has lost out. He lost his inheritance and was cast out of heaven. But he is determined that you should not come into your inheritance as well. It all depends on whether we know the value of what we received. It is only a birthright, so why is Jacob so determined to get it from Esau?

Salvation is free. Jesus says: Freely have you received. The kingdom of God is free. But although it is freely given and freely received, we still have to work it out.

Solomon says: Build a wall, invite a burglar. (Proverbs 17:19).

Salvation is such a big gift that it makes us prime candidates for armed robbery. Our salvation was announced on the airwaves, and the prince of the power of the air heard it. The men of the underworld were all waiting outside during the award ceremony.

So, although the gift was freely given, although we did no work to receive it, nevertheless, we are going to have to do a lot to keep it and to enjoy it.

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Who are these armed robbers and where are they exactly? Listen and understand. The worst armed robbers of all are in the churches. Then (Jesus) taught, saying to them, Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves. (Mark 11:17).

You have just collected a lorry-load of cold hard cash from the Lord. But the problem is that the whole thing was carried in the newspapers and on television. Jesus says the whole place is full of armed robbers. They have come to steal, to kill, and to destroy. The whole neighbourhood gathered when the trailer came bringing in everything.

How are you going to enjoy the abundant life that Jesus promised in that neighbourhood? Will you save your life by returning the gift so that you can at least live in peace? Or will you receive the gift and get ready to fight for your rights?

Pay the price

Jesus says: From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. (Matthew 11:12).

The outfit was so beautiful, so lovely. You just had to have it. That is until you found out the price. Then you lost interest. Suddenly, it is not that good an outfit after all. What if someone were to buy it for you? Oh yes, please. But you said you do not like it anymore. Well, I could not afford it. Not exactly, you were just not prepared to pay the price.

For how long are we going to look for charlatans to lay hands on us? For how long are we going to look for snake-oil salesmen to pray for us? It is time to grow up.

The salvation of the soul is perfected: In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. (2 Corinthians 11:27).

Jesus paid the price. Even though he is God, nevertheless He paid the price. Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. (Hebrews 5:8).

The salvation of the soul will not take place without an effort on our part. We have to pay the price. Health and life will not take place without our exertion. Jesus says My father is always working. (John 5:17). If God works, then we must work. A servant is not greater than his master.

Work it out

We must work out what God has worked in. Paul says: Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13).

The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle. (Psalm 78:9). God armed them, nevertheless, they failed to realise that they still needed to fight for their deliverance.

Jesus healed a paralytic with the command: Rise, take up your bed and walk. (John 5:8-9). Even though he was healed, he still had to rise, take up his bed, and walk. Without doing that, his obedience would not be complete, and his healing would not be perfected.

There is no shortcut. There are no five easy steps to the anointing that breaks every yoke.

Therefore, Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. (Ephesians 6:10). Stir up the gift of God which is in you. (2 Timothy 1:6).Wage the good warfare. (1 Timothy 1:18). Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life. (1 Timothy 6:12). Contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. (Jude 1:3).

Faribisala@yahoo.com; www.femiaribisala.com
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Provision of an enabling policy landscape to guide social protection programmes in Nigeria is a useful indicator of positive political will. In addition, a budgetary provision of N765 billion has been made for the programme in the 2021 fiscal year. These efforts, though bold and commendable, do not appear sufficient to enable the country to overcome its current overwhelming poverty burden.

That there are many poor Nigerians is a fact known to many. Sadly, Africas biggest economy has been struggling to put her acts together despite being one of the largest producers of crude oil in the continent. It has become a metaphor of the paradox of plenty that many attribute to the curse of the endowment of natural resources. When former Venezuelan oil minister, Juan Pablo Perez Alfonso, exclaimed that oil is the devils excrement, back in the days, it appeared that he had countries like Nigeria in mind. Unsurprisingly, the country has become a host to the largest number of poor people in the world. According to the Nigerias National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) about 40 per cent of the population or almost 83 million people live below the countrys poverty line of N137,430 ($381.75) per year. Unemployment rate increased to 33 per cent in the last quarter of 2020. With a Gini-coefficient of 35.1., Nigeria is one of the eight countries with the highest inequality in income distribution in the world. Simply put, a few people have so much and the majority have too little. The country also has a scary public debt profile of N32.915 trillion and the second highest burden of stunted children in the world. With a 42.5 per cent youth population, the unemployment rate hit about 27 per cent in 2020 and the number of out-of-school children hovers around 6.95 million, according to official sources.

The mounting urgency to protect the poor and the vulnerable

Expectedly, incidents of violent conflict, kidnapping for ransom, student abduction, armed robbery and terrorism are increasing across the country. The security agencies appear overwhelmed. Cries of marginalisation and demands of secession rent the country from citizens and groups who feel a deep sense of exclusion. There is growing inter-ethnic intolerance, mutual suspicion and tension within groups who hitherto co-existed in harmony. Street gangs and cult groups continue to brazenly kill, rob and rape innocent citizens in urban slums, especially but not exclusively in Lagos and Port Harcourt. Criminal herdsmen, unknown gun men and bandits appear to be on a national rampage. The proliferation and stockpiling of small arms and light weapons are continuing in many communities. Ungoverned spaces are thriving, where informal forms of authority supposedly provide conducive breeding grounds for illicit activities. During the recent #EndSARS protests, young people across the country expressed anger against police brutality, but this was unfortunately hijacked by criminals and miscreants who converted it into opportunities for massive looting and arson. As a result, many lives were lost and properties worth billions of naira were destroyed. Observers insist that these disturbing incidents may not be unrelated to the rising population and growing poverty in the country. The picture appears to be that of a ticking time bomb waiting to explode and submerge the West African sub-region.

A glimpse into the social protection arena in Nigeria

Social protection has been widely acknowledged as a multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary approach to poverty reduction through the articulation of the priorities of government towards sustainable development. It appears to be one of the paths through which President Buharis administration wants to follow to fulfil its promise to lift a 100 million Nigerians out of poverty. Interestingly, during his 2021 Democracy Day speech, the President affirmed that 32.6 million poor persons, identified through the Nigerian social register across 708 local governments, are already benefiting from the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), while 10.5 million individuals have already been lifted out of poverty in the last two years. Many Nigerians insist that there is little evidence to justify the Presidents claims. Findings from the International Centre for Investigative Reporting suggest that about 105 million Nigerians have lived in poverty from the third quarter of 2019 and, according to World Poverty Clock, this number has been far exceeded, due to the pandemic. The rising poverty level in Nigeria has been attributed to what many describe as President Buharis largely inconsistent and unimpressive economic policies.

Despite these well-meaning efforts, programme interventions remain fragmented as political differences and competition between federal and state governments remain a barrier. Poor donor coordination and the existence of multiple actors might have also contributed to the hindered pace of social protection programmes. Popularity seeking politicians tend to get involved only when it advances their political interests

Will a new social protection policy deliver hope?

Although social protection has been discussed in government circles in Nigeria since 2004, with a chapter dedicated to it in the Vision 2020 document, little has happened. Apart from sporadic programme interventions that were implemented, there was no serious policy commitment about it until 2016. According to the policy created that year, social protection is a mix of policies and programmes designed for individuals and households in order to reduce poverty and socio-economic shocks by promoting and enhancing livelihoods, life and dignity. That policy has since expired and a new one is said to be in the making.

Reportedly, the recently introduced National Social Investment Programme focused on a more equitable distribution of resources to vulnerable populations, including women, youth and children. So far, government claims to have implemented the skills acquisition scheme for unemployed graduates (N-Power), a micro-lending programme otherwise known as Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), Conditional Cash Transfer Programme and the National School Feeding Programme. Official government sources insist that 12 million households have so far benefitted from the programme in the last five years. However many critical voices, including even the wife of President Buhari, contend that although the programme was lofty in design, it was poorly executed in many states. Independent monitors, including select civil society groups like the African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) based in Benin went around the country to track some of the funds to ensure that those who claim to have benefitted from the programme are real and verifiable.

How fragmented efforts and political differences may hinder progress

Despite these well-meaning efforts, programme interventions remain fragmented as political differences and competition between federal and state governments remain a barrier. Poor donor coordination and the existence of multiple actors might have also contributed to the hindered pace of social protection programmes. Popularity seeking politicians tend to get involved only when it advances their political interests, while citizens consider what they get as their own share of the national cake. Many of these interventions that come as loans are hardly refunded, making the sustainability of such programmes unlikely. Furthermore, the timing of the cash distribution in 2019, just before the elections, was perceived by critics as a ploy to influence voters to support President Buharis re-election bid. At the end, transparency and fairness are often compromised further, eroding the trust between government and citizens. The criteria and process of selection of beneficiaries remain foggy and there are valid complaints that the distribution pattern may be skewed to benefit some regions and not others. Few civil society groups have developed the requisite capacity to monitor these disbursements to ensure that the poorest of the poor are the ones that benefit from them.

Mechanisms for mutual accountability should be taken seriously to rebuild public confidence for citizens to trust governments sincerity and actions. Social protection programmes are useful but they are clearly insufficient to eradicate poverty. The Nigerian government appears to be carrying a watering can when what is needed is a concert of fire brigade efforts.

Can these Social Investment Programmes lift Nigerians out of poverty?

Despite the emerging faith in social protection initiatives, some observers prefer to describe it as mere Western orthodoxy with little evidence of results. They insist that cash distribution to the poor ($11 monthly in case of Nigeria) is mere window dressing that cannot provide the poor with the opportunity to participate productively in economic life. At best, these critics insist that recipients will survive for a few days or weeks, only to fall back into their original situation. Some Nigerians describe the social register as phantom and the cash transfers, a way of siphoning money in the name of the poor. Hamzat Lawal, the founder of Follow the Money insists that the method adopted paved way for endemic corruption as Nigerians were defrauded and short-changed through the process.

Those who support the idea claim that it raises the standard of living of beneficiaries, while also giving them a genuine sense of inclusion. Countries like Ghana and Tanzania that have recently reported decline in their poverty rates continue to implement World Bank assisted social protection programmes as part of their poverty reduction measures. However, the most recent Chinese example of how the number of poor people dropped from 98.99 million in 2012 to 16.6 million in 2018 is worth studying. The Chinese government reportedly introduced a cocktail of policies that continuously lifted 10 million people out of poverty for seven consecutive years in order to move from an agrarian backwater to an industrial powerhouse.

Policy landscape needs to be fortified with an enabling legislation

Provision of an enabling policy landscape to guide social protection programmes in Nigeria is a useful indicator of positive political will. In addition, a budgetary provision of N765 billion has been made for the programme in the 2021 fiscal year. These efforts, though bold and commendable, do not appear sufficient to enable the country to overcome its current overwhelming poverty burden. With widespread conflict, no one can dismiss fears that any rupture in Nigeria could devastate the sub-region. The country needs to urgently bring together the right partners, streamline internal processes within government and back them with enabling legislation. Furthermore, evidence of fair, equitable and transparent allocation of these resources across the country should be publicly provided to counter the allegations of likely political interference. Mechanisms for mutual accountability should be taken seriously to rebuild public confidence for citizens to trust governments sincerity and actions. Social protection programmes are useful but they are clearly insufficient to eradicate poverty. The Nigerian government appears to be carrying a watering can when what is needed is a fire brigade.

Uche Igwe (PhD) is a Visiting Research Fellow at Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He can be reached on u.igwe@lse.ac.uk
Chidinma Ojukwu is beautiful, enchanting and voluptuous. No wonder predominant comments  especially from men-folk  on this 21-year old self-confessed killer of Lagos-based 50-year old Usifo Ataga, CEO of Super TV, are wrapped in the poser: was she a lethal, destructive woman the French call the femme fatale, or victim of a delinquent higher institution girls sex trade that turned awry?

The story of Chidinma, student of the University of Lagos, which is trending on the social media radar at the moment, is riveting. It is a perfect script for a crime fiction thriller. She courted massive traffic to herself due to the horror of her narrative and the shock people get upon realizing that such physical beauty she represented could be a shawl hiding a dastard cruelty of immense proportion. She is no doubt a prominent member of that cult of young girls who are completely immersed in the flesh-for-cash barter trade that is the hub of the Nigerian social circle. Chidinma had confessed to murdering, via stabbing Ataga, her sexual liaison, at a service apartment in Lekki.

The femme fatale is no doubt an invention of a patriarchal French world. She is a mysterious but beautiful mannequin whose major stock-in-trade is seduction of men. With the ensnaring charms of her enchanting beauty, this French invention uses herself as deadly bait for men which, when swallowed, becomes the death of them. Her most notorious representations are biblical characters like Delilah, Jezebel and Salome whose beauty entrapped men to their graves. The femme fatale archetype was also depicted by Irish poet and playwright, about-the-most-successful-playwright of late-Victorian London, Oscar Wilde, in his play, Salome. In the play, Salome manipulated her lustful uncle, King Herod, with an enticing Dance of the Seven Veils. After seducing him, she then asked for the head of John the Baptist, an imperious demand Herod could not decline.

As an aside, Wilde himself was later convicted in a criminal trial for gross indecency in a consensual homosexual liaison with his gay partner, British poet, journalist and son of the Marquess of Queensberry, Lord Alfred Bruce Douglas. Douglas father, who abhorred the homosexual relationship, mocked Wilde in the public and the Irish playwright sued him for libel, only for details of his romp with Douglas to become public knowledge. This prompted his conviction and sentencing to two years imprisonment with hard labour in 1895, in one of the first celebrity trials in the world. Imprisoned in Cell No C33 at the Reading, England jailhouse until 1897, Wildes experience later formed the muse for that grim realism of life in prison depicted in his The Ballad of Reading Gaol. He later died of meningitis in 1900 at age 46, three years after his release from prison.

Even if you were as unfeeling as to be capable of making barbecue with the ugly, bony and sparse-meat head of a tortoise, when you read the grief-provoking story of Chidinma, you will be sorry for motherhood and for the mother who begot her. From you will flow empathy for that uncertain, painful moment of delivery at the maternity ward which the Yoruba carefully parceled in the panegyric, ikunle abiyamo. How could a child, apparently born with much celebration and rejoicing, turn this tragically into a demonic man mauler?

Details of the tragic story are in the public domain and have elicited diverse comments from Nigerians and beyond. They do not need a rehash here. Questions upon questions are being asked but none is yet able to explain the riddle of how such a young girl could perpetrate that gory crime to which she has confessed. In court, lawyers will battle whether the narratives conveyed in Chidinmas confession and evidence from the murder scene tally with the crime of murder or manslaughter. Do the multiple stabs, her decision to pay for the hotel with a pseudonym, the withdrawals from deceased Atagas account and the fake driving license bearing Mary Johnson with her photograph, constitute premeditated murder? Was there absence or presence of the mental element called mens rea in the killing? Those are however not our bother here. The society, enveloped in the Chidinma story, is.

From all the narratives presented of this 21-year old, it is obvious that she lived a double-faced life like Janus, the Roman god with two faces. She was a reserved, angelic girl next door at home and in her neighbourhood and at the same time, a total delinquent in shrouds of innocence. The second part must have been concealed from her parents, classmates and her tiny rank of friends, but totally open to the world where she caught her fun. Those who know, who have a social barometer that measures the pulse of the town, told me that many parents are like Chidinmas father and mother  they know very little about who their wards are outside of the home. Away from the English social reformer, statistician and founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale picture they cut at home, many of our children are nothing but whores, perverts and drug addicts who daily frequent fun arenas to get their fixes. From police report, Mr. Ojukwu, Chidinmas father, got violently antagonistic, like many parents will, when policemen came to their home to arrest his daughter. How could his angelic daughter be the homicidal psychopath the police were looking for?

Chidinmas viral confession also revealed that she was afflicted by the famous bug that has become a pestilence among the youth in our society  drug addiction. In October, 2017, I did a piece entitled, Our Water Bottle Children Are Here where I explored this menace. I termed the prevalence of drug consumption among our children the new wave of fire that will consume us all soonest. Drawn into curiosity by the Yoruba language-rendered, high-tempoed hip-hop song of street boy musician, Temitope Adekunle, a.k.a. Small Doctor, entitled Penalty, I was told that the fad among youth nowadays is to lace hard drugs in alcohol which they put in water bottles, clutched as youth identity at parties and social gatherings. Small Doctor, in the song, had sang of how the boys were bringing water bottles into the dancehall while the musician, who nicknamed self Omo Iya Teacher, deploying beer parlour lingo, enjoined the party crew to yee ma sun, gba ko je! (dont be a dunce, so take it and swallow!).

We were in the lodge smoking. He was trying to make advances on (sic) me. I was tired and he became violent on it. I let him have his way. Towards afternoon, he ordered roofies. We took it together and ate food, Chidinma said upon being interrogated. She confessed to withdrawing N380,000 from the deceaseds account to pay her school fees and said, We smoked SK and Loud I wanted to use the money I withdrew to pay my school fees. I felt disappointed when the police arrested me at my parents house and it was when I was arrested around 10pm that my parents got to know about the incident.

Chidinma, at that tender age and like many of our children in schools, was already hooked on drugs. I am told that the world of drug consumption has widened dangerously in the dimension of the hopelessness in the land. Our children have moved away from WHO-classified narcotic substances and psychotropic substances like rohypnol, tramadol, diazepam and lexotan to more lethal ones. I said in the piece referenced above that a rough survey I carried out indicates that this water bottle culture has become so pervasive among our youth that we could be having a pandemic on our hands. While the list of drugs known to previous generations included cocaine, heroin, marijuana (cannabis)  the latter now with different variants and cognomens  a host of other variants have since erupted. Rohypnol, a strong sedative also known as date rape drug; codeine, a cough suppressant; mephenthamine, alcohol, topiramate, methane from soak-aways, glue, petrol and such like narcotics are the drugs commonly consumed by our children, mostly on campuses.

While Buba Marwa, Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) may be combing the nooks and crannies of Nigeria for drugs and may be making the success attributed to him in the public sphere, drugs in underground cells and cellars of universities and on the streets will continue blossoming except Nigeria addresses the huge hopelessness of unemployment in the land. During the week, I accosted a secondary school dropout hooked on drugs who, when told the danger of its consumption, peremptorily retorted that die na die, parodying the Shakespearean assertion  Seeing that death, a necessary end, will come when it will come. The Chidinma menace of the girl childs acute dependency on illicit sex for survival too has a lot to do with the failure of successive governments to shine light on Nigerias dark economy. It is tied to the apron string of the menace of our children becoming tools in the hands of sex vampires like Usifo Ataga

As I said in the piece, the political dictates the social and the social is the manifestation of the political; or vice versa. That probably was why late Jamaican reggae icon, Peter Tosh, at the One Love Peace Concert held on April 22, 1978 at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica, was quoted as saying, I am not a politician but I suffer its consequences. We suffer the consequences of the cumulative bad governance in Nigeria from independence till date: the stealing of our commonwealth and the opaque governance by our military and civilian conquistadors. Parents have thus become victims of this time. That probably was why Mr. Ojukwu couldnt afford Chidinmas school fees, why a young girl like her had to depend on takings from hawking her flesh for survival. In many homes, those girls we see trading their flesh as bazaar at bioscopes, hotels and clubs are breadwinners whose families ability to put food on the table is dependent on the number of mens nakedness these daughters of theirs see per day.

The family in Nigeria has, ipso facto crumbled, almost irretrievably. Parental failure is everywhere. Values and ethics of the home have taken unceremonious flights. Parents themselves have no time for the development of their children as they are running helter-skelter to make a living. Men like Ataga  though we are not afforded the opportunity of hearing his own side since he is dead  are capitalizing on this collapse of the home and deploying our girls as lubricants of their social and economic dislocation.

Flowing from Tosh, it is obvious that we must all seek to have good governance in Nigeria so that we can embrace developments and low crimes, the type in saner climes. It is the only remedy to the hopelessness that breeds the calamities of Chidinma and the menace of Atagas.

Gumi and the Nigerian State

Sheik Ahmad Gumi, self-styled go-between of Nigeria and her enemies was last week invited by the Department of State Services, DSS for questioning. He was said to have been questioned on account of an Arise TV interview he granted where he alleged that there was collusion between Nigerian security forces and bandits in the North.

Gumi had said in the interview: These bandits, if you dont know, are cooperating with a lot of bad elements in our security system. This is a business. So many people are involved, youll be so surprised. They were caught in Zamfara; they were caught everywhere, how do these big weapons cross our borders? How can these big weapons cross our borders and get into the forest without the cooperation of some bad elements of the security operatives assisting them? Its not possible. If I give you the same amount of guns, can you take them to the UK? You cant because the security is alert.

While knocking his claims, the Nigerian Army fumed and claimed it puts its life on the line, losing many of its soldiers in the process. It concluded that, While the Nigerian Army will not attempt to excuse the possibility of black sheep amongst its fold, it must be stated unambiguously that it will not condone any form of sabotage or aiding and assisting the enemy by any personnel.

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So, to this mullah, a bloody enterprise like kidnapping is business? It is obvious that Gumi may be making these arguments so as to make a case for his Northern malefactors. The truth however is that the sophisticated weapons in use by the bandits could only have got to them, either through connivance with the military or customs officials who look the other way while the weapons were being shipped into the country. In that wise, it may be hard to fault his argument.

On Saturday, I listened to the Arise TV crew grill same Sheik Gumi. The crew was unsparing of Gumi, unlike its earlier mollycoddling of President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa Cool, composed and armed with details of his intervention, this mullah seems not to be bothered about his typecast as a bigot who swivels in bed with coldblooded psychopaths. Save for the obvious ethnic colouration of his submissions and the fact that his type only luxuriate under the kind of government that Buhari runs, Gumis logic was water-tight but obviously self-serving. He did not hide his being an apostle and megaphone of Hausa-Fulani criminals. He called on the Federal Government to grant amnesty to and negotiate with bandits and Boko Haram as same government did with Niger Delta militants, while claiming that both the bombing of crude oil pipelines and scaring farmers from their farms were both threats to the Nigerian economy.

What is not in dispute is that Gumi is part of a deep, choreographed plot to liberate a sizeable portion of Nigerias patrimony for his northern people, regardless of whether they are criminals or not. His views are little different from Buharis and the presidencys. The non-existent Nigeria is not his bother. It is not the bother of Buhari and his presidency, as it isnt many Nigerians. Nigeria is an orphan in this equation.
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There is no doubt that Amina Mohammed is good news from Nigeria. And while Nigeria has produced important global leaders, including World Trade Organisation Director General, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala; Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Mike Adenuga; and Comrade Ayuba Wabba, President of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), we continue to struggle with political leadership.

Nigeria is often in the news for the wrong reasons  insecurity, insurgency, banditry, or even kidnapping of school children. But for the past decade, Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary General to the United Nations, has been a consistent good news story from Nigeria on a global scale.

Ms. Mohammed was born on June 27, 1961. She was educated in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. She is a mother of six and grandmother of two.

Amina is an accomplished education and development advocate with experience in civil society, the private sector, national government, academia, and the United Nations. She was the founder of Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA), an organisation committed to universal access to education. In the private sector, she founded Afri-Projects Consortium (APC) and served as its Executive Director from 1991 to 2001. In government, she served as the National Coordinator of Education for All in the Ministry of Education, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Millennium Development Goals, during the administrations of Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru YarAdua, and Goodluck Jonathan.

Amina Mohammed is an extraordinary woman She is one of the few people who, while in government, did not attempt to defend the indefensible. When an activist joins government, government does not necessarily become revolutionary. Things you criticised before joining are likely still there. But one learns to contribute to change in constructive ways.

In the academic world, she was an Adjunct Professor for the Masters in Development Practice programme at Columbia University. Also, she was the Global Development Advisor for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. From 2012 to 2015, she served as Special Adviser to the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon on Post 2015 Development Planning. From 2015 to 2017, she served as Minister of Environment in the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari, from where she was appointed in 2017 as Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations and reappointed for another term in June 2021.

I have known Amina for almost 20 years. We served together on the board of the Commonwealth Education Fund (CEF) in the early 2000s and subsequently worked together on numerous platforms. She established the Centre for Policy Research and Development Solutions as a think tank, where I served as a board member. We also worked together to implement MDGs in Nigeria, as well as the Ogoni Clean Up Exercise, while she was the Minister of Environment.

Amina Mohammed is an extraordinary woman. First and foremost, she is a completely detribalised Nigerian. I take her as my sister, and she takes me as her brother. She has even visited my village in Emonu-Orogun in Ughelli North LGA of Delta State. Secondly, she is a very objective and practical person. She is one of the few people who, while in government, did not attempt to defend the indefensible. When an activist joins government, government does not necessarily become revolutionary. Things you criticised before joining are likely still there. But one learns to contribute to change in constructive ways. Thirdly, she is passionate about women empowerment and poverty eradication. Fourthly, she is modest and one of the least materialistic people I know.

In her second term, we challenge Ms. Mohammed to utilise her position, influence, knowledge, and networks to impact the development trajectory of Nigeria. We hope she will bring to bear her expertise and experience in service to the country by mobilising people and resources to help build the next generation of leaders.

Among the many challenges facing political leaders and bureaucrats in Africa is that greed has become a major determinant in their decision making. This leads to corrupt transactions and under-development of the continent. Another key attribute of Amina is that she loves Nigeria. I know that when she was to leave the country for the UN job in 2017, she struggled with the decision. Finally, she is a fantastic networker. Despite her busy schedule as DSG, each time she visits Nigeria, she makes time to touch base with her friends, colleagues and the youth.

There is no doubt that Amina Mohammed is good news from Nigeria. And while Nigeria has produced important global leaders, including World Trade Organisation Director General, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala; Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Mike Adenuga; and Comrade Ayuba Wabba, President of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), we continue to struggle with political leadership. Unfortunately, Nigerian professionals and the elite too often avoid politics. As Plato counselled us, if you refuse to participate in politics, you will be ruled by your inferiors. The case in Nigeria was complicated when many politicians, especially activists, refused to participate in the Abdulsalami Abubakar transition in 1999.

In her second term, we challenge Ms. Mohammed to utilise her position, influence, knowledge, and networks to impact the development trajectory of Nigeria. We hope she will bring to bear her expertise and experience in service to the country by mobilising people and resources to help build the next generation of leaders. Indeed, the countrys pervasive poverty, insecurity, underdevelopment, and poor development indices has been blamed squarely on leadership. The next generation of leaders can change that narrative.

Nigeria is blessed to have Amina J. Mohammed. We wish her a most happy 60th birthday celebration.

Otive Igbuzor is founding Executive Director, African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD) and Chief of Staff to the Deputy President of the Senate.
If Sheikh Abubakar Gumis intention in rubbishing the security agencies and pontificating as the self-appointed capon of banditry and kidnapping in Nigeria, is to attract attention  he has succeeded spectacularly.

Although the government pretends not to notice the mans dangerous rhetoric, the Nigerian Army which was at the receiving end of his latest series of wild allegations has spoken up to defend its image.

Reacting to Gumis allegation that Nigerian soldiers colluded with bandits and kidnappers perpetrating various crimes and atrocities against Nigerians, the Director of Army Public Relations, Brig-General Onyema Nwachukwu, said the claim was untrue and unfair. It was, in his view, A calculated attempt to denigrate the Nigerian Military and undermine the sacrifices of our patriotic troops, who are working tirelessly to restore peace and stability across the country.

He reminded the public that the same military being accused of connivance were the ones who, at great risk, rescued abductees of the Government Secondary School, Birnin Yawuri from kidnappers.

The army statement ended with a warning: It must also be pointed out that while the Military is very much receptive to constructive criticism, it should not be perceived as a gateway for derogatory comments that have the potential to embolden criminals Opinion leaders are enjoined to demonstrate patriotism in building the peace, rather than being agents of destabilisation, thereby aggravating the current security challenges facing the nation.

That wasnt the first time Gumi was casting aspersions on the integrity of the armed forces. Several months ago, he had insinuated that non-muslim soldiers were the ones killing muslim bandits, thereby tarring the armed forces with the ignoble brush of religious stratification. Many people felt Gumi was trying to divide the armed forces using the twin bombs of religion and ethnicity.

When confronted with the implications of his statements, Gumi usually engages in circumlocution, unsaying what he had previously said and re-saying what he had disowned.

He must be the only one confused about where he stands in the war against terror and banditry. To watchers of his ill-disguised missionary journeys in support of terrorists, his loyalty doesnt appear to be on the side of Nigeria but that of the terrorists.

I had given Gumi the benefit of the doubt when he first started his expeditions into the wilderness to confer with the terrorists. He seems to know where their camps are and even acknowledges that he knows the family members of some of the terrorists. It is befuddling to consider that Gumi being a former captain of the Nigerian army will not pass information on the location of terrorists to the army but opt to hold court with the criminals in their den and then blame the security forces for inflicting any kind of damage on the bandits.

His loyalty is unashamedly on the side of the terrorists.

Following the abduction of about 20 students from Greenfield University in Kaduna State in April, Gumi reportedly urged the Central Bank of Nigeria to pay the $260,000 (190,000) ransom and 10 Honda motorcycles demanded by the kidnappers. While the Kaduna State government insists that the kidnap crisis is being fuelled by such ransom payments, the Islamic scholar advocates that vigilante groups set up in the wake of the terror attacks be disbanded to give free rein to the bandits while government reaches out to them with compensation to stop attacking fellow Nigerians.

To justify his advocacy, Gumi equates the current wave of terrorism sweeping through the North to the Niger-Delta struggle where the militants rose up against environmental degradation. The whole world knows the issues involved in the Niger-Delta. Men and women of good conscience across all divides agreed that the region which lays the countrys golden egg was being shortchanged. The YarAdua administration wisely reached out to the militants and the Jonathan government followed up with the implementation of the amnesty programme which now led to an increase in crude oil production from about 800,000 bpd to over 2 million bpd.

They learnt kidnapping from Mend (Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta). I do not see any difference. They were the first victims of rustling, their cattle is their oil, he said.

Logicians say it is elementary and commonsensical that cows are not mineral resources and environmental advocacy is totally different from armed banditry. Niger-Delta militants had a political cause  greater control of their regions oil wealth  while the bandits are basically kidnappers looking for free money.

Gumi redefines criminality to make it appear legal, almost a duty: What you call banditry, when you cross to the other side, you discover Nigeria is fighting a tribal war and government is supposed to be the mediator, it is supposed to be neutral, its not supposed to take sides. This is tribal war going on and the government is taking one side.

How can that be sanely translated? Do bandits constitute a tribe of their own? And is the government supposed to stand akimbo while criminals abduct law-abiding citizens and spread terror in the land? Is law enforcement tantamount to taking sides? Indeed, if the government cannot enforce the rule of law, does it have any reason to exist? If the government were to hand over fiefdoms to bandits in pursuit of a mythical truce, what stops new sets of criminals from carving out new territories where theyll demand a toll?

As a society, is there any doubt about the set of moral principles that govern our behaviour and activities? Wither our moral principles? Certain customs or behaviours are recognised as good and others as bad; our sense of morality is the summation of our value system as human beings.

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But Gumi insists we must reward criminality. Now, the herdsmen are controlling a big chunk of land whereby they are preventing farmers from farming. As the Niger Delta is important to the economy, these herdsmen now are becoming important to the Nigerian economy. He argues that existing government organs such as forest guards and vigilantes should be disbanded and replaced with bandits. They can be our guards, they can guard the forests. They have qualities that we can tap from, he says. He advocates that a package of incentives be rolled out for bandits as was the case in the Niger-Delta.

After handing over forests to the bandits, the government should also build schools, hospitals and municipal facilities in the forests to keep the bandits happy, argues the 61-year-old sheikh.

While Gumi places the blame for banditry on the doorsteps of the government, no mention is made of responsible parenting. Why, for example, are people continuing to have so many children they cannot cater for? Should the government be responsible for feeding and raising such children?

Gumis tactic is brazen blackmail: Bow to the will of the bandits or face a future of violence and social dislocation. In his words, To secure schools, why not engage the bandits? Engage them; they are not many In the whole North-West, they may not be more than 100,000 bandits. And that is just a drop in the ocean. That is talking about those with weapons; because not all of them have weapons.

Ninety per cent of those who have weapons use them to protect themselves against cattle rustlers. They are victims too. Aerial bombardments will only worsen the situation because when you start killing their children, you remember they also have our children, he added.

Now the long-suffering victims of banditry in the society are being told that their tormentors, the bandits, are the real victims. We should apologise to the bandits for calling them criminals. They are really freedom fighters. Whereas other criminals kill people, bandits only kidnap them for some time in exchange for money. Such compassionate creatures! In this era of scarce jobs, why do we want to destroy the banditry industry which provides employment for thousands of our tribesmen?

How do you find a common ground or share the same national ethos, the same kind of heroes, the same collective aspirations for the future  with anyone who reasons like Untouchable Gumi?
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Armed men have abducted another traditional ruler in Ekiti, Benjamin Oso, the Eleda of Eda Ile, in Ekiti East Local Government Area.

A source told journalists on Saturday in Ado Ekiti, that the traditional ruler was returning from the farm with his wife on Friday when he was abducted but his wife was spared.

Mr Oso has become the third monarch to be attacked in similar circumstances in less than three months in the state. Last April, Adetutu Ajayi, the traditional ruler of Ewu Ekiti escaped with gunshot injuries after he was attacked by gunmen on his way to a neighbouring community. Barely one week later, armed men kidnapped David Oyewumi, the traditional ruler of Ilemeso, from his palace in Oye Local Government Area of the state. Mr Oyewumi was released days later.

Joe Komolafe, the commander of the Ekiti State Security Network, code-named Amotekun, on Saturday, confirmed the kidnapping of the traditional ruler in the state.

He said that all the security outfits in Ekiti, including police, soldiers, Amotekun corps, local hunters, and vigilante groups were already in the forest searching for the monarch.

However, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Sunday Abutu, said the command was still studying the reports and would react formally as soon as details about the veracity or otherwise of the alleged incident are available.

Mr Abutu spoke of the continued readiness of the police to deal with criminals wherever they are hiding in the state.

Mr Abutu said protection of lives and property remains the priority of the command and warned criminals to steer clear of the state or face the consequences.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the traditional ruler was said to have been kidnapped in the presence of his wife while on their way from the farm at Eda Ile, late on Friday.

Local sources told journalists in Ado Ekiti that Mr Oso and the wife would have been kidnapped, but for the appeal made to them by the traditional ruler.

The Oba and the wife went to farm and were accosted by the gunmen.

The two would have been kidnapped but the monarch begged the bandits to free his wife, which they agreed with, one of the sources said.
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The police in Ogun have nabbed three tricycle operators at Awa-Ijebu for allegedly stealing 300 bags of cement from a warehouse.

This is contained in a statement released on Sunday by Abimbola Oyeyemi, the police spokesperson.

The suspects were apprehended in a bush close to the warehouse where they kept the stolen items.

They were first arrested on June 2 and granted bail but were re-arrested on Saturday after the police said they jumped bail.

The suspects, Lawal Bidemi, Olalekan Azeez, and Opeloyeru Kayode allegedly conspired to steal 300 bags of cement from the warehouse belonging to Sandtrust quarry company.

The suspects were arrested following a report lodged at Awa ijebu divisional headquarters, by a staff of the company, who reported that he saw some people in a bush very close to the quarry loading cement into their tricycles. He reported further that the cement is suspected to have been stolen from the warehouse of their company.

Upon the report, the DPO Awa Ijebu division, CSP Adewalehinmi Joshua, mobilized his patrol team and moved to the scene. On sighting the policemen, the suspects took to their heels, but they were hotly chased, and three amongst them were apprehended.

On interrogation, the three suspects confessed to have stolen the cement from the warehouse of Sandtrust quarry, and that they used their tricycles to convey it to the bush, from where they were taken it to the buyers in batches, the statement reads.

Mr Oyeyemi, a deputy superintendent of police, said the suspects confessed further that they have sold parts of the stolen cement to their customers before they were caught.

51 bags of cement were recovered from them in the bush, while another 20 bags were recovered from one of the buyers, while the three tricycles they used for the operation were also impounded, he said in the statement.

Suspects jumped bail  Police

The police spokesperson further said the suspects, who were arrested on June 2, were granted administrative bail during the strike embarked on by judicial workers.

He said the intention was to arraign the suspects once the court resumes, but they jumped bail.

Surprisingly, the three suspects jumped bail and went ahead to accuse the DPO of demanding bribe from them, and that their refusal to bribe him made the DPD not to release their tricycles.

They were subsequently traced to their hideout in Ijebu-Ode where they were re-arrested on the 26th of June 2021, Mr Oyeyemi said.

Meanwhile, the commissioner of police, Edward Awolowo, has directed that the suspects be charged to court without further delay.

The police boss also directed that their other accomplices as well as their buyers be hunted and brought to justice.
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The family of Michael Ataga, the Super TV boss who was brutally killed on June 15, has urged the police to go beyond the confession of the alleged killer in their investigations.

A statement on Saturday by Rickey Tarfa & Co, solicitor to the family, hinted at the possibility that the actual perpetrators of the crime may be covering their tracks.

The statement, titled Libelous Publications In Respect of Murder Of Michael Usifo Ataga: Demand For Restraint By Social Media Practitioners/Persons, urged those behind malicious social media publications to refrain from publishing falsehood that impinges negatively on the integrity of the deceased, wife, and children or face lawsuits.

We hereby admonish the publishers of these stories to employ whatever shreds of decency and decorum they can find in themselves to desist from their false and misleading stories and let the investigating authorities carry out an effective investigation in the hope of apprehending the perpetrators of this heinous crime and their accomplices, read the statement signed by Olusegun Jolaawo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), on behalf of the law firm.

Yes, we know that Chidinma Adaora Ojukwu has been arrested and yes we know that investigation is continuing. Our client is, however, convinced that there is much more to this than is already apparent from the police investigation.

The statement noted that there are several malicious publications in circulation planted to embarrass and malign Mr Ataga, his wife, Brenda, and their family and to serve as a smokescreen to enable the perpetrators of the heinous crime cover their tracks.

Our client appreciates the efforts of the law enforcement agencies in their investigations thus far, and will not descend into particulars with respect to any of the said false narratives so as not to inadvertently aid the perpetrators of the murder in covering their tracks.

A 21-year-old student of the University of Lagos, Chidinma Ojukwu, last Thursday, narrated to journalists how she fatally stabbed Mr Usifo, 50, in an apartment in Lekki, Lagos.

The 300-level Mass Communication undergraduate said she was in a romantic relationship with the deceased.

Mr Jolaawo called for restraints from the publishers of unfounded stories against their late client, especially bloggers, and threatened legal action in cases of libel.

Our client at this juncture requests that the well-meaning public allow the family to mourn their departed son, father, and husband with some privacy and decency, he said.

Our client also feels very strongly about the unbridled activities of bloggers on the social media space with respect to this incident and firmly demands that the said bloggers cease and desist from peddling falsehood aimed at maligning the deceased, wife and children. The family will not be intimidated by these bloggers activities and insist that the police be allowed to do their work, Mr Jolaawo said in the statement.

Our client hereby demands that the false publications and the several ordinarily unrelated stories and pictures of late Michael Usifo Ataga and Brenda Ataga be pulled down with immediate effect failing which our client shall take prompt and appropriate action to seek redress for the apparent instances of libel and slander as appropriate.
A Celebration of Life Service for David J. Tallman, NK2Y, will be held at the Plattsburgh United Methodist Church, 127 Beekman Street, Plattsburgh, NY on Saturday, July 10, 2021, at 3 P.M. on the front lawn of the church, weather permitting. It will be moved to the sanctuary for inclement we
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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.
The Bravo Family Foundation's $250,000 donation will support temporary housing for displaced families before insurance arrives, and therapy for those victims. This donation is in addition to the $750,000 that the South Florida community has already raised for Surfside, bringing the total amount raised thus far to more than $1 million.

As the largest single donor to the Support Surfside efforts, the Bravo Family Foundation continues its support of relief efforts. In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Maria, the Bravo Family Foundation, using a $10 million gift from Bravo, provided critical aid to isolated areas along Puerto Rico's west coast and committed funds for the long-term recovery of the island.

The Miami staff of Thoma Bravo will continue to be involved in Surfside efforts. This donation is the initiation of support that Orlando Bravo, the Bravo Family Foundation, and Thoma Bravo will provide for various Miami-area community causes.

"The Bravo Family Foundation is honored to fill a void of need in the Surfside tragedy, before long-term insurance and government assistance is put in place," said Bravo. "Our foundation understands the immediate needs that arise from tragedies like Surfside, and we want to help these families rebuild their lives. We encourage other business leaders, philanthropists, and community partners join in the effort to help the victims of this horrific, saddening event."

"Aside from the constant search and rescue efforts, it's crucial to make sure residents displaced by this horrible tragedy have an immediate place to stay and it's equally important that everyone has adequate access to the counseling they need," said Miami Mayor Francis Suarez. "I want to thank Orlando Bravo, who is a new member to this community, for stepping up and making such a generous contribution to these efforts. It is because of people like him that we are united in helping each other."

"These are the moments when a community has to come together, rise up, and help. Thank you to Orlando Bravo and the Bravo Family Foundation for joining the Miami HEAT family and other local partners in helping our cherished community," said Steve Stowe, Vice President/Executive Director Miami HEAT Charitable Fund.

The Miami community welcomed Bravo and Thoma Bravo immediately upon their relocation to Miami in early 2021. Bravo was inspired by Mayor Suarez and the area's technology ecosystem.

Bravo founded the Bravo Family Foundation out of a humanitarian mission to provide relief for families in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. Its Hurricane Maria humanitarian actions ultimately involved developing a supply chain model that ensured equipment and supplies were delivered to residents most in need. Bravo and his team deployed air and sea cargo operations to transport supplies to Puerto Rico.

Bravo relocated to Miami in late 2020, and other existing members of the Thoma Bravo team have already moved to the Miami region to begin extending the firm's business and brand.

About the Bravo Family Foundation

Guided by the belief that youths of all socioeconomic backgrounds have access to personal growth and economic development opportunities, the Bravo Family Foundation's mission is to foster basic principles of social justice in Puerto Rico. Founded by Orlando Bravo, a native of Puerto Rico, and his wife Katy, the Foundation's philanthropic efforts focus on individuals and groups who demonstrate strong leadership and a willingness to engage and grow along with the Foundation to achieve a shared set of goals. The Bravo Family Foundation also pursues humanitarian missions in its communities that have included Maria Hurricane relief efforts, providing internet access to poor communities in Puerto Rico to facilitate education, and counseling and therapy services for the victims of earthquakes in the southern part of Puerto Rico. For more information, visit www.bravofamilyfoundation.org

About Orlando Bravo

Orlando Bravo is co-founder and managing partner of Thoma Bravo, a private equity firm. A pioneer in software investing, he has spearheaded the firm's strategy within the enterprise technology industry. Bravo has led more than 300 acquisitions for the firm, representing more than $85 billion in enterprise value. He is the founder of the Bravo Family Foundation and remains an active philanthropist and advisor dedicated to empowering the next generation. Bravo was born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. He earned his J.D. from Stanford Law School in Stanford, California; an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business Stanford, California; and a Bachelor of Arts in economics and political science from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.

About Thoma Bravo

Thoma Bravo is one of the largest private equity firms in the world, with more than $78 billion in assets under management as of March 31, 2021. The firm invests in growth-oriented, innovative companies operating in the software and technology sectors. Leveraging the firm's deep sector expertise and proven strategic and operational capabilities, Thoma Bravo collaborates with its portfolio companies to implement operating best practices, drive growth initiatives and make accretive acquisitions intended to accelerate revenue and earnings. Over the past 20 years, the firm has acquired more than 300 companies representing over $85 billion in enterprise value. The firm has offices in Chicago, Miami and San Francisco. For more information, visit thomabravo.com .

SOURCE Bravo Family Foundation
QINGDAO, China, June 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Jigscut, a reputed name in the die-cutting industry, was recently listed as a store on AliExpress at https://jigscut.aliexpress.com/store/300418. Ling Yang, the marketing manager from Jigscut stated that AliExpress users can discover ad shop for a wide range of cheap bow dies on AliExpress, which is a leading trading marketplace online. The owners said that they recently slashed down the rates of all die-cutting machines after listing their business on AliExpress. The owners stated that their aim is to bring cost benefits to small home-based businesses that need affordable die cutting solutions.

Jigscut

The China-based manufacturer that has excelled in cutting dies and puzzle making since 2014 has expanded its list of services for customers too. With extensive industry experience of more than six years, the company now has a better inkling about the range of crafts die cut, and puzzle cutting dies that are widely used by small businesses.

"We mostly offer bespoke cutting die solutions, and the dies are intended for those who operate their business from home. Starting from cards and fabrics, to hair bow cutting dies, earrings, hand bags, fabric dolls and patch works, we offer a range of solutions. These are also useful for making cards and albums and flowers for kindergarten students," said Ling Yang.

At a recent press conference, the company owners stated that once the design is finalized, their experts suggest the best possible die-cutting solutions. "Depending on the material and machine used, we prepare the quote. We believe this is an ideal time to opt for cutting dies solutions, since we have slashed down the prices," added Ling Yang.

Ling also maintained that the revised pricing policy would be valid for a limited period of time, and businesses that wish to avail low-cost services should act at the earliest.

The Marketing manager of the company said, "By revising our rates for die-cutting services, we have already garnered positive responses. Whether it's the scrapbooking die or jigsaw wooden dies, clients can expect wooden steel rule dies all the time. Also, our labours have no less than a decade-long experience, so we are usually able to finish the production and send items within 24 hours."

About the Company

Jigscut is one of the top-rated die-cutting solutions providers.

To know more, visit http://jigscut.com

Related links:

Official website: http://jigscut.com

Aliexpress Store: https://jigscut.aliexpress.com/store/300418

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/jigscut

Related Images

jigscut-cutting-die.jpg

Jigscut cutting die

SOURCE Jigscut
BEIJING, June 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Since the emerge of vaping products from 10 years ago, the world sees a continuous decline of cigarette consumptions year on year. This is a positive sign that vaping is helping smokers move to alternative ways of taking in nicotine. Since NRT (nicotine replacement therapy) was advocated by WHO in 1978 we start to see it taking effects in mass cloud among smokers.

a new tobacco free advocate

The huge success of vaping ignites the passion of global tobacco companies in the technology and future of NGP (New Generation Product), Phillip Morris (Parent company of the world famous Marlboro brand cigarette), BAT (Parent company of Camel), Japan Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco and so on, all invest heavily in the development and marketing of the new products. Phillip Morris has moved all its marketing budget from combustible cigarettes to IQOS, its new heat not burn product.

In addition to big tobacco, there are also many new companies globally who are passionate about this revolution in smoking, especially in USA and China, the two biggest markets for vaping. We have seen flourishing development of new vaping products, such as bigger disposable, disposable with lights, pod devices with screen and so on. However, there is a lot less development in other product categories. In the electronic-cigarette industry, there are many new companies are making efforts for the development of the industry. As we all know, quitting tobacco is not a one-step thing, so in order to make our future smokeless and tobacco-free, the world needs to build a user-friendly platform with the latest technology and innovation at this stage. "We are doing which not many new companies do," said Shelley Wu, the Co-founder of the Genmist brand which has heat not burn and nicotine pouch products. They thrive to create quit-tobacco products.

It is known that Genmist products are all tobacco-free nicotine products, including tobacco free heat sticks used with heat not burn device, and tobacco free natural nicotine pouches. With all the efforts of Vaping industry that the idea of tobacco free is widely welcome by consumers and Genmist is now sold in over 10 countries. Their consumers are not only smokers, there are a lot of snus and chewing tobacco users who use Genmist nicotine pouches to replace their old tobacco products.

It is known that smoking kills 7 million individuals every year and people are seeing vaping, heat not burn, tobacco free products and even newer products are reshaping the ways people take in nicotine. Smoking is still the most common way to take in nicotine but the fact is that the trend is shifting. The question is that will big tobacco still be the only players in this new game, or companies like Genmist will continue to gain its global popularity to provide the world a better solution? Only time will tell.

www.genmist.shop

Related Images

genmist.jpeg

Genmist

a new tobacco free advocate

SOURCE Genmist
VENTURA, Calif., June 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Meet Kevin Paffrath announced today that he will be holding 10 campaign rallies in 10 days starting on July 2nd. The rallies will be held over the course of two weekends. Meet Kevin Paffrath will use these rallies as an opportunity to present his 20-point plan and answer questions with town hall-style Q&As. His full plan can already be found on his website (meetkevin.com).

The Rallies:

Meet Kevin Paffrath For Governor

At the start of each rally, Meet Kevin Paffrath and the campaign will distribute campaign raffle tickets for FREE, which will enter attendees into a giveaway for free cash prices ( $100 - $500 ), t-shirts, hats, or other campaign products.

- ), t-shirts, hats, or other campaign products. Meet Kevin Paffrath will present his plan 30 minutes after the started listing time for each rally (be early to get your raffle ticket!).

will present his plan 30 minutes after the started listing time for each rally (be early to get your raffle ticket!). There will then be a Q&A-style discussion for 30 minutes thereafter.

Depending on timing, Meet Kevin Paffrath may be available for photos, meeting attendees, and interviews after the event.

First Weekend Locations:

Fresno, CA : July 2nd at 6 pm . San Jose, CA : July 3rd at 10 am . Santa Rosa, CA : July 3rd at 6 pm . Sacramento, CA : July 4th at 10 am . Chico, CA : July 4th at 6 pm .

Second Weekend Locations:

San Diego, CA : July 9th at 6 pm . Newport, CA : July 10th at 10 am . San Bernardino, CA : July 10th at 6 pm . Santa Monica, CA : July 11th at 10 am . Ventura, CA : July 11th at 6 pm .

Meet Kevin Paffrath will solve our state's homelessness crisis, educational system, unaffordable housing, and lack of transportation infrastructure by declaring 4 states of emergency on his first day in office. Meet Kevin Paffrath will end homeless living on our streets in 60 days utilizing the National Guard. The National Guard will be charged with providing compassion as well as building 80 Emergency Facilities to house and care for our homeless population.

Meet Kevin Paffrath wants to overhaul our educational system to teach students practical skills by creating Future Schools. A combination of high school, college, and vocational school, Future Schools teach the abilities the job market is looking for, business communication skills, and financial education, so graduates can start their careers at 18, debt free. Future Schools will also provide those over 18 with $2,000 per month, so they can attend school WHILE getting paid.

Housing costs are at an all-time high in California due to underdevelopment. Meet Kevin Paffrath will make housing affordable by promoting the development & commercial conversion of 500,000 new units annually until supply can catch up with demand. Additionally, traffic is bleeding our economy by billions of dollars each year. Optional toll roads along, and tunnels under existing highways for cars, trucks, and busses would help alleviate traffic and pay for themselves.

California also has one of the highest costs of living anywhere in the United States. Eliminating the state income tax on the first $250,000 of income would effectively give the average Californian a $3100 per year pay raise.

Media Inquiries: [email protected]

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LONDON , June 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Modulaire Group ("Modulaire" or "the Group"), Europe and Asia Pacific's leading infrastructure services company specialising in modular services, is pleased to announce that its shareholders have entered into an agreement to sell the Group to investment funds managed by Brookfield Business Partners L.P. ("Brookfield").

Brookfield is acquiring Modulaire from its shareholders which include investment funds managed by TDR Capital LLP ("TDR"), a leading UK-based private equity firm. The transaction, which is subject to customary regulatory and competition clearances, is expected to close in Q4 2021.

Brookfield Business Partners is the flagship listed business services and industrials company of Brookfield Asset Management, a leading global alternative asset manager with over $600 billion of assets under management.

Under TDR's ownership, Modulaire has grown to become the leading provider of modular services and infrastructure in Europe and Asia Pacific. The Group's experienced management team has strengthened the business through a focus on four strategic objectives of granular management of branch-level performance, continuous efficiency improvement, disciplined capital deployment and a targeted acquisition strategy.

Modulaire is expected to deliver strong continued growth, supported by significant market and secular trends including post-COVID government stimulus programmes, aging building stock across Europe and a structural shift towards modular space. The business is also benefitting from strong ESG tailwinds as customers look to secure buildings with a smaller carbon footprint and reduced waste and energy consumption through construction.

Following the Group's acquisition by Brookfield, Modulaire's current management team will remain with the Group and continue to focus on driving the Group's strategic growth agenda.

Mike Smith, Chairman of Modulaire Group, said: "Modulaire has made huge strides as a business over recent years and Brookfield's investment is testament to the progress that has been made. I would like to thank TDR for the huge support they have given the management team and the business more broadly, helping set Modulaire up for continued growth in the future."

Mark Higson, CEO of Modulaire Group said: "I am delighted to welcome Brookfield as a new investor in the business and look forward to benefitting from their sector experience as we continue to drive Modulaire's growth. The significant transformation of our business in recent years is down to the hard work of my colleagues. We are all hugely excited about driving Modulaire's continued growth in the future and we look forward to the opportunities ahead."

Gary Lindsay, Partner at TDR Capital LLP, said: "We are delighted that Modulaire will have a strong and experienced partner in Brookfield that will continue to support and invest in the business. We believe Brookfield will be a very positive shareholder for Modulaire and look forward to witnessing its continued success in the future."

Modulaire Group was advised by Goldman Sachs International, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan and STJ Advisors, with legal advice from Linklaters LLP.

About Modulaire Group

Modulaire Group is the leader in European modular services and infrastructure. We create smart spaces for people to live, work and learn. Our business is designed to help customers find the right space solution, no matter what their requirements. Modulaire Group has operations in 25 countries with approximately 259,000 modular space and portable storage units and 3,400 remote accommodations rooms. The company operates as Algeco in Europe and Scandinavia, Elliott, Advante and Carter in the United Kingdom, BUKO Huisvesting, BUKO Bouw & Winkels and BUKO Bouwsystemen in The Netherlands, Ausco in Australia, Portacom in New Zealand, and Algeco Chengdong in China.

For further information

Investor relations:

[email protected]

07841 563541

Media enquiries:

Tulchan Communications

[email protected]

0207 353 4200

SOURCE Modulaire Group
Its technicians have worked in JCI-accredited hospitals with ISO standards for years before coming to the clinic. They have received regular CPR training, Sapphire Academy Hair Transplant Training, and Psychology & Communication Techniques Training.

The two doctors at the clinic are certified by the ISHRS, pack over a decade of experience, and have carried out over 3,500 successful hair transplant operations to date. All their satisfied patients' testimonials speak volumes about their expertise, service quality, and patient care.

Cutting-edge technology is another reason behind Sapphire Hair Clinic's quality and popularity. Its doctors use sapphire micro-blades to make more accurate incisions, reduce tissue damage, minimize scalp trauma, maximize graft survival rates, and shorten the recovery process.

Natural-Looking Results

Sapphire Hair Clinic prioritizes medical ethics and puts the patient first. It focuses on patient satisfaction, which is why everyone gets personalized aesthetic design and planning.

The doctors perform most of the processes, from the planning during the initial consultation to making all the incisions during the operation. They supervise all the other processes and do all the necessary follow-ups.

That level of dedication, together with all the expertise and experience, is what leads to natural-looking results. The doctors plan every hairline design carefully and calculate the optimal number of grafts to ensure that each patient gets a high-grade hair transplant surgery that transforms their appearance.

Sapphire Hair Clinic's Services

Some of the most popular services that Sapphire Hair Clinic offers include:

FUE hair transplant

DHI hair transplant

Sapphire FUE hair transplant

Manual FUE hair transplant

Beard and mustache transplant

Eyebrow transplant

Eyelash transplant

Sapphire FUE and DHI hair transplants are some of the most innovative hair restoration techniques performed under local anesthesia.

The Sapphire FUE method involves extracting hair follicles from the donor area, making incisions in the recipient area, and inserting the hair grafts. The doctor uses a surgical tool with sapphire micro-blades to make the incisions.

With the DHI method, there's no need for incisions. The surgeon uses a special pen-like tool with a hollow needle to extract and implant the grafts directly. That requires more precision and technical prowess, which is why it's typically more expensive.

Hair Transplant Packages at Sapphire Hair Clinic

Sapphire Hair Clinic offers two different hair transplant packages, both on an all-inclusive basis. They have everything one would need to enjoy a carefree experience and ensure excellent results.

One is the Primary Package, while the other is the DHI Package. Both include the following:

Initial briefing

Hairline planning

Pre-op and post-op consultations

Pre-op blood tests

Local anesthesia

Sapphire percutaneous microblade incisions

Micromotor FUE extraction

Manual implantation

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy

Post-op medications

Aftercare hair products

Airport pick-ups and drop-offs

Two-night accommodation at a five-star hotel (breakfast included)

Hotel-clinic transfers

They really thought of everything to ensure their patients enjoy maximum comfort.

One of the things that most Sapphire Hair Clinic's satisfied patients seem to like is two-year post-op follow-ups. Few clinics are so dedicated to patient satisfaction that they schedule regular follow-ups for that long. Most typically follow up with patients for up to a year.

Another great advantage of Sapphire Hair Clinic is a free, non-binding consultation. Anyone interested in hair transplants can contact the clinic to consult with one of its doctors before making any commitments.

The purpose of the initial consultation is to determine if one is a good hair transplant candidate, discuss their medical history, and explore all their options. The doctor explains the surgery in detail, performs a free hair analysis, and discusses all their services.

Final Thoughts

A hair transplant can completely transform the lives of men and women dealing with hair loss. The key is to choose a reputable clinic that offers first-class quality and natural-looking results.

Sapphire Hair Clinic in Istanbul is one of the most respectable hair clinics recommended by thousands of patients and world-renowned hair restoration experts. Thanks to its doctors' expertise and experience, and the latest technology they use, it's the go-to place for high-quality hair transplants.

Press Contact:

Burak Onal,

+90 530 870 57 90,

https://www.crabsmedia.com/

SOURCE Sapphire Hair Clinic
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, June 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Saudi Fransi Capital announces that it is starting the process of building the order book in preparation for offering 30% of the shares of Tanmiah Food Company ("Tanmiah" or the "Company") for public subscription through an Initial Public Offering ("IPO", the "Transaction" or the "Offering").

Saudi Fransi Capital, the Financial Advisor, Lead Manager, Bookrunner, and Underwriter for Tanmiah Food Company's IPO has announced the price range of the offering and the start of the book building process for the Institutional Tranche on 17/11/1442H (corresponding to 27/06/2021G). The institutional subscription period will continue until end of day on 21/11/1442H (corresponding to 01/07/2021G).

The Offering of the shares of Tanmiah will include the Institutional Tranche, where six million (6,000,000) Ordinary Shares will be offered to institutional investors, representing 30% of the share capital of the Company. The price range for the Offering has been set between SAR 59  67 per share. The minimum number of shares that can be subscribed to for each category of investors is one hundred thousand (100,000) Ordinary Shares, while the maximum number of shares that can be subscribed to is nine hundred and ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine (999,999) Ordinary Shares.

Saudi Fransi Capital will set the price of the Offering after the completion of the book building process, which will be followed by the subscription period for retail investors, where six hundred thousand (600,000) Ordinary Shares will be offered to individual members of the public (the "Retail Tranche"). A maximum of 10% of the shares offered for public subscription will be to individual subscribers. The subscription process for the Retail Tranche will last for one day, on 17/12/1442H (corresponding to 27/07/2021G).

In the event of sufficient demand from individual subscribers, Saudi Fransi Capital as Lead Manager has the right to reduce the number of offered shares allocated to the Institutional Tranche to a minimum of five million four hundred thousand (5,400,000) shares, representing (90%) of the total shares offered.

For more information and to view Tanmiah Food Company's Prospectus, please visit the website of the Capital Market Authority www.cma.org.sa, the website of Tanmiah Food Company www.tanmiah.com, or the website of Saudi Fransi Capital www.sfc.sa.

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For media enquiries, please contact:

George Allen

[email protected]

+971 4 369 9353

SOURCE Tanmiah Food Company
Washington, June 27 : The latest 7-day average number of administered vaccine doses per day decreased by 55.3 per cent from the previous week, according to a weekly report of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

As of June 24, the 7-day average number of administered vaccine doses reported to the CDC per day was 0.37 million, according to the report released on Friday.

About 45.8 per cent of the US population was fully vaccinated against Covid-19, and 53.9 per cent of the population received at least one shot as of Saturday, CDC data showed.

Roughly 152.2 million people were fully vaccinated. But some states, such as Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Wyoming, had low vaccination rates, the Xinhua news agency reported.

A new CDC study showed adults aged 18 to 24, as well as non-Hispanic Black adults and those with less education, no insurance, and lower household incomes, had the lowest reported vaccination coverage and intent to get vaccinated.

The White House confirmed earlier this week that the country would not hit US President Joe Biden's goal of getting 70 per cent of American adults to receive at least one Covid-19 vaccine shot by July 4, the Independence Day.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, June 27 : Here's a look at highlight films, shows and series that are scheduled to drop in the digital space this week.

PUNCCH BEAT, Season 2 (series on ALT Balaji, June 27) Cast: Priyank Sharma, Siddharth Sharma, Harshita Gaur

Created by: Vikas Gupta

The all-new season of this high school drama is about new relationships, friendships, rivalries and more. The story revolves around Rosewood High. The school has only one rule that is to obey all rules. But as the new semester starts it unfolds a lot of dark secrets and eventually all rules are broken.

COLD CASE (film on Amazon Prime, June 30) Cast: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Aditi Balan

Direction: Tanu Balak

The Malayalam horror thriller tells the story of a complex murder case, parallelly investigated by a police officer and an investigative journalist in their own way, who eventually cross paths to unravel secrets they never imagined.

HASEEN DILLRUBA (film on Netflix, July 2) Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Vikrant Massey, Harshvardhan Rane

Direction: Vinil Mathew

Under investigation as a suspect in her husband's murder, a wife reveals details of their thorny marriage that seem to only further blur the truth.

THE TOMORROW WAR (film on Amazon Prime, July 2) Cast: Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, JK Simmons, Betty Gilpin

Direction: Chris McKay

An American military science fiction action film, it focuses on humanity's war against an alien invasion in the future, as humans use a new ability to draft soldiers from the past to help fight the aliens.

SAMANTAR season 2 (series on MX Player, July 2) Cast: Tejaswini Pandit, Sai Tamhankar, Swwapnil Joshi

Direction: Satish Rajwade

The second season of the Marathi mystery thriller series resumes the story of Kumar Mahajan played by Joshi who searches for a man who has already lived Kumar's life and could tell him about the events of the future.

FEAR STREET PART ONE: 1994 (film on Netflix, July 2) Cast: Kiana Madeira, Olivia Scott Welch, Benjamin Flores Jr.

Direction: Leigh Janiak The horror film trilogy is based on the book series of the same name by novelist RL Stine. The events in the movies take place decades apart from each other but are connected with a curse. After a series of brutal slayings, a teen and her friends take on an evil force that is plagued their notorious town Shadyside, Ohio for centuries.

BIG TIMBER season 1 (reality show on Netflix, July 2) Cast: Kevin Wenstob, Eric Wenstob, Sarah Fleming

The reality show follows the dangerous work of logger and sawmill owner Kevin Wenstob as he and his crew go to extremes to keep the family sawmill and their way of life alive.

GREY'S ANATOMY season 17 (series on Netflix, July 3) Cast: Ellen Pompeo, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens Jr.

Showrunner: Krista Vernoff In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the doctors at Grey Sloan find themselves in uncharted territory as they work to save lives without any end in sight. The latest season also features Meredith on the beach among other storylines.

CHUTZPAH (series on Sony Liv, July 3) Cast: Varun Sharma, Manjot Singh, Elnaaz Norouzi

Created by: Mrighdeep Lamba

The thriller dark comedy series is based on cybercrime. It looks at issues of digital frauds, honey traps, and more. "Fukrey" stars Varun Sharma and Manjot Singh are back together again in the show.
Pune, June 27 : Once dreaded by the managements of temples, mausoleums and other places of worship for storming their sanctum sanctorum to give equal rights of worship to women, Maharashtras aggressive gender activist Trupti Desai has now donned a new, gentle role.

This time, she's virtually playing 'Cupid' for lovelorn but poor girls, barred by financial constraints from getting married, especially during the havoc wreaked by Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown of the past 16 months.

"When my teams were moving around helping deprived families all over Maharashtra during the pandemic, we learnt of many poor families facing problems of getting their daughters married," Desai, 36, who is President of the Bhumata Foundation, Pune, told IANS in a freewheeling chat.

One case from Gadchiroli was particularly disturbing, a 26-year-old girl with a minor eye defect, unable to get wedded, her parents were simple tribals and farm labourers earning barely Rs 80 daily, with a debt of Rs 10,000 on the family, with no help from any quarters in the Maoist-infested region.

After identifying her problems and similar others, Desai approached a Pune realtor, Yuvraj Dhamale Corp's leading lights - Yuvraj S. Dhamale and his wife Vaishnavi Dhamale.

"The Dhamales readily agreed to team up with Bhumata Foundation in this genuine social cause - the company would sponsor the basic wedding costs of the couples weaned through our huge network of field activists," Desai smiled.

Since January, the Bhumata Foundation & Yuvraj Dhamale Corp carefully picked around 10 such girls from Nanded, Parbhani, Latur, Amravati, Satara, Kolhapur and Gadchiroli, and provided them Rs 15,000 to cover the basic costs for an unostentatious marriage.

"We aim to help the really needy enter into wedlock with a simple ceremony, with a few invitees as per the pandemic norms, yet make it a memorable affair for all," Dhamale added, as they prepare for another 10 weddings over the next two to three weeks.

Instead of going around shopping for the wedding necessities for the beneficiaries, Desai and the Dhamales simply deposit Rs 15,000 into the families' bank accounts and leave them undisturbed to make their own purchases, preparations and the nuptials.

"For the Gadchiroli girl, we went a step ahead. We provided her Rs 15,000 for the wedding and also another Rs 10,000 to clear the family's loans... Their joy knew no bounds and now they lead a happy life, free of the debt burden," Desai said.

Among the pairs married off so far include one handicapped girl, one with the defective eye, four Muslim couples, and one orphan, for whom the local Bhumata Foundation office-bearers happily performed the auspicious 'Kanya Daan'.

To a question on what she liked to do more - storming places of worship or arranging marriages for girls from the most deprived sections of society - the stormy petrel pauses before replying.

"The agitation in temples or mausoleums was for equal worship rights for women, which was denied to them for centuries. However, helping these economically weak girls to get married to boys of their choice is probably a higher kind of 'punya' (divine service)... But we shall continue to work on both fronts," she said softly.

Adored and blessed by the poor families who approach her for the marital bliss of their children now, the same Desai was considered a veritable vamp by managements of places of worship, priests, clerics and power-wielders in other fields.

A streetfighter since her teens, she catapulted to national fame with her successful crusades in the Shani Shingnapure Temple of Ahmednagar (2015), Trimbakeshwar Temple of Nashik and Mahalaxmi Temple in Kolhapur, besides the Haji Ali Dargah of Mumbai (2016), the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala (2017-2018), and targeting renowned preacher Indurikar Maharaj for his objectionable anti-women utterances (2020).

"At one stage in the past decade, the mere mention of a proposed agitation by 'Trupti Tai' spelt terror and smaller places of worship would scamper to pull up their shutters voluntarily, welcoming all women!" grinned her proud businessman husband, Prashant Desai.

Desai also led the huge agitation to help a majority of the small-medium depositors recover their dues from the scam-hit Ajit Cooperative Bank, Pune in 2007, campaigns to oppose female foeticide rampant in some parts of the state and country, and anti-corruption movements.

Though heckled, threatened with rape and bodily harm, assaulted several times and with bouts in the ICU, she relentlessly continues her movements, while assuring she is a "non-political and non-partisan" women's rights activist.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)
Srinagar, June 27 : The radical, strait-laced, Wahhabi sect of Islam insists on literal interpretation of the Quran and the belief that all those who do not practice this form of Islam are pagans and enemies of the faith.

This movement was founded by Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Wahhab in the 18th century in Najd, Central Asia.

The Saudi royal family adopted this sect in 1744. The sect is today prevalent in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Wahhabis call themselves 'Salfis' (Followers of pious forebears). The followers of this sect firmly believe that anybody who goes to the shrines of Sufis and Saints is practising 'Shirk' (Associate anything with Allah).

'Shirk' is a sin which won't be pardoned by Allah on the day of judgement.

Wahhabi influence is not new to Kashmir as followers of this practice have been here for the last 100 years.

During the last 30 years, coinciding with the outbreak of the separatist violence, Wahhabi influence has multiplied manifold in Kashmir.

Indian intelligence agencies attribute it to huge funding from Saudi Arabia and the gulf which is pumped into Kashmir ostensibly for constructing mosques and 'Madrassas' (Islamic seminaries to teach children).

An alarming development has been that its non-philosophical, non-spiritual, simplistic interpretation of Islam has won Wahhabism a large number of followers in Kashmir especially among the youth.

"This sect is in direct conflict with the tolerant, eclectic, compassionate and all encompassing culture of Kashmir that has been influenced by Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam in equal measure.

"For the followers of Wahhabism, the belief is straight, my way or the highway," said a Kashmir religious scholar who wished not to be named.

The result has been that the traditional benign Sufist Islam is fast giving way to ultra conservative and radical Salfi Islam which is expanding the catchment area for Jihadi terror groups.

There has been a mushrooming of Wahhabi mosques in cities, towns and villages of Kashmir and this has overshadowed the old Sufi mosques and shrines.

Old Kashmiris are still going to the shrines of local Sufis and Saints while one is alarmed by seeing very few youth in those crowds.

Another local Islamic scholar says the greatest danger is that in the mosques and Madrassas run by the Wahhabis in Kashmir, the young excitable children and youth are constantly fed with an all pervading threat that Islam is allegedly facing from both outside and within.

"Salfi Madrassas teach children that the enemy within (followers of tolerant Sufist Islam) are more dangerous than the enemy from outside, which includes followers of all other religions and faiths.

"This siege mentality thus engendered is helping recruitment of cadres for Jihad," the scholar said.

"Interestingly, little trusting the local Madrassa teachers and preachers at the mosques who have been baptised into tolerant Islam, the protagonists of Petrodollar Islam have brought in teachers and Mosque preachers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

"What is more worrisome is that the acceptance and romance with the Salfi sect is not prevalent only among the youth of the poor families.

"Majority of the Kashmiri youth who have been influenced by this sect and who have drifted away from Sufist Islam belong to upper middle class and the rich families of the Valley," said an intelligence officer.

The officer said the ideologues for such misguided youth are the terrorist commanders of Syria and Iraq.

Wahhabis advocate ban on music which is a prominent feature of Kashmir's Sufist Islam. Some scholars are attributing the growing distance between the Sunni and the Shia Muslims to the Wahhabi influence in Kashmir.

These scholars also attribute the burning and sacrilege of Sufist shrines in the Valley during the last 30 years to the spread of the Wahhabi sect.
Jammu, June 27 : Two low intensity explosions took place early Sunday morning in the technical area of Jammu Air Force Station.

The explosions happened at 2 a.m. Bomb disposal and forensic teams are at the Airport and cordoned off the entire area.

"One caused minor damage to the roof of a building while the other exploded in an open area," said Indian Air Force in a statement.

The force said that there was no damage to any equipment. "Investigation is in progress along with civil agencies," IAF said.

Security agencies suspect that drones were used to drop bombs at the Air Force station.

The security establishments stated that there is suspicion that drones were used to drop IED inside the airport to trigger the blast.

They also cited that drones were used to drop weapons in the past as it cannot be detected by radar.
New Delhi, June 27 : Storytellers on OTT have struck gold with anthology films and shows. While the genre is not altogether new, it seems to increasingly find favour for more than one reason. For one, it lets makers of OTT shows and films pack in more, in terms of actors. More importantly, the audience gets more than one flavour of storytelling thanks to the multitude of stories that are mostly directed by different directors, hence bringing in varied styles.

Over the past few year, we have had anthologies such "Ludo", "Unpaused", "Ajeeb Dastaans" and "Ray" in Hindi. Thanks to the fact that OTT provides unrestricted viewing to all audiences across the nation and the globe, regional anthology films such as "Putham Pudu Kaalai" and "Paava Kadhaigal" (both Tamil) have also managed to draw attention beyond the home state.

"Everyone makes a normal routine film but anthology is difficult and challenging. The taste of the audience has evolved and they are exposed to international shows. Earlier it was tried with 'Dus Kahaniyaan' but audience back then didn't understand the concept. Now, cinema-making and cinema consumption has changed. Every generation has its taste. Earlier social, action and romantic films worked. This is a new format the audience is enjoying," trade analyst Atul Mohan tells IANS.

From the perspective of a film maker, while one may feel that bringing multiple creative storytellers can be challenging, Srijit Mukherji has his take. Mukherji, who has directed two of the four stories in "Ray", talks of whether individual treatment of a filmmaker gets affected, knowing there are two more stories clubbed with his film, directed by two others.

"It would have (been affected) if I would have known what others are treating their films like. Fortunately, here, Sayantan Mukherjee, who is the show runner of 'Ray', didn't let anyone know what the other director is making. He had the overall picture on how four films were shaping up. There was no one way that one guy's film would affect the other's," says Mukherji.

Actor Chandan Roy Sanyal, who was impressive in Vasan Bala's segment "Spotlight" in the anthology "Ray", explains what about the format of anthology attracts him as an actor.

"What attracts me in an anthology is that you can tell four different stories on one topic and every actor and director has a different interpretation. You are watching the same thing on love, lust or horror and everyone has their own take on it. It's lovely to see everyone have their own version. The soul is the same but storytelling and treatment are different," says Chandan.

With the ready acceptance recent anthologies have seen, ne sure there will be many lined up over the next months. A new one, "Feels Like Ishq" helmed by six directors, was been announced a few days back. The film will star Radhika Madan, Amol Parashar, Neeraj Madhav, Tanya Maniktala, Kajol Chug, Mihir Ahuja, Simran Jehani, Rohit Saraf, Saba Azad, Sanjeeta Bhattacharya, Zayn Khan and Skand Thakur.
Lucknow, June 27 : In an apparent attempt to woo Dalits, ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced that he would build a grand memorial in the name of Dalit icon Dr B.R. Ambedkar.

The foundation stone for the Bharat Ratna Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Memorial and Cultural Centre, to be located in Lucknow's Aishbagh, is likely to be laid by President Ram Nath Kovind during his Lucknow visit on June 28.

The project is expected to cost around Rs 50 crore and sources indicated that a portion of the centre, which would include a 45m high statue will be completed by the first week of December so that it can be inaugurated on Ambedkar's death anniversary on December 6.

Lucknow already has multiple memorials dedicated to the memory of Ambedkar and his wife Ramabai. All of them were constructed in Lucknow and Noida during the various regimes of the Bahujan Samaj Party in the state.

According to Yogi Adityanath, the proposed Ambedkar memorial would serve as a centre for cultural and educational events.

"This will be a grand building, housing a statue of Ambedkar, library, museum and auditorium. As per current plans, the statue will be 25 feet high, placed on a pedestal 20 feet high. Cultural activities will be organised there through the year, including seminars, plays, etc. Students can also visit it for research purposes," said a government official.

The library will have a vast stock of digitalised literature, including books on Ambedkar and his own writings.

Officials said that soil testing at the proposed site has already begun.

"We hope to complete part of the project by December 6 so that it can be inaugurated on Ambedkar's death anniversary," an official said.
Lucknow, June 27 : Politics is a game of shifting sands and loyalties and it is already in full play in Uttar Pradesh even though assembly elections are still a few months away.

The state seems to be heading for a four-cornered contest, with caste playing a dominant role.

Friends will turn foes and foes will turn friends, but the play will still remain largely between four players.

The ruling BJP, confident of its return to power, is working towards consolidating its vote base, mainly among Hindus, and setting its own house in order.

The state government has made a beginning by announcing that it will withdraw all cases lodged against its party workers.

"We are a disciplined party and we have worked at the grassroot level. We will deal with our problems like a family and face elections with the same spirit and unity," said party vice president Vijay Bahadur Pathak.

The BJP has already drawn up a road map to overcome the anti-incumbency factor that had swelled during the second wave of the pandemic.

The party is focusing on assuaging the feelings of Brahmins and OBCs who are reportedly upset with the party. Recent entrants like Jitin Prasada have been tasked with bringing Brahmins back into the party fold.

Efforts have already been initiated to soothe ruffled feathers between Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya who is the party's OBC face.

While the BJP is in no mood to forge new alliances, it is definitely keen to retain allies like Apna Dal and repair the damage done with the exit of Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP).

Another major player in the 2022 elections will be the Samajwadi Party that has already positioned itself as a viable alternative to the ruling BJP.

The Samajwadi Party (SP) is in the process of holding negotiations with smaller parties and if sources are to be believed, party supremo Akhilesh Yadav will forge alliances with parties that represent non-Yadav caste groups.

A senior SP leader said: "The swelling crowds in front of our state headquarters is a clear indication of the people's mood. The panchayat elections have proved that SP is set to return to power next year." Akhilesh Yadav, meanwhile, has ruled out any truck with parties like the BSP and the Congress.

"Our experience with Congress in 2017 and the BSP in 2019 has been disappointing and we are going it alone this time," said Akhilesh.

Sources said that Akhilesh is trying to iron out differences with his estranged uncle Shivpal Yadav so that there is no division in the Yadav votes.

The BSP, on the other hand, is banking fully on its Dalit vote base that had gone down to 19 per cent in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Party leaders admit that it is Mayawati's charisma alone that can lift the party from the realms of despair and work a miracle.

The majority of the leaders and legislators in the BSP have either left the party or have been shown the door. Besides, Mayawati's own wavering posture towards the BJP governments in Delhi and Lucknow have put a question mark on her.

"We still do not know whether we have to adopt an anti-BJP posture or remain positive," said a party functionary.

The BSP will contest on its own -- it wants no allies and no party wants it as its ally.

The Congress, meanwhile, will be another loner in the upcoming elections.

Faced with bitter infighting in its ranks, the party has sunk to an all time low. The exodus from the party is continuing and the exit of former MPs like Annu Tandon and Jitin Prasada have only added to its woes.

Party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who has been active only on Twitter and Facebook, is now expected to come to Lucknow next month and camp there for a few days.

The party organisation is non-existent in the state and the Congress does not have leaders left in the districts.

With parties like the SP and the BSP refusing to ally with the Congress and even the smaller outfits staying away, it remains to be seen how the party retains its strength of seven legislators in the next assembly.

The fourth and the most important player that will, perhaps, play the role of king maker in the event of a hung house after the 2022 elections, is actually a cluster of smaller parties, having a limited area of influence geographically.

This group includes the Aam Aadmi Party, AIMIM, SBSP, Jan Adhikar Manch and some others.

The AAP is targeting the middle-class voters that are feeling 'cheated' by the BJP while AIMIM is focusing on minority voters. The SBSP enjoys influence over Rajbhar votes and the Jan Adhikar Manch, led by former BSP minister Babu Singh Kushwaha, holds sway over Maurya and Kushwaha votes.

The Nishad Party that is trying to drive a bargain with the BJP and is seeking the deputy chief minister's post, may also end up with this conglomerate if the deal does not work out.

A senior political analyst said: "Parties in this group are most likely to shift loyalties in the post poll scenario and may even end up as a king maker, in case the elections throw up a hung assembly. They are the ones to watch out for this time if the mandate is fractured."
New Delhi, June 27 : The Centre has informed the Supreme Court that Zydus Cadila vaccines have concluded clinical trial for the age group of 12-18 years and these vaccines may be available soon.

The affidavit was filed by the Centre in response to the Supreme Court's pointed queries about the vaccination policy.

Earlier, this month the Centre announced a dramatic overhaul in its vaccine policy. In its response in the top court, the government presented a detailed plan to vaccinate all adults in the country by the end of December.

The affidavit said domestic vaccines such as those from Biological E and Zydus Cadila are in the late stages of clinical trials and subject to the regulatory approvals, will further increase the availability of vaccines.

"Zydus Cadila which is developing DNA vaccines has concluded its clinical trial for between the age group of 12 to 18 years and subject to the statutory permissions, the same may be available in near future for children of the age group of 12 to 18 years of age", said the affidavit. The central government is expected to procure 5 crore Zydus Cadila DNA vaccines.

According to the projected midyear population for 2020, the total population of the country aged 18 years and above is approximately 93-94 crore. And administering two doses to these beneficiaries would require an estimated 186 to 188 crore vaccine doses.

The Centre said 51.6 crore doses will be made available for administration by July 31, leaving a requirement of approximately 135 crore vaccine doses, from August to December, for complete vaccination to the eligible population.

The Centre said on May 12, the Drugs Controller General of India has permitted Bharat Biotech to conduct clinical trials on the healthy volunteers between 2 years and 18 years of age, for its vaccine i.e. Covaxin and the enrolment process for this trial has also begun.

The central government emphasized that it has been following a dynamic mapping model based on availability of vaccines and coverage of vulnerable priority groups to take decisions of when to open up vaccination to other age groups.
Hanoi, June 27 : Vietnam has reported the highest-ever spike in the number of single-day Covid-19 cases, majority of them detected in Ho Chi Minh City, since the onset of the pandemic in the country early last year, according to the Health Ministry.

There were 738 new cases registered on Saturday, of which 727 were locally transmitted and 11 were imported, Xinhua news agency quoted the Ministry as saying.

The new cases increased the country's overall infection tally to 15,275.

Among the domestic cases, 621 were detected in Ho Chi Minh City, 16 in Bac Giang province, and 11 in Hung Yen province, the Ministry said.

Most of these cases were contacts of previously confirmed cases or linked to community clusters.

Nationwide 6,137 infected patients have so far recovered, while nearly 175,700 people are being quarantined and monitored.

The country's overall coronavirus death toll stood at 74.

Vietnam plans to trial its vaccine passport program from July in the northern province of Quang Ninh, under which travellers who have been fully vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19 and tested negative upon arrival, will be quarantined for only seven days instead of 21, local media reported.

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Warsaw, June 27 : Poland has further eased restrictions on businesses amid dropping Covid-19 infection numbers across the country.

From Saturday, all public transport were allowed to run at full capacity, provided passengers wear face masks, reports Xinhua news agency.

Places of worship, cinemas and theatres were allowed to fill 75 per cent of their normal capacity, up from 50 per cent when they reopened on May 15.

Hotels can now book up to 75 per cent of their total rooms, not counting children under the age of 12.

Sporting events and concerts are allowed to receive up to 50 per cent of total venue capacity, while discos and dancing clubs can reopen for up to 150 guests.

The Polish government has also adopted the definition the European Union uses for people being fully vaccinated.

A person is considered fully vaccinated 14 days after receiving their last dose, the government announced on its website.

While relaxing most restrictions, the Polish government on Thursday reintroduced a mandatory 10-day quarantine period for travellers coming from countries outside of the Schengen zone out of fear of the Delta variant.

The coronavirus mutation is thought to be more contagious than the Alpha variant, which was first detected in Britain.

Reports over the week indicated that around 90 Polish residents have contracted the Delta variant so far.

In total, 2,879,569 Poles have been reported to have had Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic, while 74,974 people have succumbed to the disease so far.

As people are being vaccinated, the number of reported Covid cases has dropped steadily since April.

A total of 27,621,910 vaccine doses have been administered, and 11,173,942 adults have been fully vaccinated in the country.

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Mumbai, June 27 : Actor Swwapnil Joshi, who soon reprise his role of Kumar Mahajan in the Marathi web series "Samantar 2", says the particular streaming platform on which a project gets released plays a huge role in the show's success. He adds that the Marathi industry has lately been producing some of the finest content, in cinema as well as OTT, and just needs a wider audience.

"It is the platform that gives you (the audience) the first cue on how they feel about the show. If a platform is hesitant in backing a show, then as a viewer you are going to be hesitant in watching it. If the platform is aggressive in marketing it and you see they are putting all their power in pushing it ahead, you know they are confident about the show and you would consume it faster. The platform, right marketing and mounting play key roles going forward," the actor tells IANS.

Swwapnil, who has been part of various Marathi films and shows in the past, is of the opinion that the industry has churned out great content over the past couple of years.

"I think Marathi cinema has grown manyfolds in the last couple of years. Marathi cinema has really come of age. We have reached the Oscars, we have broken the Rs 100-crore barrier and continue to do that every passing day," shares the actor.

Swwapnil is still remembered for his role as a child artiste, when he appeared as Lord Krishna in Ramanand Sagar's show "Krishna". Growing up, he made a name for himself in Hindi and Marathi shows.

The actor feels that Marathi content should strengthen its reach.

"I think Marathi content, be it cinema or OTT needs to be accessible to people. At the cost of sounding immodest, as far as content is concerned, I really feel that we are making some of the finest content in India. Now the job is to reach bigger and wider audience," he says.

"Samantar 2", which also stars Nitish Bharadwaj, is the second part of hit Marathi series of the same name and will stream on MX Player. Swaapnil plays Kumar Mahajan, a man who falls into unending series of events in order to satiate his curiosity about his future.

Is the actor curious about his future in personal life, too? "I am definitely curious about my future but I am not paranoid about it. If someone says that they can read my palm, I would be interested. But I will not get addicted to it," says the actor, who will soon be seen in the Marathi horror film "Bali".
Jakarta, June 27 : Indonesia has set a target of administering two million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine daily in August in efforts to curb the surge in the number of new cases, according to President Joko Widodo.

In a statement on Saturday, Widodo said the recent surge in the Southeast Asian country was worsened by the inclusion of the more contagious Delta, Alpha and Beta variants, reports Xinhua news agency.

The daily number of two million doses marks a sharp increase over the target of 700,000 doses in June and 1 million doses in July.

"I hope that starting today the target of 1 million doses of vaccine (per day) is achieved for the entire Indonesian population and we will keep it until July. In August, we are targeting twice," Widodo said.

Indonesia has administered 25.48 million doses till date, including 12.91 million as the second doses.

On Saturday, the country recorded 21,095 new Covid cases, marking the highest daily spike, which increased the total tally to 2,093,962, the Health Ministry said.

The death toll stood at 56,729.

An additional 7,396 people were discharged from hospitals, raising the total number of recoveries in the country to 1,842,457.

The pandemichas spread to all of Indonesia's 34 provinces.

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Chennai, June 27 : Two decades after opening up the insurance sector in India on the promise of innovative products, industry officials complain on lack of data for domiciliary hospitalisation cover suggested by their sectoral regulator.

The Indian insurance regulator IRDAI has allowed non-life insurers to offer "homecare/domiciliary treatment" or treatment at home as an add on cover afresh or to their existing policies.

In a circular to all non-life insurers including standalone health insurers, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has said companies have to file their products with it, if home treatment is offered as an add-on cover.

According to IRDAI, homecare treatment is one taken at home for an ailment that normally needs hospitalisation provided that a medical practitioner advises the insured home treatment; there is a continuous active line of treatment with the health status of the insured monitored daily by a medical practitioner during the duration of home treatment; and that records of daily monitoring of the insured patient and the treatment given are recorded and signed by a medical practitioner.

Norms for settlement of claims should be mentioned in the policy document and prospectus, it said.

IRDAI said that insurers can offer the cover to their existing policyholders by charging an additional premium for the residual period of time.

However industry officials complained about the absence of data for offering the cover.

Curiously, homecare or domiciliary hospitalisation cover was introduced by the government owned non-life insurers in the 1980s.

"Since domiciliary hospitalisation cover has been in vogue for quite some time, data on that should be available with the companies. In any case, lack of data is never a restraining factor in innovation. The recent example of Covid-19 specific covers is a case in point," K.K. Srinivasan, former Member (Non-Life) IRDAI told IANS.

A glance at various claims reports of Insurance Information Bureau of India (IIB) does not show the term 'domiciliary hospitalisation' though there is data on Out Patient Policy which is entirely different.

"If the regulator directs to collect data on domiciliary hospitalisation then we can collect the same from the insurers," Kunnel Prem, CEO, IIB told IANS.

"Majority of the insurers stayed away from homecare insurance for reimbursement or cashless treatment. Insurers have some minimal cover," Meena Ganesh, Managing Director & CEO, Healthvista India that offers homecare services under the brand Portea Medical.

Continuing further Ganesh said: "The IRDAI circular doesn't mandate the insurers to offer homecare treatment cover. It is only a recommendatory circular - if you want to offer, you can offer." According to her, only a small portion of her customers get domiciliary hospitalisation cover reimbursement.

Industry officials state the IRDAI's circular has come due to the massive Covid-19 pandemic second wave and many patients were not able to get a bed in hospital.

Welcoming IRDAI's move, Liberty General Insurance Ltd's CEO and Whole Time Director Roopam Asthana had told IANS that the "add-on cover has to be priced right taking into account the data and possible scenarios".

The insurers will save on huge daily hospital room charges, though the doctor and nurse fee may be on slightly on the higher side then what a hospital charges.

For the past one year, we have offered our policyholders suffering from Covid-19 homecare facility. The expense incurred by a patient at home is 80 per cent less than what is spent in a hospital," S. Prakash, Managing Director, Star Health and Allied Insurance Company Ltd told IANS.

According to him, the homecare treatment insurance cover is several decades old overseas and one should not wait long for data to offer the same to Indian policyholders.

Prakash said insurers should tie up with hospitals with telemedicine facilities which in turn would further reduce the doctor visit charges.

"I see this segment to have a great future. We will soon come out with a homecare policy," Prakash added.

On their part the third party administrators (TPA) or the healthcare claims processing agencies say the domiciliary cover as an add-on cover will not impact them.

"For us, a claim is a claim. When this cover becomes mainstream, then the industry should educate the policyholders on the documents that need to be submitted for a claim," Nikhil Chopra, Chief Business Officer, Medi Assist Insurance TPA told IANS.

He said this cover is provided in some group health insurance policies by some insurers.

"If this product picks up, we will need to scale up and train our processors and doctors for such claims and pre-authorisations," Girish Rao, Chairman & Managing Director, Vidal Health Insurance TPA Pvt Ltd told IANS.

(Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in)

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Tirana, June 27 : All citizens above the age of 18 will be allowed to get a Covid-19 vaccine shot from June 29-30 across Albania, Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu said.

The minister made the announcement on Saturday from a vaccination site in the coastal city of Vlora, reports Xinhua news agency.

"Based on a recommendation of the Public Health Institute experts, we have decided, as in many other countries, to launch a vaccination campaign for next Tuesday and Wednesday for all citizens above the age of 18," Manastirliu told local media.

She invited all citizens belonging to this age group and above to apply for vaccination at the government online platform e-Albania.

Till date, the total number of vaccinations administered in Albania has reached 930,126, according to Manastirliu.

So far, mass vaccination in Albania has included citizens above the age of 50 as well as frontline professionals.

Albania has so far reported 1,32,509 Covid cases, 2,456 Deaths, with 129,975 recoveries, according to the Health Ministry.

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Prayagraj, June 27 : The Allahabad University (AU) has decided to observe the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' from August 9, on a grand scale.

This is being done on the directives of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

The varsity's central cultural committee has drawn up a detailed plan in this regard and plans to host events, keeping students at the centre of events all through the year.

Allahabad University (AU) PRO Jaya Kapoor said, "As per the plan, various events like self-composed poem recitation to special lectures and webinars besides competitions like poster making, quiz, debate and on-the-spot speechmaking would be organized for the students. These would be held in online and offline modes while strictly adhering to the Covid protocol." She said that a poster rally and street play are also proposed to be held in the Arts, Commerce, Science and Law faculty campuses of the central university.

The national anthem would also be uploaded on a designated portal, cycle rallies would be held and existing literature would be translated into different languages.

The UGC letter also asks the institutions to upload the details of the events held on the University Activity Monitoring Portal (UAMP) of UGC.

'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 12 to commemorate 91 years of Dandi March by Mahatma Gandhi. It is an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of progressive India and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements.

The official journey of 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav', which commenced on March 12, 2021, has started a 75-week countdown to India's 75th anniversary of Independence and will conclude on August 15, 2022.
New Delhi, June 27 : Infighting and discontent in the poll bound state units are turning out to be a major concern for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) than the opposition parties. Assembly elections are scheduled in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa and Uttarakhand early next year. Senior national party leaders are trying to resolve the differences within the party units in these states.

A senior leader said that this infighting and discontentment in local units especially in the poll bound Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Punjab need to be addressed at the earliest as it might affect party's poll prospects and preparations.

"Next year's polls in Uttar Pradesh and other states will set the momentum for the next general elections in 2024. Party's performance in Uttar Pradesh and other states is crucial for 2024 rerun, so everyone will be brought to the same page ahead of state assembly polls. Party is concerned and taking measures to address the infighting or differences in all the local units," he said.

BJP central leadership and RSS have already intervened and tried to resolve differences in Uttar Pradesh. "On June 22, chief minister Yogi Adityanath and deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya met over lunch in presence of national general secretary, organisation, B.L. Santhosh and RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale and Krishna Gopal to resolve the differences," a party insider said.

In Goa, last month BJP chief J.P. Nadda had directed chief minister Pramod Sawant and health minister Vishwajit Rane to keep their differences aside and focus on controlling Covid in the state.

Another leader pointed out that local issues must be addressed so that everyone should put a united effort in fighting the opposition parties instead of fighting against each other.

Party leadership in Delhi also found that infighting and discontentment have spread in Karnataka, Rajasthan, Delhi and Tripura -- irrespective of whether the saffron party is in power or not.

Another senior party functionary explained, "Infighting and differences among leadership and cadres need immediate attention of the central leadership and in some cases state units have already apprised them about it." In Rajasthan, former chief minister Vasundhara Raje is not on the same page with the state leadership. While Raje's supporters are running a parallel organization by launching 'Vasundhara Raje Samarthak Manch, Rajasthan', on the other hand the state unit has removed her photo from poster and hoardings.

Rajasthan BJP chief Satish Poonia told IANS, "Central leadership has been apprised of what's happening in the state for appropriate action." In Karnataka, despite state in-charge and national general secretary Arun Singh's repeated warning, voices were raised, albeit a few, in public against chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa.

In Punjab, former minister Anil Joshi blamed BJP state leadership for mishandling of farmers' issue and said that the party would have to pay the price for the situation.

In Delhi, some spokespersons of the party were removed from the party WhatsApp group on the direction of state unit chief Adesh Gupta while one spokesperson left it saying his seniority was not taken care of.

On Gupta's direction Delhi BJP office secretary Hukum Singh ordered removal of spokesperson Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga and Neha Shalini Dua from the party's WhatsApp group. While Harish khurana, son of former Delhi chief minister Madan Lal Khurana, left the group saying his seniority has been ignored.

Some of the spokespersons in Delhi BJP Unit have been recently appointed office bearers in the national team of party's different morchas. Sources said that while state leadership asked them to resign, they are not willing to quit the post.

In Kerala, there is a lot of opposition against state unit chief K. Surendran after he was named in an FIR in an alleged poll bribery case. Allegations were denied by the Kerala BJP chief but many in the party believe that he should be replaced till the time his name is cleared.

Earlier this month, amid the speculation that some BJP MLAs and leaders in Tripura may follow the example of its former national vice president Mukul Roy who returned to the Trinamool Congress (TMC), three senior central leaders reached Agartala to meet state leaders.

A senior party leader, however, denied any fresh political development in the saffron camp in the northeastern state. B.L. Santhosh and others reached Agartala to discuss party affairs with the state leaders, legislators, ministers and other party functionaries.

(Shashi Bhushan can be reached at shashi.b@ians.in)
Beirut, June 27 : The ongoing coronavirus pandemic and a shortage of US dollars have prompted many Lebanese people to turn to domestic destinations for holidays instead of travelling abroad.

"Reservations in our establishment started early this summer as people are hesitant to travel due to the outbreak of Covid-19 and the complications of doing several PCR tests when traveling from Lebanon to foreign destinations," said Najla Ammouri, owner of Abdelli Terraces, a small hotel located in Lebanon's northern city of Batroun.

Ammouri said that her place is fully booked until mid-August despite the slight increase in rooms' prices compared to previous years, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We made a slight increase to our rooms' prices to be able to raise our employees' salaries amid the collapse in the local currency. However, we are not profiting much so as to encourage the Lebanese to explore new places in their beautiful country," Ammouri explained.

Nouhad Touma, manager at Beit Jedde, a guesthouse located in Mtein in Mount Lebanon, told Xinhua that the US dollar shortage has prompted youngsters to stay in the country and explore new places.

"We are fully booked during the weekends in the months of July, August and September," Touma said.

For his part, Elias Lakkis, front desk agent at Mist Hotel in Ehden, told Xinhua that his hotel has employed additional people for the summer season to be able to serve an increasing number of customers.

"The Lebanese are hesitant to travel with the spread of Covid-19 all over the world, so they have been turning to local hotels in mountainous areas during this summer," he said.

Lakkis said that the past winter has also seen an increasing demand on rooms at his hotel which was unusual in previous years.

Lebanon has been facing a shortage in US dollars, causing a collapse to the local currency and a devaluation of salaries by around 90 per cent which reduced their purchasing power to unprecedented levels.

Moreover, the shortage has prompted banks to stop withdrawals from US dollar accounts while limiting withdrawals in Lebanese pound to specific amounts.

This crisis has shifted people's interest from visiting popular tourist destinations in summer such as Turkey, Greece and Cyprus to local places.

Ferial Abdo, a teacher whose salary does not exceed 2.5 million Lebanese pounds ($152), told Xinhua that she used to travel to islands in Turkey every summer by paying around $500, as her salary was equivalent to around $1,650 dollars per month prior to the local currency's collapse, but she is no longer able to travel abroad.

"My friends and I have decided to go to a hotel in the north for a couple of nights. That's the only holiday I can afford for now," Abdo said.

Pierre Ashkar, president of the Syndicate of Hotels Owners in Lebanon, told Xinhua that 750,000 Lebanese used to travel to nearby islands for summer vacation but they have now shifted to local destinations as their deposits are stuck in banks and their salaries lost values.

He added that 750,000 Lebanese expats in the Gulf countries and Africa also visit Lebanon every summer.

Ashkar added that hotels outside Beirut have been witnessing a remarkable increase in demand as most of the big ones in the city have closed after being destroyed by the Port blasts on August 4, 2020.

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Kabul, June 27 : At least 46 Taliban militants were killed and 25 others injured in fierce clasheswith security forces in Afghanistan's Takhar province, the Ministry of Defence said.

The clashes occurred on Saturday when the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) backed by local Public Uprising Forces and supported by the Air Force targeted a Taliban convoy and militants' aggregations in the suburban districts of Dasht-e-Qala and Rustaq, the Ministry said in a statement.

Among the victims were eight outstanding members of the Taliban outfit, the statement noted, without saying if there were any casualties on the side of the security forces, reports Xinhua news agency.

Two militants' vehicles and a number of their weapons and ammunition were also destroyed, according to the statement.

The northern Afghan provinces have been the scene of heavy clashes and battles in recent weeks as Taliban militants continued their battles against government forces and captured several suburban districts.
Hyderabad, June Xx : If the outcomes of various elections over the past few decades, till the recent Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu and Kerala are any indication, south of the Vindhyas, the electoral arena remains a minefield for mainstream national parties, read the BJP and Congress.

Of the five states that comprise south India, three are ruled by regional parties, one has a Left-coalition dispensation, with only Karnataka having a fragile BJP government uneasily in place.

While the Congress continues to lose prominence across the country, its situation has been particularly precarious down south, long considered its citadel. The slow slide to inconsequence began in Tamil Nadu with the party succumbing to the anti-Hindi stance that continues to this day.

Thereafter, in the eighties, fuelled by filmstar-turned-politician NT Rama Rao's Telugu Pride, the then state of Andhra Pradesh showed the door to the Congress. Post-bifurcation, the party has made way for regional parties in Andhra Pradesh as well as the fledgling state of Telangana. For a change, the Congress has managed to be on the winning side in Tamil Nadu, but it lost the Kerala polls for the second time in a row.

The story is not very different for the BJP, ruling the roost at the Centre, and a host of states in the north, west, and eastern parts of the country. With negligible presence for decades, the south remains a tough nut to crack for the BJP. Although the saffron party did make inroads with successes in Karnataka, it has lost steam and continues to steer a leaking ship through the choppy waters of an unconvincing majority in the Assembly.

Compared to states like Tripura and Assam in the East, the BJP has had a lacklustre performance in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. While it drew a blank in Andhra Pradesh Assembly polls in 2019, the BJP's graph in neighbouring Telangana has been a bit of a rollercoaster. Bolstered by its wins in Dubbaka Assembly poll and Hyderabad municipal polls, the BJP is preparing to squarely take on the ruling TRS in the next Assembly election. While Telangana is its most promising arena in the south, the reverses it suffered in Bengal polls should give the BJP some food for thought.

Despite high expectations, the party ended up losing even the sole Assembly seat it had won in the previous Kerala election. To its credit, the BJP has won four seats, making a comeback in the newly-constituted Tamil Nadu Assembly after 20 years. But with a distinctly Dravidian party at the helm, there is little that the BJP can expect to achieve here in the foreseeable future.

So, what really are the reasons for the national parties' lack of traction in the South? For starters, the southern states have had a strong tradition of throwing up homegrown leaders. From Karunanidhi, MGR, Jayalalithaa, NTR, KCR, and Jagan Mohan Reddy all have built up their votebanks assiduously. All of them are accessible in the vicinity rather than faraway Delhi. In fact, the BJP's success story in Karnataka wouldn't have been possible without Chief Minister B.S. Yediurappa, another homegrown leader.

In the Congress, a culture of subservience to the family has effectively killed local leadership. For the BJP it is a case of not having sufficiently large mass base. Unfortunately for the BJP, the process of building up local leadership is a slow and labourious process that cannot be substituted by wholesale imports from other parties. It needs to plan for a long-term future rather than the immediate future.

The second factor that is a stumbling block in the BJP's expansion plans in the south, has to do with demographics.

Compared to the other three parts, the communal composition is not so pronounced in the south. Therefore, sharp polarisation on religious or cultural lines is not easy. The Congress has seemingly hit a wall, apparently not a favourite with youngsters who make up the major share of the electorate. According to social scientists, rising urbanisation and education levels have also majorly affected the party's fortunes at the hustings.

Most importantly, it is the presence of a strong local sentiment in each of these states, wary of being swept away by a north Indian wave. This is precisely why regional parties thrive, and pose challenges for the national parties. A trend that is likely to sustain for at least the next few election cycles.
Chennai, June 27 : Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and AIADMK Chief Coordinator, O. Panneerselvam has called upon Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to expedite lakhs of vaccines that are lying unused in private hospitals of the state with immediate effect.

In a statement on Saturday, the senior leader said that the state would need 16 crore more vaccines and as of June 26, only 1.44 crore doses of vaccine have been administered to the public.

OPS said, "This means that less than 10 per cent of the state's residents have received both doses of the vaccine." He said that 13.59 lakh doses of vaccine have been allotted to private hospitals in Tamil Nadu during the months of May and June and that over 8 lakh doses of vaccine are still to be administered. He said that in July again 17.75 lakhs of vaccines are to be given to the private hospitals.

The former Chief Minister said, "This means that the private hospitals will have over 25 lakh vials of vaccine". He said the people of Tamil Nadu approach government hospitals for vaccination as it is free of cost and called upon the Chief Minister to make necessary arrangements to use the unused vaccine vials of private hospitals and distribute them among the government hospitals so that more common people are vaccinated.

On the closing day of the Assembly Session on Wednesday, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had lashed out against the previous AIADMK government in not properly managing the Covid pandemic and cited examples as to how his government was managing and controlling the second wave of the pandemic.

The response of the former Chief Minister Panneerselvam is being seen by political observers as a response to Stalin's outburst in the Legislative Assembly.
Hyderabad, June 27 : The water row between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh over the latters controversial project across the Krishna River has turned bitter with the leaders from the two Telugu states indulging in a no-holds barred attack.

The inter-state dispute over sharing of Krishna waters came to the fore again this week following reports that Andhra Pradesh is going ahead with the construction of the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Project (RLIP) despite the orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to stop the work.

Ignoring the objections of Telangana, the Andhra government reportedly executed work relating to the RLIP during the second wave of Covid-19.

Telangana says that RLIP will badly affect its interests while Andhra maintains that it is not using more water than what was allotted to it under the water sharing agreement.

"If Andhra diverts five tmcft of water every day, our five districts will be badly affected," said Telangana's Energy Minister Jagadish Reddy.

The water disputes between the two states have their roots in the pre-Telangana era. Leaders of the Telangana region in combined Andhra Pradesh had always complained about the injustice meted out to the region in allocation of rivers waters and construction of irrigation projects by successive governments.

In fact injustice in allocation of water resources, funds and jobs was the slogan on which Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) fought for separate statehood to the region.

After Telangana gained statehood in 2014, the disputes over sharing of water intensified as upper riparian state Andhra Pradesh was accused of drawing more water by taking up illegal projects.

The Telangana government headed by TRS chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao has been claiming that it is fighting to safeguard the state's interests.

As per the temporary allocation made after the formation of Telangana State, out of 811 tmcft of Krishna water, Telangana was allotted 299 tmcft and Andhra 512 tmcft. The Telangana government, however, maintains that it should get at least 565 tmcft, with the balance going to Andhra Pradesh.

Telangana has requested the Centre to refer the issue of redistribution of Krishna water by constituting a new tribunal or referring to Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II with new terms of reference.

Telangana withdrew the case in the Supreme Court to facilitate this but the delay on the part of the Centre to act on its request is causing concern to the Telangana government.

At the previous apex council meeting held in October 2020, Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat had stated that the Centre would seek legal opinion on the issue. However, he has not yet decided on a new tribunal or referring the issue to KWDT-II.

Even as this issue was pending with the Centre, reports of Andhra taking up work on RLIP sparked the latest row.

The Telangana Cabinet took serious note of the development as RLIP will allegedly divert Krishna water from Srisailam reservoir to outside the basin.

The Telangana government approached the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to prevent Andhra Pradesh from proceeding with the illegal construction of the project and also send a fact finding committee to the project site.

Telangana special chief secretary (irrigation) Rajat Kumar sent a letter to KRMB seeking steps to protect the genuine and legitimate claims of Telangana on Krishna waters.

"As per section 85(8)(d) of the AP Reorganisation Act of 2014, it is the responsibility of the KRMB to restrain AP from proceeding with RLIP works, enhancement of Srisailam right main canal and other works. The ministry of jal shakti has already directed AP not to proceed with the project without submitting the DPR before the KRMB and getting its approval," Rajat Kumar said.

Following this, KRMB directed the AP water resources secretary to not go ahead with the work until the detailed project report is appraised by the authorities concerned.

While Telangana officials alleged that work was in full swing, their Andhra counterparts denied this. They maintained that others work such as canal lining was being taken up.

Rajat Kumar also found fault with KRMB for not sending a fact-finding committee to the project site despite a direction by the NGT in February.

Meanwhile Telangana Sarpanches' Association member, Gavinola Srinivas, also filed a contempt petition in the NGT.

The Chennai bench of the NGT on June 25 cautioned the Andhra government that the chief secretary would be sent to jail if the government failed to follow the directives.

The bench directed the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) and the regional office of the Union ministry of environment, to submit a report on the current situation of the RLIP project site.

At the political level, a bitter war of words ensued between the two states. A Telangana minister went to the extent of calling Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy a 'water thief'.

A couple of Telangana ministers even dragged Jagan Reddy's father and late chief minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy into the row. They recalled how YSR, as the late leader was popularly known, did injustice to Telangana as the chief minister of combined Andhra Pradesh.

Roads and Buildings minister Vemula Prashanth Reddy said if YSR had been a 'water thief', his son Jagan Mohan Reddy had turned out to be a 'bigger thief'.

Goud went on to remark how many people believe that if YSR was alive, a separate Telangana state would not have become a reality.

However, Andhra minister Perni Nani alleged that Telangana leaders are acting provocatively on the water dispute. "Neither Andhra Pradesh nor Telangana will benefit from these acts. Our policy is clear. We have no intention of provoking emotions," he said.

"Andhra Pradesh is not taking even a single drop more than what is allotted to it. We want cordial relations with the Centre and neighbouring states," he said.

"Everyone knows what YSR has done for Telangana. Some leaders in Telangana are criticizing YSR for political gains," he said.
Chennai, June 27 : The temples of Tamil Nadu are getting ready for opening from Monday onwards following the relaxation in lockdown.

The temples in the districts of Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpettu, and Tiruvallur districts have begun cleaning, setting up barricades to restrict the entry of devotees as well as sanitizing the temples.

A senior officer with the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department (HR&CE) told IANS, "The protocols will be as what we followed during the first wave of the Covid. People will not be allowed to prostrate or sit down inside the 'prakarams' or touch idols on the walls or ring bells." He said that those above 60, those with comorbidities, children below ten years of age and pregnant women will not be allowed entry to temples.

Officials said that there were frenetic calls from people across the four districts of Chengalpettu, Kancheepuram, Chennai, and Tiruvallur for the opening of the temples and that the HR&CE department's helpline was flooded with calls from devotees for the opening of temples.

The senior official said that the HR&CE helpline 044-28339999 can be used by the devotees on all working days from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and log in complaints related to temple lands, Tiruppani works related to temples or even complaints regarding the running of temples under HR&CE in the local areas.

The Tamil Nadu government, following the intervention of the Madras High Court, is in the process of reclaiming the temple lands across the state. Records have found that there is a difference of 40,000 acres of temple land from the survey conducted in 1984-85 and 2020-21. The government has already reclaimed some land from certain trusts and societies who were running schools and other educational institutions on Temple land.

The Tamil Nadu Minister for HR&CE, P.K. Sekar Babu on Saturday inaugurated a free Covid-19 testing camp for temple staff, including the 'archakas' and 'battacharyas'.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Agartala, June 27 : Amid all major political parties' opposition and skeptical stand, tribal party 'TIPRA Motha', which in the April 6 elections had captured the politically important Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) defeating the ruling BJP-IPFT alliance, CPI-M and Congress, has passed a resolution in the council on Friday to create a "Greater Tipraland".

TIPRA Motha claims it is necessary for the socio economic development of indigenous tribals inhabiting in the eight northeastern states and the neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh.

The Greater Tipraland demand of the TIPRA (The Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance) Motha ('Motha' is a tribal word meaning tribals' unity) created huge controversy, doubts and fears in the mixed populated Tripura ever since the newly-formed party headed by Tripura's royal scion Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman raised the demand in 2019.

The TTAADC, which has a jurisdiction over two-thirds of Tripura's 10,491 sq km area and is home to over 12,16,000 people, of which 90 per cent are tribals, was constituted under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in June 1985 for the socio-economic development of the tribals, who have always played a significant role in Tripura politics as they constitute one-third of the northeastern state's four million population.

TTAADC member Runeil Debbarma, who moved the resolution in the council session on Thursday which was adopted the next day, said that the resolution would now be sent to the Governor, the state government and the Centre to create a Greater Tipraland.

"Under the Greater Tipraland concept, a powerful council would be constituted for the all-round socio economic development of the indigenous tribals residing in the eight northeastern states and the neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh. Such councils exist in European countries. We want to resolve the tribals' basic problems permanently," Debbarma told IANS.

Royal scion Deb Barman, who was the state President of the Congress in Tripura and is known to be a close friend of Rahul Gandhi, had quit the party in 2019 over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) issue, said that the Greater Tipraland concept is only for the protection of the tribals and their socio economic development.

"The demand is not against any non-tribal community, neither political or for vote bank politics. This is purely for the upliftment of a backward community," Deb Barman told IANS, adding that his party wants development of the tribals residing in the entire northeast region and the neighbouring countries.

He, however, said that until the Central government accepts the Greater Tipraland demand, their agitation and campaign programme would continue.

The ruling and opposition parties, including the BJP, CPI-M and Congress, before the April 6 elections to the TTAADC had strongly opposed the Greater Tipraland demand of TIPRA Motha and the Tipraland (separate state for the tribals) demand of the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), the junior ally of the BJP.

The IPFT has been agitating since 2009 for the creation of a separate state by upgrading the TTAADC.

The leaders of the three national parties are now saying that the TIPRA Motha leadership must explain the concept of Greater Tipraland.

BJP chief spokesman Subrata Chakraborty said that TIPRA Motha supremo Deb Barman must be clear on the formation of Greater Tipraland and only then the BJP's stand would be announced.

Prominent tribal leader and BJP's Lok Sabha MP Rebati Tripura said that the Greater Tipraland demand of TIPRA Motha still remained ambiguous and unless they divulge their transparent aim about the creation of Greater Tipraland, they won't be able to judge their intention.

"Before the April 6 elections to the TTAADC, the TIPRA Motha leaders, especially Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman, talked about the tribals. Now a resolution has been passed in the council session saying that Greater Tipraland is for all the people belonging to all caste, creed and religion," Rebati Tripura told IANS over phone from Delhi.

Reati Tripura, who is also the president of the BJP's Tripura unit of Janajati Morcha (tribal front), said that TIPRA Motha leaders should also clear the geographical boundary of their proposed Greater Tipraland.

"TIPRA Motha and all other political parties must be sincere and candid about the development of the backward tribals," said the 45-year-old politician.

Nine TTAADC members and the party supported while an Independent member remained silent when the Greater Tipraland resolution was adopted by the council on Friday.

Tripura state Congress President Pijush Kanti Biswas said that if the proposal of Greater Tipraland is for the socio-economic development of the tribals and if it is allowed by the Constitution, his party has no objection, but the demand is not practical.

Veteran tribal leader Jitendra Chaudhury, who is also the national coordinator of CPM-backed Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch and the president of the Tripura Rajya Upajati Ganamukti Parishad, a frontal body of the CPI-M, said the concept of Greater Tipraland demand is not clear.

"Before the April 6 elections to the TTAADC, Greater Tipraland demand indicated to form a separate state for the tribals. But the TIPRA Motha leaders are now saying that it is for the socio-economic development of the tribals.

"If the TIPRA Motha wants unity among the tribals, and non-tribals and socio-economic development of the tribals, we can support them but before that they must clear their position," Chaudhury, a former minister and Lok Sabha member, told IANS.

There are 10 autonomous district councils (ADCs) in northeast India facilitating the socio-economic development of tribals, who make up 27-28 per cent of the region's total population of around 45.58 million.

Of the 10 ADCs, constituted under the Sixth and Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution, three each are in Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram and one in Tripura. The Manipur government had constituted six ADCs for the overall development of the tribals.

Though the Central government had abrogated Article 370 that had accorded special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir, there are many special provisions in the Indian Constitution under Articles 371 (A), 371 (B), 371 (C), 371 (G), 371 (H) and 244 to preserve the traditions, culture and the overall development of the tribals.

Besides, the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system is in force in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and on December 11, 2019, it was promulgated in Manipur to allow for inward travel of Indian citizens into the ILP enforced areas for a stipulated period with the written permission of the state authority.

Agitations were on since 2019 in Meghalaya to promulgate the ILP, which is in operation under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873.

The Central government had earlier announced that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 (CAA) would not apply to the ILP and the ADC governed areas of the northeastern states.

According to the 2011 census, tribals constitute 60 per cent and above of the population in four of the eight northeastern states - Mizoram (94.4 per cent), Nagaland (86.5 per cent), Meghalaya (86.1 per cent) and Arunachal Pradesh (68.8 per cent) while a reasonable tribal population exists in the remaining four states -- Tripura (31.8 per cent), Manipur (35.1 per cent), Sikkim (33.8 per cent) and Assam (12.4 per cent).

(Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in)
Hong Kong, June 27 : Tuen Ma Line, the longest railway line in Hong Kong, will fully open on Sunday, running through the eastern and western New Territories and Kowloon.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam officiated a ceremony celebrating the opening of Tuen Ma Line on Saturday, saying it was another major transport infrastructure completed by the current government, reports Xinhua news agency.

The city government will continue to improve Hong Kong's railway network to make it more convenient for the public to travel, she added.

The 56 km-long Tuen Ma Line has 27 stations and connects Tuen Mun to Wu Kai Sha of the New Territories, making Hong Kong's railway network more comprehensive.

Tuen Ma Line Phase 1 was opened on February 14, 2020.

One of the challenges in the construction of Tuen Ma Line was heritage conservation.

A large number of relics were found when Sung Wong Toi Station was being built.

The government decided to conserve most of the important relics and display the archaeological finds in the concourse of the station.
Baghdad, June 27 : The Iraqi Ministry of Justice said that foreign Islamic State (IS) terrorits who were convicted in the country will not be extradited until they serve their sentences in Iraqi prisons.

Ahmed Luaibi, spokesman of the Ministry, told the official Iraqi News Agency on Saturday that the militants arrested in accordance with the country's anti-terrorism law will not be extradited.

He said that Ambassadors of their countries will be allowed to visit them in respect of human rights principles, reports Xinhua news agency.

Luaibi said that there were no accurate statistics on IS foreign prisoners, stressing that there were a large number of them in prisons of the Iraqi federal government and jails located in the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan.

Thousands of foreign fighters joined the IS which established a self-proclaimed caliphate in parts of Iraq and Syria in 2014.

However, after the defeat of the IS in both countries, hundreds of the group's members and supporters were either killed or captured.

The Iraqi judiciary has conducted trials for thousands of suspected IS militants including hundreds of foreigners.
New Delhi, June 27 : In an engrossing new anthology of 13 contemporary short stories by debut author Bindu Tandon, titled 'Of Beasts & Beauty', what shines through the undertones of crime, conflicted relationships, power hierarchies and gender dynamics is the raw human experience that connects us all.

In the recently-released title, Tandon explores the complexity of human psyche and experience in the Indian context through powerful, intense storytelling that simultaneously packs a punch and provokes thought. The 'shorts' weave an intriguing narrative dramatizing the everyday Indian life. They are published by Rati Books, an imprint of Garuda Prakashan.

In the book, the author goes beyond the distinction of vice and virtue, and leaves this decision open-ended for the reader.

Asked how she conceptualises the story and the protagonists, who often tread in the grey area between 'good' and 'bad', Tandon told IANSlife: "As I unravel 'behaviour' -- mine and that of others -- I often find that it's not just the deed, but also the 'intent' behind the act, that changes how I define the act. That is the 'grey area' you refer to. And in erasing or in not recognizing this distinction, I think we become hypocritical and we go down the slippery slope of labeling behaviour as good or bad. Do I believe that there should be 'no consequences'? Not at all, we have to be ready to take the consequences of our actions." Tandon adds: "I want my reader to recognize people in their world in my stories. And find that dimension in them that might have eluded them in real life. I want my stories to bring alive the modern, flawed, beautiful young and old distinctly contemporary Indian, that is present in very few stories.

"These stories are about the wide world that interests me. Drawn from travels and a global perspective largely devoid of prejudice. I guess my desire to not judge, not condemn and not arrive at quick everyday conclusions, which is a part of me is revealing itself to you as 'layered thought'." After being in the management of a leading media organisation and managing a publishing house, the Mumbai-based author continues her tryst with black ink on white paper in her first book of short stories.

"I want you to feel pain, exultation, agony, hate and joy, as you read these stories. Feel, viscerally, to the very core of your being, a common thread of humanity that runs through each of these 13 stories. Acts of violence make beasts of us all, whether you live in a big city or a small town or village. I have written to understand the hearts and the minds of people scarred by such acts, whether as victims, perpetrators or merely as innocent bystanders. I want you to decide who is a beast, and which act represents beauty," says Bindu.

The author is also working on her first novel which she expects to complete by the end of 2021.

(Siddhi Jain can be contacted at siddhi.j@ians.in)
New Delhi, June 27 : In his 78th edition of the monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' radio programme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday appealed to people to shun Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy and ensure jabs to them and their family members to protect themselves from the coronavirus.

Allaying fears among countrymen, the Prime Minister clarified that people should not follow the rumours being spread against Covid-19 vaccine, and that "don't believe in such rumours and make people aware of the benefit of the drive being run by the government to contain the spread of the deadly disease".

The Prime Minister said that the aim should be that every citizen in every village of the country is administered Covid-19 vaccine.

Noting that India is now able to administer lakhs of vaccine doses everyday, the Prime Minister warned "avoiding vaccine jabs may be very dangerous and such act will not only push every individual's life in danger but that of the family members as well".

In a live telephonic conversation with some groups of people belonging to Madhya Pradesh's Betul district during 'Mann Ki Baat' programme, the Prime Minister advised them to shun the vaccine hesitancy and accept the shots offered to them by the government for their safety.

"Those who are spreading rumours on vaccines, let them be. We all will do our work and ensure people around us get vaccinated. The threat of Covid-19 remains, and we have to focus on vaccination as well as follow Covid-19 protocols," the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister urged the countrymen to "trust" science and not believe in negative rumours related to the vaccine.

"I urge you all-trust science. Trust our scientists. So many people have taken the vaccine. Let us never believe in negative rumours relating to the vaccine." While appealing to people, the Prime Minister said he himself has received Covid vaccine and his elderly mother too has taken the jab.

"I have taken both doses. My mother is almost hundred years old; she has taken vaccine too. Please do not believe any negative rumours relating to vaccines," said the Prime Minister.

Modi further said that India's fight against Covid will continue and the next phase of the world's largest vaccination exercise began on June 21 when a record over 86 lakh people were administered shots.

India's Covid vaccination drive began on January 16 this year with Prime Minister himself taking the first dose of Covaxin -- India's indigenous vaccine being manufactured by Bharat Biotech.

More than 31.51 crore (31,51,43,490) vaccine doses have been provided by the Central government to states and Union Territories (UTs) so far, through free of cost channel and through direct state procurement category.

Of this, the total consumption, including wastages is 30,35,97,466 doses, mentions Minstry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) latest report received at 8 a.m. on Sunday.

More than 1.15 crore (1,15,46,024) balance and unutilized Covid vaccine doses are still available with the states and the UTs to be administered. Furthermore, more than 20,48,960 vaccine doses are in the pipeline and will be received by the states and the UTs within the next three days.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Srinagar, June 27 : The influence of Wahhabism has changed the nature of insurgency in Kashmir.

During the last 10-15 years, the Ahle-Hadith (Followers of Wahhabism) controlled mosques have doubled from 1,000 to 2,000.

The funding of these mosques is lavish so that they look grand, attractive and pompous in comparison to the traditional Kashmiri mosques built by followers of Sufist Islam.

The Ahle-Hadith controlled mosque takes hardly six months to complete because of the lavish funding from the gulf.

The Salafis sport beards, wear a skull cap and their pants or lowers are always worn above the ankle.

Security forces believe that the spread of Wahhabi sect has changed the paradigm of militancy in Kashmir.

From seekers of the so-called 'Azadi', majority of the youth under the influence of the Wahhabi sect are claiming to be fighting for the global cause of establishing the Islamic Caliphate.

Terrorist organisations spread all over the world, controlled by the followers of Wahhabism, are based on Ibn Taymiyyah's principles and traditions.

These terrorist organisations rely on references taken from Ibn Taymiyyah's books especially his Mardin Fatwa in which he says one can kill anyone to achieve his target.

The influence of Ibn Abdul Wahhab's intolerant and supremacist theology has spread to many parts of India especially to Kashmir.

Textbooks taught in the Salfi-Wahhabi Madrassas include controversial books like Taymiyyah's 'Majmua Fatwa' (Compilation of his fatwas), Ibn Abdul Wahhab's 'Kitab al-Tawheed' (Book of monotheism), 'Taqwiyatul Iman' (Strengthening of religion) and 'Sirat-e-Mustaqeem' (The straight path) authored by the hardcore Indian clerics Shah Ismail Dehlvi and Syed Ahmad 'Shaheed'.

Syed Ata Hasnain, former GOC of Srinagar based 15 corps said, "Wahhabism has not been understood by the Indian nation, nor by the armed forces.

"The manner in which Wahhabiyat was introduced in Kashmir. The manner in which mosques changed hands in 10-15 years (referring to the early 90s when militancy was at its height) from the local Sufi maulvis to the ones who came from central India - Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh." In 'Kashmir-the rise of a hard faith', author Tariq Mir says, "The rise of this dogmatic faith has raised a host of fundamental questions. Is Kashmir headed the way of Pakistan and Afghanistan, where the Islamic radicalism has fueled a nihilistic ideology of settling disagreements through violence? "Does its rise mean the complete dominance of Pakistan-based jihadists?

"How might Sufis beat back this onslaught in an age of globalization, free travel, and religious satellite channels constantly beaming in a stream of foreign cultural prejudices?

"Will Kashmir's unique identity survive in this turbulent neighbourhood? Or will Sufism soften this hard faith, too, and tame its dogmas and thus serve as a lesson to the larger region awash in Islamic radicalism?"

The spread of the Wahhabi sect is gradually changing the religious and the socio-cultural scene in Kashmir.

Instead of extending time in prayer and penance during the five-times daily 'Nimaz', as is practised by the followers of the Sufist Islam in Kashmir, the Salafis end their prayers in less than 10 minutes.

They do not observe the birthday of the Prophet of Islam known as the 'Eid-e-Milat'.

The Safis do not believe in observing nightlong prayers like the night of the 'Shab-e-Baraat' as do all other Muslims following practices other than Wahhabism.

The spread and influence of this sect in Kashmir is clearly depicted in the declining numbers of devotees seen at the Hazratbal shrine, the shrine of Sheikh Humza Makhdoom, the shrine of Kashmir's patron saint, Sheikh Nuruddin Wali at Chrar-e-Sharief town, the Baba Rishi shrine at Gulmarg and scores of other shrines spread through the length and breadth of the Valley.

The arrival of the Wahhabi sect in Kashmir has similarities with the rule of the local King, Sikandar, the iconoclast, who ruled Kashmir from 1389 to 1413 A.D.

Known locally as 'Sikandar Butshikan' His rule virtually terminated the longstanding syncretic and tolerant culture of Kashmir and in its rigorous abidance by Sharia, severely oppressed the Kashmiri Hindu population.

'Music, dance, gambling, intoxicants, etc. were prohibited and the office of 'Shaikhu'l-Islam' was established to enforce these rules.

"Brahmans were forcibly converted, Hindu and Buddhist shrines of worship were destroyed, Sanskrit literature were purged, 'Jizya' (Tax on religious minorities) was imposed for those who objected to the abolition of hereditary Varnas and caste marks were prohibited.

If left unchecked the spread of the Wahhabi sect in Kashmir would usher in an era of intolerance and religious frenzy that would finally wipe out all socio-religious customs, practices and traditions of tolerance.

As a keen Kashmir observer said, "Would this become a colossal tragedy in which Kashmir would lose everything, including its name and innocence? "Or, as a hardcore optimist believes, would Sufist Islam with its historical moorings withstand the Wahhabi onslaught?

"Would Kashmir's tradition of tolerance and brotherhood overcome the Wahhabi tempest and reclaim the land of the Sufis?

Would the Maulvi's 'Azaan' from Sheikh Humza's mosque-shrine and the sound of the 'Shank' from Sharika Devi's temple in its neighbourhood beckon humankind to its eternal reality of oneness and co-existence?
New Delhi, June 27: "Afghans are going to have to decide their future, what they want, and the senseless violence, it has to stop, but it's going to be very difficult," the US President Joe Biden told the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Friday. He added: "But we're going to stick with you, and we're going to do our best to see to it you have the tools you need." Ghani knows that the promised help will be financial and humanitarian. From now on, Afghan security forces will have to fight alone against an emboldened Taliban insurgency, as prospects for a reconciliation deal between his government and the Taliban appear dim.

But keeping the brave face born out of Afghan pride, Ghani compared his position at this juncture to that of US President Abraham Lincoln in 1861, at the start of the war between the Northern states and the rebellious Southern states. "The Afghan nation is in (an) '1861 moment,' like President Lincoln. Rallying to the defence of the republic, determined that the republic is defended. It's a choice of values: the values of an exclusionary system or an inclusionary system," he said, adding, "We will overcome all odds." But Ghani and his administration know well the steep uphill task that they are confronting.

In a brief media interaction, Ghani said that he warned President Biden that Washington's move of withdrawing troops will have consequences for both sides, though he did not ask Biden to delay the withdrawal.

"The Afghan government needs to manage the consequences that will emerge after the US withdrawal and the Afghan people must rise to the challenge," Ghani said.

According to the Afghan sources, President Ghani told Biden that "the Taliban are not fighting against us, but Pakistan is fighting in the guise of the Taliban." Biden pressed Ghani on the need for unity among the country's leaders, urging them to stop fighting among themselves when the country is in crisis and government forces are at risk of losing control of the nation to the Taliban.

As the Americans are leaving, the Taliban are filling that vacuum. Violence has surged across Afghanistan and as September 11, the deadline for the departure of American troops, draws near, the Taliban are becoming increasingly emboldened. According to a new assessment of the US intelligence community, Ghani's government could collapse within six months of the American military withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Three days ago, the Pakistani Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi had warned Afghan President Ghani and his team in clear terms that in their meeting with Biden and his team, they must not blame Islamabad.

Qureshi in fact, defended the Taliban and blamed the Daesh or the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) for the surge in Afghan violence.

"If you try and create this impression that the violence is high because of Taliban, again, that would be an exaggeration. Why do I say that? Aren't there other elements over there who are playing the role of a spoiler?" These were Qureshi's words aired last week during an interview with Afghanistan's Tolo News network.

But in a recent interview with the New York Times, the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said Islamabad played a key role in convincing Taliban leaders to talk to the government in Kabul. "Really, it was [us] pushing them, pressurising them to talk to the Afghan government. So that's how far Pakistan has got," he said.

Reacting to the Afghan government's accusations, Khan said that during a visit to Kabul earlier this year, he said we (Pakistanis) "gave our full support to the Afghan government, telling them we will do everything for this peace settlement". But "unfortunately, there is still a feeling in the Afghan government that Pakistan could do more, which I have to say is very disappointing to us when they blame us for being unable to, after so many years, to come to some sort of a settlement".

It's interesting to note that President Biden has not spoken with the Pakistani PM Khan but he has invited Afghan President, Ashraf Ghani, to discuss Afghanistan and its future.

"They (Afghan Govt) can say whatever they want but the US knows Pakistan's role very well in the peace process and the world is obvious to our role", says Qureshi.

(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative/
Gurugram, June 27 : The cyber crime branch of the Gurugram Police have busted a fake call centre. The alleged call centre was duping US nationals through pop-ups in the name of social security number (SSN).

The fraudsters were allegedly threatening the US nationals of blocking the SSN and force them to pay up $100 to $800, the police said on Sunday.

The police have recovered two laptops, three mobiles and three I-watches from their possession.

Those arrested were identified as Jinal Alkesh Acharya, a resident of Ahmedabad, and Vaibhav Susaniya, a native of Mumbai. They disclosed they had duped many foreigners and the call centre had been operational for the past six months.

They revealed that the kingpin is their partner Parth Kesu, a native of Daman and Diu.

"The police received a tip-off that a fake call centre was being run from Udyog Vihar phase-3. A cyber crime police station team conducted raids at the call centre where 16 men and four women employees were talking to their clients in the English language on computers," said a police officer.

The alleged call centre was running without any valid OSP licence of the Department of Telecommunications or any other agreement related to their work, he said.

During the preliminary probe, it came to the fore that the accused used to buy data of the American people from different websites. After that, they used to send bulk messages to the American people by uploading the data to their server.

"The culprits called up the American people and demanded $100 to $800, threatening them to block their SSN if they don't pay up," said inspector Chander Vallabh, the investigating officer.

An FIR has been registered at the cybercrime police station. The police are conducting raids to nab the mastermind.
A decision to maintain Pakistans status in the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force {ISI} was taken on June 25 in Paris. A dissatisfied panel comprising China, among other things questioned why there is a seemingly unnecessary delay in the court proceedings of the 1373 UN designated terrorists imprisoned in the country. Pakistan was told to do more with regards to tracking and cracking down money laundering which they believe is a means to supply dosh for carrying out acts of terror.

One aspect that comes to mind that might thus far has been ignored by the FATF team is perhaps Pakistan terror financing operations involving their foreign missions. It would be interesting to note that recent news articles published in international print media manifest Pakistani Diplomats not only of indulging in antisocial and but even criminal behaviour and acts that are of terrorist nature.

Is it not true that individuals chosen to serve their countries in alien lands are carefully selected and trained? As a matter of fact, two Pakistani diplomats were recently caught stealing a hat worth $10.70 and chocolate worth $1.7 in Yongsan, South Korea, this April.

One might give them the benefit of doubt and call it a one off incident.

However, during recent years' irrefutable evidence has been mounting regarding the criminal behaviour of Pakistani diplomatic community which is of a worrying nature. An incident took place in Bangladesh and resulted in the expulsion of Farina Arshad, Second Secretary (Political) working at the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka. She was accused of facilitating terror financing in 2015.2 Amir Zubair Siddiqui, a visa counsellor at the Pakistan High Commission in Colombo had been put on the terror watch list by the Indian National Investigation Agency for indulging in

espionage and terror activities, and then came the arrest and deportation of two employees of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi in 2020 who were accused of espionage.

An isolated incident may reflect an individual act, but regular and repeated offences tell a different story about Pakistani diplomats.

It is common knowledge that Pakistan's foreign policy is controlled by the army at GHQ in Rawalpindi. The Inter-Services Intelligence Agency (ISI) personnel are routinely deputed to Pakistani missions abroad. They have been caught red-handed on several occasions while pursuing terrorism-related and activities.

For instance, in 2001, Mohammad Arshad Cheema, First Secretary at the Pakistani high commission in Kathmandu, was arrested for possessing 16 kg of RDX.5 Few years back in 2014 Pakistani Defense Attache (and ISI representative) in Colombo, Colonel Shahryar Butt, was repatriated because he kept on 'checking' into the High Commission's affairs.

The key to understanding the above phenomena lies in recognizing that ISI cells are present in almost all Pakistani Embassies. Perhaps, Pakistan has different standards for when it comes to diplomatic responsibilities. No wonder during the period between May 2018-19 the US had restricted the movement of Pakistani diplomats to a few square miles within Washington.

However, even more alarming is a spate of morally shameful acts that Pakistani diplomats have indulged into in the recent past. Allegations such as domestic abuse conducted against his spouse by Munir Akram, Pakistan's current Permanent Representative to UN; arrest of Mazhar Khan, the Assistant Visa Officer at the Pakistani High Commission in Dhaka accused of dealing in fake currencies in 2015, abduction and rape charges brought against two Pakistani diplomats in the UK in 20146 and Waqas Ahmed, a Pakistani diplomat in Harare was arrested and imprisoned for human trafficking in May 2020.

These were crimes of such serious nature that Islamabad was forced to voluntarily surrendered their diplomatic immunity.

The murder of Baloch journalist Sajid Baloch in Sweden and that of human rights activist Karima Baloch are also attributed to the clandestine network of Pakistani ISI cells working from Pakistani missions abroad. In any future meeting of the FATF it would be wise to look into Pakistan's involvement in global terrorism and to curb acts of terrorism that have made our world a less safe place.

(Amjad Ayub Mirza is an author and a human rights activist from Mirpur in PoJK. He currently lives in exile in the UK)
Dar Es Salaam, June 27 : Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said discussions were underway to revive the Bagamoyo port project.

"The Bagamoyo port project should be implemented for the benefit of the country," President Hassan told a meeting of the Tanzania National Business Council at the State House here on Saturday.

She said the government is also in the process of reviving other flagship projects, including projects to mine coal and iron ore at Mchuchuma and Liganga in southern Tanzania, reports Xinhua news aenc.

President Hassan revealed the intention of the government to revive the port project when responding to the appeal of the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF).

Angelina Ngalula, the TPSF chairperson, said the Bagamoyo port is much needed to enable the country to cope with global trade, adding that the port is strategic for business.

The progress of the Bagamoyo port project had been slow after late President John Magufuli shelved it and instead focused on the expansion and modernization of the Dar es Salaam port.
Ramallah, June 27 : Palestine has called for imposing international sanctions against Israel to stop its policies against the Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Saturday that it supports an Amnesty International report issued on June 24 saying Israeli security forces committed violations against the Palestinians, reports Xinhua news agency.

"Israel doesn't care about reports issued by credible international organizations like Amnesty International, which considers Israeli practices the most heinous forms of racial discrimination against the Palestinians," the Ministry statement said.

The statement also slammed the US and the European Union for not exerting serious pressure on the Israeli government to stop its practices against the Palestinians.

On June 24, the Amnesty International report said that Israeli police carried out "a catalogue of violations against Palestinians across Israel and occupied East Jerusalem".

The report said the violations included "unlawful force against peaceful protesters, sweeping mass arrest and subjecting detainees to torture and other ill-treatment".

There has been no immediate response from Israeli police to the Amnesty International report.
Lucknow, June 27 : For the third time in a year, there is a strong buzz in the UP Congress that party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will now camp in Lucknow and work for the party from ground zero.

The reason behind the buzz is the fact that the bungalow owned by former union minister, late Sheila Kaul, which was said to be Priyanka's home in Lucknow last year, is now getting a fresh makeover.

A bamboo barricade is being set up along the boundary wall to further obstruct the view into the building and minor repairs are being carried out.

The Kauls, it is said, had offered their bungalow to Priyanka.

Sheila Kaul, it may be recalled, was late Indira Gandhi's maternal aunt and her husband, late Prof Kailash Nath Kaul, lived in this bungalow on Gokhale Marg.

Last year, when Priyanka vacated her government residence in Delhi in July, there were reports that she would shift to Lucknow.

Then in February this year, the Congress claimed that Priyanka would shift to Lucknow to monitor poll preparations.

However, due to Corona outbreak, the visit was postponed.

Priyanka has not visited Lucknow since December 2019.

Party sources said that Priyanka's daughter will be leaving for further studies abroad later this year and the Congress general secretary will then camp in Lucknow for some weeks.
Tehran, June 27 : Iran will not negotiate endlessly over the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal, a top official said here, while also urging the US to abandon the "failed legacy" of former President Donald Trump.

The remarks were made on Saturday for Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh in a tweet, reports Xinhua news agency.

Iran has actively participated in the Vienna talks aimed at the revival of the nuclear agreement, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which the US tried to "destroy", Khatibzadeh added.

Since April 6, Washington and Tehran have had six rounds of indirect negotiations in Austria's capital Vienna aimed at reviving the nuclear deal.

A US State Department official said last week that the two countries still have serious differences "over a host of issues, whether it's the nuclear steps that Iran needs to take, the sanctions relief that the US would be offering or the sequence of steps that both sides will be taking".

The official suggested that a deal between the two sides remains possible, saying the US team would attend the seventh round of talks "sometime in the not too distant future".

The US government withdrew from the JCPOA in May 2018 and unilaterally re-imposed sanctions on Iran.

In response, Iran gradually suspended parts of its JCPOA commitments from May 2019.
Hyderabad, June 27 : Covid-19 vaccination in Telangana continues at brisk pace as the authorities administered 2.45 lakh doses on Saturday, officials said.

A total of 2,45,098 doses were administered across the state, taking the cumulative doses administered to 1,03,24,320.

According to director of public health Dr G. Srinivasa Rao, 2,17,789 people received the first dose while 27,309 were given the second dose.

The cumulative numbers for first and second dose reached 88,47,880 and 14,76,440 respectively.

For a third consecutive day, the state administered over two lakh doses. The state had crossed the one crore doses mark on June 25.

Vaccination was carried out at 1,114 centres including 57 private centres across the state on Saturday.

Majority of the beneficiaries continued to be in 18-44 age group. As many as 1,73,928 people from this age group were vaccinated on Saturday. With this the cumulative number of vaccinated people in this age group mounted to 34.55 lakh. Over 59 lakh people above 45 years have also been vaccinated so far.

According to the official, nearly 10 lakh healthcare and frontline workers have also received the doses.

Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar stated that the state could achieve the one crore doses mark on account of its strategic approach. He said a large number of people can be vaccinated once more doses are made available.

As part of its strategy, the state vaccinated high risk groups and superspreaders first. Their number is around 26 lakh.

As the state plans to reopen educational institutions from July 1, the authorities have started vaccinating teaching and non-teaching staff. They have to produce their identity cards at the vaccination centres to get the shot.

The health department plans to further increase the numbers if the state gets more doses.

The state government has already said that it has the capacity to administer 10 lakh doses every day.
Lima, June 27 : Peru has registered the fourth case of the Covid Delta variant, Health Minister Oscar Ugarte said.

After the detection of the fourth case, the Ministry of Health (Minsa) ordered the isolation and sampling of all the relatives of the infected patient, Xinhua news agency quoted the Minister as saying on Saturday.

The Minsa also imposed a strict epidemiological cordon to prevent the virus from spreading to other districts.

The National Institute of Health (INS) confirmed on Friday the third case of the Delta variant in the city of Arequipa, which had no connection with the other two cases detected in the city, Ugarte explained.

Peru has so far registered 2,043,262 cases of Covid-19 and 191,447 deaths, according to the Minsa.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Amaravati, June 27 : Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Sunday alleged that chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has been backstabbing the unemployed youth of Andhra Pradesh with his non-stop fake promises and bogus claims like the latest job calendar.

TDP MP K. Rammohan Naidu demanded from the chief minister to immediately withdraw the recently released 'job calendar' and called it 'jobless calendar'. He said the chief minister should issue a fresh and genuine calendar to fulfill job promises he made to the youth during his 'padyatra.' The MP said a DSC notification should be issued to fill 26,000 teacher posts. The CM should fulfill his grand promise made before the elections to fill 2.30 lakh job vacancies in the State, he added.

Addressing a press conference, Rammohan Naidu asserted that the YSRCP could get 151 out of 175 MLAs in 2019 only because of Jagan Reddy's fake promises made to unemployed youth. After becoming the CM, Jagan Reddy started ignoring the aspirations of the youth altogether. The CM talked about 2.30 lakh government vacancies prior to the election but now his job calendar indicated just 10,000 vacancies.

Rammohan Naidu claimed that the CM's anti-employment policies led to the rise of the unemployment rate in the state from 3.6 per cent during 2018-19 to 13.5 per cent now.

He said that Jagan is known for making promises only to break them thereby betraying all sections of the people. He recalled that during the election Jagan said he would fight and make the Centre confer special status on Andhra Pradesh. Now, the chief minister broke another promise by merely stating that nothing could be done since the BJP Government at the Centre got full majority.

The TDP MP deplored that the youth believed the fake promises of the CM and helped the YSRCP to win 22 MP seats in the State in 2019. Now, Jagan Reddy is using the strength of these MPs only to save himself from his personal problems and not to get special status for the state, the MP said.

He demanded the chief minister to explain to people why his party MPs were not resigning to fight for special status at the national level. He said Jagan Reddy was just making secret visits to Delhi by spending huge amounts on special flights while no justice was being done to the Andhra Pradesh people.
Kanpur Dehat : , June 27 (IANS) President Ram Nath Kovind, on Sunday, visited the house of his childhood friend K.K. Agarwal.

The President is in Kanpur on a four-day visit during which he is meeting the members of his family and friends. Kovind, who boarded a train to reach Kanpur, visited his native village Paraunkh in Kanpur Dehat.

On Sunday, the President reached his village in a chopper and bowed down to touch the soil of his village as a mark of respect.

A cloth merchant, Agarwal has not been keeping well for the past few weeks so the President decided to pay his old friend a visit at his home. He also took with him a cake to celebrate 51st wedding anniversary of Agarwal and his wife Veena.

The President stayed at Agarwal's house for more than one hour.

Later, talking to the media, Agarwal said he is elated that the President paid him a visit. He said it reminded him of Lord Krishna visiting the house of his poor friend Sudama. The gesture of the President to carry a cake to celebrate his wedding anniversary made the occasion special.

The families of Agarwal and President Kovind have been friends for a very long time. The businessman from Kanpur visited the President House in Delhi when Kovind took oath of the highest office in the country.

This is Kovind's first visit to his native village in Kanpur after becoming the President in 2017.

A statement from Rashtrapati Bhavan said the President decided to undertake a train journey to his native village 'in line with the tradition of his predecessors'.

Before Kovind, former President A.P.J. Abdul Kamal travelled on a special train from Delhi to Dehradun to attend the parade of the cadets of the Indian Military Academy (IMA).
United Nations, June 27 : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed shock at the killing of three staff members of Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) or Doctors Without Borders in Ethiopia's conflict-hit Tigray region.

"I am deeply shocked by the murder of three MSF humanitarian workers in Tigray, Ethiopia. This is totally unacceptable and an appalling violation of international humanitarian law. The perpetrators must be found and severely punished," he said in a statement late Saturday.

Guterres expressed solidarity with UN humanitarian partners who are risking their lives to provide protection and relief to people in Tigray, reports Xinhua news agency.

The trio were travelling on the afternoon of June 24 when the MSF lost contact with them.

The next morning, their vehicle was found empty and their bodies were lying a few meters away, according to the MSF.

Since November 2020, the Ethiopian government has been undertaking military operations against the Tigray People's Liberation Front, which ruled the region.

Guterres reiterated the need for all parties to uphold their responsibilities under international humanitarian law and international human rights law and to ensure the protection of civilians.

He called for an independent and swift investigation into this incident.

The UN chief further called for an immediate end to the fighting in Tigray and for urgent steps to peacefully resolve the conflict.
Chennai, June 27 : Union health ministry has called upon the Tamil Nadu government to take steps to immediately contain the Delta plus variant of Covid-19, as according to research reports, the variant is more transmissible and deadly.

Union health secretary, Rajesh Bhushan in a letter to Tamil Nadu chief secretary, V. Irai Anbu on Sunday called upon the state government to take immediate measures including preventing crowds and intermingling of people, increased and widespread testing, prompt tracing, and increasing vaccination coverage.

The communique from the union health secretary is following the detection of Delta plus variants in nine samples taken from districts of Chennai, Kancheepuram, and Madurai districts of Tamil Nadu.

The union health secretary mentioned that INSACOG - a consortium of laboratories for whole genome sequencing - has informed that the Delta plus has the characteristics of increased transmissibility, stronger binding to receptors of lung cells and potential reduction in monoclonal antibody response.

Rajesh Bhushan in the letter also said that public health response has to be more focused and stringent and has requested the state government to ensure that adequate samples of Covid-19 positive persons are sent with immediate effect to the INSACOG laboratories where the clinical epidemiological correlations can be established.

The Tamil Nadu government has of late increased the number of Covid testing and focused isolation of positive patients thus leading to a decrease in the number of active cases as well as fresh Covid-19 cases.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Hyderabad, June 27 : Talks will be held with leaders unhappy over appointment of A. Revanth Reddy as the new president of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee, senior leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir said on Sunday.

The former minister told reporters after meeting Revanth Reddy that talks will be held with dissidents. He exuded confidence that the problem would be sorted out soon.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday appointed Malkajgiri MP and firebrand leader Revanth Reddy as the new president of TPCC to revive and lead the party to victory in 2023 assembly polls.

However, hours after his appointment, former MLA from Medchal, K. Laxma Reddy resigned from the Congress party. The AICC member wrote a letter to the party leadership saying 'under the present circumstances' he would not be able to continue.

Laxma Reddy is known to have differences with Revanth Reddy. Shabbir, however, said Revanth Reddy will speak to Laxma Reddy.

While hailing Revanth's appointment as the new PCC chief, the former minister said time has come for all party workers to fight as soldiers. He claims that Revanth enjoys the full support of youth.

Shabbir believes that the MP can lead the party to victory in 2023 elections.

Meanwhile, Revanth Reddy's supporters on Sunday celebrated his appointment as the state party chief. They gathered at his camp office, raised slogans, distributed sweets and burst firecrackers.

After the central leadership announced his appointment Saturday night, Revanth Reddy met some senior leaders. He was holding meetings with some more leaders on Sunday.

After consultation with key leaders, he is likely to announce his plans to strengthen the party and prepare it for the next polls.

The central leadership ignored many seniors and aspirants to pick Revanth as the new PCC chief.

He succeeded Uttam Kumar Reddy, who had resigned from the post in December following the party's humiliating defeat in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections.

Revanth had quit Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to join Congress in October 2017. Some leaders, opposed to his appointment, are likely to leave the party.
Use of drones suspected in Jammu Air Force blasts: J&K Police sources Image Source: IANS News

Use of drones suspected in Jammu Air Force blasts: J&K Police sources Image Source: IANS News

Srinagar, June 27 : Drone with a payload has been suspected to have dropped the explosive material in both the blasts at the Jammu Air Force Station, a top police official told IANS on Sunday.

There were two bomb blasts at the station on Sunday morning which security agencies suspect were carried out by using drones.

The J&K Police have registered an FIR and an investigation is on.

The Police are also working on the blasts along with other agencies.

Meanwhile, a major terror attack was averted with the recovery of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Jammu.

Police said on Sunday an IED of 5/6 kg weight was recovered by the Jammu police.

Police said that the IED was received by a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfit operative and was planted at some crowded place.

Police said the suspect is being interrogated and more are likely to be picked up in the foiled IED blast attempt.
New Delhi, June 27 : Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh interacted with 300 veterans in Leh, as part of his three-day visit to Ladakh, and reiterated the government's commitment towards the welfare of ex-servicemen.

Singh interacted with 300 veterans, including Ashok Chakra winner Naib Subedar (Honorary) Chhering Mutup (Retd) and Maha Vir Chakra winner Colonel Sonam Wangchuk (Retd), at Leh In his address, Singh lauded the unparalleled dedication of the veterans in ensuring safety and security of the nation, reiterating the government's commitment towards the welfare of the ex-servicemen.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to roll out 'One Rank One Pension' scheme, ending a decades long wait, was a testimony to the government's unwavering commitment towards the welfare and satisfaction of the veterans.

"Our aim is to take care of you in the same way as you all have taken care of the security of the country," he said.

Listing out other measures taken by the Modi government to ensure the welfare of the veterans, the minister said a number of steps have been taken to address the issue of resettlement, including organising job fairs through Directorate General Resettlement, in which a large number of veterans were given employment.

He added that a number of online services under 'Digital India' have been introduced for the veterans. These include launch of 'e-Sehat' portal to provide tele-medicine services, especially during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the introduction of Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) to address the problems faced by the ex-servicemen.

Lt. Governor of Ladakh Shri R.K. Mathur, MP from Ladakh Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, Chief of Army Staff General M.M. Naravane and General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command Lt. Gen. Y.K. Joshi were present on the occasion.

Later, Singh met the elected representatives of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils, Leh, Kargil and officials.

During his stay, he will inaugurate infrastructure projects constructed by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and interact with troops deployed in the region.
New Delhi, June 27 : Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has hit out at foreign e-commerce companies which are violating Indian laws.

"Unfortunately, many of these large e-commerce companies have come into India and very blatantly violated the laws of the land, in more ways than one," Goyal said at an event by the Stanford India Policy and Economics Club.

Goyal charged the American e-commerce companies with arrogance and using capital to the detriment of small shopkeepers in India. "I read several engagements with these large companies, particularly the American ones, and I can see a little bit of an arrogance of their being big and their ability to finance large amounts of money in the initial stages to try and capture the Indian market or larger part of the Indian market, particularly certain products, to the detriment of mom and pop stores," he added.

"And I think it's very unfair that just because they are large, they have large pools of capital..., they should be allowed to get away with hurting domestic interests," Goyal said.

"I remember a comment I made, which became quite a matter of debate. A large e-commerce player had spoken about investing $1 billion in India, and made a song and dance about it. But the song and dance has been made about investing a billion dollars, but then it got to a loss of nearly a billion dollars in the previous two years. So all they were doing was funding the losses there and this is what prompted me to say they're not doing us a favour, or they're not, it's not a great generosity to India that they're investing a billion dollars in India," Goyal said.

He added that they have to invest it because they've used that money to do predatory pricing to probably subsidise some products that capture a larger share of the market.

"As I said to the detriment of the smaller retailers and smaller shops, and when questioned about it. They keep fobbing off, they keep delaying, giving you information. And when people complain to the Competition Commission of India, they immediately started hopping in the Law Courts of India. So trying to go to one court, you lose in that court, go to another court," Goyal said, referring to e-commerce companies taking CCI to court.

"To my mind, is there nothing to hide. If they're doing honest business practices. Why don't they respond to the Competition Commission of India. The fact that they're trying to evade that probably only justifies that they are probably indulging in predatory pricing. They are trying to influence market behaviour, their algorithms are trying to influence consumer choice. And these are not permitted in India," Goyal said.

The Commerce Minister said the US is working on antitrust laws for e-commerce and several other countries, the UK, Luxembourg and other European countries are also working on these issues.

"Australia has already passed along news media and digital platforms mandatory bargaining. Now clearly, the world is waking up to the reality of these large tech and big e-commerce companies," he added.
New Delhi, June 27 : Even as the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic across the country is slowly receding with each passing day, the Centre and the state governments have decided not to allow schools to be reopened yet. Experts have now predicted a third wave of the pandemic, however, many students, parents and parent organisations want schools to be opened in such places where the outbreak of Covid-19 is under control.

Ashok Agarwal, All India Parents Association President, told IANS, "According to an estimate, nearly 30 per cent of the students studying in government schools are 'school dropouts'. We should not ignore the fact that the best and the safest place for children is school. The closure of schools for a longer period of time has given rise to social evils and other abuses like child labour, sexual harassment, diseases etc." "When all other economic activities have resumed during the unlocking of the lockdown, why can't schools be opened. The Delhi government must reopen schools with 50 per cent occupancy following the necessary Covid protocol. Schools could be closed at any time if necessary," Agarwal said.

The All India Parents Association, which is a nationwide organisation of parents, told IANS, "All ration stores, vaccination centres, ration and food distribution centres should be shifted from Delhi government schools immediately. Schools should be reopened for students with immediate effect. Twenty-five lakh students of Delhi alone are not able to avail of regular education since March 2020." According to a survey, more than 70 per cent of parents in the country still do not want to send their ward to school. These parents say that schools should not be opened till the coronavirus situation in their areas is completely under control. On the other hand, 30 per cent parents are ready to send their children to school.

Delhi deputy chief minister and education minister, Manish Sisodia, said the schools will remain closed in the national capital till the Covid-19 situation normalises. However, the interaction between teachers and students using online and semi-online means will resume soon.

Parents of many students studying in government schools across Delhi have demanded from chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to start online studies for all classes. One parent, Vimlendra Singh, said, "Teachers in government schools send recorded videos on mobile phones. Live online classes should be organised between students and teachers. This will help in maintaining the bond between the student and teacher." The Delhi government also believes that with the onset of the pandemic, there has been a massive loss to students' studies. This year there is a need not only to bridge the learning gap of children but also to provide them emotional support. The students also need to be mentally prepared again for the teaching and learning process.

While Delhi schools are closed, some states neighbouring the national capital are considering opening schools from July. The union education ministry is urging for caution at the moment regarding the opening of schools. According to senior officials, the safety of the students should be ensured before opening schools, only then any step can be taken in the direction of resuming classes.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Bhopal, June 27 : With the coronavirus infections in Madhya Pradesh reporting a steady decline, the state government has lifted the 'corona curfew' during daytime on Sundays. This has led to livelihoods and businesses returning back to normal.

Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said the Covid-19 situation is now under control in Madhya Pradesh. There are 35 districts in the state where not a single new Covid-positive case has been reported and the active cases have fallen below the 1,000 mark. That is why Sunday's 'corona curfew' has been lifted with immediate effect. However, night curfew will remain in force in the state, he said.

Appealing to the people of the state, Chouhan said Covid-19 has not been completely eliminated, so don't become complacent. Instead take all precautionary measures such as wearing masks, ensuring Covid-appropriate behaviour and following Covid protocol.

The Madhya Pradesh chief minister said all shops can open on Sundays while following Covid protocol.

The state set a record on June 21 with the highest number of vaccinations. This campaign will continue at a rapid pace, the chief minister said further.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Chandigarh, June 27 : Security agencies were put on high alert in border areas of Punjab, mainly the Pathankot airbase, on Sunday after two explosions occurred at the Air Force Station in Jammu.

Security was stepped up, particularly in border districts of Pathankot and Gurdaspur, including near Indian Air Force base in Pathankot that saw the terror attack on January 2, 2016, as well as nearby Mamoon Cantonment of the Indian Army, officials told IANS.

India's international border with Pakistan falls in both the districts adjoining Jammu and Kashmir.

Apart from Punjab Police, personnel of the Border Security Force and other security agencies have been put on alert following intelligence inputs.

There were two bomb blasts at the station on Sunday morning which security agencies suspect were carried out by using drones.
Beijing, June 27 : Chinese smartphone brand Vivo is reportedly working on new rollable and foldable smartphones as it has applied trademarks for "NEX Fold", "NEX Slide", and "NEX Roll".

According to GizmoChina, based on the names, it is safe to presume that these are foldable and rollable devices.

The NEX Fold should have a similar form factor to the Galaxy Z Fold 2 or Mi MIX Fold while the NEX Slide and NEX Roll should have extendable displays, the report said, citing MyFixGuide.

It is also worth noting that all of these devices are under the NEX line of Vivo phones which is no surprise considering the NEX line doubles as Vivo's experimental line of smartphones much like Xiaomi's MIX series.

Earlier, a report said that Vivo has patented a new foldable smartphone design with a stylus.

Vivo Mobile Communication filed a design patent with the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Office) in February 2020. Titled 'Display panel and mobile terminal', this patent got approved and published recently.

As per the documentation, the smartphone will feature an inward folding screen that unfolds into a tablet, the report said earlier.
New Delhi, June 27 : State-run power major NTPC Ltd is aiming to reduces its net energy intensity by 10 per cent by the year 2032.

Declaring its 'energy compact' goals as part of UN High Level Dialogue on Energy (HLDE), NTPC has also set a target to install 60 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2032.

NTPC is among the few organisations globally to declare its 'energy compact' goals, said a company statement.

Further, the power generation company has declared that it will form at least two international alliances to facilitate clean energy research and promote sustainability in energy value chain by 2025.

The targets were unveiled in the recently held 'Ministerial Thematic Forums for the HDLE' event. The commitment from NTPC has been made public on UN's website as well, said the statement.

The UN is set to convene a high-level dialogue in September 2021 to promote the implementation of the energy-related goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

NTPC has been taking several steps in increasing its green energy portfolio by adding significant capacities of renewable energy (RE) sources. The company had earlier planned to have a minimum of 32 GW capacity through RE sources constituting nearly 25 per cent of its overall power generation capacity by 2032.

This development will prove to be huge boost for nation's largest energy producer that will catapult its position in the green energy map of the country.
New Delhi, June 27 : Darwin Platform Group and Hyderabad-based Woxsen University indigenously developed military equipment based on Molecular Nano Technology for armed forces personnel.

Darwin Platform Group of Companies (DPGC) announced on Saturday it is making in military and scientific advancements.

The company showcased the prototypes of indigenously designed and developed military equipment based on Molecular Nano Technology (MNT).

For this ambitious project, DPGC partnered with the Robotics Lab at Woxsen University, Hyderabad for designing and developing these prototypes.

Under the project, the company plans to provide three MNT-based equipment- Military Jackets, Arms and Ammunition and Laser-Guided Munition and Guidance against Laser Guided Bombs.

Group CEO Raja Roy Choudhury said, "These scientific and military advancements will be all part of DPGC's aim to resonate with the government's 'Make in India' initiative. The research in MNT is being led by Indian Scientists and Researchers." "We through this path-breaking initiative, aim to provide our soldier with new-age military equipment so that they can defend our borders vigorously without compromising their safety," he said.

Molecular Nano Technology is a scientific advancement where duplicates are created which are smaller, more functional, lighter and cheaper than the original copy.

This type of technology can have major military applications.

"For the development of advanced analytic systems, we have collaborated with the Robotics Lab at Woxsen University, Hyderabad. These systems will be created using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and RPA software for commercial use. Woxsen University will also assist in the R&D of the prototypes being developed by DPGC," added Choudhury.
New Delhi, June 27 : Various private hospitals in Delhi-NCR are yet to start administering the Russian 'Sputnik V' Covid-19 vaccine.

An Indraprastha Apollo hospital official told IANS on Sunday that Sputnik V was yet to be rolled out, but "the management is working on it".

"We are in the process of rolling out Sputnik V Covid -19 vaccines. We do not have clarity on the dates of the vaccine rollout and will come out with more clarity on it by this evening," the official said.

Indraprastha Apollo had earlier said that it would tentatively start administering the two-dose vaccine by June 25.

A Max Group Hospitals spokesperson said: "Sputnik V Covid vaccine is not available as of today." The Madhukar Rainbow Children's Hospital in Malviya Nagar also said that the hospital was yet to receive supply of Sputnik V from Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy's Laboratories.

"There is a delay on the part of the suppliers. We are expecting to receive it soon," a hospital official said.

Fortis Healthcare, which had said that it would make Sputnik V available at its Gurugram and Mohali hospitals, has also not started administering the Russian vaccine to people so far.

A Fortis hospital spokesman told IANS that the management has started administering Sputnik V two days back but officially it was not announced. "Few doses of Russian Sputnik V vaccine were administered on Friday on a trial basis... we will announce it soon." Sputnik V uses two different viruses that cause the common cold (adenovirus) in humans. The two doses, given 21 days apart, are different and not interchangeable.

The Centre has fixed the price of the vaccine at Rs 1,145 per dose. The maximum price of Covishield at private Covid-19 Vaccination Centres (CVCs) has been fixed at RS 780 per dose, while that of Covaxin at Rs 1,410 per dose.

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New Delhi, June 27 : Young poet Hashim Raza Jalalpuri, who translated the poetry of 16th century saint poet Mirabai into Urdu, has now achieved another great feat. He has translated 100 hymns of saint poet Kabir into Urdu.

Hailing from Jalalpur in UP, which is considered to be the land of poets and writers, Hashim was born on August 27, 1987 to famous poets Zulfikar Jalalpuri and Sarvari Bano, known for their 'Nohas' (elegies) and 'Salaams' (poems in praise of the Prophet's descendants, and is well-known name in poetry circles and has attended several 'Mushairas' and 'Kavi Sammelans'.

"I read the first lesson of Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb in Jalalpur, which I remember till today," he says.

Hashim Raza, while rendering the verses of Kabir in Urdu, says: "There is no caste or community of saints, there is equality for all in the hearts of saints." "There is no difference of religion, there is no difference of nations, everyone is the same in the path of humanity, Hindus and Muslims are one, slaves of only one God, human beings are one." Hashim says that he "inherited poetry from his father", but his sources of inspiration are noted poet Anwar Jalalpuri, who translated the Gita into Urdu, and Prof Nayar Jalalpuri, Head of the Department of Urdu at Lucknow University.

On why he chose to translate Kabir, Hashim told IANS that "at this time, not only India but what the whole world needs the most is love and brotherhood." "Kabir is the biggest propagator of love and brotherhood, so his works should reach the people in easy language, so that the distance between people of different sects can be reduced." After translating Kabir's verses into Urdu, is now seeking help in publishing his book.

A B.Tech from Rohilkhand University, Bareilly and M. Tech from Aligarh Muslim University, Hashim has also done his masters in Urdu literature.

Having worked as a lecturer in the Aligarh Muslim University and the Rohilkhand University, Bareilly, he is also the chairman of Mirabai Foundation, an organisation empowering rural India with employment-oriented education.
Hyderabad, June 27 : Telangana Director General of Police M. Mahender Reddy on Sunday consoled the family members of a Dalit woman who died in police custody in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district on June 18 due to alleged police torture.

The police chief met Mariamma's son Uday Kiran who is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Khammam, after also being allegedly tortured by police. He assured the family that the police will extend all possible support to them.

The DGP spoke to Mariamma's family members, and enquired about her death. Later, talking to reporters, he said the Dalit woman's death was unfortunate.

He said stringent action will be taken against the police officials responsible for Mariamma's death. Stressing "friendly policing" will continue, the police chief assured that the police will function in a manner which causes no harm to people's life and self-respect.

The DGP advised police personnel to act with patience while arresting criminals.

The police chief's visit to Khammam and his meeting with Mariamma's family members came two days after Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao directed him to probe the lockup death of the Dalit woman and take stringent action against the police personnel responsible as per the law.

He asked the DGP 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.

The CM directed 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.

The Telangana High Court on June 24 ordered a 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.
Agartala, June 27 : Despite assurance from the Governor and Chief Minister, a total lawlessness, anarchy and misgovernance have been prevailing in Tripura since the BJP came into power in March 2018 and kept the police as "wooden doll", former Chief Minister and CPI-M leader Manik Sarkar said on Sunday.

Sarkar, a politburo member of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), said that during the past two years (since June 2019) at least 10 people were killed in nine incidents of lynching and several people escaped from the mob attacks while five people died in police custody.

"BJP government's indifferent attitude and the puppet role of police led to the happening and rising of the attacks and atrocities on the opposition party workers, supporters and party offices," the Left leader told the media.

He said that the Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb during the Assembly session in the third week of March had assured to stop political violence against the Opposition parties.

"But since the CM's statement in the house, over 200 incidents of physical attacks on the opposition party men, mostly on the CPI-M workers and supporters occurred. Besides, 152 attacks on shops and houses belonging to the Opposition parties took place and attacks on 17 party offices registered during this period," said Sarkar, who is now the Opposition Leader of the State Assembly.

Referring that Tripura once was the number one state in the country in voluntary blood donation, the former Chief Minister said that BJP workers even attacked the Opposition party workers while they are organising blood donation camps.

Sarkar, who was the Chief Minister for 20 years until the BJP came to power three years and three months ago, said that the BJP workers even attacked the People's Relief Volunteers (PRV) while they were carrying out various programmes against the prevention of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The PRV, a Left backed organisation, has been providing relief and healthcare services affected by the pandemic across the state.

"We have approached the Governor Ramesh Bais and Chief Minister on a number of occasions to stop the attacks and atrocities against opposition leaders and workers, but these are going on unabated in the state.

A total anarchy is prevailing in the BJP ruled state due to the misgovernance. When a delegation of Left parties met the governor on May 12, he assured that there would no more political violence but after that 70 attacks of various nature occurred in different parts of the state," the septuagenarian Marxist leader said.

Late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared the state of emergency in the country in 1975, but the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government without formally declaring the emergency unleashed and conducting more than that was happened during the 21-month period from 1975 to 1977, the CPI-M politburo member said.
Washington, June 27 : There is currently no data to support that a Covid-19 vaccine booster shot is needed for the general population, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But, an extra dose may be needed for more-vulnerable groups, such as older adults or organ transplant patients.

However, public health officials will continue to monitor the virus to determine if additional shots are warranted in the future, said the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices, CNBC news reported.

"Boosters may be required for a broad population. However, it could also be that the need for boosters of Covid vaccine may only be demonstrated in some populations," Sarah Oliver, co-lead of the working group and a medical epidemiologist with the CDC's National Center for Immunisation and Respiratory Diseases, was quoted as saying.

According to the committee, rising cases of Covid infections in fully vaccinated individuals may be a clear indicator to decide whether boosters are needed, NBC news reported.

But if certain surrogate measures -- like waning antibody or T cell levels -- could be identified, boosters could potentially be given to prevent a rise in cases.

It is still unclear what those cutoff levels, called correlates of protection, might be, Sharon Frey, clinical director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Saint Louis University Medical School, was quoted as saying.

"I think the only thing we can do at this moment is, if we start to see an uptick in reinfection in people, or new infections in people who have been vaccinated, that's our clue that we need to move quickly," Frey said.

Both Pfizer and Moderna are investigating a third dose of Covid vaccine, while Johnson & Johnson is studying the need for a second dose to raise protection against the virus, the report said.

The US NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, or NIAID, is also conducting a clinical trial to understand whether a third shot of a Moderna vaccine could be given after a person initially received two shots of Pfizer, or one shot of Johnson & Johnson, the report added.

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New Delhi, June 27 : National Humar Rights Commission (NHRC) committee members on Sunday invited victims, complainants, and different stakeholders to interact with it on the issues and complaints related to post-poll violence in West Bengal.

The NHRC team will be available for at least three hours on Monday from 10 a.m. at Staff Officers' Mess, Sector V Saltlake, Kolkata to interact with complainants, victims, petitioners and other stakeholders to address their grievances and listen their points. These members were also present at 4 p.m. on Sunday too.

The NHRC has made it clear that its members would meet victims or complainants, irrespective of their caste, creed, religion, gender, ethnicity and political affiliation. Those who are unable to come have been advised to send their complaints, petitions, supporting evidence and documents at its email ID: nhrcwrit142@gmail.com and or talk to the NHRC team member on Mobile No.: 8826705906 and 8799712259.

As per the direction of West Bengal High Court dated June 18 this year, a Committee was constituted by NHRC Chairperson, Justice (retd) A.K. Mishra, to look into the various cases, complaints, allegations of violations of human rights, particularly in the post-poll period in West Bengal.

The NHRC was asked to submit its report before the court by June 30, the next date of hearing.

Hours later, the NHRC constituted a seven-member panel to "enquire into complaints of post-poll violence in West Bengal" and told the panel to identify people who were prima facie responsible for the violence and the officers who maintained a "calculated silence".

The Committee, headed by former Intelligence Bureau chief Rajiv Jain, who assumed charge as NHRC member on June 2, has been touring various places in West Bengal and enquiring into veracity of these complaints and allegations.

The committee also comprises National Commission for Minorities Vice Chairman Atif Rasheed, National Commission for Women member Rajulben L. Desai, NHRC's Director Investigation Santosh Mehra and DIG, Investigation, Manzil Saini, West Bengal Human Rights Commission Registrar Pradip Kumar Panja and West Bengal State Legal Services Authority member Secretary Raju Mukherjee.

The High Court, which heard several petitions on the violence that erupted after the ruling Trinamool Congress won the state elections, ordered on June 18 that the NHRC has to constitute the committee. The state government rushed to the high court the following day with a review petition, requesting the five judges to recall their order.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has mounted a relentless campaign against the Mamata Banerjee government, alleging that its supporters are being targeted. It has alleged that more than 30 people have been murdered and women have been raped and molested as well for supporting the party.
Chennai, June 27 : The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) on Sunday released Tamil Nadu's shadow agricultural budget for the year 2021-22.

PMK founder president S.Ramadoss released the party's 14th shadow agricultural budget focusing on 75 specific areas and over 250 suggestions aimed to create and develop agricultural infrastructure and agricultural education infrastructure.

The budget also focuses to achieve an agricultural growth of 6 per cent from negative growth in the past.

Ramadoss, while speaking at the occasion, said that the total amount allocated in the agricultural budget was Rs 47,500 crore.

He added, "We are happy and we welcome the Governor's address which mentions that a specific agricultural budget will be allocated to the state." The PMK founder further said that the party has focused on 75 specific areas in the report.

He added: "Every year we give prominence for one aspect of agriculture, and this year we have focused on agricultural education." The PMK founder leader said that there was a need to create cold storage facilities to safeguard perishable products like vegetables, flowers, and fruits.

Ramadoss said that massive storage facilities must be created to store grains.

The report also mentions on linking of Godavari- Cauvery rivers, expanding the Cauvery- Gundaru river project, Athikadavu- Avinasi project, and allotment of Rs 1,00,000 crore worth water irrigation projects.

Anbumani Ramadoss, son of S. Ramadoss and former Union Health Minister who is also the youth wing leader of the PMK said that the party has created the budget with the support and inputs of 100 serving bureaucrats of the state government.

He said, "Tamil Nadu is a state which is second in the country as far as the production of vegetables is concerned but we export only 1 per cent - 2 per cent of this product as we lack cold storage facilities.

If we are in power we will create cold storage so that perishable products can be saved. To safeguard the grains produced, we will have to create massive cold storage. We need to create infrastructure for food processing, value- addition industries and transportation." The former Union Minister said, "The previous AIADMK government accepted our proposal of creating a 'Protected Special Agricultural Zone' in the Delta region".

He said "Former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami announced the Delta region as 'Protected Special Agricultural Zone' and the PMK extensively campaigned for this. It is a big achievement. He also waived farmer's loans and we expect and hope that the DMK would also implement these ideas".

He added that the PMK would function as a responsible Opposition party and added that the party would welcome the government if they implement good schemes and oppose the government if they pursue wrong policies.
San Francisco, June 27 : Elon Musk-run SpaceX is "shooting for July" for the first orbital launch of the company's Starship vehicle despite lacking the regulatory approvals needed for such a launch, media reports said.

SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said the company was pressing ahead with plans for an orbital flight involving the Super Heavy booster and Starship upper stage from the company's Boca Chica (Texas) test site, Space News reported on Saturday.

"We are headed for our first orbital attempt in the not-too-distant future. We're shooting for July," she said.

"I am hoping we make it, but we all know this is difficult. We are really on the cusp of flying that system, or at least attempting the first orbital flight of that system, in the very near term," she added.

SpaceX last flew a Starship prototype on May 5, with the SN15 vehicle flying to an altitude of 10 km before making a successful landing, a milestone that had eluded four previous prototypes in tests between December 2020 and March 2021, according to the news.

While SpaceX originally appeared to be planning a second suborbital flight of that vehicle, it instead moved the vehicle from the launch pad. Another Starship prototype, SN16, has remained at the production site.

SpaceX has since turned its attention to preparing for the first orbital test flight. In a filing with the Federal Communications Commission on May 13, SpaceX outlined the flight plan for the mission, starting with liftoff off from Boca Chica.

The Super Heavy booster would land in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast from Boca Chica, while Starship would go into orbit but reenter after less than one orbit, splashing down 100 km northwest of the Hawaiian island of Kauai.

Meanwhile, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos recently said that he will fly to the edge of space along with his brother on board his company Blue Origin's tourism rocket -- New Shepard -- on July 20.

In a video uploaded on his Instagram profile, Bezos is heard saying that he and his brother Mark will be launching into space on July 20 aboard a rocket built by his space company Blue Origin.

While Blue Origin had, last month, announced to fly its first astronaut crew to space, it did not say that Bezos himself would be taking part.

Bezos further said that taking a journey into space has been a lifelong dream for him and that it will be "meaningful" to have his brother along for the ride.
Chandigarh, June 27 : Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday said efforts were on for the release of Karnal youth Vishal Jude, who is lodged in an Australian jail.

The Chief Minister said he would meet External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar again regarding the release of Jude and will urge the Australian High Commission to intervene and ensure his safety.

On the second day of his visit in Manali, the Chief Minister held a virtual meeting with representatives of NGOs and NRIs living in Australia and thanked them for extending help to the state by sending oxygen concentrators and other health equipment to India amid the pandemic.

BJP State President O.P. Dhankhar and other officials also joined this virtual meeting.

The Chief Minister said he has spoken to the External Affairs Minister, who has assured full cooperation regarding Jude's release.

Khattar urged the diaspora to invest in the state. He said the state has moved towards sin the last six-and-a-half years. Ease-of-doing business and single-window clearance system for setting up new industries have put the state on the world map.

In the state, 10 industrial model townships with world-class facilities have been set up. A separate MSME department has been created for the purpose of promoting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Dhankhar also thanked the NRIs for their help in India during the pandemic.
Mumbai, June 27 : HDFC Life Insurance Company Chairman Deepak S. Parekh has suggested that the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) should allow India's life insurers to evolve further and widen their role.

In his statement to the shareholders in HDFC Life's Annual Report, Parekh cited examples in Asia and more developed markets where life insurers have created subsidiaries and orchestrated ecosystems to make insurance a more holistic offering for the customer.

"While we continue to invest to enhance our technological capabilities, I feel that the time is right for the regulator to allow life insurers in India to evolve further and be the 'disruptor' rather than the 'disrupted'," he said.

"For example, in Asia, one of the leading insurers has created a healthcare ecosystem that includes services like online medical consultation. Elsewhere, in Europe, a leading insurer has created a separate digital investment unit to evaluate and invest in fintech start-ups." On the performance of the company in the last financial year, Parekh noted that during the year, its shares were included in the Nifty50 index, and with this, HDFC Life became the third company after HDFC Bank and HDFC Ltd from the HDFC Group to be featured in one of India's benchmark indices.

HDFC Life also raised Rs 600 crore funds through the issuance of non-convertible debentures on private placement basis. The issue was rated "AAA" with a stable outlook by both Crisil and ICRA, he added.

Despite operational challenges, the company insured close to 4 crore lives in FY 2020-21, and settled over 2.9 lakh death claims that resulted in the beneficiaries cumulatively being paid over Rs 3,000 crore.

"We see this as the most meaningful impact of our business on society and it drives us to keep growing and protecting the financial future of Indians," the Chairman said.

"I would also like to thank IRDAI for providing a very supporting regulatory environment, in the absence of which our industry might have struggled. We are continually rethinking and realigning the future of our work environment, and learning to adapt and excel in a volatile business environment."
Katihar: Labourers busy constructing a bridge over Mahananda river in Bihar's Katihar during the extended nationwide lockdown imposed to mitigate the spread of coronavirus; on Apr 25, 2020. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Patna, June 27 : The water levels of important rivers in Bihar's Seemanchal region are on the rise due to continuous rain for last one week.

The water level of Mahananda, Kankani, and Parman rivers are flowing above the danger level at various places like Purnea and Araria districts, and villages located on the bank of rivers are under threat.

"Due to strong currents of the water of Parman river, it is continuously cutting clay in our village. Water has reached at the doorstep of our houses and they may submerge any time," Ram Kumar Paswan, a panchayat member of Marwa village under the Bangama panchayat.

"We have urged several officials including the BDO, the SDM, the DM and local MLA to take appropriate measures like placing sand bags on the banks of the river to reduce clay being washed away but none of them paid attention on it. A tragedy is waiting to happen in Marwa village," Paswan claimed.

Another villager Radha Mohan Ram said: "Majority of the villagers have taken shelter in thee government middle school. Now it has no space to accommodate further people. Hence, over one dozen families are forced to live in their own houses. They are also facing shortage of food and other essential commodities." Meanwhile, the local Meteorological Department of Bihar has alerted people to stay indoors in concrete houses during the rain. An official said that heavy rainfall with thunderstorms and lightning is expected in next 24 hours in various districts including Patna, East Champaran, West Champaran, Vaishali, Saran, Bhojpur, Purnea, Araria, Katihar, Arwal, Jahanabad, and Buxar districts.
Hyderabad, June 27 : The appointment of A. Revanth Reddy as the new Congress chief in Telangana triggered turmoil in the party as senior leader and Bhongir MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy vowed never to enter the party headquarters Gandhi Bhavan again while some other leaders have resigned from the party.

Venkat Reddy, who was also an aspirant and strong contender for the post, alleged that appointment also happened like "note for vote".

He was referring to the "note for vote" scam in which Revanth Reddy is an accused. In 2015, Revanth Reddy, who was then in the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), was caught red-handed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau while offering Rs 50 lakh cash to a nominated MLA to make him vote for the TDP candidate in the Legislative Council election.

Venkat Reddy also alleged that Congress Telangana incharge Manickam Tagore favoured Revanth Reddy for monetary gains.

The MP, who returned to Hyderabad from New Delhi on Sunday, termed the new state unit an extension of the TDP.

Congratulating the new team, he remarked that they should save the party from forfeiting its deposit in the by-election to Huzurabad Assembly seat.

He also announced that he will launch a padyatra from Ibrahimpatnam to Bhuvanagiri from Monday and will remain amongst people.

Stating that some leaders were trying to meet him, Venkat Reddy said nobody including Revanth Reddy should try to meet him.

"Party workers have a feeling that injustice has been done to Komatireddy Venkat Reddy despite his loyalty to the party. 'Tomorrow, we may face the same situation'," the MP said.

Meanwhile, senior leader and former minister M. Shashidhar Reddy on Sunday resigned as Chairman of TPCC Election Commission Coordination Committee. He sent his resignation to party President Sonia Gandhi. He, however, said he would remain in the party.

Senior leader and former MLA L. Lakshma Reddy resigned from the primary membership of the party to protest against Revanth Reddy's appointment.
New Delhi, June 27 : Pakistan's security establishment, fearful of strategic encirclement by India, apparently continues to view the Afghan Taliban as a relatively friendly and reliably anti-India element in Afghanistan, as per a brief prepared by the US Congressional Research Service.

The document on US policy in Afghanistan says Pakistan's security services maintain ties to Afghan insurgent groups, most notably the Haqqani Network.

Afghan leaders, along with US military commanders, have attributed much of the insurgency's power and longevity either directly or indirectly to Pakistani support.

Despite official Pakistani leadership's statements to the contrary, Islamabad may view a weak and destabilized Afghanistan as preferable to a strong, unified Afghan state (particularly one led by an ethnic Pashtun-dominated government in Kabul; Pakistan has a large and restive Pashtun minority), the brief said.

Afghanistan-Pakistan relations are further complicated by the presence of over one million Afghan refugees in Pakistan, as well as a long-running and ethnically tinged dispute over their shared 1,600-mile border.

"Pakistan's security establishment, fearful of strategic encirclement by India, apparently continues to view the Afghan Taliban as a relatively friendly and reliably anti-India element in Afghanistan", it added.

"India's diplomatic and commercial presence in Afghanistan-and US rhetorical support for it-exacerbates Pakistani fears of encirclement. India has been the largest regional contributor to Afghan reconstruction, but New Delhi has not shown an inclination to pursue a deeper defense relationship with Kabul," the brief said.

Afghanistan maintains mostly cordial ties with its other neighbors, notably the post-Soviet states of Central Asia, whose role in Afghanistan has been relatively limited but could increase.

In the past two years, multiple US commanders have warned of increased levels of support for the Taliban from Russia and Iran, both of which have cited the Islamic State affiliate presence in Afghanistan to justify their activities. Both were reported in 2020 to have been more directly involved, including possibly supporting Taliban attacks against U.S. forces.

Both nations were opposed to the Taliban government of the late 1990s, but reportedly see the Taliban as a useful point of leverage vis-A -vis the United States. Afghanistan may also represent a growing priority for China in the context of broader Chinese aspirations in Asia and globally, it added.

"Afghan officials have sought to downplay the impact of the US military withdrawal on their own forces' capabilities, but some official US assessments indicate that the withdrawal could lead to Taliban gains on the battlefield. By many measures, the Taliban are in a stronger position now than at any point since 2001, controlling as much as half of the country, though many once-public US government metrics related to the conflict have been classified or are no longer produced", the brief said.

Future changes in political arrangements and/or in the security environment may in turn influence US policymakers' consideration of future levels and conditions of development assistance. It is unclear to what extent, if at all, the prospect of continued US assistance to Afghanistan (which remains one of the world's poorest countries) represents leverage over the Taliban, it added.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the US intelligence community concluded last week that the government of Afghanistan could collapse as soon as six months after the American military withdrawal from the country is completed.

American intelligence agencies revised their previously more optimistic estimates as the Taliban swept through northern Afghanistan last week, seizing dozens of districts and surrounding major cities. Afghan security forces frequently surrendered without a fight, leaving their Humvees and other American-supplied equipment to the insurgents, the report said.

The new assessment of the overall US intelligence community, which hasn't been previously reported, has now aligned more closely with the analysis that had been generated by the US military. The military has already withdrawn more than half of its 3,500 troops and its equipment, with the rest due to be out by Sept. 11.

On Wednesday, Taliban fighters were battling government troops inside the northern city of Kunduz after occupying the main border crossing with Tajikistan the previous day and reaching the outskirts of northern Afghanistan's main hub, Mazar-e-Sharif. Tajikistan's border service said 134 Afghan troops at the crossing were granted refuge while some 100 others were killed or captured by the Taliban.

Overall, the Taliban's lightning offensive in northern Afghanistan resulted in the fall of dozens of districts over the past week, putting much of the countryside under insurgent control. Local politicians and tribal elders negotiated a series of surrender agreements with government forces. Often unpaid for months, these troops left convoys of armored vehicles and stockpiles of weaponry, including artillery pieces, mortars and heavy machine guns, in exchange for Taliban guarantees of safe passage, the report said.
New Delhi, June 27 : Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) Secretary Haji Meherban Qureshi on Sunday joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the presence of party's state convenor and Delhi's Cabinet Minister Gopal Rai.

Qureshi said he was moved by the public welfare work being undertaken by the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government in Delhi so he had decided to quit the Congress and join the AAP.

Rai said, "Haji Meherban Qureshi's decision of joining the AAP has widened the reach of our party and strengthened it. We will all work together for the development of Delhi and its people." Qureshi, a resident of Delhi's Sadar Bazaar, was associated with the Congress for many years.

The newly inducted AAP leader said he is impressed by the historic work being done by the Delhi government under the leadership of AAP's National Convener and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for the development of the national capital and its people for the last six years.

Quershi assured to work with full dedication to fulfill the vision of AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal.

Apart from being the former Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee Secretary, Qureshi is a patron of the Qureshi Graduates Association.

He is also the chief patron of Federation of Sadar Bazaar Trade Association, President of Brotherhood Committee, Luv-Kush Ram Leela Committee, Vice Chairman of Red Fort, Chairman of Sadar Bazaar Green Market Trade Association and National Vice-President of All India Jamiatul Quresh.
New Delhi, June 27 : The Central IAS Association on Sunday expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recognising the contribution of Guru Prasad Mohapatra, Secretary in his government who died due to Covid recently.

During his monthly radio broadcast Mann ki Baat, Modi said: "Guruprasad was diagnosed with Covid, he was admitted in the hospital and yet at the same time was performing his official duty too.

He toiled day and night to increase the oxygen producing capacities of the country and to ensure the oxygen reached far flung areas. It is sad for all of us that the country has lost its KarmaYogi." The tribute by the Prime Minister to Mohapatra has instilled a sense of motivation and reinforced commitment amongst all public servants dedicated to the cause of public service and nation building across the country, the Association said in a statement.

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Washington, June 28 : The death toll in the partial collapse of a 12-story residential building in the beachside town of Surfside, southeastern U.S. state Florida, has risen to nine as more bodies were found overnight in ongoing search and rescue, authorities said on Sunday.

"As of today, one victim passed away in the hospital, and we've recovered eight victims on-site, so I am confirming today that the death toll is at nine," the Xinhua news agency quoted Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava as saying.

Four of the victims have been identified, she added.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Kuwait City, June 28 : Kuwait started on Sunday to implement a government's decision to allow only vaccinated citizens and residents to visit shopping malls, salons, gyms, and restaurants in the country.

Malls in the Arab country witnessed on Sunday morning armed forces at their entrances who will help the implementation of the decision to prevent unvaccinated people from entering, except for pregnant women, those under 16 years, and those with a medical excuse, the Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the Ministry of Interior, about 400 of their men will be deployed in malls to help implement the health measures.

Amid strict procedures, the major malls began to receive visitors.

Shahd Al-Awadi, a customer in a mall, told Xinhua that vaccination certificates are being checked by the security of the mall, where visitors are obliged to show "Immune" and "Kuwait Mobile ID" applications.

"I came to the mall to enjoy breakfast, away from the crowds, where my friend called me and told me that the atmosphere in the mall is quieter and we should enjoy it as much as we can," Al-Awadi said.

Al-Awadi affirmed that she totally supports the decision, explaining that she received vaccine to prevent the spread of coronavirus and protect the children and family especially the elderly ones, and it is her right to get privileges.

"It is illogical that we may be exposed to the risk of infection and the spread of the disease because of the few who refrain from vaccination," she said.

Iman Hammadi, a saleswoman in a cosmetics store inside the mall, said that visitors are less than usual, expressing her fear that the situation will continue for a longer period and thus it will lead to the decline in sales revenues.

"If the situation continues, our target will be failing. The target depends on buyers. Fewer buyers, fewer sales, then less money for the company and salespeople," Iman said sadly.

A citizen Nada Al-Waleed said that the municipality men at the gates check apps at people's mobiles one by one. She hopes that the entry process will speed up and facilitate the visitors.

Another citizen Ali Al-Nabhan felt the need to go to the mall on the day, just out of curiosity.

"I feel that I want to experience the privilege of being vaccinated, and curiosity led me to see the mall without the usual crowds," he said.

"I think that the decisions of the Ministry of Health are the right things to do. Several other countries have made similar decisions, and we did not see objections from their people," he said.

"Rather, they supported the decisions of their governments, which are interested in making the situation safe for them and their families," he added.

However, citizen Talal Al-Mutawa, who is afraid of vaccination and decided to wait more than a year to be vaccinated, said that what is happening in the malls now deserves to be questioned.

"The malls are almost empty which means many people are afraid to be vaccinated," he said. "The government's decisions are supposed to motivate others and give them solutions, not to restrict people." On June 17, the Kuwaiti government decided to allow access to most public venues only for fully vaccinated people starting from June 27, in an effort to contain the spread of the Delta variant.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Gareth Griffiths, speaking on behalf of Levmet, said: Were delighted to continue our support of Cure Parkinsons, helping them to work towards their goal of finding a cure for Parkinsons. Good luck to all the riders participating in this years Raid Local 2021 Ventoux."

Commodities trading company Levmet in Monaco is helping to raise money for the charity Cure Parkinsons, which helps fund essential Parkinsons research, and are sponsoring a charity bike ride in aid of the charity for the second year in a row.

On Sunday 27th June a team of dedicated bike riders will take part in Raid Local 2021 Ventoux which is a charity bike ride raising much-needed money for the British charity Cure Parkinsons.

Last year, a local team from Monaco, which was led by Gareth Griffiths from Levmet, took part in this annual sponsored charity bike ride to raise all-important money for Parkinsons funding, and Levmet were also a corporate sponsor in 2020.

Over 1,000 supporters of Cure Parkinsons took to the saddle to take part in the charitys Raid Local cycle challenge, which was the first of their multi-participation events. Over in the UK, Cure Parkinsons patron Mike Tindall, ambassador Iain Balshaw MBE and CEO Will Cook, took the team on multiple testing hill climbs throughout the day.

Globally the riders raised an astonishing 250,000 (including Gift Aid) for Cure Parkinsons vital research.

This year, the charity hopes to raise even more for this important cause.

Will Cook, CEO of Cure Parkinsons said: We are very grateful to the Levmet team, whose fundraising was led by Gareth Griffiths for all their support in 2020 and 2021 donating directly to our charity initiatives and also raising money via sponsorship. We are focused on funding the most promising research to cure Parkinsons, but receive no Government or institutional funding, so individual and corporate support like this is greatly valued and inspires others to do more. Together, we will move closer to our goal.

Gareth Griffiths, speaking on behalf of Levmet added: Were delighted to continue our support of Cure Parkinsons, helping them to work towards their goal of finding a cure for Parkinsons. Good luck to all the riders participating in this years Raid Local 2021 Ventoux which is taking place this Sunday 27th June.

If you would like to donate to this important cause, please go to The Cure Parkinson's website.
With this acquisition, UCX can more effectively and efficiently provide a better customer experience and satisfaction, delivering faster capabilities and solutions to customers.

UCX is excited to announce the acquisition of UCX Kosovo, an expansion that brings a growing SaaS business, 85 new employees, and a unified experience for its customers and partners. This acquisition demonstrates UCXs aspiration for global expansion to achieve their vision of helping businesses worldwide to increase their sales through channel management for e-commerce. The acquisition makes UCX one of the fastest growing PRM platforms in the industry, increasing the quality of services for its customers and boosting the careers of UCX employees.

UCX Kosovo is the subsidiary UCX office in Prishtina, Kosovo. UCX Kosovo has been the development arm of UCX since May of 2017, and has helped create the UCX channel management platform. It focuses on providing user-specific tools tailored to industry-specific needs. Since its inception, UCX Kosovos business and service offerings have evolved to meet the unique demands of the ever-changing technology industry.

With this acquisition, UCX can more effectively and efficiently provide a better customer experience and satisfaction, delivering faster capabilities and solutions to customers. UCX and UCX Kosovo have grown together to bring to life innovative technological solutions to thousands of businesses explains Adam Zeck, founder and CEO of UCX.

Yll Zagragja, Managing Director of UCX Kosovo, also commented, This acquisition produces amazing synergy for our companies, combining our strengths, and enabling us to grow and reinforce our position in the industry. Weve always been operating as one and have now combined our years of experience to bring UCX to the next level.

As a leading SaaS company for channel management for e-commerce, UCX has created a highly configurable, variable and scalable platform to meet every organization's channel management needs. The expanded UCX business will serve over 2,500 enterprise organizations across the world and will manage their accounts within the UCX platform. More information about the solutions UCX offers can be found at the company website: https://ucxmarket.com/press/ucx-announces-the-acquisition-of-ucx-kosovo/

About UCX:

UCX is a Chicago-based SaaS company that provides a partner relationship management (PRM) platform for e-commerce businesses. With a focus on channel management, they help brands, affiliates and influencers worldwide expand their e-commerce reach through a unified channel management experience. The company is trusted by thousands of businesses who are leveraging UCXs platform to manage their partnerships, create new revenue streams and achieve their business goals.

Company Contact:

Email: contact@ucxmarket.com

Phone: (773) 322-1428

Location: Willis Tower 233 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 9425, Chicago, IL 60606

Website: https://ucxmarket.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/UCXmarket

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UCXmarket

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ucxmarket/
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Respect for free speech must be cultivated because it does not come easily to human beings. We have a strong propensity to prefer our opinions to other peoples opinions and our ways to other peoples ways. We suppose that the world would improve if others would hold their tongues, recognize their errors, fall into line, and think as we think and say as we say and do as we do. To be sure, the powerful human impulse to censor other peoples opinions is contrary to the interests of free and democratic citizens. But that doesnt mean the inclination to dismiss alternative points of view, silence dissent, and shame and purge those who dispute the popular and the fashionable isnt real, widespread, an affront to the dignity of the individual, and a menace to constitutional government.

Like all fundamental rights in a democracy, free speech tends to be of most urgent concern to minorities. Thats because the majority generally looks out for itself and possesses the political clout and influence over public opinion to curb the speech it finds inconvenient, unsettling, or disagreeable. This dynamic does not change when the majority consists of a coalition of individuals in which many identify as members of a minority.

In the past, journalists and professors  though often members of the majority  have by and large robustly defended free speech. This reflects professional interest: To do their jobs, at least as those jobs have long been understood in free societies, journalists and professors must have the right to pursue the argument where it leads, consult widely, weigh the evidence, test their ideas by voicing their opinions and listening to others voice theirs, and reach reasoned judgments  and all this without fear of losing their jobs, suffering imprisonment, or some other state-sanctioned penalty.

Among the most alarming aspects of the contemporary attack on free speech is the dearth of journalists and professors willing to take free speechs side. It was bad enough that dozens of predominantly younger New York Times journalists last summer rose up in protest against the papers publication of an op-ed by Arkansas Republican Sen. Tom Cotton, who argued that in the face of violence sweeping American cities, it would be lawful and proper for the president to send in the military to restore order. Worse, the Times newsroom and management failed to defend the op-ed page editor, who was eventually fired for the offense of running the piece. Similarly, it is troubling that university students believe that they have a right to be shielded from ideas that make them uncomfortable. It has been a dereliction of professional duty on a massive scale, however, for professors to have done much to encourage and little to correct students profound misunderstanding of liberal education.

Honorable exceptions among journalists  including Matt Taibbi, Glenn Greenwald, Bari Weiss, and Abigail Shrier  have taken strong public stands in defense of free speech. A number of professors have distinguished themselves, too, including Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying, both formerly of Evergreen State College; Heterodox Academy founders Jonathan Haidt and Nicholas Quinn Rosenkranz; and Princeton professors Keith Whittington, Lara Buchak, Robert George, and Alejandro Rodriguez, who recently established the Academic Freedom Alliance (I am a member). And then there is the outspoken and inimitable Alan Dershowitz.

A Harvard Law School professor emeritus, Dershowitz has distinguished himself over the past half-century as an author of many best-selling books, an adviser to presidents and prime ministers, a lawyer to parties in numerous high-profile legal cases, a proud member of the liberal left, and a consistently impassioned and effective advocate for civil liberties. But Dershowitz was vilified and ostracized for the principled stand on free speech that he took during Donald Trumps presidency. Lost on those who anathematized Dershowitz for assisting Trump was the essential distinction between defending a persons policies and actions and defending his rights.

In The Case Against the New Censorship: Protecting Free Speech from Big Tech, Progressives, and Universities, Dershowitz writes, Freedom of speech in America is facing the greatest threats since the Alien and Sedition acts of 1798, which unconstitutionally punished false, scandalous or malicious writing against the United States. The reason, he explains in his short and bracing book, is that the new censors are in the main so-called progressives, who are far more influential and credible than the reactionaries who promoted and implemented McCarthyism. Moreover, the new censors seek to curtail freedom of expression on issues that many Americans already favor, such as the rejection of racism, sexism, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and various forms of disinformation. Further magnifying the danger is that the new censorship is not prohibited by the First Amendment since it is promulgated and enforced by private parties who have their own First Amendment rights, rather than by government agents who are bound by the Constitution to make no law  abridging the freedom of speech.

Dershowitz, who represented the former president in both impeachment trials, believes that Trumps Jan. 6, 2021, speech to supporters was ill-advised and justly condemnable. Yet Dershowitz has little doubt that if the issue had reached its chambers, the Supreme Court would have properly held that the speech was fully protected under the Brandenburg principle, which distinguishes between advocacy and incitement to violence.

Dershowitz rejects the common view that Trump was a uniquely dangerous and evil president, whose actions justified extraordinary measures, even measures that compromised constitutional rights and values. Not the least example of this way of thinking, argues Dershowitz, was the letter signed by 144 constitutional scholars in early February in the run-up to the second impeachment trial. The professors claimed that any First Amendment defense raised by President Trumps attorneys would be legally frivolous. As Dershowitz observes, it is one thing to say that it would have been mistaken. But by declaring such a defense legally frivolous  the Code of Professional Responsibility prohibits lawyers from advancing such arguments and subjects those who do so to the possibility of disciplinary sanctions  the professors, Dershowitz maintains, themselves sought to chill speech by means of specious reasoning.

The Trump presidency, Dershowitz emphasizes, accelerated a repressive trend that had begun years earlier. It would be more accurate to say decades earlier. Undergraduates whose parents were not yet born in 1965 when Herbert Marcuse published Repressive Tolerance today believe, as the Frankfurt School theorist taught the 60s generation, that tolerating conservative opinions is unjust because they are false and perpetuate oppression. The new forms of censorship  speech codes, trigger warnings, microaggressions, free-speech zones, selective application of hate speech and disinformation and misinformation standards, and now mandatory teacher training that affirms that colorblindness is an expression of white supremacy  did not arise out of nowhere. They are the progeny of the view promulgated by Marcuses heirs in the humanities, social sciences, and law schools  professors who regard themselves as activists and advocates whose principal job is not to understand the world in its many-sidedness but to change it in accordance with an ideology they exempt from scrutiny.

The new censors cannot be defeated by counter-censorship, which would only intensify the problem. Instead, fathers and mothers must take their parental and civic responsibilities seriously by participating in the reform of K-12 education to ensure that students are taught early on and regularly that we learn to formulate responsible opinions by mastering the facts and listening attentively to a variety of points of view. Consumers must exercise greater selectivity in the social media platforms they patronize to impel companies to apply their rules about posting impartially and to treat like cases alike. Professors who know better, but who have sat on the sidelines, must rise to the defense of free speech. Philanthropists and foundations must continue to build alternative educational institutions that prize free speech as indispensable to the pursuit of truth. And political leaders must step forward to straightforwardly explain at every opportunity that free speech is not a luxury in a free society but essential to its health and prosperity.

Free speech in the United States is a constitutional birthright. It has always been true that to enjoy speech that is free not only from government coercion but also from the tyranny of public opinion  and to ensure that coming generations will enjoy it, too  we must cultivate respect for it. Now more than ever.
President Joe Biden clearly has no problem with his son Hunter Biden cashing in on the family name. It's something Biden has in common with former President Donald Trump.

According to Forbes, Trump's estimated wealth dropped from an estimated $3.6 billion in 2016 to $2.4 billion in April -- which means he lost a fortune while in office. Conflicts nonetheless existed as Trump made it known that he kept track of which foreign dignitaries and political interests spent money at his properties.

While Trump bled millions those four years, Biden far surpassed the limits of a public servant's salary. The self-styled working-class Democrat who used to talk about being one of the poorest men in the Senate earned more than $17 million while Trump was in the White House.

In 2014, when Biden was President Barack Obama's point man to fight corruption in Ukraine, Hunter Biden found himself in the pay of a Ukraine energy firm. Burisma paid Biden, now 51, some $50,000 per month over five years -- despite that fact that, The New York Times reported, the son "lacked any experience in Ukraine and just months earlier had been discharged from the Navy Reserve for testing positive for cocaine."

It didn't look good during the 2020 primary and general election. Still, the former vice president offered, "My son did nothing wrong," during his first debate with Trump.

Was it legal? Probably. Did it flout appearances and reek of influence peddling? Absolutely -- at least to anyone not in big media.

Now we learn that Hunter Biden is out of the lucrative international consulting business -- and has turned to art. Have no fear that Biden's change of career will leave him in the penury that one associates with starving artists. Art dealer George Berges has let it be known that he plans to sell Biden's works for $75,000 to $500,000 each -- and buyers will remain anonymous.

There will be no mechanism to learn who paid how much for Young Biden's masterpieces, a representative for Berges told Fox News.

Where's the outrage about the lack of transparency?

Large news outlets have reported on Hunter Biden's career change, but not with the breathlessness and investigative zeal reserved for Trump's hotel guests. Biden's new stint as artiste plays more like a feature story.

Team Biden knew they'd have to put out an approved version of Biden's Burisma deal.

In his book, "Beautiful Things," for which he received a $2 million advance, the younger Biden writes that his name was a "coveted credential" that may have prompted Burisma to hire him but added, "I was absolutely qualified to do what Burisma needed done."

Which makes Biden's ability to make the transition to highly paid artist and author a testament to his talents.

Critics of Biden "ethics" may be rare, but they do exist. Walter Shaub, the former Office of Government Ethics director appointed by Obama, told Fox News, the younger Biden's new arrangement is tainted with a "shameful and grifty feeling to it."

"Let's let foreign govts or anyone else funnel hundreds of thousands of dollars anonymously to POTUS's relatives through subjectively priced commodities like hotel charges, real estate purchases and art. Oh wait, no, art is COMPLETELY different. [sarcasm]," Shaub tweeted.

"I'm still glad Biden is president. I just want him to make ethics and democracy a more explicit priority," Shaub also tweeted.

On Fox, Shaub compared the Biden art business to Trump hotels selling rooms to foreign officials. But at least Trump's hotels predated his election victory. And in office, Trump didn't cash in; he cashed out.

Be it noted, Shaub stepped down from his ethics perch early after he protested Trump's refusal to put his assets in a blind trust. Trump's decision to flout that convention fed into Democrats' belief that he did not take the office seriously.

You see, Trump thought that even though he was president, he could do whatever he wanted, just because, well, he could.

Apparently, the Bidens think likewise. And they have no reason to change.

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By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 06/26/2021



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

alum Loren Goldstone admits she is "nervous" about having a second child and being a mom of two babies.In an exclusive clip of an upcoming 90 Day Diaries episode obtained by Us Weekly, Loren is on her way to Dr. Remberto Santos' office for her 12-week ultrasound and she says her husband Alexei Brovarnik would be meeting her there."I'm really excited, but of course I'm nervous because you want to make sure everything is okay," Loren 32, explains in the preview."You want to make sure the baby is growing and the heartbeat is there, and it's healthy and everything is, you know, on schedule."But Loren's fears apparently extend beyond the baby's health and a successful delivery."It can be stressful schlepping one kid, so when the time comes that I have two, I'm going to schlep two kids by myself?!" Loren wonders with nervous laughter. "Oh my gosh!"Loren and Alexei's new baby will be joining their 14-month-old son Shai Josef, who was born on April 14, 2020 Loren then admits in a confessional, "There are so many things I'm nervous about.""I'm still adjusting to being a mom with Shai," she continued, "and now he is going to be a toddler and growing, and I'm going to have a newborn at the same time. I'm going to have two under two."Once Loren, Alexei and Shai reunite at the doctor's office, Loren tells Dr. Santos, "Can you believe that we're doing this again?!"Loren tells the doctor she is "excited" but also "nervous" about her second pregnancy with Alexei, 32, listening."I have my hands full here!" Loren concludes.However, all concerns and doubts apparently drift away once Loren sees her "big" baby during the ultrasound.Loren and Alexei announced they have Baby No. 2 on the way in March.Loren from Hollywood Beach, FL, and Alexei from Nazareth Illit, Israel -- who appeared on Season 3 of followed by the first two seasons of : Happily Ever After? -- both announced the big news on Instagram."It's true, we are expecting Babybrov #2! We figured why not have another, and Shai is so excited to become a big brother in late summer!" Loren captioned a slideshow of family photos at the time.In one photo, Alexei was wearing a "Cool Dad" shirt, Loren was sporting a "Proud Mama" shirt, and Shai was giggling in his "big brother" shirt.The couple hadn't found out the baby's sex yet at the time.Loren and Alexei celebrated their five-year wedding anniversary in September 2020.Loren wrote on Instagram in celebration of the milestone, "And they said it wouldn't work. Jokes on them! 5 years and a baby later! Happy anniversary @alex_brovarnik.""I absolutely love doing life with you! And can't wait for more to come!" she added. "Cheers to a lifetime of laughs and balagan! I love you!"Loren and Alexei's love story was documented on the franchise. After meeting on Loren's birthright trip to Israel, she visited Alexei five times in one year before he popped the question.Alexei said he applied for a Tourist Visa twice but got denied and so the couple decided to apply for a K-1 visa instead.Once Alexei got approved for the K-1 visa and traveled to America, the couple had to overcome some challenges, such as Loren having strippers at her bachelorette party, but they still got married during his 90-day visit in September 2015.Loren and Alexei also subsequently had a second ceremony in Israel in July 2016 so both of their families could celebrate and witness their union.Alexei initially feared passing down the Tourette syndrome gene to their future children, but he came to realize there are "more worse things in the world" and they'd just deal with it if that happened.It didn't take long for Loren to get baby fever, but Alexei really wanted to wait until he received his American citizenship first.Loren and Alexei announced they were expecting their first child in October 2019, just one month after they celebrated four years of marriage. Two months later, the couple shared Loren was pregnant with a baby boy."Timing really is everything, and the fact he already became a citizen right before the whole coronavirus thing really broke out, we are just really, really lucky," Loren told the camera on : What Now?: Loren & Alexei's Birth Special that aired in June 2020."I can't even imagine being stuck in that process right now."Loren was diagnosed with preeclampsia, a complication characterized by high blood pressure, during her first pregnancy, so she had to undergo an emergency c-section at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, FL.Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage!
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 06/27/2021



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[ Spoiler Warning: This report includes spoilers revealing if Tiffany and Ronald are still together now or if the couple has broken up.]

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So are Ronald and Tiffany still together now or has the couple split up and divorced?

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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

couple Tiffany Franco and Ronald Smith are at odds over where they want to live long-term on Season 6 of : Happily Ever After?, so did the couple break up and go their separate ways, or are Tiffany and Ronald still together now? What do spoilers reveal about their current relationship?Tiffany was a 27-year-old from Frederick, MD, and Ronald was a 29-year-old from South Africa when they starred on : The Other Way's first season in 2019.Tiffany accepted a marriage proposal from Ronald despite his faults and mistakes -- including Ronald having a criminal record as well as a serious gambling addiction that led to a six-month rehab stint in South Africa.Once Ronald changed his ways and sought therapy, Tiffany moved her eight-year-old son Daniel to South Africa on a Tourist Visa so they could be a family, but she wasn't convinced it was going to be a permanent move.Ronald had to prove himself to Tiffany, and she also said she needed to make sure Daniel would love his life in South Africa and feel safe, comfortable and happy in a foreign country.Tiffany and Ronald got married during her trip, but due to financial constraints and Tiffany deciding South Africa was not a safe place for her kids to grow up, she decided to return to the U.S. and give birth to the couple's daughter there.Tiffany thought the best way to be with Ronald and to make her whole family happy would be to apply for a spousal visa so Ronald could move to the U.S.After giving birth to the couple's daughter Carley in Summer 2019, Tiffany revealed on Part 1 of : The Other Way's Tell-All special -- which aired in October 2019 -- that life in the U.S. was "so much harder" than she could have ever anticipated without her husband by her side.Tiffany said Ronald had also become "very hot and cold" about their plans for him to move to the United States.Ronald had allegedly told Tiffany that he didn't want to waste money trying for another visa -- given he had been denied a K-1 visa before due to his criminal record -- but then Tiffany revealed she went ahead and applied for a spousal CR-1 visa for Ronald."The last time Ronald and I were physically together, it was eight months ago," Tiffany explained, "and I am all alone -- left to face everything and be responsible for everything. Ronald, right now, is not emotionally supportive and he's not financially supportive."Tiffany said Ronald never offered to send money for clothes or diapers, and Tiffany vented, "I didn't make this baby alone!"Tiffany therefore met with an attorney, Christopher Role, and said she was no longer sure if she wanted to make things work with Ronald because she was allegedly the only person trying in their relationship."I have moments when I wonder if this marriage is right for me," Tiffany confessed. "Ronald doesn't know this, but I think I want a divorce."Tiffany lamented she was feeling miserable every day and had reached "a breaking point" and feared there was "no other choice but to get divorced" because things might only get worse once Ronald arrived to the U.S.But Ronald insisted he was making "small strides" and "ends meet" by doing odd jobs such as painting rooms for people."It's not easy having a wife who is always doubting that you are doing the right thing," Ronald explained. "I want Tiffany to see that I can be the husband I know I can be for her and this family."Suddenly, Tiffany revealed to Ronald on Zoom she had decided to cancel her family's plane tickets to South Africa. Tiffany said it wasn't fair she was always paying for things and if Ronald wanted to see her and the kids, he'd cough up the dough.Tiffany also reminded Ronald that he had spent $3,000 to fix his motorcycle instead of helping his children, but Ronald said his money isn't worth much in the U.S. due to the exchange rate.Ronald said it was "unbearable" to miss milestones in Carley's life and watch her grow up through a computer screen, and the pair got into "a huge heated" fight over the canceled tickets.Tiffany ultimately used the money as a down payment for a new apartment so she and the kids could move out of her mother Maggie's house. She was also putting her own happiness first for once.Meanwhile, Maggie felt there was "nothing special" about Ronald and that he was taking advantage of her daughter.But once Tiffany and Ronald fell back into a good place in their relationship after a lot of arguing, Tiffany received an email she had been waiting on "for years" informing her that Ronald's visa application to come to the United States had been approved and they'd be able to move on to the interview phase of the process.Ronald gushed over videochat about being "overwhelmed" -- happy and scared at the same time -- but Tiffany fell just under the income requirement to be able to completely take care of Ronald financially upon his entrance into America.Tiffany therefore asked her father Carlos to be Ronald's co-sponsor because she said she was "not willing to do this long-distance thing anymore."Tiffany came clean to Carlos about Ronald's shady past and assured her father that everything on Ronald's record -- including a drug possession charge -- had been withdrawn and he was never convicted of anything."Although it looks really bad and it looks really f-cked up, I just want to be honest with you... I don't want to move to [South Africa]," Tiffany explained."You're my only shot at getting him here, and I promise if anything goes wrong, I'll take care of it. I just need you to sign."Carlos agreed to be Ronald's co-sponsor for the sake of Tiffany and his grandchildren's happiness, and Tiffany just hoped Ronald wouldn't screw up this huge opportunity and put strain on her relationship with her dad.Tiffany later met with an immigration lawyer to discuss Ronald's upcoming interview at the Embassy in South Africa for the spousal visa, which was in the approval stage.Ronald was told he only had one chance to get it right or else he and Tiffany would have to wait years to go through with this process again. While Ronald videochatted with the lawyer, he was sitting back on a couch and vaping.Ronald also made light of having been arrested five or six times.Tiffany watched Ronald essentially bomb the interview during a practice round with the lawyer. Tiffany explained that Ronald rambled on when asked "yes" or "no" questions and didn't seem to take things seriously.Tiffany left the meeting more worried than ever, and the lawyer predicted Ronald would have a 50/50 chance of getting his spousal visa approved.Tiffany called Ronald after the meeting and reminded him that he needed to shape up and take things seriously, but Ronald pointed out how Tiffany and the kids could always move to South Africa and live with him."I don't know if Ronald is purposely sabotaging the visa, but I do think that he's a little more careless with it because in his mind, if it doesn't work out, we can still move over there -- which is his backup plan and so he's not that scared," Tiffany explained."For me, I'm terrified because I know I'm not going there. So for me, if he fails that interview, that's it and there's no backup plan. He still thinks he has a safety net, and he doesn't."Ronald then asked Tiffany to visit him in South Africa with the kids for the Christmas holiday and stay for three months. Maggie was disappointed when she discovered Ronald had grunted about being asked to pay half of his family's plane tickets.Maggie laughed about Ronald being "a joke," and she told Tiffany to use her trip to South Africa as a test run to figure out whether she really wanted to be with Ronald forever and have him move to the United States permanently.Tiffany wanted to see that Ronald was saving money, working, prioritizing his family, and being responsible in South Africa. Maggie told Tiffany that she had made all the sacrifices in her relationship and Ronald had done nothing to contribute.Maggie admitted Tiffany's decision to marry Ronald and have a child with him wasn't her "brightest idea," but Tiffany insisted, "I am not stupid... I don't want to go there and pretend we're just perfect and happy."Tiffany had set high expectations for Ronald and their future together, and she said her husband needed to check off all of her boxes or else she'd rebook her plane ticket and head home to America with the kids.Tiffany and her kids then flew to South Africa to visit Ronald, and she said she couldn't wait to kiss her husband for the first time in 10 months although they had gone through some adversity and arguments.Tiffany apparently purchased open-ended plane tickets. She said she didn't plan on having a bad time in South Africa but she needed to figure out whether her relationship with Ronald was really worth it.As Tiffany and the kids traveled, Ronald was working on turning his garage into a room just for Daniel so he would have some privacy and space. Ronald didn't want Daniel to have to sleep on the couch and be uncomfortable."I want him to be excited when he comes here," Ronald said of Daniel.Ronald planned for Tiffany and the kids to stay for three months, after which he would file an extension on Tiffany's Tourist Visa so that they could stay in South Africa an additional three months. The other option was for Ronald's visa to get approved so he could fly back to the United States with his family.Ronald felt he deserved to have Carley around as well as Daniel, and he thought Tiffany and the kids moving to South Africa would be a solution. But he and Tiffany weren't on the same page because Tiffany had absolutely no desire to move to South Africa and live there permanently.Ronald told his friend that he was going to be the man of the house and hopefully convince Tiffany to like South Africa and want to stay with him longer."The fact of the matter is, if Tiffany doesn't want to move to South Africa, I will force her to. I'm not going to be away from my kids again that long," Ronald admitted.Ronald ultimately had an emotional reunion with his family, especially when Daniel jumped into his arms.Tiffany was used to staying with Ronald's mother, so she didn't know what to expect from Ronald's own place. She worried about walking into a total "bachelor pad," but Tiffany was actually very impressed and said it was so much better than what she had expected.Daniel also seemed thrilled to walk into his own room that was painted royal blue and had a TV. Tiffany could see Ronald's effort and love "for sure" since he had built a room just for his son."My family is on the line, possibly spending Christmas with me in South Africa -- and maybe staying longer," Ronald said in a confessional with Tiffany by his side."So if that's what it's going to cost, I will do it. At the end of the day, I don't think you're going to stay, I KNOW you're going to stay. You just don't know it yet."It appears Tiffany and Ronald are still together and very happy, although their relationship remains complicated and long distance.Tiffany totally gave away she and Ronald are still married and she's in love with him through a Father's Day post on Instagram in June 2021."Happy Father's Day! To Papa bear. For almost 5 years now you've been Papa bear, through the ups and downs A constant reminder of why are you are the love of my life is the amazing love you have for our kids," Tiffany posted a slideshow of photos featuring Ronald, Daniel, Carley and herself."You embraced Daniel in a way that I can't actually explain... I love you have for him makes me so proud. The kids adore you. I adore you. Today is entirely your day, to celebrate the amazing dad you are and how even more amazing you are becoming every day."Tiffany continued, "I love seeing the man who once was the center of attention and the party animal turn into the guy who lets everyone go have their parties so you can walk off to the side and play toys with the kids. I am grateful, I am blessed, I am proud. You are truly a blessing to us.""From the bottom of all of our hearts we love you with all of us and we wish you the best Father's Day! Sidenote..." she concluded.And Ronald commented on the post, "Thank you my love. Love it its beautiful thank you thank you thank you love you sooo much youre my everything and you and the kids complete my life."And in a May 24 Instagram Live session, Tiffany conducted a makeup tutorial and dropped a sly quick comment about her current relationship status with Ronald.Towards the beginning of the hour-long video, Tiffany explained she had an allergic reaction under her eyes from an eye cream."It's from when I was on the airplane coming here from South Africa. My skin got super dry and it just got really messed up," Tiffany said, before flashing a big know-it-all smile.Tiffany also said during the video, "I wish Ronald was on here so he could help me [answer questions] while I'm doing my makeup, but he is busy!"Tiffany's comments clearly suggest she and Ronald remain a couple and continue doing things together.As recently as May 18, Tiffany and Ronald went Instagram Live together, with Tiffany posting their conversation on her page.Tiffany captioned their session, "Definitely getting a divorce. Definitely getting a divorce," but she added a crying-laughing emoticon to her post to suggest she's joking.It was clear from the pair's interactions they're still married and things are going well, but Tiffany insisted all the "divorce talk" on the show was "not for ratings" and it was real.Tiffany jokingly asked Ronald when he'd be signing the divorce papers, and Ronald explained with a big smile that he didn't have a pen.Tiffany was all giggles as she and Ronald sang love songs to each other and teased one another.And on April 4, 2021, Tiffany confirmed she still loves Ronald.Ronald posted a beautiful tribute to Tiffany's son Daniel, whom Ronald also considers and calls his son.In addition to complimenting the young boy on his maturity, cleverness and being well-mannered, Ronald wrote, "I just really hope that the connection we have I hope it never dies as you get older now I'm proud to have you as my son but also I'm a bit sad not being able to be there to celebrate it with you."Ronald, who made it clear he's still living in South Africa, continued, "But make the best of it my boy just know you are in my thoughts and I wish I was there may you have a blessed year and many more and you guys better call me when your blow the candles lol."Ronald added of Tiffany, "Last thing so tell your mom @tiffanyfrancosmith its your yes day and make the best of it... you know what i mean my boy! love your dad."Tiffany actually commented on Ronald's post, "Aw love you. I'm showing him."However, Tiffany and Ronald have had a very tumultuous relationship over the last year or so.Ronald and Tiffany announced they were "separating" in January 2020 and seemed to be headed for a divorce.Tiffany accused Ronald of "adultery" and manipulation and claimed he had suffered multiple relapses of the gambling addiction he had once sought treatment for before in a rehab facility.On January 28, 2020, Tiffany told her Instagram followers in regards to her marriage "some things are just irreparable," and Ronald claimed on social media at the time he'd be "filing for divorce in South Africa" after a year-and-a-half of marriage."Tiff only tried to do good, not really control me but more protect me from wrong [people], places and temptations, and the more I think about it now, it makes sense..." Ronald wrote on Instagram during."She was more the victim and I'll admit here I was a dick to her at times, worrying about me, me, me and not looking after her feelings or needs."But rumors of a reconciliation began to swirl on March 5, 2020 when Ronald posted adorable snapshots of Tiffany and himself seemingly in South Africa together.In March 11, 2020 Ronald uploaded a selfie of the couple as well as a photo in which they were embracing in front of a fountain during a date night at Monte in Gauteng, South Africa.Ronald then flat out confirmed the next day his marriage to Tiffany was back on and thriving in the comments section of his Instagram post."Hope the rumors are true and y'all found your way back to one another!!" one person wrote."Yes," Ronald replied.When an Instagram user asked Ronald to "please work it out" with Tiffany, Ronald responded with, "We are good."One person mentioned, "I thought they got divorced," and Ronald wrote back, "Guess not," with a smiley face.And finally, one fan wrote, "Happy you're back together," to which Ronald replied, "Yes."Tiffany revealed on a May 2020 episode of : Self-Quarantined that she was waiting for Ronald to get approved for a spousal visa so he could move to the United States."We got married over a year ago, but we only applied for his spousal visa four months ago. The coronavirus has affected the whole process of the visa. This virus is stopping everything, including my family being together," Tiffany told the cameras.Meanwhile, Ronald was living in Victoria, South Africa, and apparently FaceTimed or Skyped with his family in America often. Ronald said he desperately missed his family in the United States.On top of the distance and coronavirus "craziness," Tiffany said there were trust issues in her relationship but she and Ronald were working with a counselor to get past them.Tiffany and Ronald then reunited for the holidays in December 2020 after a tumultuous year.Tiffany apparently brought her two kids, her son Daniel from a previous relationship and Ronald's daughter Carley, to South Africa to visit her husband for Christmas.Tiffany had posted a family photo of Ronald, Daniel, Carley and herself outdoors on a bench and she captioned it, "Family," along with a red heart emoticon."Such amazing holidays with the family," she captioned another photo of herself and Ronald at the time.Ronald also confirmed on his own Instagram account the pictures were not "old" or throwbacks."Merry Christmas to everyone and your family hope you all enjoy it as much as i do," Ronald wrote."Just wanted to show everyone how blessed i am to be with my family and to be able to spend such a happy time with them and make memories, having fun, playing around, and just spending quality time as a family together hehe."Want more spoilers or couples updates? 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American Horror Story and Scream Queens actress Billie Lourd paid tribute to her late mom, Star Wars icon Carrie Fisher, during a recent trip to Disneyland.

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"#specialmoment #meatsweats #jerseyshore #riseoftheresistance #isthebestrideever #ohandofcourse #soarin #isaclosesecond #DISNEYLAND4EVER," Lourd, 28, captioned the gallery of photos and videos she posted on Friday.

She can be seen wearing traditional Mickey Mouse ears fashioned to look like Princess Leia's hair as she enjoys a Star Wars-themed attraction.

Fisher -- who appeared as Leia in six Skywalker Saga Star Wars movies -- died in 2016 at the age of 60.

Lourd played a supporting role in the last three films in the series.
Traverse City, MI (49684)

Today

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 75F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 75F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Traverse City, MI (49684)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 75F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 75F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
TRAVERSE CITY  The antes are in for the communitys future generations and the natural environment that will sustain them.

A legion of impassioned volunteers, donors and advocates worked for six years to gather a collective $93 million of investments into perpetual protection of more than 7,500 acres of the most beautiful, ecologically pristine wild places across five counties in northwest Lower Michigan.

Nonprofit Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy will at months end wrap the largest regional land protection and stewardship campaign in Midwestern history, its Campaign for Generations. The years-long effort completed a massive community underwriting for future generationss access to the areas most special natural resources  hiking trails, marshes and streams, stretches of lakeshore beaches and among the most ecologically precious patches of land around.

Map: Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy campaign projects This map shows only the existing public land protection projects included in the Campaign fo

Its the people of this region. They have answered the call. They put us up on their shoulders, said Glen Chown, the conservancys founding executive director.

The campaigns largest individual donation was $5 million, while the smallest was a single dollar bill mailed in an envelope. There were several of the latter sort, said Marissa Duque, fund development director.

Our donors are the best donors, she said. The smallest amounts often come with the sweetest, most sincere sticky notes.

Not all donations come in financial form; many make their mark with elbow grease.

Paula Dreeszen of Interlochen is a volunteer and preserve steward at Arcadia Dunes: The C.S. Mott Nature Preserve. That means she reports to the conservancy about the happenings at the site, plus pitches in to help with volunteer work days such as trail building, invasive species control and maintenance.

Dreeszen also leads guided hikes and surveys birds and plants for the nonprofit organization.

Its work outdoors that I enjoy and an opportunity to learn new things, and work with like-minded people in a beautiful place, she said.

The 16-year veteran volunteer said shes well-impressed with the success of the campaign. She believes its a reflection of the conservation-focused residents and visitors of the region.

Maybe theres some urgency to protect the land before it gets developed, Dreeszen said.

That sense of urgency was certainly felt by Marty and Val Cotanche, of both northern Michigan and Arizona.

Weve traveled a lot of places around the world and watched how theyve changed. And they never changed for the good, Marty Cotanche said.

The couple married 50 years ago and spend summers at their home on Skegemog Point, directly across from the mouth of the Torch River from where the new Torch River Ridge Nature Preserve is situated. They donated $1 million to sponsor the project to commemorate their five married decades.

Ive only been on the property once, last fall. Val and I took our dog up, Marty Cotanche said, though he said they frequently gaze across the water at the place.

He also said how much they appreciate the way conservancy officials manage preserves and trails in ways meant to minimize negative impacts on the ecosystem, while also allowing the public access to as many protected spots as possible.

They connect so well with people and they really work to not shut people out of these special places, Marty Cotanche said.

In total, the six-year campaign raised about $93 million  $22 million beyond the initial goal  to complete 88 projects that protect more than 7,500 collective acres of land across Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Manistee counties.

Nearly 3,800 acres of land and 16 miles of shoreline will be protected and available for public access, while a similar number of acres of private lands and 10 miles of shoreline were saved from future development through farmland and natural land easements.

Eight new nature preserves were created, along with six new nature sanctuaries with accompanying ecologically managed forests. Additions were made at 18 existing preserves or sanctuaries, and 13 other new parks or projects were completed.

Three miles of universal access trails were built at six locations, including the overlook at Arcadia Dunes, Arcadia Marsh, Timers Recreation Area, Pyatt Lake, Acme Bayside Park and at St. Clair-Six Mile Lake.

I think the universal access features of the campaign are really the soul of the campaign, Chown said.

That means trails which meet Americans With Disabilities Act requirements  hard surfaces suitable for people who use wheelchairs, walkers or strollers to access woodsy or far-flung places.

Even 20 percent of dollars raised during the campaign were placed into the organizations endowment fund meant to pay for the upkeep and management of these projects and places into the future.

The campaigns overall aim was to improve access to these environmental assets and protect them in perpetuity.

Chown said campaign donors put their money where their hearts are: northern Michigans loveliest wild places.

People understand the natural resources and the water and the scenic views are like no other, and the development pressures are unprecedented, he said.

The promise of forever is almost a sacred commitment we make with our supporters and really the whole region. When we say forever, we need to mean it and we do.
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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.

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NORTHFIELD  Town resident Pamela Goldman believes in using humor to get through life, and has shown that to be the case in a column she wrote during the pandemic that was featured in Katie Courics daily online newsletter  Wake-Up Call.

The column, called Ramona on Corona, included essays with titles such as A Prisoner of Love and Chicken Soup, Thanksgiving-to-Go, and The Debacle and T.J. Maxx.

All 46 essays in the newsletter have recently been compiled into a 180-page book, called Ramona on Corona and .... Aside from focusing on the challenges and frustrations of adapting to COVID, the essays are reflections on every-day life.

Couric wrote a forward to the book, in which she said she considers Goldman a thoroughly modern Erma Bombeck and the Northfield resident has memorialized our collective experience with humor and wit.

The book is published through EBM Publishing at Shakespeare & Company, a Manhattan bookstore.

It will be sold on the Wake Up Call site online and can be purchased next week on Amazon with proceeds going to Moms Demand Action, a nonprofit organization that promotes gun safety reform.

Evolution of book

Goldman knew Couric for many years through her husband Kevin Goldman, a long-time journalist. A mother of two and grandmother of two, Goldman has an extensive professional acting and journalism career that includes writing and producing for CBS news documentaries and Disney. She was also a therapist, practicing for over 20 years.

Goldman said she initially wrote the essays while sheltering at home, as a coping mechanism to get through the pandemic.

I amused myself throughout the year with my own sense of humor and my own particular insights into what was happening to all of us  not only socially, but politically, she said.

She sent Couric her first essay to read, portraying the character of Ramona as herself.

I thought of the name Ramona because it rhymes with Corona and it was sort of catchy, said Goldman, who moved to Northfield from Manhattan in March 2020, due to the pandemic.

Couric loved the essay, Goldman said, and asked Goldman to write another one.

I ended up writing one a week for a year, Goldman said.

The essays, marketed as a humor series, each vary in length from two to three pages.

According to Goldman, the column resonated with the 50-plus age group.

I am Gaga to 2- and 5-year-old girls and so I suffered the same pangs of missing them and wanting to hug them, as many other grandparents, she said.

Other essays were directed to single women, who were alone and who the pandemic was doubly hard for, in terms of being isolated, Goldman said.

Additionally, there were essays addressed to younger generations.

The topics for the essays came from reality, Goldman said. They came from my own every-day, boring life  All of the extraordinary, ordinary things that we took for granted before the pandemic that were now not accessible. It was all my experiences, my perceptions, my insights.

Goldman said she was never at a loss for new topics.

I developed a schedule where I would face the blank screen on Monday and put down my thoughts almost stream of consciousness, Goldman said. I had a deadline on Thursday and I was in the Saturday edition of the newsletter.

Goldman said she developed a large following through her essays.

Many people wrote to me and said, I laughed, I cried. You brought a tear of joy to my eye. You brought a tear of happiness, Goldman said. I heard regularly from some people who would email me and we would have an email chain going.

Goldman wrote her last essay in February.

As the pandemic wound down, the column had had a good run, through the time that it was needed, so Katie and I felt that it was time to stop writing them, Goldman said.

According to Goldman, humor is needed in life  for anyone.

The only way to get through life is with laughter  to somehow find the laughter, she said. You may have to dig but it helps  physically, emotionally and mentally. Its good for the soul.

She added while there are many aspects of life that cant be controlled, we really must think about what, in those situations, what we can control  and follow that path.

sfox@milfordmirror.com
Authorities at Petroglyph National Monument said Friday that visitors committed extensive vandalism by collecting rocks and stacking them in the form of cairns, sometimes used as a hiking trail marker.

The federally protected park was created to preserve rock designs scratched by Indigenous people starting at least 700 years ago, and Spanish settlers as far back as 400 years ago.

Venturing off trails and rearranging rocks in modern times is a violation of federal regulations.

Moving, stacking, or making shapes out of rocks is a form of vandalism and will impact every visitor who comes after, said Park Superintendent Nancy Hendricks, asking visitors to respect these sacred landscapes.

National Park Service workers are dismantling the stacks of rocks, but cant be sure theyll return the rocks where they came from along the largely preserved desert landscape.

The agency is asking the public to share information about the person or persons who may have moved the rocks. The vandalism was first reported to the agency on June 17, according to a statement.

Last year, a visitor was shocked with a Taser by a park ranger after he left a trail at the park, which lies northwest of Albuquerque.

In March 2021, the National Parks Service said it concluded the officers actions were appropriate. The male visitor was cited by the agency for being in a closed area off the trail, providing false information and failing to comply with a lawful order. A female visitor who was with him was cited for providing false information and being in a closed area off the trail.
Barnesville

A workshop involving Project WILD, a conservation and environmental educational program emphasizing wildlife, is set for 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Aug. 24 at the Tuscarora State Park visitor center. The workshop will offer hands-on, minds-on activities related to forestry and wildlife, which are easily integrated into science, language arts, math, music, art and social studies curriculums, according to a release. Each participant will receive the Project WILD manual and related material for free. Its good for four Act 48 credit hours. Registration is due by Aug. 6. The fee is $15. For more information, call 570-467-2506 or email to rtracey@pa.gov.

Barnesville

A basic kayaking course will be held at 9:30 a.m. July 4 and 18, Aug. 1 and 17 and Sept. 4 at Tuscarora State Park. Kayaks, paddles and personal floatation devices will be provided. The maximum weight capacity is 275 pounds. Registration in advance is required by signing up at the park office via phone at 570-467-2506 or in person. Checks for $10 should be made payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The class will be canceled in the event of inclement weather. People who have their own equipment may join the class for $3 per person. Participants will meet at the parks visitor center.

Mahanoy City

The St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, 624 W. Mahanoy Ave., will be open from 11 a.m. to noon the last Thursday of every month beginning in July, according to a release from Sylvia Burke. For more information, call 570-773-3628 or 570-516-0093.

Summit Station

The Summit Station Fire Company, 88 Fire House Road, will have its sixth annual Kids Junior Fire Camp, for ages 9-15, with day camps at the firehouse grounds from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. July 28-30. Registration is set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 17, according to Bryan Dronick, assistant fire chief. For more information, email Dronick at bdronick@summitstationfire.com.
Seventeen-year-old Alaina Krebs said her job as a cashier at Boyers Food Markets is about gaining work experience.

My hope is to go into the food service industry, the rising Blue Mountain High School senior and borough resident said at the store Wednesday.

Krebs began work at Boyers almost a year ago, when she was 16, but she will soon have even younger co-workers.

Boyers announced last week it was lowering the minimum hiring age from 16 to 14. President Dean Walker said the decision was due to a need to hire more employees to keep up with customer service.

Over the past four or five months, weve noticed problems with hiring people at our stores, he said.

Boyers change is the latest reaction to the continuing labor shortage across the country. Business leaders say it is hindering economic recovery from the pandemic.

Struggles to find employees slowed hiring in the country in May, with U.S. employers adding 559,000 jobs, though that was up from 278,000 in April, according to The Associated Press. The unemployment rate fell from 6.1 to 5.8%.

AP reports that federal recovery aid and rising vaccinations has created a disconnect between businesses and the unemployed. Companies are rushing to add workers, many of whom are hesitant to return because of extra unemployment compensation, child care dilemmas or continuing health concerns.

The shortage is occurring as many companies report soaring demand for products relating to travel, eating out and shopping.

Sharon Angelo, site administrator for PA CareerLink Schuylkill County, said the labor shortage became more noticeable in the past several months as businesses started reopening and more people return to social activity.

She said she hopes the office reopening to the public five days a week July 6 and the work search requirements for those on unemployment being reinstated next month will lead to more applicants.

Creative ways to get workers

Walker said Boyers, which has 19 locations in Schuylkill, Berks, Columbia, Northumberland, Luzerne, Carbon and Dauphin counties, always had a great base of 16 to 17-year-old employees and received many inquiries over the years from those aged 14 to 15.

However, Walker said the state Department of Labors rules on working hours for children that age were harder to manage. They state that during the school year, those aged 14 and 15 can work a maximum of three hours on weekdays, eight hours on other days and a total of 18 hours per week. On summer vacations, they can work a maximum of eight hours a day and 40 hours a week.

In addition, those aged 14 to 15 cant work after 7 p.m. and before 7 a.m. and no more than six consecutive days. They also have to obtain working papers from their local school and have a parent or guardian sign off on them.

While teens typically work as cashiers and stocking shelves, Boyers officials are looking to expand where they work, such as assisting with food production and online grocery delivery.

Teens who work are more likely to be promoted, establish a strong work ethic and learn time management, he said.

They are eager to work, Walker added.

Management saw a surge of applications from those aged 14 after the post went up, and, Walker said, they are sorting through applications and scheduling interviews. The new employees will be assigned by Boyers management to a store based on its needs.

He said pay for all employees ranges based on experience and length of service. It is above the states minimum wage of $7.35 an hour.

Frank Tipa, manager at the Orwigsburg Boyers, said in the 40 years he has worked in the grocery industry, no one under 16 was hired. But with the shortage, the need for workers has to be addressed.

You gotta do what you gotta do, he said.

Boyers isnt the only area employer looking at different ways to attract employees. Knoebels Amusement Resort near Elysburg, which is looking to fill hundreds of positions, announced this week that seasonal employees who work up to 250 hours over the summer will be eligible to win a Chevy Trailblazer.

Restaurants look to fill open positions

Two area restaurant owners said they are experiencing hiring difficulties.

Friedensburg Country Restaurant owner Chris Clauser said while his restaurant in Wayne Township is fully staffed, it hasnt been easy finding servers and kitchen help, especially as business increased this spring.

Hes not sure why, but he believes people staying home during the pandemic had an effect.

With high school and college-age employees returning to school in the fall, and some taking vacations, he expects things will get worse.

John Challenger, co-owner of Crimson House in Pottsville, said the issue has been going on for the past year, with hiring for line cooks and dishwashers particularly difficult. In some instances, new employees just stop showing up.

He said not wanting to work a lot of hours is one reason cited by those who leave. However, when the extra unemployment compensation ends, he doesnt expect hiring to be a problem.

Unemployment compensation, childcare issues to blame

Business leaders in the county and state said addressing the shortage of workers remains a priority.

We regularly receive calls from members about the problem, Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Robert S. Carl Jr. said Friday.

He and others said the extra $300 in unemployment compensation, along with lack of available childcare and being concerned about the coronavirus, continue to keep people out of the workforce.

Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association President Alex Baloga added there is also competition between businesses for workers. Despite adding bonuses and increasing wages, the struggle continues, he said.

John Longstreet, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association, said the organization is pushing lawmakers to use money from the American Rescue Plan to provide incentives, including a childcare credit, and working with the states Workforce Development on programs to train individuals for a career in hospitality.

Carl said the chamber is working with the countys legislative delegation to speed up the rollback of unemployment benefits, which end in September. He said another two months could be detrimental to businesses.

Time is of the essence for some of them, he said.
SCHUYLKILL HAVEN  Royalty and roughnecks each descended upon the borough Saturday, and everyone loved both.

I like the balloons, Penelope Miller, 3, of Pinebrook, said while decked out in her royal gown to celebrate the Princess & Pirate Childrens Festival with at least 100 other youngsters and oldsters in and around the Walk In Art Center.

Her mother, Laura Miller, said her daughter had one main reason to attend the festival.

She wanted to dress up, Laura Miller said.

Garrett Chubb, 6, of Auburn, donned his best buccaneer threads as he roamed the festival in search of a good time. He found it in the face painting, games and, most of all, the 3K Walk/Run.

(I want) to do a pirate walk, Chubb said.

His mother, Jessica Chubb, had a different reason for turning out.

I wanted to do something fun and stay active, she said.

Runners, walkers and everyone in between enjoyed the festival, which the Center staged as a way for youngsters to have fun.

We wanted to do something like a festival for kids, said Jacquie Engel, executive director of the Center. She said there are numerous festivals for adults but not for children.

While much of the festival centered on youngsters, Alexandria Ali Donton, of Schuylkill Haven, dressed in a red, white and blue costume to take first prize in the race.

This is the first time Im wearing it, she said of the outfit, which included a bow, earrings, sunglasses, a shirt, shorts  and a tutu, which probably was not what Carl Lewis donned while winning all of his gold medals at four Olympics.

Its a challenge, she added.

Although he did not win, Lyam Lentz, 6, of New Cumberland, who came with his grandmother, placed second and was the highest finisher among the children.

I wanted to win, he said.

While she did not win, Shakanda Graham, of Orwigsburg, had a fine excuse: She was speed walking while pushing her sleeping 2-year-old son, Joshua Jr., in his stroller.

I saw it on Facebook and it looked interesting and fun, she said of the festival.

As for the race, Graham did not mind at all that she did not win.

I feel like I accomplished something, she said.

Norma Hirsch, of Orwigsburg, one of the Centers artists, enjoyed painting the childrens faces.

As part of the artists here, we do different projects, said Hirsch, who had an art studio in Bergen County, New Jersey, before moving to Schuylkill County.

Engel said many of the artists in the Center staged art activities and demonstrations to help the event succeed.

Engel said she got the idea from the Princess Run at Walt Disney World. She expanded it to make sure as many youths as possible could have fun.

We dont want to leave pirates out of the mix, Engel said.

She said much of the community pitched in to help. The Actors Guild of Schuylkill County played an important role in the race, according to Engel.

They are being famous princesses and pirates along the route to cheer the kids on, she said.

Engel also thanked St. Ambrose Roman Catholic Church, Schuylkill Haven, for providing games and prizes and Spotts Insurance Group Inc. for sponsoring the event.
Joe Biden must think we are the United States of South America. By importing so many illegals against our laws, then planning to give them citizenship, free medical, free education, free Social Security, stimulus checks and welfare, and bring in their extended families all to become future Democratic voters. We should be helping our legal citizens.

Tremont



I think it is time to put the slavery issue to rest. Now there is even a federal holiday. Instead of Juneteenth, why dont they make Sept. 11 a federal holiday?

Port Carbon



There is a certain distribution center in Schuylkill County, stop misleading the public by saying their starting rate is $21.22. That is not the starting rate.

Mount Carmel



To the Blue Mountain School District, you are increasing our taxes again. How are we supposed to live? The Legislation gave you the right to tax the property owners. Well, you have done that the Nth degree that we can not even live in our homes anymore. You school board members should resign. You have abused this tax.

Auburn



I thought political signs had to be removed within a short time after the election. How long do we have to look at these Trump signs? According to Attorney General Barr, Trump lost, so get over it and take your signs down. It looks foolish.

Pine Grove



The caller from Girardville who said, Go Trump, is right on. Trump should go as far from the USA as possible. Sadly, no other country would have him. I bet not even Putin wants him in Russia.

Llewellyn



It is a great pleasure to watch an experienced politician handle the reins of government. When medical problems arise, we seek the most experienced physician. So, too, it is necessary in the political realm. President Biden has done an exemplary job restoring U.S. credibility around the world.

Minersville
As India continues to ramp up its COVID vaccination drive, Fortis Memorial Research Institute in Gurugram has started a trial run of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine for the general public. Sputnik V uses two different viruses that cause the common cold (adenovirus) in humans. The two doses, given 21 days apart, are different and not interchangeable. Russia's Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology has developed the vaccine and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) is marketing it globally. Dr. Reddy's Laboratories has been importing the shots from Russia. Over a period of time, the vaccine is also going to be manufactured in India.

Earlier, PM Modi while announcing free COVID vaccines for all managed by the Centre also capped the service charge of vaccines administered by private hospitals at Rs 150. Following that, the Centre had fixed the prices of Covishield at Rs 780, Covaxin at Rs 1,410, and Sputnik V at Rs 1,145.

Sputnik V vaccination at Fortis Mohali

Before Gurugram's Fortis, Mohali's Fortis on June 25 issued a statement and informed that the registration for the administration of the vaccination can be done through the CoWin and Aarogya Setu applications. In accordance with the government guidelines, the vaccine stock has been directly procured by Fortis from Dr Reddy's Laboratories and has been priced at Rs 1,145 per dose, it added. While Fortis Hospital Mohali continues to administer Covishield and Covaxin vaccines, Sputnik V is also being made available to the public, Fortis said in a statement.

Abhijit Singh, Zonal Director, Fortis Hospital, Mohali said that the first hospital to start vaccination for Sputnik V and has vaccinated 200 people till now. Ours is the first hospital in the region to start vaccination for Sputnik V for the general public. The first day of the vaccination got a good response from the people as around 200 people were vaccinated till Friday evening, he said.

Sputnik V Can Protect Against All COVID-19 Variants

Meanwhile, Alexander Gintsburg, head of The Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, in a statement, said that Sputnik V protects a person against all the COVID variants. Alexander Gintsburg had said, "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." He said that the vaccine protects a person against all the variants. He noted that Sputnik V is effective against the UK variant and Delta variant(B.1.617.2), first detected in India.

(Image Credits: PTI/@SPUTNIKVaccine)
'Pakistan's drone attacks at the Jammu airbase is tantamount to an act of war,' asserted Major General (Retd.) GD Bakshi in an exclusive interview with Republic World on Sunday.

In the wee hours of June 27, twin explosions rocked the technical area of the IAF airbase in Jammu causing minor damage to the facility and leaving two Indian Air Force officers injured. Speaking to Republic World, Major General (Retd.) GD Bakshi evaluated the incident, speculated to be a drone attack by Pakistan, and detailed why the blasts were strategically timed.

"This morning there has been a terror attack on our Jammu airbase. We are waiting for an official statement but based on the initial information, there seems to have been an attack delivered by a drone vector, a small tactical drone with a very small explosive charge because there has been a hole in the roof. Any terrorists in the base can not climb up to the roof, he will be spotted from afar, so it seems to be a drone attack," GD Bakshi said.

Drone attack & India-Pak ceasefire

Major General GD Bakshi assessed the timing of the drone attacks and how it came months after Pakistan approached India to enter into a ceasefire agreement. According to him, circumstances seemed 'suspicious' ever since. "We were surprised when they asked for a ceasefire but nevertheless we went ahead and gave it. At that time, we were suspicious that something must be cooking because whenever Pakistan talks about peace you can very much expect that they are cooking something big," he said.

'We should be very clear that we do not become a court of inquiry nation. We will get to the bottom of this and we will defend ourselves proactively by hitting across the border and raising costs and consequences for the perpetrators of such attacks. Pakistan should have carefully thought this through, the fact that they dared to do this means something is cooking and if they think this can go ahead without a response then they are sadly mistaken," he stated.

The retired Army general also discussed how drone attacks could be taken as an 'act of war', a recent example being the Azerbaijan and Armenia conflict which was largely fought via drones. "If it is a drone attack on a strategic airbase, this is tantamount to an act of war. Please remember the Azerbaijan and Armenia conflict. Half the war was fought with drones. So for Pakistan to accept that it can launch a drone attack on the airbase and get away with it with no reaction from India, they are living in Lala land from which they have to be disabused," he said.

Pakistan desperate after PM's meeting with Kashmir leaders?

Furthermore, Major General (Retd.) GD Bakshi also emphasized on the occurrence of the blasts, just days after PM Modi held a high-level meeting with leaders from Jammu and Kashmir. He assessed that 'rattled' Pakistan was now trying to 'rock the boat.'

"The fact that the Prime Minister made a very welcome outreach to discuss things across the table, have an all-party meet, and pave the way for a return to the democratic process which has been slightly disrupted, though we have had elections to the local bodies very successfully is a welcome initiative. But Pakistan seems to be rattled over peace and normalcy returning back to J&K and they are quite clear that Article 270 has gone to history," said GD Bakshi.

"They are trying to rock the boat but is it prepared for the consequences? India will no longer fight defensively or send you dossiers like after the Mumbai attacks because that invited more attacks. Pakistan has seen the trailer in Uri, a better trailer in Balakot. You want more of the same? It will be given to you till the time you realize that terrorism does not pay," the retired Army General concluded.
India raised concerns over the involvement of external actors in Syria, which has led to an upsurge in terrorism in the war-torn country. Adding that long term security and stability of the region could only be achieved by preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, India condemned more powerful countries for attempting to hold reign.

In a United Nations Security Council briefing, Prakash Gupta, Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called upon all sides to remain engaged in deliberations on the "bridging proposal" put forth by UN' Special Envoy for Syria, Geir O Pedersen in April.

He also mentioned that there has been no progress since the implementation of the UN-facilitated Constitutional Committee process for preparing and drafting for popular approval, a constitution as a contributory factor to a political settlement in Syria.

"Let me reiterate once again that for the UN-led political track to move forward, we need cooperation from all major stakeholders in the conflict. The political transition in Syria facilitated by the UN is not an exclusive process. The stakeholders need to bridge existing divides by focusing on measured incremental positive steps," he said at the UNSC briefing.

'Respect for territorial integrity & independence repeatedly violated in Syria': India

India outrightly condemned a recent attack on a hospital in Afrin city in northern Syria, which killed innocent civilians, saying that it underscores the need for a nationwide comprehensive ceasefire.

"Across the country, including in northwestern Syria, fighting along the frontlines has continued in one form or the other, putting the lives of innocent civilians in jeopardy. It is also a matter of concern that the fundamental principles of international laws such as non-interference in the internal affairs of States, respect for territorial integrity and independence have been repeatedly violated in Syria," Gupta said.

The MEA Joint Secretary called on the international community to reflect on the involvement of foreign actors regarding the Syrian conflict with all earnestness and stressed the need for consistency in strongly condemning terrorism. He advocated that as designated by Security Council, all parties must adhere to international obligations to fight terrorism and terrorist organisations in Syria. Gupta also mentioned India's concerns over reports of the presence of mercenaries from Syria to Africa.
In a bid to enhance military cooperation with friendly nations, the Indian Navy Ship Tabar has been deployed to participate in Russian Navy Celebrations and joint exercises with Africa and Europe. According to a press release, INS Tabar commenced her prolonged deployment on June 13, 2021, and will visit a number of ports in Africa and Europe till the end of September. During the visits, Tabar will conduct professional, social and sporting interactions.

The ship will also participate in a number of joint exercises with friendly navies, read the press note by the Ministry of Defence.

#INSTabar has been deployed to Africa & Europe to participate in joint exercises with friendly navies & enhance military cooperation from Jun to Sept. During port visits, INS Tabar will also conduct professional, social & sporting interactions.



Details: https://t.co/IA8f9Hu0VF pic.twitter.com/VJxSR3YTt0  PRO Defence Mumbai (@DefPROMumbai) June 26, 2021

During the deployment, INS Tabar will transit across the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea, Suez Canal, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea and Baltic Sea while making port calls at Djibouti, Egypt, Italy, France, UK, Russia, Netherlands, Morocco, and Arctic Council countries like Sweden and Norway. In addition to Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with host navies of countries being visited, the ship is also scheduled to participate in bilateral exercises like Ex Konkan with Royal Navy, Ex Varuna with French Navy and Ex Indra with Russian Federation Navy.

The deployment will also see participation by the ship in the Russian Navy Day celebrations from 22 to 27 July, MoD said.

To build military relations

INS Tabar will operate in conjunction with the friendly navies, so as to build military relations, develop interoperability and project long-range sustenance. The ministry said that the Indian Navy undertakes regular overseas deployments particularly in the maritime areas of primary interest. It added that these engagements are aimed to further strengthen maritime security in the region and to consolidate combined operations against maritime threats.

These interactions will also offer an opportunity to navies to observe and imbibe the Best Practices followed in each others Navy, the press note read.

It is worth mentioning that INS Tabar is a Talwar-class stealth Frigate built for the Indian Navy in Russia. The ship is commanded by Captain M Mahesh and has a complement of 300 personnel. Tabar is equipped with a versatile range of weapons and sensors and is among the earliest stealth frigates of the Indian Navy. The ship is part of the Indian Navys Western Fleet which is based at Mumbai under Western Naval Command.

(Image: Twitter)
With two low-intensity explosions near the technical area of the Jammu Air Force station, Pakistan has yet again provoked India on Sunday targetting strategic Air Force assets. While the Air Force has stated that only minor damage to the roof of a building was caused, questions arise if the AIr Force Chopper Hangar was Pakistan's target as the base was within 10 meters of drone attack. This provocation amid an ongoing Indo-Pak ceasefire may have escalated to 'Act of War', had strategic Air Force assets been damaged.

What was the target of the drone attacks?

On June 27, multiple blasts occurred in the premises of the technical area of the Jammu airbase, which were later confirmed to be drone attacks. Two blasts were heard within a gap of 5 minutes, the first blast sound is captured in the CCTV at 1.37 am while the second at 1.43 am. A team of Jammu and Kashmir police along with other security agencies and forensic experts rushed to the incident spot to further investigate the cause of the blast. Two Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel have suffered minor injuries in the drone explosions.

As per the latest sources, a high-level investigation team of the Indian Air Force (IAF) has been dispatched to Jammu. Moreover, IAF stations in Pathankot, Punjab and Awantipur, Srinagar have been put on high alert. Sources state that the possible target of the drones was the aircraft parked in the dispersal area, ten meters away. The blast comes three days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting with J&K's political parties and the Gupkar alliance, the first since the abrogation of Article 370.

Moreover, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is on a visit to Ladakh to review India's operational preparedness, has spoken to Vice Air Chief Air Marshal HS Arora regarding the blasts at Air Force Station in Jammu. Western Air Commander Air Marshal VR Chaudhary will visit the Jammu airbase to review the ground situation. The Air force reported that while one drone caused minor damage, the other was successfully intercepted in the open area. NIA is probing into the incident

Attack 3 days after PM Modi chairs all-party meet

This escalation by our neighbour comes three days after PM Modi held a meeting with 14 Kashmiri politicians including four ex- J&K CMs - Mehbooba Mufti, Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Ghulam Nabi Azad. Promising that the Union Territory will get an elected government after the delimitation process is over, PM Modi expressed satisfaction at the progress of development projects in J&K. Shah stressed that the delimitation and peaceful Assembly polls will be "important milestones" in restoring statehood as promised in the Parliament.

On the other hand, Pakistan which has continuously criticised India over the revocation of Article 370, released a joint statement with India reiterating the existing mechanisms of hotline contact and border flag meetings, agreeing to a ceasefire. Moreover, Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa called for India to 'bury the past and move forward' as the peace between the two neighbours would help to 'unlock' the potential of South and Central Asia. Immediately, Pakistan PM Imran Khan backtracked maintaining that no talks can be held with India till Article 370 is restored.
The Tibetan community of Switzerland and Liechtenstein recently submitted a five-point appeal to the UN which includes calls to end China's cultural genocide in Tibet, its interference in Tibetan religious beliefs and traditions, among others. According to ANI, the community staged a protest in front of the UN Human Rights Office and chanted slogans against the deteriorating human rights situation and decades of oppression by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Tibet. While addressing the gathering, the Representative of Tibet Bureau Geneva Chhimey Rigzen reiterated Tibet Bureau's efforts in bringing Tibet agenda in the UN human rights protection mechanisms.

Rigzen also urged all Tibetans to shoulder the responsibility in initiating and participating in the Taliban freedom movement as Tibetans are being forced to leave the country on political grounds, not due to natural calamities, according to the news agency. He added that until a peace lasting solution is achieved, the movement for peace, freedom and justice in Tibet should remain alive.

Tibetan community urges UN to break the silence

Meanwhile, the president of the community Karma Choekyi accompanied by Tibet Bureau Geneva staff Kalden Tsomo met a representative from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. They submitted a four-page appeal letter addressed to Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. In the letter, they called on the UN to break the silence on Tibet, speak against the egregious human rights violations and urge China to stop the ongoing cultural genocide in Tibet.

The appeal letter also urged for China to stop meddling in the religious beliefs and traditions of Tibetans, to release Tibets 11th Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and share his whereabouts, and to stop the torture and arbitrary detention of Tibetans and release the Tibetan political prisoners. It further also asked China to stop the forceful resettlement of Tibetan nomads and the militarised forced labour camps in Tibet.

44 nations express concern over Uyghur genocide

The letter from the Tibetan community comes amid international condemnation of various human rights abuses by China. Earlier, Canada also delivered a joint statement on behalf of 44 countries at the UN Humans Rights Council, expressing grave concerns over the "Uyghur genocide" in China's Xinjiang province. Canadas statement was backed by major countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Australia, Britain, Spain and the United States, among others. It urged China to allow immediate, meaningful and unfettered access to Xinjiang for independent observers.

The remarks highlighted 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. The US State Department estimates that since 2017, up to two million Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other ethnic minorities could have passed through the camp system, which China calls vocational training centres designed to fight extremism. Reports by Western media have also revealed that Chinese authorities were deliberately sending Uyghur woman of childbearing age into forced abortions, intrauterine injections and sterilisation in the region.

(With inputs from ANI)


A COVID-19 intensive care unit in the Bolivian capital La Paz has chosen to allow relatives into the rooms where patients lie in critical condition.

The approach is contrary to what many hospitals and health authorities have recommended to avoid spreading the coronavirus and the more contagious variants.

Alejandro Enriquez Vidal, ICU director at La Paz Hospital "Clinicas," said the decision to integrate relatives is based on delivering "humanized therapy."

Nora Choque, one of the relatives of a COVID-19 patient who was able to visit the ICU unit on Saturday, said she was grateful to doctors for allowing her to see her dear one.

Hospital "Clinicas" is the oldest and largest in La Paz. Still, it has only 15 ICU beds equipped to tend to COVID-19 patients of an estimated total of 500 across Bolivia.

Bolivia has reported more than 431-thousand COVID-19 cases since 2020 and a total of 16,496 related deaths.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Supporters of presidential candidate Pedro Castillo gathered in Lima on Saturday to demand authorities rule on the results of the June 6 election.

Castillo was up against right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori in the second round of the country's presidential election last month.

According to the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE) official results, Castillo received 50.125% of the votes and Fujimori received 49.875%.

However no winner was declared.

IMAGE: AP

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
The Baloch National Movement (BNM) has intensified protests in the United States in a bid to condemn forceful abductions of political activists by security forces in Pakistans Balochistan province. On June 26, the BNM organised a demonstration outside the White House against enforced disappearance and demanded the safe release of Dr Deen Mohammed Baloch, leader of BNM who was taken into custody by Pakistani forces 12-years ago. According to videos accessed exclusively by Republic Media Netowork, several people are seen standing outside the White House, demanding safe recoveries of Baloch people, who are victims of enforced disappearance.

According to a press release, Balochistan is going through its worst humanitarian crisis in history. The Pakistani military crackdown on Baloch freedom and rights struggle has resulted in the enforced disappearance of more than 20,000 civilians, including women and children. In addition, Balochistan faces a modern-day genocide perpetrated by the Pakistan-China partnership for economic, military gains in the region.

It added, Dr. Deen Mohammad Baloch, leader of the Baloch National Movement, was taken into custody by Pakistani Military Intelligence on June 28, 2009. He is missing for the last 12 years - his family fears for his life.

BNM protest held across Europe

Meanwhile, protests were held on the occasion of International Day in Support for Victims of Tortures. To mark the occasion, demonstrations were organised across Europe as well. BNM Netherlands Zone organised a protest at Dam Square Amsterdam. According to ANI, a demonstration was also organised at the main train station in Bielefeld in Germany and in front of the British PM Boris Johnsons residence in London.

Moreover, BNM also launched #SaveDrDeenMohdBaloch camping on social media platforms. It is worth noting that enforced disappearances of political activists, students and other intellectuals are now common in Balochistan as Pakistani security forces have reportedly launched a campaign to silence dissidents. A massive campaign has already been ongoing in Balochistan to demand the international communitys interference in the gross violations of human rights in the resource-rich province of Pakistan.
U.S .Secretary of State Antony Blinken held his first meeting with Israel's new Foreign Minister Yair Lapid amid disagreements between the two countries over Iran and Palestine.



President Joe Biden's administration is seeking to revive the 2015 nuclear accord with Iran in which Tehran significantly scaled back nuclear work in return for sanctions relief.



In remarks to reporters on June 27 before their meeting, Lapid said Israel had some "serious reservations" about the Iran deal that is being discussed in Vienna.



Blinken said the U.S. still had "serious differences" with Iran about the aspects of a deal, but warned that if too much time passes it will remain moribund.



Former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the deal in 2018 and reimposed crippling economic sanctions on Tehran.



Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was recently ousted, had backed Trump's move.



The United States and Israel are also at odds over settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank that has led to tension with Palestinians.



Blinken said the United States supports Israel's normalization accords, but they cannot be a substitute for engaging in issues between Israelis and Palestinians.



Blinken will be in Italy as part of a three-nation tour of Europe.



On June 28 he will meet with meet Pope Francis, the pontiff's first meeting with a high-ranking Biden administration official.



Blinken will also take part in meetings hosted by Italy of the Group of 20 major economies and of the coalition to defeat the Islamic State extremist group.

Based on reporting by AFP, AP and The Times of Israel
The nighttime theft of archaeological treasures near the famous Thracian chariot of Karanovo highlights the threats to Bulgarias ancient heritage.

In 2008, this hillock made international headlines when a Thracian chariot -- along with the skeletons of two horses and a hunting dog -- were uncovered by Bulgarian archaeologists. But wrangling over responsibility for the sites protection has now apparently resulted in the loss of another priceless treasure nearby.

The chariot was hailed as one of the most important discoveries made in Bulgaria thanks to the completeness of the Thracian vehicle, which included traces of wood and leather that had survived 2,000 years underground.

Thracians were an ancient race who lived wildly on the high mountains of the Balkans for roughly 1,000 years. Their warring, disparate tribes were known for their magnificent art. Perhaps the most famous Thracian was the rebel slave Spartacus.

Like most burials of Thracian nobles, the Karanovo site was scattered with exquisite treasures such as this silver and gold cup of a dancing Eros. Similar vessels have sold at auctions for tens of thousands of dollars.

In March, police were called after treasure hunters dug up and stole at least one more unknown chariot near Karanovo. Veselin Ignatov, who was the head archaeologist for the team that excavated the Karanovo mound in 2008, told RFE/RLs Bulgarian Service that when he arrived in late March I found that treasure hunters had made excavations 50 meters east of the mound. I found several fragments of chariots. That's how I discovered that parts of the chariots were unfortunately destroyed by the treasure hunters."

The brazen theft was possible because security measures set up at the Karanovo mound had lapsed by early 2021. There was no security staff on site and cameras had reportedly stopped working. The failure stems from a long-running dispute between Bulgarias Culture Ministry and the city government that oversees the region around Karanovo. Since the local government took over management of the site, the temporary shelter for the chariot has slowly fallen into disrepair and security for the site petered out completely by early 2021.

Since the March theft, the Karanovo mound has come back under the control of Bulgarias Culture Ministry and security measures were reinstated. A ministry spokeswoman told RFE/RL that plans are also under way to replace the cover that is currently allowing rain to dribble onto the Karanovo chariot.

The theft near Karanovo is only the latest of hundreds in Bulgaria, where a black market in looted Thracian treasures is said to thrive.
The speaker of Iran's parliament said Tehran will never hand over images from inside some Iranian nuclear sites to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as a monitoring agreement with the agency had expired.



"The agreement has expired ... any of the information recorded will never be given to the International Atomic Energy Agency and the data and images will remain in the possession of Iran," Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf was quoted as saying on June 27 by the semiofficial Tasnim news agency.



The IAEA and Tehran struck the three-month monitoring agreement in February to cushion the blow of Iran reducing its cooperation with the UN nuclear agency, and it allowed monitoring of some activities that would otherwise have been axed to continue. The agreement, which allowed the IAEA to collect and analyze images from surveillance cameras installed at Iran's nuclear sites, was later extended for a month until June 24.



Iran and the United States have been holding indirect talks on reviving the 2015 agreement between Tehran and six powers that imposed restrictions on Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for lifting international sanctions.



Former U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the accord in 2018 and reimposed tough sanctions on Iran's economy. Tehran reacted by gradually reducing its commitments under the deal.



President Joe Biden has signaled that the U.S. is willing to reenter the agreement if Tehran goes back to strict compliance.

Mahmud Vaezi, chief of staff to Iranian President Hassan Rohani, said last week that the country's Supreme National Security Council would take a decision on whether to extend the arrangement with the IAEA at its first meeting after the expiration date.



U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on June 15 that any failure by Tehran to extend the monitoring agreement would be a "serious concern" for broader negotiations.

With reporting by Reuters and Tasnim
More than 100 people in Moscow have died from the coronavirus over the past 24 hours, setting a new record, as Russia faces another wave of the pandemic.



Moscow registered 114 deaths from COVID-19, RBK reported on June 27, citing the citys coronavirus task force. Overall, 599 people in Russia died over the past 24 hours from the pandemic as more than 20,000 new cases were registered.



More than 100 died in St. Petersburg from COVID-19 a day earlier, also setting a record, RBK reported. St. Petersburg has about half the population of Moscow.



As the pandemic recedes in the United States and Europe, Russia is facing another deadly wave in part because citizens have been hesitant to get vaccinated.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the latest wave is caused by a new strain of the virus that is more infectious and whose symptoms develop quicker.



Russia was the first country to approve a vaccine, but concerns over possible side effects and the lack of a robust state campaign to encourage people to receive shots has led to low vaccination rates in the country.



The government is now taking new steps to encourage people to get vaccinated.



As of August 1, the popular resort region of Krasnodar in the south of Russia is banning guests who have not received their shots from staying at hotels.



Some Russian regions are requiring certain workers, such as those in the restaurant industry, to be vaccinated.



The region of Bryansk in western Russia announced last week it would require all residents -- with some exceptions -- to be vaccinated.



According to official statistics, more than 122,000 people have died from the coronavirus in Russia since the start of the pandemic in 2020. Only five countries -- the United States, Brazil, India, Mexico and Peru -- have officially registered more deaths.



However, many experts say the actual number of fatalities in Russia from the coronavirus is much higher.

With reporting by RBK
The family of a wealthy Russian businessman wants an independent, international expert to investigate the cause of his death.



Oleg Burlakov, who had a net worth of $650 million, according to Forbes, died on June 21 at the age of 72.

His wife and daughter said in a statement to Forbes that they learned of his death from his lawyers.



They said they had previously requested information about his condition when it was reported he was ill, but never received anything.



Forbes said he may have died in Moscow from the coronavirus.



Burlakov was the target of an assassination attempt in 2018 when unknown assailants opened fire on his car. He was not injured in the attack.



The businessman had been living in Monaco where he was engaged in a bitter divorce with his wife Lyudmila Burlakova.



Burlakov, who was engaged in secret military projects during Soviet times, managed to keep a low profile as he built his enormous fortune in the years following privatization.



Forbes called him one of the most secretive individuals on its list of the wealthiest 200 Russians.



Burlakov sold off his cement company in 2007 for about $1.2 billion, according to Forbes, and his oil business in 2014 for $1 billion.



He plowed about $250 million into a 107 meter-long yacht called Black Pearl, which can be powered by solar energy and wind.



Burlakov still owned a stake in a bank, a paint and varnish factory, as well as a real estate firm.

Reporting by Forbes and RBK
Classified defense documents containing details about the U.K. military vessel HMS Defender and the British military have been found at bus stop in the country, the BBC reported on June 27.



The British government said the employee concerned with the loss of documents reported it last week, and an investigation has been launched.



A member of the public, who wanted to remain anonymous, contacted the BBC after finding 50 pages of classified information in a soggy heap behind a bus stop in Kent on June 22.



The papers included one set of documents which discussed the potential Russian reaction to HMS Defender's transit through Ukrainian waters off the Crimea coast on June 23, according to the BBC, while another laid out plans for a possible British military presence in Afghanistan.



The Defense Ministry said that HMS Defender "conducted innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters in accordance with international law.



A spokesperson said: "As the public would expect, the Ministry of Defense plans carefully.



The spokesperson added: "The Ministry of Defense was informed last week of an incident in which sensitive defense papers were recovered by a member of the public.



"The department takes the security of information extremely seriously and an investigation has been launched.

Britain's main opposition Labour Party said the discovery of the documents by a member of the public was "as embarrassing as it is worrying for ministers".



Labour's defense policy chief John Healey said ministers needed to confirm that national security had not been undermined or security operations affected and that "procedures are in place to ensure nothing like this happens again."



The HMS Defender is part of the U.K. Carrier Strike Group currently heading to the Indo-Pacific region.

Russia claimed that its vessels on June 23 fired warning shots and a military plane dropped bombs in the path of the British destroyer HMS Defender to force it to change course from the area near the Crimean city of Sevastopol.



Britains Defense Ministry denied the HMS Defender had been fired upon, saying that Russia was carrying out a previously announced "gunnery exercise" in the area.



Russia seized Ukraine's Crimea region in March 2014, sending in troops and staging a referendum denounced as illegitimate by at least 100 countries.



Western countries have imposed sanctions on Russia over the annexation of Crimea, the treatment of jailed opposition activist Aleksei Navalny, election interference, and cyberattacks on U.S. infrastructure blamed on Russian hackers.



British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab reiterated during a visit to Singapore that "no shots were fired" as the British ship was "conducting innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters.



British Cabinet member George Eustice said on June 24 in a televised interview that his country's warships could sail again through the disputed waters around Crimea because Russia's seizure of Crimea was illegal.

With reporting by the BBC, dpa, and Reuters
MOSCOW -- Friends, colleagues and civil society activists are demanding the reinstatement of a maverick school director in Russia who they say was fired because she refused to give authorities the names of students and staff who joined anti-government protests.



Supporters of Yelena Moiseyeva say her dismissal was the latest salvo in a state campaign to stamp out dissent nationwide ahead of parliamentary elections in September.



Moiseyeva, who had worked for 15 years as head of School No. 24 in Nizhny Novgorod, said she had been informed of her dismissal in a letter that cited a clause in Russia's Labor Code allowing authorities to fire staff at state institutions without an explanation.



"Things like this happen in life," she wrote in a Facebook post revealing her firing. "We'll get through it!"



A relative of Moiseyeva's told local media that she had been purged because she had angered the authorities by declining to provide them with a list of students and teachers who had taken part in January rallies in support of jailed opposition leader Aleksei Navalny.



The relative, whose name was not published, told NN.ru, a local news site in Nizhny Novgorod, that officials sought to oust Moiseyeva even before the protests that followed the arrest of Navalny, who survived a nerve-agent poisoning last August that he blames on President Vladimir Putin.



"Every time there was an election [coming up] they demanded things from her, but never got what they asked for," the relative was quoted as saying on June 22.



Russians will vote in elections for local and regional posts and the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, on September 17-19. The elections come amid a continuing slide in the popularity of the Kremlin-backed ruling party United Russia, which is hoping to maintain its absolute majority in the Duma.

Moiseyeva declined a request from RFE/RL for an interview, saying only: "I don't want to be made into an idol."



But in a conversation with NN.ru, she appeared to confirm that she had been asked to implicate students in protest activity.



"I myself was shockedthat we must reveal who goes to protests," she said in the interview. "And I said, 'Sorry, I can scold [them] myself, but I won't snitch on the children.'"

Aleksandr Pichugin, a Nizhny Novgorod journalist who knows Moiseyeva, told RFE/RL that the educator was afraid of consequences if she spoke out about the alleged political motivations of her firing.



"The authorities want the September elections to pass smoothly," he said in written comments. "And people like Moiseyeva get in the way."



Government critics and election monitors say that school employees and other people working for state-run institutions face pressure to vote for United Russia or other Kremlin-backed candidates in elections.



Pichugin asserted that in Nizhny Novgorod, every school had been instructed to ensure that staff vote for United Russia, but Moiseyeva opposed the order. "That's why they fired her and kept silent," he said.

'School Of Dialogue'



Staff members at School No. 24 have published an online petition calling for her reinstatement. They praised what they said was her history of championing progressive and sometimes unorthodox teaching methods and a respectful attitude toward students' views that gave her educational establishment the nickname School of Dialogue.



"She built a signature school founded on the principles of democratization, political and religious neutrality, the subjectivity of every student and teacher," they wrote. "A school that has its own stance and is ready to defend it."



Government critics denounced the move as a sign that Russia was descending into a Stalinist climate of 'stukachestvo' -- a word that denotes the act of informing on people to the authorities.



"It's the era of lowlifes," Vladimir Kara-Murza, an opposition activist who has suffered two sudden illnesses he suspects were poisoning attacks prompted by his advocacy for U.S. sanctions against Moscow, wrote of the Russian authorities. "Backstabbing and stukachestvo are their main 'virtues.'"



The nationwide protests in January, and two smaller protest waves in early February and April, provoked a sweeping state crackdown on opposition in Russia, precipitating dozens of court cases against participants and a separate legal proceedings that led to the outlawing of Navalny's political network and prompted many supporters to flee the country.

'Patriotic Education'



The false notion that the rallies were attended overwhelmingly by youth encouraged and often misled by the opposition movement was peddled by Russian state media and actively promoted by officials of all stripes. In the weeks that followed the rallies, several Navalny aides were charged with "inciting minors to protest," a crime in Russia.

In the weeks that followed the January rallies, students accused of participating in the demonstrations were dismissed. One such incident prompted national coverage after the students sued their university for what they said was their unlawful expulsion. "We need to prove this is illegal and unjust," Yaroslav Pavlyukov, the lawyer representing the students, said at the time.



Moiseyeva publicly opposed this campaign and criticized the government's program of "patriotic education," a curriculum aimed at inculcating concepts like "love for the Motherland", aversion to Western culture, and what many historians call a whitewashed version of Russia's past.

In her interview with NN.ru, Moiseyeva said she plans to go to court to protest her dismissal. She said she was proud of changes she brought to School No. 24 during her 15-year tenure as director, and the legacy of open discussion she had left behind.



"What does this prove?" she said of her firing. "That people studied in a tolerant school, that they were listened to, and that they learned how to stand by their convictions. I understand that all that was not in vain."
RFE/RL correspondent Ogulsapar Muradova was one of the few journalists in Turkmenistan who dared to report about human rights abuses in the secretive, authoritarian state.



Muradova paid the ultimate price for her work. She was arrested on trumped up charges on June 18, 2006. Amid allegations and signs that she was tortured while in custody, she died in prison three months later at the age of 58 in September 2016.



Turkmenistan has never conducted an effective investigation into Muradova's death.



The United Nations Human Rights Committee (OHCHR) has said that Turkmen authorities were responsible, and the U.S.-based nongovernmental organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) has vowed to continue its campaign to bring those involved in her death to justice.



Muradova had joined RFE/RL's Turkmen Service as an Ashgabat correspondent in 2006.



She filed reports about the hardships ordinary people faced in the energy-rich Central Asian country.



She also worked for the Turkmen Helsinki Foundation (THF), a Europe-based independent organization that monitors and reports on Turkmenistan's human rights abuses.



Muradova was arrested along with two other activists -- her brother Sapardurdy Khajiev and journalist Annakurban Amanklychev -- as well as her three children. Her children were released two weeks later.



Muradova, Khajiev, and Amanklychev were initially accused of espionage. But at a closed trial on August 25, 2006, they were sentenced to up to seven years in prison on charges of illegally possessing ammunition.



Rights groups have condemned the charges as a baseless, politically motivated ploy to punish the trio for their work.

Amanklychev and Khajiev went on to serve their full sentences. But Muradova's family learned on September 13 that she had died in prison. Her body was returned to the family the following day.



Turkmen officials first claimed Muradova had committed suicide. Later, they changed their story and said she had died from natural causes.



But relatives of Muradova who saw her body say there was a deep wound on her forehead and a dark mark around her neck that could be consistent with strangling.



They also said open wounds and bruises on her hands and legs suggested she'd been tortured.



Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Turkmen law-enforcement official said in late in 2006 that Muradova died from torture at the hands of National Security Ministry officers who interrogated her.



Muradova had been kept incommunicado after her trial and her family didn't even know where she was being held.

It wasn't until 10 years later, in December 2016, that the government revealed Muradova died in Owadan-depe Prison, a remote maximum-security facility in the Karakum Desert.



Owadan-depe Prison is where Turkmen authorities hold political prisoners and those arrested on religious extremism charges.



Nothing Has Changed



In a landmark announcement in 2018, the UN Human Rights Committee (OHCHR) held that the government in Ashgabat was responsible for Muradova's death.

The OHCHR said Muradova had been "arbitrarily detained" because of her journalistic and human rights activities.



It accused Turkmenistan's government of failing to conduct an effective investigation into the allegations of torture and her death in custody.



The OHCHR urged Ashgabat to launch a prompt and impartial investigation. It also ordered Ashgabat to provide Muradova's family with a full account of its investigation -- including her autopsy report, copies of trial transcripts, and court verdicts.



Nevertheless, there still has never been a probe by Turkmen authorities into what happened to Muradova while she was in their custody.



Meanwhile, little has changed regarding the Turkmen government's treatment of journalists and human rights activists.



Ashgabat continues to clamp down on its critics, stifle free speech, and severely restrict people's rights and freedoms.

Fifteen years on, "correspondents for RFE/RL and other [independent] publications have to work at a great risk for themselves and their families," says Rachel Denber, HRW's deputy director for Europe and Central Asia.



"We still see the government putting pressure on the journalists' relatives in an attempt to silence them or force them to abandon their work," Denber told RFE/RL.



Denber said HRW remains committed to seeking justice for Muradova.



"I would like to tell [Muradova's children] that we haven't forgotten their mother, and we haven't forgotten them," Denber said. "We will continue to fight to bring to justice those who were responsible for Muradova's death."

Written by Farangis Najibullah with reporting by RFE/RL's Turkmen Service
For some US Muslims, raw talk on suicide, mental health

A group of Muslim mental health professionals  along with some faith leaders and activists in the United States are working to raise awareness about mental illness and suicide prevention and provide religiously and culturally sensitive guidance
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If you go

What: New Mexico Cannabis Legalization Conference, a two-day event with talks by experts in the cannabis field on implementation of the new state law legalizing recreational cannabis, how to develop a business, networking and other issues. The conference is intended for nonprofit producers, microbusiness applicants and local elected officials and regulators.

When: 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham will speak at noon Wednesday.

Where: Albuquerque Convention Center, 401 Second St. NW

Cost: Tickets range from $100 to $175.

More information: newmexico.green/conference
COLUMBUS, Ind. (AP)  Ideally, Bobbie K Owens wants everyone to take the bait that his latest outdoor art is as slick as a big bluegill. Cast your gaze into his elaborate, rural, oversized studio southwest of Grandview Lake in Columbus and see for yourself about what he calls a team effort.

At first glance, his 28-foot-long Red Devil fishing lure looks big enough to attract Moby Dick. But thats not exactly what hes fishing for with his 450-pound resin-and-steel creation  one that will be unveiled as a permanent piece at the bicentennial Celebration on the River at 1:30 p.m. Aug. 14 at the Upland Columbus Pump House along the East Fork of White River.

I wanted to make make something that even the big city people in New York  and those are people I still deal with artistically  ultimately think is pretty cool, he said, acknowledging that he battles insecurity as much as anyone. Really, the idea was that I would make something that you could put almost anywhere.

And I wanted something that would impress the guy with the Skoal in his back pocket, as maybe hes driving by with his fishing poles visible in the back window. I wanted to make something that would make him smile.

A small circle of friends who hang out with him  guys who joke that if Owens is a painter, he should be painting their fences and such  is impressed. One is Jeff Smiley, a former longtime auto body shop owner who has assisted on the work. Smiley and Owens have been friends since their boyhood days in New Castle.

Smiley believes the lure will look fantastic once it is suspended from 35-foot fishing-style poles made for the pieces.

Ive always been excited about Bobbies projects and things, Smiley said. Hes come a long way on this. I helped him a little bit. But hes doing the majority of it now. And now he looks pretty comfortable handling the (painting) gun.

The 68-year-old artist, who moved here with wife Libby from Toronto, Canada, in 1989 expecting the city to serve as a transition to a metro art area, acknowledged being humbled by the task  an effort that eventually required contracting the work to an Indianapolis firm to sculpt out the lure bodies.

I initially bit off a little more than I can chew, Owens said with a laugh. This is labor intensive. This is the way people did hot rods in the 1960s.

The local artwork is one of three lures Owens is creating for Upland locations at the companys commissioning. Ultimately, a second one also could wind up here.

Community leader Tony Moravec owns the Upland building and came up with the bicentennial event idea. He and others connected with Upland agreed to support what Owens simply calls the River Lure Project when the artist proposed it.

We saw it as a unique art expression for Columbus, Moravec said. Bobbies a great member of the community and a great artist.

A second, smaller lure being painted a candy-apple blue soon will grace a new Upland location on the Ohio River in Jeffersonville.

All of these lures are (copied from) classics, said Owens. If you had a tackle box (years ago), you had these in there. But if you look up close, youll see my style on them, too.

He initially worked out a deal with Upland for the project three years ago. Yet, he first conceived of such a general idea years before that when artist friends of his were landing grants for such river-related work in Indianapolis.

But I wasnt a grant guy, he said. I was just too lazy to do the paperwork.

When one hears him rattle off the litany of steps of creating the lures, he surely seems the opposite of lazy. And he hasnt enjoyed a lazy day of fishing in years, by the way. Exhibiting in art shows from New York to Russia to Belgium through the years takes time. His latest free exhibition, Bobbie K Owens 32/200 runs at Gallery 506 at the Columbus Area Visitors Center through Aug. 14 as a Columbus career retrospective in his 32-year stay locally.

Over the years, he also has served as an art teacher at ABC Stewart School on Indiana 46 West. Thats how he met the Moravecs.

Theyre maverick thinkers, Owens said. Theyre so classy.

Some might say that sounds a lot like Bobbie K Owens, too.

__

Source: The Republic
The National Weather Service (NWS) published its latest report Saturday night, giving a new outlook for Sunday and Monday temperatures as the historic heat wave looms over Western Washington.

According to the report, a "long-duration, unprecedented heat wave" will continue to impact the Pacific Northwest on Sunday and into early next week, with temperatures forecasted to "exceed their hottest all-time record highs" in some parts of the city on Sunday.

"Dangerous and record-breaking heat will continue into early next week as an anomalous ridge of high pressure remains locked over the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada," NWS wrote in their Sunday briefing. "Excessive Heat Warnings will continue during this time, with many locations experiencing triple digit temperatures."

According to the latest weather models, NWS expects an onshore flow to return mid week, helping to moderate temperatures. However, a weaker ridge is setting up to return toward the end of the week keeping temperatures well above normal.

Sunday

During 80% of the day, the temperature will fall somewhere between 93 and 108 degrees in the Seattle metro area. The large range represents some uncertainty in the forecast, caused by potential cloud cover, a passing front, or other related weather conditions. While the range is quite large, the average temperature is expected to land at 101 degrees in Seattle.

Olympia is expected to be a few degrees hotter, with a range of 97 to 113 degrees and an estimated average of 105 degrees. Bellingham and Everett are showing a predicted 95-degree average, and cities on the coast are expected to hit the low to mid-90s.

Courtesy of Seattle National Weather Service

Overnight

Temperatures overnight into Monday will provide little to no relief from the heat. In the Seattle metro area, the low is expected to be 69 degrees. Moving north, Everett is also expected at 69 degrees overnight and Bellingham, nearly the same at 68 degrees. Early Monday morning, Seattleites can expect to start their day at about 73 degrees, with very little temperature variance from Olympia to Bellingham.

Monday

Monday sees an even higher heat increase, with temps possibly nearing 120 degrees in Seattle. The metro areas given range is between 95 and 115 degrees, with an estimated average of 105. Bellingham and Everett will raise to an average of 100 degrees, with Olympia showing 107 degrees. As the heat continues to move, Monday sees the southern Washington coast cool a bit, with Hoquiam at an estimated 87 degrees on Monday, down from Sundays 92 degrees. The northern coast remains warm; a predicted 95 degrees on Sunday in Quillalute doesnt expect much change on Monday.

Courtesy of Seattle Northwest Weather Service

Tuesday

Tuesdays outlook gives hope for cooling  the NWS has downgraded their HeatRisk Forecast from very high risk for the entire population on Sunday and Monday to moderate risk to those who are sensitive to heat on Tuesday.

The Seattle metro area is showing an expected average temperature of 89 degrees, with some areas on the Pacific coast not even cracking 70. Everett, Bellingham and Olympia will see similar temperatures ranging from 85-87 degrees.

The NWS recommends avoiding sun exposure from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday and Monday when the days are at their hottest. They are also reminding residents to stay hydrated, eat light and wear light layers, and never leave pets or children in the car.

If your home has trouble cooling down, a number of cooling shelters will be open in the Seattle area on Sunday and Monday. The NWS also suggests canceling outdoor activities that may take place during the heat of the day.

NWS is reminding residents that risks abound during heat waves like this, including an increase in water-related incidents. Coldwater shock is a major cause of drownings when the warm air temperature is so drastically different from the water temperature. Even the strongest swimmers can be impacted.

Power outages can also result from increased use of air conditioners and fans, so be sure while running these devices to do so on an eco mode if possible, or only turn them on in the rooms you are occupying.

While the city is doing its best to prevent damage, heat-sensitive infrastructure can damage easily in excessive temperatures. If traveling, leave time in your plans to avoid bridges and rail tracks or to allow for traffic.

Seattle Cooling Centers:

Fischer Pavillion at Seattle Center

Open 24/7 to individuals experiencing homelessness

Will remain operational until Tuesday

White Center

Located at 206 W. 112th St. in the Top Hat neighborhood

Open 24/7 to West Seattle residents

Those interested are instructed to call 206-527-5557

International District/Chinatown Community Center

Open Sunday and Monday 2 p.m.-8 p.m.

Northgate Community Center

Open Sunday 2 p.m.-8 p.m.

Rainier Beach Community Center

Open Sunday 2 p.m.-8 p.m.

Seattle Public Libraries open Sunday and Monday with air conditioning:

Ballard Branch, 5614 22nd Ave. N.W.

Broadview Branch, 12755 Greenwood Ave. N.

Douglass-Truth Branch, 2300 E Yesler Way

Delridge Branch, 5423 Delridge Way S.W.

High Point Branch, 3411 S.W. Raymond St.

International District/Chinatown Branch, 713 Eighth Ave. S.

Lake City Branch, 12501 28th Ave. N.E.

Rainier Beach Branch, 9125 Rainier Ave. S.

South Park Branch, 8604 8th Ave. S.



The city of Seattle has developed an interactive map to view all these locations, and others, where you can cool down.
Two separate Oakland shootings left one man dead and another wounded in East Oakland on Saturday, according to news reports.

Police responded to the 6200 block of Hayes Street at about 8:56 p.m. on Saturday, the East Bay Times reported. Authorities said a 31-year-old Stockton man was shot multiple times and was taken to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
San Francisco police have arrested a man suspected in two deadly shootings that occurred in May in the Potrero Hill neighborhood.

Robert Newt, 32, of San Francisco was wanted on three warrants for murder and attempted murder. He previously had a federal warrant issued for possession of a firearm.

Police located Newt in Livermore on Saturday, and he was booked into Santa Rita Jail. He will be moved into the custody of the San Francisco County Sheriffs Office at a later date, officials said.

The search for a murder suspect began May 15 when police responded to reports of a shooting in the area of 25th and Connecticut streets just after 10 a.m.

A 61-year-old San Francisco man identified as Darryl Haynes was found suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital where he died.

Nearly two hours later, officers investigating the first shooting responded to a report of shots fired less than a mile away on Dakota Street.

Two adult men, ages 49 and 54, were found suffering from gunshot wounds. The 54-year-old man, identified as Randy Armstrong of San Francisco, died of his injuries. The other man was hospitalized and released, police said.

The San Francisco Police Departments homicide detail identified Newt as a suspect in both incidents.

Newt had been arrested and released in April on firearm charges after police connected him to an April 4 shooting on the 1300 block of Quint Street that involved dozens of spent shell casings but no injured victims.

Police said a man had exited his SUV and fired several rounds at an unknown victim with a semi-automatic firearm. Both the victim and suspect had fled the scene by the time officers arrived.

Later that month, police stopped a vehicle matching the description of the SUV. The sole occupant of the vehicle was identified as Newt.

Officers searched the vehicle and found an unserialized and untraceable AR-15-style firearm. Newt was taken into custody and booked on multiple charges including possession of an assault weapon, felon in possession of a firearm, discharging a firearm in a grossly negligent manner and driving without a license, police said.

Prosecutors declined to file criminal charges, requesting that police obtain additional evidence to build a case, according to the San Francisco District Attorneys Office. Newt was subsequently released from jail.

Police said the investigation remains open. Anyone with information regarding these incidents is asked to contact police via the 24-hour tip line at 1-415-575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411.

Vanessa Arredondo is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vanessa.arredondo@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @v_anana
An 18-year-old Martinez man wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of a Vallejo man after an altercation in Walnut Creek last Thursday turned himself in to police on Saturday, authorities said.

Dylan Baker was booked into Martinez Detention Facility on suspicion of the murder of Stacy Corley, a 25-year-old Vallejo man, police said.

Walnut Creek police said this case will be presented to the Contra Costa County district attorneys office for review. Police said the district attorneys office will also review accessory charges against Martinez resident Jaesin Collado, 22, and a 17-year-old boy  both of whom had previously been arrested by police in connection with this incident. Officials are not releasing information about the juvenile because he is a minor.

The Walnut Creek Police Department would like to thank everyone for their assistance in helping us solve this crime, police said on Saturday.

The suspects surrender comes more than a week after the fatal shooting. Shortly before 11 p.m. on June 17, police responded to a 911 call of multiple gunshots heard on North California Boulevard near the intersection of Ygnacio Valley Road and found a 25-year-old Vallejo man with a bullet wound in his car, police said.

Corley died at the scene.

Acting police Captain Andy Brown told The Chronicle last weekend that the investigation is ongoing, but it appears there was some sort of altercation between the victim and those in another vehicle shortly before the fatal shooting.

Investigators tracked a vehicle they said was involved in the shooting to a home in Martinez, where police said they served a search warrant last week.

Anyone with information about this case should call Walnut Creek police Detective Gerstner at 925-256-3578. People who want to stay anonymous may leave a voicemail on the police tip line at 925-943-5880.

Lauren Hernandez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByLHernandez
Timothy J. Parker, better known as Gift of Gab, came up during the golden age of hip-hop in the mid-90s, first gaining fame with the 1999 Blackalicious track Alphabet Aerobics. The track showcased a dizzying display of increasingly accelerated alliterative rhymes by Parker as he coursed through each letter of the alphabet.

Gift got great, global goods gone glorious/ Gettin godly in his game with the goriest, he rapped on the track, which Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe, loved and performed on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon in 2014.

But Parker, whose furiously fast skills were unmatched, couldnt outpace his looming health problems. On June 18, he died at the age of 50 after a long battle with kidney failure.

Tim peacefully departed this earth to be with our ancestors, announced Quannum Projects, the Bay Area collective Parker helped form in 1992 with Chief Xcel, DJ Shadow, Lateef the Truthspeaker and Lyrics Born, in a statement.

There was hardly a rapper as fluidly verbose as Parker, and he left an indelible mark on lyricism worldwide as proved by his fans who honored his memory Friday, June 25, on social media, including the hip-hop group Clipping., which Oakland native and Hamilton star Daveed Diggs helped form.

Our brother was an MCs MC who dedicated his life to his craft. One of the greatest to ever do it, said Xavier Chief Xcel Mosley, Parkers longtime production partner and other half of Blackalicious, in a statement. Hes the most prolific person Ive ever known. He was all about pushing the boundaries of his art form in the most authentic way possible.

As Blackalicious, the pair released four albums, including two Bay Area classics in 1999s Nia and 2002s Blazing Arrow. Parker also released three solo albums and was an integral part of the storied 1999 Quannum Spectrum compilation.

Swan Lake, the first Blackalicious single, was released in 1994 and spawned a long-standing career that continued through Parkers kidney failure diagnosis in 2014.

He truly believed in the healing power of music, Mosley said. He viewed himself as a vessel used by a higher power whose purpose was to give positive contributions to humanity through rhyme.

Despite undergoing kidney dialysis treatments three to four times a week for the past seven years, Parker remained prolific until the end of his life. He was recently working on a new Blackalicious album of which there are said to be nearly 100 tracks for future releases.

In 2019, he embarked on the 20th anniversary tour of Nia and, with the help of Mosley and longtime friends and MCs Lateef and Jumbo, never skipped a beat.

I just decided I was not going to let this define me, and I continued to tour, Parker told The Chronicle following a kidney transplant in March 2020. I continued to make albums. I also did a lot of writing in dialysis because youre just sitting there for four hours. I was determined to not let this define who I was.

Timothy J. Parker was born in Sacramento, where he met Mosley at John F. Kennedy High School. The two eventually formed Blackalicious while Mosley attended UC Davis and was a part of the group Solesides, which eventually became the Quannum Projects.

Gabs fortitude throughout the seven years he has soldiered forward while managing dialysis and his health are nothing short of Herculean, Lateef said in a statement. The mans strength, willpower and spirit are incredible and inspirational, and his commitment to honoring his gift by sharing it and taking care of it is a lesson anyone can apply to whatever hardships they may endure in life.

Parker is survived by two brothers, one sister, many nieces and nephews, countless friends, and fans across the globe, Quannum Collectives statement said. We ask that the familys privacy is respected as we mourn the tremendous loss of our dear brother.

Gab loved to think of life as just a momentary stage of a much longer journey, DJ Shadow posted via Twitter. If theres one thing I know, wherever Gab is, hes SOARING right now.

Adrian Spinelli is a Bay Area freelance writer. Twitter: @AGSpinelli
A fair focused on support and self-defense resources for the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities saw a robust turnout in San Franciscos Chinatown Saturday. The event offered free self-defense classes, pepper spray, personal alarms, a booklet on how to report a hate crime, meditation lessons and voter registration.

The attendees ranged in age, with many teenagers and young adults checking out the events offerings arm in arm with elderly people. Volunteers with stickers saying they speak Cantonese roamed around offering help.

Soar Over Hate, a New York-based volunteer group, held the event in the wake of a rash of anti-Asian violence  often against elders  that hit the Bay Area and the nation during the pandemic, with San Francisco shaken by a series of attacks that highlighted the xenophobia and prejudice the citys Asian American and Pacific Islander communities have at times endured.

The founders, Kenji Jones and Michelle Tran, connected over social media, and formally started the group in March. They hosted the fair as an all-encompassing event for healing and celebration, organized in hopes to create a more long-term and holistic solution to problems facing the AAPI community. The organizers estimated 2,000 people attended.

I couldnt be happier, Jones said of the events turnout.

In April, Soar Over Hate held a similar event in New York, which was so successful they decided to bring the concept to the West Coast, where theres also been a rise in violence and crime against people of Asian descent, Tran explained.

When people think of Chinatown, they think of New York or San Francisco, Jones said. We felt a connection to our Asian American family and siblings here.

Jones said that the event was especially important as people experienced so much trauma in isolation during the pandemic as members of the Asian community were attacked across the country.

A lot of people have been feeling super alone, especially the elderly, Jones said, holding back tears. Its great to see how touched they feel that young people are putting on an event just for them.

Soar Over Hate spread awareness about the event primarily through social media, reaching out to different groups active in the San Francisco AAPI community and Chinatown, Jones said.

United Peace Collaborative and Chinatown Safety Patrol, both nonviolent volunteer groups focused on protecting the Chinatown community, had tables to to recruit more volunteers and spread awareness about their services, which include helping to report hate crimes.

Adam Sherman, who was the first non-Asisan volunteer for Chinatown Safety Patrol, said the violence against the AAPI community affects the citys entire community.

Were all still San Francisco, he added.

Other groups present included Stand With Asians, Asians are Strong, Hate Crime Book, Southeast Asian Community Center, APA Family Support Services and the Asian Womens Shelter.

Marcus Fong, who grew up in San Francisco, picked up pepper spray for his mom. He was glad to see the self-defense workshop held by Asians Are Strong. He said hes been especially worried about women and the elderly amid so many attacks.

Were all scared, he said.

Self-defense, especially for someone like his mom, who recently attended other workshops in Chinatown, is fun and empowering.

On the other end of the park, attendees could pick up a free potted plant. The flowers and herbs were meant to bring something positive to the event, Jones said.

Esther Young Lim, a Los Angeles resident, handed out a booklet she created: How to Report a Hate Crime  translated into nine languages.

San Francisco has such a strong community, she said. Who knew so many people would be here?

The events last activity was a meditation workshop held by Michele Ku of the East Bay Meditation Center, which focused on anxiety and stress and ended the day on a note of love and kindness, she said.

I wasnt sure how it would work out here with everything going on, she said, gesturing to the people bustling around the park and lining up at different tables. But in the end, people walked away feeling better. Some people even cried.

Danielle Echeverria is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Twitter: @DanielleEchev Email: danielle.echeverria@sfchronicle.com
The dinosaur sculptures outside the bright orange and purple house in the town of Hillsborough  widely known as the Flintstone House  will get to stay after a years-long legal battle between the homes owner, Florence Fang, and the town.

The town agreed to pay Fang $125,000 in a settlement approved by Hillsboroughs city council. The town will also review and approve a survey on landscaping changes, and be allowed to inspect the changes to the property, according to town records that show the council approved the deal on April 12 in closed session.

Fred and Wilma will stay at their home, Fangs lawyer, former San Francisco Supervisor Angela Alioto, said Sunday, referring to the large statues of the cartoon Flintstone characters that adorn the hillside property.

Alioto said the terms of the settlement prevented her from saying anything more.

The council record states that Fang will apply for town permits for her landscaping changes.

The Flintstone House  hard to miss from Interstate 280  came under scrutiny in 2019, when the ultra-rich Peninsula town of Hillsborough filed a lawsuit against Fang, calling the iconic home a public nuisance and alleging landscape modifications were conducted without planning approvals or building permits.

In addition to the dinosaur sculptures, the city took issue with a large sign reading Yabba Dabba Doo  a refrain of cartoon character Fred Flintstone  a retaining wall, steps, columns, gates, a parking strip and a deck, according to the lawsuit, calling the additions a safety hazard and out of keeping with community standards.

Fang, a former publisher of the San Francisco Examiner, then countersued Hillsborough, claiming she had been discriminated against based on race. As part of the settlement, Fang was to drop the countersuit, the towns record shows.

Designed by architect William Nicholson in 1976, the unique, attention-grabbing house was built by inflating huge balloons, shaping rebar and mesh frames around them and spraying the shapes with concrete. Its 2,700 square feet and has nine circular rooms grouped together like a bunch of grapes, plus a rectangular garage jutting off to the side.

Fang purchased the home in 2017 for $2.8 million and began making the offending modifications that year. The Hillsborough Building Department issued a series of stop work notices to Fang between December 2017 and August 2018, but she continued to modify the property, the towns complaint said. She was then subsequently cited for multiple code violations.

Hillsborough officials issued a unanimous decision in October 2018 finding the colorful home violated multiples codes and calling the dinosaurs a highly visible eyesore.

But thats not how Fang saw the property.

Alioto told the Chronicle in 2019 that the house was Fangs happy place.

This is her fantasy, she said.

Danielle Echeverria and Chase DiFelciantonio are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers.Twitter: @DanielleEchev, @@ChaseDiFelice Email: danielle.echeverria@sfchronicle.com, chase.difeliciantonio@sfchronicle.com
From the patio filled with potted plants to the neat stacks of history and architecture books in the living room, its clear that Royce McLemore takes pride in her Marin City apartment. But in the kitchen, the 78-year-old public housing resident only sees what needs fixing.

It floods in here because of the problems with the plumbing. I had to figure out a while ago how to get water off the floor quickly, she said. That happens a lot.

Unfortunately, this isnt unusual at Golden Gate Village.

The 60-year-old public housing complex has 700 low-income residents. Sixty-five percent of them are Black, says McLemore, who serves as president of the Golden Gate Village Resident Council.

She and other residents have been complaining for years about mold and rat infestations, electricity issues and neglected landscaping. The Marin Housing Authority is legally responsible for the complexs upkeep. The tenants say their calls for critical maintenance have largely gone ignored. The MHA points to financial constraints as part of the reason for the lack of repairs.

But four years after a county consultant estimated it would cost $63 million to bring the aging housing units up to federal standards, the MHA is now mulling a $387 million plan to upgrade the complex and build two high-rise buildings and tear down 16 units by partnering with a private developer. But the repairs that residents are clamoring for would happen after construction of the new units, which the MHA is considering making available to renters of varying income levels.

During a teleconference board meeting on June 22, MHAs Executive Director Lewis Jordan said the redevelopment plan will not displace anyone and rents will stay the same, the Marin Independent Journal reported.

The housing agencys assurances havent assuaged Golden Gate Villages tenants, who filed a class-action lawsuit last year and worry that revitalization means gentrifying them out of their homes.

Nothing weve seen, nothing they have said over the years has made it feel like they truly want us to remain here, McLemore said.

Residents have laid out their own revitalization plan, which the MHA has largely ignored. The group has not publicly shared its cost, but the most important element is a call to turn the property into a community land trust. This would facilitate a path toward home ownership for the residents. In America, home ownership is a way families can build generational wealth.

MHAs leadership has been openly skeptical of the idea and has said turning federally owned land over to residents is not something that would be supported by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which provides funding for Golden Gate Village.

Black roots run deep in Marin City, an unincorporated community where 22% of the 3,100 residents are Black.

The small valley town was created during World War II, when local shipyards recruited migrant workers to the area. After the shipyards closed, white families left to pursue other economic opportunities. Because of racist housing covenants and job discrimination, Black and other minority families were prevented from leaving.

In 1960, 15 years after World War II ended, Golden Gate Village was built as part of an urban renewal project.

This history comes from a 2017 report that Marin County officials commissioned to weigh options for rehabilitating the aging public housing complex.

Terrie Daniels has lived some of this history. Her family moved into Golden Gate Village in the 1960s after leaving Texas. Generations have grown up there, Daniels said.

The people who have called this place home for a long time, they know they can go to their neighbors when they need something and theyll get help, she told me.

Its clear that the residents of Golden Gate Village see a home worth fighting for. I saw that during a recent visit. I spoke with 71-year-old Hattie Cook on her back patio. Just a couple of steps from her fence is an open space where she hosts Easter egg hunts and community dinners.

People say this has been the kind of place where you could leave your doors open because everybody knows each other, and thats the truth, Cook said. For a lot of us, our lives, everything we do, happens here.

Up the hill behind Cooks apartment lives 31-year-old Jorge Campos. He moved into the complex with his family in the early 2000s and attended summer camps there.

This has always been a place where you felt safe, he said. Ive never thought about possibly not living here one day.

The story of a deteriorating public housing complex isnt new. Insufficient funding from the federal government has left many of these complexes with a backlog of repairs and maintenance needs. But nobody knows the needs of Golden Gate Village better than the residents themselves.

Allowing them to move from being renters to owners at a public housing complex theyve occupied for decades would only benefit the property. Nobody is saying this would be an easy transition to make. But life hasnt been easy for Black residents of Marin City for a long time.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Justin Phillips appears Sundays. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com; Twitter: @JustMrPhillips
An Ohio man arrested more than a month ago related to the 1995 assault and murder of a Beaumont teacher has been ordered by an Ohio judge to return to Jefferson County to face trial  weeks after a Governors warrant was issued.

The latest ruling came Thursday and was provided to The Enterprise by the Franklin County Ohio Clerk of Courts. It states that (Foreman) must be picked up by 11:59 p.m on July 6th.

Clayton Foreman, 61, was arrested after an exhaustive investigation into the death of Mary Catherine Edwards that involved local, state and federal agencies.

DNA evidence appears to have tied Foreman, Edwards high school classmate and acquaintance, to the crime scene and led to his arrest at the end of April by authorities in Franklin County, Ohio. He is being held on a capital murder charge.

Related: Authorities created family tree using DNA to crack cold case

A public information officer for the clerk of courts said the suspect could be picked up by officers with the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office, Beaumont Police Department or by a Texas Ranger.

Crystal Holmes, a spokesperson for the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office said no extradition date has been set, but confirmed that the Jefferson County Extradition Unit does handle all extraditions.

Beaumont Police Chief Jim Singletary said he does not yet have a comment on the extradition or investigation.

Pat Knauth, Jefferson County First Assistant District Attorney, told The Enterprise that his office submitted the paperwork for a overnors warrant several weeks ago.

We did prepare the documentation for the governor's warrant, which we submitted to our governor and the governor then submitted to Ohio, Knauth said. There's a law that the states are supposed to recognize each other's laws and thats what we did.

Related: replace this text with your teaser head and add hyperlink

If Foreman is extradited before the July 6 deadline, he will be arraigned in Jefferson County.

He will be arraigned here, apprised of the charges and, and he has a right to be given a bond, Knauth said. Once he's arraigned, then at some point we will present a case to the grand jury for determination and hopefully indictment.

Foreman has no attorney on file, according to court records reviewed by The Enterprise.

In 1982, Edwards was a bridesmaid at Foremans first wedding, Jefferson County District Attorney Bob Wortham told The Enterprise shortly after the arrest.

Related: Arrest made in connection with 1995 Beaumont slaying

Edwards, 31, was a well-loved teacher who lived alone in a Beaumont townhouse. According to Enterprise archives, she was last seen leaving her classroom around 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 13, 1995.

She would normally stay late at school preparing her lesson plan for the following class, Price Elementary Principal Floyd Broussard told The Enterprise at the time.

The next day, Edwards didnt respond to phone calls, and her parents went to check on her at her home on Park Meadow Street. They found her drowned in her bathtub upstairs, police said at the time.

An autopsy revealed that she had her hands bound behind her back in handcuffs and was sexually assaulted before she was killed.

According to a front page Enterprise story shortly after the death, friends described Edwards, a petite woman who stood less than 5 feet tall, as a little gal with a big heart.

isaac.windes@hearstnp.com

twitter.com/isaacdwindes
The state of Vermont is moving closer toward its goal of vaccinating 80% of the eligible population, a goal that, when reached, will result in the state lifting all restrictions imposed to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Friday, the state reported more than 725 people received their first vaccine Thursday, leaving the state at 79.8%, just under 1,370 vaccines short of of reaching the goal.

To reach the goal the state has scheduled numerous walk-in clinics across Vermont this weekend to help the state reach the goal.

When Vermont hits the 80% threshold, Gov. Phil Scott will lift all remaining restrictions that were imposed because of the pandemic.

Locations where people can get vaccinated are listed on the website of the Vermont Department of Health. In addition to those locations, many Vermont pharmacies are also offering COVID-19 vaccinations without appointments.

Every person we get vaccinated not only puts us closer to our 80% goal but also puts us in a better position for the fall when we know cases may rise," Scott said in a statement. "The more people vaccinated means even if that occurs, we can continue to see minimal hospitalizations and deaths, keep variants at bay and keep the pandemic phase of COVID in the rearview mirror.

___

FOOD INSECURITY

Advocates for homeless Vermonters and people facing food insecurity are urging Scott to delay fully lifting the emergency order used during the COVID-19 pandemic because it authorizes federal aid to the vulnerable communities.

A letter signed by representatives of 130 organizations and businesses across the state says the economic impact of COVID-19 remains widespread.

Levels of hunger have not decreased in the past year, an eviction crisis still looms and housing insecurity disproportionately affects families with children and Vermonters who are members of minority communities, the advocates say.

Scotts office says they are likely to issue a separate executive order to retain the initiatives that help the vulnerable. They expect to release more details Tuesday.

___

NUMBERS

On Friday, the Vermont Health Department reported seven new cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total since the pandemic began to 24,320.

There were two patients hospitalized with COVID-19, including one in intensive care.

The number of deaths remains at 256.

The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Vermont did not increase over the past two weeks, going from 22.29 new cases a day on May 26 to 10.57 new cases a day on Wednesday.

The Associated Press is using data collected by Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering to measure outbreak caseloads and deaths across the United States.

___

Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
Based on the recent ravings of such virological giants as Jon Stewart and Donald Trump, a casual observer might think critical evidence had emerged to support the notion that the novel coronavirus escaped from a Chinese lab  or to refute the suspicion that it entered the human population the way of countless predecessors, by naturally spilling over from bats or other species. But the recent resurgence of the so-called lab leak theory among journalists, politicians and scientists largely outside the relevant fields means less than it seems to.

What has dawned is a collective realization that the possibility of the Wuhan Institute of Virologys involvement hasnt been thoroughly disproved nor the probability of a spillover conclusively proved. That doesnt mean the laboratory is a more or even similarly likely source. All the reliable evidence still points to the same species-jumping that caused the previous two coronavirus pandemics. Yes, a lab origin remains a possibility, but its a comparatively remote one unsupported by scientific data.

That clearly isnt the impression left by the latest discourse, however. Recent polls show that up to 60% of Americans believe the virus that causes COVID-19 emerged from the lab in central China.

Baseless accusations of Chinese culpability for the virus have already fueled xenophobia and violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the Bay Area and across the country. The more mainstream but equally reckless recent exaggeration of the likelihood of a lab leak portends more grim consequences for too many.

The political motives and machinations that powered much of the dark speculation about the virus origins early on continue to play an important role. In its waning days, the Trump administration propagated unsubstantiated intimations that researchers at the Wuhan lab were hospitalized with a suspicious illness in November 2019, and ex-officials up to and including the former president continue to grasp at the chance to deflect blame for their gross mishandling of the pandemic.

The lab leak theory, which is not a theory at all by any scientific definition, rests on a host of such unfounded and circumstantial claims. Purported genetic evidence of human manipulation keeps emerging and then withering under examination. The mere location of a lab studying coronaviruses in the city where the outbreak occurred is often cited as well. But the region is home to the lab because of its propensity to produce pathogens such as the first SARS coronavirus less than two decades ago.

That the natural provenance of the virus hasnt been conclusively demonstrated is also frequently and spuriously presented as evidence of lab origins. While its true that the source of SARS-CoV-2 hasnt been found  though related bat viruses have  thats not remarkable given the vast diversity of coronaviruses, limited animal sampling and the novelty of the pathogen. It took 14 years to trace SARS-CoV-1 to a bat cave in Yunnan province, and the precise origins of such familiar and deadly viruses as HIV and Ebola have yet to be identified.

In contrast to the speculation about the lab, and contrary to the suggestion of a letter to the journal Science that touched off much of the second-guessing, there is scientific evidence to support a natural origin. Tulane University virologist Robert Garry has noted, for example, that different lineages of the virus were linked to different Wuhan wildlife markets early in the pandemic, a fact more compatible with natural circulation among species.

While lab leak fever may distract from more likely hypotheses, understanding the origin of the pandemic is important enough to warrant a thorough investigation of that and other questions. The failure to communicate that its no more than a question, however, is not just regrettable but dangerous.

This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters.
Regarding Feinsteins inaction upsets progressives (June 17): I am shocked to see Sen. Dianne Feinstein quoted by The Chronicle as telling Forbes magazine that she would be in favor of getting rid of the filibuster if democracy was in danger but that she doesnt see any danger right now. Please wake up!

Democracy is seriously at stake! All over the country in red states, legislatures are passing laws restricting voting rights and even allowing legislatures to overturn elections! Republicans are busily undermining faith in our elections.

Former President Donald Trump has refused to concede that he lost and his supporters overran the Capitol on Jan. 6 in an effort to overthrow democracy! We are on the verge of losing our democratic republic to authoritarian rule. We the People are in the Constitution; the filibuster is not.

Voting is our sacred right under the Constitution. Fair and equal representation must be defended.

Republicans are trying to win power, not through numbers of voters, but through extreme gerrymandering, limiting who can easily vote, voter intimidation and, in the worst cases, throwing out the results of voting entirely. Democracy is seriously in danger now! Pass Senate Bill 1 and remove the filibuster to do it!

More for you Opinion Five reasons you may still want to wear a mask

Anne McClain, Forest Knolls

Drawbacks of masks

Regarding Five reasons you may still want to wear a mask (June 19): An infectious disease expert from UCSF is quoted as saying: Theres no real con to mask wearing, compared to the many pros.

This is not true. Anyone who wears glasses has experienced them fogging up while wearing a mask, and many of us have tripped over cracks in the sidewalk as a result.

For those who wear hearing aids, we must be hyper-vigilant while wearing a mask, to ensure that the devices do not pop out and get lost.

I am out $2,700, to replace one of these specialized electronic gadgets that enable me to hear.

The good doctor should amend his pronouncement to stipulate that there is no downside to wearing a face mask  as long as the wearer does not have to walk anywhere, and has no need to hear what others are saying.

Amelia Marshall, Oakland

Costs of fossil fuel

I was glad to see The Chronicle covering Foster Citys upgraded sea wall project in Foster Citys struggle  keeping bay at bay (Front Page, June 20): This $90 million sea wall protecting Foster City from rising tides perfectly illustrates the great cost of fossil fueled climate change.

Now more than ever, we need to take account for the external costs of fossil fuel consumption by putting a price on the carbon dioxide these energy sources release into the air.

The revenues generated by these fees could be put to use to build the many future projects that will be necessary to combat the changes to our climate or put back into the pockets of everyday Americans.

Adam Wold, San Francisco

Unfair comparison

Regarding State needs a 3/13 Commission (June 20): Dear Mr. Joe Mathews, I take offense to the comparison to close California schools on March 13, 2020, to the rioting protesters on Jan. 6, 2021. The schools were closed to protect lives; the protesters on 1/6 called for hanging public officials. Whether closing the schools was shortsighted healthwise, (I doubt we will ever really know) it was certainly done with the best of intentions. The comparison seems like a cheap shot.

Callie Zak, Mill Valley

Enthusiastic salesman

Regarding Gun debate propelled by assault rifles allure (Front Page, June 20): I thought about the day many years ago when I stopped at a shooting range in San Rafael. I barely crossed the threshold when an overly enthusiastic salesman approached me and said, Hello, little lady (cringe), looking to blow somebody away? He was very disappointed when I told him I just needed help in locating another business in the area.

Elizabeth Manning, Novato

Lack of paying riders

Anyone who rides Muni realizes that the majority of Muni passengers already act as if a Muni ride is free. If you doubt this, just take a few bus rides and observe how many folks do not pay.
Teachers, the Republican governor argued, have interpreted academic freedom to be their right to teach without political interference, seeking to advance their partisan political viewpoints. Professing shock that educated young people were being indoctrinated into anti-Americanism, he demanded action.

The year was 1967, and the governor in question was Ronald Reagan. As the New York Times later put it, Reagans rhetoric made Richard Nixon look positively charitable.

Reagans real aim, however, was to slash spending.

As governor of California, he consistently cut public university budget requests by roughly 20% and denied professors the pay raises granted to all other state employees. To do so, he rallied his base to believe that their way of life was under attack. As the Times reported, Reagans supporters were basically decent people characterized by a capacity for hate when the neat patterns of their lives are disrupted.

Reagans genius was positioning himself as a champion of the old order in a culture war. As he noted, the people of California had taxed themselves at a rate higher than any other Americans to build a great university. They believed in the ideal of public higher education. But Reagan convinced Californians that their colleges and universities had occupied by a noisy dissident minority.

Reagans austerity budgets left the University of California unable to cover rising instructional and construction costs. In a desperate bid for revenue, officials conceded to Reagans demand that they begin charging tuition. Over the ensuing decades, more and more of the cost of public higher education in California was shifted from taxpayers onto individual students. It began to look less like a public system and more like a private one.

This crusade against public higher education eerily presaged todays school culture wars. Where Reagan made a target of ethnic studies and tried to keep Angela Davis, a member of the Communist Party, from teaching philosophy at UCLA, todays bogeyman is critical race theory or CRT  a legal theory that has become a vague catchall for grievances of the sort that Reagan weaponized so effectively. To date, laws aimed at restricting how public school teachers talk about race and racism have been proposed in 22 states and signed into law in five.

In making the case for laws that are both vague and sweeping, Republicans have resuscitated one of Reagans favorite political insults: anti-American.

Public schools, GOP leaders have argued, are teaching children to believe that the country is inherently bad. But just as Reagan used his anti-campus campaign to undermine support for public higher education, his disciples are motivated by a similar cause. For a Republican party that has grown increasingly hostile to public education, the K-12 culture war is also an opportunity to advance the cause of school privatization.

When Sens. Tom Cotton and Mitch McConnell recently unveiled a bill to defund the 1619 Project, they echoed language nearly identical to what Reagan deployed six decades ago: Federal funds should not pay for activists to masquerade as teachers and indoctrinate our youth, Cotton proclaimed in a news release.

State legislators, meanwhile, have introduced a flurry of bills aimed at cutting funds from schools with curricula that the GOP deems unacceptable. In Michigan, a proposed measure would cut 5% of funding if school districts teach anti-American ideas about race in America, material from the 1619 Project, or critical race theory. In Tennessee, a new law empowers the states education chief to withhold funds from schools found to be teaching components of critical race theory.

That such laws will be difficult, if not impossible, to enforce matters not at all. The real purpose is to alienate aggrieved GOP voters from the one public institution they still hold dear. As a nation, we spend roughly half a trillion public dollars each year to educate Americas young people. And though our schools are far from equal, they are often the cornerstone of communities  urban and rural, rich and poor, Black and white. Whenever school privatization has been put to a referendum, Americans have soundly defeated it because they value the idea of public education  their childrens schools in particular.

The constant drumbeat that public schools are indoctrinating children, however, serves as a powerful nudge to parents to flee them. If their tax dollars are paying for something theyre opposed to, then maybe privatization isnt such a terrible idea after all. This was Reagans move. A half century ago, he used a ginned-up culture war to rally disaffected white, middle-class voters to his cause. And with their support, he began unraveling the public nature of Californias higher education system. Within a generation, the idea of free college was all but a memory. A half-century later, it seems like a pipe dream.

Across the country, Republicans are using the Reagan playbook to roll out a manufactured crisis in the schools. As some observers have noted, many of the staunchest opponents of critical race theory cant point to a single example of its use in the schools  they cant even define what it is. Thats because they dont actually care.

What matters, instead, is generating enough ill will to drive forward the only education policy Ronald Reagan ever cared about: privatization.

In the past several months, a dozen states have expanded existing voucher programs or created new ones. In places like New Hampshire and West Virginia, sweeping new plans essentially pay parents to leave the public schools. It is the most successful assault on public education ever waged, and its only just beginning.

At a time when the nation is splitting at the seams, a truly public system that serves all  not just openly, but also equally  is an ideal to stand behind. Moreover, our schools may be our last, best hope for bringing young people together, across their differences, and teaching them to live together.

It is not hard to imagine this political moment as an opportunity, rather than a crisis  a chance to double-down on our investment in public education. Yet that will require us to rise above our differences to see what unites us. It demands something that only a decade ago seemed possible: hope.

Jack Schneider is an assistant professor of education at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and the author of A Wolf at the Schoolhouse Door: The Dismantling of Public Education and the Future of School. Jennifer C. Berkshire is a freelance journalist and host of the education policy podcast Have You Heard.
Jo Ann Evans is the kind of lifelong Catholic who doesnt just show up for Mass on Sundays. She expresses her faith the other six days of the week by volunteering to feed the poor, help new immigrants and find shelter for the homeless.

Were the face of Christ to the people we serve, said Evans, a member of St. Columba Catholic Church in Oakland. We may be the only living, actionable sign (to them) that Christ is real.

The rest of America saw a different face of the Catholic Church recently when the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops approved draft guidelines that could deny giving Holy Communion to politicians who publicly and politically disagree with the Churchs stance against abortion  like President Biden, the nations second Catholic president, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Both attend Mass regularly.

Catholics like Evans havent stopped talking about the move. Theyre incensed that the bishops are pushing the Churchs most sacred ritual into the political realm  or weaponizing the Eucharist, in the words of critics. Catholics believe that bread and wine literally transform into the body and blood of Jesus Christ during Mass, and taking communion is an essential part of practicing faith.

I could not believe that those bishops were politicizing communion, which is the lifeblood, and I mean that literally, for Catholics, Evans said. I dont want my faith to be politicized. I dont want the body and blood of Christ to be on anyones list that they can politicize.

Or, as John Whitney, a Seattle priest who is returning to his native Bay Area this fall, wrote in response to the bishops: Stay in your lane.

No chance. The Conference of Bishops  including one of its most vociferous members, San Francisco archbishop Salvatore Cordileone  is becoming increasingly political. Yet, as is the case with abortion, the bishops are often not just out of touch with most Americans, but also with what many Catholics believe. According to findings from Pew Research, 56% of Catholics think abortion should be legal. (Two-thirds of Catholics who attend Mass weekly said abortion should be illegal.)

Being out of step hasnt stopped the bishops before. Theyve weighed in on issues from abortion rights to same-sex marriage to immigration to health care. Cordileone was as instrumental as anybody in helping to pass Proposition 8, the 2008 state ballot measure that banned same-sex marriage in California, political consultant Frank Schubert told me. Cordileone, then bishop of San Diego, helped raise $1.5 million from wealthy donors, saying the ultimate attack of the Evil One is the attack on marriage.

Now that same-sex marriage is legal, Cordileone has shifted focus. He is among the bishops who consider stopping abortion to be their pre-eminent moral and policy priority  ahead of poverty, homelessness, racism or climate change. In May, he wrote about the special responsibility that Catholics prominent in public life have when it comes to combatting abortion.

If you find that you are unwilling or unable to abandon your advocacy for abortion, you should not come forward to receive Holy Communion, Cordileone wrote. To publicly affirm the Catholic faith while at the same time publicly rejecting one of its most fundamental teachings is simply dishonest.

That doesnt match up with what his boss  Pope Francis  has said. The pope has discouraged the bishops and others from ranking priorities.

Our defense of the innocent unborn, for example, needs to be clear, firm and passionate, for at stake is the dignity of a human life, which is always sacred and demands love for each person, regardless of his or her stage of development, the pope said in 2018.

Equally sacred, however, are the lives of the poor, those already born, the destitute, the abandoned and the underprivileged, the vulnerable infirm and elderly exposed to covert euthanasia, the victims of human trafficking, new forms of slavery, and every form of rejection.

Some Catholic lawmakers are confused and angered. Theyre wondering why the U.S. bishops are singling out abortion over so many other issues.

No elected officials have been threatened with being denied the Eucharist as they support and have supported policies contrary to the Church teachings, including supporting the death penalty, separating migrant children from their parents, denying asylum to those seeking safety in the United States, limiting assistance for the hungry and food insecure, and denying rights and dignity to immigrants, said a letter from 60 Catholic Democrats  including Reps. Jackie Speier, D-San Mateo, Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena and Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley.

Part of the reason for the bishops estrangement from their flock might be due to their lack of diversity. According to a 2016 survey noted by the National Catholic Reporter, 88% of the bishops are non-Hispanic white men and their average age is 65 years old. While most say they spend an hour a day consuming the news, many live in what Los Angeles pediatric specialist and Catholic bioethics expert Patrick Whelan calls an information silo. Half say they watch Fox News; only 4% tune into MSNBC.

Whelan, a practicing Catholic and Obama campaign adviser on Catholics, co-wrote a June 21 essay in The New Republic with Kathleen Kennedy, niece of the first Catholic president, John F. Kennedy. The two asked, Has anybody pointed out that all these men have chosen as the most important sin the one sin that they are unable to commit?

Realistically, without the Popes support, this proposal isnt going anywhere. Even the Conference appeared to back down in subsequent days. Plus, only a politicians own bishop can decide whether or not to deny someone communion; clerics in Washington, D.C. have said they wont ban Biden.

But that doesnt make politicizing the Eucharist any less disheartening to people like Evans who are trying to be the face of the church in the community. Over the last week, many Catholics have shared online what Whitney, who grew up in San Mateo, wrote on Facebook:

Bishops, priests, etc. are neither the hosts nor the bouncers nor the ones who wrote the guest list. The Eucharist is the resurrected body of Christ given for the life of the world. Jesus Christ is the one who invites the guests (all you who labor); he is the host of those who come; he is the setter of the table; and he is the feast which is shared (Take this, all of you. . .this is my body, this is my blood).

We are guests at the meal, and sometimes (by his calling) servers, Whitney wrote. So stay in your lane, please. The wait staff doesnt get to exclude those who want to come. If you dont like the company Christ calls (and, admittedly, it is a rag tag bunch of sinners, one and all), its you who need to leave the table, not them.

Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli
San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office/Handout

A pair of California developers are paying the price after digging up dozens of Joshua trees to make way for homes, the Hi-Desert Star reports.

According to the San Bernardino County publication, a resident in a housing development in Morongo Basin noticed two individuals uprooting Joshua trees in February; Joshua trees are threatened species and it is illegal to remove, disturb or kill them. The resident called a Fish & Wildlife Department tip line to report the crime and a wildlife officer was sent to the scene.
Avengers Campus, the new Marvel land that opened earlier this month in Disney California Adventure, has been making headlines since it opened June 4. But what you may not know yet: Avengers Campus is actually part of a global initiative that started in Hong Kong Disneyland in 2017 that doesnt just link the characters around the world, but the rides themselves.

Avengers may be the hot news in Anaheim right now, but Hong Kong Disneyland started implementing Marvel attractions five years ago and already has Ant-Man and the Wasp and Iron Man themed attractions in its Stark Expo area in that parks Tomorrowland.

When Disney announced plans to open Avengers Campus in 2018, they did so with a storyline that would link Stark Expo to the forthcoming lands in both California and at Disneyland Paris. There was an idea. To bring together a group of remarkable people, to see if they could become something more. It was called the Avengers Initiative, Disney said in a statement. That original idea has now evolved into a brand-new global Avengers Initiative. One that brings usthe next generation of remarkable peopletogether. To find our power and become something more. To see if we can work alongside the Avengers so we may all become stronger together.

Ty Popko/Disneyland Resort, Courtesy of Disneyland

Originally slated to open in 2021, Disneyland Paris Avengers Campus is going to be similar to Disneylands version. It will have the same Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure ride as Disneyland does, and an Iron Man remake of its Rock n Roller Coaster. In California and Paris, Tony Stark is retrofitting two of his fathers Stark Industries sites into new hubs for training and innovation, Disney said. Through partnerships with S.H.I.E.L.D., Pym Technologies, Masters of the Mystic Arts and the new Worldwide Engineering Brigade, The Avengers and their allies will forge new global campuses to champion the next generation of heroes.

What will link all three lands across three continents: the Quinjet E-ticket ride that is slated to eventually open at Stark Expo and both Avengers Campuses. These campuses are going to be linked together in a global story," Disney CEO Bob Chapek said at the 2019 D23 conference.

Richard Harbaugh/Disneyland Reso, Courtesy of Disneyland

Avengers Campus isnt open in France yet, but there is one Marvel experience there that cant be seen anywhere else in the world.

Disneys Hotel New York  the Art of Marvel is the worlds first Marvel-inspired hotel. It opened at Disneyland Paris on June 21. The hotel has more than 350 pieces of Marvel art, 50 of which were created specifically for the space, and is one of the largest collections of Marvel art in the world. The lobby has an enormous, illuminated comic book sequence on one wall; on another, there are three full-sized Iron Man suits on display, along with Captain Americas shield.

The Downtown Restaurant is a downtown restaurant like a deli. On the walls we normally have caricatures of stars, and well have sketches from the creators of Marvel, said Imagineer Sylvie Massara, artistic director for Disneyland Paris hotels. Its the place in the hotel where there is the most Marvel art per square inch.

Inside the hotels Manhattan Restaurant, there is a massive chandelier inspired by the Asgard skyline. The Skyline Bar, meant to evoke the feeling of being on top of a Manhattan skyscraper, has an enormous panorama of the city skyline in it, including Avengers Tower.

Marc Piasecki/Getty Images

The artwork included in the hotel that has the Disney corners of the internet buzzing right now, though, is a piece of concept art that gives away as-of-yet unreleased details about the Quinjet ride. Disney has not released any recent details about what will go inside the empty Avengers Headquarters building in Avengers Campus, which has a Quinjet on top and is the area where most of the character interaction happens in the land. But Disneyland Paris inadvertently let some details slip by displaying a piece of concept art in the new hotel, which was then quickly removed.

Riders will fly on the Quinjet to Wakanda, the fictional African country from Black Panther, to fight alongside the Avengers to defeat evil winged creatures. In the leaked art, A walk-through pre-show area shows Avengers aircraft on a docking bay with cargo crates sitting below an overhead winch system  suggesting an active superhero hangar, Brady MacDonald wrote for the Orange County Register. An interior view of the attraction shows two rows of jetpack seats aligned in front of a glowing tactical display. Overhead, a massive glass ceiling-like screen provides views of the ships command deck and the outside world. A battle scene shows riders in jetpack seats flying toward a domed city engulfed in flames as smoke streams from a crashing jet in the distance.

While theres currently a Guardians of the Galaxy ride in the works at Epcot, Walt Disney World wont build an Avengers Campus because of contractual limitations with Universal Orlandos licenses on certain Marvel characters. Universals Islands of Adventure park has attractions like a Marvel Super Hero Island with a Spider-Man virtual reality ride, a Doctor Doom free-fall and an Incredible Hulk coaster.

Courtesy of Disney

However, Disney has found a loophole to get their Marvel IP to Florida: build it on the water. The new Disney Wish cruise ship, which is slated to embark in 2022 from Port Canaveral, about an hour away from Orlando, has never-before-seen Marvel experiences. At the Marvel Super Hero Academy, kids will begin by choosing a super hero suit from a selection of power sets based on Marvel heroes like Iron Man and Captain Marvel, and watching their choices become nanotech forms around mannequins in real-time, Disney Cruise Line said in a statement shared with SFGATE. Then it will be time for Avengers: Mission Training, a gesture-based technology game where they put their new suits and skills to the test as they virtually battle bad guys.

For adult MCU fans, the most exciting part of the ship will inevitably be a restaurant called Worlds of Marvel, which Disney Cruise Line is calling the first Marvel cinematic dining experience. At that restaurant, an interactive mission unfolds around guests as they eat dinner and brings them into the action.

But not just that: People will actually be able to eat the foods of Wakanda and Sokovia in the restaurant. The food in World of Marvel is going to be out of this world as well, Daniel Cowan, senior manager for dining standards and service excellence at Disney Cruise Line, told SFGATE. We're taking food from real and fictional settings of Marvel. For example, we have African Wakanda, Eastern European Sokovia and food from the Avengers home port of New York City.

Families are going to have the most amazing time, Laura Cabo, portfolio creative executive from Walt Disney Imagineering, who leads creative development for the Disney Wish, told SFGATE. They're going to be immersed into the Marvel Cinematic Universe as they're eating dinner, and there will be an amazing story that unfolds around them that's really going to take all of their help to overcome some things that might happen.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  Spurred by recent hurricanes and a rare winter storm that demonstrated the frailty of Louisiana's public water supply, lawmakers have set their attention on improving the state's troubled water systems.

Legislators created a new grading metric for community water systems, steered $300 million in federal coronavirus aid to improvements and allocated millions more in state cash to upgrades and fixes in their recently ended session. Gov. John Bel Edwards supported the efforts.

Louisiana has nearly 1,300 water systems statewide. About half are operating off structures that are more than 50 years old, according to reports documenting their vulnerabilities. In some rural areas, systems are teetering on the brink of failure and face such significant population loss they don't have enough money for proper maintenance.

If we fix everybody and everything that should be fixed, its about $4 billion in estimated costs, Desiree Honore Thomas, with the Democratic governor's Division of Administration, told lawmakers.

That hefty sum still might have been underestimating the scale of the problems. A 2018 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency suggested Louisianas 20-year funding needs for drinking water infrastructure topped $7 billion.

We now have what we believe are the resources to make a meaningful impact and change on these systems, said House Appropriations Chairman Jerome Zee Zeringue, a Houma Republican.

Zeringue is co-chairing a 10-member legislative Water Sector Commission created to decide which community water and sewer systems should share in the $300 million in federal pandemic aid. It already held its first meeting.

The Edwards administration, which will run the application portal and handle the grants, told the commission it intends to submit recommendations for prioritizing projects by mid-July with an eye toward opening the application period Aug. 1.

The need to harden water infrastructure is an obvious, bipartisan issue.

When Hurricane Laura struck a wide path of destruction across Louisiana in August, it knocked out 121 water systems and temporarily left hundreds of thousands of people without water. Another 150-plus water systems had disruptions that required people to boil their water for safe use.

The February winter storm that dropped snow and ice across Louisiana walloped the systems again, leaving hundreds of thousands without potable water and hospitals trucking in water for patient care.

William Daniel, director of Shreveports water and sewerage system, believes even the multibillion-dollar estimates of the problem are understated. He told lawmakers the city of Shreveport, which suffered a week of water outages in February, probably has $2 billion in needs alone.

Amanda Ames, chief engineer for the Louisiana Department of Health, told the Water Sector Commission her agency already had identified 182 drinking water systems statewide that have $146 million in projects deemed critical."

Lawmakers also intend to make the lists of the state's most fragile water systems more widely known  and the problems more understandable  to the public through a new grading system.

The bill creating the grading, pushed by St. Martin Parish Republican Sen. Fred Mills, won unanimous legislative support and has been signed into law. It will require the Department of Health to develop a grading system from A through F, similar to the way the education department grades public schools.

Mills said public information about water systems often is highly technical and hard to decipher.

When someone can see an F-rated system, "it causes the public to say, Why do I have to live under this type of water system?" Mills told lawmakers.

Water systems will be judged on their water quality violations, financial sustainability, customer satisfaction and other benchmarks. The health department will have to publish the grades online. Any community water system that receives a D or F could be subject to corrective measures and will have to submit improvement plans.

Mills hopes communities that get water from poorly rated systems might have discussions about consolidating with better rated systems. While Louisiana has nearly 1,300 water systems, he noted Alabama has about 400.

Some water system leaders spend money on unrelated projects, while others don't want to suggest needed price hikes for consumers because they don't want to hurt themselves politically, Mills said.

I think by having this score carding system, its going to glaringly bring out weaknesses that some water systems just dont want to face, he told his colleagues.

The first grades aren't due until 2023  but the state could issue them sooner to dovetail the effort with the financing.

___

EDITORS NOTE: Melinda Deslatte has covered Louisiana politics for The Associated Press since 2000. Follow her at http://twitter.com/melindadeslatte.
Teenagers keep all sorts of secrets from their parents. Drinking. Sex. Lousy grades.

But the secret that Elizabeth, 17, a rising high school senior from New York City, keeps from hers is new to the buffet of adolescent misdeeds. She doesnt want her parents to know that she is vaccinated against COVID-19.

Her divorced parents have equal say over her health care. Although her mother strongly favors the vaccine, her father angrily opposes it and has threatened to sue her mother if Elizabeth gets the shot. Elizabeth is keeping her secret not only from her father, but also her mother, so her mom can have plausible deniability. (Elizabeth asked to be identified only by her middle name.)

The vaccination of children is crucial to achieving broad immunity to the coronavirus and returning to normal school and work routines. But although COVID vaccines have been authorized for children as young as 12, many parents, worried about side effects and frightened by the newness of the shots, have held off from permitting their children to get them.

A recent poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that only 3 in 10 parents of children ages 12-17 intended to allow them to be vaccinated immediately. Many say they will wait for long-term safety data or the prod of a school mandate. But with many teenagers eager to get shots that they see as unlocking freedoms denied during the pandemic, tensions are crackling in homes in which parents are holding to a hard no.

Forty states require parental consent for vaccination of minors under 18, and Nebraska sets the age at 19. (Some states carve out exemptions for teenagers who are homeless or emancipated.) Now, because of the COVID crisis, some states and cities are seeking to relax medical consent rules, emulating statutes that permit minors to obtain the HPV vaccine, which prevents some cancers caused by a sexually transmitted virus.

MARIA ALEJANDRA CARDONA/NYT

Last fall, the District of Columbia City Council voted to allow children as young as 11 to get recommended vaccines without parental consent. New Jersey and New York legislatures have bills pending that would allow children as young as 14 to consent to vaccines; Minnesota has one that would permit some children as young as 12 to consent to COVID shots.

But other states are marching in the opposite direction. Although South Carolina teenagers can consent at 16, and doctors may perform certain medically necessary procedures without parental permission on even younger children, a bill in the legislature would explicitly bar providers from giving the COVID shot without parental consent to minors. In Oregon, where the age of medical consent is 15, Linn County ordered county-run clinics to obtain parental consent for the COVID shot for anyone under 18. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, which has been tracking COVID-related bills, some states, including Tennessee and Alabama, are working on legislation to prevent public schools from requiring COVID shots.

The issue of who can consent to COVID shots is providing fresh context for decades-old legal, ethical and medical questions. When parents disagree, who is the arbiter? At what age are children capable of making their own health decisions and how should that be determined?

Isabella wants it because her friends are getting it, and she doesnt want to wear a mask, said Charisse, mother of a 17-year-old in Delray Beach, Florida, who asked that her last name be withheld for family privacy. Charisse fears the shot could have an effect on her daughters reproductive system (a misperception that public health officials have repeatedly refuted).

Isabella said, Its my body. And I said, Well, its my body until youre 18.

As both the legal debates and family arguments unfold, those administering the vaccine at pharmacies, clinics and medical offices are trying to determine how to proceed when a young teen shows up for the COVID shot without a parent.

We may be in a legal gray zone with this vaccine, said Dr. Sterling Ransone Jr., a family physician in Deltaville, Virginia. In his health system, a parent can send a signed consent form for a teenager to be vaccinated. But because the COVID vaccine is authorized only for emergency use, the health system requires a parent to be present for a patient under 18 to get that shot.

Marina, 15, who lives in Palm Beach County, Florida  and who, like others interviewed, asked not to be fully identified  longs for the shot. But her mother says absolutely not. The subject is not open for discussion.

And so Marina has been excluded from the social life she covets. Five of my friends are throwing a party and they invited me, but then they said, Are you vaccinated? she said. So I cant go. That hurts.

As the pandemic ebbs, some teen social circles are reconstituting based on vaccination status. Marina said, I see my friends posting on social media  Woo-Hoo I got it!  and now when I see them, they ask me things like, Where have you been? Are you traveling a lot? Are you sure you dont have COVID? It sucks that I cant get the shot.

Increasingly, frustrated teenagers are searching for ways to be vaccinated without their parents consent. Some have found their way to VaxTeen.org, a vaccine information site run by Kelly Danielpour, a Los Angeles teenager.

The site offers guides to state consent laws, links to clinics, resources on straightforward information about COVID-19 and advice for how teenagers can engage parents.

Someone will ask me, I need to be able to consent at a vaccine clinic that is open on weekends and that is on my bus route. Can you help? said Danielpour, 18, who will begin her freshman year at Stanford in the fall.

She started the site two years ago, well before COVID. The daughter of a pediatric neurosurgeon and an intellectual property lawyer, she realized that most adolescents know neither the recommended vaccine schedule nor their rights.

We automatically talk about parents but not about teens as having opinions on this issue, she said. I decided I needed to help. Danielpour wrangled experts to help her understand vaccination and consent laws, and she recruited teenagers to be VaxTeen ambassadors.

I want teenagers to be able to say to pediatricians, Hey, I have this right, said Danielpour, who gives talks at conferences to physicians and health department officials.

Elizabeth surreptitiously got her vaccine at a school pop-up clinic.

After administrators at her boarding school informed parents they would be offering COVID shots, her mother gave permission. Her father forbade it. Upset, Elizabeth consulted the school nurse, who said she could not be vaccinated without approval from both. Elizabeth researched state laws, learning that she wasnt old enough to consent on her own.

She showed up anyway. At worst, she figured, the school would just turn her away.

Apparently, they took note only of her mothers consent. Saying nothing, Elizabeth stuck out her arm.

Now she is in a pickle. The school is requiring students to be vaccinated for the fall semester and she says her father has begun warring with the administration over the issue. Elizabeth is afraid that if he learns how she was vaccinated, he will be furious and tell the school, which will discipline her for having deceived vaccinators, a stain on her record just as she is applying to college.

Gregory Zimet, a psychologist and professor of pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine, pointed out the irony of an adolescent being legally prevented from making a choice that was strenuously urged by public health officials. Developmentally, he said, adolescents at 14 and even younger are at least as good as adults at weighing the risks of a vaccine. Which isnt to say that adults are necessarily great at it, he said.

In many states, young teenagers can make decisions around contraception and sexually transmitted infections, which are, he noted, in many ways more complex and fraught than getting a vaccine.

Pediatricians say that even parents who have themselves been vaccinated are wary for their children. Dr. Jay Lee, a family physician and chief medical officer of Share Our Selves, a community health network in Orange County, California, said parents say they would rather risk their child having COVID than get the new vaccine.

I will validate their concerns, Lee said, but I point out that waiting to see if your child gets sick is not a good strategy. And that no, COVID is not just like the flu.

Elise Yarnell, a senior clinic operations manager for the Portland, Oregon, area at Providence, a large health care system, recalled a 16-year-old girl who showed up at a COVID vaccine clinic at her school in Yamhill County.

Her parents oppose the vaccine, so she wanted to get it without their knowing, which she could do legally because Oregons age of consent is 15. She teared up when she saw the shots were not ready before she had to be home, but she was able to return that night without alerting her parents and was vaccinated.

She was extremely relieved, Yarnell said.

Isabella, the 17-year-old daughter of Charisse, the Florida mother who refuses to grant permission for the vaccine. Asked why she wanted the shot, Isabella gave a stream of reasons. A lot of older people in my family are at risk for catching COVID and possibly dying, she said. I want to get the vaccine so I can be around them, and theyll be safe. And then I can go out with my friends again, and they wont be so much at risk either.

Although doctors have been trying to instill vaccine confidence in parents as well as patients, theres not much they can do when parents object. Recently, Dr. Mobeen Rathore, a pediatrics professor at the University of Florida medical college in Jacksonville, told a patient whose mother refused consent that she couldnt get the COVID vaccine until she turned 18, three weeks hence.

She got vaccinated on her birthday, Rathore said. She sent me a message saying that was her birthday gift to herself.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  Four years ago, California Democrats altered the states recall laws in part to slow down the process and try to aid a state senator facing a removal vote over his support for increasing the gas tax.

Now, as Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom faces a recall of his own, they're trying to change the laws again. This time, though, Democrats want the option to speed things up to take advantage of what they see as favorable conditions for Newsom.

Lawmakers are expected to vote on the changes Monday.

Newsoms campaign hasn't commented on the proposed altering of the recall timeline. Recent polls show Newsom in a stronger position than at the start of the year when the pandemic was raging and much of the economy was shuttered.

Those who want to speed things up believe the longer the wait until voters cast their ballots, the more risk of problems arising for Newsom. Democrats hold wide majorities in the state Legislature, making it easy for them to change the rules.

Jack Citrin, a political science professor at the University of California, Berkeley, said changing the calendar threatens to reinforce the public's cynicism about politicians doing whatever they can to stay in power.

They're trying to create a situation that is most favorable for the partisan outcome that they favor," said Citrin, who has studied trust in government and Californias initiative process.

It's common for lawmakers in states that allow recalls to fiddle with election laws, but it usually happens after the contest is done, not before or during it, said Joshua Spivak, a recall elections expert. And efforts to manipulate election timing don't always work, he noted, pointing to California state Sen. Josh Newman, who lost his 2018 recall election despite Democrats' rule changes.

That really suggested maybe we dont know what were doing. Youre playing with fire by doing that, said Spivak, who is a senior fellow at the Hugh L. Carey Institute for Government Reform at Wagner College and runs the Recall Elections Blog.

He speculated the change could backfire because an earlier election gives Democrats less time to motivate their voters. Republicans were behind the recall effort and gathered more than 1.7 million signatures. They say their voters are energized.

Democrats rule changes failed to save Josh Newman from getting recalled four years ago, and voters arent going to fall for their trickery now either as they try and change the rules in the hopes of saving Gavin Newsom," the California Republican Party wrote in a news release earlier this month.

The proposal up for debate Monday rolls back some of the changes made to help Newman.

Back in 2017, Republicans targeted the Orange County lawmaker over his vote to increase the state's gas tax because they thought he'd be the easiest to unseat. Democrats, meanwhile, said Republicans were deceiving voters by telling them the petition was about the gas tax, not recalling a senator.

That prompted Democrats to add steps to the recall process: Voters who sign recall petitions are given 30 business days to remove their signatures, the state Department of Finance must conduct a cost estimate, and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee has 30 days to review that estimate.

All the steps were designed in part to push back Newman's election date to coincide with the 2018 primary, when Democrats thought higher turnout would translate into a win.

They were wrong. Newman lost the seat, though he won it back in the 2020 regular election.

Now looking to speed the process, Democrats' proposal would essentially bypass the legislative review process so long as lawmakers set aside money for counties to pay for the cost of the election. The state Department of Finance already sought a cost estimate from counties and lawmakers plan to approve $215 million to cover the local expense.

With no legislative review, Democratic Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, a Newsom supporter, will be able to set an election date sooner. County clerks have said they need until at least Sept. 14 to be ready.

Nathan Click, a spokesman for Newsom's campaign, didn't respond to multiple requests for comment about whether the campaign had communicated with Democratic lawmakers about the recall timing. Top state legislators working on the issue, including Senate Budget Committee Chairwoman Nancy Skinner, declined to comment on the legislation.

Katie Talbot, a spokesman for Speaker Anthony Rendon, said lawmakers don't need extra time to review the election costs because they've already decided to reimburse counties. She acknowledged it could allow for an earlier recall election.

Republicans, meanwhile, are sure to raise opposition during Monday's debate. State Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, who is considering running in the recall, accused Democrats of trying to ram through a new law."
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  Never before seen case files, photographs and other records documenting the investigation into the infamous slayings of three civil rights workers in Mississippi are now open to the public for the first time, 57 years after their deaths.

The 1964 killings of civil rights activists James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner in Neshoba County sparked national outrage and helped spur passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. They later became the subject of the movie Mississippi Burning."

The previously sealed materials  dating from 1964 to 2007  were transferred to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History from the Mississippi attorney generals office in 2019. As of last week, they are now available for viewing by the public at William F. Winter Archives and History Building in Jackson.

The records include case files, Federal Bureau of Investigation memoranda, research notes and federal informant reports and witness testimonies. There are also photographs of the exhumation of the victims bodies and subsequent autopsies, along with aerial photographs of the burial site, according to an announcement from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

The collection is being stored in three catalog records: Series 2870 houses the attorney generals research files, Series 2902 houses the FBI memos and Series 2903 houses the photographs.

The three Freedom Summer workers, all in their 20s, had been investigating the burning of a black church near Philadelphia, Mississippi when they disappeared in June of 1964.

A deputy sheriff in Philadelphia had arrested them on a traffic charge, then released them after alerting a mob. Mississippis then-governor claimed their disappearance was a hoax, and segregationist Sen. Jim Eastland told President Lyndon Johnson it was a publicity stunt before their bodies were dug up, found weeks later in an earthen dam.

Nineteen men were indicted on federal charges in the 1967 case. Seven were convicted of violating the victims civil rights. None served more than six years.

In 2004, the Mississippi Attorney Generals office reopened the investigation. That led to the June 2005 conviction of Edgar Ray Killen, a 1960s Ku Klux Klan leader and Baptist minister, on manslaughter charges.

During his state trial in 2005, witnesses testified that on June 21, 1964, Killen went to Meridian to round up carloads of klansmen to ambush Schwerner, Chaney and Goodman, telling some of the klan members to bring plastic or rubber gloves. Witnesses said Killen then went to a Philadelphia funeral home as an alibi while the fatal attack occurred.

Killen died in prison in 2018. Mississippi then-Attorney General Jim Hood officially closed the investigation in 2016.
BURLINGTON, Conn. (AP)  A Connecticut woman who is accused of killing her husband and hiding his body for six months is facing a new charge of collecting his paychecks after he was dead, authorities said.

Linda Kosuda-Bigazzi, 73, was arrested in February 2018 in the death of her husband, Dr. Pierluigi Bigazzi, a professor of laboratory science and pathology at UConn Health. She is free on bond and has a court appearance Wednesday on the murder charge.

Kosuda-Bigazzi is now facing a first-degree larceny charge after investigators said she collected biweekly checks from UConn Health after his death, state police said in a news release Friday.

The body of Dr. Bigazzi, 84, was found on Feb. 5, 2018 when police went to the couple's home in Burlington, Connecticut, for a wellness check. The medical examiner said he died of blunt trauma to the head. Kosuda-Bigazzi, was charged with murder and tampering with physical evidence.

Investigators believe that Dr. Bigazzi died sometime in August 2017 and that UConn Health paychecks totaling totaling $46,408 were deposited into the couple's joint account between September 2017 and February 2018.

UConn Health and attorneys for Kosuda-Bigazzi initially agreed in 2018 for Kosuda-Bigazzi to pay $50,040 back to the medical school.

But officials with the school say the paychecks were only a portion of the $102,165 that UConn Health paid on behalf of Dr. Bigazzi during the period after his death. The rest of the funds went toward health insurance, union dues, his retirement account and other deductions, they said.

UConn Health submits that Ms. Bigazzi wrongfully received monies into the account she held jointly with Dr. Bigazzi and that she also wrongfully permitted monies to be paid to other sources on Dr. Bigazzis behalf for several months when she knew that her husband was no longer performing work for UConn Health," Jeffrey P. Geoghegan, the school's chief financial officer, told police, according to an arrest warrant.

But Kotsuda-Bigazzi's attorney said Sunday that he was perplexed by the new larceny charge after his client had already reimbursed the school for the money she received.

Now, a new arrest over three years later on the same issue without prior notification to my client or myself? There is more here that meets the eye, defense lawyer Patrick Tomasiewicz said in an email. We will aggressively pursue her defense to exonerate her of this charge."

Kosuda-Bigazzi also denies committing the murder, Tomasiewicz said.

Emails asking about the earlier reimbursement agreement between UConn Health and Kosuda-Bigazzi were sent to Geoghegan and the state police on Sunday.
DETROIT (AP)  Residents in the Detroit area were cleaning up Sunday after flooding in the area overloaded sewer systems, damaged homes and knocked out power for thousands.

Bags of trash lined neighborhood streets in suburban Grosse Pointe Farms as garbage trucks made special rounds to help pick up debris, including damaged furniture and bedding.
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP)  During a flag-raising ceremony at East St. Louis City Hall on June 19, Stephanie Taylor couldnt help but cry.

She was surrounded by about 40 people who were cheering on her and husband, Terrance, as the tears rolled down her face. The Juneteenth flag was just raised at city hall. It was a powerful, yet familiar moment. The Taylors, through their East St. Louis nonprofit Community Development Sustainable Solutions, have been staunch advocates for bringing more awareness to Juneteenth. Saturdays event was their tenth year hosting a celebration in the city to recognize the holiday.

But it was the couples first time celebrating Juneteenth as an official state and federal holiday.

I cannot believe that on this Juneteenth, were celebrating as a national holiday, Stephanie said. ... We have a platform now that we can talk about what true equity is.

Equity was a theme of Juneteenth Metro-East Freedom in Equity Festival, which was organized by the Taylors. The event took place at various locations in East St. Louis. It started with a motorcade heading to East St. Louis City Hall on Saturday morning and ended with an afternoon of food, music and fun at Jones Park.

Stephanie and Terrance are founding members of the Illinois Juneteenth Commitee. Every year, the couple has supported legislation to make Juneteenth a state and national holiday.

Reparations now, Terrance said about what he wants to see happen next now that Juneteenth is officially a national holiday. Reparations now. We got Juneteenth, and now thats the strategy. 

Stephanie also wants that. She wants the spirit of Juneteenth to go beyond the holiday.

It means next steps, Stephanie said. It means time to move even further. This was just one step. This was about acknowledging history, and now it is time to make sure equity is realized ... that looks like reparations. That looks like the Crown Act. That looks like really experiencing equity.

Juneteenth is named after June 19, 1865, when Union forces arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced the end of slavery for those who were still enslaved in the state. The announcement came two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, which outlawed slavery only in Confederate states. Slavery was officially abolished, including in places not included in the Emancipation Proclamation, with the ratification of the 13th amendment in December of 1865.

The holiday has been widely recognized by the Black community, which started with celebrations held by Black people in Texas, as a day of freedom since the late 1800s.

Since the murder of George Floyd in 2020, acknowledgment of the holiday has gained more traction on the local and federal level. St. Clair County board members voted last year to observe Juneteenth as a paid holiday for county employees. On Wednesday, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker made Juneteenth a state holiday this week. The next day, President Biden signed legislation that makes Juneteenth a federal holiday.

Wendell Thomas, a Washington Park native, said he remembers learning about Juneteenth while attending school in East St. Louis, although he thinks it should be taught more in schools. Still, he said hes excited about the progress being made to make more people aware about the holiday. Thomas attended Saturdays event.

Im going to be honest, I dont even celebrate the Fourth of July anymore, Thomas, 38, said. I havent celebrated it in the past few years, so I dont intend on celebrating it anymore. Its not trying to be one kind of way, its just that Im excited about my heritage and my people, and at any given moment, I want to celebrate it if not every day.

Thomas doesnt want the holiday to be exploited, though. Thomas is the founder of Black Farmer Co., a clothing brand that aims to empower Black people. One of his products features accessories with Protect Black Women written across them. He understands the importance of uplifting ones own community.

I definitely think they shouldnt come in and own any part of the holiday, Thomas said about non-Black communities wanting to take part in Juneteenth. I feel like that because a lot of people refer to us as Black gold because everybody draws so much from us, so I think there are certain things that need to be off limits, and thats definitely one of them. I dont mind them celebrating it with us, but dont try to make money off of it and profit off of it. 

Charisma McGee, who lives in Belleville, was one of the Black-owned business vendors at the festival in Jones Park. Shes the owner of Gloss Boss, a lip-care company for which McGee makes lip glosses, lip scrubs and lip balms . She said shes happy about the mainstream attention for the holiday shes celebrated since she was a child.

I actually have been celebrating Juneteenth since I was about 8 years old, so every year I would visit my father in Minnesota and they would have lots of Juneteenth festivals every year, McGee, 37, said. Obviously, when I was younger, I didnt truly understand what it meant until I became an adult. This is something that means a lot to me. I feel like it needs to be mainstream, it needs to be out there, so that everyone can know about it, just like the Fourth of July.

Rep. LaToya Greenwood (D-East St. Louis) said shes also happy about Juneteenth becoming a state and national holiday. She knows theres more work to be done, though.

While the end of slavery is an important milestone in our crucial history, we know it has been followed by over 150 years of continued oppression and inequity, Greenwood said.

For Greenwood, the national observance of Juneteenth can lead to more tangible effects for the Black community. Its why shes grateful for the Taylors efforts. Greenwood said she was informed about the holiday while she served as an alderperson for East St. Louis.

(Im) just extremely proud to do something that really impacted us locally because of Terrance and Stephanie, Greenwood said. I remember being in city council, (and thinking) Juneteenth. Ive never heard of that. Every year they would come back talking about Juneteenth. Some years it got bigger, some years not many people came, but they were persistent and continuing to have those celebrations. I was just happy to be able to help them to make it a reality.

___

Source: Belleville News-Democrat, https://bit.ly/2TSTLn6
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP)  Everyone on the streets knows Sir Charles," the skinny guy with the saxophone, sunglasses, felt hat and megawatt smile. At a gig this week at the iconic Elbo Room beach bar, he danced with a soda in his hand as the bouncers teased him, the ladies applauded and patrons slipped a few dollars into his tip jar.

But after the magic of a street musician's nightlife wore off, the 63-year-old returned to a seedy Fort Lauderdale motel, laid his head on a pillow and wondered how many nights he had left with a roof over his head.

Charles Adams has spent the last three months living at a motel paid for with federal money aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 by taking homeless residents off the streets. But as hotels reopen to tourists and funding wanes, tens of thousands of homeless nationwide are being forced from the motels.

Several cities like New Orleans ended their programs months ago amid financing shortages. Experts warn there aren't enough shelter beds, which means sending many back on the streets. In one Vermont community, social workers are offering camping equipment to some homeless people no longer eligible to stay at motels come month's end.

Cities drew from various federal pots to fund the homeless hotels. The Federal Emergency Management Agency extended its funding through September, but the approval process is so arduous that many jurisdictions are not taking advantage of it.

The crunch comes as millions across the country face uncertainty over the end of a federal freeze on most evictions on July 31. The ban kept many people from being turned onto the streets during the pandemic, yet it also artificially kept many units off the market meaning less long-term housing for those already homeless.

City officials and advocacy groups are working to secure housing for the homeless leaving hotels, but its challenging. Big cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco, which put up at least 10,000 and 2,000 people respectively, face staffing shortages to help with logistics like securing the required ID documents and background checks, said Samantha Batko, senior researcher at the Urban Institute.

Additional federal resources are coming, including tens of billions of dollars from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, but it takes time to set up new programs. Experts warn there will be a lag.

Those programs are in the process of being rolled out now, and all of those resources are not in hand in communities, Batko said.

At the Fort Lauderdale motel, Adams gets free lunches and dinners, clean linens and doesn't have to hunt for a place to shower before a gig. A caseworker at the motel, which the city requested not be named because it's now open for tourists, works on scheduling mental health appointments and other social services.

Fort Lauderdale housed roughly 130 people in motels last summer until it shuttered the program amid funding shortages. Tents quickly sprang up, and the city restarted the program in April, spending $1.2 million overall.

Adams is one of roughly 50 homeless people still at the Fort Lauderdale motel. He was on the street for a year before that.

I didn't get a lot of sleep. I lost a lot of weight, he said.

The motel program was supposed to end a few weeks ago, "but we dont want to put people back on the street," said city spokeswoman Ashley Doussard. Were having a really difficult time finding places for them to go.

Families were prioritized first. That left single men like Adams. His caseworker told him he may have to go to a shelter in a couple weeks.

Gazing at his polished saxophone in its case, Adams shook his head.

I dont like it, the filthiness, thieves, drug dealers, drug addicts, he said of shelters. I cant be around people like that.

The shades were still on, as always, but in a rare moment the cool cat admitted he's worried: I don't have any other place to go.

It's a stressful picture unfolding in cities nationwide for many homeless Americans who found themselves with a stable address, often for the first time in years, during COVID-19.

New York City is moving roughly 9,000 homeless people out of hotels and back into traditional shelters now that hotels are filling with tourists.

Placing the homeless in hotels is far more expensive than congregant housing and was always a stopgap. Some states used federal pandemic money to buy hotels to use as shelters or convert into more permanent housing. California and Oregon have already acquired some and King County, Washington, is doing the same.

New Orleans housed 618 homeless people in hotels during the pandemic in a program financed by the city and state, but it ended in November amid struggles with reimbursement funding.

About 75% were placed in permanent housing, some went to emergency shelters and 87 returned to the street, joining a growing number of homeless caused by the pandemic, said Martha Kegel, executive director of the nonprofit UNITY of Greater New Orleans. The latest count from January showed nearly 500 people living on the streets of The Big Easy.

In Berlin, Vermont, David Moran will have to leave his temporary home Wednesday at the Hilltop Inn. It's been a convenient spot next to his job at an Applebees restaurant, and he wishes the voucher program would be extended.

Im not going to be able to get a shower on a regular basis, which around food is not a good thing," he said. I think there should be more available funds for people that are really trying.

Ivy LeGrand and her boyfriend camped outdoors before getting a room at the motel. Now the 35-year-old says they may have no choice but to again live in a tent.

Vermont spent $79 million on hotel vouchers, housing up to 2,000 households on some nights, but the program was not financially sustainable. The state has extended it 84 days for families with children, the disabled and other vulnerable, and is giving $2,500 checks to those no longer eligible. It's also investing $120 million to expand shelter beds and find more permanent housing.

The past year in the motel was a blessing, said LeGrand, who struggles with mental health and substance abuse issues. She and her boyfriend are considering using their checks from the state to invest in a camper.

Being here I felt like it softened me up, you know, she said of the motel. I havent had to survive outside, and its just not easy, you know. Its hell to be honest.

__

Rathke reported from Berlin, Vermont. Associated Press writers Kevin McGill in New Orleans and Tom Hays in New York City contributed to this report.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP)  In 2020, Ophelia Talley was suddenly handed the opportunity, as she saw it, to homeschool her son, Noah.

I had wanted to homeschool, and then COVID happened, and I was just like, well, were trying it! said the mom of two, who had previously sent her older son to kindergarten class in Huntsville.

Thousands of families learned at home during the pandemic. But while many returned to traditional classroom settings when schools reopened, a record number of families  and a record number of Black families, like the Talleys  opted out of school systems altogether.

Im seeing and hearing about lots of new families, said Cheryl Fields-Smith, an associate professor of education at the University of Georgia who studies the prevalence of homeschooling among African Americans in the United States. Were seeing more and more working families, and single parents  not stereotypical homeschooling situations  and theyre finding ways to make their schedules work and share resources and teach in unique ways.

Fields-Smith said that throughout their time in the New World, Black families have pursued various ways to get an education, including relying on their own educators and community, even when it was illegal to learn to read or teach others.

As a result of that heritage, she said Black families she interviews tend to have a focus on shared, cultural and oral history and a determination to claim a better education for their children. Homeschooling is one way to push against public school systems that are often segregated and report poor outcomes for Black children.

During slavery, if an African American slave learned how to read and write, they didnt keep it to themselves, they found ways to secretly teach each other, she said. We have always been teaching ourselves for the uplift of our people.

SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN BLACK HOMESCHOOLERS

Over the past year, a statistically significant number of Black households started homeschooling at least one child, moving the total number of households nationally from 3% to 16%, according to Sarah Grady, a statistician with the U.S. Department of Education, who spoke at a recent Harvard Kennedy School discussion.

Its tough to know how many families nationally might stick with homeschooling as pandemic restrictions ease, but substantial enrollment shifts could devastate public school funding and produce long-term effects.

Fierce debates around the country around in-person and remote learning efforts during the pandemic often cited virtual learnings impact on minority children and families. Yet Black families have been highly skeptical of efforts to return to in-person learning and have reported high levels of concern about potential health risks of sending children back to school buildings.

At least some chose not just to stay remote, but to stay at home for good.

Its tough to know exactly how many families homeschool in Alabama and across the country  definitions and state laws change, and Alabama has not required registration of homeschooled students for years  but recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that rates have grown substantially since the start of the pandemic.

Responses to a new survey from the bureau indicate 11.1% of households with school-age children were homeschooling nationally in October 2020, double the amount of the prior year. The bureau attempted to hone in on families conducting true homeschooling, not just learning virtually through a public or private school.

In Alabama, 12% of families reported homeschooling in October 2020, against 5% that spring.

Homeschooling increased across all ethnic groups, with five times the number of Black households making the transition.

Schools today tend to be test-oriented and standards-based, and home educators have more flexibility to focus on their childrens interests; they tend to try and spend more time on them, Fields-Smith said. But I also think the other piece of this is African American parents wanting their children to be validated and affimed in who they are  to talk about their beauty, their possibilities  and to see being African American from a positive view, not a negative view.

On social media, Christal Gamble  who shares homeschooling tips and curriculum at @mamasweetbaby  frequently uses the hashtag #BlackHistory365.

Hes not learning about Africa like its one country; hes learning about the whole continent. Hes learning all 54 countries and their capitals, Gamble said of her six-year-old, Cash Banks. We talk about #BlackHistory365. Its an everyday component. Kids are being confronted earlier and earlier with racial issues, and with teaching at home, thats one area where I can make sure he has a strong foundation and is confident in himself.

Years earlier, Gamble began dedicating time to work with Cash on reading, math, Spanish and other subjects even before he went to Pre-K. When Cashs congenital heart condition became reason to keep him home last school year, switching to homeschool full-time wasnt that much of a transition. Gamble works in sales, and both mother and son now work and learn at home.

Im fine with the school system, theres nothing wrong with the school system, she said  she herself graduated from Madison Citys high school and her older sons still attend public school. But, yeah, COVID definitely gave me a pause to go ahead and pull the youngest completely out. I knew we wouldnt be going back anytime soon, and I already knew he learned well at home.

Now, she and Cash dedicate time to learning math facts and geography. She tries to speak exclusively in Spanish for part of the day  in the morning, which means he knows a lot of words for breakfast foods.

The parent is the childs first teacher, she said. If you establish that relationship and make the bond very strong, youve got something to work with and you can always learn together.

JUST HAVING THAT OTHER PERSON THAT LOOKS LIKE YOU

Over the past year, new homeschooling families found others on social media.

Talley had met Gamble years earlier through her work as a lactation consultant, and they reconnected over social media recently. Talley frequently mentions homeschooling on her Instagram, @ophelia.t.iam.

Then I noticed (Gamble) was learning from home, and shes just been an integral part in telling me that I can do this. Just having that other person that looks like you  is so important.

Just as Talley and Gamble found each other online, Talley also virtually connected with another Black mom in the Birmingham area, Krystin Godfrey.

Godfrey began homeschooling her oldest daughter four years ago, after a move made a commute to their old public school untenable.

We really couldnt find a new school that we were satisfied with, so we decided to try homeschooling, said Godfrey, who was a teacher before becoming a stay-at-home mom and turning to blogging at @growingupgodfrey. I had an idea of how to teach and Ive taught in the classroom before, so we decided to give it a go, and we absolutely kept going.

Having homeschooling friends who parent Black and biracial children helped her see what was possible, she said.

It was like almost a mental block for me to get to the point of quitting my job, even though I knew I wanted to stay home with my kids, she said. I didnt know I was going to homeschool. But I knew that I wanted to be home. It still took me months to get my brain ready to process the fact that I was going to quit my job and do it.

Godfrey checks her curriculum and her childrens progress against Alabamas state education standards, so that if one decides to go back to a traditional classroom, theyll be on track. In fact, this fall, her oldest daughter will return to public school for seventh grade.

Its something that weve prayed about every year and has always been on the table, Godfrey said. She plans to continue working with her younger children at home.

Godfrey said she enjoys homeschooling and advises new families to think about it as a way to focus on the kids talents, rather than a burdensome checklist.

LOVE, MEMORIES AND EXPERIENCES

Similar advice, given by Gamble a few weeks into the Talley family homeschooling effort, was incredibly welcome, Ophelia Talley said.

At first, we started out with a strict homeschool schedule, and it was extremely stressful for me and for my kids, she said. It was ridiculous. So I actually reached out to Christal, and she was like no, youre stressing everyone out, you should only be doing an hour a day, maybe two.

Since then, the Talleys have eased into a gentler pace, often directed by the interests of Noah, who is 7, and Joseph, who is 5. The boys love learning about math problems and animals, and Ophelia works in her own interests too, such as moon phases and cycles.

She and her husband, who works a full-time job in addition to entrepreneurial efforts, split teaching duties.

Even though I have a full-time job Im also a full-time parent, Aaron Talley said. Theres definitely a part of me that misses that time I would have if they were in a traditional school setting. But the love, memories and experiences I get to make with my children on their learning journey is extraordinary.

Parents often talk about how to socialize homeschooled children, Ophelia said, but even though her children werent in traditional classrooms during the school year, she set up online camps and playdates for them.

Homeschooling began as a reaction to COVID adjustments, Ophelia said, but her family is settling into the system and is beginning to plan for the long term by looking for a nanny or tutor.

Gamble said she and her husband plan to keep her son at home for several years, but could envision him re-entering the public school system for high school.

Well take it year by year, and if he wants to go back, we will, she said. Hes always going to be learning something at home.
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP)  Johnny Woodard could feel his life slowly slipping away.

In November of 2020, the Horse Cave resident was admitted to The Medical Center at Bowling Green with a severe case of COVID-19.

A few months into his battle with the virus, Woodards health took a turn for the worse. The 50-year-old was on a ventilator and had undergone numerous surgeries.

He was beginning to lose hope.

Thats when his physician, Dr. Ghayth Hammad, made a promise to his patient while his medical team surrounded his hospital bed.

I looked him right in the eyes and told him right then not only was he going to beat COVID, but that we were going to get a beer together when it was all over, Hammad said.

After a battle spanning seven months, Woodard, once again surrounded by his nurses and physicians, was able to see Hammads promise come to fruition last Friday afternoon at Pub by Novo in Bowling Green.

He had finally defeated the deadly virus that has killed more than 600,000 Americans.

The group lifted their drinks in celebration and toasted to Woodards health. He then joyfully took a sip from a cold beer for the first time in months.

This is my smile, Woodard said with a large, thankful grin. Its been a long time since Ive had a beer. God is just so good.

Seated on each side of Woodard were the two people who spent the most time by his side through his fight  Hammad and Med Center Health Clinic Manager Tracy Metzger.

Im just so grateful for them. They took care of me, Woodard said. It was so difficult every day. These two helped me every step of the way. And the grace of God really got me through it as well.

Hammad said Woodard lost over 150 pounds throughout his battle. He also had to undergo a tracheotomy and was fed by a feeding tube while also being placed on a ventilator.

But despite the many bad days, there were still several occasions when Woodards vibrant persona shined through.

Johnnys personality is bigger than life, Metzger said. He always had a joke for us. He loves to rile up everybody and stir the pot. We had a lot of fun with him. But at the same time, we took care of him and we wiped his tears.

Metzger says she will never forget the day Hammad made his promise. It was that moment that changed the course of Woodards health.

This is definitely a long-standing lunch date. I really didnt know if he would make it, she said. To see him breathing on his own is a miracle. Its remarkable to see him today and to hear his voice. It gives me cold chills.

Woodards impact was not only felt by Metzger but by Hammad, who called his recovery an inspiration for everyone at The Med Center.

He is just a normal, average guy who happens to have a big heart, Hammad said. Even with all the frustration he had to go through, he responded very well to encouragement.

Hammad is an independent physician from Morgantown who assisted with the Med Centers response to the pandemic.

After serving the region for the past 22 years, Hammad hopes Woodards story can bring encouragement to COVID-19 patients and anyone else going through a hard time due to the pandemic.

I think it shows that you should not give up, and hard work pays off, Hammad said. It takes a lot of hard work to get through what he did. Even though we had a lot of setbacks and failures, we were patient and we worked as team. We achieved something through teamwork.

While he can safely go back out in public, Woodard is still rehabbing and recovering from his months-long fight.

And while there is still work to be done, the patient with a big heart now has hope for the days ahead.

I wouldnt know what to tell people, but I made it, Woodard said of his journey. You just got to believe in yourself.
NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (AP)  An inmate from central Indiana was back in custody after he walked away from a work release program earlier this month, according to Indiana State Police.

Rafael Rosa III of Noblesville was serving time in Hamilton County for burglary and theft-related convictions when he escaped during a work release program on June 18.
MELBOURNE, Fla. (AP)  When the 363-foot Saturn V rocket ignited its five engines to send the crew of Apollo 14  including Americas first man in space, Alan Shepard  on their lunar mission, something rather unusual was on board.

TODAY, founded by Al Neuharth just five years earlier, was going to the moon.

It was a big deal but shoot, this was TODAY newspaper, we can do anything, recalled David Baker, whose father, Buddy Baker, was TODAYs community service director and arranged the papers out-of-this-world trip.

The plot appears to have been hatched over cocktails and jazz in the presence of legendary drummer Buddy Rich at Lee Carons Carnival Club in Cocoa Beach.

A photo captures Baker, wearing a sport coat and striped tie with a pen sticking out of his chest pocket, shaking hands with Shepard, more casual in a polo shirt. Rich, grinning like he knows a secret, stands alongside them. On the wall behind the three men, giving a clue to the location: framed photos of clowns.

Thanks for the photo of Buddy Rich, Shepard tells Baker in a handwritten letter on personal stationery dated Aug. 2, 1970.

Then Shepard gets right to the point, noting that he hasnt yet finalized the goodies to the moon and will consider your suggestion. Each astronaut was allowed a personal allowance of items to carry with them.

It would seem the local paper should be a strong contender, however, Shepard added, asking Baker to send the microfilm along just in case. Hed add it to the list if at all possible, Shepard wrote, underlining all four words.

Confirmation came Dec. 15, 1970: A more formal letter addressed to Baker from Shepard, typed on letterhead from NASAs Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, gave the endeavor the green light.

I reaffirm that I intend to take the total films of TODAY with me on Apollo 14. I hope that you will be able to publicize this after the flight since so many of your readers are directly responsible for its success, Shepard wrote, underlining the word after.

It was the pinnacle of his career, Bakers other son, Bill, recalled recently, of his fathers coup.

Baker drew the praise of Neuharth, who would start USA TODAY in 1982 and run the Gannett Company.

Neuharth, in his book Confessions of an S.O.B., said hed dreamed up the idea of bringing TODAY to the moon as soon as Neil Armstrong made his one giant leap for mankind onto the lunar surface. TODAY belonged there. It was a paper conceived to be a trailblazer: big photos, short and snappy stories, a fresh look rather than the old standard newspaper columns crammed tightly together.

But Neuharth kept being told no. He went to James Webb, former head of NASA, a Gannett director at the time and a good friend. But the idea got a laugh, and Neuharth wrote he was told: No commercial products allowed.

So Neuharth took his ask straight to the top: President Lyndon B. Johnson, whom hed hosted for a community breakfast when the president toured the Cape.

But again, no.

Undeterred, Neuharth said he turned to Baker and told him to find a way.

After all, it was Bakers job as the man in charge of newspaper promotion.

It turns out Baker was the perfect choice. Those who worked with Baker recalled that he had a way about him. He was a risk taker and won you over.

It also helped that Baker was plugged into the Space Coast community. Hed previously penned a column: Brevard After Dark. He knew all the hot spots, and was a regular at the Carnival Club and a friend of the clubs owner, Lee Caron. If Baker wanted an introduction to Shepard, hed be just the person to get one.

Baker was known for his infectious staccato laugh, his encyclopedic knowledge of plays and movies and his zest for life  just the kind of guy to persuade an American hero to do something the president of the United States had, according to Neuharth, called impossible.

Do me a favor and make me a big shot with my boss, Baker asked Shepard, according to Neuharth.

Shepard obliged.

But it was Shepards wish that TODAYs trip remain secret until he and his crew returned. Shepard was also bringing along with him The Christian Science Monitor and, reportedly, a Houston paper.

At 4:03 p.m. Jan. 31, 1971, after a 40-minute delay due to a band of rain clouds, the Saturn V lifted off from launch pad 39A, carrying Shepard, Command Module Pilot Stuart Roosa, Lunar Module Pilot Edgar Mitchell and a film copy of TODAYs special 24-page section, Mans Odyssey to the Moon.

It was an edition  billed as A Space Age History  jam-packed with stories and photos about the Apollo program and moon landing.

The trip to the moon wasnt uneventful. The crew struggled to get the lunar module to dock with the command module, a nail-biting problem that might have loomed even larger considering Apollo 13s abandoned moon landing was fresh on everyones mind.

If the problem couldnt be fixed, another moon landing would be in jeopardy.

But the sixth docking attempt worked, and now the crew were on their way to the moon.

The moment Buddy Baker had been waiting for came early in the morning Feb. 5, 1971, when Shepard and Mitchell landed in the Frau Mauro highlands on the lunar surface.

When the Antares touched down on the moon Friday morning, if you heard a faint noise, it was the Ya-Hoo! I shouted in the TODAY newsroom, Baker later wrote Shepard. All of the editors cheered, but none so loudly as me.

The honor you bestowed upon this newspaper by making it first on the moon is one that I shall never forget; it will remain the personal highlight of my journalism career just as the mission highlights your own.

Neuharth called Bakers coup (Neuharths word for it): The biggest single promotional stunt Gannett has ever pulled.

Baker won the top promotion award from the nations largest newspaper trade publication, Editor & Publisher.

TODAY ran a Page 1A story headlined TODAY First on Moon, informing their readers. They also ran some promotional advertisements, and TODAY made an 8x11-sized reprint of that special edition available for purchase by readers. Bill Baker remembered that the paper had a little fun, too, adding a newspaper delivery box to a graphic theyd produced of two astronauts with the American flag on the moon (although that appears to have been only displayed for in-house parties).

But the story of TODAY on the moon doesnt end there.

Baker had expected Shepard to leave the newspaper film on the moon. As David Baker put it, Shepard would have become the first space age paper boy.

At least that was the idea.

But Shepard brought the film back with him; that was common at the time, a trip by anything to and from the moon added value and perhaps thats what Shepard was thinking.

On March 22,1971, a package from Manned Spacecraft Center arrived at the TODAY office in Cocoa. Inside: a little brown tube carrying microfilm of the TODAY edition that, Shepard confirmed in a letter, went with Antares to the lunar surface.

Baker was gifted the second frame from the film  page 2  an honor that he preserved, and his sons continue to cherish.

It seems only fitting.

At the time, a newsmans life was one of incredibly long hours and much time away from family; the job demanded it. Bakers sons recalled their dad sleeping when they woke for school and still putting the paper to bed long after they climbed into bed themselves. Baker even set up an Associated Press teletype at home so he would never miss a news story.

During the 60s and the 70s, many kids in Brevard essentially sacrificed their dads to the space program because of the long hours and although our dad did not work at the Cape, we too basically gave our father to the space program because of the hours at the newspaper, David said.

Both sons wove journalism into their own lives. David Baker, now 62, started one of the first trade magazines on the web although he acknowledges Im afraid Ill never be able to top my dads having put a newspaper on the moon. Bill Baker, 61, became a successful graphic artist at several Gannett newspapers including the then-new USA TODAY, where he helped to mold its signature infographics (space aficionados also might recognize him as the artist behind FLORIDA TODAYs Space Shuttle Scrapbook, still an eBay collectors item).

Buddy Bakers successful career with Gannett continued as he went on to the Pensacola newsroom. Four years later, in 1978, Neuharth asked Baker to come back to Brevard, where Baker led the newspapers evolution into FLORIDA TODAY. Baker later would lead Gannett papers in Shreveport, Louisiana and Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He died of lung cancer on Fathers Day 1991, just a few weeks after turning 55.

Buddy was one of a kind, John Curley, then-head of Gannett, said of Baker in an obituary published by the Associated Press.

And in what might be the most fitting eulogy ever, Curley added: Wherever he worked, he took the newspaper to new heights.
SRINAGAR, India (AP)  Indian officials said Sunday they suspect explosives-laden drones were used to attack an air base in the disputed region of Kashmir, calling it the first such incident of its kind in India.

Dilbagh Singh, the region's police director-general, told the private news channel New Delhi Television that drones with payload were used in both the blasts." Singh called the attack an act of terrorism.

Two soldiers were lightly wounded in the explosions, according to a military officer who spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with military regulations.

India's air force tweeted that the attack caused minor damage to a building on the base, located in the southern city of Jammu in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir, while the second blast hit an open area. It said no military equipment was damaged.

The incident, if proven to have been carried out by anti-India rebels, would mark a major shift in strategy against New Delhi. Rebels have primarily used classic guerrilla tactics such as ambushes, hit-and-run attacks, remote-controlled explosions and car bombings.

Lt. Gen. D.S. Hooda, who was head of the Indian militarys Northern Command from 2014 to 2016 which covers Kashmir, said Sundays potential drone strike poses a "huge and serious challenge for the security apparatus. He said commercial drones are easily available on the market and dont need advanced technology to be used in attacks.

Drones have a small visual signature and traditional radars hardly pick them up, Hooda said. It will require a whole range of new modifications for the military to intercept and defuse these kinds of attacks.

Muslim-majority Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan, and the Himalayan region is claimed by both in its entirety. Rebels have been fighting against Indian rule since 1989. Most Muslim Kashmiris support the rebel goal that the territory be united either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.

New Delhi deems Kashmir militancy to be Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Pakistan denies the charge, and most Kashmiris call it a legitimate freedom struggle.

Both countries claim to have shot down spy drones in the parts of Kashmir under their respective control.

The air base in Jammu is also used as a civilian airport, and the Press Trust of India news agency quoted the airports director, Pravat Ranjan Beuria, as saying there was no disruption to civilian flights.

Indian authorities said forensic investigators were surveying the area, and were later joined by the country's premier anti-terrorism agency, the National Investigating Agency.

Last week, Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a crucial meeting with pro-India politicians from Kashmir for the first time since New Delhi stripped the regions semi-autonomy and imposed a slew of administrative changes, which many likened to the beginning of settler colonialism.

Indian authorities in recent years have raised the possibility of drone attacks by rebels in the region, especially after repeatedly accusing Pakistan of using China-made drones along the frontier to drop weapons packages for militant groups since last year.

Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the conflict.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP)  Authorities in North Carolina were investigating an apartment fire that killed a 10-month-old child and a 21-year-old man and critically injured an 18-year-old woman early Sunday.

The Winston-Salem Journal reports that the woman was taken to a hospital to be treated for life-threatening injuries.
WATERLOO, Iowa (AP)  An Iowa woman has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison for stealing roughly half a million dollars from her husband's ailing aunt.

Kimberly Anny Henny was sentenced Friday to five years and 10 months in prison for taking advantage of her husband's aunt, who was blind and suffered from diminished cognitive abilities. The 53-year-old Waterloo woman was also ordered to pay $494,724 in restitution.
LAS VEGAS (AP)  Police are searching for a suspect after a deadly shooting at a bar in Las Vegas.

They said a man walked up to the victim and shot him around 3 a.m. Sunday before leaving the bar.

The suspect and victim both were in the bar separately for several hours before the shooting and there appeared to be no interaction between the two men before the shooting, according to police.

They said the Clark County Coroners Office will release the identity of the victim, who appeared to be in his 20s.
CHICAGO (AP)  Officials at Lincoln Park Zoo hope a $41 million renovation will make the former lion house into the new centerpiece of the facility.

The Pepper Family Wildlife Center is slated to open to the public later this fall, according to zoo officials, but an exact date hasn't been announced. The Chicago Tribune reports that the lions' new habitat will provide twice as much space, including trees and elevated rocks for climbing.
AZUSA, Calif. (AP)  Police fatally shot a man Sunday afternoon in California's San Gabriel Valley, authorities said.

The man, whose name was not immediately released, was pronounced dead at the scene in Azusa around 1 p.m.

At least one officer, believed to be a member of the Azusa Police Department, opened fire in the shooting, officials said. Detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department are assisting in the investigation, as is typical when such shootings occur in smaller police departments.

Authorities did not immediately say what led to the shooting.

Azusa is about 25 miles (40.23 kilometers) northeast of downtown Los Angeles.
LIVERMORE, Calif. (AP)  A 32-year-old man wanted by San Francisco police as a suspect in two fatal shootings was arrested Saturday in Livermore, the KNTV station reported.

Robert Newt was arrested by Livermore police officers on two warrants, one for murder, and the second for murder and attempted murder, authorities said. Newt also had a federal warrant issued for firearms-related charges.
GASTONIA, N.C. (AP)  Timothy Caudills resume includes four years of active and four years inactive reserve time serving America as a Marine, including a seven-month deployment in the Middle East.

After leaving the Marine Corps in November 2011, the 2005 Forestview High graduate spent time as a staffer for California Democratic Congressman Scott Peters, working to help veterans like himself get the benefits they earned.

Now back in Gaston County, the 34-year-old Caudill will take on a new challenge as chairman of Gaston County Democrats for Equality, a group representing members of the LGBT community related to political, social and equality issues.

We are here to support the community of Gaston County, said Caudill. We want to help make it the best place possible and to heal the community from years of political polarization, not to further the divide.

LGBT ACTIVISM

Caudill jointed the Marines after high school and the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001  attacks which saw the World Trade Centers twin towers destroyed and the Pentagon heavily damaged.

After 9/11 shook all of our lives, I felt that serving my country was far more important than any personal desire, Caudill said, so I leaned heavily into the more traditional sense of sexuality. However, part of my identity started to take a toll on my mental health.

Caudill began volunteering at a LGBT community center after leaving the Marines.

As years went on, my identity crisis came to a head and surpassed and today I identify as a veteran and as a member of the LGBT community, he said.

He wants to help the LGBT community, he said, because he remembers the hateful speech he has had to endure, including people telling him to go to hell or that he would die of AIDS.

MILITARY LIFE

Caudill had done little traveling and felt his life experiences could fit in a small bubble up until he joined the Marines.

I joined the Marine Corps and I had a ship out date within a month, he said.

He would be far from his idea of a small bubble after being deployed to the Middle East.

I really liked that I got to meet the King of Jordan (Abdullah II) and got invited to do a multi-country special forces competition, Caudill said. It was a super unique experience since 99% of those deployed dont get to experience things like that.

But leaving the regimented military life and returning to the daily activities of a civilian proved difficult for Caudill. To him, it felt like being pushed.

Going from active duty to being a civilian is one of the most challenging things anyone can go through, he says. Youre going from a highly socialized environment where everyone is well-behaved and well-trained on a daily basis and the civilian world is a bit psychotic with how people treat each other.

LIFE TRANSITION

Caudill was happy to land in a job helping veterans as part of Congressman Peters constituent services staff after leaving the military.

It was eye-opening because I was representing a congressman to Veterans Affairs, Caudill said. I did a lot of work with constituents to help them get the benefits that they need.

Caudills focus would change just before he would leave his position helping veterans.

Two nights before my last day with the fellowship as a staffer, this man randomly tried to stab my friend, but I jumped in the way to protect him, Caudill said. I was stabbed nine times. Four muscles were severely damaged or separated. I was on bed rest for three months.

Instead of becoming bitter about what had happened, Caudill learned something about his attacker. The man who had stabbed him was homeless and on drugs, Caudill said.

I started speaking out about drug abuse and mental health in the gay community, he said. We try to pretend like it isnt there, but it impacts every area of our community.

Caudill has degrees in exercise physiology and political science and government from San Diego City and Mesa colleges. He also has a bachelors degree from National University in organizational leadership and organizational behavioral studies with an associates of arts degree in education from Gaston College.

He now works at Cavendish Brewery.

It is in my nature to be of service, Caudill said. As a gay man and a USMC veteran, it is important to me now more than ever to bring people together.

I want to participate in this amazing democracy that so many have fought and died for.

To get involved with the Gaston County Democrats for Equality, email the organization at LGBTGCD@gmail.com.
NEW YORK (AP)  Cardi B's WAP had new meaning at the BET Awards: winning and pregnant.

The Grammy-winning star debuted her baby bump during a live performance Sunday alongside husband Offset as well as Quavo and Takeoff of Migos. She also won video of the year for her Megan Thee Stallion-assisted No. 1 hit WAP."

Cardi B didn't stay to accept the honor at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, but Megan Thee Stallion rushed to the stage to pick up the award, forgetting to thank Cardi during her speech.

But the Savage" rapper made up for it when she won best female hip-hop artist moments later.

I really forgot to say thank you Cardi' for even putting me on WAP' because it makes me feel so good to be acknowledged by one of my peers, who I think so highly of," said Megan Thee Stallion, who was the big winner of the night with four trophies. I think so highly of all the women who was nominated in this category."

Along with celebrating female artists, the BET Awards also highlighted gay pride with a seductive performance by Lil Nas X and Queen Latifah, who thanked her reported partner and son when she accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award.

As she rattled on thank you's, she said: Ebony, my love, Rebel, my love." The 51-year-old ended with: Peace! Happy pride!"

Queen Latifah was honored for her illustrious career as a Grammy-winning rapper, a Golden Globe-winning actor and an Emmy-winning TV producer. Rapsody and Monie Love kicked off the tribute with a performance of Ladies First, which was followed by Lil Kim and MC Lyte rapping the classic U.N.I.T.Y.

Lil Nas X won over the crowd with his No. 1 hit Montero (Call Me By Your Name), which ended with the rapper locking lips with a male background dancer, as the crowd roared loudly. Some audience members jumped out of their seats in praise.

His stage was set in Ancient Egypt, much like Michael Jacksons Remember the Time, which Lil Nas X paid tribute to with a skilled dance break during the performance.

Mothers were also saluted during the three-hour-plus show: Queen Latifah, who attended with her father, held a photo on her mother onstage; Megan Thee Stallion remembered her mother, who died in 2019, during her speech: She cant be here with me today but I still think about her everyday and she is the reason why I keep going." And Jazmine Sullivan  who won album of the year for her critically acclaimed EP Heaux Tales"  attended the show with her mother, who is battling cancer.

My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago so we didnt see any of this happening, but God has been so faithful to us and my mom is in remission, she said. This is my prize. This is my gift. It means more to me than anything that shes here with me. She supported me all my life.

The ceremony was dedicated to the year of the Black woman," as actor and host Taraji P. Henson put at the top of the show. Rep. Maxine Waters said her signature phrase  reclaiming my time"  before Sullivan hit the stage for a sultry, top-notch performance featuring fellow R&B singer Ari Lennox. The first award of the night went to Andra Day, who won best actress, while Darnella Frazier  the teenager who pulled out her cellphone and began recording when she saw George Floyd being pinned to the ground by a police officer  was given the Shine a Light Award.

Frazier didnt attend the awards show but the honor came weeks after she was awarded a special citation by the Pulitzer Prizes for her video that helped to launch a global movement to protest racial injustice.

H.E.R., who also wowed the audience with her performance, won best female R&B/pop artist. The Grammy winner told the crowd that it is important for us to recognize each other and celebrate each other."

If we dont, who else will?" she added.

Rapper Lil Baby won best male hip-hop artist and joined forces with gospel artist Kirk Franklin to kick off the show with a performance that got Issa Rae, Queen Latifah, DJ Khaled and Zendaya bouncing in their seats.

Swizz Beatz curated the tribute to DMX, who died in April at age 50. Performers included Busta Rhymes, Method Man, The Lox, Michael K. Williams and Griselda.

Other winners Sunday included Chris Brown, who won best male R&B/pop artist; Giveon, named best new artist; and Silk Sonic  the duo of Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak  took home the best group award. Chadwick Boseman posthumously won best actor.
MIAMI (AP)  For 10 years, Norlando Saavedra left his house in Kendall at 4 a.m. to arrive at the Fontainebleau Resort in Miami Beach by 5 a.m. The 58-year-old worked for eight hours making omelets, bacon, waffles and pancakes for hotel guests. Then, he got back into his car and drove to the Hilton Double Tree Hotel in Doral, where he worked from 2 until 10 p.m. making tacos, hamburgers, pizzas and churrascos. Most days, he arrived home at 11 p.m.

Two jobs. Sixteen hour days. Six days a week.

It took both jobs for Saavedra to earn close to the $31.41 per hour that, according to MITs calculator, constitutes the full-time living wage needed in Miami-Dade to cover his familys basic needs. The Fontainebleau paid him $16.83 per hour, or $35,006 per year for 40 hours per week. The Hilton paid him $14 per hour, or $29,120 per year for 40 hours per week. MIT figures the local living wage ranges from $33,441 and $105,804 per year, depending on how many adults in the household are working and how many kids they have.

Most days, Saavedra said, he felt more like a machine than a person, moving mindlessly from his bed, to his car, to the windowless hotel kitchens and back again.

One of the things I learned during the pandemic is that Im a human being, Im a professional, he said.

For weary, strapped hotel workers like Saavedra, the back to normal promise of the COVID-19 vaccine holds little allure. After suffering the shock of abrupt layoffs in March 2020 when hotels closed, many workers say they are now reevaluating what they need from employers.

Meanwhile, South Floridas critical hospitality industry  like many low-wage sectors  is struggling to find enough workers to keep the beds made and the dinners served. The national leisure and hospitality workforce was 15% smaller in March 2021 than in March 2020, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Although Miamis hotel room rates and occupancy levels have rebounded, the local leisure and hospitality workforce was still 24% smaller in March than the year before.

The shortage has already boosted wages. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, average hourly pay for leisure and hospitality employees nationwide increased from $17.24, or $35,859 per year for 40 hours per week, in January 2021 to $18.09, or $37,627 per year for 40 hours per week, in May 2021. But thats still far shy of a living wage for many  a reality that hit home for workers during the forced inactivity of the pandemic, leaving them time to search for jobs closer to home, with better schedules or benefits, or higher wages.

The normal has to be transformed, said Jamila Michener associate professor of government at Cornell University and the co-director of Cornell Center for Health Equity. The way to transform it is to realize that there were and continue to be deep inequities built into the norm. When we talk about returning to normal, were talking about returning to a state of profound inequality and suffering for people who have less.

As customers come roaring back from pandemic paralysis ready to spend record savings, hotel room rates are climbing and wages should rise too, said Alex Horenstein, an assistant professor of economics at Miami Herbert Business School at the University of Miami, who studies behavioral economics. In May, the average daily rate for hotel rooms in Miami was $236.07, according to STR, a hospitality data analytics firm. Thats up 34% from pre-pandemic May 2019, when the average daily rate was $176.70.

We will go back to a new normal with higher salaries and higher prices, said Horenstein. These are the natural dynamics of the economy. If they are not going to accommodate the salaries to the new economic reality, they are going to have trouble hiring.

But not all hotels are confident they can raise prices enough to offer competitive salaries. Thats especially true for small properties with much thinner profit margins than the large, international chains.

Jamila Ross, co-owner of The Copper Door bed and breakfast and Rosies pop-up restaurant in Overtown, flinches when she sees job ads for bussers and servers offering $18 an hour and signing bonuses. The hotel has just 22 rooms and the restaurant has 25 seats.

Being the lower person on the totem pole, its a little frightening, she said. Thats really tough for us.

TWO JOBS REQUIRED

The narrative being pushed by the Associated Industries of Florida, the lobbying group for some of the states largest businesses, is that workers are sitting on the couch collecting unemployment instead of working. Jobless Floridians will soon lose additional support; Gov. Ron DeSantis has cut off $300 per week in federal COVID-19 relief funds theyve been receiving on top of the states unemployment assistance of $275 per week. The change takes place June 26.

The hotel workers interviewed for this story said they are all back at work or expect to be soon. But not all are back at their old jobs  or even in hotels.

Of the 11 South Florida hotel workers interviewed for this story, three are back in their pre-pandemic hotel jobs or planning to return soon, five have switched to hospitality jobs that pay more or provide housing or quicker promotions, two have found hospitality jobs outside Miami and one has left the industry.

When Saavedra got the call from the Fontainebleau to return to work in March, he was already working two new jobs  mornings at MKT Kitchen in Coral Gables making $14 per hour, and evenings at the Rusty Pelican on Virginia Key making $20 per hour. The Fontainebleau said they would pay him his pre-pandemic wage, but the hotel couldnt guarantee he would always have his morning shift. Without that fixed schedule, Saavedra cant maintain his second job. Soon hell move to a different Miami Beach hotel in the mornings making $17.50 an hour; the hotel also will pay a portion of his health insurance premium, as did the Fontainebleau.

The insurance plans offered by large hotels are a plus, Saavedra said, but if neither of his jobs offer it, hell buy a plan on the public exchange.

I thought that the Fontainebleau was the only place. I was scared to go look for a higher wage, he said. But now we dont have to keep going with our heads down.

Another former Fontainebleau employee, Ernest Taylor turned down the hotel for the same scheduling reason. By the time the Fontainebleau called him back in May offering his pre-pandemic $16.85 per hour wage, Taylor, 40, had already started as a cook at the Hotel Maren in Fort Lauderdale Beach making $16 per hour. Still, he has to work a second, full-time job cooking at the Marlins stadium loanDepot Park, making $15 per hour, to cover his basic needs. His wife also works two full-time customer service jobs.

After 18 years working in the hospitality industry, Taylor hopes for a promotion somewhere that will allow him to have one job.

Im most concerned about how many jobs I actually have to have, he said. The work is not the issue for me, its how many jobs I have to have to support what I need to support.

For Herman Gonzalez, 59, an 18-year employee at the Diplomat Hotel, returning to work will be bittersweet.

As head captain of the steakhouse and a sommelier, Gonzalez figures with tips he earns $25 per hour, or $52,000 per year for 40 hours per week.

After he was laid off in March 2020, hes stayed away from work, fearing that his high blood pressure will put him a greater risk if he catches COVID-19 in cramped kitchen environments from others who arent vaccinated, even though he is. The break has allowed him to exercise regularly and go to sleep before midnight for the first time in decades.

But when he gets the call to return to work at the hotel, which just reopened June 1, Gonzalez said hell go.

Its like choosing between life and death for a paycheck, he said. Im still afraid of getting infected... I think I have to choose the paycheck, Im not going to have a choice really.

A WAKE-UP CALL

Hotels have long struggled to retain low-wage workers and have traditionally relied on J-1 visa recipients to work seasonally. In Miami, hospitality workers are further strained by a dismal public transportation infrastructure, expensive tourism-zone parking fees, and expensive childcare options that make holding onto a hotel job difficult.

Still, employers are finding the worker shortage jarring.

Managers and representatives at some of the areas largest hotels  Fontainebleau, Loews, Intercontinental  interviewed recently say they are taking a hard look at wages; some are offering bonuses to employees who refer others who get hired. But mostly they are hoping workers return to their same jobs, which offer health benefits  a rarity in hospitality  and a foot in the door in a cut-throat industry.

Glenn Sampert, general manager at the InterContinental in downtown Miami, has been plugging holes himself, jumping in to help the hotels short-staffed operations team. So far the hotel has not raised wages and is focusing recruitment efforts on promoting its benefits package, which includes a 401k, and opportunities to move up into management roles, he said.

The opportunity for advancement is there. Its not just about the starting wage, said Sampert. Its more about the opportunity, the quality of the benefits.

But not all hotels are feeling the same pinch. The Diplomat Hotel, Broward Countys largest, has been slowly welcoming back its pre-pandemic workforce since reopening this month. General manager Laurens Zieren said most workers want to return. The hotel has studied its workers ZIP codes and is considering a shuttle service that could alleviate the high cost of getting to work, he said.

The pandemic has made The Betsy Hotel owner Jonathan Plutzik more acutely aware of his staffs sacrifices. He said he has raised wages, but other systemic barriers, like transportation and childcare, will have to be tackled city-wide to really make Miami Beach hotel jobs viable, long-term careers for people starting out today.

Its not a stroke of the pen resolution, he said. Some of it is money, some of it is transportation, some of it is school, some of it is public health.

Ross, the co-owner of The Copper Door and Rosies, longs for the day she is able to pay workers a living wage with benefits. Throughout the pandemic, she and her co-owner and husband Akino West have worked housekeeping and cooking shifts alongside their eight-person staff to keep the business afloat.

The pandemic forced workers to stop and think about what they need for the first time, Ross said, and served as a wake up call for employers.

We are used to working days on end until we literally cant anymore, she said. People are recognizing that having quality time with family, going on vacation, these are things that I value....We need to take better care of our workers.

As a first step, she would like to see more grant funding for small businesses and help from large insurance companies to provide her employees with medical and dental coverage.

She tries to hire workers that can walk to the hotel, and her goal is to make sure that each worker is promoted so that when they move on, theyre able to land managerial roles with higher wages. After busy weekends, Ross offers bonuses to workers, and she hopes that securing a liquor license for Rosies will bring in more income and allow her to boost wages.

Ross transparency is part of what drew Jason Uzhca, 21, to Rosies. He turned down a call back in May to his cook job at the Fontainebleau, which paid him nearly $15 per hour, in favor of a job at Rosies making $12.50 per hour. Uzhca has some financial help from his parents and scholarship money to finish his nutrition degree at Johnson & Wales.

He said the pandemic shifted his priorities.

One of the things I realized is it doesnt matter how big of a name or small of a business it is, its the people you work for, he said. (At Rosies) theyre always trying to be better. That type of energy is really motivating.

NEW NORMAL

For now, employers will have to compete for workers by offering higher salaries or richer perks  meaning they will have to reduce their profit margins, boost prices for customers, or shrink their staffs.

And while that may cause a strain for businesses, employers are better equipped to handle that financial stress with access to bank loans than low wage workers, argues Michener, the Cornell professor.

The alternative is that working people are taking the losses, she said. For us to look at the people who have the least to constantly bear the burden of the economy because we want employers to be comfortable, its not really right. We want people in a position where people choose to do whats good for them and their family instead of doing anything to make a bare-subsistence living.

Miamis hotel industry recovery has been quicker than anyone anticipated, said Rolando Aedo, chief operating officer of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau. He expects rising room rates will plateau eventually, and there will continue to be ups and downs. But hotel workers having more clout is a good thing, he said.

This gives us the opportunity to reset our thinking, he said. It should be a win for the hotel operators and a win for the hotel employees who are the backbone of the tourism economy.

Theres progress. Taylor, the cook working at Hotel Maren and Marlins stadium, said the hotel has raised his wage from $14.50 to $16 since he started in September in an effort to keep him.

Its still not a living wage, but its a start.

I think the best thing thats going to come out of this is employers learn to take care of the people who take care of them, he said. I really think that is going to happen. Some places it will take longer than others, but I still see that happening.

It may be too late for some. Even if she is called back to her housekeeping job, Maribel Saldana, 43, isnt sure shell return to the resort where she worked for nine years and made $14.72 per hour pre-pandemic.

The time away from the hotel has allowed her to be with her big family, including 10 siblings, one adult son and one grandchild. I spend more time with my grandbaby, she said. I have a big family. Theres always a birthday to celebrate. She has attended doctors appointments she put off for years because she said it was difficult to get approval to miss work.

This week, she and her sister are planning to open a food truck business making fried seafood. If the business takes off, shell still have time for what matters to her most  her family.
HELENA, Mont. (AP)  More than $30 million of federal funding could be directed toward expanding child care capacity in Montana under recommendations approved by a state health advisory commission.

The commission approved up to $31 million for the state health department to administer grants to expand child care in the state, the Montana State News Bureau reported Thursday. The commission, which is made up of three members of the executive branch and seven lawmakers, is tasked with directing coronavirus relief dollars.

The grants will be used to increase worker pay and benefits and help with the cost of rent for facilities, among other uses.

The commission also approved $6.8 million in administrative spending to help people apply for grants and learn how to better run their businesses.

The recommendations next go to Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte for final approval.

A lack of access to child care in Montana was already hurting parents in the workforce before the pandemic, according to a 2019 report by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry. The report found licensed child care providers in the state met less than half the estimated demand.

The health department estimated that 171 child care programs closed in Montana at the height of the pandemic. In a survey conducted by the department, about 42% of parents said they could not afford child care services.

Child care providers attributed demand challenges to high staff turnover because of low compensation.

Providers said increasing pay for child care workers would begin to address some of the issues. The health department reported that child care workers earn an annual median income of $22,860.

All federal coronavirus relief funding must be spent by September 2023.

Theres a lot of opportunity to utilize this funding for the best in terms of trying to build capacity so that when this funding goes away, weve left an infrastructure much better than weve found it, health department Director Adam Meier said during Thursdays commission meeting.

Montana is set to receive a total of more than $68 million in coronavirus relief funds for child care stabilization. Future grants could go toward establishing new child care facilities.
ORANGE, Va. (AP)  In a breakthrough culminating nearly 30 years of work at James Madisons Montpelier, descendants of enslaved persons at a major national historic site for the first time will be co-equals in governing the place that held their ancestors in bondage.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which owns the Virginia home of the fourth U.S. president and Father of the Constitution, lauded the decision by Montpeliers board of directors.

Gene Hickok, board chair of of The Montpelier Foundation, said changing how the site is run caps a 28-plus years engagement with the Montpelier descendants community, and more recently, a deliberate, year-long process by the board to achieve organizational and structural parity which reflects the complete history of this specific place and America as a whole.

Hailed by Hickok as a historic decision, it is a first for U.S. museums and historic sites that are former places of enslavement, Montpelier said in a statement. James Madison is also considered the architect of the Bill of Rights. His most powerful idea: government by the people.

On Wednesday, June 16, the foundation board of directors voted on a proposal from the descendants, to approve bylaws establishing the Montpelier Descendants Committees equality in governing James Madisons Montpelier, a 2,650-acre estate in Orange County.

The vote represents an important step toward equity and reckoning with histories of racism, the foundation said. The relationship provides a national model for resolving historic imbalances in decision-making, power and authority.

More than 300 American men, women and children were enslaved at Montpelier and played vital roles throughout the founding era of our country, said James French, a Montpelier Foundation board member who is founding chair of the Montpelier Descendants Committee. The true history of Montpelier cannot be known or shared without including the stories and perspectives of those who were enslaved.

Calling the vote groundbreaking, French said the decision moves the perspectives of the descendants of the enslaved from the periphery to the center, and offers an important, innovative step for Montpelier to share broader, richer and more truthful interpretations of history with wider audiences.

In a June 14 op-ed commentary in The Washington Post, French wrote, Montpeliers extraordinary power of place is remarkable in demonstrating how a single space was simultaneously occupied by polar opposite paradigms of power: freedom and slavery. What can we learn from this paradox? How should we interpret the history here, how should we tell it, and what lessons and impact can it have?

Paul W. Edmondson, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, said the preservation group was pleased that the action provides the Montpelier Descendants Committee with equal representation on the foundations board.

The Montpelier board of directors and the MDC have shown critical leadership in creating equitable governance of a site that is not only the ancestral home of James Madison, but also of hundreds of people enslaved by the Madison family, Edmondson said. The National Trust strongly supported this proposal, and we worked with both parties over the past year to achieve this new level of partnership. We commend both The Montpelier Foundation and the Montpelier Descendants Committee for working together to achieve this breakthrough.

The vote on bylaws came during the week of Juneteenth, and followed a May 27 resolution saying the foundation board affirms its commitment to collaborate with the Montpelier Descendants Committee to achieve structural parity with descendants at all levels of the organization.

Montpelier President and CEO Roy Young praised the difficult yet important work by the board and committee.

The May 27 resolution and bylaws vote were crucial steps forward and a substantive commitment to our partnership, Young said. ... (W)e look forward to future conversations with MDC to find ways to increase our collaborations and contribute to our Whole Truth History as a site of former enslavement, a Presidential Plantation, and the place the United States Constitution was conceived.

MDC board member Patricia J. MacDaniel noted that the committee was founded during the week of Juneteenth in 2019. Exactly two years later, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives declared Juneteenth a federal holiday, signed into law ... by President Joe Biden, MacDaniel said. We are proud to honor our ancestors with this momentous achievement.

Selena Cozart and Frank Dukes, mediators with the University of Virginias Institute for Engagement & Negotiation, congratulated the board, the committee and the National Trust on their historic partnership. We hope that the brave conversations that nurtured new relationships and that led to this truly momentous agreement will inspire other organizations to action, Cozart and Dukes said.

Recently, the foundation and the committee applied for and were awarded state funding to lead a major project: To create a memorial to the enslaved and partner with other descendant groups to expand memorialization efforts throughout Virginia, establish educational programs for teachers and law enforcement officers, develop anti-racist curriculum available for use in Virginias public schools, and offer free public tours, community conversations, and other programs.

The two separate organizations work in collaboration, guided by principles agreed upon in February 2018, when Montpelier hosted the National Summit on Teaching Slavery. That rubric, titled Best Practices in Descendant Engagement in the Interpretation of Slavery at Museums and Historic Sites, is valuable for any historic site or museum where enslaved people played a historical role.

The summit, a partnership between Montpelier and the National Trusts African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, was the first national, interdisciplinary effort to formulate a model for engaging the descendants of people who were enslaved at nationally significant historic sites and museums.

The rubric sets standards to measure an organizations progress towards exemplary work in collaborative research, interpretation, and the overall relationship with a descendant community, Montpelier said.

In 2019, Montpelier received a Museums for America Program award from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to design, build and install an interactive exhibition to foster conversations about fairness, justice and race between children and their caregivers.

That exhibit complements The Mere Distinction of Colour, an award-winning exhibition in James and Dolley Madisons house that addresses the humanity and legacy of the hundreds of people the Madison family enslaved at their plantation. Opened in 2017, it explores what those individuals meant to our country and contextualizes ideas of the founding era.

The newest exhibit is located in a reconstructed circa-1790 spinning house-turned-slave quarter at Montpelier. An advisory group from Montpeliers descendant community contributed to its design.

The Montpelier Descendants Committee strives to show how enslaved persons lives informed the notions of universal liberty enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution that were denied to them. Not limited to Montpelier, the committee works to restore the narratives of enslaved Americans at plantation sites throughout Central Virginia. Learn more at montpelierdescendants.org.

To learn more about Montpelier, visit montpelier.org.
BEAVER CITY, Neb. (AP)  A south-central Nebraska man has been convicted on 13 counts related to the sexual abuse of a 15-year-old girl.

A Furnas County jury convicted William Quinn, 57, of Oxford Friday on a long list of charges, including sexual assault of a child, human sex trafficking of a minor, making a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct, child abuse and enticement by electronic device.
PLAINVILLE, Kan. (AP)  State authorities are investigating after a police officer shot and killed a woman with a gun in a small Kansas town.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation said the shooting happened around 1 a.m. Sunday at a convenience store in Plainville, which is a town of about 2,000 people about 300 miles west of Kansas City, Kansas.

The shooting happened after an officer tried to arrest 29-year-old Nicole Dechant of Hays on an outstanding misdemeanor warrant.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation said that when the officer told Dechant that she would be arrested on the warrant, she pulled a gun out of her bag. After Dechant ignored commands to drop the gun the officer fired several times at her.

Paramedics came to the store and tried to help Dechant, but she died at the scene. The officer was not hurt.
NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (AP)  Police and officials in central Connecticut facing a rash of car break-ins and burglaries say recent legislation is a start but that more measures are needed.

The bills passed by the General Assembly affect juveniles as well as adults who entice them into committing crimes such as a car theft or break-in.
MULTAN, Pakistan (AP)  Pakistans foreign minister said Sunday that peace in Afghanistan is in Pakistans interest.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi told reporters in his home town of Multan that Pakistan is worried about the rising violence in neighboring Afghanistan, expressing fears that further violence could cause an exodus of Afghans to Pakistan.

He says his country has already taken in millions of Afghans as refugees from previous conflicts and does not have the capacity to take more.

He said the final withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces was continuing and he expressed a hope that peace would follow through a negotiated settlement between the warring sides.

Pakistan will continue its diplomatic efforts for peace in the country, and welcome its democratically elected leadership, Qureshi said.

More than 5 million Afghans fled to Pakistan from infighting between Mujahedeen groups after the Soviet withdrawal in 1989. An estimated 1.5 million Afghans are still living as refugees in Pakistan.
NORTH LOGAN, Utah (AP)  A small airplane crashed into an unoccupied house in northern Utah, killing the pilot, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

The crash happened at about 8:30 p.m. Saturday in North Logan, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) south of Utah's border with Idaho.
ST. CHARLES, Ill. (AP)  One person was killed and three others injured in a shooting early Sunday outside a suburban Chicago nightclub, police said.

Police in St. Charles said officers responded around 2 a.m. to a call of shots fired. Two victims were found outside the club on a sidewalk. They were taken to a hospital where one person died. Authorities identified him as 23-year old Khalief D. McAllister of Aurora.
QUINCY, Mass. (AP)  The city of Quincy is naming two roads after modern-day military generals with strong ties to the city.

The City Council recently voted to name two new roads being constructed as part of a new bridge and park project underway downtown General McConville Way and General Joseph F. Dunford Drive, The Patriot Ledger reported.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP)  Travis and Kylee Lang are the first father and daughter on the Sioux City Fire Rescue.

In 133 years there have been father and sons, brothers, married couples and cousins, but never a father and daughter.

Every parent wants their child to find a career that is fulfilling, Travis told the Sioux City Journal.

For Kylee, her perfect career led her to follow in her fathers footsteps and become a Sioux City firefighter.

Travis didnt want to be a firefighter when he was a child. He didnt dream of big red firetrucks or sliding down a fire pole. He grew up in Hinton on a family farm. After volunteering for the fire department for 11 years, Travis was encouraged to apply for a full-time position by friends in the department.

He has now worked for the department for 18 years. His only regret was not starting sooner.

Kylee was 9 when he joined the department. There were moments growing up when she would wonder what he was up to or worry that she hadnt heard from him for a while. As she got older she learned a little more about his work, but some things you leave at work.

When she graduated high school, she enlisted in the Missouri National Guard. In 2018, she attended Northwest Missouri State University for criminology.

She always wanted to help people. But she wasnt sure what she wanted to do for a career. After having a conversation with her dad, she decided to apply for Sioux City Fire Rescue.

Knowing his daughter, he thought the way she enjoys helping people and thrives in a structured environment, made a perfect fit for the fire department.

In fall 2018 she applied.

When she started her EMT class, she realized she found the perfect job.

When I got here it was meant to be, she said.

On April 27, 2020 she received an offer letter. She is the fifth female firefighter in Sioux City history.

At the time, she knew she was scheduled for deployment in Kuwait for a year. Instead of putting off training until she returned, Kylee jumped in and started orientation. She finished her orientation and left May 25, 2020.

She returned two weeks ago. On June 9 she started her first shift.

Both Langs have a desire to serve people and help the community. The job gives them an opportunity to help people in a time of need. Whether its their worst day or just a bad day, the Langs want to be there to help.

Kylee loves interacting with the community. Even when the situations are bad, she knows that she is helping someone and making a situation better.

Everybody needs somebody sometime, and if I can be that person or she can be that person it makes life worth living, Travis said. Its just who we are.

A unique opportunity for the pair is the ability to talk through tragic scenarios and process grief. Through Travis years on the department, he has seen a variety of tragedies and will now be able to help Kylee when she needs it.

Shell know that Ive been there, Ive done it, Ive seen it, she can come talk to me, he said.

Travis said the department encourages peer support. Many times, the situations cannot be discussed with family members because of HIPPA laws. After a tragic event, he said the firefighter will sit down together and talk through the incident.

It makes the department even more like a family.

Originally, Travis and Kylee were going to be on the same shift, but because of her deployment she is now on the opposite shift.

Holidays and weekends are not off days for a firefighter.

While the days may not occur like normal families, the pair said they always make it work. Whether its opening Christmas presents at 6 a.m. before dad leaves for work, or celebrating a holiday a day late, the family finds a way.
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  Tracy Waller of Little Learners University said her day care switched from shared toys to individual blocks and crayons during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jessica West Kelley at Red Barn Child Care Center and Preschool tried to put kids at ease by keeping them with the same teachers.

These efforts, and others, marked attempts to keep life as consistent as possible during trying times for Clarksvilles youngest residents.

Social and emotional needs come first, Kelley said, because children need to feel secure in their relationships with caregivers before they can learn.

While academics are important and were here to teach them, them feeling secure is the most important thing, she said.

While these day cares have survived an unpredictable 16 months, others are struggling to operate at pre-COVID levels. Two day cares in the area have permanently closed during the pandemic, said Sky Arnold, a spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Human Services.

Some day cares have reduced the number of children that they serve, and so therefore the number of openings for the slots for children have decreased, said Ellen McCollum, program coordinator at Mid-Cumberland Child Care Resource and Referral.

THE WORLD IS SICK, AND ITS GOING TO GET BETTER

Through critical conversations, Little Learners and Red Barn helped students make sense of changes in their daily lives.

Why cant we go outside the way we used to?

Why cant I visit my friends?

Why cant I have a slumber party?

This led to conversations about ill family and friends, giving children a space to express feelings about activities some understood, and others did not. At times, Waller said, these discussion led to prayer.

Some older students utilized humor to try to understand what was going on around them, Kelley said.

Oh, you have the COVID!

Then a 3-year-old told Kelley something which has continued to resonate.

The world is sick, and its going to get better.

DAD, YOU HAVE TO WEAR YOUR MASK BECAUSE OF CORONA

Increased cleaning and social distancing have allowed these day cares to stay open throughout the pandemic.

Julian Dabner, who has had his daughter enrolled at Little Learners since 2017, said the facility taught his daughter to be more health conscious.

They talk about it and so she came home more like a supervisor, Dabner said.

Dad, you have to wear your mask because of corona.

Safety measures, though, have resulted in fewer family-oriented events  part of what makes day care centers more than child services, Theyre often a place where adults also connect, from like-minded single parents to dual military parents.

Kelley said mask wearing has presented challenges in environments designed to teach language and vocabulary, especially children who are nonverbal, as well as infants and toddlers  their receptive language skills are still developing.

These kids rely on nonverbal cues to communicate.

Smiles.

Frowns.

Babbles.

When your face is half covered up, thats not something that theyre going to be getting from us, Kelley said.

While many of the new policies may have presented challenges for students and teachers, Kelley said her staff reminds kids to be cognizant of the lasting effects COVID has had on others.

Although sometimes COVID can frustrate us because of the things weve lost, we also need to focus on not really taking COVID as something that just kept us from a vacation, but realizing that it really did affect people way more than it affected us, she said.

I DONT KNOW HOW WE WOULD HAVE MANAGED

Clarksville day cares are doing more than uplifting kids during difficult times  they are also supporting parents like Dabner, who started working from home during the pandemic.

I dont know how we would have managed if she couldnt have gone to day care, Dabner said.

Red Barn has also helped older students participating in virtual learning from the day care.

Throughout the pandemic, Red Barn has stayed open and offered financial support, giving families the consistency they needed in uncertain times.

We participated in the essential worker assistance program, so the majority of our families have not had to pay the tuition out of pocket since April 2020 Kelley said.

Waller said some families at the day care were able to stay afloat financially after being provided additional funds by the state of Tennessee.

Arnold said Tennessee launched Smart Steps in 2016 to provide payment assistance to working parents and those pursuing postsecondary educational goals.

BE SURE THAT YOURE ON SEVERAL WAITING LISTS

McCollum said she often receives calls from parents asking where they can find a new day care.

McCollums advice to parents searching for a safe, nurturing and educational environment for their kids is to apply for spots on as many waiting lists as possible.

Lots of times, this is the time of year where transition occurs for families, and so just so that you might have more opportunities to be contacted when slots are available, she said.

Kelley said she is grateful for the families that stayed at Red Barn while facing financial challenges. Without those parents and children, she said, Red Barn may not be operating at the levels it is today.

Even more than we were a support for them, she said, they were a support for us.
TUNIS, Tunisia (AP)  Tunisian naval forces recovered two bodies and picked up 178 migrants from the Mediterranean on Sunday after the boats transporting them broke down on the perilous crossing from Libya to Europe, a Tunisian Defense Ministry spokesman said.

The spokesman, Mohamed Zekri, said the migrants' boats had been at risk of sinking. An oil rig in the area sounded the alarm. The migrants hailed from Bangladesh, Eritrea, Egypt, Mali and Ivory Coast.
LONDON (AP)  Britains health secretary has resigned after a tabloid splashed photos and videos of him kissing an aide in his office  breaking the same coronavirus social distancing rules he imposed on the nation.

While Matt Hancock was swiftly replaced, the scandal was another blow to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Conservative government, which has repeatedly come under criticism for incompetence and hypocrisy in its handling of the pandemic over the past year.

People have made huge sacrifices to beat the pandemic and what riles them is the whiff of hypocrisy that people make the rules and dont stick to them themselves, Conservative lawmaker Andrew Bridgen told the BBC on Sunday.

Hancock announced his resignation Saturday, a day after apologizing for breaching social distancing rules after the Sun tabloid published images showing him and senior aide Gina Coladangelo embracing and kissing in his office. The Sun said the images were taken on May 6, before lockdown rules were eased to allow hugs and physical contact with people not in ones own household.

Hancock, who is married, wasnt the first senior British politician caught red-handed for breaking the governments own COVID-19 rules.

Johnsons former top aide, Dominic Cummings, was accused of undermining the governments stay home message during Britains first lockdown in 2020 when he broke a travel ban and drove across England to his parents home. The breach caused a furor and was widely seen to erode public trust in Johnsons government.

And Neil Ferguson, a leading government scientific adviser who advocated for strict lockdown rules, quit his position in May 2020 after it emerged he didnt practice what he preached and allowed his girlfriend to visit him at home. At the time, Hancock remarked that the social distancing rules in place are there for everyone and are deadly serious.

On Sunday, many questioned why Johnson publicly stood by Hancock after evidence of the latest rule breach emerged. Johnson had expressed confidence in the health minister, and his office said he had considered the matter closed after Hancock's apology, despite widespread calls to fire him.

Boris Johnson should have had the guts, the spine, the awareness, the judgment, to sack him on Friday, said Jonathan Ashworth, the opposition Labour Partys health spokesman.

Hancock had come under fire for his leadership in the government's response to the pandemic long before the publishing of the intimate photos.

He was accused of cronyism for hiring his friend, businesswoman Dido Harding, to run the much-criticized national test and trace system. Questions were also raised after the government awarded a lucrative coronavirus testing contract to a company run by a pub landlord near Hancocks former constituency home. Hancock has denied involvement in the contract.

Some are now also asking how Coladangelo, a close friend of Hancocks from university, landed her job as a non-executive director at the Department of Health.

The scandal came on the back of wider accusations from the opposition about sleaze in the Conservative party. Last month, former Prime Minister David Cameron was called before lawmakers to answer questions about lobbying work he did to win government funds for a now-bankrupt financial services company.

Lucy Powell, a Labour lawmaker, said the fact that Hancock wasn't fired reflected poorly on Johnson's judgment.

Im afraid it feels to me that the prime minister has a very dangerous blind spot when it comes to issues of integrity and conduct in public life, she told Sky News. "Thats a really big problem and its an even bigger problem when youre in the middle of a pandemic and youre asking the public to also have integrity and conduct in the way that they go about with their own lives.
RAF AKROTIRI, Cyprus (AP)  British paratroopers have trained together with Jordanian soldiers in an airdrop over the Middle Eastern country to underscore the U.K.s support for Jordan and its commitment to regional stability, Britain's armed forces minister said.

Minister James Heappey said in a statement that Wednesdays joint exercise of 150 paratroopers from Britains 16 Air Assault Brigade and 84 Jordanian parachutists demonstrates that U.K. armed forces stand with Jordan against shared threats in the region.
NEW HAVEN, Vt. (AP)  Shelburne Vineyard has acquired Lincoln Peak Vineyard about 24 miles south in New Haven.

It plans to open the Addison County winery's tasting room on July 9 for the summer and fall, the Burlington Free Press reported.

We have worked closely with Lincoln Peaks founders, the Granstroms, for many years, Shelburne Vineyard said on its website this week. When Chris Granstrom recently decided it was time to retire, we were honored that he approached us to work with him, and that we could carry on the legacy hes built.

In the spring of 2006, Shelburne Vineyard purchased its first Marquette grape vines from Lincoln Peak, and the two wineries were in friendly competition while always communicating, sharing tastings, and learning from each other," wrote Ken Albert, founder and owner of Shelburne Vineyard, in a letter posted to the vineyard's website.

Shelburne Vineyard managed five of 12 acres of Lincoln Peaks vines in the past two seasons, according to Albert. So now we are taking on this awesome challenge: continuing the path that Chris started, he wrote.

The tasting room will be open from noon-7 p.m. Fridays-Sundays.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  At first glance, the 108 bottles of yellow fingernail polish in artist Christian Anh Dai Viet Dinhs exhibit of ceramic sculpture at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art might seem identical. But as you look more carefully, you pick up on subtle differences in shape, from squat to slender. And you notice color variations, from antique ivory to mango. If, as you survey the bottles, you begin considering the relationship of individuality to generality, then youre being drawn into a subject dear to Dinhs heart.

Dinh, 28, is a first-generation American. His mom was 7 and his dad was 14 in 1975, when they escaped the chaos at the close of the war in Vietnam and eventually settled with their families in Florida. Dinh said he cant speak Vietnamese very well, but he understands it all right. For instance, he understood when his grandmother instructed him how to properly steam a whole fish. Grandma wasnt big on the exact timing of the recipe. Instead, she told him to just wait until the eyes turn white, then the fish is perfectly done.

Now, Dinh appreciates being a part of a chain of culture that can pass down native recipes from generation to generation, from the distant past far into the future. But, he confesses, there was a time when he didnt want to be identified with the perceived stereotypes of Vietnamese-American culture  the nail salons, the love of karaoke, the Catholic Church and all that stuff.

Furthermore, he didnt want to be lumped in with all the other Asian cultures, as often happened. He was an individualist, which, he said, is a very American trait. Or maybe its a trait of people like Dinh, who have one foot in American culture and one foot in another culture too. Maybe, since some Americans think all the yellow nail-polish bottles look the same, some of the bottles strive to stand out more than they otherwise would.

Dinh is one of those dudes who overdoes everything. When he studied classical guitar, he practiced until he risked damaging the muscles in his hands. When he studied photography, he became so obsessed with old-fashioned darkroom work that hed volunteer to develop photos for other students. And when he learned to create classic Chinese porcelain, he honed the exacting techniques until his vases and cast shapes look like they might have been done by an age-old master. Dinhs craftsmanship is, well, outstanding.

A few years back, Dinh had an epiphany. It suddenly dawned on him that those Vietnamese stereotypes that he had shunned were actually symbols of cultural triumph.

For instance, back in the 1970s, Vietnamese entrepreneurs went into the nail salon business, he said. Now there are Vietnamese-run salons from coast to coast. And theyre not just examples of successful small startup companies; theyre examples of immigrant community members making sure there are always jobs for other immigrant community members. Vietnamese nail salons, he said, are like Chinese restaurants, in a way. They represent assimilation as they ensure a cultural bond.

It would have been easy, he said, for the immigrant Christian Vietnamese to have relaxed their Catholic devotion as they settled in a new country, but they didnt. Instead, he said, they re-established churches that anchored communities as they adjusted to their new world. The church was a place of worship and a place for ethnic identity to survive, he said.

The way that Dinh has woven those concepts into his ceramics on the Ogden Museums fourth floor is marvelously subtle. The sets of identical ceramic hands youll see are reproductions of the manikin hands used to display nail-painting techniques in the windows of Vietnamese nail salons. But instead of cheaply manufactured plastic advertising props, Dinhs hands are lovingly hand-made treasures, decorated with symbols of the refugee experience. As Dinh put it, the messages on the hands reveal both language barriers and tools of communication, such as the words of the hymn Ave Maria, along with a celebratory Vietnamese drinking toast, karaoke machine-style lettering, American dollars and Vietnamese currency.

One of the exquisite Chinese-style blue and white pots is decorated with images from takeout cartons from Chinese restaurants. Another is illustrated with the sort of squid used to make Vietnamese fish sauce. And another includes a family recipe for, you guessed it, steamed fish. The vases might seem entirely traditional, if they werent shaped like giant fingernail polish bottles.

In each case, Dinh has taken objects or ideas that could seem ordinary and made them precious, just like his culture has become precious to him. Which brings us back to the 108 meticulously made porcelain nail-polish bottles glazed in a spectrum of yellow.

If they all look the same (though they are not), then we might all look the same, but were all individuals, Dinh said. If all Asian people are yellow, then yellow is beautiful.

Dinh is a graduate student at Tulane University. His Nail Salon exhibit continues through Jan 16 at The Ogden, 925 Camp St. Timed tickets required: adults, $13.50; seniors/teachers/military, $11; children 5 to 17, $6.75.
HILLSBOROUGH, Calif. (AP)  Fred Flintstone fought the law  and he won.

Technically, the owner of the fanciful Flintstones house in a posh San Francisco suburb settled a lawsuit with the town of Hillsborough. But the agreement will allow Fred and his friends to remain.

In a yabba dabba dispute that pitted property rights against government rules that played out in international media, retired publishing mogul Florence Fang defended her colorful, bulbous-shaped house and its elaborate homage to The Flintstones family, featuring Stone Age sculptures inspired by the 1960s cartoon, along with aliens and other oddities..

The town, however, called the towering dinosaurs and life-size sculptures a highly visible eyesore and sued Fang, alleging she violated local codes when she put dinosaur sculptures in the backyard and made other landscaping changes that caused local officials to declare it a public nuisance.

An attorney for the town previously said residents are required to get a permit before installing such sculptures, regardless of the theme.

Hillsborough went to court in 2019 after Fang failed to comply with multiple stop-work orders, as well as an order to remove the features around the multimillion-dollar property with its 2,730-square-foot (254-square-meter) home. Fang counter-sued. The Daily Post in Palo Alto first reported news of the settlement on Thursday.

Eric Risberg/AP

Mark Hudak, an attorney for Hillsborough, previously said the town prides itself on its rural, woodsy feel, and rules are in place so neighbors dont have to look at your version of what you would like to have, and you dont have to look at theirs.

According to records, the settlement stipulates that the town will review and approve a survey of the landscaping improvements. In turn, Fang will apply for building permits. The town will also pay Fang $125,000, and she will drop the lawsuit  which was dismissed in state court on April 27.

No news on Barney Rubble's role in the matter.
But keeping the brave face born out of Afghan pride, Ghani compared his position at this juncture to that of US President Abraham Lincoln in 1861, at the start of the war between the Northern states and the rebellious Southern states. "The Afghan nation is in (an) '1861 moment,' like President Lincoln. Rallying to the defence of the republic, determined that the republic is defended. It's a choice of values: the values of an exclusionary system or an inclusionary system," he said, adding, "We will overcome all odds."

Ghani knows that the promised help will be financial and humanitarian. From now on, Afghan security forces will have to fight alone against an emboldened Taliban insurgency, as prospects for a reconciliation deal between his government and the Taliban appear dim.

But Ghani and his administration know well the steep uphill task that they are confronting.

In a brief media interaction, Ghani said that he warned President Biden that Washington's move of withdrawing troops will have consequences for both sides, though he did not ask Biden to delay the withdrawal.

"The Afghan government needs to manage the consequences that will emerge after the US withdrawal and the Afghan people must rise to the challenge," Ghani said.

According to the Afghan sources, President Ghani told Biden that "the Taliban are not fighting against us, but Pakistan is fighting in the guise of the Taliban."

Biden pressed Ghani on the need for unity among the country's leaders, urging them to stop fighting among themselves when the country is in crisis and government forces are at risk of losing control of the nation to the Taliban.

As the Americans are leaving, the Taliban are filling that vacuum. Violence has surged across Afghanistan and as September 11, the deadline for the departure of American troops, draws near, the Taliban are becoming increasingly emboldened. According to a new assessment of the US intelligence community, Ghani's government could collapse within six months of the American military withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Three days ago, the Pakistani Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi had warned Afghan President Ghani and his team in clear terms that in their meeting with Biden and his team, they must not blame Islamabad.

Qureshi in fact, defended the Taliban and blamed the Daesh or the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) for the surge in Afghan violence.

"If you try and create this impression that the violence is high because of Taliban, again, that would be an exaggeration. Why do I say that? Aren't there other elements over there who are playing the role of a spoiler?" These were Qureshi's words aired last week during an interview with Afghanistan's Tolo News network.

But in a recent interview with the New York Times, the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said Islamabad played a key role in convincing Taliban leaders to talk to the government in Kabul. "Really, it was [us] pushing them, pressurising them to talk to the Afghan government. So that's how far Pakistan has got," he said.

Reacting to the Afghan government's accusations, Khan said that during a visit to Kabul earlier this year, he said we (Pakistanis) "gave our full support to the Afghan government, telling them we will do everything for this peace settlement". But "unfortunately, there is still a feeling in the Afghan government that Pakistan could do more, which I have to say is very disappointing to us when they blame us for being unable to, after so many years, to come to some sort of a settlement".

It's interesting to note that President Biden has not spoken with the Pakistani PM Khan but he has invited Afghan President, Ashraf Ghani, to discuss Afghanistan and its future.

"They (Afghan Govt) can say whatever they want but the US knows Pakistan's role very well in the peace process and the world is obvious to our role", says Qureshi.

(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)

--indianarrative/




The minister made the announcement on Saturday from a vaccination site in the coastal city of Vlora, reports Xinhua news agency.

Tirana, June 27 (IANS) All citizens above the age of 18 will be allowed to get a Covid-19 vaccine shot from June 29-30 across Albania, Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu said.

"Based on a recommendation of the Public Health Institute experts, we have decided, as in many other countries, to launch a vaccination campaign for next Tuesday and Wednesday for all citizens above the age of 18," Manastirliu told local media.

She invited all citizens belonging to this age group and above to apply for vaccination at the government online platform e-Albania.

Till date, the total number of vaccinations administered in Albania has reached 930,126, according to Manastirliu.

So far, mass vaccination in Albania has included citizens above the age of 50 as well as frontline professionals.

Albania has so far reported 1,32,509 Covid cases, 2,456 Deaths, with 129,975 recoveries, according to the Health Ministry.

--IANS

ksk/
According to people in the know, the British energy major may file lawsuits across several countries to make government firms and banks liable to pay the dues.

New Delhi: UK's Cairn Energy is targeting assets abroad of more state-run companies in a bid to recover dues from the government on the backdrop of the arbitration victory of the company over the Indian government.

Cairn Energy already moved courts in the US, UK, Canada, France, Singapore, the Netherlands and three other countries to register the December 2020 arbitration tribunal ruling that overturned the Indian government's Rs 10,247 crore demand in back taxes and ordered New Delhi to return $ 1.2 billion in value of shares it had sold, dividends seized and tax refunds withheld to recover the tax demand.

After reports of identification of Indian assets overseas worth $70 billion by Cairn for potential seizure came out, government sources said that the Centre is well aware of its legal rights and will defend its case in courts if such proceedings materialise.

Official sources said that the government is confident of winning its appeal in The Hague.

Sources further pointed out that Cairn did not pay a single rupee tax anywhere in the world in respect of the impugned transactions. Cairn had also lost its appeal before the income-tax tribunal.


The document on US policy in Afghanistan says Pakistan's security services maintain ties to Afghan insurgent groups, most notably the Haqqani Network.

New Delhi, June 27 (IANS) Pakistan's security establishment, fearful of strategic encirclement by India, apparently continues to view the Afghan Taliban as a relatively friendly and reliably anti-India element in Afghanistan, as per a brief prepared by the US Congressional Research Service.

Afghan leaders, along with US military commanders, have attributed much of the insurgency's power and longevity either directly or indirectly to Pakistani support.

Despite official Pakistani leadership's statements to the contrary, Islamabad may view a weak and destabilized Afghanistan as preferable to a strong, unified Afghan state (particularly one led by an ethnic Pashtun-dominated government in Kabul; Pakistan has a large and restive Pashtun minority), the brief said.

Afghanistan-Pakistan relations are further complicated by the presence of over one million Afghan refugees in Pakistan, as well as a long-running and ethnically tinged dispute over their shared 1,600-mile border.

"Pakistan's security establishment, fearful of strategic encirclement by India, apparently continues to view the Afghan Taliban as a relatively friendly and reliably anti-India element in Afghanistan", it added.

"India's diplomatic and commercial presence in Afghanistanand US rhetorical support for itexacerbates Pakistani fears of encirclement. India has been the largest regional contributor to Afghan reconstruction, but New Delhi has not shown an inclination to pursue a deeper defense relationship with Kabul," the brief said.

Afghanistan maintains mostly cordial ties with its other neighbors, notably the post-Soviet states of Central Asia, whose role in Afghanistan has been relatively limited but could increase.

In the past two years, multiple US commanders have warned of increased levels of support for the Taliban from Russia and Iran, both of which have cited the Islamic State affiliate presence in Afghanistan to justify their activities. Both were reported in 2020 to have been more directly involved, including possibly supporting Taliban attacks against U.S. forces.

Both nations were opposed to the Taliban government of the late 1990s, but reportedly see the Taliban as a useful point of leverage vis-a-vis the United States. Afghanistan may also represent a growing priority for China in the context of broader Chinese aspirations in Asia and globally, it added.

"Afghan officials have sought to downplay the impact of the US military withdrawal on their own forces' capabilities, but some official US assessments indicate that the withdrawal could lead to Taliban gains on the battlefield. By many measures, the Taliban are in a stronger position now than at any point since 2001, controlling as much as half of the country, though many once-public US government metrics related to the conflict have been classified or are no longer produced", the brief said.

Future changes in political arrangements and/or in the security environment may in turn influence US policymakers' consideration of future levels and conditions of development assistance. It is unclear to what extent, if at all, the prospect of continued US assistance to Afghanistan (which remains one of the world's poorest countries) represents leverage over the Taliban, it added.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the US intelligence community concluded last week that the government of Afghanistan could collapse as soon as six months after the American military withdrawal from the country is completed.

American intelligence agencies revised their previously more optimistic estimates as the Taliban swept through northern Afghanistan last week, seizing dozens of districts and surrounding major cities. Afghan security forces frequently surrendered without a fight, leaving their Humvees and other American-supplied equipment to the insurgents, the report said.

The new assessment of the overall US intelligence community, which hasn't been previously reported, has now aligned more closely with the analysis that had been generated by the US military. The military has already withdrawn more than half of its 3,500 troops and its equipment, with the rest due to be out by Sept. 11.

On Wednesday, Taliban fighters were battling government troops inside the northern city of Kunduz after occupying the main border crossing with Tajikistan the previous day and reaching the outskirts of northern Afghanistan's main hub, Mazar-e-Sharif. Tajikistan's border service said 134 Afghan troops at the crossing were granted refuge while some 100 others were killed or captured by the Taliban.

Overall, the Taliban's lightning offensive in northern Afghanistan resulted in the fall of dozens of districts over the past week, putting much of the countryside under insurgent control. Local politicians and tribal elders negotiated a series of surrender agreements with government forces. Often unpaid for months, these troops left convoys of armored vehicles and stockpiles of weaponry, including artillery pieces, mortars and heavy machine guns, in exchange for Taliban guarantees of safe passage, the report said.

--IANS

san/sdr/
Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], June 27 (ANI): An FIR under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act has been registered after two low-intensity explosions took place at the Jammu Air Force Station, the Jammu and Kashmir Police informed on Sunday.



As part of investigations, the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has arrived at the Station.

According to senior IAF officials, investigations are going on and Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, who is in Bangladesh on an official invitation, is constantly monitoring the situation.

"Necessary instructions have been passed for probe into the incident. Western Air Commander Air Marshal VR Chaudhari is already on the ground," officials said.

A team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) also arrived at the Air Force Station earlier in the day.

Initial inputs suggest that a shaped charge (explosive device) was used for the attack, sources informed.

The two explosions occurred at 1:27 am and 1:32 am on Sunday. The possible target of the drones was the aircraft parked in the dispersal area, sources said, adding that no major damage had been reported from the incident. Two personnel, however, suffered minor injuries.

According to the Indian Air Force (IAF), one of the blasts caused minor damage to the roof of a building, while the other exploded in an open area.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Vice Air Chief, Air Marshal HS Arora earlier today regarding the incident and informed that Air Marshal Vikram Singh would soon reach Jammu to take stock of the blasts.

Meanwhile, Jammu airport officials said that all flight operations are normal and 16 flights scheduled for the day departing to Delhi, Srinagar, Leh and Gwalior.

Only two flights G8 185 and SG 963 cancelled for the day due to operational reasons, they added. (ANI)
The Greater Tipraland demand of the TIPRA (The Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance) Motha ('Motha' is a tribal word meaning tribals' unity) created huge controversy, doubts and fears in the mixed populated Tripura ever since the newly-formed party headed by Tripura's royal scion Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman raised the demand in 2019.

TIPRA Motha claims it is necessary for the socio economic development of indigenous tribals inhabiting in the eight northeastern states and the neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh.

The TTAADC, which has a jurisdiction over two-thirds of Tripura's 10,491 sq km area and is home to over 12,16,000 people, of which 90 per cent are tribals, was constituted under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in June 1985 for the socio-economic development of the tribals, who have always played a significant role in Tripura politics as they constitute one-third of the northeastern state's four million population.

TTAADC member Runeil Debbarma, who moved the resolution in the council session on Thursday which was adopted the next day, said that the resolution would now be sent to the Governor, the state government and the Centre to create a Greater Tipraland.

"Under the Greater Tipraland concept, a powerful council would be constituted for the all-round socio economic development of the indigenous tribals residing in the eight northeastern states and the neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh. Such councils exist in European countries. We want to resolve the tribals' basic problems permanently," Debbarma told IANS.

Royal scion Deb Barman, who was the state President of the Congress in Tripura and is known to be a close friend of Rahul Gandhi, had quit the party in 2019 over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) issue, said that the Greater Tipraland concept is only for the protection of the tribals and their socio economic development.

"The demand is not against any non-tribal community, neither political or for vote bank politics. This is purely for the upliftment of a backward community," Deb Barman told IANS, adding that his party wants development of the tribals residing in the entire northeast region and the neighbouring countries.

He, however, said that until the Central government accepts the Greater Tipraland demand, their agitation and campaign programme would continue.

The ruling and opposition parties, including the BJP, CPI-M and Congress, before the April 6 elections to the TTAADC had strongly opposed the Greater Tipraland demand of TIPRA Motha and the Tipraland (separate state for the tribals) demand of the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), the junior ally of the BJP.

The IPFT has been agitating since 2009 for the creation of a separate state by upgrading the TTAADC.

The leaders of the three national parties are now saying that the TIPRA Motha leadership must explain the concept of Greater Tipraland.

BJP chief spokesman Subrata Chakraborty said that TIPRA Motha supremo Deb Barman must be clear on the formation of Greater Tipraland and only then the BJP's stand would be announced.

Prominent tribal leader and BJP's Lok Sabha MP Rebati Tripura said that the Greater Tipraland demand of TIPRA Motha still remained ambiguous and unless they divulge their transparent aim about the creation of Greater Tipraland, they won't be able to judge their intention.

"Before the April 6 elections to the TTAADC, the TIPRA Motha leaders, especially Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman, talked about the tribals. Now a resolution has been passed in the council session saying that Greater Tipraland is for all the people belonging to all caste, creed and religion," Rebati Tripura told IANS over phone from Delhi.

Reati Tripura, who is also the president of the BJP's Tripura unit of Janajati Morcha (tribal front), said that TIPRA Motha leaders should also clear the geographical boundary of their proposed Greater Tipraland.

"TIPRA Motha and all other political parties must be sincere and candid about the development of the backward tribals," said the 45-year-old politician.

Nine TTAADC members and the party supported while an Independent member remained silent when the Greater Tipraland resolution was adopted by the council on Friday.

Tripura state Congress President Pijush Kanti Biswas said that if the proposal of Greater Tipraland is for the socio-economic development of the tribals and if it is allowed by the Constitution, his party has no objection, but the demand is not practical.

Veteran tribal leader Jitendra Chaudhury, who is also the national coordinator of CPM-backed Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch and the president of the Tripura Rajya Upajati Ganamukti Parishad, a frontal body of the CPI-M, said the concept of Greater Tipraland demand is not clear.

"Before the April 6 elections to the TTAADC, Greater Tipraland demand indicated to form a separate state for the tribals. But the TIPRA Motha leaders are now saying that it is for the socio-economic development of the tribals.

"If the TIPRA Motha wants unity among the tribals, and non-tribals and socio-economic development of the tribals, we can support them but before that they must clear their position," Chaudhury, a former minister and Lok Sabha member, told IANS.

There are 10 autonomous district councils (ADCs) in northeast India facilitating the socio-economic development of tribals, who make up 27-28 per cent of the region's total population of around 45.58 million.

Of the 10 ADCs, constituted under the Sixth and Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution, three each are in Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram and one in Tripura. The Manipur government had constituted six ADCs for the overall development of the tribals.

Though the Central government had abrogated Article 370 that had accorded special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir, there are many special provisions in the Indian Constitution under Articles 371 (A), 371 (B), 371 (C), 371 (G), 371 (H) and 244 to preserve the traditions, culture and the overall development of the tribals.

Besides, the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system is in force in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and on December 11, 2019, it was promulgated in Manipur to allow for inward travel of Indian citizens into the ILP enforced areas for a stipulated period with the written permission of the state authority.

Agitations were on since 2019 in Meghalaya to promulgate the ILP, which is in operation under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873.

The Central government had earlier announced that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 (CAA) would not apply to the ILP and the ADC governed areas of the northeastern states.

According to the 2011 census, tribals constitute 60 per cent and above of the population in four of the eight northeastern states - Mizoram (94.4 per cent), Nagaland (86.5 per cent), Meghalaya (86.1 per cent) and Arunachal Pradesh (68.8 per cent) while a reasonable tribal population exists in the remaining four states -- Tripura (31.8 per cent), Manipur (35.1 per cent), Sikkim (33.8 per cent) and Assam (12.4 per cent).

(Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in)

--IANS

sc/kr
By Camille MALPLAT

LAGOS (AFP) -- At only 29, Nigerian pop-artist Osinachi has sold paintings on Microsoft Word for several thousand euros, or the equivalent amount in ether, a cryptocurrency often used to buy digital art.

One of his works, "Becoming Sochukwuma", shows a black dancer wrapped in a tutu made of African fabric, dreadlocks tied in a bun, swirling on a computer screen.

But what makes the painting truly unique is its endorsement with an NFT (Non-Fungible Token) -- a set of data stored in a blockchain that is used as a certificate of ownership.

The digital painting was sold in April for $80,000 worth of virtual money on the crypto-art market, a growing business in Africa's most populous country.

Worldwide, NFTs, which serve as a unique identifier, have reassured collectors when buying online art and propelled digital artists to stardom.

Between January and May, NFTs generated around $2.5 billion worth of transactions according to the website NonFungible.com sparking the interest of global auction houses Christie's and Sotheby's.

Osinachi's pieces have done very well on this emerging market and in just a few months the young man has become the most famous African crypto-artist.

He was already using Microsoft Word to paint when he was at university but "gallerists didn't care about digital art" until recently, he told AFP.

It was in 2017 that he discovered he could sell his artwork directly to buyers using a blockchain - where a record of NFT ownership can be stored.

In the past six months, as crypto-currencies and NFTs have boomed, digital art like Osinachi's has thrived.

Revolution

"Now, galleries are after him," said Oyindamola Fakeye, creative director at the Center for Contemporary Art in the country's cultural capital Lagos.

"He has a very positive influence on other African digital artists."

Blockchain, cryptocurrency, NFTs, are terms that are no longer foreign to Osinachi, who spends a lot of time in person and online explaining what they are to other artists.

Many creative minds and entrepreneurs in Nigeria are inspired by his success.

It's a "revolution in the art space", said fellow crypto-artist Niyi Okeowo, whose afro-futurist work combines photography, 3D and graphic design.

Nigeria has about "a hundred" digital artists, Okeowo says, and "most have been inspired by Osinachi".

With its large, youthful, creative and connected population, the West African nation has "the potential to lead" when it comes to NFTs, Osinachi believes.

"We have plenty of talents here. The creative energy in Lagos alone is baffling among young people."

Nigerians are also fond of cryptocurrencies, contributing to the success of NFTs.

In times of economic crisis, with a devalued naira, a growing number in the country are chosing to invest in digital currency.

Last year, more than $400 million were exchanged in cryptos, making Nigeria the third-largest user of digital money worldwide, behind the US and Russia, according to Statista, a German company specialising in market and consumer data.

Investment

Entrepeneur Uyi Omokaro was an early believer in the potential of NFT in Nigeria.

This month, he launched Wearmasters, a platform to sell Africa-made NFT art, where he hopes to bring on some of Nigeria's most talented emerging artists like 23-year-old painter Daniel Pengrapher.

"Our ambition is to give them international visibility through NFT."

For now, NFT collectors are few in the country. One of them is Michael Ugwu, director of a digital studio in Lagos.

"I'm one of the only ones," says Ugwu.

He started investing in cryptocurrencies in 2017, after several devaluations of the naira, before discovering his real passion: the crypto-art market.

"The traditional art space can be a little bit snobbish," said Ugwu. On the crypto-art market, he says he "found a community, so welcoming, so interactive".

He owns about "a hundred" NFTs he says proudly, but he also considers them investments.

Ugwu has used NFTs as insurance to obtain loans on the crypto-finance market, a process that would take months in the traditional banking system.

Ugwu remains confident, despite recent crypto crashes that automatically devalue his collections.

"Most of my friends think that I'm crazy... Let's wait and see in 10 years."o








By Asohan Satkunasingham



When the Pakatan Harapan Government came into power after GE14, I wrote to the then Education Minister suggesting ways to reform the current education system. I impressed upon him that for a nation to progress in mind, body and soul a good education system is vital. I am also intrigued during the recent Harith Iskander's Talk Show on What's Going On, Malaysia? where Prof Tajuddin Rasdi spoke with great conviction on how a progressive education should manifest.

Malaysia has come a long way and GE14 was a testament that people's creed for change has begun despite the midway turn of events, I am certain change is here to stay. Malaysians are no longer looking for a fix liken to "old wines in new bottles". Rather they wish to see the government in light of "new wines in new bottles". They are willing on delayed gratification to wait and savor the wine as it increases in value over a period of time.

In the education space, the Education Ministry must take the approach of "if it ain't broke, break it and find an innovative way to fix it". In my view, a good education system must strive for human values growth, so that the fifth aspiration of the Rukun Negara in building a progressive society, oriented towards modern science and technology becomes a true reality and not a mere rhetoric.

The first step, is to keep our education system under full accountability by the government of the day. The government must stop outsourcing school education to others, where private and other schools are mushrooming. In doing so, education is treated like business. We always choose to sight Finland and other Scandinavian countries as fine examples of a good education system in building a progressive nation. I was told that their schooling system is fully controlled by the government without being outsourced as a business.

As Malaysians, I am certain if the education system serves its true purpose, parents would stop sending their children to private, home schools as well as international schools. Many parents have gone deep into their pockets to see their children in such schools, some stopping half way through due to affordability. I am sure, the pandemic has also impacted their affordability.

The ultimate consumer of any education system is the corporate world. Hence the corporate world serving its corporate social responsibility must rally with the Education Ministry to help shape and build the talent pipeline in schools.

In echoing the fifth aspiration of our Rukun Negara, this is my suggestion for the Education Ministry. I must confess here that I am a human resource practitioner and not an educationist. All that I am interested is to see a nation built on a strong education as its foundation for progression.

1) Build Character as the thrust for early childhood, Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 schooling without emphasis on academics. A child is like a raw clay. These are building years to mould them in character and fuel their dreams. Do away with nursery rhymes that colonize minds and have negative words such as down, fall, etc. so that only positive vibes will mould these raw clays.

2) In Year 4 and 5, build the curriculum along innovative and creative skills development, which are essential in progressing towards modern science and technology. Reorientate the classroom teaching and arrangements. Have a ratio of one teacher to twenty students for better attention and interaction. Ensure the teacher is competent in unleashing the potential energy of each child and direct that energy towards enhancing their innovative and creative self.

3) Primary education should stop in Year 5, where the child is provided an assessment to display the level of innovative and creative skills that he or she has developed. This should follow with streaming them based on their cognitive, psychomotor and motor skills either undergoing an entrepreneur or intrapreneur path for the next five years in secondary schooling.

4) In secondary school based on the above streaming, develop the curriculum to further unleash those skills. A child with cognitive ability should be provided with knowledge and skills skewed to develop these ability and hone as future scientist, researchers, leaders etc. Those with psychomotor and motor skills, the Education Ministry should work with the various skill development centers to develop their skills as future pilots, machinist and all jobs that needs this ability for Industrial Revolution 4.0.

5) Generally, bring students back to school during their school holidays to undertake community services within the community they are located. This will encourage and build students with discipline and civic consciousness. These activities, if possible, should involve their parents through Parents Teachers Associations (PTA) and community leaders. It will develop and sow seeds of accountability over responsibility and an attitude for self-service to care for the surroundings. Ultimately it will change the society to take ownership in their vicinity and stop blaming their local councils to provide services for their own omissions in lack of civic mindedness.

6) Once completed secondary schooling, another assessment will be conducted to ascertain the skill level of the child and the developed ability. This assessment will be used to decide the vocation the child will pursue in university. Each university must be earmarked as a center of excellence for developing cognitive, psychomotor or motor skills.

7) The corporate organizations would then select the under-graduated based on this distinguished ability as their future talent-pipeline, which will help in deciding the structure for internship and workforce planning.

In galvanizing this suggestion, the Education Ministry needs to consider adopting the following eight points to build an effective education system.

1. Effective education promotes core ethical values as well as supportive performance values to build good character of mindset, behavior and feelings as the foundation for an education system. It will help set their moral action.

2. Effective education uses a comprehensive, intentional and proactive approach to student development.

3. Effective education creates a caring school community where PTA and other stakeholders are committed in a child's education journey.

4. Effective education will include a meaningful and challenging academic curriculum to respect learner's ability, develop their character, and helps them succeed in life's endeavors and keep them not only in employment but in employability and others with entrepreneurial aspirations.

5. Effective education strives to develop students' self-motivation to be ornaments to the nation reflected in their values for nation branding.

6. Effective education engages the school staff as a learning and moral community sharing responsibility for education and adheres the same to guide students.

7. Effective education fosters shared leadership and long-range support of the education initiative with its stakeholders in particular to engage with families and community members in the child's development and progress.

8. Effective education ultimately will assess the school, its staff functioning as educators, and the extent to which student's manifest good character and progress to help build the talent pipeline for the corporate world as well as leadership for good governance in all spheres.

(Asohan Satkunasingham is an Award-Winning Author, Progressive Human Resource Practitioner and High Impact Corporate Teacher.)
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While the local government may help bridge funding gaps, those companies and artists that did not become more entrepreneurial would not survive the decade, Professor Radbourne says. Ensemble Offspring on stage at Cowra leads its end-of-financial-year funding-raising drive. Credit:Pip Farquharson As government funding has been slowly declining, arts organisations have been just managing, she says. Now, when we have this external shock of COVID, governments cannot continue to fund the arts in preference over health or economic development. The arts were not prepared for this major shift in government policy. Ensemble Offsprings acclaimed percussionist and artistic director Claire Edwardes believes COVID-19 recovery money has given the sector a false sense of hope. Once these monies are spent there will be a big gap, she says. What our company is trying to do now to a certain extent is fill up the coffers to safeguard for the future  and thats where the support of our audience comes in because we are very worried about what the long-term future of government funding is going to look like.

Even before the current lockdown, the stakes were particularly high after the ensemble was advised by the Australia Council for the Arts that multi-year funding would not be renewed from 2022. This funding had formed its financial backbone for more than a decade. Loading Now it looks like the group will have to cover cancellation fees imposed by the Sydney Opera House for their Thursday evening performance, which was postponed due to COVID-19 when the venue was still officially open. Having paid the artists 80 per cent of their fee and having to pay venue costs all over again when we remount our postponed show is going to hurt pretty bad, Edwardes says. Donor response to date has been better than in recent end-of-financial-year drives and that may be because we are getting better at our messaging, Edwardes says.

Its hard to tell if people are feeling more generous with COVID and more like they have to step in - or whether we are just better at connecting and telling our story. Griffin Theatre must still sing for its supper despite the fact it will receive $4 million over the next four years from the NSW Government and the Australia Council. It joins 11 other NSW companies now supported under the National Performing Arts Partnership Framework. We had a big funding cut in 2015, and have been running very lean since then, artistic director Declan Green said. On our last show, Dogged, I made the fake blood and guts myself ... and in case youre wondering, it was a delicious chunky pasta sauce. So this uplift is, in many ways, very welcome and needed restoration ... that were super grateful for. But well still need our donors to help us do really important stuff like commissioning plays, holding script workshops, and getting artists working inside the company. Annual appeals do not generally raise large sums but allowed arts companies to build a relationship with their audiences and demonstrate their shared values, Professor Radbourne says. The Art Gallery of NSW is channelling tax-deductible donations to programs and workshops for the disabled and for those in dementia care.

Peter Brew-Bevans portrait of Turia Pitt Credit:Peter BrewBevan Having raised $460,000 last year to give gigs to unemployed artists when its stage went dark, Belvoir St Theatre is asking the same supporters to back its goal to put another five artists on permanent staff. Urban Theatre Projects (UTP) is sharing videos of young artists from western Sydney in conversation with its alumni for its annual appeal, which it has run alongside its Producers Circle, a group of donors directly involved in the creation of new work, for four years. Private giving represents around 15 to 25 per cent of UTPs budget. From 2022, that needs to be upped to more than 30 per cent. The videos speak to a western Sydney contemporary arts lineage that UTP has been a big part of, UTPs acting chief executive and artistic director Adam McGowan says. Donations through our annual appeals go directly towards supporting emerging artists and creating new work, essentially shaping and fostering contemporary culture emerging from the western suburbs of Sydney.

The National Portrait Gallerys director of external relations Liz Neild says the gallery had been operating an annual appeal since 2004 in different shapes and forms, and through it has added several important works including paintings and photographs. Loading The photographs selected for this years appeal are of inspirational women who have achieved so much not only through sport but in their personal lives. Because we are committed to telling stories about Australians through the lens of portraiture, we wanted to honour and represent these particular stories of courage, resilience, and strength, a year in which many of us also faced significant challenges. As of Sunday, UTP was still short $5000 of its target. I think in the current situation it will make it more challenging as people are understandably distracted and concerned by the lock down and trying to negotiate and plan around the impacts, McGowan said. A tough time for many.
Melbournes indie theatres reopen with two works that dwell on the unsung heroism of young women. They have uncanny parallels. Both are animated by the rebelliousness, confusion and humour of youth, both are cruelled by disasters of reproductive health faced at a young age, and both yield terrific performances.

Jessica Clarke in Iphegenia in Splott. Credit:Jodie Hutchinson

What separates them most acutely is the question of class.

Gary Owens Iphigenia in Splott takes us to a working-class suburb of Cardiff, where Effie (Jessica Clarke) promptly gives us the bird. This irreverent spitfire loses herself in booze and sex as she swaggers and seduces and swears her way to weekly oblivion, full of rage and self-loathing at the grinding poverty that closes off her options.

One night, the dream of another life beckons. Effie falls for a soldier maimed in Afghanistan, but  as the nod to Euripides in the title suggests  the promise of love is a mirage, and a child sacrifice awaits.
With the sun on their backs and a view of the beach in front, Brian and Jan Willoughby wouldnt be anywhere else in a lockdown but Dee Why. Youve got this, said Mr Willoughby gesturing to the beach where people were walking, swimming and surfing. Behind him, families were picnicking and enjoying the view.

You can keep your distance and watch the world go by. Youve got the sun on your back. Its just beautiful, he said.

Mark Shirzad plays on Dee Why beach on Sunday. Credit:Sam Mooy

Like many on the northern beaches, Mr and Mrs Willoughby were taking the latest lockdown - their third - in their stride. No panic buying for them. So far, there are no COVID cases in the area and only two exposure sites, the Boathouse Cafe at Shelly Beach and Hugos in Manly.

The Delta variant of the virus is more contagious than others, with reports that it can jump from one person to another in scarily fleeting seconds.
What an interesting and informative article by George Megalogenis (Degrees of disdain: how the Libs cut unis loose, June 26-27). It also answered many of my questions. For years, going back quite a few, and attending a parochial school myself, I laboured under the mistaken idea that every child in this country received relatively the same government subsidy: Elite, private, independent and all others. And this was right in my opinion  every schoolchild should receive the same assistance, and I expect that this equality should flow on to university funding: Every Australian person should be subsidised to the same extent as all others. its called freedom of choice. But apparently this is not the case  its not education for every child in Australia  its economics and more importantly  its politics. Gloria Healey, Neutral Bay I was a beneficiary of PM Robert Menzies Commonwealth Scholarship Scheme in the 1950s and it was depressing to read George Megalogenis. The Morrison government had no qualms about denying JobKeeper to the education sector, resulting in the loss of 30,000 jobs, just under 12 per cent of university academic and staff positions. Additionally, the government has hit business, law and arts students with higher fees in an attempt to steer them into degrees considered to have better job prospects, although seven of our past nine prime ministers were arts or social science graduates. There are various opinions why conservatives are suspicious of universities, but research shows that graduates are more likely to vote for progressive parties with strong policies on social justice and climate change. This apparently is more relevant than Australias need to be innovative and educated in an ever-changing world. James Moore, Kogarah At a time when we most need our doctors, epidemiologists, immunologists and other health scientists to guide us through the pandemic, I wonder if the Coalitions older, whiter electoral base still sees universities as enemy ground? Australia needs an educated workforce to help us diversify from the current no reduction of carbon emissions here economic plan to remain an iron ore and coal quarry. I am old enough to remember when it was our national goal for Australia to become a clever country. As governments struggle to contain the latest COVID-19 crisis while denying the imperilled state of the Great Barrier Reef and the 64,000 jobs it supports, it is probably too much to hope that conservative politicians and voters re-think their hatred and fear of higher education. Pauline Croxon, Earlwood Moving house illogical, unlikely With regard to the relocation of Willow Grove (Going to pieces: Willow Grove could be stored for years, June 26-27), there appears to be a lot more energy and research being put into the deceit than into the execution. Surely, not even the perpetrators believe that this disgraceful conservation project will ever come to fruition? There is no new site decided, no budget, no timeline. All of this serves to highlight this governments utter contempt for heritage and total disregard for community concerns. There is not even a site chosen for the temporary storage. No doubt a few dozen mature trees will be sacrificed in a public park for this purpose. Bob Edgar, Westmead

David Burdon, the National Trusts director of conservation, is right to say that the methodology of moving Willow Grove is woefully inadequate. It is. The house is plastered inside and out and has plaster ceilings, cornices etc. You cant move plaster work, and the soft sandstock bricks will largely not survive and, above all, it will never be seen again. Decades ago Sydney was fed the same rubbish  that Edmund Blackets fine 1858 Bank of Australasia, on the corner of George and Jamison Streets, was to be saved. It was to be moved and re-erected. It was never seen or heard of again. Clive Lucas, Neutral Bay The hatred of ministers towards the Willow Grove house knows no bounds. It will be deconstructed and stored until the Green Ban is lifted on the site and then the government will start a process to put it somewhere else  likely a tip. The only Willow Grove move under consideration should be moving the main house a whole 50 metres towards Wilde Ave with the outbuildings to follow in a similar manner. Between the terraces and house, a mini heritage precinct would be created on the eastern side of the street block. Peter Egan, Artarmon To deconstruct and then assign the significant heritage of Willow Grove to the status of a flat pack is indicative of the disingenuous character of the Berijiklian government. She knows too well that, given the illogical premise and inordinate costs, during her reign none of her horses and none of her men will put this Humpty Dumpty together again. Steve Dillon, Thirroul Climate change control If Scott Morrison is trying to work out how to tackle climate change in the Coalition agreement with the Nationals, he need look no further than the results of the Resolve research reported by the Herald (Emissions impossible: Joyces power-play fires up the Nationals, June 26-27). Leaving out the undecideds, the survey shows that supporters of a 2050 net zero emissions target outnumber opponents overall, with the supporters at 56 per cent in the city and nearly as many, at 55 per cent, in the regional/rural areas. Mr Morrison simply has to tell Barnaby Joyce that we are going with the target and a plan to get there as soon as possible. Otherwise, you can join us on the Opposition benches. Hugh Barrett, Sanctuary Point

Mr Joyce is not impressed by the prospect of $10 billion being spent in his electorate. What about the 55 per cent of regional/rural Australians who support a 2050 net zero emissions target? What about those of us in his electorate who would like to see permanent and construction jobs that would rejuvenate employment in our area and benefit the environment? Caroly Laurie, Walcha Drive for vaccinations The problem with relying on common sense, Brad Hazzard (First vaccine dose, masks mandatory for transport crew, June 26-27), is that it isnt all that common and is both ambiguous and open to interpretation, so unless clear mandated guidelines are in place people will always find loopholes. What is incredible is that mask-wearing and vaccinations were not obligatory for transport drivers of international travellers. If the passengers were regarded as high-risk and needing quarantine, then surely it doesnt take a huge leap to realise their drivers were in the same category and that previous daily saliva tests were a hopelessly insufficient measure to prevent transmission. Once again the horse has bolted. Elizabeth Maher, Bangor Brad Hazzard and NSW Health must be feeling a little sheepish after belatedly making mask-wearing and a first vaccine dose mandatory for transport crew. Why it was not blatantly obvious this should have been so much earlier requires an investigation. This slip-up has all the hallmarks of the Ruby Princess debacle. Cornelius van der Weyden, Balmain East Thank you, Adam Marshall (NSW Agriculture Minister) for being brave enough to go live from your sickbed. Decidedly not looking your best, but you did get your message across very effectively: Its like being hit by a bus. No, we really dont want to get COVID-19 if we can possibly avoid it, so vaccination and lockdown make really good sense. Wishing you and all those suffering at present a speedy recovery. Margaret Johnston, Paddington

Program under cloud It would be interesting to know if the chaplain under scrutiny (Chaplain went to extreme in Christian class, June 26-27) was being funded under the Chaplaincy program brought in by the Coalition government. If this is the case and our taxes are being directed to funding this type of teacher, it must be time to revisit this program. The article only reinforces how dangerous it is to employ unqualified counsellors to advise children on their sexuality and relationships. Mary Lawson, Marrickville Department of Acronyms Leunigs cartoon in Spectrum (June 26-27), made me smile. I remember laughing out loud in the 1990s when my boss at Skillshare handed mea 15-page booklet of acronyms for government departments. She did not find this amusing. Judith Rostron, Killarney Heights Bonded and better

We might have lost a few young teachers with the bonded teacher system (Letters, June 26-27), but those who stayed in those remote locations became first-class practitioners (they had no other choice). They understood the concept of community and went on to be educational leaders. Gus Plater, Saratoga Uplifting shoplifting I cant understand the people in the letters pages complaining about lack of service in shops. You just need to head for the door without paying for your goods  I guarantee you will receive immediate attention. Anne Dorey, Hornsby A rough red A red wine that once brought tears to my eyes was fairly described as a mendacious little paint stripper (Letters, June 26-27). David Baird, Burradoo
Sydney residents have been warned that an outbreak of a highly contagious COVID-19 variant will get worse before it gets better as the state government rushes to finalise a significant rescue package for businesses to be unveiled as early as Monday.

COVID-19 cases are forecast to surge in the coming days amid warnings from the states chief health officer that the second week of lockdown will be crucial to determining whether stay-at-home orders will have to be extended or can be relaxed.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian tells reporters that COVID-19 case numbers are likely to increase further in coming days. Credit:Renee Nowytarger

The outbreak of the Delta variant that began in Bondi on June 16 has grown to 112 cases, after 30 new locally acquired cases were reported on Sunday. Eleven of the latest cases were already in isolation, and most are linked to known sources, but several people were in the community while infectious.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned that case numbers were likely to increase in coming days as close contacts and household members test positive.
On Saturday she lost pre-selection to Price and penned a lengthy social media post claiming to be the victim of a political attack.

Readers will recall McMahon made headlines on Wednesday when colleagues claimed she had been maggoted during a late Senate sitting. The Senator denied she was drunk and said she only had one glass of wine at dinner.

Price, who is deputy mayor of Alice Springs and a prominent Indigenous activist, is no stranger to generating headlines but is yet to come close to the low-profile McMahons recent attention grabbing notoriety.

But theres another high bar McMahon has set.

She is also known as one of Federal Parliaments top charging MPs for travel entitlements. During the first three months of the year, McMahon - who lives in the Northern Territory town of Katherine, about three hours from Darwin - claimed the most travel expenses in Parliament. She racked up some $19,703 in flights and accommodation over the first 90 days of the year, all within the rules of course. This included 30 nights in Darwin charging $457 per night.

Where on earth? Considering a twin room in Darwins Hilton has a going rate of $350 a night - McMahon must have found some serious digs. Too bad she wasnt prepared to shed any light on the luxury when CBD asked on Sunday.

A large amount of her work as a Senator requires her to be in Darwin, a spokesman said. The Senator wouldnt expect a Sydney columnist to understand exactly how big the Territory is.

Defensive, much? But if the size of the Territory is expansive, its worth noting McMahons list of responsibilities is surprisingly short. After all, she has no portfolio and soon she will be out of a job.
What I will say is it is very, very hurtful when kids are being taunted at school. It is very hurtful when you see some of this stuff printed. And Im not speaking for myself. Im speaking on behalf of my family. Vile stories. And for those ... And for people to try and turn that into a political weapon, well, I reckon theyll be judged harshly for that, and I reckon they should be. But thats about the extent of the time I spend wasted thinking about people like that. Daniel Andrews has returned to work after more than three months off due to a back injury. Credit:Nine Mr Andrews says he did not see anyone or have a late night the day before he fell as he left a holiday home for work. Id not seen anyone, it had not been a late night, he said. It was nothing more or less than that.

People have more information, I dare say, on this particular incident than any similar incident in Victorian history, I reckon. He said no amount of communication regarding his injuries could have put a stop to the vile rumours. I dont know that you can put an end to some of these vile stories. People who make up their own facts, youre best not really to get into an argument with them. Its very difficult to win those arguments, he said. People know me, they know my work, they know my background. They know that I love my family and I love my state. Never get into an argument with a fool. That never works. And dont get into a debate with people who make up their own facts  that doesnt work either. I think some of the communications we had yesterday, together with statements from Victoria Police, statements from Ambulance Victoria, and, you know, my character, who I am, what Im about, what Ive demonstrated to the people of this great state, the values I have, I would have thought that that put beyond any doubt what occurred.

Mr Andrews says he was comfortable with Ambulance Victoria releasing details of his incident in order to help quash rumours about the nature of the fall. I had no problem with that being released, he said. Opposition slammed Mr Andrews was highly critical of the state opposition for asking questions about the incident. Make no mistake, we have been upfront and clear. This stuff is just vile. As for those who tried to politically weaponise it, theyre irrelevant to the work I do, and I wont waste my time or my breath on them, he said.

I dont spend much time thinking about those people. As I said to you, theyre not relevant to the work I do. And the people of Victoria would not want me to be spending any more time  in fact, really any time at all  thinking about those people. Loading They can be accountable for the questions they ask and the comments they make and the way they conduct themselves. And they can be judged accordingly. Mr Andrews said he prioritised his recovery ahead of engaging in PR about his injury status and trajectory for return in recent months. Asked if he socialised with members of the Fox family or rich lister property developer Max Beck on the weekend he was injured, Mr Andrews again blasted those who have engaged in rumour-mongering.

What fed those rumours is nothing Ive done. What fed those stories is the vile, wicked nature of the people whove put them around, he said. You can have a debate about whether we should have done, rather than focusing on getting well, we should have been doing a Hollywood production every week or every couple of weeks. Then you all would have been asking us, Well, if hes well enough to do videos like that, why isnt he back? I accept theres always an element of you cant win with these things  Ive told you whats happened. I hope thats good enough. Mr Andrews said he had initially planned to return from Sorrento to his Mulgrave home on the Monday night in early March, but he decided to stay an extra night. He had planned to travel back to Mulgrave to change into work clothes and then head to Healesville for an Indigenous affairs announcement at 9am.

Doctors provide detail on injuries The Premiers doctors have disclosed the extent of his injury suffered in March, including the fact physicians thought in the days after the fall that he would need about three months to recover. Mr Andrews office declared publicly that he would return to work in half that time. The Premier and his medical team made the comments in an interview with the Herald Sun. Mr Andrews lay on the ground outside the Sorrento home for about five minutes before his wife Cath found him, as the Premier was unable to make loud noises to get her attention due to the nature of the injuries. Ms Andrews said she feared he would die.

He was taken to Peninsula private hospital but later in the morning it became clear his injuries were more serious and doctors determined he needed to be transferred to The Alfreds trauma centre. He reportedly requested a road ambulance rather than a helicopter to avoid the appearance that he was treated differently to other patients. But this decision meant he could not continue his anaesthetic treatment, and roadworks on the Monash freeway meant it was a long and painful trip. By the time the Premier arrived, The Alfreds head of trauma Professor Mark Fitzgerald said there were concerns about the state of his lungs and lack of oxygen. Another doctor said Mr Andrews T7 vertebrae had been pancaked. He was in a bit of trouble, Professor Fitzgerald said. By the time he got here he was in respiratory failure. It was more than just a simple injury.

Doctors made the decision not to intubate Mr Andrews, which would have triggered surgery, but he spent two days on a breathing machine. Loading When a senior trauma doctor takes Cath aside, shows her a monitor with all the scans on it, and explains to her that its 1mm and its a life-changing event, you should go and buy a Tatts lotto ticket, thats enough to give you some perspective, Mr Andrews said. He left the ICU on March 13 and began doing up to 3 hours of therapy each day, getting out of bed alone, putting his brace on, walking about 50 metres and traversing up stairs. For the first 10 days back at his Mulgrave home, Mr Andrews received care from doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and nurses including nurse Julie Preston.
Victorian health authorities are scrambling to contact 128 passengers who were on a Virgin flight to Melbourne on Friday with a potentially infectious flight attendant.

North Melbourne Football Club staff and players are isolating while they await coronavirus test results after travelling through the airport on Saturday, and three mine workers are isolating in Victoria because they were at the same Northern Territory site as another positive COVID-19 case.

Passengers at Melbourne Airport Terminal 3. A Virgin Australia flight attendant who has since tested positive had been on various flights around Australia. Credit:Paul Jeffers

Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton will meet his state and federal counterparts on Sunday afternoon to discuss border arrangements with the rest of the country, given the growing COVID-19 numbers in NSW, Queensland and Northern Territory.

COVID-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar said he was concerned about more coronavirus cases seeping into Victoria and flagged there could be further changes to border restrictions.
Victorias longest road tunnels, to be built as part of the $15.8 billion North East Link, would be extended even further under a private sector bid that has been favoured by the Andrews government.

The Andrews and Morrison governments, which are co-funding the project linking the Metropolitan Ring Road to the Eastern Freesay, have announced their preferred consortium to negotiate the $7-$9 billion contract to build tunnels beneath the Yarra River and Banyule Flats, and interchanges at Manningham Road and Lower Plenty Road in Melbournes north-east.

The Spark consortium, led by Milan-based WeBuild (formerly Salini Impregilo), submitted a bid that pitched extending the projects twin three-lane tunnels, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the bid who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The road tunnels between Lower Plenty Road and the Eastern Freeway would be Victorias longest, at up to 6.5 kilometres.
But it claimed the workers had voluntarily signed contracts that complied with Chinas labour laws. KTK has employed one dedicated cook in order to respect and satisfy the tradition of Muslim food and provided new decorated dormitories to them free of charge, the supplier said. The number of workers from Xinjiang currently employed by KTK is unclear and the company did not respond to requests for comment from this masthead. Researchers estimate about 80,000 members of persecuted minorities have been moved out of their homes or detention camps in Xinjiang to work at factories under the program, which has been marketed as a poverty alleviation initiative for re-educated Uighurs.

In March last year, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute think tank published a world-leading study that found Alstom, along with 82 companies including Nike and BMW, was benefiting from the forced labour of Uighur people. The report found KTK employed about 40 Uighur workers in 2019. Loading According to the study, the workers often lived in segregated dormitories, underwent Mandarin and ideological training, were constantly under surveillance and barred from practicing their religion. Chinese state media claims participation in the program is voluntary, but workers who have fled the country described living in fear of being sent back to detention while working at the factories. The Chinese constitution does not explicitly ban slavery, forced labour, and human trafficking but it recognises a citizens right to freedom, work, and rest. However, workers exploitation often goes unreported due to the governments role in programs like Xinjiang Aid.

The documents obtained under Freedom of Information laws show Alstom carried out an investigation into the matter and determined KTK had not used forced labour. But China experts are questioning whether Australian companies are able to appropriately determine the veracity of KTKs claims given the lack of transparency in Xinjiang. The issue was recently highlighted by UN-appointed human rights experts in a letter to KTK chairman Jinkun Yu, where they claimed multinational companies were not allowed to freely access Chinese factories to check no human rights abuses were being committed. WA Premier Mark McGowan and Transport Minister Rita Saffioti on a Transperth train. Credit:Hamish Hastie We are concerned these workers who are allegedly forcefully relocated across the country are subjected to forced labour as part of what the government describes as development and poverty alleviation policy, it read.

Alstom, which has updated its contract with suppliers to include specific modern slavery clauses, directed all queries to the WA Public Transport Authority. A PTA spokeswoman said the agency had received assurances from Alstom they are confident in the integrity of their supply chain and the conduct of their suppliers. Under its contract with the state government, Alstom is obligated to comply with the Commonwealth Modern Slavery Act 2018, she said. The Act requires companies with a turnover of $100 million or more to publish annual statements outlining the risk of forced labour in their supply chains but does not impose financial penalties. But human rights and trade advocates say the current legislation doesnt go far enough and argue Australia should appoint an anti-slavery commissioner in line with other jurisdictions like the UK, which recently rolled out additional requirements on companies buying goods from Xinjiang.

A review of the Act is set to take place later this year but it is unclear whether any significant changes will be made, and a bill by Senator Rex Patrick to ban goods produced in the Uighur-majority region has since fallen through. WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said she was aware of Alstoms plans to use KTK components to manufacture Metronet railcars but an independent audit commissioned by the company last year had identified no forced labour issues that necessitate a change in supplier. Loading We have learnt from the approach of other states and the Public Transport Authority has been proactive in seeking assurances from Alstom on the integrity of their supply chain, she said. I have asked the Public Transport Authority to closely monitor the situation and continue to work with Alstom to ensure all suppliers uphold the high standards expected by the WA community.
Every state and territory is on high alert in fear of a national outbreak of the highly contagious Delta strain of COVID-19 as 37 new cases of community transmission were recorded in four separate jurisdictions.

Australian Medical Association vice-president Dr Chris Moy said the virulence of the Delta strain was a major factor in the national outbreak.

Drive through COVID testing in Bondi. The Delta variant is more transmissible than earlier variants of the virus. Credit:Kate Geraghty

Were basically having a cross-country seeding event, thats as simple as that, he said.

Dr Moy said states and territories have to go hard on restrictions early to minimise the spread after two separate coronavirus outbreaks have sparked cases in NSW, the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland.
For the first three months of the year, the nation braced for a calamity. Treasury, academics and a grab bag of top economists had been warning that up to 250,000 workers would lose their jobs after March 28.

The historic $90 billion JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme was scheduled to end but the international border remained shut, the world was (and continues to be) in the midst of a pandemic, and coronavirus outbreaks threaten to force communities into lockdowns at any moment. About 1 million workers were relying on these federal government payments and some industries had been ringing the alarm bell about how stripping away the subsidy would mean mass closures in their sector, such as tourism or events.

JobKeeper was introduced at the height of the coronavirus pandemic as people losing their jobs queued outside Centrelink. Credit:Janie Barrett

University of Melbourne Professor Jeff Borland estimated as many as 250,000 people might lose work. Treasury predicted 100,000 to 150,000 people would have their jobs cut and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg warned it would be bumpy as JobKeeper came to an end. Those who were on zero hours or limited work while receiving the payment were considered most at risk.

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia, ANZ and Westpac all estimated job losses in the range of 100,000 to 150,000. But April and May have come and gone without huge queues outside Centrelink offices, so where was this employment cliff we were all warned about? It simply never happened.
Its a gruesome list: a monkey paw, whale ear bones, grey wolf and bear skins, elephant feet and orangutan skulls. All souvenirs people wanted to bring into Australia.

Instead, these items seized at the Australian border will soon be used to aid research and potentially criminal investigations into the illegal wildlife trade. Theyre among 200 banned animal products being donated to the Australian Museum in Sydney for science and education.

Environment Minister Sussan Ley inspects the seizure room of the Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment in Canberra. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Hundreds more are stored in the basement of a government building in Canberra after being confiscated by officials from the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.

Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley told Nine News such items go hand in hand with a very evil trade  often with links to organised crime.
Tokyos diplomat in Western Australia has trumpeted the shared values between Australia and Japan, saying they could be counted on for stable trade relations.

In the face of escalating trade and diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Australia, WAs Japanese consul general Toru Suzuki stressed his home nation was one of Australias earliest  and still one of WAs most important  trade partners, offering stability and certainty.

Japanese consul-general in Perth Toru Suzuki in his office at the consulate. Credit:Marta Pascual Juanola

Stability is a key word in terms of Japan and WA, he said.

You can count on us and we count on you.
On July 15, 1971, President Richard Nixon used a live television broadcast to inform the world that he was planning an official state visit to China the following year.

So began 50 years of diplomatic relations marked by pluralism, pragmatism and not a little posturing as America moved to separate the worlds most populous nation from the influence of Russia.

The US engagement policy on China was born in 1972, when Richard Nixon met Mao Zedong and proposed ending their decades-long hostility. Credit:AP

Standing before film cameras at the Great Wall, Nixon expressed high hopes that the walls of ideology or philosophy will not divide peoples in the world.

Fifty years later, across a meeting table at a summit in Alaska, with the worlds media looking on, diplomats from both sides accused each other of failing to uphold the values they claimed to promote.
Prague: Hundreds of people have gathered in a northern Czech town after a Roma man died after a police officer responding to a call about an altercation knelt on his neck.

Police said the preliminary investigation showed no link between the police intervention and the mans death. But the angry participants, displaying banners that read Roma Lives Matter, condemned the police.

Simona Tomasova sister of Stanislav Tomas speaks to a crowd during a commemorative event of the death of her brother in Teplice, Czech Republic. Credit:Getty Images

Video footage shows one police officer kneeling on the mans neck for several minutes in the northern city of Teplice on June 19. The man, who hasnt been officially named, but has been identified by his family as Stanislav Tomas, later died in an ambulance.

Roma activists and participants of Saturdays gathering rejected the police explanation. The protesters later marched to a local police station.
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FILE - In this March 13, 2021 file photo, Tamika Palmer, center, the mother of Breonna Taylor, leads a march through the streets of downtown Louisville on the one year anniversary of her death in Louisville, Ky. Lexington, Kentuckys second-largest city has joined Breonna Taylor's hometown of Louisville in banning the use of no-knock warrants. The Lexington council voted 10-5 to ban no-knock warrants Thursday, June 24, 2021.(AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
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The ice shelf on Antarctica's Pine Island Glacier lost about one-fifth of its area from 2017 to 2020, mostly in three dramatic breaks.

Pine Island Glacier, one of the fastest-shrinking glaciers in Antarctica , hastened its slide into the sea between 2017 and 2020, when one-fifth of its associated ice shelf broke off as massive icebergs, a new study reveals.

The glacier sped up another time in recent history, between the 1990s and 2009, when warm ocean currents ate away at the underside of the ice shelf, destabilizing its structure and causing the glacier to accelerate toward open water, according to a 2010 report in the journal Geophysical Research Letters .

The ice shelf lies at the seaward edge of the glacier and scrapes against the land on each side, as well as some of the seafloor beneath, thus slowing the flow of glacial ice into the Amundsen Sea off of West Antarctica. As this frozen barrier melted away over the course of two decades, the glacier's movement toward the sea accelerated from 1.5 miles (2.5 kilometers) per year to 2.5 miles (4 km) per year, according to the 2010 study.

Related: 10 signs that Earth's climate is off the rails

But whereas melting of the ice shelf caused this past acceleration, this time around, a more sudden, dramatic process drove the speed-up, according to a new study published Friday (June 11) in the journal Science Advances. Essentially, as the glacier moved, surface-level cracks and deep rifts appeared in its ice shelf; this network of fractures gave out in several locations, periodically causing huge chunks of the ice shelf to break free, first author Ian Joughin, a glaciologist at the University of Washington (UW) Applied Physics Laboratory, told Live Science.

As the ice shelf's area shrank by about 20%  representing a loss of 251 square miles (651 square km) of area  the glacier's speed increased by 12% near its edge, the team found. In high-resolution videos of the glacier, stitched together from satellite data, the sides of the ice shelf can be seen grating against the coastline, while large cracks break out across the center of the shelf and then suddenly snap.

Calving, when icebergs break free of an ice shelf, "has been known to be important for a long time, but this study demonstrates that floating ice loss from some locations has a much more dramatic impact on the glacier than if it breaks off in other regions," Christine Dow, Canada research chair in glacier hydrology and ice dynamics at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, told Live Science in an email.

"This is an interesting finding and explains a lot of recent change in the glacier. However, a bit more work is required to find out how fast the glacier will collapse," said Dow, who was not involved in the new study. For instance, it's unclear exactly what drives the formation of the troublesome cracks, whether they will appear more frequently in the future or how the flow of water beneath the glacier itself might contribute to this process, she said.

The finding does hint that the Pine Island ice shelf may collapse more rapidly than previously projected  over the course of decades, rather than centuries, Joughin said. This could hasten the whole glacier's collapse, in turn. But as Dow mentioned, the exact timing of that breakdown remains uncertain. "The changes are rapid and concerning, but not immediately catastrophic," he noted. "Nothing's going to happen overnight."

This photo of the Pine Island Glacier was taken in January 2010 from the east side of the glacier, looking westward. (Image credit: Ian Joughin/University of Washington)

Satellite images capture ice shelf retreat

Pine Island Glacier and the neighboring Thwaites Glacier contain enough ice to raise global sea levels by about 4 feet (1.2 meters), should all that vulnerable ice collapse into the sea, according to the NASA Earth Observatory . Currently, Pine Island Glacier contributes about 0.006 inches (0.167 millimeters) of sea-level rise each year, but that rate may increase in the future, Joughin said.

Past studies showed how melting at the so-called grounding line  the point where the floating ice shelf first loses contact with the seafloor  drove previous accelerations of the glacier. These speed-ups occurred in "fits and starts" as the grounding line retreated, since this loss of ice caused the glacier to jut forward until it got snagged on a new ridge in the seafloor, Joughin explained. And after this series of accelerations, the glacier's speed remained fairly stable between 2009 and mid-2017.

To understand what the glacier has been up to more recently, Joughin and his colleagues used images from the Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellites, which are operated by the European Space Agency and equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR). SAR images look like black-and-white photographs, but instead of taking a snapshot of visible light, SAR satellites project radio waves at the landscape and record the signals that bounce back, Joughin said.

Starting in 2015, the Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellites took snapshots of Pine Island Glacier every 12 days, and then after fall 2016, they began collecting data every six days. The researchers examined all the data collected between January 2015 and September 2020 and used the multitude of images to create detailed videos of the ice flow.

Related: Antarctica: The ice-covered bottom of the world (photos)

The team found that the calving rate of the ice shelf more than doubled in that time frame and that starting in September 2017, the disintegrating shelf lost significant contact with the shoreline on its southern margin. This appeared to coincide with a sudden acceleration of the glacier, which continued to speed up as more icebergs calved from the shelf over the next three years. At the same time, available data indicated "no obvious change in the ocean temperature variability" in the region, hinting that melt-driven thinning of the ice shelf likely wasn't to blame, the team noted.

To better understand what triggered the acceleration from 2017 to 2020, the team crafted an ice flow model of the glacier and ice shelf, taking into account local environmental conditions. They tested what the model would do if none of the outermost shelf had broken off into the sea, and they found that the speed-up wasn't as dramatic as what they saw in the SAR footage. The team then tried lopping off huge chunks of the shelf, as occurred in real life, and the glacier accelerated accordingly.

"The only change I made is that I removed that part of the ice shelf," Joughin said. "The speed of the model was very close to that which was observed in nature."

That said, although the model came very close to reflecting the SAR footage, there is "still a mismatch" in the true and modeled flow speeds of the floating ice, particularly toward the ice shelf's seaward edge, Dow said. This hints that some physical systems may be acting on the ice flow but are still missing from the model, she said.

"It's not yet clear how important those missing pieces are for determining the future of Pine Island Glacier," Dow told Live Science.

For instance, Dow's own research group is currently investigating what role water flow beneath the glacier plays in the melt rates of the ice above. This subglacial water accumulates due to friction from the moving glacier and geothermal heat from the earth below; eventually, the fresh water slips out from under the glacier and enters the cavity beneath the ice shelf, thus mixing up the salty seawater found there. This may drive more warm water toward the grounding line and "potentially lead to faster retreat" of the ice shelf, but the new model doesn't take this process into account, Dow noted.

And there's another missing puzzle piece that scientists must address: When deep fractures appear in the ice shelf, what ultimately causes icebergs to snap free?

While scientists can model melt-driven thinning fairly well, "the part about the shelf breaking up gets into fracture mechanics," a tricky physical factor that also comes into play in earthquake prediction, Joughin said. "The bottom line is  it's hard to say when something is going to rupture or break," he said. Being better able to predict when the icebergs might calve off the ice shelf would allow scientists to better predict the subsequent speed-up of the glacier, as well as the related sea-level rise, he noted.

But even if the glacier speeds up again in the near future, its contribution to sea-level rise shouldn't suddenly spike to a catastrophic level in the realm of several feet a year, Joughin said. Again, the glacier currently contributes about 0.006 inches of sea-level rise annually, so "even if you tripled that, we'd only be at half-a-millimeter [0.02 inches] a year," he noted.

Originally published on Live Science.
The Philadelphia 76ers and the Atlanta Hawks will play a winner-takes-all game.

The Los Angeles Clippers came back from 25 points down to defeat the Utah Jazz 131-119 and seal the win in their play-off series. The Clippers were facing the prospect of a Game 7 when Donovan Mitchell sunk a jumpshot early in the third to make the score 75-50. But Terance Mann, who had 20 points in the third, had other ideas. His free scoring, along with a key contribution from Reggie Jackson, helped LA draw level early in the fourth.

39 points for Terance Mann. pic.twitter.com/D4AlxikrAc  LA Clippers (@LAClippers) June 19, 2021

Mann finished the night with 39, the same as Utah's top scorer Mitchell, and the Clippers go on to face the Phoenix Suns in the conference finals.

The series between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Atlanta Hawks is heading to a decider after the Sixers recorded a 104-99 win.

Trae Young scored 34 points, but Philadelphia drew the best-of-seven series level at 3-3 with a well-rounded offence.

Seth Curry had 24, including six three-pointers, Tobias Harris also bagged 24, while Joel Embiid finished with 22.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP)  Many Americans aching for normalcy as pandemic restrictions end are looking forward to traditional Fourth of July fireworks. But with a historic drought in the U.S. West and fears of another devastating wildfire season, officials are canceling displays, passing bans on setting off fireworks or begging for caution.

Fireworks already have caused a few small wildfires, including one started by a child in northern Utah and another in central California. Last year, a pyrotechnic device designed for a baby's gender reveal celebration sparked a California blaze that killed a firefighter during a U.S. wildfire season that scorched the second-highest amount of land in nearly 40 years.

Some regions of the American West are experiencing their worst drought conditions in more than a century this year, said Jennifer Balch, director of Earth Lab at the University of Colorado. People setting off fireworks at home is a concern because of both the tinder-box conditions ripe for starting wildfires and the threat of injuries. Last year, injuries spiked to their highest level in 15 years after the pandemic canceled large gatherings, federal data shows.

As a fire scientist, Im bracing myself for this fire season because of how dry and hot it is already, Balch said. I think fireworks right now are a terrible idea.

Fireworks industry professionals, who also stressed caution in drought-prone areas, expect strong sales despite a shortage caused by pandemic-related manufacturing slowdowns and trade disruptions.

We think we're going to have a tremendous year, said James Fuller, a fireworks safety expert with Alabama-based TNT Fireworks.

While fireworks are integral to the country's Independence Day celebrations, they ignite thousands of fires a year  including one that burned Bobbie Unos home in Clearfield, Utah, on the holiday last year. She had to jump out of the way before it struck the side of her house.

Within five seconds, my house, from the bushes to the rooftop, it was burning, Uno said. The blaze caused $60,000 in damage and forced her family out of their home for weeks.

I want everyone to be aware of the danger, because its scary even in a small cul-de-sac, Uno said.

Several Utah cities are banning people from setting off their own fireworks this year during the record drought, but many Republicans are against a statewide prohibition. GOP Salt Lake County Councilwoman Aimee Winder Newton supports restrictions but thinks this year is a bad time for a blanket ban.

Were just coming out of this pandemic where people already felt like government was restricting them in so many ways, she said. When you issue bans arbitrarily, we could have a situation where people who werent going to light fireworks purposely go and buy fireworks to just send a message to government.

State fireworks laws vary considerably across the U.S., but local bans on personal fireworks are popping up from Montana to Oregon, which was stricken by massive wildfires last year.

In Arizona, which already is being scorched by more than a dozen wildfires, many cities have canceled their public fireworks shows. The Yavapai-Apache Nation typically hosts a display outside its casino near the central Arizona city of Camp Verde.

This year, with conditions being worse than last year, we decided in May that we would not have fireworks, said James Perry, a spokesman for the tribes Cliff Castle Casino Hotel. Based on the large fires currently burning in and around our community, were happy with our decision.

It's a similar story in Colorado, where dozens of shows have been scuttled, including in Steamboat Springs, a ski town where firefighters are already spread thin.

The grass always catches on fire ... why are we doing something that causes fire when fires our biggest issue? said Winnie DelliQuadri, town special projects manager.

But in neighboring Wyoming, business is booming at fireworks stores, including sales of products prohibited elsewhere. The parking lots fill on weekends, and many cars have out-of-state plates.

Its not just Colorado, said Ben Laws, manager of Pyro City. We see people from Nebraska, we see people from Montana, we see people from all over coming to buy.

Other cities, including Boise, Idaho, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, are working to ban personal fireworks while keeping their public displays, where safety precautions are often stronger and firefighters are on alert.

In North Dakota, where more than two-thirds of the state is in extreme or exceptional drought  the two worst categories  some areas are passing local bans. In South Dakota, where conditions are somewhat less dire, the governor is fighting the federal government to hold a fireworks display at Mount Rushmore.

A show that draws tens of thousands of people to Lake Tahoe, Nevada, near the California state line, was originally canceled for the second year in a row, but organizers later decided to mount a smaller, safe fireworks experience." Holding fireworks shows over water is one of the safer ways to celebrate, said Balch, the professor.

The industry urges people lighting their own fireworks to follow local restrictions, pick a flat location a safe distance from homes, have a water source at hand to douse used products and dispose of them carefully.

Some safety officials would rather see people avoid lighting their own fireworks all together. Michele Steinberg with the National Fire Protection Association pointed to federal data showing 15,600 Americans went to emergency rooms for fireworks-related injuries last year, thousands more than the year before.

I love watching the fireworks displays, but theyre honestly not safe in consumer hands," she said. Even a sparkler can get up to 1,200 degrees, which is actually how hot a wildfire burns.

___

Associated Press writers Felicia Fonseca in Flagstaff, Arizona; Mead Gruver in Cheyenne, Wyoming; Cedar Attanasio in Santa Fe, New Mexico; Scott Sonner in Reno, Nevada; and Associated Press/Report for America corps member Patty Nieberg in Denver contributed to this report.
JOHANNESBURG (AP)  Battling a fast-increasing surge of COVID-19 cases, South Africa has reintroduced tough restrictions including a ban on alcohol sales and an extended nightly curfew.

The delta variant, first discovered in India, appears to be driving South Africas new increase, President Cyril Ramaphosa said Sunday night, announcing the return to strict measures.

South Africa recorded more than 15,000 new cases Sunday, including 122 deaths, bringing its total fatalities to near 60,000.

Gauteng, the countrys most populous province which includes the largest city Johannesburg and the capital Pretoria, has the brunt of the current surge, accounting for about 66% of new infections.

Health authorities are concerned that the countrys eight other provinces are likely to soon see spikes in cases to match those in Gauteng, where hospitals are running short of COVID-19 beds and patients are being taken to health facilities in other provinces.

Neighboring Zimbabwe, Namibia and Mozambique are also fighting growing numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

A third wave is gathering in strength and force, Ramaphosa said in an address broadcast nationally in which he said all public gatherings would be banned for two weeks, except for funerals which can only be attended by 50 people.

Once again, we find ourselves at a defining moment in our fight against this disease, he said, urging all to continue wearing masks and keeping a distance from others.

Let us call on every bit of strength we have, let us summon our reserves of courage, and hold firm until this wave, too, passes over us," a somber Ramaphosa said. "We have climbed many hills before, and we will climb this one, too.

South Africa's vaccination rate is slowly picking up speed. By Sunday, 2.7 million people had received a least one jab. More than 950,000 of South Africa's 1.25 million health care workers have been vaccinated, said Ramaphosa.

Deliveries of the Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer vaccines are increasing, he said. South Africa aims to vaccinate 67% of its 60 million people by February 2022.

As a new surge of the disease sweeps across Africa's 54 countries, about 1% of the continent's 1.3 billion people have received at least one vaccine dose, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

South Africa's rampant corruption has also become a factor as the health minister has stepped down because of reports his family members benefitted from inflated payments on contracts related to COVID-19.
So, are there extraterrestrial beings in flying saucers hovering above our skies? In the last few months, chatter about UFOs, unidentified flying objects, has ramped up. YouTube is loaded with UFO clips, some from reputable sources such as the CBS 60 Minutes program and the astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson.

As a science fiction aficionado, the idea of writing about UFOs occurred to me weeks ago. Then Maureen Dowd, New York Times columnist, scooped me earlier this month with her, E.T., Phone Me! piece.

Ms. Dowd then added to my already deflated ego by citing two of my many favorite renditions of visitors from faraway planets  the 1951 classic movie, The Day the Earth Stood Still and the 1959 episode To Serve Man, from The Twilight Zone series. I had planned to include them both in this column.

In that Twilight Zone episodes surprise ending we learn that To Serve Man was the aliens cookbook on fattening earthlings for later gobbling them up at their dining room table. Or wherever they ate!

As it turns out, the possible existence of UFOs has fascinated us since prehistoric times. The topics current form goes back about 100 years, give or take a decade. Thats when we took to the air and pilots started sighting unexplained anomalies in the skies. They were first called flying saucers, then later re-tagged as unidentified flying objects.

Since then, thousands of articles and books have been written about UFOs. Rarely is anything written without quotes from pilots about what they saw. There are many such quotes in articles online.

Then there are pilots who at first felt they would be considered kooky if they reported their strange sightings.

Nowadays the question is if these aerial mysteries might be new types of cruise missiles that foreign earthling powers have developed. The U.S. government doesnt believe so. In fact, their new report states there is no credible evidence that UFOs are real.

Curiously, our government renamed UFOs as UAPs, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena. Which makes me wonder what new moniker will they come up with if a UFO ever lands on the front lawn of the White House?

Surprisingly, we dont hear much about UFOs appearing in prehistoric time, 5,000 or so years ago. That is unless you watch The History Channels Ancient Aliens program Friday nights.

A colleague, for whom I have a great respect, never misses the Ancient Aliens program when hes home. He as others believe that many enigmatic structures from ancient civilizations are the results of technology from other worlds.

Among the seven ancient sites that aliens are believed to have built are: the Egyptian Pyramids outside Cairo, Egypt; In England, Stonehenge, a huge circle of stones, some weighing as much as 50 tons; and pyramidal temples in Teotihuacan, (City of the Gods) in Mexico.

My first personal brush with UFOs was in Spanish Harlem decades ago. On a few summer evenings on the stoop entrance to our tenement building, our older friend, Nelson, would spin stories about alien visitors. This was all verifiable because he had heard it on a radio program.

My brother Peter and I were entranced with Nelson. We, in our early teens, believed he knew more than we did. And to me, as an entrenched sci-fi comic book reader, his yarns seemed plausible.

Another earlier encounter with the subject of UFOs was the 1953 movie, The War of the Worlds movie, based on H.G. Wells novel. I have seen the 2005 remake a few times and recorded one short scene. The child actress Dakota Fanning looks up at a spaceship and realizes with an intense stare that her father has bravely destroyed it. Throughout the movie she had thought of him as a loser.

Now, how many of us have considered how we would react to a UFO landing in our midst? A clue may be in the Oct. 30, 1938, Mercury (radio) Theater of the Air broadcast adaptation of H.G Wells story.

The broadcast was so dramatized that many listeners believed Martians were invading the U.S. Hysteria followed, though its extent has been disputed. Yet the frenzy was high enough for the media of the day to cover it nationwide.

So, let me repeat my opening question. Do you believe there are extraterrestrial beings today in flying saucers hovering above our skies? Is my colleague, or was Nelson from my long-ago UFO stoop talk, onto something?

And lastly, were the many recorded sightings of UFOs from the ground and from airplanes illusions of sorts? Or were they real?

I also wonder what Maureen Dowd really believes about UFOs. Of course, I forgive her for scooping me.

Juan Negroni, a Weston resident, is a consultant, bilingual speaker and writer. He is the Immediate Past Chair/CEO, Institute of Management Consultants. Email him at juannegroni12@gmail.com.


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In the mid-1980s, it was perhaps the nations most anticipated civil service exam. After a series of layoffs, retirements (my dad being one of them) and a hiring freeze courtesy of the late 1970s malaise, the NYPD was looking to replenish their diminished ranks.

Despite a sweeping crack cocaine epidemic and a record number of homicides, there were many more applicants than openings. Aspiring candidates hailed from not only the citys five boroughs, but throughout the country. Having taken the test on Manhattans Lower East Side, it was quickly evident that the test site, Seward Park High School, was for those from outside the city. And we were there in droves, classroom upon classroom.

Today, the NYPD is shedding officers like a Siberian Husky in late June.

Last year, over 5,300 officers either retired or quit, a 75% increase from the year before  15% of the total department. Nearly 1,000 officers have left in the first half of 2021.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, The Philadelphia Police Department has 268 vacancies, and are expecting plenty more. The New Jersey State Policemens Benevolent Association said their state is also facing a recruiting crisis as they usually receive up to 20,000 applications  this year only 2,023 qualified applicants applied.

As the summer policing season heats up nationally, the stories of how police departments are dwindling are legion. Recently, a Portland, Oregon volunteer rapid response police unit resigned en masse. Many city halls are seemingly defunding their police through attrition.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund said police officers suffered 295 on-duty deaths in 2020  the most ever since they started keeping records in 1786. When a city is not supporting their police, the working conditions become nearly impossible. When police stand-down, criminals step-up proving that criminality abhors a vacuum.

When you vilify every police officer for anothers poor decision, who wants the job? The defunding the police crusade and the endless negative media coverage of law enforcement has made anti-police sentiment mainstream. Such overt posturing has only fueled a police shortage nationwide.

This anti-cop virus has become a pandemic in high-crime neighborhoods that are in most need of policing. It remains a deterrent for police to act and, most of all, it is a disincentive to remain on the job.

Atlanta City Councilman Antonio Brown, a defund the police disciple, had his Mercedes stolen and it took police over an hour to respond. The BLM communities that support defunding deserve a year of no policing.

This universal defund movement is a logical incoherence with French Revolution overtones that underscores how critical the Second Amendment is as a constitutional right.

How far left will the anti-cop pendulum swing and disincentivize good people from pursuing a career in law enforcement and what will be the long-term damage to our communities?

Once upon a time in America, the police were to be respected. You cannot expect law and order when you malign its enforcement, while at the same time failing to hold certain groups responsible for their criminality. We demoralize police by treating criminals like victims and cops like criminals.

Apparently, nothing justifies deadly force. Thats what future victims hear and it will only encourage more recklessness. The left beatifies as paragons of humanity those who resist arrest. For those who disagree with this woke ideology: fear and intimidation and perhaps loss of their job.

Feckless leadership that ended quality of life broken windows policing, imposed no-bail laws, disbanded street-crime units, while adopting policies to empty prisons. Catch and release may work while fishing, but it is a lousy way to police a community.

The protagonists of the defund movement reside in communities where crime is not much of an issue. To people living in crime-ridden neighborhoods, having an effective police department is a crucial part of daily life.

Make no mistake, our freedoms are in jeopardy as the facts are difficult to ignore. We must respect the law and those who work to enforce it because any war on policing puts everyone at risk.

No exceptions.

GREGORY MARESCA writes from Northumberland County.
Slowly we walked toward them, made a fish-hook around and saw in their midst a black-as-carbon colt lying on the ground (he was fine; his mother nosed him hard and he leaped to his feet). We learned later that all the colts are born black but turn white as they grow up, and that an appaloosa in the herd early on could account for the striking coats. A dark horse is a youngster.

The horses were wary, though clearly not afraid, and, tails swishing, moseyed slowly ahead of us back toward the parking area. But the sudden engine noise of another visitors car spooked them, and they bolted, vanishing among the trees like apparitions. We didnt catch even a glimpse of them again. But that was OK. Mission accomplished.

Thrilled by the unexpected ease of it, we spent the next two days in search of the other herds. Two of the areas famous  and beautiful  richly turquoise springs were nearby possibilities, Blue Spring off Highway 106 (the road in is extremely rough) and Round Spring north off corkscrew Highway 19. No luck seeing the Round Spring herd, but the springs are definitely worth a visit. And add to the list Alley Spring, west of Eminence off Highway 106, for the sheer gorgeousness of the place, with its stately historic ruby-hued mill and nubby walking trail that completely circles the enormous spring.
UPDATED 4 p.m. on Sunday with more information from the National Weather Service.

ST. LOUIS  The area along the Mississippi River between Missouri and Illinois remains under a flood warning for the next several days, the National Weather Service said on Sunday.

The Mel Price Lock and Dam in Alton is expected to remain at flood stage until Wednesday morning, and the Mississippi River right along downtown St. Louis is expected to remain at flood levels until Tuesday morning, meteorologist Alex Elmore said. River levels are an indicator of when low-lying areas and roads will begin to flood, Elmore said.

"For the next couple of days, we'll be seeing essentially what we're seeing today - Scattered showers and thunderstorms," Elmore said on Sunday. "The heavy rainfall could produce localized flooding."

The Cuivre River experienced major flooding in Old Monroe, with the water level rising seven feet above flood stage on Sunday afternoon, weather maps showed. Other areas experienced minor flooding, including the Missouri river along St. Charles, the Mississippi River at the Mel Price Lock and Dam in Alton, and the Meramec River in Arnold.
The building doubles the size of the vehicle maintenance area and provides thousands of square feet of storage to make sure ambulances and stations are well-stocked and have reserves for emergencies or disasters.

Most of the paramedics and ambulances that field emergency calls will still be housed at St. Charles Countys 16 stations, some of which are gaining improvements or being replaced as part of the same bond issue.

District community relations director Kyle Gaines said extra capacity is needed now and will become even more essential in the coming years.

From 2010 to 2019, the population of St. Charles County grew by 11.5%  from 360,495 people to 402,022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Builders have announced plans in recent months for hundreds of new homes in the area, and jobs at new businesses and warehouses also bring more people to the county, increasing the demand on emergency services, Gaines said.

Developers also are working on plans to expand senior living options in the area, which tend to increase calls for service, as well.

All of that growth is reflected in call numbers.
NUCLEAR, BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS

June 27, 2021: At the end of May, the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) issued its quarterly report containing details of IAEA examinations of Iranian uranium enrichment activity at their two underground nuclear fuel enrichment facilities. One of these is at Natanz. The report covered Natanz operations between February and May, including production 54 days before the April 11th explosion and 40 days after it. The explosion was the result of a carefully planned intelligence operation carried out by Israel. Iran initially called the explosion an accident. Within a week Iran admitted the explosion was an attack and did major damage to their new high-performance nuclear enrichment (turning uranium into weapons grade material) equipment. IAEA inspectors were allowed to view the damage and the recent IAEA report provides details of Natanz operations before and after the April 11th explosion. IAEA found that between February and May 335.7 kg (738.5 pounds) of uranium ore enriched to five percent of Uranium 235. Unenriched uranium ore is only about .7 percent U-235. Uranium enrichment is a process that increases the content of Uranium 235 in uranium ore sufficiently so that it can be used as power plant fuel or for a nuclear weapon. For a power plant 5-10 percent enrichment is needed. Anything over 20 percent enriched can be used for a nuclear bomb. The most effective and reliable nuclear weapons use 80-90 percent enriched nuclear material. Natanz was producing 107 kg of five percent enriched uranium a month. Iran had threatened to enrich some uranium to 60 percent, Previously the highest Iran had gone was 20 percent. IAEA believes Iran had only produced 2.4 kg of 60 percent enriched uranium so far. A nuclear weapon would require at least 40 kg of 60 percent enriched uranium.

Iran was already hard at work repairing the damage at Natanz, their most modern and productive enrichment facility. The other enrichment facility is at Fordow and is also underground. Together these two facilities operate 5,060 centrifuges and Iran has another 13,000 centrifuges in storage to replace those that wear out or are lost to accidents, deliberate sabotage or attacks.

The April 2021 attack on Natanz caused massive equipment failure and damage on a scale similar to the 2010 attack carried out with software designed to get into the heavily guarded Natanz compound, and the computer-controlled equipment there. Later analysis indicated that the deep-underground (about 50 meters, or 155 feet) plant was effectively destroyed by the 2021 explosion. The target was its thousands of centrifuges. Israeli hackers got to the centrifuges in 2010 via a computer worm hack called Stuxnet. A worm is malware (hacker software) that gets into target systems via stealth and physical media like USB thumb drives. Stuxnet was released four or five years before it got to Natanz, apparently via a USB drive containing the normally invisible (to most users) malware. Once that USB drive is used on any local or Internet network connected computer, Stuxnet automatically copies itself onto all computers connected to the network. On each computer, especially industrial microprocessors that are used to control equipment, Stuxnet checked for centrifuge control software unique to the Natanz facility. When finally found in 2010, Stuxnet proceeded to modify the centrifuge control software to mimic known types of equipment failure and did so gradually. By the time the Natanz system operators discovered something was very, very wrong, thousands of their expensive new centrifuges were damaged so badly that they had to be replaced. The 2021 attack on Natanz used a different approach, because the Iranians had spent a lot of time, effort and money to prevent another Stuxnet attack.

The 2021 attack required several years of preparation. The Israelis first got the technical details of the Natanz electrical system as well as details of the new generation of centrifuges Iran installed there. The Israeli plan was to use explosives placed and detonated where it would shut down the primary and back-up power systems when the maximum number of new centrifuges were powered up and vulnerable to severe damage if the main power and backup power systems failed simultaneously. The explosives were placed correctly and went off on time. The result was Natanz again suffered major centrifuge loss that will take months to get back into production again and over a year to completely fix.

Then there are the needed security upgrades, which are uncertain until Iran can find out more about exactly how the attack was carried out. They knew a lot of explosives had been involved but were unsure of how the attacker figured out how and where to place them without being discovered. To aid in solving that mystery Iran went public with details, and the name of a suspected key operative. Iran is looking for Reza Karimi, a 43-year-old Iranian who left the country several days before the attack. There are probably other Iranians involved as well as the suspected Israel Mossad agents who came to Iran and worked with a growing number of Iranians seeking to overthrow their current religious dictatorship. The Iranians have been seeking more of these Mossad Iranians since the 2018 Mossad operation in the capital when a heavily protected warehouse containing top-secret documents was located by Mossad covertly entered, half a ton of documents on the Iranian nuclear program were removed and 24 hours later showed up in Israel. Until now Iran denied that the Mossad operation took place and that the documents were real. Since 2018 Israel has allowed foreign intel and nuclear program experts to examine the documents and that led to international acceptance of the documents as authentic.

Iran is desperate to get hold of Reza Karimi and, to help with that, they televised what looked like an Interpol (international police) Red Notice. To obtain a Red Notice, a country must provide sufficient evidence that the suspect is indeed so dangerous that Interpol will request that the many nations that work with Interpol will accept the Red Notice and look for and arrest Karimi. The televised Red Notice could not be found on the Interpol website and Interpol had not agreed to the Iranian Red Notice request. Iran is a habitual abuser of the Red Notice and often requests a Red Notice for people and crimes they know they cannot produce sufficient documentation to justify.

There were no casualties at Natanz, which was a deliberate part of the attack plan. As a result, many Iranians supported the attack and the many Iranians living outside their homeland openly expressed their hostile attitude towards the Iranian nuclear program.

The two attacks on Natanz were very damaging to Iranian claims that they do not have a nuclear weapons program. In the aftermath of both attacks it became clear that Iran was using powerful new centrifuge designs to create nuclear material that was far more refined (above 20 percent) than needed for a nuclear power plant. Iran needs a lot of nuclear material refined to 90 percent to make nuclear weapons. The data Mossad made public in 2018 and the aftermath of the 2021 attack demonstrate that Iran is still seeking nuclear weapons.

The growing number of Mossad operations in Iran has led to public criticism, often by the senior clerics who actually rule the country. There has been more of this public criticism in Iran because the government has, for decades, devoted major resources to destroying Israel. That effort has consistently, and often spectacularly failed, at great cost to Iran. This makes the religious dictatorship, look like incompetent and frauds because these senior clerics always insisted, they were doing Gods Work. The latest Mossad attack made a lot more Iranians realize that the Mossad was apparently entrenched inside Iran and finding more Iranians willing to work with Mossad against projects many Iranians agreed were endangering and impoverishing Iran, and a major cause of the declining living standards and growing crackdowns by the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) and police. The IRGC knew that the Israelis had been successful at establishing a clandestine Mossad presence in Arab nations but thought Iranians were too sophisticated for that. That might have been the case for Iranians who trusted their government. That trust began to erode decades ago and even the IRGC, in one of its recent actual public opinion reports to the religious leadership, revealed that most Iranians now hated their government and many were also fed up with Islam. Which brings us to the present, as Iranian leaders realize that many Iranians are willingly and effectively working with the enemy.

Iran is trying to portray itself to foreigners as the innocent victim of Israeli aggression. Iranians insist that Natanz was only producing enriched uranium suitable for power plant fuel. But recent IAEA reports describe evidence that Iran is seeking to develop a nuclear bomb and need highly (to 90 percent purity) uranium for that. The foreigners are not as easy to deceive as before but more questions are being asked about Natanz. Inside Iran the accidental fire at Natanz in mid-2020, described as a construction accident, is now being revisited as details of how Mossad agents inside Natanz got 150 kg of explosives into the underground complex and managed to hide them, and their remote-control detonators, where they would not be found and would do maximum damage when detonated.

Even before this bold Israeli attack on Natanz, Iran was violating the IAEA inspection requirements for the 2015 treaty that lifted the Iranian economic sanctions. Since Natanz Iran has announced further restrictions on the IAEA and is demanding that full compliance with the 2015 treaty be restored before Iran will negotiate the restoration of the IAEA inspections. This is unacceptable to the United States, where a new government came to power in early 2021 and announced it was willing to rejoin the 2015 treaty that the previous government had suspended in 2017 because Iran was cheating on the nuclear weapons restrictions of the 2015 treaty. Those accusations proved to be true and Iran is not changing its negotiating tactics.
Pre-Tax NPV5% of USD825 million, Pre-Tax IRR of 34% and AISC of USD893/oz

Steady State Average Annual Gold Production of approximately 188Koz

Base Case Development Contemplates 14-Year Mine Life

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 24, 2021) - Pasofino Gold Limited (TSXV: VEIN) (OTCQB: EFRGF) (FSE: N07) ("Pasofino" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has completed a PEA on the Dugbe Gold Project, which includes both the Dugbe F and Tuzon deposits. The Company is earning a 49% economic interest in the project (prior to the issuance of the Government of Liberia's 10% carried interest).

HIGHLIGHTS

Significant Production Potential - Establishing a Foundation for a New Gold District 5Mtpa operation, producing approximately 2.5 Moz of gold over a 14-year Life-of-Mine (LoM). Steady state average annual gold production of approximately 188 Koz, with peak production of approximately 226 Koz in year 8 of operation.

Strong Financial Metrics Pre-tax NPV 5% of USD825M (USD627M post-tax), 34% IRR (31% post-tax) at a conservative base gold price of USD1,600/oz. Pre-tax NPV 5% of USD1,153M (USD874M post-tax), at USD1,800/oz. Fast capital payback of approximately 2.9 years from start of production. LoM Cash flow of USD627M. [1] LoM AISC 1 of USD893/oz and USD821/oz cash cost. 1

Simple Project with Economies of Scale LoM strip ratio of 4.5:1 highlighted by a low 2.8:1 ratio in the first 4 years. Low power costs of USD0.18/kWh, with opportunities for long term savings with alternative renewable energy sources. Significant community support built over more than a 10-year history of the Project.



Development Capital Pre-production capital requirement of approximately USD391M . Exploration and Study Upside Much of the 2,599km 2 land package is prospective. The Company has new drill targets in the pipeline following intensive surface exploration work undertaken over the last 6 months. Ongoing positive drilling results at Dugbe F and Tuzon will be included in updated Mineral Resource Estimates planned for July and August 2021. Current test work underway in at ALS Perth, Australia looking to improve metallurgical recoveries



KEY ASPECTS WHICH ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF THE PROJECT INCLUDE:

74km by road from the port of Greenville to the Dugbe Project.

Dugbe F and Tuzon deposits are 4km apart, serviced by a central processing plant.

USD0.18/kWh estimated mine life power costs.

Ian Stalker, CEO, commented; "We are extremely pleased with the set of outcomes from this PEA exercise. It underscores the potential of the Project to deliver significant value to all stakeholders going forward. Our consulting engineers and management team have set the basis for a quality feasibility study which is in progress, and which will incorporate the positive recent infill and step out exploration results recently announced. We look forward to completion of the Feasibility Study which should provide a solid foundation for the start of the build phase expected to occur in 2023

There are many key attributes of this Project demonstrated by the results of the PEA. However, from a practical construction and mining perspective, the following are worth highlighting:

The proximity of the Project to the deep-water port of Greenville (74km away);

The high productivity opportunity that both deposits on the Project offer provides added value to the development of Project.

The constructive relationship enjoyed with the Government of Liberia"

The PEA was prepared in accordance with Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). The reader is advised that the PEA summarized in this news release is intended to provide only a high-level review of the project potential and design options. The PEA mine plan and economic model include numerous assumptions and the use of inferred mineral resources. The PEA is preliminary in nature, includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

TRADE-OFFS

DRA Global (South Africa) was appointed as lead consultant to prepare the PEA in accordance with NI 43-101, and was assisted by SRK Consulting Ltd (UK) and Epoch Resources (Pty) Ltd.

A number of trade-offs were completed by DRA Global and Pasofino during the PEA work, including the evaluation of processing capacities from 4Mtpa to 7Mpta and a trade-off on a full range of power options. The 5Mtpa option was identified as the most suitable capacity for the current project, based on the life of the project, estimated capital and shareholder return.

Figure 1: The Dugbe Project location of the Dugbe F and Tuzon and deposits



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For an owner mining scenario, the base case requires USD391M in initial capital. Operating costs are expected to be approximately USD826/oz during the initial years, and an average of USD893 /oz over the life of mine. During the first 4 years, operating costs are kept low by mining the shallow mineralized material in both pits (Dugbe F and Tuzon) at a targeted strip ratio of less than 2.8, increasing thereafter to an average of 6.8 over the balance of life of mine.

In terms of contained ounces, the PEA relies on 65% Indicated Resources and 35% Inferred Resources, from the Dugbe F and Tuzon deposits which are 4km apart. Updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) on the Dugbe F and Tuzon deposit are anticipated to be released in July and August 2021. With the PEA now complete, the foundation is now set for the completion of the feasibility study in order to then fully demonstrate the financial viability of the Project, which is ongoing.

Other key considerations for the PEA included:

Mining and processing scenarios that were considered ranging from 4 Mtpa to 7 Mtpa.

Recent West African benchmarks were used to determine the capital and operating costs.

Work to date has included the potential for power generation from hydro power and thermal co-generation with photovoltaics (PVs). This may effectively reduce the project operating cost and carbon footprint.

Various TSF options have been initially evaluated in accordance with the stringent new Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management classification.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND LOCATION

The Project is located in south-eastern Liberia, approximately 60km east of Greenville and 240km south-east of the capital Monrovia. The combined Project covers an area of 2,559km2 and is defined within a single Mineral Development Agreement (MDA), issued to Hummingbird in January 2019, valid for 25 years. The centre of the Project has an approximate latitude of 5.093 and longitude of -8.502. The Dugbe F and Tuzon deposits are approximately 4km apart.

The Sackor Prospect is located 2.5km SW of Dugbe F. The Project area comprises a number of license areas that were amalgamated, the most recent of these being the Central License area.

Figure 2. Project Location in Liberia

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The Project area is an undeveloped area of Liberia, with one main access road, recently upgraded by the mine, and several villages. Most people in the area engage in artisanal mining, hunting or small-scale farming. No utilities such as power and water are available. The area is primarily degraded rainforest over low rolling hills, interspersed with numerous rivers. A sizable river, the Geebo, divides the two deposits. The climate is typically tropical, with high humidity, daytime temperatures and rainfall. The nearest town of consequence is Greenville, the Sinoe County capital, which has a basic port and a palm oil processing centre, but no grid-scale utilities.

MINERAL RESOURCE ESTIMATE

SRK originally produced an MRE for Tuzon in March 2014. Without any material further exploration work, SRK updated the Tuzon MRE with an effective date initially reported as 30 July 2020, later revised to 19 August 2020 to align both deposit estimates, using SRK's 2014 model but applying updated economic parameters.

CSA produced an updated MRE for the Dugbe F deposit with an effective date of 15 July 2020. SRK reviewed the CSA MRE for Dugbe F for the purposes of the Company's Technical Report and the PEA; the effective date of the Technical Report was revised to 19 August 2020 to align both estimates.

Table 1 provides the MRE for the Dugbe Gold Project which has been prepared in accordance with the terminology, definitions and guidelines given in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (May 2014) and has been reported in accordance with National Instrument (NI) 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The Qualified Person for both estimates is Martin Pittuck (CEng, FGS, MIMMM). Martin Pittuck is an independent Qualified Person as defined by the Canadian National Instrument NI 43-101. No mining other than very minor artisanal workings has taken place at the deposits and therefore no depletion of the estimates was required. For both deposits, the Mineral Resource is restricted to a conceptual pit shell, as is required to establish reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction (RPEEE). Both estimates are reported at a 0.5 g/t Au cut-off. Other parameters used for the conceptual pit-shell are provided in section.

Table 1. Mineral Resource for the Dugbe Gold Project





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Notes:

The effective date of the Mineral Resource is 19 August 2020. The Mineral Resource assumes open pit mining at a cut-off grade of 0.5g/t Au and within a USD1700/oz gold conceptual pit shell. A geological loss of 5% has been applied to the mineralised volumes at Dugbe F due to barren late-stage intrusive pegmatites. Figures have been rounded to the appropriate level of precision for the reporting of Mineral Resources. The Mineral Resources are stated as in situ dry tonnes. All figures are in metric tonnes. The Mineral Resource has been classified under the guidelines of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves, Definitions and Guidelines prepared by the CIM Standing Committee on Reserve Definitions and adopted by CIM Council (2014), and procedures for classifying the reported Mineral Resources were undertaken within the context of the Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101). Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability.

MINING METHODS

Both the Dugbe F and Tuzon deposits are shallow and so amenable to open pit mining operations. The planned open pits will be mined utilising conventional truck and shovel method to supply mill feed to the run of mine (RoM) tip (near Tuzon) and waste to the respective pit's waste stockpile facilities.

The primary aim of the PEA work was to test and evaluate various mining and processing options in order to scope the more detailed study work to follow. Most of the testing and evaluation was carried out through mine optimisation models that included technical and financial data from all aspects of the planned operation. As Pasofino is completing drilling work with the intention of converting Inferred Resources into Indicated Resources, the PEA work included Inferred material, in order to obtain a more accurate processing capacity for the probable mine life.

Three rounds of optimisation were completed as the results and inputs were refined. The technical results will be used to guide the further Feasibility Study work. The results of one of the selected scenarios were also used to support the financial model in this report to determine the financial potential of that scenario.

Geological and production schedule data was used to determine a suitable mining approach and fleet, which in turn informed the optimisation work. A fleet option was selected and further detailed for the selected scenario.

MINERAL PROCESSING AND METALLURGICAL TESTING

A number of historical test work programs have been undertaken on samples originating from the Dugbe F and Tuzon deposits over the period 2009 to 2014. DRA reviewed the historical test work, with a primary focus on the Mintek work, to derive a conceptual level flowsheet, recovery and operating cost estimate for the updated PEA.

The Dugbe Gold Mine Project 5.0 Mtpa gold processing plant design has been based on a typical semi-autogenous grinding (SAG) and ball milling circuit followed by a carbon-in-leach (CIL) gold recovery circuit. This process flowsheet is well known in industry and has historically been proven as a successful processing route for oxide and fresh gold ores. Figure 3 below summarises the conceptual flowsheet for the PEA.

Figure 3. Conceptual flowsheet



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Based on previously reported similarities between the Dugbe F and Tuzon ore deposits in terms of mineralisation style, host lithology type and geometry, DRA interprets the metallurgical response for Dugbe F would be similar to Tuzon. The gold recoveries for Dugbe F and Tuzon oxide and fresh ore will be validated in the 2021 test work program undertaken at ALS laboratories.

From the historical test work, gold recoveries are expected to range from 87.1% to 89.5%, averaging 88.4% over LoM. The recovery assessment is based on a feed blend containing 71% Tuzon fresh material and 26% Dugbe F fresh material with the remaining 3% comprised of oxides.

PROJECT INFRASTRUCTURE

Access

The primary access is a 74km road from the port of Greenville to the mine site utilising the existing public road infrastructure. The main requirement is to upgrade the existing access roads and tracks to accommodate the anticipated traffic volumes during mining operations, as well as providing public access to the local villages. The road is split into two defined sections: the 30km road from Greenville Port to Plazon Junction and the 44km track from Plazon Junction to the mine site. Access along the 30km from Greenville to Plazon Junction consists of gravel roads that are mostly in fair condition. The balance of the primary access road, between Plazon Junction and the mine site, consists of existing gravel roads and tracks. This section will require extensive upgrades to meet the required standards.

Water

It is anticipated that the Project will be water positive, and as such care will be taken to ensure that all water discharged to the environment meets the necessary quality requirements as per local legislation and international best practice.

The main water systems will be the tailings storage facility (TSF) and the process plant. Tailings slurry will be delivered to the TSF and the solids will settle out. The TSF will collect rain and runoff water. Water will be returned to the process plant for reuse, and excess water will be discharged in a controlled manner to the environment.

Other water-related considerations are runoff from the waste storage facility (WSF) and process plant areas. Waste ore will be tested for any geochemical contamination before a decision is made regarding appropriate designs for the WSF. All runoff from the process plant will be directed to pollution control dams.

Power

An electric load list was developed, based on a preliminary mechanical equipment list (carbon-in-leach recovery flow sheet). The load demand of the process plant and associated infrastructure is anticipated to be 25MW (28MVA), whilst annual energy consumption is expected to be approximately 205GWh.

As there is no electrical utility infrastructure in the vicinity of the mine site, energy demands must be met through local generation. Power provision will be the largest single operating cost for the operation. Consequently, various power supply options were evaluated to find the most cost-effective solution. Power generation can also be a material source of greenhouse gases and environmental impact, so low carbon emission options were also considered.

A high-level trade-off study was completed to determine the most cost-effective power generation technologies available to the Project; where the levelized cost of energy was compared between thermal generation (diesel and HFO), hydroelectric power generation and solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation. The base case power generation costs considered in this report are based on HFO fueled thermal generation plant, as this technology is readily available to the Project. "Hybrid" power generation solutions, involving a portion of PV generation and battery storage, should result in a reduction in energy cost and will be assessed during the execution of the FS. Other 'green' generation technologies show a reduction in the levelized cost of energy but require an investment by third parties, which is being actively pursued by Pasofino.

Based on HFO fueled power generation, operating costs are expected at $0.18 per kWh, with USD52.1M capital investment required (the capital portion is assumed to be spread over a 12-year period, based on the application of a build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) type contract agreement). The operating cost is primarily comprised of fuel cost, which is subject to fluctuation with the crude oil price (dated January 2021).

Several fuel suppliers have been approached, and several proposals have been received regarding the delivery of 2,935 kl HFO fuel to site per month. The volume of fuel required supports the landing of new fuel storage and handling infrastructure at Greenville Port, with delivery to site taking place via road tanker. The costs for the required supply chain infrastructure have been included in the budgetary cost per litre provided.

CAPITAL COST ESTIMATE

The project capital has been derived from four previous projects of a similar nature executed in West Africa and is summarised in the table below. Capital is within the accuracy of a Class 4 Association of the Advancement of Cost Engineering (AACE) estimate of (+50%/-30%).

Table 2. Project capital cost overview - base case

Cost Category Units Total Yr -1 Yr 0 Yr 1 % of Total Mining USD M 15 - - 15 4 Plant & Infrastructure (incl. Owner's Costs) USD M 298 15 104 179 76 TSF USD M 40 2 14 24 10 Other[2] USD M 37 - 15 22 10 Total USD M 391 17 133 241 100

(Columns may not add up due to rounding)

OPERATING COST ESTIMATE

The operating costs over life of Project include mine operations, process plant, TSF and general and administrative (G&A) costs. Total LoM average operational costs are estimated to be approximately USD134 million per annum equivalent to a unit rate of USD28/t RoM. An overview of operational costs is presented in Table 3 below.

Table 3. Operating expenditure

Description LoM Ave, USD M pa Unit Cost, USD/t RoM % of Total Mine 49 10 37 Process Plant 71 15 53 TSF 1 G&A 12 3 9 Total Operating Cost 134 28 100

(columns may not add up due to rounding)

ECONOMIC OUTCOMES

The potential viability of the Project has been determined through developing an economic model founded on the results derived from the PEA. The financial model has been prepared on a 100% equity project basis and does not consider alternative financing scenarios. A discount rate of 5% has been applied in the analysis. A static metal price of USD1,600/oz has been applied. All-in sustaining costs have been reported as per the World Gold Council (WGC) guideline dated November 2018 and are exclusive of project capital, depreciation and amortisation costs. Capital payback is referenced to the timeline from initial production up to the point of realising a net zero cumulative cashflow. The key economic outcomes are presented in Table 4 on a pre-tax and post-tax basis.

The impact of initial capital costs has a limited elasticity in impacting overall project value due to the capital phasing profile and relatively low expenditure in comparison to revenue and operating costs over the prescribed LoM.

Table 4. Economic outcomes summary

Description Units Value Production Statistics Production LoM years 14 Total Ore Tonnes Mt 66.1 Total Au Ounces Recovered Moz 2.5 Steady State Average (Yrs 2 to 13) Throughput Mtpa 5 Au Grade g/t 1.34 Au Recovery % 88.40 Au Ounces Recovered Oz/a 180,259 Initial Capital Estimate USD M 391 Sustaining Capital Estimate USD M 170 Operating Cost Estimate Steady State Average (Yrs 2 to 13) USD M/a 134 Steady State Average Unit Cost (Yrs 2 to 13) USD/t 28 Financial Outcomes (PRE-TAX) NPV USD M 825 IRR % 34 Payback Period (Undiscounted) years 2.8 AISC USD/oz 893 USD/t 34 Financial Outcomes (POST-TAX) NPV USD M 627 IRR % 31 Payback Period (Undiscounted) years 2.9

NPV SENSITIVITY TO GOLD PRICE

The impact of flexing gold price and discount rate on NPV (pre-and post-tax) has been assessed and presented in Table 5 below.

Table 5. Metal price and discount rate data tables

Metal Price, USD/ozt Discount Rate 1,200 1,300 1,400 1,500 1,570 1,600 1,700 1,800 5 168 333 497 661 776 825 989 1,153 10 33 151 270 388 470 506 624 742 15 -46 43 132 220 283 309 398 487 20 -94 -25 45 114 162 183 252 321 25 -123 -68 -12 43 82 98 154 209 30 -142 -96 -51 -5 26 40 86 131 NPV (Pre-Tax), USDm Metal Price, USD/ozt Discount Rate 1,200 1,300 1,400 1,500 1,570 1,600 1,700 1,800 5 126 254 379 504 590 627 751 874 10 10 105 198 289 352 378 468 556 15 -59 15 86 156 203 224 291 358 20 -101 -42 15 70 107 123 176 228 25 -128 -79 -32 12 43 56 98 140 30 -145 -104 -65 -27 -2 8 44 78 NPV (Post-Tax), USDm

OPPORTUNITIES:

A number of potential opportunities exist to improve the economics of the Dugbe project:

reduce capital through contract mining,

increase mine life or throughput when recent drilling at Dugbe, Tuzon and Sackor is included in the MRE,

increase in recoveries based on further metallurgical testing,

additional deposits may be discovered along strike from Tuzon following positive trench results (reported in 18 May 2021), and

reduction in power costs with the potential for hydroelectric and solar power.

CURRENT WORK

Current work that is in progress includes:

further geological, geotechnical and hydrogeological drilling,

metallurgical test work from existing and new drill core, and

environmental and social field work.

QUALIFIED PERSONS STATEMENT

Scientific or technical information in this disclosure (other than information that relates to mining, processing and related infrastructure results) was reviewed by Mr Martin Pittuck a full-time employee of SRK UK. Mr Pittuck is a member in good standing with the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, a Fellow of the Geological Society of London and is a Chartered Engineer; he has sufficient experience which is relevant to the commodity, style of mineralization under consideration and activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101.

Scientific or technical information in this disclosure that relates to mining, processing and related infrastructure results was reviewed by Mr Robin Welsh, a full-time employee of DRA Global. Mr Welsh is a Professional Engineer in good standing with the Engineering Council of South Africa and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the project under consideration which he is undertaking to qualify as a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101.

This preliminary economic assessment is preliminary in nature, includes inferred resources that are considered too speculative to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves and there is no certainty the preliminary economic assessment will be realized.

ABOUT THE DUGBE GOLD PROJECT

The 2,559 km2 Dugbe Project is located in southern Liberia and situated within the south westmost part of the Birimian Supergroup, which is host to the majority of West African gold deposits. To date, several gold deposits have been identified on the Project; currently, Mineral Resources have been declared for Dugbe F and Tuzon. The deposits are located within 4km of the Dugbe Shear Zone which is thought to have played a role in large scale gold mineralization in the area. A large amount of exploration in the area was conducted by Hummingbird including 74,497m of diamond coring. 70,700m of this was at the Dugbe F and Tuzon deposits, discovered by Hummingbird in 2009 and 2011 respectively. Both deposits outcrop at surface and may be amenable to open-cut mining. Since executing the joint venture agreement in 2020, Pasofino has drilled an additional 14,584m at Dugbe F and Tuzon.

In addition, there are a number of prospects within the Project, including 'Sackor' where gold mineralization has been intersected in drill-holes and where additional drilling is planned. No other prospects have been drill-tested to date. At some prospects extensive trenching identified anomalous levels of gold that require drill-testing. An aggressive exploration program to test the prospects by the Company is ongoing. In 2019, Hummingbird signed a 25-year Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) with the Government of Liberia providing the necessary long-term framework and stabilization of taxes and duties. Under the terms of the MDA, the royalty rate on gold production is 3%, the income tax rate payable is 25% (with credit given for historic exploration expenditures), the fuel duty is reduced by 50%, and the Government of Liberia is granted a free carried interest of 10% in the Project.

Table 6: Mineral Resource Estimate for the Dugbe Gold Project using a 0.5 g/t Au cut-off grade

Category Tonnes (million) Au Grade (g/t) Contained Gold

(000 ounces) Tuzon Deposit Indicated 41.9 1.51 2,032 Inferred 10.4 1.31 439 Dugbe F Deposit Indicated 5.8 1.46 273 Inferred 16.3 1.57 823 Totals TOTAL INDICATED 47.7 1.51 2,304 TOTAL INFERRED 26.7 1.47 1,262

Notes:

Rounding errors may be evident when combining totals in the table but are immaterial.

The effective date of the Mineral Resource Estimate is August 19, 2020 as reported in "Dugbe Gold Project, Liberia NI 43-101 Technical Report, Effective Date 19 August 2020," a report prepared by SRK Consulting (UK) Limited. The Qualified Person is Mr. Martin Pittuck (CEng, MIMMM). The Mineral Resource has been classified under the guidelines of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves, Definitions and Guidelines prepared by the CIM Standing Committee on Reserve Definitions and adopted by CIM Council (2014), and procedures for classifying the reported Mineral Resources were undertaken within the context of the Canadian Securities Administrators National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101). The estimates are stated using a 0.5 g/t Au cut-off grade. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and have no demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, marketing, or other relevant issues. Mineral Resource estimates are stated within conceptual pit shells that have been used to define Reasonable Prospects for Eventual Economic Extraction (RPEEE). The pit shells used the following main parameters: (i) Au price of USD1,700/ounce; (ii) plant recovery of 88%; and (iii) mean specific gravity of 2.78 t/m3 for fresh rock and 1.56 t/m3for oxide material for Tuzon, and for Dugbe F a mean specific gravity of 2.73t/m3.

ABOUT PASOFINO GOLD LTD.

Pasofino Gold Ltd. is a Canadian-based mineral exploration company listed on the TSX-V (VEIN). Pasofino, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, is earning a 49% economic interest (prior to the issuance of the Government of Liberia's 10% carried interest) in the Dugbe Gold Project.

For further information, please visit www.pasofinogold.com or contact:

Ian Stalker, President & CEO

T: 604 367 8110

E: istalker@pasofinogold.com

NATIONAL INSTRUMENT 43-101 TECHNICAL REPORT

A technical report for the Dugbe Gold Project will be prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 and will be filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company's website at www.pasofinogold.com within 45 days of this news release. Readers are encouraged to read the technical report in its entirety, including all qualifications, assumptions and exclusions that relate to the details summarized in this news release. The technical report is intended to be read as a whole, and sections should not be read or relied upon out of context.

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 STATEMENTS REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" that are based on expectations, estimates, projections and interpretations as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "seek", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "suggest", "indicate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, and include, without limitation, statements regarding the ability to raise the funds to finance its ongoing business activities including the acquisition of mineral projects and the exploration and development of its projects. Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to, the results of exploration activities; the ability of the Company to complete further exploration activities; timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms and those risk factors outlined in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis as filed on SEDAR. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

NON-GAAP MEASURES

This news release includes certain terms or performance measures commonly used in the mining industry that are not defined under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"), including cash costs and AISC per payable ounce of gold sold. Non-GAAP measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS and, therefore, they may not be comparable to similar measures employed by other companies. We believe that, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, certain investors use this information to evaluate our performance. The data presented is intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS.

[1] Cash costs per payable ounce and AISC per payable ounce are non-GAAP financial measures. Please see "Cautionary Note Regarding Non-GAAP Measures". AISC per payable ounce includes all mining costs, processing costs, mine level G&A, royalties, sustaining capital and closure costs. Cash costs per payable ounce includes all mining costs, processing costs, mine level G&A, and royalties.

[2] Includes bulk infrastructure and re-settlement costs.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/88534
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
Charles Ford at the apartment where he was staying in Montgomery Village, Md., on April 29, 2021. (Robb Hill/For The Washington Post)

When the coronavirus pandemic began, Charles Ford had already been in jail in Alexandria, Va., for nearly a year awaiting trial on charges that he stabbed a friend in a dispute over a woman.

"It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when" the virus gets into his jail, his defense attorney said in an April 2020 hearing, as he asked for Ford's release.

The motion was denied, partly because Ford was still on probation for armed robbery and burglary. Over the next year, Ford's first trial was cut short because two jurors had symptoms of COVID-19. Then Ford contracted the coronavirus in jail. After arguing his innocence, he was acquitted at a March trial of a felony but convicted of a misdemeanor. He served 22 months on an effective sentence of six.

Ford briefly gained his freedom. But he soon went back to jail in Maryland on a charge that his conviction violated his probation there. "I still lost," he said.

He was one of the first defendants to go before a jury after the coronavirus crisis largely halted such trials in the D.C. region and much of the country for a year.

The Constitution guarantees a right to a speedy trial, but courts across the country suspended those rights during the pandemic on the grounds that delays were unavoidable. Many people accused of nonviolent crimes were released from jail as their cases were pending. But others, like Ford, who faced serious charges and chose to exercise their right to a trial, remained behind bars.

As jury trials slowly ramp up, courts are now faced with decisions on how to prioritize cases. Some defendants who are ultimately convicted will have spent more time jailed than the sentences they are given.

In one dissent to a ruling allowing the suspension of the speedy trial clock, a D.C. federal judge noted that the delays "could mean the difference between a job and no job, or absence from the birth of one's child, or the risk of being physically assaulted or contracting a deadly virus" for defendants who "will eventually be acquitted, have their charges dropped, or plead to charges carrying sentences that are less than the time they have already served pretrial."

While jail populations declined early in the pandemic, University of Alabama School of Law professor Jenny Carroll said, they have crept back up  in part because fewer people are leaving.

"Everything is moving much more slowly than it used to," she said.

In May, the federal court in D.C. held its first jury trial in over a year; a mentally ill man was found guilty of trespassing at the White House and threatening President Donald Trump. Held since 2017 because of competence issues, he will probably not receive more time in jail.

In state court in Alexandria, another defendant recently was convicted at trial of a misdemeanor protective order violation and released after a year in jail, the maximum sentence. City officials said most defendants who are being held awaiting trial entered the jail this year.

As of mid-June, 582 people were detained awaiting trial in D.C. Superior Court on felony charges, officials said. While most are accused of violent crimes, over 100 are being held on drug or gun possession charges.

Scheduling trials for those people "is our priority," Chief Judge Anita Josey-Herring said in an interview, while noting that the court was open for pleas or dismissals during the pandemic. Two jury trials have been held since the court resumed them in April.

D.C. Superior Court Judge Juliet McKenna said there are "common-sense reasons" why the people in jail have remained there  either because of their criminal history, the victims involved or the seriousness of the charges.

To keep down the number of inmates and court hearings, the court is organizing a virtual check-in for people to resolve outstanding misdemeanor bench warrants.

Patrice Sulton, director of the advocacy group DC Justice Lab, said there was a "missed opportunity" for prosecutors to ask themselves whether convictions are necessary for people who have already served significant time.

"Is it really worth the expenditure, the time, the jurors' time, to try the case just so the person will have the record of conviction?" she asked.

She is pushing for D.C. judges to have more power to dismiss or defer cases.

In D.C. federal court, judges have also warned about a backlog exacerbated by the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. About four dozen of those defendants are in custody, and some of their attorneys have voiced concern that they will spend more time in jail before trial than they will receive if convicted and sentenced.

"There's going to be a lot of pressure on the system if the pleas don't start to move," U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols said June 1 in one such case.

Prosecutors say they base charges and plea offers on facts, not on external factors. But a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District said prosecutors in their decision-making are "factoring in ... the impact of the pandemic on all participants in the criminal justice system."

Many defense attorneys did not push trials to resume during the pandemic, fearing for their own health and for the consequences of distracted jurors. Ford wanted to go to trial as quickly as possible.

He had gotten out of prison in 2017 and was working to pull his life together  reconciling with the mother who put him in foster care, getting engaged to a woman who worked at the Pentagon, getting a job at a bakery in the Capitol Hill neighborhood where he had once broken into houses.

While Ford was in jail, his fiancee left him, his bills piled up, and his credit score plummeted. After his release, he moved in with his sister while trying to find a job.

"It destroyed the foundation of everything that I built from before I got locked up," he said.

Ford was arrested in May 2019, about a month after a street fight in Alexandria that left a man hospitalized with 13 stab wounds in his neck and back. Ford had been arguing with a friend over an apparent insult to a woman; witnesses later testified that Ford stabbed the other man repeatedly. But accounts conflicted and changed from one trial to the next, and the victim testified that he did not see who stabbed him. Attempts to reach the victim were unsuccessful.

Granting pretrial release is a judgment call with high stakes. Another inmate released from Alexandria during the pandemic went on to kill himself and the woman he was accused of sexually assaulting. A judge held Ford pending trial, questioning the weight of the evidence but citing the violence of the crime and his criminal record.

Ford's first trial was set for November 2019. But on the eve of trial, according to court filings, his court-appointed lawyer said she had not had enough time to review materials recently handed over by prosecutors. His second lawyer quit the case last summer, saying in a filing that the pandemic made it too difficult to communicate with Ford in jail.

That November, with a third lawyer, Ford went to trial. Two days into the case, a juror came down with COVID-like symptoms. Not enough of the other jurors felt comfortable proceeding.

In the meantime, the Alexandria jail  spared a large outbreak earlier in the pandemic thanks to strict lockdown procedures  experienced dozens of COVID cases. Ford said his symptoms were mild, but life in jail became worse  total isolation, terrible food.

His trial was rescheduled for March. Ford took the stand. While a majority of jurors wanted to convict him of the felony stabbing, according to two who spoke to The Post on the condition of anonymity, a handful were swayed by his testimony.

"His was the only coherent story," said one juror, who asked to remain anonymous to protect her privacy.

He was sentenced to a year in jail, the maximum for a misdemeanor. In Virginia, every day served on a misdemeanor sentence counts as two, making Ford's effective sentence only six months.

"Almost four times the sentence is what he served," Ford's trial attorney, Sebastian Norton, said. "And there's really no recourse."
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  Battling a fast-increasing surge of COVID-19 cases, South Africa has reintroduced tough restrictions including a ban on alcohol sales and an extended nightly curfew.

The delta variant, first discovered in India, appears to be driving South Africa's new increase, President Cyril Ramaphosa said Sunday night, announcing the return to strict measures.

South Africa recorded more than 15,000 new cases Sunday, including 122 deaths, bringing its total fatalities to near 60,000.

Gauteng, the country's most populous province, which includes the largest city Johannesburg and the capital Pretoria, has the brunt of the current surge, accounting for about 66% of new infections.

Health authorities are concerned that the country's eight other provinces are likely to soon see spikes in cases to match those in Gauteng, where hospitals are running short of COVID-19 beds and patients are being taken to health facilities in other provinces.

Neighboring Zimbabwe, Namibia and Mozambique are also fighting growing numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

"A third wave is gathering in strength and force," Ramaphosa said in an address broadcast nationally in which he said all public gatherings would be banned for two weeks, except for funerals which can only be attended by 50 people.

"Once again, we find ourselves at a defining moment in our fight against this disease," he said, urging all to continue wearing masks and keeping a distance from others.

"Let us call on every bit of strength we have, let us summon our reserves of courage, and hold firm until this wave, too, passes over us," a somber Ramaphosa said. "We have climbed many hills before, and we will climb this one, too."

South Africa's vaccination rate is slowly picking up speed. By Sunday, 2.7 million people had received a least one jab. More than 950,000 of South Africa's 1.25 million health care workers have been vaccinated, said Ramaphosa.

Deliveries of the Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer vaccines are increasing, he said. South Africa aims to vaccinate 67% of its 60 million people by February 2022.

As a new surge of the disease sweeps across Africa's 54 countries, about 1% of the continent's 1.3 billion people have received at least one vaccine dose, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

South Africa's rampant corruption has also become a factor as the health minister has stepped down because of reports his family members benefitted from inflated payments on contracts related to COVID-19.
A police officer stands outside the Jammu air force station after two suspected blasts were reported early morning in Jammu, India, Sunday, June 27, 2021. Indian officials said Sunday they suspected explosives-laden drones were used to attack the air base in the disputed region of Kashmir, calling it the first such incident of its kind in India. (Channi Anand/AP)

SRINAGAR, India  Indian officials said Sunday they suspect explosives-laden drones were used to attack an air base in the disputed region of Kashmir, calling it the first such incident of its kind in India.

Dilbagh Singh, the region's police director-general, told the private news channel New Delhi Television that "drones with payload were used in both the blasts." Singh called the attack an act of terrorism.

Two soldiers were lightly wounded in the explosions, according to a military officer who spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with military regulations.

India's air force tweeted that the attack caused minor damage to a building on the base, located in the southern city of Jammu in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir, while the second blast hit an open area. It said no military equipment was damaged.

The incident, if proven to have been carried out by anti-India rebels, would mark a major shift in strategy against New Delhi. Rebels have primarily used classic guerrilla tactics such as ambushes, hit-and-run attacks, remote-controlled explosions and car bombings.

Lt. Gen. D.S. Hooda, who was head of the Indian military's Northern Command from 2014 to 2016 which covers Kashmir, said Sunday's potential drone strike poses a "huge and serious challenge" for the security apparatus. He said commercial drones are easily available on the market and don't need advanced technology to be used in attacks.

"Drones have a small visual signature and traditional radars hardly pick them up," Hooda said. "It will require a whole range of new modifications for the military to intercept and defuse these kinds of attacks."

Muslim-majority Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan, and the Himalayan region is claimed by both in its entirety. Rebels have been fighting against Indian rule since 1989. Most Muslim Kashmiris support the rebel goal that the territory be united either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.

New Delhi deems Kashmir militancy to be Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Pakistan denies the charge, and most Kashmiris call it a legitimate freedom struggle.

Both countries claim to have shot down spy drones in the parts of Kashmir under their respective control.

The air base in Jammu is also used as a civilian airport, and the Press Trust of India news agency quoted the airport's director, Pravat Ranjan Beuria, as saying there was no disruption to civilian flights.

Indian authorities said forensic investigators were surveying the area, and were later joined by the country's premier anti-terrorism agency, the National Investigating Agency.

Last week, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a crucial meeting with pro-India politicians from Kashmir for the first time since New Delhi stripped the region's semi-autonomy and imposed a slew of administrative changes, which many likened to the beginning of settler colonialism.

Indian authorities in recent years have raised the possibility of drone attacks by rebels in the region, especially after repeatedly accusing Pakistan of using China-made drones along the frontier to drop weapons packages for militant groups since last year.

Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the conflict.
MOSCOW  It took just a few hours for fraudsters to act after Moscows mayor announced this month that coronavirus vaccinations were compulsory for most of the citys service-sector employees.

Accounts advertising the availability of fake coronavirus vaccination certificates suddenly appeared as social media followers of Russians who identified as working at restaurants or bars.

A new black market was born with a deep potential clientele: the many Russians still hesitant to be vaccinated even amid a surge in coronavirus cases.

One bartender, who provided The Washington Post a copy of his private Instagram messages, sent a query to one account about the cost of a fraudulent vaccination certificate.

The response was immediate: The price was the equivalent of about $25, and the bartender just needed to provide his personal information. The bartender spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss engaging with an illegal operation.

The increase in the number of people selling bogus vaccination certificates comes as Moscow has ordered 60% of workers who interact with the public  teachers, taxi drivers, salespeople and others  to get vaccinated or get different jobs. Their employers are subject to hefty fines for noncompliance.

The new rules, which begin taking effect Monday, also require that restaurants and bars limit admission to people with a QR code confirming their vaccination or proof of a negative PCR coronavirus test within the previous three days. Moscow authorities have further warned that hospitals will deny routine medical care to the unvaccinated.

The extraordinary measures  Moscow now has among the strictest vaccine rules  flow from Russias inability to gets its arms around the pandemic despite two homegrown vaccines, led by Sputnik V, that are widely available and free. Russias latest coronavirus wave also shows how vaccine hesitancy threatens to prolong the pandemic worldwide.

Just 15% of Muscovites had been vaccinated, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on June 16. The vaccine rates for all of Russia is lower, 11.5%  below anywhere in Europe except North Macedonia, according to Our World in Data. The United States has fully vaccinated more than 45% of its population.

But Moscows push to vaccinate its citizens has left many bitter.

Some people say they are more fearful of being vaccinated than they are of contracting the coronavirus. That makes buying a fake vaccination certificate an attractive option to try to beat the system.

Ive been partying since last summer, and Ive been interacting with a lot of people, including those who actually had COVID-19, said Anna, a 23-year-old university student who declined to provide her surname to speak candidly because she had considered buying a false vaccination certificate, then decided against it.

I didnt get sick. I dont have antibodies. So, I just made a conclusion that maybe Im just not prone to getting it. Why should I get the vaccine if my body works well without it? she added.I just dont trust it that much.

Sobyanin said that about 90% of the new Moscow cases are the Delta variant. Infections in the city of about 12 million people have spiked to more than 8,500 per day this month, according to Russias coronavirus headquarters, and 98 coronavirus-related deaths were reported Friday in Moscow, a single-day record for the city.

The explosive growth, as Sobyanin put it, has led to sweeping new restrictions that will make it nearly impossible for the unvaccinated to work in most places or eat in any restaurants.

More than a dozen regions across Russia have followed Moscows lead in imposing some mandatory vaccination standards. Resorts in Sochi, the popular summer destination on the Black Sea, will be closed to unvaccinated vacationers as of Aug. 1.

By mid-June, there were 500 newly registered domain names for selling fake vaccination certificates, according to Forbes. Certificates also are sold on the messaging app Telegram and on Dark Web forums.

Some of the accounts purporting to sell the certificates have been deleted ahead of a promised crackdown by authorities.

Moscow tried to foil counterfeiters by insisting on registering vaccination certificates for QR codes  those square bar code mazes of lines and boxes  rather than just a physical document.

But, for a higher cost on the black market, even a vaccination certificate purchased illegally can be registered online.

It works like this: The seller of the fake certificate contacts a medical professional with access to vaccine doses, according to a flight attendant who is in the process of obtaining a fake certificate. She spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect her employment.

The medic then pours out a vial of the first dose and attaches the vials serial number to the clients name in the state system, she said. Three weeks later, the same thing happens for the second shot. The vaccine certificate is then ready and is  for all intents and purposes  real.

Anna, the university student, said that while she was thinking about buying a fake vaccination certificate, shes fearful of getting caught now that the schemes are in the spotlight. Moscow authorities launched 24 criminal cases against suspected vendors of fake vaccination certificates and detained several couriers delivering them to clients.

Russias internet regulator, Roskomnadzor, said it shut down 150 web pages and accounts selling phony documents. The Russian Interior Ministry said the average price of a fake certificate was up to $66.

Russia was the first country to authorize a coronavirus vaccine when it approved Sputnik V for mass use last August. But although the vaccine has been purchased by more than 60 countries, 62% of Russians polled in April said they would not take the vaccine, according to the Levada Center, an independent polling and research institute. Meanwhile, in a May survey by Levada, 55% of Russians who participated said they were not afraid of contracting the coronavirus.

Russian actor Egor Beroev, speaking at a prestigious television award ceremony on Tuesday, wore a yellow star on the lapel of his jacket and compared mandatory vaccinations to Nazi identification marks for Jews during World War II.

Today I woke up in a world where it has become an identification mark: Are you a citizen or will you live in a reservation? Will you be able to go to venues and events? Will you enjoy all your rights and benefits? Beroev said. I have a question: How could we, the descendants of the (World War II) winners, allow this to happen?

A troubled public relations campaign is to blame for Russians distrust of vaccines, said Pavel Volchkov, the head of the Genome Engineering Lab at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.

He pointed to Russian state television channels highlighting extremely rare adverse reactions for some individuals abroad who received AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines. Though those vaccines are not available in Russia, the news reporting contributed to a fear of all vaccines, he said.

Most of Russias coronavirus restrictions were lifted a year ago and the few mandates that remained were rarely enforced. That created an environment in which people lacked the incentive to get vaccinated because they thought the coronavirus had been defeated, said the researcher Sergey Kolesnikov, who studies Russias health care system at the Russian Academy of Sciences.

I had a wonderful proposal to only sell vodka and tobacco to people who show you the vaccine certificate, Kolesnikov said. Thats a joke, of course. But then more than 50% of the population would have to get vaccinated.

Nihilism is to blame for the surge in infections, contended Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who, for a time last year, wore a protective badge called a virus blocker  a gadget with chlorine dioxide that purports to help shield against pathogens despite no scientific evidence that it works.

President Vladimir Putin himself has never appeared publicly in a mask. One missed opportunity to boost trust in the vaccine was the secrecy around his vaccination in March. The 68-year-old Putin said he would get vaccinated, but no photos or videos of his being vaccinated were released. The Kremlin would not reveal even which of the Russian vaccines Putin received.

Theres a trigger, especially among the younger generation here, that if the government says to do something, you need to do the opposite, said Aleksey Lavrinenko, a 30-year-old Muscovite.

Lavrinenko got the Sputnik V vaccine the day after Sobyanins mandate, waiting in an hour-long line at a vaccination center in a luxury shopping center on Red Square. Like others, he received a free ice cream cone as a post-vaccination reward.

Moscow also has tried encouraged people to get vaccinated with lotteries for a free car or an apartment.

Lavrinenko said he got the vaccine only because he feared losing his restaurant job without it. Otherwise, he said, he probably would not have taken the shot.

It seems like the population here is split in half, he said. There are people who are saying that, Yes, vaccination is needed. And the other half is like, No, well all die from it. There are people who just categorically dont want to do it and wont.

The Washington Posts Mary Ilyushina contributed to this report.
Iraqi President Barham Salih, center, welcomes Jordan's King Abdullah II upon his arrival at Baghdad Airport, Iraq, on Sunday, June 27, 2021. (Khalid Mohammed/AP)

BAGHDAD  Iraq, Egypt and Jordan took a step toward deepening a regional alliance by holding tripartite talks in Baghdad on Sunday, in a first visit by an Egyptian head of state to the country in 30 years. Talks ranged from trade to Mideast crises.

Abdel Fattah el-Sissi was greeted by Iraq's President Barham Salih upon arriving Sunday morning. It marked the first time an Egyptian president paid an official visit to Iraq since the 1990s when ties between both countries were severed after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait.

Jordan's King Abdullah II arrived shortly afterwards, he and el-Sissi then met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi for a third round of tripartite talks. The meetings are seen largely as an attempt to neutralize Iran's influence across the region and have been welcomed by the U.S.

Al-Kadhimi also aims to shore up regional alliances and bolster Iraq's standing in the Middle East as a mediator capable of bringing even the staunchest of foes to the negotiating table. Baghdad recently hosted talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia focusing on the war in Yemen.

"This visit is an important message to our people that we are mutually supportive and unified to serve our people and the people of the region," al-Kadhimi said, according to a statement from his office.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said in a press conference following the meeting that a wide range of topics had been discussed, including economic and political cooperation, large-scale industrial projects, and trade in medicine and agricultural pesticides.

The talks also covered regional issues including the Syria crisis, the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, and the conflict in Yemen.

Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam project, which Egypt fears will imperil its water supply, was also discussed with Iraq and Jordan siding with Cairo, he added, and all three countries agreed that a political solution and the return of refugees was needed to end the Syrian crisis, said Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.

"The message from the leaders is we stand together in the face of these challenges," he said.

A statement issued after the meeting said the three sides also agreed on the importance of security and intelligence coordination to combat terrorism, drug trafficking and cybercrime.

Cooperation in the energy sector was also discussed, including the possibility of linking gas transmission networks between Iraq and Egypt through Jordan. To date, Iraq is highly reliant on Iranian gas and electricity imports to meet domestic demand.

They also highlighted the importance of re-opening borders to encourage more trade in light of the economic crises brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

No tangible new agreements were signed on Sunday following the summit. But the event is considered an important step for Iraq in particular to moderate neighboring Iran's sway over internal state affairs. Political parties and militia groups friendly with Iran are entrenched within the state, its security institutions and the parliament.

"Iraq must be isolated from regional interventions" Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi told reporters after the meeting, in an apparent reference to Iran's powerful influence.

Iraq has previously signed key economic and trade agreements with both Jordan and Egypt.

In November, Egypt signed 15 memoranda of understandings that spanned sectors from oil to construction and trade. Jordan imported 10,000 barrels a day of oil from Iraq, but this was halted due to coronavirus restrictions. The two countries were also in talks to build an oil export pipeline from Basra to the port of Aqaba.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid pose for a picture during their meeting in Rome on Sunday, June 27, 2021. (Andrew Harnik/AP)

ROME  Hush-hush diplomacy. In-person visits. And a very public no-surprises agreement on Iran.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid met in Rome on Sunday as their new governments look to turn the page on former President Donald Trump and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose close alliance aggravated partisan divisions within both countries.

Now, with Trump sidelined in Florida and Netanyahu leading the opposition, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett are focused on pragmatic diplomacy rather than dramatic initiatives that risk fomenting opposition at home or distracting from other priorities.

"In the past few years, mistakes were made," Lapid told Blinken as they sat down for talks in a Rome hotel. "Israel's bipartisan standing was hurt. We will fix those mistakes together."

Lapid said he had spoken with Democrats and Republicans since taking office and had "reminded them all that we share America's most basic, basic values  freedom, democracy, free markets and constant search for peace."

Blinken noted that even though the two governments are new, "the foundation that we're working on is one of an enduring partnership, a relationship, friendship between the United States and Israel."

The push means aiming for smaller achievements, such as shoring up the informal cease-fire that ended last month's war with Gaza's militant Hamas rulers and replenishing Israel's Iron Dome defense system. A major push to revive the long-dormant peace process between Israel and the Palestinians could unsettle the delicate balance.

"Nobody thinks it's a good idea to start charging through on a major new peace initiative," said Ilan Goldenberg, a Mideast security expert at the nonprofit Center for a New American Security. "But there are things you can do quietly under the radar, on the ground, to improve the situation."

That approach  of managing the conflict rather than trying to solve it  may succeed in papering over domestic divisions. But it also maintains a status quo that the Palestinians find increasingly oppressive and hopeless, and which has fueled countless cycles of unrest.

The Americans and Israelis will try to work out differences away from the public, as in Biden's "quiet" diplomacy, when he privately urged Netanyahu to wind down the Israel-Hamas war ahead of a truce that took effect May 21.

"We believe the way to discuss those disagreements is through direct and professional conversation, not a press conference," Lapid said.

Both governments will try to preserve Israel's fragile governing coalition, in part by reducing provocations that played a part in sparking the 11-day war that claimed at least 254 Palestinian lives and killed 13 people in Israel.

The new coalition in Israel shares little beyond the conviction that Netanyahu had to go. It's composed of eight parties, each effectively with veto power on decisions. So if even one party bolts, Israel's government would be at serious risk of collapse, with Netanyahu waiting just offstage.

At least in the short term, Lapid, a centrist, will be Israel's point man on repairs to the tattered relationship with Biden and the Democrats. The party controls both houses of Congress but is increasingly divided on the Mideast conflict, with progressive members calling for the U.S. to exert more pressure on Israel.

"What they're building now is mutual trust," said Michael Oren, former Israeli ambassador to the United States under Netanyahu. "I expect a change of tone rather than of substance ... but there's a possibility that it could produce something better for Israel."

Topping the agenda in both countries are talks in Vienna over reviving Iran's 2015 accord with world powers to limit Tehran's ability to develop nuclear weapons. Trump, with Netanyahu's backing, pulled the U.S. out of the deal in 2018 and imposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic. Biden promised to restore and expand the agreement.

Now, Israel's new government seems intent on staying engaged and trying to influence the talks, rather than scuttle them.

"Israel has some serious reservations about the Iran nuclear deal that is being put together in Vienna," Lapid said, before pledging that Israel would make its objections privately. Netanyahu had loudly and publicly opposed the deal when the Obama administration was negotiating it.

"We have the same objective," Blinken said. "Sometimes we differ on the tactics, and we, I think, are very clear and direct to each other when that's the case and that's exactly how it's supposed to be."

Even the right-leaning Bennett, who is ideologically aligned with the hawkish Netanyahu, has toned down the rhetoric on Iran.

"We will continue to consult with our friends, persuade, discuss, and share information and insights out of mutual respect," Bennett said Thursday. "But at the end of the day, we will be responsible for our own fate, nobody else."

Tamping down tensions  or at least not inflaming them  is a key strategy, the officials said.

Blinken spoke of the need to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but did not offer any kind of timetable or any strategy to "offer a more hopeful future for everyone: Palestinians and Israelis alike with equal measures of opportunity and dignity."

And, while the Biden administration supports and hopes to expand on the Trump-era Abraham Accords that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab countries, Blinken said they "are not a substitute for engaging on the issues between Israelis and Palestinians that need to be resolved."

On the U.S. side, the Biden administration has made clear it wants to extricate the country from intractable conflicts in the Middle East and focus on other challenges, such as climate change and competition with China.

On Monday, outgoing Israeli President Reuven Rivlin is to visit Washington at Biden's invitation. A group of House Democrats are planning an official trip to Israel as soon as Congress' July 4th recess.

There's even talk of Lapid and Bennett traveling to Washington later in the summer, separately or together, the officials said. Bennett will serve as prime minister for the first two years, followed by Lapid, the architect of the coalition.

All the officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss administration plans and logistics, which have not been finalized.

So far, the reset seems to be functioning. But with the Israeli coalition barely two weeks old, significant challenges loom.

Biden has moved to reverse Netanyahu-backed Trump policies that alienated the Palestinians, and the administration has said Israelis and Palestinians should enjoy equal measures of security and prosperity.

But the U.S. has yet to explain how it intends to bring that about without ending Israel's half-century military occupation of the West Bank, its blockade on Hamas-ruled Gaza and discriminatory policies in Jerusalem that fueled a spring of unrest.

Kellman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Knickmeyer reported from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
MULTAN, Pakistan  Pakistan's foreign minister said Sunday that violence and lawlessness could reign in Afghanistan after the United States' withdrawal, and that Pakistan would shut its border to the country if the Taliban takes control of it.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that Pakistan has already taken in 3.5 million Afghan refugees over the years, but would not accept any more. He was speaking in a weekly media briefing held in the central city of Multan.

"We can't take more, we will have to shut our border, we have to safeguard our national interest," he said, adding that Pakistan will continue its diplomatic efforts for peace in the country, and welcome its democratically elected leadership.

Millions of Afghans fled to Pakistan from infighting between Mujahideen groups after the Soviet withdrawal in 1989.

The Taliban ruled Afghanistan until they were ousted by a U.S.-led coalition after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in America. In recent weeks, Taliban fighters have overrun several districts in south and northern Afghanistan, convincing government security forces to surrender and seizing their weapons and military vehicles.
On June 29, 1964, the FBI began distributing these pictures of civil rights workers, from left, Michael Schwerner, 24, of New York, James Cheney, 21, from Mississippi, and Andrew Goodman, 20, of New York, who disappeared near Philadelphia, Miss., June 21, 1964. Never before seen case files, photographs and other records documenting the investigation into the infamous slayings of the three civil rights workers in Mississippi are now open to the public. (FBI via AP)

JACKSON, Miss.  Never before seen case files, photographs and other records documenting the investigation into the infamous slayings of three civil rights workers in Mississippi are now open to the public for the first time, 57 years after their deaths.

The 1964 killings of civil rights activists James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner in Neshoba County sparked national outrage and helped spur passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. They later became the subject of the movie "Mississippi Burning."

The previously sealed materials  dating from 1964 to 2007  were transferred to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History from the Mississippi attorney general's office in 2019. As of last week, they are now available for viewing by the public at William F. Winter Archives and History Building in Jackson.

The records include case files, Federal Bureau of Investigation memoranda, research notes and federal informant reports and witness testimonies. There are also photographs of the exhumation of the victims' bodies and subsequent autopsies, along with aerial photographs of the burial site, according to an announcement from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

The collection is being stored in three catalog records: Series 2870 houses the attorney general's research files, Series 2902 houses the FBI memos and Series 2903 houses the photographs.

The three Freedom Summer workers, all in their 20s, had been investigating the burning of a black church near Philadelphia, Mississippi when they disappeared in June of 1964.

A deputy sheriff in Philadelphia had arrested them on a traffic charge, then released them after alerting a mob. Mississippi's then-governor claimed their disappearance was a hoax, and segregationist Sen. Jim Eastland told President Lyndon Johnson it was a "publicity stunt" before their bodies were dug up, found weeks later in an earthen dam.

Nineteen men were indicted on federal charges in the 1967 case. Seven were convicted of violating the victims' civil rights. None served more than six years.

In 2004, the Mississippi Attorney General's office reopened the investigation. That led to the June 2005 conviction of Edgar Ray Killen, a 1960s Ku Klux Klan leader and Baptist minister, on manslaughter charges.

During his state trial in 2005, witnesses testified that on June 21, 1964, Killen went to Meridian to round up carloads of klansmen to ambush Schwerner, Chaney and Goodman, telling some of the klan members to bring plastic or rubber gloves. Witnesses said Killen then went to a Philadelphia funeral home as an alibi while the fatal attack occurred.

Killen died in prison in 2018. Mississippi then-Attorney General Jim Hood officially closed the investigation in 2016.
President Joe Biden speaks with Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, 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 Portman, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Biden, Sen, Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., rear, and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

WASHINGTON  A bipartisan deal to invest nearly $1 trillion in the nation's infrastructure appeared to be back on track Sunday after a stark walk-back by President Joe Biden to his earlier insistence that the bill be coupled with an even larger Democrat-backed measure in order to earn his signature.

Republican senators who brokered the agreement with the White House and Democrats to fund badly needed investments in roads, bridges, water and broadband internet indicated they were satisfied with Biden's comments that he was dropping the both-or-nothing approach. In a statement issued Saturday after 48 hours of behind-the-scenes maneuvering by the White House to salvage the deal, Biden said it was not his "intent" to suggest he was issuing a veto threat on the bill.

That proved to be enough for some wavering Republicans, who have privately and not-so-privately registered their displeasure at the linkage.

"Over the weeks and weeks in negotiations with Democrats and with the White House on an infrastructure bill, the president's other agenda was never linked to the infrastructure effort," Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney said on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday. He said that if Biden had not put out the statement, "I think it would have been very, very hard for Republicans to say, yes, we support this."

"We're not going to sign up for a multitrillion-dollar spending spree," he added, referencing the larger Democratic bill.

Romney said he believed there was now sufficient GOP support in the Senate to reach the 60-vote threshold to overcome a potential filibuster and pass the bipartisan package. Another GOP negotiator, Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, even predicted that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has staked out a path back to the majority relying in large part on stiff opposition to the Biden agenda, would even support the final bill.

"If we can pull this off, I think Mitch will favor it," he said on NBC's "Meet the Press." "I think Leader McConnell will be for it, if it continues to come together as it is."

Montana Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat, predicted the measure would draw more than the minimum 10 Republican senators needed to pass the bipartisan accord in the 50-50 Senate, where 60 votes are required to advance most bills, but he said there would likely be "bumps in the road" along the way.

"We'll work those problems," he said on CBS News' "Face The Nation." "I think we'll get far more than 60 votes."

The bipartisan accord has been a key priority for Biden as he tries to deliver on a campaign promise to restore bipartisan cooperation to Washington and to show centrist Democrats and others that the White House was working with Republicans before Biden tries to push the broader package through Congress.

The two measures were always expected to move together through Congress: the bipartisan plan and a second bill that would advance under special rules allowing for passage solely with majority Democrats' votes and is now swelling to as much as $6 trillion. Biden reiterated that was his plan on Saturday but said he was not conditioning one on the other.

"So to be clear," his statement said, "our bipartisan agreement does not preclude Republicans from attempting to defeat my Families Plan; likewise, they should have no objections to my devoted efforts to pass that Families Plan and other proposals in tandem."

Still, it remained to be seen what impact Biden's comments would have on progressive lawmakers in the House and Senate, who have pushed Biden not to moderate his agenda in pursuit of bipartisanship. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has said her chamber would not take up the bipartisan proposal until the Senate first acted on the larger Democrat-backed bill.

"I think it's very important for the president to know that House progressives, and I believe, you know, the Democratic Caucus, is here to ensure that he doesn't fail," New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said on "Meet the Press." "And we're here to make sure that he is successful in making sure that we do have a larger infrastructure plan."

"It's very important that we pass a reconciliation bill and a Families Plan that expands child care, that lowers the cost of Medicare, that supports families in the economy," she added.

Pressed on whether Biden was serious about signing the bipartisan bill without the Democratic one, White House senior adviser Cedric Richmond said Biden's words "speak for themselves."

"I don't think it's a yes-or-no question," he said on CNN's "State of the Union." "We expect to have both bills in front of us to sign. And I expect that President Biden will sign the infrastructure bill, he will sign the Families Plan."

Biden was set to travel to Wisconsin on Tuesday for the first stop on a nationwide tour to promote the infrastructure package, the White House said.
LOS ANGELES (Tribune News Service)  Delta is now the variant of the coronavirus identified third most often in California, according to new data  underscoring that the variant is highly contagious, a danger to people who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19.

The Delta variant now makes up 14.5% of California coronavirus cases analyzed so far in June, up from 4.7% in May, when it was the fourth-most-identified variant in California, according to data released by the California Department of Public Health.

Experts say the Delta variant poses a greater chance of infection for unvaccinated people if they are exposed to this version of the virus. The variant, first identified in India, may be twice as transmissible as the conventional coronavirus strains. The Delta variant has been responsible for the rise in cases recently in India, the United Kingdom and elsewhere.

But vaccinated people are well protected against infection and illness from the Delta variant. One recent study found that the full course of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (two doses) was 88% effective against symptomatic disease caused by the Delta variant and 96% protective against hospitalization.

There is no widespread scientific consensus on whether the Delta variant is more likely to cause more serious illness than other conventional strains.

Deltas rise comes as Californias currently dominant strain, Alpha, first identified in the United Kingdom, may have peaked.

In May, the Alpha variant comprised 58.4% of coronavirus cases that were analyzed in California. In June, Alphas share fell, and now makes up 37.7% of analyzed cases  still the top variant but with a much smaller percentage among all variants sequenced.

The Gamma variant, first identified in Brazil, is also being seen more often in California. In May, the Gamma variant comprised 10.1% of analyzed cases. It now makes up 21.6% of analyzed cases in the state. But Delta is still growing at a more rapid rate.

Los Angeles County, the nations most populous, has confirmed 123 Delta variant cases  49 of them among residents of Palmdale and Lancaster. Fourteen cases of the Delta variant were among people from a single household.

L.A. County data suggest that vaccines are still overwhelmingly effective in protecting people against the Delta variant, as well as other known variants.

Of those 123 confirmed cases of the Delta variant in L.A. County, 89% of them occurred among people who were not vaccinated against COVID-19, and 2% among those who were partially vaccinated.

No one has died from the Delta variant in L.A. County.

The few fully vaccinated people who have been infected with the Delta variant experienced relatively mild illness, L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said.

Almost everyone who has died in L.A. County of COVID-19 in the last six months has been unvaccinated.

Data released by the county showed that 99.8% of COVID-19 deaths occurred among unvaccinated people between Dec. 7 and June 7.

If you are fully vaccinated, you have a lot of protection, Ferrer said, adding that for the very small numbers of people who contracted the Delta variant despite vaccination, they really did not have serious illness. ... This is a pandemic of unvaccinated people.

The results of outbreaks of the Delta variant elsewhere also support the vaccines effectiveness. In Israel, theres an outbreak of the Delta variant driven primarily by the unvaccinated, tweeted Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.

Yes, there are some vaccinated people in Israel who are still getting infected, because no vaccine is 100%, Jha wrote. But the infections that are breaking through the immunity provided by the vaccines are causing mild disease.

Whats happening in Israel is vaccines working exactly as we all expected, Jha wrote.

Data released by the state also show that the percentage of the tested population who have antibodies to the coronavirus  a sign of immunity to COVID-19  is also increasing.

Between May 16 and June 12, 85.9% of Californians who were tested for coronavirus antibodies had them  a promising sign of growing immunity, either because of immunization or past exposure to the virus. Thats up from 76.6%, calculated during a four-week period in May.

Experts have estimated that 70% to 85% of a population needs to have immunity for a region to develop herd immunity to COVID-19, which interrupts the sustained transmission of the virus.

Officials are continuing to urge everyone to be vaccinated against COVID-19, including people who survived the disease earlier in the pandemic. Experts say immunity provided by the vaccination is more robust and long-lasting than immunity from surviving an infection.

The highly infectious Delta variant is making the task of getting to herd immunity more difficult.

With conventional coronavirus strains, it could take perhaps 71% of the population to be immune for a region to reach herd immunity and interrupt the virus transmission, University of California, San Francisco epidemiologist Dr. George Rutherford said. But a variant such as Delta  because it is so transmissible  would increase that threshold to, say, 84%, he said.

The Delta variant is also spreading nationwide.

Between May 9 and May 22, the Delta variant comprised less than 3% of analyzed coronavirus samples nationwide. But from June 6 to June 19, that proportion rose to more than 20%.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. governments top infectious disease expert, called the strain currently the greatest threat in the U.S. to our attempt to eliminate COVID-19.

2021 Los Angeles Times.

Visit at latimes.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
DETROIT (Tribune News Service)  A convicted Islamic State soldier is expected to make federal court history Monday by testifying against a Dearborn man captured on a Syrian battlefield three years ago.

Prosecutors on Monday plan to call Minnesota resident Abdelhamid Al-Madioum, 24, as a cooperating witness to authenticate Islamic State documents seized during a counterterrorism investigation of accused Islamic State soldier and Dearborn resident Ibraheem Musaibli, The Detroit News has learned. Al-Madioum served in the same ISIS brigade as Musaibli and helped maintain ISIS records that refer to Musaibli, prosecutors said.

The court hearing in front of U.S. District Judge David Lawson will reunite two Americans captured on a Syrian battlefield in recent years, and Al-Madioums testimony will mark an unprecedented level of cooperation during the war on terror, legal experts say.

It certainly is notable that they are bringing in, not just an expert, but another former Islamic State member who also is an American traveler, said Jon Lewis, a research fellow at the Program on Extremism at George Washington University.

Al-Madioum is not identified by name in federal court records filed in the Musaibli case. Instead, prosecutors refer to him as Cooperating Witness #1 but two sources familiar with the investigation have confirmed Al-Madioums identity.

The hearing comes at a pivotal time for Musaibli, 31, a high school dropout and perfume shop worker who prosecutors say traveled to Syria in 2015, had ISIS military training and swore allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, armed with a Kalashnikov assault rifle. Musaibli is scheduled to stand trial in October and wants to suppress evidence gathered by members of an FBI joint terrorism task, including statements he made to a task force officer in encrypted chats and aboard a C-17 military airplane while being repatriated in July 2018.

The Monday court hearing will not be Al-Madioums first time on a big stage. In 2019, he spoke with CBS News from inside a Syrian prison while awaiting transport to the United States.

Al-Madioum is a Morocco native and naturalized U.S. citizen who lived in St. Louis Park, a Minneapolis suburb. Al-Madioum, a computer science major at a community college, disappeared while on summer vacation with his family visiting relatives in Casablanca in June 2015.

Investigators later learned he left Morocco for Istanbul, Turkey, one stop on a secret plan to join Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

Al-Madioum served as an ISIS soldier in the Tariq Bin-Ziyad battalion until 2016. That is the same battalion as Musaibli, prosecutors said.

Al-Madioum was injured during one battle, lost most of his right arm and later served in an administrative role handling ISIS payroll records and the battalion roster. He surrendered to Syrian Democratic Forces in March 2019 and was transferred into U.S. custody last fall.

He pleaded guilty in January to providing material support to ISIS and faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

Prosecutors plan to have Al-Madioum help authenticate ISIS documents, including the roster and payroll records that purportedly identify Musaibli.

The government cannot authenticate payroll and roster records found in or near ISIS territory, Musaiblis lawyers said in a filing.

The fact that multiple documents appear to contain information consistent with identifying information of Mr. Musaibli is again not sufficient to satisfy the governments requirement to authenticate these documents as unaltered authentic Islamic State documents, defense lawyer, James Gerometta, wrote.

Dramatic testimony June 21 revealed FBI counterterrorism investigators spent months hunting Musaibli during an investigation that started with a tip in a small Caribbean island, led to Dearborn, Iraq and Syria. The investigation intensified in spring 2018 when computer data indicated the accused Sunni extremist was in Lebanon, sparking fears of an imminent terrorist attack against Christians and Shia Muslims.

During the manhunt, Musaibli allegedly exchanged a series of surreal, encrypted messages with the FBI task force officer who was trying to pinpoint his location, avert a terror attack and arrest a rarity in the world of counterterrorism: an American accused of leaving the United States and surviving as an ISIS soldier in an overseas war zone.

During conversations with an FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force officer who used the alias Rafiqa Rashid that spanned six weeks, Musaibli allegedly rebuffed offers to rescue him from a war zone and he demanded unrealistic terms, including a pardon from President Donald Trump.

I would remind him that the coalition forces were not going to stop and the bombs were going to continue to be dropped, the officer testified. The officer is not being named due to safety concerns.

Musaibli responded by sending a photo of The Andy Griffith Show Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife and a music video.

Roy Orbison, the FBI task force officer said. Only the Lonely.

The bizarre responses clashed with information the FBI task force officer received from Musaiblis dad, Izzy.

Did he say his son could make a bomb and kill people? Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Mulcahy asked the officer during the June 21 hearing.

Yes, the officer said.

Defense lawyers accuse the officer of using coercion to extract incriminating statements from Musaibli during the chats and offered to rescue him only if he admitted to being an ISIS soldier.

They do not concede that Musaibli was an ISIS soldier and have suggested he was a civilian living under ISIS rule.

Taken in the light most favorable to the government, Mr. Musaibli was, at best, an ineffective and problematic soldier, Gerometta wrote.

In numerous interviews of admitted ISIS fighters, Mr. Musaibli is described as someone who lived in mosques and sold Pepsi, the lawyer wrote.

There is evidence fellow soldiers worried Musaibli was a spy and records indicate he was reprimanded for leaving the battlefield, his lawyers added.

They also downplayed the impact of Musaiblis alias  Abu Abd Al-Rahman Al-Yemeni  appearing in ISIS records. Without more identifying details, the name is equivalent to John Smith, the lawyers argued.

The Musaibli investigation started with a tip in an unlikely locale.

A source emailed a tip to the State Department in Barbados in July 2016, writing that Musaibli had joined the jihad, the officer testified. The tipster attached a grainy photo of Musaibli posing next to an assault rifle and screenshots of text messages.

The FBI task force officer interviewed Musaiblis father, Izzy Musaibli. He told the investigator Ibraheem Musaibli had become radicalized online in approximately 2012 and was in Mosul, Iraq.

With whom? Mulcahy, the prosecutor, asked the officer during the June 21 hearing.

The Islamic State, the officer said.

Did Izzy say his son wanted to die in the path of Allah? Mulcahy asked.

He did, the officer said.

The officer learned from interviews that Ibraheem Musaibli was using WhatsApp, the messaging app. And investigators read Facebook messages after obtaining a search warrant in which Musaibli said he was with the ISIS in Iraq.

Fighting Americans and the Shias, the officer said.

Did he consistently indicate he was engaged in jihad? the prosecutor asked.

Yes, the officer said.

In February 2017, seven months after the first tip, the State Department received a second tip about Musaibli. The tip included a photo of Musaibli posing in front of an ISIS flag and a video of him thanking his family for sending him to the land of jihad, the officer testified.

By spring 2018, investigators had obtained Musaiblis phone number and were trying to pinpoint his location.

Investigators believe Musaibli was using virtual private networks, or VPNs, utilized by ISIS to thwart government surveillance. The networks mask the users Internet Protocol address so it would appear Musaibli was in the United Kingdom one day and Norway the next.

Then, Musaiblis IP address consistently showed he was in Lebanon.

Why was that a concern to you? Mulcahy asked the FBI task force officer.

Because Lebanon is predominantly Shia and Christian, and it would be concerning if a Sunni Islamic State member would go to Lebanon, the officer said. In my opinion, it was for an imminent attack.

Musaiblis father said he believed his son was in Syria and indicated Ibraheem Musaibli wanted to return to the U.S.

The counterterrorism officer asked Musaibli to send his geocoordinates to prove he was in Syria.

He refused, fearing the U.S. military would target him in a drone strike. He also refused to send a photo of a nearby landmark, the officer testified.

We were still trying to establish if he was in Lebanon, planning an attack in Lebanon, the officer said.

It was very concerning, the officer added, that this was some sort of trap.

By late April 2018, the FBI started to believe Musaibli was, indeed, in Syria because he referenced leaflets distributed in the eastern city of Hajin by coalition forces that encouraged Islamic State members to surrender to Syrian Democratic Forces.

Musaibli requested money so he could hire a smuggler and escape ISIS.

Im a risk-taker, Musaibli said, according to the officers testimony.

Musaibli tried negotiating terms of his potential surrender.

He wanted a variety of things: he wanted to speak to the judge prior to turning himself in; he wanted assurances of no jail time; he wanted a presidential pardon; he wanted to stop in Yemen to see his wife and have her come back so she could be in the cell with him, the officer said.

What was your response? the prosecutor asked.

That everything he was asking, we could not do, the officer testified.

Musaibli surrendered to Syrian Democratic Forces on June 9, 2018, according to his lawyers. A New York Times report at the time said he was captured while trying to flee the Middle Euphrates River Valley in northern Syria.

He was transferred to FBI custody several weeks later. The officer and other agents flew to the Middle East to bring Musaibli home to face charges. He is charged with several crimes, including providing material support to the ISIS group and receiving military training from a foreign terrorist organization, that could send him to prison for more than 20 years.

Agents fitted Musaibli with sensory deprivation blackout goggles, noise-canceling ear coverings and placed him in a van. He was driven to an airfield, flown to Kuwait and transferred to a larger military plane for a flight to the United States, his lawyer, Gerometta, wrote.

The defense team faults the government for coercive treatment while Musaibli was transported back to the U.S. while wearing sensory deprivation equipment. The officer testified the equipment was to protect Musaibli, not disorient him.

Defense lawyers want to prevent prosecutors from using the chats at trial. The officer was aware of Mr. Musaiblis desperate situation and used his desire to escape the deteriorating stability in southern Syria to coerce Mr. Musaibli into making incriminating statements, Gerometta wrote.

During the June 21 hearing, the lawyer focused on federal agents questioning Musaibli aboard the C-17 airplane when he did not have a lawyer.

You could have interviewed Ibraheem in the United States, correct? he asked the officer.

The officer said there would not have been enough time for a comprehensive interview.

You could have once he was appointed an attorney, Gerometta said.

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The Russian Knights and Strizhi aerobatic units fly Sukhoi Su-30SM and Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter jets during the victory day parade in Moscow on June 24, 2020. (Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg)

Even as Russia massed over 100,000 troops on Ukraines borders in April, Andriy Zagorodnyuk felt sure President Vladimir Putin wouldnt go to war.

The former defense minister in Kyiv, whod also spent years on projects to modernize Ukraines military, reasoned that Putin knew an invasion would be no walk in the park for Russia this time.

Our task has been to make sure we can inflict unacceptable damage, a damage level so high that they will be demotivated to advance, Zagorodnyuk said in a video interview from the Ukrainian capital.

That was a bold bet, though Ukraine had made dramatic improvements to its armed forces since a few thousand Russian troops, in uniforms with no identifiable markings, annexed Crimea without firing a shot in 2014. It could potentially have been catastrophically wrong.

Whatever Putins motives for the recent show of force (some of the additional troops have since pulled back), alongside tit-for-tat accusations with the U.K. over a British destroyer transit of Ukrainian waters, comparing military capabilities is difficult and becoming even more so. After a brief post-Cold War interlude in which the U.S. and its North Atlantic Treaty Organization partners had no serious peer competitors, now they do.

Many common measures of military strength are misleading. Based on defense spending alone, for example, Spain should be stronger than Turkey, NATOs second-largest military power after the U.S.; Saudi Arabia should be easily able to swat Iran; and Britain could go toe-to-toe in any conflict with Russia. None of the above is the case.

But much more than a top-line number goes into how effective a military is. Refining budget data, weighting weaponry for age and effectiveness and accounting for intangibles such as morale, doctrine, training and geography are just some of the factors at play.

Defense dollars also overstate American strength relative to its rivals, according to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley.

When everything is taken into account, and you normalize for the cost of personnel, etcetera, then you will find that the combined budgets of China and Russia do exceed that of the U.S. Department of Defense budget, he told the House Armed Services Committee on June 23.

According to their declared defense budgets, China spends about a third of the U.S. administrations $715 billion request for the coming year and Russia one tenth.

For sure, governments and their intelligence agencies know more than they make public, and generals have motives for exaggerating the threats they face. Milley said in his testimony he would have to go into a classified session if the committee wanted him to explain the math behind his claim. His office also declined to provide details.

U.S. military personnel gather to board the USS Wasp aircraft carrier ahead of the Memorial Day address by President Trump at the U.S. naval base in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, on May 28, 2019. (Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg) Pedestrians and cyclists stand in front of a screen showing an advertisement for the People's Liberation Army in Beijing on March 5, 2021. (Qilai Shen/Bloomberg)

In March, Milleys Chinese counterpart as top uniformed officer, Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Xu Qiliang, made a similar appeal to his legislature. He called for improved capabilities to attain invincibility against the threat of conflict with the U.S.

A U.S. State Department index comparing defense budgets around the world stresses the lack of clarity and gives broad spreads for each country  from $228 billion to $433 billion for China, and $66.5 billion to $159 billion for Russia in 2017, the latest available data.

Applying complex sets of information to particular geographies and scenarios is an industry that draws on hundreds of thousands of analysts in defense and intelligence agencies around the world.

Those services have been in growing demand since 2014, in large part because of Russias military modernization and its hybrid war in Ukraine, according to David Shlapak, a senior defense researcher at the Rand Corporation, a California-based think tank that works closely on scenario planning with the Pentagon.When we started work on a Russia-NATO scenario in 2014, the first thing we did was go look at the literature  what we found was no one had thought seriously about a Russia-NATO war for 20 years, says Shlapak, at the time co-director of the Rand Center for Gaming. We were in Afghanistan, Iraq  the services had their hands full.

Chinas rapid military development, with a laser-like focus on challenging U.S. capabilities in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, also has contributed. Researchers at the University of Sydney warned last year that Chinese missiles could wipe out U.S. bases in the opening hours of any conflict. In October, President Xi Jinping rolled out the new Peoples Liberation Army Rocket Force as part of a massive military parade.

And it isnt just Ukraine or the U.S. that are rethinking their security postures. In March, a British defense and security review cited increased global competition and modernization by other nuclear powers to justify a controversial decision to increase the cap on Britains atomic warhead stockpile to 260 from 225. The decision reversed decades of nuclear arms reduction; Britain currently has 195 warheads, down from a Cold War peak of 520, according to a parliamentary briefing paper.

Russia, in particular, is developing new nuclear platforms and Putin has boasted of fielding hypersonic glide missiles that would be all but impossible to intercept, although their actual capabilities are essentially unknown.

One reason official data may understate Chinese defense spending is that it excludes some items the U.S. doesnt, such as research and development, according to Fenella McGerty, a defense finance specialist at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. Exchange rate comparisons also inflate U.S. dominance because it gets less bang for its dollar  its a lot cheaper for Russia to build a plane, or for China to pay a soldier.

Attempts have been made  including by the United Nations in 1984  to develop a purchasing power parity index that would make defense sector comparisons more reliable, but so far without success. Thats what McGerty is working on now and its really hard, she says. Much of the data needed is classified, disinformation is rampant, and theres little market pricing to rely on.

Comparing hardware isnt much easier. In 2016, the U.S. Armys Strategic Studies Group (now called the Future Studies Group) commissioned the Frederick S. Pardee Center for International Futures at the University of Denver to produce a weighted index of heavy weaponry. Pardee differentiated between generations of combat aircraft, for example, scoring them for effectiveness. Within that, they bumped up older aircraft supplied with new avionics and missiles.Counts are interesting, says Collin Meisel, who runs the program. But when we talk about Chinese aircraft carriers, they have ramps that are dependent on wind and all kinds of other things. They arent nearly as capable as U.S. aircraft carriers.

Pardee came up with an overall weighted index for each countrys share of global fire power: Iran scored just ahead of Saudi Arabia, Turkey twice as high as Spain, and Russia four times above the U.K.

Russia also outscored Ukraine by a factor of 12. The index was a first attempt and needs updating, Meisel cautioned.

To figure out how a 2021 Ukraine-Russia conflict would pan out, youd also have to look at doctrines, training, morale, electronic war-fighting capabilities, command and control systems and, above all, geography, says Rands Shlapak. For the 2014 NATO-Russia war game in the Baltic States, he said, we had people in Latvia and Estonia literally driving the roads we thought the Russians would use. The project concluded Russia would win before NATO had a chance to respond.

Ukraines military has to plan for the possibility of a Russian assault from Belarus to the north, Russia and the separatist Donbas territories in the east, Crimea and the Black Sea to the south and Moldovas separatist territory of Transnistria, to the west.

Ukraine has come a long way since 2014, when corruption had plundered its arsenals, some top commanders worked for Moscow and an antiquated doctrine left it paralyzed before Russias hybrid tactics, says Zagorodnyuk. A tech entrepreneur at the time, he recalls struggling to produce makeshift heaters for troops freezing on barricades  only to find out later the military had 25,000 unused heaters in storage.

While the danger from Russia remains, a new doctrine and systems in Ukraine, more than 200,000 regular troops, an officer corps that has largely passed through NATO training and better equipment mean it would be relatively easy to get in but very difficult to get out, Zagorodnyuk said.

Maybe, except Russias military has improved since 2014, too. Says Yohann Michel, who covers land warfare for the Military Balance, the tome of comparative military data the IISS has published since 1959: The capabilities gap has probably grown.
FRESNO, Calif. (Tribune News Service)  Four living Chinese American veterans and several more who have died were honored Saturday in Fresno, earning what their families said was long overdue praise for serving in World War II. Wing Tuck Chin tried to enlist in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio, but was turned away when the recruiter said he was only looking for white recruits, according to Chins daughter Daphne Chin Croy. That didnt stop him. Undeterred, he went to Dayton, Ohio, and they said they had no such rule, his daughter said. And they took him. Chin enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942 hoping to fly fighter planes, his daughter said. He passed the test, though he didnt yet have a high school diploma, and became a 1st lieutenant, flying C-47 transport planes. He also trained pilots to fly B-52 bombers, saw time in Italy and rose to the rank of captain before his service ended, according to his family. The 98-year-old veteran was one of several at the Fresno Veterans Memorial Museum on Saturday awarded a Congressional Gold Medal, the highest level of appreciation from the U.S. Congress. Signed into law in 2018 by President Donald Trump, the Chinese American World War II Veteran Congressional Gold Medal Act awarded medals to roughly 20,000 Chinese Americans who served in World War II.

About 40% of those who served were not U.S. citizens due to laws that denied citizenship to people of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans served in all branches of the armed forces and all theaters of the war, according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.

Saturdays ceremony also honored widows or surviving family members of other Chinese Americans veterans.

Chinese Americans often served with the 14th Air Force in the China- Burma- India theater, the VA says. Flying Tiger members flew dangerous missions over the Himalayas and crews also defended the Chinese end of the mountain range.

Asking a group of people who lived in segregated neighborhoods and faced racism to serve in the military was a tall order, according to Phil Cervantes, the Veterans of Foreign Wars vice commander of District 9.

They faced racism. They were not welcomed, he said. Thats a fact.

The 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, which suspended Chinese immigration for 10 years, was still on the books until it was repealed midway through the war in 1943. Anti-Asian sentiment was a daily roadblock and reverberates today.

Its unfortunately what we see in America today with so many hate crimes and hate incidents that occur against our Asian population, that includes our Chinese Americans who fought valiantly for this country, Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer said.

Fresno city leaders denounced anti-Asian violence in April following an Atlanta shooting that left six Asian women dead and other hate crimes that made news this year.

Another medal recipient was Raymond Yuen Lee, who was born in San Francisco and moved to Fresno at 5 or 6 years old, he said. Lee enlisted in the Army in 1943 after he was turned down by the Air Force and Navy.

Lee said he had heard about the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor.

I looked at my dad and said, Wheres Pearl Harbor?  he said. We found out Pearl Harbor was in Hawaii. I said, Man, looks like I have to go into the service. 

After serving as a medic in the 97th Infantry Division, 322nd Medical Battalion, Company C, Lee left the service in 1946. He retired from the city of Fresnos traffic division after 25 years.

Edward Sing Quan was in the Army from October 1944 to October 1946, transporting troops and supplies in diesel trucks in Korea. He later served as a mess sergeant and chief baker and left the Army to work as a butcher at Rex Meat Market in Fresno.

Brenda Lee Wong helped organize the ceremony on Saturday, which drew out-of-town family and some young people.

Seeing teenagers in the crowd was a good sight, she said, because the service of Chinese Americans is too often lost from history books.

Hansen Chin said he wasnt sure he would qualify for the congressional medal, because he spent all of his time in the Army stateside.

He primarily processed records for troops as they returned from overseas, he said.

No matter what you did, what your job was, was important and it served a purpose, Chin said. Just the service in the United States military, regardless, was an honor.

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(Tribune News Service) When the climb got roughest during the 320-mile trek across Pennsylvania, Tucker McCullough mustered the energy to press forward by invoking the past.

Accompanied by five comrades on the PA Hero Walk from Philadelphia to the Alle-Kiski Valley, the Army veteran recalled the many brave soldiers who traversed the same land by foot hundreds of years ago in a quest to forge a fledgling America. Most of the 14-day trip for a veterans charity that ended Saturday was spent walking alongside Route 30, or the historic Forbes Road, the military thoroughfare built during the French and Indian War and named for Brig. Gen. John Forbes.

This years participants averaged 22 miles a day, including steep hikes over the Tuscarora and Blue mountains.

Its a tough trail up that mountain, McCullough said. But then you think to yourself that there were men who had to cut the tree down in front of them to get to the next step.

What were doing is really just walking in their footsteps  and its a helluva lot easier on us than it was on them, McCullough said. And thats what gets you over the crest of that hill. Not to mention when you go back down, theres 45 people waiting there and a parade clapping for you.

Small parades of supporters and fellow fundraisers popped up at several stops during the six-man teams journey, including marchers in Lower Burrell as well as Ligonier, Derry, York and Parkesburg. They participated in brief ceremonies and gatherings at veterans clubs as well as memorial sites and town squares.

Raising $300,000 a year for vets in need

Now in its 13th year, the PA Hero Walk is an annual event put on by the Kiski Valley Veterans and Patriots Association that has raised nearly $3 million since its inception in 2009, PA Hero Walk President Dave Rapacchietta said.

The 2021 walk and related fundraising efforts are on track to raise nearly $300,000, with more donations being tabulated over the weekend.

The money goes to support honorably discharged veterans from any era who live in Pennsylvania and are enrolled in VA benefits. Help spans everything from covering dental, utility and mortgage bills to helping family members of veterans pay for funerals or install a handicapped ramp.

This years walkers enjoyed donated meals and stays provided by 41 Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Elks and Moose lodges and other supporters scattered across the state, including a welcome-back dinner Friday night at the American Legion post in Vandergrift.

In military fashion, they kept a tight schedule and stuck to it. They took turns hoisting an American flag while walking and donned neon-yellow matching shirts. An RV emblazoned with the names of their supporters followed along, equipped with coolers filled with Gatorade and water.

The shortest and final day, Saturday, stretched nine miles  from the Veterans War Memorial in Leechburg to the VFW Post 92 in Lower Burrell, where the journey culminated in a celebratory picnic with the walkers family and friends. On their longest day, they logged 28.4 miles.

Were always trying to get more walkers, McCullough, a father of six, said while packing up the PA Hero Walk RV van with his wife, April, happy to be home with his kids and two dogs but already gearing up to plan the 2022 walk. I cant wait until next year.

For McCullough, who completed his fifth full walk, the cross-state journey is always therapeutic and rejuvenating. He enjoys vacillating between chats with fellow walkers  including his son, 17-year-old Gregory McCullough  as well as zoning out on his earphones to his eclectic music library, from the latest country hits and Johnny Cash to the Monkees and Rob Zombie. He marvels at the beauty of the little things that get missed when whizzing by in a car.

You would not believe how beautiful our state is until you walk across Route 30 at a snails pace and look at everything. In all honesty, theres no real words for it, McCullough said. ... When you crest Blue Knob, you can see the next mountain and everything in between and everything you just passed. And then, when you get up into the Laurel Highlands, you feel like you can see the whole state from up there.

This years walk went well in terms of weather, with only one morning bringing a bout of rain and a cold-weather day that required wearing extra coats.

It hasnt always gone so smoothly.

Nobody was injured during this years walk, whereas in prior years participants have sprained an ankle and broken a foot.

In 2018, the group got caught up in a flash flood that poured down so hard and fast that they found themselves in water up to their waists.

The biggest event that affected the group during their walk actually happened back home in Western Pennsylvania.

Founding member of PA Hero Walk dies at 74

James Vincent Jim Scahill III  one of the PA Hero Walks founding members and a longtime Armstrong County commissioner  died at his Kittanning home on Saturday, June 19, about a week into the trip. He was 74.

This year marked the first statewide walk missed by Scahill, whose health had been declining in recent months.

The walking team had just sat down to eat a meal in Chambersbrug when Scahills son called McCullough to tell him his father had died. He waited until he got back to the hotel to break the news to the rest of the group.

Scahill was known statewide as a force in the veterans charity field and active volunteerism, from dressing up like General Forbes to give historical talks to tending to injuries during the annual walk.

He was just that booming voice, very personable. He took care of the men, he fed us, bandaged us, everything like that, McCullough said. Not only was he a founding member of this thing, but he was a very integral part of it. He did a lot. Youve never met a man more knowledgeable about military history, about the state of Pennsylvania and especially the county of Armstrong. Just all walks of life loved that man.

Scahills death prompted the walkers to halt the trip for one day to drive back to Armstrong County for their friend and fellow veterans funeral at Grace Presbyterian Church on Thursday, followed by a military burial at Kittanning Cemetery.

Though devastated by his loss, the team took consolation by reminiscing about Scahills impact and felt his spirit with them as they finished their journey.

The joy that we brought his family by us rolling back in when they didnt think we would, that carried us the rest of the way, McCullough said.

nlindstrom@triblive.com

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(Tribune News Service) It only took eight decades or so. But World War II veteran Johnnie Jones finally received a Purple Heart for his service.

Jones received the award at a ceremony Saturday in Baton Rouge, La.

According to an announcement from U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, Jones, now 101 years old, served as a Warrant Officer (Junior Grade) in the 494th Port Battalion, 6th Engineer Special Brigade. He took part in the third wave of Operation Overlord when he was injured on Omaha Beach. Jones sustained a back injury from his ship hitting a mine, and also suffered penetrating shrapnel wounds from German air attacks.

After receiving the Purple Heart, Jones, a Baton Rouge resident, said Theyre always showing me a lot of honors now, which I never thought I would ever receive, according to a WBRC report.

After learning Jones had gone years without proper recognition, Cassidy pushed for Jones to be honored, according to WBRCs Donald Fountain. Heres a man who could be bitter, but he speaks only of affection and he speaks not of himself, but his love of our state and of our nation and his desire that everyone have the same opportunity to enjoy the blessings of the state in nation, Cassidy said.

After his service during Operation Overlord, Jones participated in the Northern France campaign. In addition to the Purple Heart, Mr. Jones is a recipient of the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two bronze stars and one bronze arrowhead, the American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. He has also received the Legion of Honour and the Croix de Guerre with Palm from France.

After his service, Jones became a lawyer and went on to represent the organizers of the Baton Rouge Bus Boycott, which served as a template for the Montgomery Bus Boycott. He also served a term in the Louisiana House of Representatives.

Johnnie Jones fought to liberate the people of France, led civil rights efforts at home and selflessly represented his community, Cassidy said. Its an honor to present such a well-deserved honor to this great man.

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DERRY, N.H. (Tribune News Service)  Milestones filled a local veterans post home Saturday as one veteran was honored not only for his centennial birthday but also for service to the nation.

World War II veteran Paul Plotkin was honored Saturday at Derrys Veterans of Foreign Wars post home, surrounded by family and friends as he also celebrated his 100th birthday.

Plotkin, born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, now lives in Derry at Birch Heights retirement facility.

Plotkin was not only honored for his longevity but for his service as a soldier in the 66th U.S. Army Division serving in Europe and also as a member of the fated crew aboard the S.S. Leopoldville, a former passenger liner used as a troop transport during World War II

On Christmas Eve in 1944, the Leopoldville left its pier in Southhampton, England, with more than 2,000 American troops aboard and headed across the English Channel en route to Cherbourg, France.

With only 5 miles to go before reaching its destination, the Leopoldville was hit and sunk by German submarine torpedoes. There were 763 American soldiers killed, and 493 were never recovered from the 48-degree waters.

Plotkin survived and eventually went on to fight in the Battle of the Bulge.

For veterans in Derry on Saturday afternoon, it was time to honor this soldier.

That included many tokens of thanks and tribute from members of both the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Plotkin was also given the honor of being a lifetime member of both the Legion and VFW.

Special greetings also came from New Hampshires U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, who paid a visit to Plotkin at his celebration Saturday.

In a birthday card to Plotkin, Hassan wrote that not only was his 100th birthday a major life milestone, but his service to the nation during World War II was also worthy of pride.

As you celebrate your many years in New Hampshire, I hope that you reflect on the memories you have made with joy and are filled with pride for all that you have accomplished, Hassan said in her card. I also want to thank you for your dedicated service to this country in World War II. We owe it to you, and to all who serve  or have ever served  to continue to work to make sure that our state and our nation are ever worthy of your sacrifice.

Addressing the veteran Saturday, Hassan added her own father was a survivor of the Battle of Bulge and compared her own familys experience with that of Plotkin, saying as soldiers both he and her father knew the meaning of honor, commitment and service.

And what we are capable of doing, in devotion to freedom makes us a country and a people, Hassan said, adding it wasnt about serving a specific party or cause, it was one cause among many in a common goal.

Greetings and congratulations also came from the office of New Hampshire U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, and the Derry Town Council offered Plotkin a proclamation.

For Plotkin, it was an overwhelming afternoon full of tributes he said he didnt deserve but appreciated.

Its hard for me to speak, Plotkin said. I never expected anything like this, its all been so great.

He went on to say what happened that Christmas Eve aboard the Leopoldville was a tragedy hell never forget.

From my heart, I truly thank you all, he said.

Plotkin also made it a point to tell everyone attending he joined the Boy Scouts at the age of 12, and also remembered that it was an American Legion post that sponsored his troop.

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Seminole, FL (33772)

Today

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 76F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 76F. Winds light and variable.
When Microsoft revealed the system requirements for Windows 11, it caused a lot of confusion because of a certain compatibility checking tool. The software, called PCHealthCheck, said that some PCs couldn't run Windows 11 even if the hardware was way more powerful than the minimum specs.

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UKRAINE - 2021/06/24: In this photo illustration a Windows 11 logo is seen on a smartphone screen with a Microsoft website in the background. Microsoft has presented Windows 11, new generation of Windows operating system (OS), during an event on June 24, 2021.

There was only one reason for this: the TPM module. Microsoft included in their upcoming OS' system requirements that PCs will need a minimum of TPM 1.2, with TPM 2.0 recommended. The problem is, not everyone will know what a TPM even is. If you're one of them, then this guide is for you.

Fortunately, it's quite simple to know if your PC has a TPM module or not, says XDA-Developers. Here is a quick guide that's easy to follow if you have at least basic computer know-how.

Important Things To Consider

But before you even get to try turning on your computer's TPM module, you must consider a few things first. The most important thing is to check if your device actually meets the basic hardware requirements (sans the TPM). If it doesn't, then there's no point in reading any further.

64-bit processor with at least 2 or more cores at a 1 GHz minimum clock speed

4 GB RAM

64 GB hard drive

DirectX 12 compatible graphics card/WDDM 2.x

Minimum resolution of 1366x768

If you have a relatively modern system (meaning it was built/purchased from the 2010s onward), you can safely run Windows 11 at the minimum specs.

Checking if TPM is Enabled

Follow these steps:

Press the Windows logo key + R Type tpm.msc in the text box Click OK

Pressing the Windows logo key + R will bring up this window. Make sure to type the "tpm.msc" inside it, then click OK.

Once you click OK, you will then be brought to the TPM Management Screen, which looks like this:

Look to the center box, find the "Status" tab, and there, you will see if the TPM module is enabled on your system. If it is, then you can ignore this guide. If not, then keep reading.

Read also: Windows 11 System Requirements Revealed: Can You Run It?

How To Turn On TPM Module

Now, on to the steps to turn on your computer's TPM module. You can do this by going into the UEFI BIOS. To reach the BIOS, restart your computer and keep pressing either the Del, F2 or F12 key (it's often the Del key on most platforms). Now, not every motherboard's BIOS looks the same, but here is a reference image:

However, TPM is likely not even mentioned on the home page of the BIOS, especially on newer platforms from AMD or Intel. For instance, AMD uses the name "fTPM" and Intel uses "IPTT," or Intel Identity Protection Technology, according to PCMag. For this guide, we'll be focusing on AMD systems.

In general, you can find the fTPM option on the "Advanced" or "Security" tab. Click that, find the option that says AMD fTPM, click "Enable," SAVE the settings, then restart your PC. For a much more detailed process, you can check out this YouTube video. Or if the instructions don't fit the exact motherboard model you have, you can Google specific guides.

Afterward, repeat the steps indicated when checking if the TPM module is enabled, and the window the TPM Management Screen should say that the TPM module is now turned on.

And there you have it! You have now enabled TPM, and you're ready for Windows 11.

Why Is All This Needed?

Microsoft explained that the TPM is for security purposes. They claimed that Windows 11 is the "most secure" to date, and they had to include TPM modules in the minimum specs for a good reason.

A TPM module is a chip that's either built directly into a motherboard or can be purchased separately. Its main purpose is to provide a hardware-based barrier to protect sensitive data such as login credentials and encryption keys. Since the security is on the hardware itself, it means hackers can't access all of the important data in there without actually tampering with the chip.

This requirement, however, is already being perverted by scalpers as of this moment. It was reported that they're now hoarding TPM 2.0 modules and jacking prices up to four times the original MSRP, shortly after Windows 11 was announced. Fortunately, only people with computers from 2011 or older are going to be adversely affected since TPM modules haven't been built directly into motherboards before that year.

If you have a modern system, you don't need to worry about paying $100 or more for a previously deemed worthless component.

Related: Microsoft Windows 11 to Disable Internet Explorer Upon Update, Support Remains 'til June 2022 for Windows 10

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A Toshiba director recently resigned because he had no other choice after the company decided to oust its previous chairman.

Previous Toshiba director George Olcott believed that shareholders will experience prolonged uncertainty and instability because they decided to vote out former chairman Osamu Nagayama.

Toshiba Governance Scandal

Based on recent reports, Toshiba's governance scandal surfaced on the internet when someone posted on a social media platform about how a private company allegedly collaborated with Japan's bureaucrats to manipulate foreign shareholders.

As a result, one of Toshiba's most prominent shareholders announced that the Japan-based company's cooperation with the government to gain personal advances depicted how ineffective the board of directors is, and that Toshiba messed up corporate governance.

Because of the issue, Toshiba's shareholders had a meeting on Friday, June 25, to oust former chairman Nagayama.

Toshiba Director Resigns

According to Financial Times, Toshiba Director Olcott expressed his strong disapproval of the vote to let go of Nagayama.

Olcott stated that Nagayama is among the few Japanese leaders who could oversee a practical turnaround scale that Toshiba's business now requires.

He added that removing Nagayama from his chairman position will lead to a prolonged period of uncertainty that will go on top of depriving the board of an excellent business leader.

Olcott seemed to find it hard to understand how ousting Nagayama is a good outcome for its trusted stakeholders.

Read Also: Toshiba's Dual Band Stabilization Method Could Lead To Quantum Internet-600 KM, Exceeded

What do Toshiba Investors Want?

Following former Toshiba chairman Nagayama's removal, some of the company's investors want the entire board of directors to be removed as well.

Investors believed that it is the consequence, or even punishment, of their constant leadership failures.

Olcott added that Toshiba's former chairman originally planned to strategically curate a new course for the entire company's improvement. However, he believed that Nagayama's plan to improve its value was relatively ambitious but feasible.

The former Toshiba exec was looking forward to helping the former chairman in his endeavor.

How Did Toshiba React to Olcott's Warning?

As per FT's report, Toshiba strongly disapproved of Olcott's warning.

Its members continuously assert that despite the process' messiness, the company started to see daylight in the past two weeks of chaos as the main reason shareholders mistrust the company has been removed.

A non-executive Toshiba director, Raymond Zage, recently stated that the aftermath of June 25's AGM placed the board in a particular state of clarity and unity on the issues that require their attention the most.

He explained that the main reason for Toshiba's instability is the shareholder's lack of trust in its leadership.

As a remedy, the company's members decided to cut the root of the problem.

Now, the company is focused on restoring the shareholders' trust, and providing constant stability and certainty to the entire company and its employees.

After ousting Nagayama, Toshiba's interim CEO, Satoshi Tsunakawa, stepped in as the chair board until the company finalizes who will take on the role.

Related Article: Jeff Bezos Officially Steps Down as Amazon CEO on July 5, Handing Position to Andy Jassy | $8.45B MGM Acquisition Pulls Through

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(Photo : Screenshot From Pexels Official Website) Breaking: Binance Banned from Operating in UK a Day After Japan and Canada Ban, FCA

Binance now won't be able to operate in the UK anymore shortly after both Japan and China decided to ban the crypto trading platform, according to the Financial Conduct Authority or (FCA).

This was just a day after the Japan financial regulator decided to make a similar decision.

FCA Stops Binance

Citing the very requirements noted, the FCA noted that Binance Markets Limited won't be allowed to undertake any regulated activities without getting prior written approval, according to an article by Coindesk.

The FCA noted that it looks like Binance is offering certain UK customers products and services through Binance.com.

According to the FCA post, it was noted that Binance Markets Limited is officially "not permitted" to be able to undertake any particular regulated activity in the UK.

The firm is reportedly a part of a wider group known as the (Binance Group). Due to the official imposition of certain requirements by the FCA, it was noted that Binance Markets Limited, as of the moment, isn't permitted to undertake any form of regulated activities without having a "written consent" from the FCA.

FCA Limitations on Cryptocurrency

It was also stated that no other entity coming from Binance Group currently holds any particular form of UK authorization, license to conduct authority, or registration.

The post by the FCA then warned the public of certain adverts online and on social media that are promising the public high returns on certain investments that are categorized as "cryptoassets" or "cryptoasset-related products."

It was also noted that a number of firms that are advertising and even selling investments when it comes to cryptoassets do not have authorization from the FCA. This would mean that if people would invest in a type of cryptoasset, they will not be able to access the Financial Ombudsman Service, or even the Financial Services Compensation Scheme if anything goes wrong.

Read Also: Elon Musk 'Cheers' Dogecoin Founders' Statement: People Serious About 'Satirical Meme' Money Ruins Its Charm

Clarifications of Limitations

Although FCA does not regulate certain cryptoassets like Dogecoin, Ethereum, or Bitcoin, it was noted that they do regulate certain types of cryptoasset derivatives like contracts, future contracts, and options.

The FCA also included cryptoassets that they consider "securities."

Furthermore, the FCA noted that firms must have authorization by them in order to advertise or even sell those types of products in the UK. The post then encouraged people to do their research in order to find out whether or not the crypto asset they plan to invest in is regulated.

As of the moment, the market is still slowly recovering.

Despite the massive drop in Bitcoin, the cryptocurrency is slowly becoming less bearish. The other top 10 cryptocurrencies are also slowly recovering. $HEX, on the other hand remains bullish over the last 30 days being one of the only cryptocurrency in the last 30 days that has seen positive or bullish movement.

Related Article: Cryptocurrency Rumor | Chinese Whales Shorting Ethereum Due to Vitalik Affair with Husband

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Getty Image: Bloomberg)

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has sternly suggested that businesses affected by ransomware attacks must never give money to their attackers.

However, the US government offered an incentive for victims who gave in to the cybercriminals' negotiation -- the ransoms could be deductible from their tax.

Should You Pay Ransomware Payments?

According to Journal Gazette, the Interal Revenue Service (IRS) does not offer any formal guidelines with regards to ransomware payments. But numerous tax experts stated that deductions could be possible because it is allowed under the law and the established guidelines.

Tax lawyers and accountants claimed that it is a silver lining that is given to ransomware victims.

However, those who claimed that victims should not give ransomware payments are less sanguine. Journal Gazette reported that they are afraid that tax deduction might become a problematic incentive that would compel businesses to pay the ransom despite the law enforcement's prohibition.

The slightest damage that the deduction could bring is a discordant message to various companies under duress.

The Issue with Ransomware Tax Deduction

New York representative John Katko mentioned that the concept of paying a ransom and having it deducted in a business' tax is a little inconsistent.

By touching tax deductibility, a more significant difficulty will be affected.

It came from the increasing ransomware attacks that continued to hurt the economy. Cybercriminals have stolen vast numbers of personal data, and asked for money in exchange for unlocking the files.

The government does not want to condone any positive reinforcement to criminal groups that could potentially fund their operations. But if a company fails to pay the ransom, it might face devastating consequences, and the entire economy might be heavily affected.

Read Also: Cybersecurity: REvil Ransomware Gang Strikes Again, Attacks FCUK Fashion Label

Biggest Ransomware Attacks in 2021

Previous ransomware attacks have already proven themselves effective in terms of damaging the economy.

For example, the ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline in May resulted in gas shortages in certain parts of the United States because citizens decided to hoard as much fuel as they could purchase when they heard that the company had been attacked.

Colonial Pipeline is responsible for transporting 45% of the fuel that the East Coast consumes, and it had no choice but to pay its attackers 75 Bitcoin, which totaled to $4.4 million at the time.

Another attack happened to JBS, the world's biggest meat processing supplier, where the attackers threatened that it would disrupt its food supplies. As a remedy, the company gave in to the ransomware gang and paid $11 million.

Should Ransomware Payments be TAX Deductible?

According to an expert that Journal Gazette featured, companies that give into their attackers' ransomware demands deserved to claim tax deductions. And because most businesses can deduct losses from other crimes like embezzlement and robbery, experts suggested that ransomware payments should also be valid.

However, it might give ransomware gangs the false impression that they can get away with it because the government seems to condone it.

Related Article: Ransomware Operations of Clop Gang Resumes After Recent Arrests - New Data Breach Victims

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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The COVID-19 vaccines that were made by Moderna and Pfizer has received a warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) due to possible heart implications among adolescents and young males that has been reported.

Why The Urgency?

Just this Friday, June 25, the US Food and Drug Administration issued a warning on the second dose of both types of COVID-19 jabs of a risk of both types of heart inflammation, according to news from ABC7.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have received troubling reports (1,200 to be exact) of heart inflammation just after 300 million doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were given.

The cases were mostly from adolescents and young men.

Thankfully, the patients were quick to recover from the heart inflammation as reported by Dr. Matthew Oster, a pediatric cardiologist. The vaccines are based on the study on the mRNA technology that is being used in both vaccines.

Regardless, the FDA is reminding the people now more than ever to seek immediate medical attention after taking the vaccine if they experience any of the symptoms, including shortness of breath, chest pain, fluttering, fast-beating, and pounding of the heart.

Read More: New COVID-19 Study Claims Coronavirus Already Happened 20,000 Years Ago? Beneficial Mutation Possibly Exists

FDA Weighs in their Opinion

The FDA had this to say, "This update follows an extensive review of information and the discussion by CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meeting on Wednesday."

They further added, "The data presented at this meeting reinforced the FDA's decision to revise the fact sheets and further informed the specific revisions."

Experts from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) linked the mRNA COVID-19 and the cases of heart inflammation within the infected patients, but that the vaccinations as of now are still worth the risk.

The symptoms are manageable by most and can easily be treated, hence continuing with the on-going vaccinations with Pfizer and Moderna.

Both the FDA and CDC are closely monitoring the situational reports coming in for any and all adverse side effects from the vaccinations in order to assess the longer-term outcomes, said the FDA.

Types of Heart Inflammation Were Noted

From the cases, the prevailing heart illnesses came from pericarditis and myocarditis.

Pericarditis is the enlargement or inflammation of the pericardium. The pericardium is the layer of tissue that covers the heart and hold it in place and keep beating properly.

Myocarditis, on the other hand, is the enlargement of the myocardium. It affects both your electrical and muscles within the heart. This can lead to reduction of the hearts ability to pump blood and cause arrhythmias or abnormal beating of the heart.

The two are common adverse effects from drug intake, which the vaccines are responsible for. Reuters reached out to Pfizer and Moderna for comments but has since yet heard back from either one of the companies.

Read More: COVID-19: New Study Shows Third Booster Shot Creates Better Antibodies

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Screenshot From Pexels Official Website) Google Third-Party Cookies in Chrome to be Removed in 2023 | Why the Delay?

Google third-party cookies in Chrome removal has been delayed. What's called the Privacy Sandbox initiative that was meant to phase out third-party cookies in Chrome was delayed from early 2022 to the late 2023.

Google FLoC and Privacy Sandbox

According to the article by TechWorm, the company will be allowing sufficient time for regulators, the general public, publishers, as well as the advertising industry to all migrate their services in preparation for this change.

The initiative was originally announced back in 2019 alongside Google's Federated Learning of Cohorts or FLoC technology.

The initiative aimed to help create certain web technologies that would both improve policy as well as give companies and developers certain tools needed for viable advertising business models.

In January 2020, Google announced its plan to stop its support for third-party Chrome cookies "within two years" as part of the company's Privacy Sandbox

Google Receives Backlash

Google noted that FLoC is how the company tracks users while they are still allowing advertisers to be able to target certain groups of people with their advertisements. The company, however, received backlash from a number of third-party companies, including GitHub, WordPress, EFF, Vivaldi, Brave, DuckDuckGo, and a lot more.

To make things even worse, the United States Department of Justice as well as the UK's Competition and Markets Authority or CMA have also expressed concerns when it came to FLoC, and have also ordered certain antitrust investigations directly into the plan.

Google said in a blog post that it needs to move forward at a much more responsible pace in order to not jeopardize any of the business models of other web publishers.

Chrome to Remove Third-Party Cookies

Chrome's Privacy Engineering Director Vinay Goel noted that by providing certain privacy-preserving technology, they can help ensure that certain cookies won't be replaced along with individual tracking, and even discourage the whole rise of covert approaches just like fingerprinting.

Whenit comes to Chrome, Google now aims to have other key technologies deployed before the end of 2022 for the whole developer community to be able to start adopting.

Goel also added that subject to their engagement along with the UK's Competition and Markets Authority or CMA, and still in line with the company's commitments that they have offered, Chrome will be phasing out third-party cookies over the course of a three-month period, which should start during the mid 2023 and end some time during the late 2023.

Google will phase out support for FLoC and Privacy Sandbox in two stages.

Read Also: Best Google Maps Alternatives to Help Save Privacy

Google Two Stage Process

Stage 1

Publishers and the advertising industry can migrate their services. Starting near the end of 2022, the stage will last for nine months. The company will also help monitor adoption and feedback before they move to the 2nd stage.

Stage 2

This stage will start in the mid-2023. Chrome will be phasing out support for all third-party cookies over the course of a three-month period. This stage will finish by late 2023.

Related Article: Windows 11 Compatibility | Supported Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm CPUs

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The South African Reserve Bank, together with other regulators, has released a warning that transferring cryptocurrency bought from the local exchange into another country is now considered a criminal offense.

Certain regulators have already issued the warning through the IFWG or the Intergovernmental Fintech Working Group.

The group recently released a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) document to fulfill its task as a part of the position paper on various crypto assets.

The Criminal Offense

According to MyBroadBand's report, the IFWG comprises the Financial Intelligence Center, Competition Commission, National Credit Regulator, Financial Sector Conduct Authority, South African Revenue Service, National Treasury, and South African Reserve Bank.

In the FAQ, IFWG stated that they prohibit transactions involving a capital or right to capital without the National Treasury's consent, indirectly or directly exported outside South Africa.

It also covered transactions involving individual purchases of cryptocurrency assets within the South Africa and externalizing any right to capital.

The FAQ also entailed a warning, stating that breaking the approved regulation regarding the right to capital is already considered a criminal offense.

Read Also: Britain Pushes Through Various Crypto Curbs - Gives Warning To Unregistered Crypto Companies?

Punishment for Transferring Bitcoin Overseas

South Africa's exchange control regulations bear a minimum penalty of R250,000 fine (more than $16,600), and the violator may or may not face up to five years of imprisonment.

Depending on the severity of the crime, the fine's value may increase up to the violator's transaction value under certain circumstances.

However, the FAQ regulations mainly link this occurrence with foreign currency, security, bank-note, gold, bill, postal order, debt, note, goods, or payment.

How Will It Affect Crypto Trading in South Africa?

Sadly, none of South Africa's three major cryptocurrency asset exchanges wanted to address the challenges they will face now that there is a punishment for overseas transfer.

Both Altcoin Trader and Luno provide services that allow clients to earn interest on various cryptocurrency assets that they hold, depending on their respective platforms.

According to MyBroadBand, these products typically rely on patterns as a way to function. It is not yet clear how the decrees from IFWG and SARB will affect these services as of June.

The Crypto Market in South Africa

The Altcoin Trader CEO Richard de Sousa confirmed that they are currently looking at the papers that IFWG recently published. His company is taking many things into further consideration.

De Sousa added that Altcoin Trader is still undecided about its next big move and that it still cannot give appropriate feedback at this point.

On the other hand, Luno's GM for Africa, Marius Reitz, stated that it is still unclear how the law will be regulated and implemented despite the FAQ's in-depth guide. He added that Luno is exceptionally supportive of clear and market-conductive regulations for South Africa's crypto market and industry.

Related Article: Miami Mayor Encourages Chinese Crypto Miners with Robust Incentives and Cheaper Nuclear Energy

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Google has confirmed that it will start launching its new medical app, which could outperform professional dermatologists. Although the EU has approved the latest AI application of the search engine giant, the U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) still hasn't approved its use.

In the past few years, Google's popular search engine service has been the main tool of people to check what's wrong with their skin conditions.



And now, the tech giant firm has developed a new AI app that could solve this issue more efficiently than dermatologists.

Google just launched a dermatology app based on Fitzpatrick skin type.https://t.co/hJGPc6aShk https://t.co/V9Ijy8Ialk  Todd Feathers (@ToddFeathers) June 19, 2021

Back in April, Google conducted a demo to show how its new medical app works. The experiment showed that the service can suggest several possible skin conditions based on uploaded photos.

How Google's New Medical AI App Works

Google has been pretty busy lately as it releases various innovations. These include its latest Google Messages Font Adjustment feature. On the other hand, the company also announced that it had expanded its Google Fi VPN to iPhone users.

Now, Google is focusing on rolling out its new medical AI app. However, the company hasn't confirmed its release date in the United States since FDA hasn't approved its usage.

Also Read: Google Third-Party Cookies in Chrome to be Removed in 2023 | Why the Delay?

On the other hand, Ars Technica's explained that the new dermatology app is claimed to outmatch dermatologists.

Although this is the case, Google's new AI app and other similar technologies haven't been approved yet for dermatologists to use in the United States.

After @Google showing off a technology similar to that of @SknVsn now here is a new dermatology app, from Australian smartphone-based medical imaging company Advanced Human Imaging, that can detect 588 common and rare skin conditions in 133 categories.

https://t.co/zsuMRR0dUc pic.twitter.com/X1ckhwdp3v  Berci Mesko, MD, PhD (@Berci) June 1, 2021

Meanwhile, Google explained that its latest medical works when the user snaps three photos of their blemish from different angles and distances. The user can optionally add information such as the body part affected and how long they've had the problem.

After that, the new medical application will display "Suggested conditions," showing possible conditions illustrated by images.

Google To Warn Users About Unreliable Sources

According to Gizmodo's latest report, Google confirmed that it will soon warn users whenever they are accessing sources that could be unreliable. The search engine giant confirmed this information on Friday, June 25.

The new notification feature will inform the user if the topic they are searching for is still in development. Google explained that the reason behind this is that the topic's results will still change from time to time.

"If this topic is new, it can sometimes take time for results to be added by reliable sources," said Google.

For more news updates about Google and its upcoming innovations, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: Google Admits if Information Being Searched 'Isn't Online Yet' | When Shouldn't You Believe Search Results

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Qualcomm is preparing to release their next-generation Snapdragon chip this year if recent reports are to be believed.

According to WCCFTech, Qualcomm is planning to release the long-rumored Snapdragon 895 chip before the first phone featuring it ships in 2022. With this news, it looks like Qualcomm is not at all fazed by the ongoing chip shortage.

Furthermore, there were also some rumors that Samsung would make the aforementioned Qualcomm chip alongside their own new-generation Exynos, which is supposed to feature RDNA 2 graphics from AMD. This report came from NotebookCheck.net, both of which were expected to be inside upcoming top-of-the-line Android phones.

The rumor about the Qualcomm Snapdragon 895 was first spotted by a Chinese website called GizChina. According to the website, it will come after another rumored chip featured in a new Lenovo phone: the SM8450. This aforementioned phone is scheduled to release next year as well.

There's not a lot of details about the 895, though it's also alleged to be on the 4nm node. It's not going to be on TSMC's node, though, but Samsung's. But until Qualcomm themselves officially announce the part, it could be safe to assume that they're going to struggle producing the silicon due to the ongoing chip shortage that's not going to ease anytime soon.

Read also: Lenovo to Debut First Smartphone With Qualcomm's Rumored Snapdragon 895 in 2021: Report

Qualcomm Needs A Saving Grace

Lenovo is scheduled to equip the Snapdragon 895 on their next flagship phone, which is likely what they need if their recent struggles are to be considered.

The company's been having issues with its 5G smartphone modem, which has put hundreds of thousands of users at risk. According to SlashGear, the modem suffered from a serious security flaw which hackers can exploit via the Android OS. Attackers only needed to send a specially made SMS to control the said 5G modem, from where they could gain access to the phone's contacts list or even control the SIM card.

Well, if the rumored specs of the 895 are to be believed, it's going to feature a brand-new 5G modem in it. Called the Snapdragon X65 5G, the modem promises blistering 10Gbps download speeds. It's also supposedly upgradable, according to WCCFTech. This means that Qualcomm, even its board partners, could add to it in time to improve it.

Aside from this, the modem is also alleged to feature AI-powered antenna tuning tech, which Qualcomm says is there to help improve the overall wireless experience. An insider says that a few partners are already testing it.

Industry projections believe that Qualcomm can reveal the Snapdragon 895 later this year, perhaps in December. Lenovo could also take the stage at around the same time to announce their new flagship phone. But since the phone is still unconfirmed as of now, it'd be best to take this information with a grain of salt.

Related: Qualcomm to Release Seven Brand New IoT Chipsets to Keep Up With Next-Generation Devices

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For more information, visit www.ourfaithsto.org. Zeman is the Our Faith School Tuition Organization director and a permanent deacon assigned to St. Anthony parish in Dubuque. He recently left a 30-year career in marketing and advertising to join the Archdiocese staff, helping promote the STO and Catholic education. He and his wife, Jennifer, have five children who have attended or are currently attending Catholic schools.
Brandon Broussard, a known boxer in the Lafayette boxing community, was ambushed at his Grossie Lane home and shot to death in front of his child on Oct. 13, 2018. Two men are accused in the murder, and jury selection for their trial started Monday, June 21, 2021. (Photo source: Brandon Broussard Foundation)
It started as a personal injury claim before expanding into a U.S Supreme Court case with sweeping implications for activism and First Amendment rights. Now, Doe v. McKesson has been narrowed to a matter of state policy.

The legal battle dates back to 2016, when a Baton Rouge police officer maimed by a rock during a Black Lives Matter protest sued one of the demonstrations more prominent organizers.

A trial court rejected the claim, but the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals thought it should go to trial.

It became a free speech issue a few years later when the defendant  Baltimore native DeRay Mckesson  teamed up with the ACLU and took it to the U.S. Supreme Court under the banner of protecting the First Amendment.

But U.S justices last fall refused to hear the case until Louisianas high court weighed in.

And so, on Friday, a trio of appellate judges asked Louisianas Supreme Court to opine on the following questions:

Does the state recognize a duty to not negligently precipitate someone else to commit a crime?

Does case law prevent professional first responders such as police and firefighters from suing for damages over injuries sustained in the line of duty?

We will resolve this case in accordance with any opinion provided on these questions by the Supreme Court of Louisiana, 5th Circuit judges Jennifer Walker Elrod, E. Grady Jolly and Don Willett wrote in their latest order.

+2 U.S. Supreme Court gives partial victory to Black Lives Matter activist after policeman sues A Baton Rouge policemans lawsuit against a prominent Black Lives Matter activist over injuries the policeman claims he suffered during 2016 p

Attorneys on both sides said they welcome the ruling.

Were looking forward to being able to get all of the issues in front of the Louisiana state court, Mckessons lawyer David Goldberg said in a phone call. And were confident that theyre going to see the serious problems that this kind of lawsuit poses, both under state law and as a matter of First Amendment law.

Donna Grodner, who represents the BRPD officer, said shes eager to grapple with the legal doctrine cited by the circuit court. That is, the so-called professional rescuers or firemans rule, which holds that first responders assume the risk of getting hurt on the job and, thus, arent entitled to sue for damages.

We are very excited that the issue, of whether the firemans rule arises out of and is grounded in Louisiana law, will be decided by the Louisiana Supreme Court, Grodner told The Advocate in an email. Later, she added: The decision on this critical touchstone issue will save years of much-anticipated litigation where it is decided sooner rather than later.

The case has taken several strange twists since it was filed during the 17 hours Mckesson was in police custody after his arrest during a July 9, 2016, protest against BRPD killing Alton Sterling.

For one, the BRPD officer  a public employee  lodged his complaint as a John Doe, for his protection, his attorney explained. Meanwhile, he named Black Lives Matter and Mckesson as defendants without accusing them of attacking him or telling anyone else to. Rather, he claims Mckesson should have anticipated violence at the protest and face consequences for it.

A federal judge initially tossed the case, citing a U.S Supreme Court ruling widely viewed as protecting protesters from getting sued for damages they didnt personally cause. But a conservative panel in the 5th Circuit ruled that a jury should hear the case on the basis that a violent confrontation with a police officer was a foreseeable effect of negligently directing a protest onto a road.

Civil rights advocates balked at the decision, saying it could have a chilling effect on protests nationwide. With free-speech implications in mind, the ACLU asked the U.S. Supreme Court to consider Mckessons appeal.

In a 7-1 decision, the nations highest court reversed the appellate ruling, saying 5th Circuit judges should consider state law before wading into deeper moral, social, and economic factors.
Costumed park staff and volunteers at the Audubon State Historic Site will show how a cannon worked during the War of 1812 on Saturday, July 3, with demonstrations taking place on the half hour from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The program is included in the park fees charge.
Louisiana's health insurer for state workers, teachers and retirees will soon cover weight loss surgery for people who are obese, under a bill signed into law by Gov. John Bel Edwards.

Sen. Regina Barrow, a Baton Rouge Democrat, had previously tried to get the Office of Group Benefits to cover gastric bypass surgery and other types of weight loss surgeries, to lessen the health conditions associated with obesity. But lawmakers had raised concern about the costs.

Barrow made some adjustments to the legislation and won unanimous support from the House and Senate in the recently ended legislative session. The governor agreed to the idea and signed the bill, which will take effect Aug. 1.

To be eligible for the health procedure, members of the Office of Group Benefits insurance system must have a body mass index of at least 40  or 35 or more if they have two qualifying health conditions. They'll have to pay 20% of the costs for preoperative services and a $2,500 co-pay and other charges for the surgery.

Though thousands of workers or retirees are expected to be eligible, the law caps the number of weight loss surgeries to no more than 300 per year. The health insurer won't cover skin removal surgery associated with the medical procedure.

The health insurance benefit expansion is estimated to cost the Office of Group Benefits more than $5.7 million in the upcoming budget year. The increases will be lower in later years, according to a financial analysis of the bill, because of anticipated savings associated with the improved health conditions of those who receive the bariatric surgery.
A 101-year old WWII veteran who was injured on D-Day but kept fighting, then returned home to Baton Rouge to fight as an attorney on the front lines of the Civil Rights movement was awarded Saturday with a Purple Heart medal, given to those who have been wounded in combat.

The ceremony for Johnnie Jones, who became the first African American warrant officer in the U.S. Army after he joined the military in 1943 out of Southern University, was held at the Old State Capital and attended by officials, family, friends and veterans.

Sitting in his dress uniform in a chair on the stage, Jones saluted veterans as they came to stand beside him to speak at the podium, in an hour-long ceremony highlighted by speakers who have worked with Jones and been inspired by him.

He has lived a life of extraordinary courage and heroism, Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin said.

After U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy took the Purple Heart medal from its case and pinned it onto Jones' jacket, the applauding audience gave Jones a long-standing ovation.

The event also featured a video that covered Jones war service and law career, with onscreen interviews with Jones.

+18 Photos: WWII veteran and Civil Rights attorney Johnnie A. Jones honored during Purple Heart ceremony WWII veteran and Civil Rights attorney Johnnie A. Jones is honored during a ceremony culminating in being awarded the Purple Heart, Saturday, 

He spoke of how he once escaped an attempt on his life, during his years in the Civil Rights movement, leaping from his car after it had acted strangely when he turned the key and escaping the explosion.

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He made the audience laugh, when he said onscreen, Being a parent, I knew how to jump.

Jones said that in the years after the early Civil Rights movement, that the young people then didnt seem to take it up, something he lays to the poor education they had at the time.

But today, the young people seem to know what its all about  because of education, he said.

Jones was wounded on the beaches of Normandy, receiving hip injuries and also shrapnel wounds, but continued to serve and fought in the Battle of the Bulge on the Western front.

Jones received his law degree from Southern University in 1953  and 15 days after earning that degree was asked to represent those who took part in the Baton Rouge bus boycott.

The Rev. T.J. Jemison asked him to serve as the lawyer for those who took part in the two-weeks protest, a protest effort that served as a guide for the Montgomery bus boycott two years later.

Jones, who practiced law until the age of 93, served a term in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1972 to 1976.

In the closing comments of his onscreen interview, Jones said, Even though I had to talk about it hard, this is the best country in the world.
As a young student, the father of incoming LSU President William F. Tate IV gave him a copy of the U.S. Constitution. When I was teenager, my father handed me the Federalist Papers and basically said You have to understand this, Tate recalled Thursday.

As University of South Carolina provost, Tate pushed the Senate Faculty to add what he calls constitutional heritage to the curricula  establishing a class that studies the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, chapters of the Federalist Papers, the Emancipation Proclamation, and documents that conceptualize the African American experience at the countrys foundation, something like Frederick Douglass speech What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?

Tate then advocated for constitutional heritage before the South Carolina General Assembly. On April 28, South Carolina Gov. Henry D. McMaster, a Republican, signed into law Act 26 adding the class to public high school curricula, which in my opinion will be my greatest legacy at the University of South Carolina.

What Tate doesnt understand is all the talk about critical race theory, about which he has written a great deal.

+2 LSU picks next president; William F. Tate IV will be first Black man to lead university system William F. Tate IV will be the first Black person to head LSU  the first to lead any Southeastern Conference college, for that matter  after

Emerging in the 1970s, critical race theory, or CRT, is a scholastic way that academic and legal scholars can analyze the impact of racism over time and how it lives on in the nations systems. Think about the common use of nonunanimous jury verdicts before the practice was discovered to have originated a century ago with the specific aim of subjugating Blacks.

Tate says critical race theory is not a subject for undergraduate students. Critical race theory is a framework used in law school and in PhDs education to better understand how laws are formulated and the influence of law on everyday life, Tate said.

But not for many conservatives.

I call it state sponsored racism, state Rep. Valarie Hodges said Thursday on Talk 107.3 FM. The Denham Springs Republican pushes the idea of teaching the founding documents and to make history and civics classes more patriotic.

Plenty of people have an opinion about Tate, who doesnt start his new job until July 6, because of his academic scholarship using critical race theory. And not just the extreme outlets.

The Shreveport Times recently printed a piece stating: It would be counterintuitive and naive to assume his views of, and belief in, CRT wont inform his decision-making as president. Columnist Royal Alexander, a former GOP politico, went on to call critical race theory a complete degradation of perhaps Americas most sacred principle.

Northeast Louisiana columnist Sam Hanna Jr. criticized Tates selection as president because of an academic career defined by his espousal of critical race theory including its outrageous claim that mathematics itself is racist.

Actually, as one of the nations leading scholars on education, Tates paper weighed demographics, poverty, teacher pay, school financing, student behavior, and other variables in 471 Missouri school districts as context for Algebra I performance and a way to develop models of teaching the entry course to the mathematics that get high schoolers into college.

As president, Donald Trump called the academic tool anti-American propaganda and ordered federal agencies to stop funding any teaching that suggests the U.S. is a racist country.

Before Trumps statement, however, the Southern Baptist Convention seminaries had been struggling with how to use CRT in its scholarship. One wing wants to be more inclusive, the other side interprets CRT as if youre White, youre racist, which they say is antithetical to Biblical teachings of hope.

Conservative mainstays like The Heritage Foundation and the American Legislative Exchange Council began pushing anti-CRT bills to state Legislatures.

Governors in Idaho and Oklahoma signed bills forbidding the teaching of critical race theory in public schools. Legislatures in a half-dozen states considered similar bills.

Debate over the issue in Louisiana nearly shut down the session. Leadership found a path through the hard feelings to pass legislation, but the racial tension that intensified with the good, bad and the ugly of slavery comment still lingers.

All of which will play a role when Louisiana lawmakers gather again, probably in February, to redraw the districts from which officials are elected. Grouping voters racially is the go-to method of protecting the bases for legislators and congressmen, which to many is an ultimate example of critical race theory.
CREOLE  Cherie Hardie and her family were determined to make it back and rebuild for a third time, near the church where she was married and where her kids were baptized, the Gulf of Mexico in the distance. But it sometimes feels as though theyre fighting a losing battle.

We're younger and we can rebuild. But all of our family -- my parents, my husband's parents -- they're all kind of moving away. Theyre tired of it, Hardie, 42, said outside of her daughters house, where she and her husband are living temporarily while they wait for repairs on their home to be completed.

You can only take so much, and we try to be strong and want to come home. But to me, home is where your family is, and they're all moving away from us.

Cameron Parish, stretching along Louisianas southwestern coast, is the most sparsely populated of the state's 64 parishes. Its also one of the most vulnerable. Cameron is once again being confronted with questions over its future after the devastation wrought by last years hurricanes and the future risks posed by climate change.

Some residents predict the lower part of the parish closest to the Gulf, where major liquefied natural gas plants now operate, will gradually become more of a recreational and industrial hub than a full-fledged community.

Parish officials say theyre not going anywhere. They point to rebuilding plans, including the possibility of buying and redeveloping property with resilient homes, a program that could make it more affordable for families faced with costly reconstruction regulations.

+6 As southwest Louisianas fight for storm aid drags on, one family copes as best it can LAKE CHARLES  At an RV park she never intended to call home, Patricia Theriot was picking up laundry when she paused to answer a question abo

The challenges are immense, ranging from the replacement of downed electricity transmission lines to the struggle to reopen grocery stores. Parish officials say they dont yet know how many of the parishs roughly 7,000 residents have made it back, but locals offer grim assessments, indicating the possibility of another population loss similar to what followed Hurricane Rita in 2005. A drop of around one-third took place by the end of that decade.

In one disheartening sign, three Catholic churches in lower Cameron will be consolidated.

Hurricane Laura in August, the most powerful storm to make landfall in Louisiana since 1856, brought storm surge as high as 17 feet to parts of the parish, while 150 mph winds tore at the houses that werent swept from their foundations, in some cases never to be found.

Ten months later, Hardie and her husband still arent back in their house, which took on more than 2 feet of water despite being raised more than 10 feet. Just a couple weeks ago, their daughter moved back into her house nearby on property thats been in the family for generations.

They have no timeframe for when their house, located in the community of Creole, will be repaired. Its been hard to persuade contractors to accept work in the remote area.

+7 In flood-prone Lake Charles neighborhood, residents consider whether its time to leave LAKE CHARLES  Diadra Carmen steels herself before she opens the door, telling herself not to be afraid. Tears roll down her cheeks when she b

There are a lot of people that want to come home. It's just the cost, said Hardie, who worked as a secretary at one of the churches being combined, and whose husband works in the oil industry. And then, honestly, finding people to come down here to rebuild. Nobody wants to come down here. Its really sad.

Uncertain return

Despite being among the states largest parishes in area, Cameron had Louisianas third-lowest population before Laura roared through in August and Category 2 Hurricane Delta followed a similar path about six weeks later.

Roughly 10,000 people lived here at the turn of the 21st century. But by 2010, after being walloped by Hurricanes Rita and Ike, Camerons population had dropped to around 6,800.

It is a place of deep traditions that is heavily conservative, with some 91% of voters casting ballots for Donald Trump in the last election -- the highest share he took in any parish. Around 93% of the population is white.

Perched in the states southwestern corner on the border with Texas, it has long been known for its commercial fishing and the Holly Beach community along the coast, whose camps and beach life are not unlike what can be found in Grand Isle. Headstones in cemeteries are sometimes engraved with boats and fish.

Cameron has also served as a hub for the energy industry, and in recent years, helped by the boom in fracking, the parish has attracted liquefied natural gas plants, which export worldwide. Cameron Parish Port Director Clair Hebert Marceaux says that if Cameron Parish were a country, its LNG exports would be No. 3 in the world, behind Australia and Qatar.

Two huge LNG plants are up and running while a third  Venture Global  is under construction and already looking ahead to an expansion. Others are in the planning stages. White tour buses transport construction workers who often live in RV parks to and from the massive Venture Global site, past commercial fishing boats.

The out-of-state plates from Texas, Alabama, Florida and beyond indicate the draw of the construction jobs, and Marceaux says she and the parish are constantly working to promote local hiring. Every 10 construction jobs results in roughly one permanent position at the LNG facilities, she said.

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Parish Administrator Katie Armentor said some residents may be deciding to relocate further north in the parish rather than leave it completely, noting that some who had only recently made it back after previous storms were hit again by Laura.

But she pointed to other coastal communities nationwide and said she doesnt support buying out properties to turn them into green space. They should be redeveloped in a way that makes them safe, she said, as the parish did with its governmental buildings in lower Cameron following Hurricane Rita.

+7 Approaching a crisis: After storm damage, Lake Charles area faces affordable housing crunch LAKE CHARLES  By the time Clara Gaines made it back home, the nearly waist-high water outside was already flooding her house. Shoes and toys 

Still, she said of residents facing the decision of whether to return: A lot of people, they really don't know  If we had this survey out there and asked who's coming back and who's not, probably over 50% would say, I don't know yet. It depends on insurance, it depends on grant funds. It depends on if they were substantially damaged or not.

Like other officials in southwest Louisiana, Armentor said a federal relief package could help the parish finance a program to assist residents hoping to return.

'I started praying'

Those who have made it back to lower Cameron say patience is required. The nearest open grocery store for many in that area is around 40 miles away. A gas station and convenience store in the small community of Cameron, the parish seat, runs out of fuel at times.

Electricity has been restored, but is being supplied with banks of generators powered by LNG. Outages can occur at times due to malfunctions or maintenance issues.

Jeff Davis Electric Co-Op, which supplies power to most of the parish, lost all its transmission towers crossing the Intracoastal Waterway, said general manager Michael Heinen. It hopes to obtain federal funding to not only rebuild but do so in a more secure manner, with its current estimate at some $200 million.

+5 Search on for lost souls after Hurricane Laura washed away dozens of caskets CAMERON  Lerlene Rodrigue mourned the death of her father 30 years ago. Now she might have to bury him again  if she can find him.

Heinen said the co-op had around 11,000 electricity meters in the area before the storm. Its now down to around 9,500, including around 2,000 campers set up for plant workers.

The commercial fishing industry also took a hit, with 13 boats sinking despite being transported into what was meant to be safe harbor, said Marceaux.

One belonged to Frankie Mock, 58, who survived a harrowing experience riding out the storm in his other boat in Lake Charles. He had to jump in the water with a rope tied around him as it took on damage.

Before he was rescued, he said: I gave up. I sat down and started praying, asked the good Lord to watch over my grandkids and my ex-wife and my family.

But hes since gone back, and on a recent day he was welding parts for his other shrimp boat, the Golden Eagle, along Calcasieu Pass.

Craig Colten, an emeritus professor at LSUs department of geography and anthropology and author of an upcoming book on coastal land loss called State of Disaster, said communities such as lower Cameron are likely to see episodic migration away with each catastrophe rather than one mass exodus.

He said government policies should emphasize voluntary buyouts and transplanting communities further inland, better allowing people to retain their sense of culture.

I think what we're seeing already is that with each storm, there's going to be a pulse of people that leave, he said. And once the community gets too small or it can't support a post office, a grocery store, a school, a church or two, then the population really begins to disappear.

There are certainly those who are braving it out. Kristi Bearb returned to her job managing the Darla K Food Mart and gas station in lower Cameron even though her house washed away completely. She also lost her home in Rita and Ike, and before Laura had been living in a large storage container converted into a house, a strategy others have used as well.

At first, she didnt want to return, but decided to do so after the store owner asked her to. She now lives in a 30-foot camper. Asked why she keeps returning, she said, its home.

Its a small, quiet town. The people here, theyre die-hards, she said as she kept an eye on the store with construction workers filing in, at one point yelling to a driver that there was no gas available for now.

But if it happens again, I'm not. Its too much. Emotionally, its too much.
It was a little bizarre the CME WA boss would say the chamber had put together a working group to bring in a new code of conduct for the industry to handle sexual harassment without asking the department how big the problem was. Loading Im not a savant, I didnt foresee sort of how this issue played out, you know, 12 months ago, I wasnt necessarily thinking that this is the most significant issue on mine sites, Mr Everingham said. But over the last 12 months, you know, I readily admit, Ive learned a lot. And its certainly prevalent. Im not going to say, oh, its prevalent in society too because this is happening in our industry and we want to fix it, so were taking action to fix it. To Mr Everinghams credit, he made an apology on behalf of the industry to anyone who had been assaulted, harassed, or raped in the sector or felt they could not come forward to tell their story. He also pledged the industry would do better.

The statistics on harassment will come out, be it when DMIRS releases the figures to media or a parliamentary inquiry drags companies and the regulator over the coals to get to the bottom of the matter. Staying quiet on the numbers cuts both ways for the sector with the public none the wiser on whether there has been a large or small number of cases. The industrys recent response with safety measures is warranted regardless of how much harassment there has been but knowing the scale and period of time would also show whether its acted soon enough or has been sticking its head in the dirt. In the meantime, the actions taken by the big miners in recent months to provide a safer environment at FIFO camps already speaks volumes about the depth of the problem they are dealing with in a sector where women were only allowed to start working underground in 1986 in WA. Fortescue and BHP both have services where workers  who can spend more time at a work site than their own home during the space of a year on lengthy swings can be walked back to their sleeping quarters at night from mess halls if they are worried about going alone. There are also safe zone phone apps and increased CCTV at the camps where staff spend their 12 hours of downtime while up on site. One of the three recent incidents in the media was a female worker at BHP who was allegedly in November followed back to her room at the Mulla Mulla village near the South Flank mine and raped when she was intoxicated.

Both Rio Tinto and BHP have held recent internal reviews to make their camps and workplaces safer. BHP decided to cut down on the daily booze allowance at its camps as a result while Rio has brought in a former Australian sexual discrimination commissioner this year to take a look at its operations. Life in a mining camp feels like a bit of a grey zone between home and work life compared to living in a town but ultimately you are still at work. So the fact you even need a chaperone service to protect people from predators, who are colleagues, is frightening. At just 18 per cent of the workforce, women are outnumbered in mining. The culture in the industry has made inroads on equality but there is still a long way to go. Mr Trott said Rio had found in its review employees had not always felt it was safe to raise their voice.

Loading People havent always felt safe within our workplaces and thats something we have to change, he said. 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. Workers need to know they can go to their employers and raise issues of harassment without fear for their career and any allegations they make will be followed through. They also need to know that they can go to the police for many incidents and not have to worry about what it means for their job. There was a lot of talk from the big miners on Friday about having zero tolerance for sexual harassment.
On Saturday, McMahon lost preselection to Price and penned a lengthy social media post claiming to be the victim of a political attack.

Readers will recall McMahon made headlines on Wednesday when colleagues claimed she had been maggoted during a late Senate sitting. The senator denied she was drunk and said she only had one glass of wine at dinner.

Price, who is deputy mayor of Alice Springs and a prominent Indigenous activist, is no stranger to generating headlines but is yet to come close to the low-profile McMahons recent attention-grabbing notoriety.

But theres another high bar McMahon has set.

She is also known as one of Federal Parliaments top-charging MPs for travel entitlements. During the first three months of the year, McMahon  who lives in the Northern Territory town of Katherine, about three hours from Darwin  claimed the most travel expenses in Federal Parliament. She racked up some $19,703 in flights and accommodation over the first 90 days of this year, all within the rules, of course. This included 30 nights in Darwin charging $457 per night.

Where on earth? Considering a twin room in Darwins Hilton has a going rate of $350 a night, McMahon must have found some serious digs. Too bad she wasnt prepared to shed any light on the luxury when CBD asked on Sunday.

A large amount of her work as a senator requires her to be in Darwin, a spokesman said. The senator wouldnt expect a city columnist to understand exactly how big the Territory is.

Defensive, much? But if the size of the Territory is expansive, its worth noting that McMahons list of responsibilities is surprisingly short. After all, she has no portfolio and soon she will be out of a job.
The study did not identify which brands or products used PFAS but noted many were marketed as wear-resistant or long-lasting. I think what was most surprising was the number of products that had no PFAS on the label, said one of the studys authors, Professor Miriam Diamond of the University of Toronto. Professor Diamond said she supported current legislative moves in the US to ban PFAS in cosmetics. Ultimately to protect my grandchildren - thats why Im doing this, she said. PFAS can be ingested by lipstick wearers, who may swallow two kilos of lipstick in their lifetimes. In mascara, the chemicals can be absorbed through the tear ducts.

Those people who go to work, they would wear these foundations and mascara and lipstick for more than eight to 10 hours per day, said Professor Ravi Naidu, who runs the Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment at the University of Newcastle. It is the duration which is very important. He was surprised at the fairly high concentrations of PFAS detected in the cosmetics. Accord is the peak association representing the cosmetics industry in Australia. A spokesman said it was in an ongoing dialogue with the federal government about the possible use of PFAS in mostly limited types of cosmetic products. Some of the reporting of this North American study has been unhelpfully alarmist and based on what appears to be overly simplistic misinterpretations of the study findings, he said.

The spokesman said the presence of fluorine was not necessarily an indicator of PFAS because other sources could include ingredients like mica and clays. Where PFAS was confirmed, it was mainly short-chain varieties which were of much less environmental concern, the spokesman said. He added that PFAS was a wide class of more than 4700 compounds, not all of which were of the same environmental concern. Australian consumers can be confident that the make-up and cosmetic products they purchase are safe for use, he said. However Professor Diamond said PFAS chemicals were flooding the marketplace before the scientific community had the chance to investigate their safety.

She said the research team were dismayed at the industrys criticisms. Their comments provided no evidence of our wrongdoing or our misinterpretation, she said. Dr Mariann Lloyd-Smith from the National Toxics Network said the suggestion short-chain varieties of PFAS were safer was a myth industry has been peddling for the last 10 years. These very disturbing results demonstrate why urgent action is needed to phase out the group of PFAS chemicals as a priority, she said. While this is a US-based study, as similar results have been found in studies of cosmetics in Europe, Japan and Korea, it suggests the situation would be no different for Australians.

The combined exposure is quite frightening, she said. People are putting PFAS-contaminated foundation on their skin every day. These are really serious exposure routes. Loading The Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS) regulates industrial chemicals in Australia. PFAS chemicals are classed medium to high risk under the scheme meaning AICIS must perform a risk assessment before they can be introduced to Australia. Businesses must also keep records. [If] we determine that the risks to human health or the environment cannot be adequately managed, we can refuse to issue a certificate, the spokesperson said.

When asked about the extent of PFAS in cosmetics being sold in Australia, the spokesperson said that was not within its remit. Product safety was the responsibility of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The ACCC is aware of the reports of PFAS in cosmetics overseas and we are currently reviewing this information, a spokesperson said, adding that products must be labelled with an ingredients list under the Cosmetics Information Standard (2020). However Dr Lloyd-Smith said industry was able to make confidentiality claims or use generic terms to mask use of PFAS. The consumer standard for labelling is so broad you could drive 20 buses through it, she said. The peer-reviewed study was a collaborative effort between multiple universities and was published in the journal of Environmental Science & Technology Letters.
Dear fellow Australians aged over 60, as is so obvious with the latest COVID-19 outbreak locking down all of greater Sydney and beyond for two weeks, our failure to vaccinate our population has left us vulnerable to ever more dangerous variations of the SARS virus.

COVID-19 is a horrible disease and abundant worldwide experience has demonstrated that we oldies over 60 (there are more than four million of us in Australia) are most vulnerable to serious infection and even death if infected. Bottom line: you dont want to get COVID.

Many of us are caught on the horns of a dilemma. Yes, we want to be vaccinated. But isnt the AstraZeneca vaccine currently available to people aged 60 and over just too dangerous to be acceptable?

Lockdown ... Manly Beach on weekend. Credit:Jacky Ghossein

In a nutshell, no. The publicity associated with the very rare complications experienced with this vaccine has had a disastrous effect on public confidence. I can reassure you that AstraZeneca remains a highly effective vaccine, and the benefits for us far outweigh any risks. I can state with confidence that if you were fully vaccinated (two injections) with AstraZeneca, you would have next to nothing to fear from the current crisis in Sydney but much more to fear if you chose to wait instead for the alternative vaccine.
As Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains and Wollongong went into lockdown this weekend, it was a reminder of how contagious COVID-19 is. Lockdowns are difficult  no matter where and for whom.

They are particularly difficult for children during school holidays who have to deal with the disappointment of having to stay at home, not play with friends, cancel birthday parties. And for for families whove had to cancel holidays, for people living by themselves who are feeling even more lonely and isolated, for those experiencing domestic violence, for business who are facing severe economic losses and for everyone who is simply over it.

We can adapt ... life in lockdown. Credit:Renee Nowytarger

For all of the above, I hear you. But the past 18 months have taught us that humans are agile, adaptable and resilient and we can get through this together. We are also creative and innovative at hosting Zoom parties and staying emotionally connected.

The rapid spread and escalating number of COVID-19 cases caused by the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 is a serious concern. We are learning that the Delta variant is twice as transmissible as the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 variant, which means it can infect almost double the number of contacts of an infected person, especially in dense urban settings.
Doctors will receive up to $10,000 a year each to treat Australians in aged care so that their health problems dont get out of hand and require hospital visits under a federal government response to the Aged Care Royal Commission.

General practitioners who treat patients in the aged-care facilities where they live will be eligible for up to $42.8 million in extra payments to increase access to medical services for the elderly and immobile.

Doctors will receive an expanded set of cash incentives to treat patients in aged care. Credit:Louise Kennerley

This funding boost provides an additional 120,000 GP services to senior Australians living in aged care facilities, Health Minister Greg Hunt said.

Medical groups including the Australian Medical Association have argued that the country could save billions of dollars a year through better preventative care for elderly people that will stop conditions worsening and requiring treatment in hospital.
On Saturday, when the Sydney lockdown was announced, Morrison  so proud of his Sydneysider status  was largely absent. As a friend pointed out to me, what better day for the Prime Minister to remind people of the importance of vaccinations? But Morrison was stuck, because that might have carried the implication that a better vaccination program could have helped avoid situations like this. (We got a YouTube message from him eventually  but vaccinations werent mentioned.) I asked Raina MacIntyre, head of the Biosecurity Research Program at the Kirby Institute, if this lockdown might have been avoided if our vaccination rates were higher. I suspected the answer would be no, but in fact MacIntyre told me it was possible, if we had reached 80 per cent of adults vaccinated. With our current pitiful rates, that number might sound high, but MacIntyre pointed out that we get more than 90 per cent of infants vaccinated, and more than 70 per cent of over-65s get their flu vaccinations. MacIntyre went on to make another point. We began this pandemic with very low rates of vaccine hesitancy, as well as a civic-minded population: the perfect setting for a determined and rapid vaccination campaign that could have started in December 2020, as it did elsewhere. Instead, we are now seeing quite a lot of hesitancy. Not all of this is the governments fault  the blood clotting issue would have arisen whatever it did. But we will never know how the public might have reacted had the government made the case for vaccinations earlier and more determinedly.

We do know why the government has still not moved into the rallying phase of its program (that is, an ad campaign). If the rallying worked, there would not, currently, be sufficient vaccines to meet demand. We know this because we were told, last week, by Lieutenant General John Frewen, who Morrison appointed to run the vaccination effort. At first I worried that involving military figures might presage a similar level of secrecy to Operation Sovereign Borders. Instead, Frewen has committed to transparency. So far, he has been refreshingly direct. Loading And so it is interesting that both the Chief Medical Officer and Morrison last week spoke about the planning being done for post-vaccination life. The premiers and the Prime Ministers Department are apparently working with modelling to decide what additional freedoms vaccinated people might be given. The government has been cagey about releasing modelling in the past. We should hope Frewen convinces the Prime Minister otherwise. But first we have to get through the current outbreak. The NSW numbers are rising. And now the strain in NSW has crossed state borders. Whether or not this lockdown could have been avoided through vaccinations, it will put more pressure on Morrison. Just how much will be determined by five factors. One is how far the virus spreads. The second is how long the lockdown lasts. The third is whether further problems arise with vaccinations during this period. The fourth is how much the premiers decide to attack. The fifth is Anthony Albanese.
Liberal and Labor MPs want mandatory education for politicians on how to prevent and respond to sexual harassment and other serious incidents once an initial response to cleaning up parliamentary workplaces is introduced.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison personally briefed Coalition MPs on the recommendation from his departments deputy secretary Stephanie Foster for an independent team to handle complaints of sexual harassment, assault or systemic bullying among MPs and their staff.

Katy Gallagher, Celia Hammond, Tanya Plibersek and Fiona Martin are among those urging anti-harassment training for MPs. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The briefing was seen by colleagues as a sign of how serious Mr Morrison is about addressing the problems.

The government is now wrapping up cross-party consultations about how to proceed, with cabinet to make the final call on when it will be done.
Venice: 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.

Venice is facing a crisis. Pictured is the historic citys famous St Marks bell tower. Credit:AP

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.
Surfside, Florida: When Mike Noriega heard that part of the condominium tower where his grandmother lived had collapsed, he rushed with his father to the scene. They arrived at a nightmarish nine-metre pile of pancaked concrete and mangled metal, the remains of her 12-storey building  and no sign of 92-year-old Hilda Noriega.

But among the flying debris, they stumbled across mementos that bore witness to Hildas life on the sixth floor in Champlain Towers South: an old picture of her with her late husband and their infant son, and a birthday card that friends from her prayer group sent two weeks earlier with the acronym ESM, Spanish for hand-delivered, scrawled across the yellow envelope with a butterfly etching.

There was a message in the mess of all this, Noriega said. It means not to give up hope. To have faith.

Women pray, late on Saturday, at a vigil for the victims and families of the Champlain Towers collapsed building in Surfside, Florida, at the nearby St. Joseph Catholic Church in Miami Beach. Credit:AP

Days after Thursdays collapse, Hilda remains among more than 150 people unaccounted for in Surfside, north of Miami Beach, with five confirmed dead and authorities and loved ones fearing the toll will go much higher.
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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...
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4,115 Vaccinated People Have Been Hospitalized With COVID-19 Breakthrough Infections: CDC

750 have died

More than 4,000 people have been hospitalized or died from COVID-19 breakthrough cases, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In an update late last week, the agency said that 4,115 people have been hospitalized or have died from COVID-19 despite having been fully vaccinated.

The total number of individuals who have died from COVID-19 after being vaccinated is 750, according to the agency. It noted that 76 percent of hospitalizations and deaths from breakthrough cases occurred among individuals over the age of 65.

As of June 21, 2021, more than 150 million people in the United States had been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, said the agency in its June 25 update. During the same time, CDC received reports from 47 U.S. states and territories of 4,115 patients with COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough infection who were hospitalized or died.

Federal health officials have downplayed the new data and said that they had anticipated breakthrough cases, illnesses, and deaths.

To be expected, Dr. Paul Offit, a top advisor to the Food and Drug Administration on childrens vaccines, told CNBC on June 25. The vaccines arent 100 percent effective, even against severe disease. Very small percentage of the 600,000 deaths.

On May 1, the CDC announced that it had stopped counting all breakthrough cases and only reports on those that lead to hospitalization or death.

COVID-19 is the illness caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, otherwise known as the novel coronavirus.

The CDC update comes as Israeli officials said last week that during a recent outbreak of COVID-19, 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 June 25, said that the country might end up in lockdown again. Balicer and other officials said that 90 percent of the new cases were caused by the so-called Delta COVID-19 variant.

The entrance of the Delta variant has changed the transition dynamics, he told The Wall Street Journal.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported last week that nearly 4,000 people who were fully vaccinated have tested positive for the virus.

Were learning that many of the breakthrough infections are asymptomatic, or theyre very mild and brief in duration, Boston University infectious diseases specialist Davidson Hamer said, according to local media. The viral load is not very high.

And Hamerlike Offitalso downplayed the breakthrough infections, saying theyre to be expected.

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.
542 Percent Increase in Convicted Sex Offenders Arrested at Border

DEL RIO, TexasBorder Patrol agents have arrested 353 illegal aliens with sex-related criminal convictions so far this fiscal year. A large number of the detainees had prior convictions for crimes involving a minor.

In the same period in fiscal 2020, agents apprehended 55 criminal sex offenders, and 58 total in all of fiscal 2019.

The number of criminals illegally crossing the southwest border has spiked in tandem with the border crossing surge this year. Convicted criminals are the most likely population of illegal aliens trying to avoid capture by Border Patrol.

Border Patrol has detected more than 250,000 illegal aliens who have evaded capture so far this year, according to newly appointed Acting Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz on June 24. Its impossible to estimate how many have evaded Border Patrol without detection.

There isnt a day that goes by that I dont read a paper or a report from my agents that talks about criminal aliens, sexual offenders that theyve apprehended out there, Ortiz said during an event in Del Rio, Texas.

Those folks arent getting released in these communities. Guess what happens to them? They go to jail. When they get out of jail, they go back to their country of origin.

According to reports by Customs and Border Protection (CBP), many of the criminals being caught have already been deported, sometimes on multiple occasions.

On June 24, agents in Rio Grande City, Texas, arrested convicted sex offender Benito Gomez-Lopez, from Mexico. Gomez-Lopez was arrested in May 2020 by the Burleigh County Sheriffs Department in North Dakota for possession of certain prohibited materials and promoting a sexual performance by a minor, according to CBP.

He pleaded guilty to both counts and was sentenced to three years confinement, but was repatriated to Mexico in July 2020.

On June 14, a Peruvian child rapist was arrested by Border Patrol after he entered the United States illegally near Roma, Texas, according to CBP. Pedro Asuncion Ore-Quispe, 43, had been deported in 2020 after serving more than five years for felony rape of a child in Idaho.

On June 20, Mexican national Isidro Efrain Gallardo-Rangel was apprehended as part of a group of 24 illegal aliens near Laredo. Gallardo-Rangel is a registered sex offender with an extensive criminal history and a conviction for indecency with a child in 2018 in Dallas, Texas, according to CBP.

Del Rio Sector

Once a relatively quiet region for illegal border crossings, the Del Rio Sector in Texas is now the second busiest, after the Rio Grande Valley in south Texas.

Weve seen a tremendous increase. So far this year, this fiscal year, today, weve caught 144,000 people in the Del Rio sector, said Sector Chief Austin Skero on June 24.

Weve gone through this beforeweve seen these increases, these surges, for the last 30 or 40 years. Its never been this bad. Ill tell you that straight upIve never seen it this bad.

Skero said the sector has seen a 1,400 percent increase in the number of sex offenders arrested by Border Patrol agents.

A Del Rio resident said that prior to January, he had seen two illegal aliens pass through his backyard.

Now, he said, its hundreds per day.

I have four daughtersdoes it concern me when you say theres a 1,400 percent increase in sex offenders? Yes, it concerns me, the resident said during a border update on June 24.

Im concerned about the single men who are running through my backyard, sneaking. And Im about a 50 percent success rate on whether or not I get an agent to come out to my place when I call. And when they do, its awesome, they bring helicopters, they bring support.

Otherwise, Im sitting there unarmed and theres a guy soaking wet in my backyard screaming at me in Spanish. I dont know what to do with this guy.

The resident asked Border Patrol if they could provide some type of training to citizens to prepare them for such encounters.

Skero suggested for residents to not engage with illegal aliens who are on their property and to call Border Patrol.

Were going to come just as soon as we can. Sometimes it will be immediate, sometimes it might take us an hour.

But, he said, if an illegal immigrant is endangering a residents family, or is being assaultive, call 911.

State Response

At the behest of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) started surging extra law enforcement resources to the border beginning in March.

In the three months from March 4 through June 3, DPS has arrested 1,489 criminals.

In addition, state troopers have been involved in 340 vehicle pursuits along the border and have dealt with 630 vehicle bailouts. A bailout occurs when a vehicle being pulled by law enforcement stops and the illegal immigrant occupants scatter and flee to avoid capture.

Abbott issued a state of disaster declaration on June 10, highlighting 34 border counties that are struggling with cross-border crime and illegal immigration.

Were going to start making arrests, sending a message to anyone thinking about coming here: Youre not getting a free pass. Youre getting a straight pass to a jail cell, Abbott said.

Last week a prison unit in Dilley, Texas, was being emptied in preparation for illegal alien criminals.

Abbott and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey also issued a call for help to other governors on June 10.

With your help, we can apprehend more of these perpetrators of state and federal crimes, before they can cause problems in your state, Abbott and Ducey, both Republicans, wrote in a letter.

So far, several Republican governors have pledged support by way of sending law enforcement personnel or National Guard troops.
The sign for the Ministry of Defence in London in an undated file photo. (Tim Ireland/PA)

Classified UK Defence Documents Found by Member of Public at Bus Stop

Sensitive defence documents containing details about HMS Defender and the military have been found by a member of the public at a bus stop, according to reports.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the employee concerned with the loss of documents reported it last week, and the department has launched an investigation.

A member of the public, who wanted to remain anonymous, contacted the BBC when they found 50 pages of classified information in a soggy heap behind a bus stop in Kent early on Tuesday morning.

The papers included one set of documents which discussed the potential Russian reaction to HMS Defenders travel through Ukrainian waters off the Crimea coast on Wednesday, according to the BBC, while another laid out plans for a possible UK military presence in Afghanistan.

HMS Defender in an undated file photo. (Ben Mitchell/PA)

A spokesperson for the MoD said: The Ministry of Defence was informed last week of an incident in which sensitive defence papers were recovered by a member of the public.

The department takes the security of information extremely seriously and an investigation has been launched.

The employee concerned reported the loss at the time.

It would be inappropriate to comment further.

Shadow defence secretary John Healey called the incident as embarrassing as it is worrying for ministers.

Its vital the internal inquiry launched by the Secretary of State establishes immediately how highly classified documents were taken out of the Ministry of Defence in the first place and then left in this manner, he said.

Ultimately ministers must be able to confirm to the public that national security has not been undermined, that no military or security operations have been affected and that the appropriate procedures are in place to ensure nothing like this happens again.

HMS Defender is part of the UK Carrier Strike Group currently heading to the Indo-Pacific region.

However, it was announced earlier this month that it would be temporarily breaking away from the group to carry out its own set of missions in the Black Sea.

The Type 45 destroyer caused a clash with Russian forces on Wednesday when it travelled through waters south of the Crimea peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, in a move which was not recognised by international powers.

Moscow responded by having several aircraft shadowing the ship at varying heights, the lowest being approximately 500 feetwhich Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said was neither safe nor professional.

Russia also claimed that warning shots were fired by their vessels at the destroyer, but this assertion was dismissed by the UK government which said only that a routine gunnery exercise took place.

Moscow has threatened to retaliate if the incident is repeated, while Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisted the warship was entirely right to make the trip from Odessa in Ukraine to Georgia as an internationally-recognised transit route.

The MoD said that HMS Defender conducted innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters in accordance with international law and that all potential factors are considered when making operational decisions.

By Laura Parnaby
The school sign at Gompers Preparatory Academy in the southeast San Diego neighborhood of Chollas View. (Courtesy of Kristie Chiscano)

Community Fears School Unions Return Could Bring Back Gangs, Violence

Teachers, staff, and parents of students at Gompers Preparatory Academy in San Diego say they fear that the return of a labor union after a 16-year hiatus will lead the school back down the path to gang violence, deplorable learning conditions, and poor academic performance.

Gompers was put on the states watch list of underperforming schools in the 1990s and was slated for closure until parents, educators, and community leaders rallied to save it. In 2005, the school became an independent charter school for grades 6-12, and the San Diego Education Association (SDEA) union was ousted.

But now, the union is back.

We dont want the union, longtime teacher Kristie Chiscano told The Epoch Times. She and a number of other Gompers employees petitioned the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) to decertify the San Diego Education Association (SDEA) union in January. Though PERB granted the decertification vote, it has never been held.

I was the petitioner, so as soon as I filed on behalf of over 30 percent of the teachers  the union refiled their first ULP (unfair labor practice charge) against the school and added in their proposed remedy of blockage of our decertification petition, Chiscano said.

Kristie Chiscano stands next to the Gompers Preparatory Academy sign. (Courtesy Kristie Chiscano)

SDEA Executive Director Abdul Sayid and SDEA President Kisha Borden have not responded to multiple inquiries from The Epoch Times.

Meanwhile, the National Right to Work (NRTW) Legal Defense Foundation has backed Chiscano. In a news release, NRTW wrote, [T]he union installed itself in January 2019 after conducting a controversial card check drive, bypassing the more reliable method of a secret-ballot election whether to certify a union as the monopoly representative of all educators in the school.

SDEA returned to Gompers after about eight teachers began working with union organizers, Chiscano said. They were able to convince two-thirds of the schools teachers to sign a petition in support of unionization.

We are dedicated and passionate teachers at Gompers Preparatory Academy (GPA). We love our charter school and we love our students. We are fully committed to fulfilling the GPA mission and vision and want to continue the work of guiding our school and our students toward college and beyond, wrote the Gompers Preparatory Academy Organizing Committee in a December 2018 letter to the community.

It is for these reasons we have decided to unionize our school.

A few of the pro-union teachers have since left the school, but the union has continued to do everything possible to block the decertification, Chiscano said.

As soon as the union heard about it, they stopped it, and it has been blocked since 2020. So, we have not been awarded a vote, she said.

Of Gangs and Unions

Dolores Garcia, 51, is an administrative assistant at Gompers where shes worked since 1997, when the school was Gompers Secondary. She has witnessed the astounding transformation of the school from the worst in the district to the best, and the school has a long waiting list to prove it, she told The Epoch Times.

Its been quite a journey, said Garcia, as she and teachers prepared for this years graduation ceremonies held on June 19. Two Class of 2021 grads were admitted to Harvard.

It was a failing school back in 97. Kids were just dropping out and gangs were running the school, she said.

Dolores Garcia is shown next to a student. (Courtesy Dolores Garcia)

Its a story Garcia knows only too well.

I come from the streets. Im a former gang member myself, she said. I was a high school dropout. I was a pregnant teen. I didnt have a school that looked out for me. They just let me go to the streets. I was a statistic.

The school is located on 47th Street in Chollas View, a predominantly Hispanic and black neighborhood. According to recent demographic data, 87 percent of students at Gompers are Hispanic, 8 percent are black, 4 percent are Asian, and 1 percent are Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. White and other races make up less than 1 percent.

In southeast San Diego, there are at least 52 gangs, possibly more, which make it dangerous for students to walk to school, Garcia said. Outsiders may not realize the neighborhood is carved up into different turfs controlled by black, Hispanic, Asian, and Samoan gangs.

Theres a lot of street lines  that our kids have to face every day. Theyre crossing two, three gangs. Its not easy for kids to live in southeast San Diego. There is a war zone going on still to this day, she said.

It doesnt stop us, but one thing that our school has done is become a beacon of hope, that place where we really shut down the pipeline to prison, which the school was once called.

Garcia grew up in Sherman Heights and Grant Hill and lived in the streets of southeast. The gangs protected her from getting in any serious trouble because she was too bougie, she said.

Years later, Garcia went back to school, got a degree, and an employment agency placed her at the school where she has worked ever since. However, union rules were getting in the way of what it takes to improve school culture and raise levels of student achievement, she said.

In 2005, SDEA was ousted, the school hired dedicated teachers who were willing to work harder, put in longer hours to tutor students before and after school, provide supervision outside the classroom, and put the needs of students first to improve school culture and academic performance.

The reason we were so successful is because we had no union, Garcia said.

Its hard to keep school culture, she said. Its hard to have school spirit. A lot of our kids are fatherless, a lot of our kids are in foster homes, and a lot of kids come from two-parent homes where parents have to work two jobs. But one thing that they do have that is secure is their school, and the love and the joy that weve given them.

Garcia credits Vincent Riveroll, the charter schools founding director who has served as the schools executive leader and principal teacher since 2004. The San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) originally appointed Riveroll to fix the failing school, she said.

He starts telling our teachers, Hey, we need to start putting our kids first. Youre gonna get on the bus, or you get off. And he was the first principal I ever worked alongside with who actually delivered a message like that. Wow! Who is this guy?

Four months later, in what some say was as a purely political move orchestrated by the teachers union, Riveroll was orders to clean out his desk and was escorted out of the school, Garcia said.

It brought chaos because this was the first principal that started listening to the students, listening to the parents, and directing the teachers to do their jobs. And their job is to focus on students firstnot pushing kids out of the classroom. And thats when our community rose up and said, We need him back.

Recently, Garcia resigned from the schools bargaining team because she felt her voice was being silenced and has instead spent her time warning parents about the potential harm union rules could bring.

Like in the past, Garcia has started a community-based a petition to fight against the union and has so far gathered more than 900 signatures.

Garcia even compares unions to gangs, in the sense that unions collect money from members for protection while gangs extort community members for protection from situations they may cause or perpetuate in the first place.

Unions are about themselves. Nothing else. Theyre like gangs, she said. Theyre the gang members to me.  I dont even pay my homeboys to protect me. They just protect me. I dont have to pay my homeboys. I get paid back by pride, by taking care of their kids and making sure they get an education and keeping them out of the prison system. Thats the difference.

Like a Hollywood Movie

Mari Barke, a trustee on the Orange County Board of Education, told The Epoch Times the change at the school was so dramatic that the story of Gompers should be made into a movie.

The schools 2021-22 Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) states that to fully understand the amount of effort and energy placed into re-culturing the school in the first several years, you have to picture a school before the charter that resembled the schools found in movies such as Dangerous Minds and Stand and Deliver.

It is one of best charter schools in the state  and now the union has basically gone in there and is trying to destroy the school again, said Barke.

While Garcia agrees the schools transformation has all the makings of a Hollywood movie, she is focused on the fight to make sure the real story ends well for students and the community.

People want to make movies  but we live this life. People drive into our community and drive right back out. But when you live here, its different, Garcia said.

Im proud of where I live and work and who I work with  and Im very proud to say Im a former gang member because thats whats taught me more than any kind of book, or any kind of schooling, she said.

I dont want the union back in our school. Im going to fight, and Im going to do everything possible to alert my family and my community because I know exactly what was destroying it. I solved the equation:  Unions are bad for our schools, she said.

Parents, Teachers Unite

The Gompers Preparatory Academy (GPA) board of directors met June 15, after hearing the complaints of parents and teachers who are opposed to the SDEA labor unions return to the school.

One letter signed GPA Parents stated, We, the parents of GPA students, are completely unsatisfied and very unhappy that we have been left out of the bargaining process. First of all, the education of our children is being bargained. These SDEA union teachers are not interested in our childrens well-being or their education. What these teachers are asking for is shorter school days and shorter year. They do not want to do morning or afternoon supervision or tutoring after school.

The parents accused the union of trying to completely change GPAs culture, at the educational expense of the students.

Our school does not need any third party to come in and take over our school and to tell us how it should be run. We do not need or want the SDEA union at our school, the letter said.

Another letter signed Class of 2021 Parents claimed union organizers have attacked parents on social media for not supporting their cause.

Our school was founded on different morals and these union organizers have completely destroyed it all, the parents wrote. We do not trust any of the organizing committee teachers due to the tactics they have used to force this unwanted union on all of us and we certainly do not trust them with our children. A lot of us parents fear these teachers. All we are asking is that you take our comments and opinions seriously. We do not want or need a union at GPA.

(Courtesy Ellen Nash)

Its the Enemy

Ellen Nash, chair of the Black American Political Association of California (BAPAC) San Diego chapter, was part of the original community group that fought to change Gompers from a public school to charter school under the No Child Left Behind Act.

Nash, 67, is Gompers alumna. Her children attended the school before it became a charter. But the year after her daughter graduated, her son ran into some trouble with gangs.

Street fights, shootings and stabbings near the school were common. Its true, said Nash. It was awful. It was a completely different school. Lunchtime was throwing desks and chairs. Teachers were quitting.

Nash said that later, when her father was a district school board member, he visited the new Gompers charter school and talked highly of its achievements. But, she said, the Democratic Party and the SDEA union promptly disciplined her father and other school members and issued a gag order warning them not mention Gompers again.

So, they never acknowledged ever again the positive academic outcome of Gompers Preparatory Academy, she said.

Nash told The Epoch Times on June 17 that BAPAC doesnt oppose the union itself but has been called anti-union because it opposes SDEAs collective bargaining agreements that she says prevent schools and teachers from doing the heavy lifting students need for a healthy and safe learning environment.

Everything that Gompers is doing, the [other unionized] teachers in District E refuse to do. And what were saying is we dont want SDEA, as far as the collective bargaining agreement, dictating how we educate kids, Nash said.

The SDEA collective bargaining agreement really is the enemy in terms of preventing positive academic outcomes for black and brown kids in District E, she said.

Its the enemy. It fails black and brown kids, she said. I was actively involved with the Democratic Party in 2016. I know lots of people; they know me. They know where I stand, particularly on charter schools. None of them have challenged one iota of what were sayingno challenges, nothingbecause they know that what were saying is correct.

Uniforms and Colors

Cecil Steppe, board chairman and a founding member of the school, spent 12 years as the countys chief probation officer, later becoming the director of Community Initiatives in the Health and Human Services Agency.

He played an in instrumental role in working out a deal with gangs not to bother students wearing school uniforms, said Nash. In other words, If you see kids in these uniforms, back away, she said.

The uniforms prevent students from wearing gang colors and being mistaken for rival gang members, Garcia said. But lately, some teachers have suggested to students that they wouldnt have to wear uniforms if they werent a charter school.

I want them to support us, and not tell our kids that they dont need a uniform, Garcia said.

Do you know what that would do to our kids to become targets out there on the street with a red shirt or a blue shirt?

Labor Battle Continues

Steppe said at the June 15 meeting hes concerned about behavior attributed to some members of the GPA Teachers Union (GTA), the SDEA local, and GPA teacher treatment of GPA students.

Our school was founded by the community and parents who use their voices to turn a failing district school into a thriving college preparatory charter school, Steppe said.

Steppe said PERB overturned an unfair labor practice ruling last fall which held that GPA had bargained in bad faith and then had retaliated against one of his teachers. He said, the findings of bad faith and retaliation were dismissed.

The last several years have been challenging for a number of reasons and have tested the fabric of our community.  We must all support the mission of GPA which has helped thousands of students be successful. We continue to be extremely proud of our students, parents, leadership, staff, and community for choosing GPA.

The board later held a closed session to continue ongoing negotiations with the union, after which Steppe said the board had nothing to report.

Despite the unions presence at Gompers for more than two years, teachers at the school remain without a contract.

Gompers first opened in 1955 as a junior high school. It was named after labor leader Samuel Gompers, the first and longest-serving president of the American Federation of Labor (AFL). The school now serves about 1,200 students.
Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies at a Senate Judiciary and Commerce Committees Joint Hearing in Washington on April 10, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

Facebook Can Be Sued for Sex Trafficking, Texas Supreme Court Rules

The Texas Supreme Court ruled that Facebook could be held liable if sex traffickers use the platform to prey on children, arguing the social media website isnt a lawless no-mans-land.

The ruling was made following three Houston-area lawsuits involving teenage trafficking victims who alleged that they met their abusers through Facebooks messaging service. Prosecutors also said that Facebook was negligent by not doing more to block sex traffickers from using the site.

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, the Supreme Courts majority wrote.

Facebook has contended that its protected under Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Acta law that has been frequently criticized by Republicans, including former President Donald Trump. Critics have said that the rule, which shields online platforms from liability regarding third-party content, has allowed Facebook, Twitter, Google, and others to ban conservative viewpoints while unfairly allowing extreme left-wing viewpoints to proliferate.

Holding internet platforms accountable for words or actions of their users is one thing, and the federal precedent uniformly dictates that section 230 does not allow it, the state Supreme Court court ruled (pdf) on June 25. Holding internet platforms accountable for their own misdeeds is quite another thing. This is particularly the case for human trafficking.

In a statement, a Facebook spokesperson told Fox Business that the California-based firm is considering the next steps following the courts decision.

Were reviewing the decision and considering potential next steps. Sex trafficking is abhorrent and not allowed on Facebook, a spokesman told Fox News. We will continue our fight against the spread of this content and the predators who engage in it.

The Texas Supreme Court said that the sex trafficking victims can move forward with their lawsuits against Facebook. They claimed that the company violated the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, which was approved in 2009.

According to the 2020 Federal Human Trafficking Report (pdf), the Human Trafficking Institute says that most of the online recruitment in active sex trafficking cases, or about 59 percent of all cases, occurred on Facebook in 2020.

That makes Facebook by far the most frequently referenced website or app in public sources connected with these prosecutions, which was also true in 2019, the report found.

Representatives from Facebook didnt respond to a request for comment by press time.
People pray during a prayer vigil for the victims and families of the Champlain Towers collapsed building in Surfside, Fla., at the nearby St. Joseph Catholic Church in Miami Beach, Fla., on June 26, 2021. (Wilfredo Lee/AP Photo)

Families Cling to Hope as Condo Collapse Toll Rises to 9

SURFSIDE, Fla.The death toll from the collapse of a Florida beachfront condo building has risen to nine as search-and-rescue efforts continue, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said Sunday.

One person died in the hospital, and workers pulled four more bodies from the wreckage, the mayor said.

Scores of rescue workers remained on the massive pile of rubble, working to find survivors among the more than 150 people who remain unaccounted for. Four of the dead have been identified and next of kin notified, the mayor said.

Four days after Thursdays collapse, authorities and loved ones fear the toll will go much higher.

Rescue workers search the rubble of the Champlain Towers South condominium, in the Surfside area of Miami, Fla., on June 26, 2021. (Lynne Sladky/AP Photo)

As rotating teams of rescuers used heavy machinery and power tools to clear the rubble from the top and tunnel in from below, the Noriega family hoped that their 92-year-old matriarch, Hilda Noriega, had somehow survived.

When Mike Noriega heard that part of the condominium tower where his grandmother lived had collapsed, he rushed with his father to the scene. They arrived at a nightmarish 30-foot pile of broken concrete and mangled metal, the remains of the 12-story building known as Champlain Towers South.

But among the flying debris, they stumbled across mementos that bore witness to Hildas life on the sixth floor: an old picture of her with her late husband and their infant son, and a birthday card that friends from her prayer group sent two weeks earlier with the acronym ESM, Spanish for hand-delivered, scrawled across the yellow envelope with a butterfly etching.

There was a message in the mess of all this, said Mike Noriega, who last spoke with his grandmother the day before the disaster. It means not to give up hope. To have faith.

Mike Noriega shows a birthday card relatives sent to his grandmother, Hilda Noriega, two weeks ago for her 92nd birthday, in Surfside, Fla., on June 26, 2021. (Joshua Goodman/AP Photo)

Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett sought to assure families Sunday that rescuers were working nonstop. Nothing else on our mind, with the only objective of pulling their family members out of that rubble, he told ABCs This Week.

Were not going to stop doing thatnot today, not tomorrow, not the next day. Were going to keep going until everybodys out.

The Noriega family described Hilda as a fiercely independent and vivacious retireein Mikes words, the youngest 92-year-old I know  92 going on 62.

Hilda Noriega had called Champlain Towers South home for more than 20 years. But six years after her husbands death, she was ready to leave. The condo was for sale, and she planned to move in with family.

She loved living near the ocean and friends, but when you lose a spouse, you want to be surrounded by family  and she wanted to spend more time with her family and grandchildren, said Sally Noriega, Hildas daughter-in-law.

Hilda Noriega was a loving person who built a life with her husband and raised a family after coming to the United States from Cuba in 1960, her daughter-in-law said.

She was just one of those people who from the first time she met a person she instantly loved that person, and that person instantly loved her, Sally said.

Carlos Noriega, Hildas son and police chief of nearby North Bay Village, was one of the emergency responders atop the pile.

The Noriegas dont entirely know what to make of the treasured mementos found amid the chaos, but Sally said: We are a family of faith. Well just leave it at that.

They are among dozens of anguished families awaiting word on the fate of loved ones. The wait has been agonizing.

Two women comfort each other at the Surfside community center where friends and family of those missing following the collapse of a residential building wait for new developments in the search for their loved ones, in Surfside, Fla., on June 25, 2021. (Jose A. Iglesias/Miami Herald via AP)

The atmosphere inside a hotel ballroom where around 200 family members were being briefed by authorities Saturday was tense, two people present told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the private conversations.

The two said families frustrated with the slow pace of recovery efforts had demanded they be allowed to go to the scene and attempt a collective shoutan attempt as much to find survivors as a cathartic farewell to those who had died.

A video posted online showed an official briefing families. When he said they had found remains among the rubble, people began sobbing.

Late Saturday, four of the victims were identified, as Stacie Dawn Fang, 54; Antonio Lozano, 83, and Gladys Lozano, 79; and Manuel LaFont, 54.

Burkett said a city official had led a cursory review of the nearby Champlain Towers North and Champlain Towers East buildings but didnt find anything out of the ordinary.

Rescue workers work in the rubble at the Champlain Towers South Condo is seen in Surfside, Fla., on June 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

The news came after word of a 2018 engineering report that showed the building, which was built in 1981, had major structural damage to a concrete slab below its pool deck that needed extensive repairs, part of a series of documents released by the city of Surfside.

Further documentation showed the estimated cost of the repairs would total over $9 million. That included more than $3.8 million for garage, entrance and pool remediation and nearly $3.2 million for fixes to the exterior facade.

While officials said no cause for the collapse early Thursday has been determined, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said a definitive answer was needed in a timely manner.

By Joshua Goodman and Russ Bynum
FBI Informants More Likely Than Agents at Jan 6, Former Undercover Agent Says

Recent inquiries about whether FBI operatives were mixed in among the protesters and intruders who broke into the United States Capitol on Jan. 6 will more likely uncover the presence of FBI informants rather than undercover agents, according to Marc Ruskin, a 27-year FBI veteran and former undercover agent who is also an Epoch Times contributor.

Before he left the bureau in 2012, there were only about 100 undercover FBI agents in the whole country, Ruskin told the Epoch Times. Deployment of each requires a lengthy, very resource-intensive operation that needs to be approved on several levels. Even if there was a top-down operation run by the headquarters underway on Jan. 6, it would have been unlikely that any significant number of undercover agents were present, he said.

Informants, on the other hand, would have been much more convenient, needing only some vetting and an assigned handling agent. The bureau uses them regularly and theyre not necessarily aware of each other even if they collect information on the same target, Ruskin said.

He said that during his tenure he hadnt seen the FBI use informants as de facto agents provocateur to incite crimes at a political event, but that he has watched the bureau getting politicized by its leadership and, particularly in recent years, repeatedly breaking its own rules.

Recent reports by Revolver News and other right-leaning outlets have presented a list of clues that raise questions about the FBIs involvement in the events of Jan. 6, when intruders at the Capitol caused a several-hour delay in the certification of the 2020 presidential election by Congress.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has since run a shock and awe operation against the intruders, slapping them with charges that threaten decades in prison. Many have been held behind bars without bail, even placed in solitary confinement. Yet the indictments show that a number of people that seem to have engaged in similar actions on Jan. 6 have somehow escaped prosecution. Its not clear why, since it doesnt appear to be a consequence of lacking evidence or plea negotiations, based on the Revolver investigation.

Furthermore, the three organizations that the DOJ alleges played leading roles in planning illegal activity on Jan. 6 are known to have had FBI informants in their ranks. Several members of the Three Percenter militia group, which interprets the Constitution as a license to defy most current federal authorities, were arrested last year for allegedly planning to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. It turned out FBI informants and undercover agents played key roles in the alleged plot. One of the alleged culprits was also a member of Oath Keepers, a militia group that believes military and law enforcement should defy federal government where it has overstepped its constitutional mandate. Finally, pro-Western mens club Proud Boys, whose members are known to engage in street fights with adherents of the anarcho-communist Antifa network, has in the past few years been led by Enrique Tarrio, who was recently revealed as a past FBI informant.

Such groups in general have been portrayed by the bureau for years as grave potential domestic terrorism threats.

Jeremy Brown, a former Green Beret and new member of Oath Keepers, recorded a December conversation with two men who said they worked with the FBIs Joint Terrorism Task Force. The men indicated during the talk that the agency would be interested in Brown becoming an informant.

I cant make any promises but, like, if you provide information that prevents something big, the government pays for that, one of the men told Brown.

Brown said others have contacted him with similar stories after he went public with his story.

The FBI special agent that oversaw the Whitmer kidnapping operation was transferred to the FBIs District of Columbia office last year, where he is overseeing the Jan. 6 investigations.

As part of its anti-terrorism efforts, especially after the 9/11 attacks, the FBI has been known to target individuals in sting operations where its operatives played key roles. Critics have argued that without the FBIs involvement, there would never have been a plot to investigate in the first place.

FBI informants and undercover agents can be authorized to conduct some illegal activities as part of their assignments, according to Ruskin.

A Senate investigation into the Capitol intrusion concluded that a number of failures in the intelligence apparatus caused the Capitol Police to be unprepared for what took place. Given the numerous warnings and assurances of preparedness made before the event, how could this have happened?

What would be shocking and strange is not if the FBI had embedded informants and other infiltrators in the groups planning the January 6 Capitol riot, commented journalist Glenn Greenwald, whos been extensively documenting various questionable activities of the national security apparatus, in a recent op-ed. What would be shocking and strangebizarre and inexplicableis if the FBI did not have those groups under tight control.

Some lawyers and former FBI officials have argued that FBI informants wouldnt be identified in charging documents as unindicted co-conspirators because they would lack the criminal intent requisite for a conspiracy charge. However, there are several problems with this argument.

While some individuals that have escaped prosecution were identified as unindicted co-conspirators, some were identified generically as Person 1, Person 2, etc.

In some cases, the circumstances could be more complicated, according to Ruskin. Its happened in the past, for example, that an informant was the one inciting the criminal activity he was supposed to monitor. After all, informants are paid for their services.

Also, potential agents or informants arent necessarily mentioned in the court documents at all.

Independent journalist Bobby Powell caught on camera two individuals that appeared to engage in illegal activity by the eastern entrance to the Capitol on Jan. 6. One of them was showing people inside the building through an open door, Powell said. The other tore a damaged pane out of a Capitol window and asked Powell why he wouldnt enter the building through the broken window. The man also physically intimidated a protester who tried to push him away from the window. Both individuals Powell pointed to wore face coverings and some tactical gear. Powell provided his footage to the FBI, but never heard back. It appears the FBI didnt even put out photos of the men to ask the public for help with identification, even though it did so with hundreds of others. It appears neither individual has been charged.

The FBI had no comment. When contacted, it referred The Epoch Times to the bureaus previous testimony to Congress regarding Jan. 6.

The FBI and DOJ in recent years have been embroiled in several scandals. Most notably, officials of both repeatedly pushed falsehoods to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, resulting in illegal spying on the Trump campaign in 2017 as part of the Crossfire Hurricane investigation.
A young woman receives a COVID-19 vaccine at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Center in the capital Manama. Bahrain has approved both the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and another developed by Chinese firm Sinopharm. Dec. 24, 2020. (Mazen Mahdi/AFP via Getty Images)

FDA Adds Warning About Heart Inflammation to COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has added a warning about the risk of developing heart inflammation to information about the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines.

The FDA announced earlier this month that it would add the warning after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that more cases of heart inflammationeither myocarditis or pericarditishad been found in young adults and children after they received the vaccines, which use mRNA technology.

On June 25, the agency said that it would add revisions to its patient and provider fact sheets about the increased risks of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the tissue surrounding the heart) following vaccination using the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 shots. The Pfizer or Moderna vaccines use mRNA technology and require two doses, whereas the vaccine made by Johnson & Johnson uses an adenovirus and requires a single dose.

Health officials have said that the risks of developing heart inflammation are outweighed by the vaccines benefits.

The risk of myocarditis and pericarditis appears to be very low given the number of vaccine doses that have been administered, Janet Woodcock, the acting FDA commissioner, said in a statement last week. The benefits of COVID-19 vaccination continue to outweigh the risks, given the risk of COVID-19 diseases and related, potentially severe, complications.

The warning issued by the FDA says that there may be increased risks particularly following the second dose and with [the] onset of symptoms within a few days after vaccination.

Additionally, the Fact Sheets for Recipients and Caregivers for these vaccines note that vaccine recipients should seek medical attention right away if they have chest pain, shortness of breath, or feelings of having a fast-beating, fluttering, or pounding heart after vaccination, the agency said. The FDA and CDC are monitoring the reports, collecting more information, and will follow-up to assess longer-term outcomes over several months.

COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

There have been more than 1,200 cases of pericarditis or myocarditis in individuals who are aged 30 or younger who have received the vaccine doses, according to the latest CDC findings last week.

Representatives for Pfizer and Moderna didnt respond to requests for comment by press time.
Jihushuojie (R), 12, and Abieamu, 13, preparing for a fight in an underground fight club in Chengdu, China, on June 2, 2017. (Fred Dufour/AFP via Getty Images)

Fire Kills 18 Children At Chinese Martial Arts Center Ahead of CCPs 100th Anniversary

A fire broke out in a martial arts training center in Chinas Henan Province on June 25, resulting in 18 deaths and 16 injuries of mostly children. The cause of the fire is still unknown. Major media outlets on the mainland appear to have censored the story ahead of the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) anniversary celebration on July 1. News reports of this incident are no longer accessible on the Beijing Youth Daily and Henan Daily.

According to a report by Chinas Xinhua Net, the fire department rescued a total of 34 people, 18 of whom died, with four severely injured, and 12 with minor injuries. The 18 dead were students of the martial arts center, most of them between 7 and 16 years old.

According to the Zhecheng County Authority, the martial arts center was called the Zhenxing International Fight Club. The business was registered on Aug. 30, 2017, as a martial arts training facility. However, according to the countys fire department, the martial arts hall was self-built, was not up to code, and had not passed certification as a training facility.

One father expressed relief that his son was among the survivors.

Its extremely lucky that my son escaped from the fire, but I dont know anything specific, he said in a text-message to Reuters. All information is being blocked.

After the incident, the CCP dismissed the Yuanxiang Town party chief and the mayor from their posts. Three suspects, including the founder of the school, have all been taken into custody under criminal coercive measures.

The Chinese authorities have since ordered immediate precautionary measures of fire hazards in critical areas ahead of its anniversary celebration. The surrounding area of Tiananmen Square in Beijing is under semi-martial law. Seven major cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, have suspended their postal delivery service. Some revealed through unofficial channels that even pigeons in Beijing are grounded.
Rescue workers work in the rubble at the Champlain Towers South condo tower is seen in Surfside, Fla., on June 25, 2021. (Gerald Herbert/AP Photo)

Death Toll Rises to 9; Engineer Warned About Major Structural Damage Before Condo Collapse

The death toll from the collapse of a Miami-area condominium tower has risen to nine, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said June 27.

More than 150 people remain missing following the collapse on June 24.

Meanwhile, officials released a report from 2018 that included a warning from an engineer about major structural damage and the tower needing $9 million in repairs.

Now, a nine-page report from structural engineering firm Morabito Consultants in October 2018 has been released (pdf) by the City of Surfside, warning about the condition of the concrete structure.

Abundant cracking and spalling of varying degrees was observed in the concrete columns, beams, and walls. Several sizable spalls were noted in both the topside of the entrance drive ramp and underside of the pool/entrance drive/planter slabs, which included instances with exposed, deteriorating rebar, states the report, which was released over the weekend. Though some of this damage is minor, most of the concrete deterioration needs to be repaired in a timely fashion. All cracking and spalling located in the parking garage shall be repaired in accordance with the recommendations of [International Concrete Repair Institute].

A nine-page report from structural engineering firm Morabito Consultants in October 2018 was released by the City of Surfside, warning about conditions in the building. It included photos of the cracking. (City of Surfside)

Authorities said they harbored hope that the more than 150 people who are unaccounted for may still be alive, as firefighters on June 26 were able to sift through the smoldering rubble of Champlain Towers South.

The biggest thing now is hope, Fire Chief Alan Cominsky said, according to Reuters. Thats whats driving us. Its an extremely difficult situation.

Authorities over the weekend identified four of the victims as Stacie Dawn Fang, 54; Antonio Lozano, 83; Gladys Lozano, 79; and Manuel LaFont, 54, The Associated Press reported.

Meanwhile, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said over the weekend that he had spoken to Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett and was considering evaluating the nearby Champlain Towers North, regarded as a sister building to Champlain Towers South.

That sister building, the governor told reporters, was built at the same time and with the same designer. Previously, DeSantis made an emergency declaration over the collapse, which was then authorized by President Joe Biden.

Rescue personnel work in the rubble at the Champlain Towers South condo tower, in Surfside, Fla., on June 25, 2021. (Gerald Herbert/AP Photo)

In another interview, Burkett told CNN that he has recommended that the sister building be evacuated pending a thorough structural investigation.

Because I dont think people need to live with the possibility or the thought that their building may collapse, Burkett said.

It had the same developer, it probably had the same materials, they probably had the same plans, and people are asking me, Is the building safe? and I cant tell them it is safe, he said.

According to the Morabito Consultants report, the release of the 2018 cost estimate followed the earlier publication of another document from the firm showing the ground floor pool deck of the building was resting on a concrete slab that had major structural damage and needed to be extensively repaired. That report also uncovered abundant cracking and spalling of concrete columns, beams, and walls in the parking garage.

The report didnt warn of any imminent danger posed by the damage, and its unclear if any of the damage observed was responsible for the collapse of Champlain Towers South.

A resident of the building sued the owners of the Champlain Towers and alleged the outer walls werent being maintained. Matilde Fainstein filed for damages in the Miami-Dade Circuit Court and alleged the owners failed to repair or negligently repaired the common elements and the outside walls of the building, Business Insider reported last week.

On June 25, what appears to be the first lawsuit related to last weeks partial collapse was filed. The Brad Sohn Law Firm confirmed its suing the Champlain Towers on behalf of Manuel Drezner and others, seeking $5 million in damages.

According to public statements made by Defendants attorney Ken Direktor, repair needs had been identified with regard to certain structural issues but had not been implemented; one of the most breathtakingly frightening tragedies in the history of South Florida followed, the complaint states.

The owners of the Champlain Towers didnt respond to a request for comment by press time.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Giuliani on Suspension of His Law License: America Is Not America Any Longer

Rudy Giuliani, who served as the personal attorney for former President Donald Trump, on June 24 harshly criticized the decision by the New York State Bar to revoke his law license.

America is not America any longer. We do not live in a free state, Giuliani said on Newsmax TV. We live in a state thats controlled by the Democrat Party, by [Gov. Andrew] Cuomo, by [New York City Mayor Bill] de Blasio, and the Democrats.

We have a double standard. Theres no doubt if I was representing Hillary Clinton, Id be their hero.

The Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court concluded on June 24 (pdf) that Giuliani knowingly made false claims about the 2020 election, and the court suspended his law license.

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 Trumps failed effort at reelection in 2020, the court said.

Giuliani told Newsmax that he loves practicing law and wasnt happy about the decision. The former New York City mayor said hes been part of some of the most bitter litigation imaginable without the kinds of complaints that led to the suspension of his license.

Giuliani had served as Trumps lawyer and spearheaded a legal effort after the conclusion of the Nov. 3, 2020, election, alleging that Trump was fraudulently denied victory in several battleground states, including Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Georgia.

As part of that effort, Giuliani spoke to lawmakers in several states, urging them to assert their constitutional power and intervene in the certification of presidential electors. None of those states ended up taking action. The U.S. Congress certified Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election.

In a statement after the courts decision, Giulianis lawyers told The Epoch Times: We are disappointed with the Appellate Division, First Departments decision suspending Mayor Giuliani prior to being afforded a hearing on the issues that are alleged.

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 Mr. 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.

Trump panned the courts decision.

Can you believe that New York wants to strip Rudy Giuliani, a great American Patriot, of his law license because he has been fighting what has already been proven to be a Fraudulent Election? Trump said in a statement, describing the case as a witch hunt.

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
A man gestures as he brings copies of the final edition of Apple Daily, published by Next Digital, to a news stand in Hong Kong, on June 24, 2021. (Lam Yik/Reuters)

Hong Kong Police Arrest Former Apple Daily Journalist at Airport: Local Media

Hong Kong police arrested a former senior journalist with the Apple Daily newspaper at the international airport on the night of June 27 on a suspected national security charge as he tried to leave the city, according to local media reports.

Fung Wai-kong would be the seventh staffer at the pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper to be arrested on national security grounds in recent weeks. He was an editor and columnist at the now-closed paper, local media reported.

The Hong Kong police said in a statement that a 57-year-old man had been arrested at the airport for conspiring to collude with foreign countries or foreign forces to endanger national security. They added that he had been detained and investigations were continuing.

Apple Daily, a popular tabloid, was forced to fold following a raid by several hundred police on its headquarters on June 17 and the freezing of key assets and bank accounts. It printed its last edition last Thursday.

Authorities say dozens of the papers articles may have violated a China-imposed national security law, the first instance of authorities taking aim at media reports under the legislation.

Critics of the law, introduced last June, say it has been used to stifle dissent and erode fundamental freedoms in the former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Some of the critics also say the closure of Apple Daily, which mixes pro-democracy views with celebrity gossip and investigations of those in power, marks the end of an era for media freedom in the city.

The Hong Kong Journalists Association, reacting to reports of the airport arrest, condemned the police for targeting journalists again, and asked them to explain the incident.

By Jessie Pang and James Pomfret
IRS Violated 1st Amendment in Tax Exemption Denial That Linked Bible Teachings to GOP: Legal Group

A Texas-based legal group says the IRS violated the First Amendment when it denied tax-exempt status to a religious group by tying Christianity to politics, claiming that biblical teachings are typically affiliated with the Republican Party.

Texas-based First Liberty Institute, a conservative legal organization that litigates First Amendment cases on religion, stated in an appeal (pdf) to the IRS that the agency had mischaracterized Christians Engaged, the organization it represents, and violated the Constitutions religious freedom protections when it denied the group the ability to operate as a nonprofit with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.

Kelly Shackelford, president and CEO of First Liberty, told EpochTVs Crossroads program that he believes that, with its determination, the IRS violated the First Amendment.

Were going to get a precedent here and make it clear for every group across the country, that theyre totally free to follow their biblical values, to be involved in the political arena, and speaking out to issues, and educating people to vote, and to pray for their elected officialsand that theyre totally protected under the Constitution, Shackleford said.

The IRS didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment on the appeal.

Christians Engaged, which bills itself as educational, Christian, and nonpartisan, says it aims to teach Christians how to civically engage as part of their religious practice, but makes clear that it doesnt promote a specific party or candidate.

But the IRS in May denied the group 501(c)(3) status, saying in a letter (pdf) that the groups leaders have close ties to the GOP and, controversially, it linked Christian teachings to the Republican Party.

In the determination letter, IRS Exempt Organizations Director Stephen Martin contended that the Christian group engage[s] in prohibited political campaign intervention and operate[s] for a substantial non-exempt private purpose and for the private interests of the [Republican] party.

In laying out the IRSs case, Martin wrote that the groups goal is to provide a place of connection and educational tools for Christians to engage in political activism.

Specifically, you educate Christians on what the Bible says in areas where they can be instrumental including the areas of sanctity of life, the definition of marriage, biblical justice, freedom of speech, defense, and borders and immigration, U.S. and Israel relations, he wrote. The Bible teachings are typically affiliated with the [Republican Party] and candidates. This disqualifies you from exemption under IRC Section 501(c)(3).

Christians Engaged says its goal is to awaken, motivate, and empower ordinary believers in Jesus Christ to: pray for our nation and our elected officials regularly, vote in every election to impact our culture, and engage our hearts in some forms of political education or activism for the furtherance of our nation.

From its religious perspective, Christians Engaged provides nonpartisan religious and civic education, focusing on encouraging and educating Christians to be civically engaged as a part of their religious practice, First Liberty stated in its appeal to the IRS, which calls for the agency to revoke its denial of 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.

First Liberty argued in the appeal that Martin, writing on behalf of the IRS, was off the mark in several ways, including by inventing a nonexistent requirement that exempt organizations be neutral on public policy issues, and that he incorrectly concludes that Christians Engaged primarily serves private, nonexempt purposes rather than public, exempt purposes because he thinks its beliefs overlap with the Republican Partys policy positions.

Shackelford, in his remarks to Crossroads, argued that the IRS was politicizing the idea of religious belief.

Its really insulting, he said. How many people are Christian and are Democrats? There are people, obviously, of faith, whether theyre Catholic or Protestant or even other faiths, that are in both parties, and everybody knows that.

So this idea of  locking down and  kicking out groups because of their religious beliefsthat is religious viewpoint discrimination, Shackelford said, arguing that, if left unchallenged, the IRS could use similar tactics to shut down other faith-based nonprofits.

If well just stand up for it, we can win these cases, he said. Our country was built on religious freedom.

Joshua Phillip and Mark Tapscott contributed to this report.
Italy Rejects Chinese COVID-19 Vaccines as China Admits Theyre Less Effective Against Delta Variant

Italy has joined a growing list of countries casting doubt on Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi told reporters at the end of a European Union summit on June 22: The Chinese vaccine  has shown itself not to be adequate. You can see that from Chiles experience of tackling the epidemic.

More than half of the Chilean population has received the Chinese-made Sinovac vaccines, yet the efficacy rate has reportedly been 16 percent after the first dose and 67 percent after a second dose. Chile is among the top 10 countries worst-hit by COVID-19.

On June 24, Feng Zijian, researcher and former deputy director at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, admitted in an interview on Chinese state-run media CCTV that the Chinese-made vaccines dont produce enough antibodies and are less effective against the Delta variantformerly known as the Indian variantof the virus.

The Delta variant caused 85 percent of the infections in the recent surge of COVID-19 in Chinas Guangdong Province, despite tens of millions of local residents being vaccinated.

Chinese vaccines havent been approved for use in the United States or the European Union. The Chinese vaccines are also excluded from the EUs digital vaccination pass program. The Chinese regime has announced retaliatory measures, denying entry for travelers who havent been inoculated with Chinese vaccines and not recognizing vaccination with non-Chinese vaccines. The measures have prevented many overseas Chinese citizens from returning to the country.

Despite their low efficacy and lack of transparency in trial data, the World Health Organization recently approved both the Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines for emergency use.

That decision comes as more countries around the world are casting doubt on the Chinese vaccines.

On June 17, more than 350 doctors and health workers in Indonesia were infected with COVID-19, despite having received the Sinovac vaccine. Dozens of them have been hospitalized, casting serious doubt over the vaccines efficacy, especially against more infectious variants of the virus. Indonesia has purchased and administered Chinas vaccine to a large number of its citizens.

The United Arab Emirates made the Sinopharm vaccine available to the general public in December 2020, and has been offering third Sinopharm doses since March, after it was discovered that the vaccines hadnt produced enough antibodies for some recipients.

In March, Gao Fu, director of Chinas Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that a third dose of Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines may be needed to boost their efficacy.

In April, at a Chinese national conference on vaccines and health, Gao admitted that Chinas vaccines, which use an inactivated virus, provide low protection against infections and that their effectiveness might be improved by mixing different types of vaccines made with different technologies, such as mRNA used by Western vaccines.

In the same month, the UAE started offering the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine as a booster to those inoculated with Chinese vaccines.

A young woman receives a COVID-19 vaccine at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Center in the Bahraini capital of Manama on Dec. 24, 2020. Bahrain has approved both the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and another developed by Chinese firm Sinopharm. (Mazen Mahdi/AFP via Getty Images)

By early June, 47 percent of Bahrains population had been fully vaccinated, with 60 percent having received the Sinopharm shot. However, the number of confirmed cases is now at a record high in Bahrain, and since the end of May, officials have been offering the Pfizer vaccine as a booster shot to those already fully vaccinated with the Sinopharm.

In early June, a clinical study in Serbia reported that 30 percent of those aged 65 or above have produced no antibodies after receiving the Sinopharm vaccine. Serbia is the first European country to use Chinas vaccines, despite them not being approved by the European Medicines Agency.

Many countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, plus Hungary and Serbia in Europe, which are all administering the Chinese vaccine, are now seeing surges of COVID-19 infections.

According to Our World in Data, countries such as the Seychelles, Chile, Bahrain, and Mongolia, which have about 50 to 68 percent of their populations fully inoculated with Chinese vaccines, are among the top 10 countries with the worst COVID-19 outbreaks.
Federal Labor is promising no price on carbon as part of its policy road map to net zero emissions by 2050.

Instead, opposition climate change spokesman Chris Bowen is working on a plan that includes community batteries, policies to subsidise electric cars cheaper, and a 10,000-place energy apprenticeships scheme.

No, an economy-wide carbon price isnt part of our policy development, Bowen told ABCs Insiders program on Sunday.

I think providing tax cuts for electric vehicles is a good indication of the way our thinking has developed.

Climate change policy has again been thrown to the centre of political debate with the return of Barnaby Joyce as Nationals leader after last weeks party spill.

But Bowen says the deputy prime minister is out of touch with some members of his own community as Armidale Council in his electorate has declared a climate emergency.

He said Labor has been clear that there will be no new coal-fired power stations in Australia.

I say to coal workers directly to them and will continue to do so, the world is changing70 per cent of our coal is exported, most of it to countries who have committed to net zero either by 2050 in the case of Japan and Korea and 2060 in the case of China.

Liberal backbencher David Sharma said that Joyces reelection would mean that the voice of people in regional communities of Australia will be better heard as the government determines which policies to commit to as it attempts to address climate change concerns.

I dont think the trajectory of our pathway to new zero future and a lower emissions future is in any doubt, he told Sky News Sunday Agenda program.

He said what the Nationals will try and do is to make sure their regional communities, farmers, and resource exposed sectors do not unduly bear the structural adjustment burden that is underway.

Bowen said the National Farmers Federation says they want to be part of the solution and support net zero emissions.

Farmers get it, they have seen their incomes fall because of climate change, some estimates say up to 50 per cent, he said.

Australia in recent years suffered one of the worst droughts in history. That drought broke in 2020 with the change to La Nina conditions, returning drought conditions to California across the Pacific. The causal link between climate change and droughts is still debated in the scientific community.

Winter crops in 2021 are expected to be close to record breaking for Australia.
The most populous Australian state of NSW has recorded 30 new locally acquired cases of coronavirus as the Greater Sydney area and surrounding areas enter the first day of a 14-day lockdown.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has confirmed new local cases were recorded between 8 p.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Saturday, taking the total number in the outbreak to 110 cases.

More than 52,000 people were tested in the same period.

Berejiklian says all of the cases have been linked to the Bondi outbreak. She noted that 11 were self-isolating throughout their infectious period. A further three cases were in isolation for part of their infectious period.

Ten of the new cases are linked to seafood distributor Great Ocean Foods in Marrickville, bringing the cluster to 11.

Anyone who received a delivery from the business between June 21 and June 25, plus their household members, are being urged to contact NSW Health, immediately isolate and get tested.

Berejiklian said she expected case numbers to increase in the coming days, given the infectiousness of the Delta variant.

Case numbers are likely to increase even beyond what we have seen today because we are seeing that people in isolation, unfortunately, would have already transmitted to all their house contacts, she told reporters on Sunday morning.

The measure of our success wont be so much the people in isolation get the disease but the measure of our success will be to limit the number of people who went out and about into the community with the disease.

It is the first day of a strict lockdown for Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour, which is scheduled to end at 11:59 p.m. on July 9.

NSW residents in the lockdown zone are only allowed to leave home for work that cant be done at home, to shop for essential items, for exercise, to seek medical care or for caregiving or compassionate reasons.

Anyone in NSW who has been to Greater Sydney since June 21 is also being asked to stay at home for the lockdown period.

Exercise outdoors is allowed in groups of up to 10 and COVID-safe funerals can proceed with up to 100 people.

Weddings are allowed on Sunday with restrictions in place but must be cancelled from Monday.

Brisbane Cluster

Meanwhile, the state of Queensland has recorded two new local cases of COVID-19, a couple who have been active in the Brisbane community for several days.

The new cases are believed to be part of the Brisbane cluster linked to a Portuguese restaurant, and not the Sydney outbreak.

If the new cases are linked to the existing Brisbane cluster, involving the Alpha variant, they would take that outbreak to nine known cases.

Dr Young said there is a lot happening in the state, and urged anybody with symptoms to get tested as soon as possible.

That is just critical, she said.

Queensland will also revert back to previous venue density requirements and cap guests at private homes at 100 for the two-week duration of NSWs current restrictions.

Meanwhile Queensland recorded one additional case in hotel quarantine, bringing the active total to 40.
A police officer walks by patrol cars at the Oakland Police headquarters in Oakland, Calif., in a file photo. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Oakland Diverts $17 Million From Police Budget

The City Council of Oakland, California, approved a budget on June 24 that will redirect $17.4 million from its police department to other programs over the course of two years.

The Council voted 72 to adopt the plan, which will direct the funds to a violence prevention program, according to CBSN Bay Area. The councils website wasnt yet updated with the vote tally on June 27.

The funding diversion was approved amid a surge in violent crimes in the area, including a mass shooting at Lake Merritt the weekend before the vote.

The citys mayor, Libby Schaaf, opposed stripping funds from the police department.

Unfortunately, it [the budget] also cuts 50 police officers who respond to Oaklanders 911 calls and enforce traffic safety. It also cuts much-needed future academies, which will significantly reduce police staffing and delay response to Oaklanders in their time of crisis, Schaaf said in a statement, according to CBSN. It will force our officers to work even more overtime shifts, which are expensive and unsafe for officers and residents alike.

I believe that until we have proven alternatives, we cannot destroy Oaklands current public safety system at a time when we are losing so many to gun violence.

The Oakland Police Officers Association (OPOA) supported funding the violence prevention program, but not at the cost of cutting funds from the police.

The two no votes are from council members in districts that are most impacted by violent crime. The message theyre saying is, We may support your programs, but we do not want less public safety at a time of skyrocketing violent crime, OPOA President Barry Donelan told CBSN.

According to Donelan, the $17 million cut means 50 vacant police officer positions will go unfilled, reducing response times to 911 calls.

Defund-the-police activists lauded the move.

This historic budget ensures a comprehensive audit of the Oakland Police Department and a thorough examination of positions that could be civilianized, moved out of OPD, or a combination of the two, the Anti Police-Terror Project said in a statement.

The $17 million from the police department will go to the Department of Violence Prevention, which hires violence interrupters and community ambassadors with the intent of preventing violence.

We can make adjustments if we need to, but right now, we have to focus on our violence prevention, affordable housing, our homeless populations, and thats what this budget helps us move forward and do, Councilman Dan Kalb said, according to CBSN.
Over 500 Election Fraud Cases Are Pending in Texas Courts: Attorney General

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said over the weekend that his office still has more than 500 election fraud cases that need to be heard in court.

The attorney general made the announcement after a woman was arrested by the state Election Fraud Unit late last week for multiple counts of election fraud, according to a statement from his office.

We will prosecute voter fraud every time we find it, Paxton, a Republican, wrote on Twitter over the weekend in reference to the case. Currently, our office has over 500 cases waiting to be heard in court.

While Paxton didnt provide any more information about the cases, he said that voter fraud is real and that Texans deserve to know their vote is legally and securely counted.

According to the release from his office, which provided scant details about the case, Monica Mendez was arrested and booked into the Victoria County Jail on June 23. It came after a grand jury returned an indictment on seven counts of illegal voting, eight counts of unlawfully assisting a voter, eight counts of unlawful possession of ballots, and eight counts of election fraud.

Her case, however, wasnt related to the 2020 election, the release said, but to a 2018 local election. The Texas secretary of state referred Mendez to the attorney generals office.

Referring to the Mendez case, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott suggested that his office would continue to pursue laws that are designed to bolster security around elections. The governor several days ago announced a special session of the state legislature to pass a number of measures relating to voter fraud laws, critical race theory, and how the state handles bail bonds.

In May, Texass state Senate approved a sweeping bill that would grant more power to poll watchers by giving them increased access inside polling areas. It would also create new penalties against election officials who restrict poll watchers movements and would allow a judge to void the outcome of an election if the number of fraudulent votes could change the result, among other provisions.

However, during the final hours of the previous legislative session on May 30, state House Democrats walked out before the Republican-led chamber could vote on the Senate bill.

I fully expect to have a session where we will pass an election integrity bill as well as bail reform, Abbott told the Dallas Morning News earlier this month. Those are both needed and they both must pass. And as we get there, we may be adding some additional items.

Democrats, meanwhile, have generally opposed the GOP-backed election reform bills that are being proposed in Texas, saying that such bills restrict voting access to minority groups.
Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch talks in the House of Commons in London on Oct. 20, 2020. (Parliament TV)

Schools Shouldnt Teach White Privilege, UK Minister Says

British schools shouldnt teach the term white privilege unless they explain that it is a highly contentious concept, because its divisive and unnecessarily antagonistic, a UK government minister has warned.

Writing in The Telegraph, Kemi Badenoch, Britains equalities minister, said, The intense focus on race over the last year is leading to an increased racialisation of issues and incidents across society.

Normalising the term white privilege does not eliminate racism, it reinforces the notion that everyone and everything around ethnic minorities is racist and makes the majority white population more conscious about their race and exacerbates feelings of difference, creating a less cohesive society, she wrote.

Badenoch quoted a recent report by the UKs Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities (CRED) as saying that the term white privilege, far from helping to combat racism, is actually stoking divisions and marginalising the most disadvantaged.

Last week, the UK Parliaments Education Select Committee said that the use of terms such as white privilege may be one of the reasons white working class pupils are persistently falling behind.

The committee said that its 14-month inquiry on left-behind white pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds had shown that poor white pupils are far from privileged in education.

Considering these facts, Badenoch said, We should not carelessly use skin colour as a proxy for disadvantage.

The minister expressed concerns that the indoctrination of children with such radical concepts has been increasing in the UK.

The BBC, a public broadcaster that is supposed to be impartial, recently released a video designed for children claiming that white children have a duty to understand their privilege so society is fairer and more equal.

Badenoch said she has received letters from all over the UK telling her of the human impact of increasing radicalisation on the issue of race.

In one incident, a mixed-race Asian girl was taken out of school in Birmingham after she was bullied for being white.

In another, a mother complained that her 10-year-old son, the only black child at his Scottish school, was made to stand up at assembly and talk about his experience of racism to educate his peers.

Badenoch said the Conservative government will set out a new, positive agenda for change.

Our approach will put belonging and fostering a shared sense of identity at its heartfocusing not on what divides us but on what unites us, she said.

Lily Zhou contributed to this report.
Wildlife Corridor Project in Orange County Moves Forward

A multi-year project by nonprofit environmental conservation group Laguna Greenbelt Inc., which aims to help preserve wildlife in one of the last remaining large, consolidated wilderness areas in coastal Southern California, has been making significant progress.

The goal of the Irvine-Laguna Wildlife Corridor is to create a six-mile corridor that links 22,000 acres of natural land on Lagunas coast to the 150,000 acres of wilderness near the Santa Ana Mountains, allowing wild animals to travel between the habitats.

Norm Grossman, president of Laguna Greenbelt, said the effort is critical for our region and the state.

The 22,000 acres sounds like a lot, but to maintain a viable population, it just isnt enough, Grossman told The Epoch Times. We have to have that connection to the Santa Ana mountains.  Decades of urban development have cut off the coastal wilderness from the rest of the landscape.

While ground was broken for the project in 2018, planning began back in the 90s.

In collaboration with FivePoint, a California community development company, the City of Irvine, and Laguna Greenbelt, construction of a central portion of the corridor is currently underway, while other specific challenges are being addressed.

The Need for Biodiversity

People love these parks for many reasons, including their beauty.  Their beauty also comes from biodiversity that is intrinsic in the natural ecosystem, Grossman says.

In order to foster biodiversity, larger animals like bobcats, grey foxes, and coyotes need more space to hunt; they need the ability to move between the coast and the foothills to create a more robust ecosystem.

Otherwise, these keystone speciesi.e., top of the foodchain animals, Grossman clarifiedmight begin to disappear.

He noted previous studies that indicate bobcats in the region are already exhibiting the effects of genetic isolation.

So far, its not like anything has disappeared, but the numbers are going down, he said.

The 22,000 acres, which are preserved by the Natural Community Conservation Plan and the Habitat Conservation Plan, also provide a home for rare species such as the long-tailed weasel, California gnatcatcher, and Orange-throated whiptail.

If we only have coyotes and bunnies, we are losing many of the species that help maintain the vast and complex web of life in the coastal wilderness parks, he said. This affects all aspects of the ecosystem, from plants to leaf and soil microbes, to insects and mammals.

As a result, the healthy balance of the ecosystem could be thwarted, resulting in a proliferation of rodents, skunks, and possums.

The more biodiversity that exists in the system, the more productive a system is, and the better a system can recover from disastrous events such as drought, flood, [and] fire, he said.

A wildlife crossing near the 5 Freeway in Irvine, Calif., on June 21, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

The Tunnel Problem

While Grossman believes the corridor can offer a viable solution for the problems faced by local wildlife, one of the projects biggest challenges is a dark, 1,100-foot tunnel beneath the 405 and Interstate-5 freeways interchange.

The bend in the middle of the tunnel obscures the light from each end, the walls are covered completely in graffiti, and homeless individuals often stay in the area. (During a visit on June 21, the tunnel was vacant, but the ground was covered with feces.)

All of these factors contribute to a passageway thats not conducive to animal movement, thereby contributing to a monoculture that could cause more harm to the environment. Monocultures, Grossman explained, are susceptible to diseases that can ravage an entire population.

There is also standing water inside the tunnel from time to time, and animals such as bobcats dislike walking through standing water, Grossman said.

Whats Next for the Project

Grossman, a board member of Laguna Greenbelt since 1984 who also spent nearly three decades on Laguna Beachs planning commission, has a vision for the six-mile strip thats informed by his longstanding passion for the environment.

His ideal corridor includes a robust habitat that offers nests, food, water, hiding places, and mates for wildlife as they make their way from the Cleveland National Forest to the coast and back.

Norm Grossman, president of Laguna Greenbelt. (Courtesy Laguna Greenbelt)

Ongoing data collections, such as an 18-month camera monitoring project that concluded in 2019, would be necessary to monitor efficacy. Hed also like to see a stream of funding that allows a community of people to protect and manage the corridor.

As for the unlit, graffiti-coated tunnel, Grossman would advocate for lighting modifications, a mechanism to remove the standing water, and a combination of fencing and law enforcement to stave off homeless populations.

However, for the entire project to reach completion, he says the cities of Laguna Beach and Laguna Woods, landowner The Irvine Co., the County of Orange, California Department of Transportation, and the state would have to support the effort.

Grossman acknowledged that the corridor he imagines would likely expose people to wildlife and a thriving wilderness environment [and] people have different comfort levels with that.

He suggested more education about co-existence in a natural landscape would be beneficial to people in the long run.

An animal crossing near the 5 Freeway in Irvine, Calif., on June 21, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

We need to remember that people are not separate from nature, but part of it, and people have a responsibility and privilege in caring for our natural habitats and wilderness neighbors, he said. Those who enjoy and live in the coastal wilderness parks dont want to see them degrade or sufferthey want to see them improve.

The concept and purpose of the corridor is just now reaching the general public. Public support will be critical in bringing this project to fruition.

The Beauty of Lagunas Open Space

Grossman has a unique appreciation for the natural splendor of south Orange County.

Previously, he spent most of his time in urbanized environments like San Gabriel Valley, Los Angeles, and the San Fernando Valley. For him, the concept of environmental preservation and wildlife protection was abstractsomething glimpsed on vacations and in publications, he said.

But the first time Grossman saw the plethora of open space alongside Laguna Canyon Road in the late 1970s, he fell in love.

I was amazed at how open everything was.  I just wasnt used to open space, he said.

What struck me at the time, and still stays with me, is how quickly the urban environment drops awayno more than a five-minute walk into nature. One of the few positive outcomes of the recent pandemic is that this need for nature has become more and more obvious to the general public.
(L-R) Candice and Renny Way, and Christina and Richard Birrer, enjoyed Shen Yun at the Palace Theatre in Stamford, Connecticut, on June 27, 2021. (Catherine Yang/The Epoch Times)

STAMFORD, Conn.Richard Birrer, a physician, used to work in Pennsylvania, and outside his office was a big billboard advertising Shen Yun Performing Arts. It was so beautiful that Richard was attracted to see its performances. He bought tickets for the next time the New York-based classical Chinese dance company came around.

That was two and a half years ago. Then, the pandemic hit. The longer the time went on, I felt like I might be hanging in the breeze, but the reputation of the enterprise precedes it. They stand by their name, Richard said at the Palace Theatre in Stamford, Connecticut, on June 27. He recently heard that Shen Yun had returned, so on Sunday afternoon, he and his wife Christina, and their friends Candice and Renny Way, enjoyed a live performance for the first time in months.

Theyre so talented, and its really a worthwhile performance, Christina said. The two couples drove two hours from Locust Valley and Port Washington, Long Island.

Both of the couples are well-traveled and lovers of art and culture, and they were already familiar with the fact that traditional Chinese culture is a very spiritual one. Shen Yun is unique in that the Chinese culture it presents is China before communism took over. Since the companys inception in 2006, the artists have made it their mission to revive the 5,000 years of this divinely inspired civilization.

Christina said she could feel the artists passion infused into the performance. Richard, who has a love for music especially, recognized melodies from one of the dances.

The Ways enjoyed the outing as much as their friends and found much that was familiar within Shen Yun. The high-caliber artistry and excellence in skill itself are universal, Candice explained, but the content was universal too. The performance of some 20 vignettes showed different periods and regions of China, with ethnic and folk dances from some of Chinas 50-plus minoritiessimilar to how different regions of the United States have their own cultures, she said. There was also mention of a divine Creator, which people all over the world believe in.

I like that the tenor spoke about God, Christina added, referring to the bel canto soloist. I think a lot of times you think of China, you think of something other than this. So this part, the spiritual aspect that I really loved, I think is very much in the Chinese people.

Sometimes audience members are surprised to learn that China has such spiritual origins; once called the Land of the Divine, or the Celestial Kingdom, the culture was centered on the idea of harmony between heaven, earth, and humankind.

Renny and Candice Way enjoyed Shen Yun at the Palace Theatre in Stamford, Connecticut, on June 27, 2021. (NTD Television)

But the Ways were well aware that China today, under a communist regime, has difficulty expressing this spiritual side. Years ago, the couple had a Chinese tour guide who warned their group not to look at people practicing Falun Gong, a popular spiritual meditation exercise.

They put them in a negative light, and we were wondering, were they really negative, or is this what we were being told? Christina said. Renny recalled the guide saying, Dont accept the literature, dont look at them. And wow, it makes you more curious.

As the couple found out, Falun Gong teaches the principles of truth, compassion, and tolerance; it is a spiritual practice of mind, body, and soul. When they saw Falun Gong referenced in a storytelling dance during Shen Yuns performance, they already knew about the Chinese regimes suppression. They commented that the story was well done.

The glimpse of modern China in Shen Yuns performance also stuck in the mind of Richard McManusbut it was news to him.

The persecution of the people for practicing their religionI was surprised. I didnt know that this is still happening today under this regime. Its terrible, McManus said. I felt badly for them, that they have to live under that persecution, with that persecution in their lives. Theyre not free as we are.

McManus attended the performance with Judy Librizzi, both retired teachers. It was quite a trek to make from the Hamptons: they had to drive, take a ferry, and make another drive. But it was worth it, its worth it. Just the ideaJudy and I, we go to several shows, and because it was all shut down, we really missed that. And this! To be able to sit in an audience and see this, he said.

Its like being released, Librizzi said of venturing out to see the long-awaited performance.

Its like having a weight above your head removed, McManus said. There was much to be thrilled by in the performance, as McManus explained; China is revealed to be fantastically diverse, both in geography and culture. And the costumes were practically another character of the dances, he added, with the sleeves sometimes being used as gravity-defying props, or the skirts turning into kaleidoscopes, and so on.

Its all there. Its story told through dance, so you learn a lot about the culture from which the dance originates, McManus said.

The divinely inspired culture from which classical Chinese dance was tempered over the millennia is what touched Rita Caviello the most.

It was out of this world, Caviello said. It moved her to see that the ancient Chinese viewed human life as once divine, coming from heaven. The theme was present throughout history, including in tales of divine beings coming to the aid of the good and faithful.

It makes you feel something inside of yourself that you forgot, and you see this show and its like you remember this thing you forgot in the past that got submerged, she said. I thought it was just magical.

The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time and has covered audience reactions since the companys inception in 2006.
STAMFORD, Conn.The Palace Theatre in Stamford, Connecticut was buzzing with energy and activity on June 26, with two performances of Shen Yun Performing Arts that kicked off the renowned dance companys 2021 world tour. Audience members were thrilled to be able to attend large social gatherings once again following pandemic-related postponements, some even making three-hour drives to attend the Connecticut shows. As Shen Yuns mission is to revive 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, the performances are a rare chance to glimpse China before communism took over.

Ancient Chinese culture should come back, and it should challenge communism, and maybe someday it will prevail over communism, said Christopher Bob, who saw the Saturday evening performance with his wife Tracey. The traditional Chinese culture Bob witnessed on display was definitely a great movement and the show supports that movement, he said. I think itll only grow and benefit, and maybe one day, such forces will overtake communist China  traditional Chinese culture should prevail in Chinese culture. Its a very divine culture, and its a very old and ancient culture, and it should not be forgotten.

The peacefulness, the beauty, the joy, the talent itself can inspire society, Tracey added.

Ancient Chinese civilization was centered around the idea that harmony existed between heaven, earth, and humankind. Shen Yun, which translates to the beauty of divine beings dancing, expresses the divinely-inspired culture of China through the arts.

Im having the most wonderful nightfirst of all, [being] out of the pandemic mentalityand [Im] so privileged to experience this beautiful program, said Pamela, a former pianist, who admired all the artists dedication to their craft. They have such a passion, every single one of the dancersyou can see the expressions on their faces. I just think that they have a total passion and love for what theyre doing.

Ivan Snook, a graduate student of aesthetic philosophy, applauded the universal humanity conveyed through Shen Yun. I love the arts, especially opera, which Wagner would call the total work of art'a feat of artistic creation embracing visuals, experience, and performanceone of the most important mediums of communication that we have, Snook said. Because Shen Yun uses music and dance, he said, it is able to communicate something profound.

Something that is entirely universal comes out from such a performance, and that is really how we connect as people across culturesthrough artistic expressions, Snook said. I thought it was really very beautiful in that sense: it shows our common humanity.

Snook was also greatly appreciative that the performance extended the 5,000-year journey up until the modern-dayparticularly addressing the Chinese Communist Partys ongoing persecution of adherents of the spiritual practice Falun Gong. Since 1999, the Chinese regime has severely suppressed the spiritual group, with millions facing police harassment, detention, and torture.

I think its always been a little unfortunate how little attention Falun Gong has gotten, he said. You go from these very colorful, very flowy, very mythological, beautiful scenes, and then all of a sudden you have a scene thats dedicated to the imprisonment of Falun Gong and the organ theft, referring to the Chinese regimes harvesting of organs from prisoners of conscience for use in transplant surgeries.

Its so radically modern and radically tragic. I think that contrast was extremely powerful and extremely beautiful, Snook added.

There were also scenes like a water sleeves dance, where female dancers gracefully threw long-flowing silken sleeves, Snook recalled. The moment they released their sleeves in sync, they would light up the room with color.

Chinas long history brought to life on stage also reminded Snook of more natural and humanistic ways of living, he said. What it means to be humanand then everything we have in society is built upon thatsometimes that comes with conflict. Many of us have lost touch with our shared humanity.

Richard Tuting and his wife Elizabeth enjoyed Shen Yun at the Palace Theatre in Stamford, Connecticut, on June 26, 2021. (Sally Sun/The Epoch Times)

Richard Tuting, an accountant, and his wife Elizabeth had plans to see Shen Yun at New York Citys Lincoln Center last year, but the pandemic shutdowns hit just days before the scheduled shows.

I feel wonderful like Im floating in heaven almost, Tuting said after watching the Saturday evening performance. His wife added that watching Shen Yun may become a new tradition for them: Well have to do this every year.

Reporting by Sally Sun, Sherry Dong, and NTD Television.

The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time and has covered audience reactions since the companys inception in 2006.
Supreme Court Rules Alaska Native Corporations Eligible for CARES Act Payments

The Supreme Court ruled 63 that for-profit Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs) are American Indian tribes, and as such are entitled to seek pandemic-related financial relief set aside for tribes in last years CARES Act.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote the courts opinion in Yellen v. Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, court file 20-543, and the related case, Alaska Native Village Corporation Association Inc. v. Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, court file 20-544, which was released June 25. Janet Yellen is the secretary of the Department of the Treasury.

ANCs are big business in Alaska, with a combined net revenue of $9.1 billion in fiscal 2017, according to a report by the Resource Development Council for Alaska Inc. Theyre involved in oil and natural gas, mining, military contracting, real estate, construction, communications and media, engineering, plastics, timber, and aerospace manufacturing, among other things, according to a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).

In March 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Title V of the statute allocates $8 billion in monetary relief to tribal governments to compensate for unbudgeted expenditures made in response to the outbreak of the CCP virus, which causes the disease COVID-19.

The Department of the Treasury asked the Department of the Interior, the agency that administers the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDA), whether ANCs are considered to be tribal governments.

The Interior Department answered in the affirmative, so the Treasury Department then set aside about $500 million of CARES Act funding for the ANCs, a sum that was later reduced to about $450 million. If the money hadnt been designated for ANCs, it would have gone into the larger pool of funds destined for tribes across the country.

The question presented is whether ANCs are Indian tribe[s] under ISDA, and are therefore eligible to receive the CARES Act relief set aside by the Treasury Department, Sotomayor wrote for the majority.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit held unanimously that ANCs are not Tribal governments, but the Supreme Court, Sotomayor wrote, holds that they are.

ANCs are sui generis [i.e. unique] entities created by federal statute and granted an enormous amount of special federal benefits as part of a legislative experiment tailored to the unique circumstances of Alaska and recreated nowhere else, she wrote.

Sotomayor explains how ANCs came about.

In 1867, when the United States purchased Alaska from Russia, Alaska Natives lived in communities widely dispersed across the territorys 365 million acres, the opinion states. In the decades that followed, no attempt was made in Alaska to isolate American Indians on reservations, as had been done in the lower 48 states. This left any potential claims by Alaska Natives to Alaskan land largely unsettled even after Alaska became a U.S. state in 1959.

That changed in 1971 with the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA), which officially did away with the idea of recreating in the 49th state the system of reservations that prevailed in the lower 48 states. The statute extinguished Alaska Natives claims to land and hunting rights and revoked all except one of Alaskas existing reservations.

In exchange, Congress ordered 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 that were to be formed pursuant to ANCSA. Alaska was divided into 12 geographic regions, and Alaska Natives were instructed in the law to incorporate under the laws of Alaska a Regional Corporation to conduct business for profit.

For each Alaska Native village, ANCSA ordered the Native residents to create an accompanying village corporation to hold, invest, manage and/or distribute lands, property, funds, and other rights and assets for and on behalf  of the village. Alaska Natives then received shares in their respective ANCs.

Congress decided by way of ISDA that ANCs are Indian tribes, regardless of whether they are also federally recognized tribes, and in so holding, the Court does not open the door to other Indian groups that have not been federally recognized becoming Indian tribes under ISDA, the justice wrote.

Sotomayors opinion was joined in full by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Stephen Breyer, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett. Justice Samuel Alito joined parts of the opinion. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote a dissenting opinion that was joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Elena Kagan.

In his dissent, Gorsuch wrote that ANCs should not be eligible for the funding because they do not govern any people or direct any government.

Gorsuch expressed concern that many other Indian groups might now suddenly qualify as tribes under the CARES Act, ISDA, and other federal statutes.

A 2012 GAO study, he noted, identified about 400 non-federally recognized tribes in the lower 48 states, of which 26 had recently received direct funding from federal programs.

This number does not include additional entities that may have received federal benefits in the form of loans, procurement contracts, tax expenditures, or amounts received by individual members. And still other groups may have federal rights secured by treaty, which may exist even if the tribe is no longer recognized, Gorsuch wrote.

ANCSA Regional Association and Alaska Native Village Corporation Association, which represent tribal organizations, hailed the Supreme Courts decision.

The ruling affirms what the Federal Government has maintained for almost half a century: ANCs are Indian tribes under ISDA, the groups said in a joint statement.

We are pleased to see the Court affirm Alaska Native corporations eligibility for CARES Act funds to help our people and communities recover from the devastating effects of COVID-19. Alaskas economy is only now starting to recover, and these funds are needed to help our communities get back on their feet.
Former President Donald Trump speaks to supporters during a rally at the Lorain County Fairgrounds in Wellington, Ohio, on June 26, 2021. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Trump at Ohio Rally: Wonderful Kids Endangered by Stupid Border Policies

Former President Donald Trump, at his first post-presidential rally on Saturday, criticized the effectiveness the Biden administrations border policies.

Kids are on suicide watch, Trump said among other comments about an unthinkable crisis at the southern border.

There is no more dire threat than the crisis on our southern border, other than perhaps our elections, he said.

Thousands gathered at Lorain County Fairgrounds in Wellington, Ohio, to listen to the 75-year-old speak at the first of his Save America campaign rallies.

Trump vowed to help Republicans take back the House and take back the Senate, repeating as he has been since leaving office that he is now focused on helping to elect America first Republicansnot RINOs (Republicans in name only)into Congress in the 2022 election.

America last, not America first, Trump said of what he called the reckless policies of President Joe Bidens administration.

Trump hinted that he believes the polices in place at the southern border are not being led by Biden himself but by the radical Democrats directing the political machinery behind him.

Immediately upon taking office, Joe Biden deliberately and systematicallythrough his people because I dont think he did itdismantled Americas border defenses and incited a flood of illegal migrants like this country has never seen, he told the crowd.

They violated our laws from every single corner of the globe, they were invited in and we cant do that, we cant afford it.

Former President Donald Trump points at individuals and throws hats into the crowd as he arrives for his campaign-style rally in Wellington, Ohio, on June 26, 2021. (Stephen Zenner/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump said he believes that Biden has violated his constitutional oath as president by, in effect, surrendering Americas sovereignty at the border.

We need a Republican Congress to shut down the lawless Biden agenda  defund reckless immigration policies, restore our southern border to what it was, Trump said to chants from the crowd of four more years.

We will end illegal immigration, that horrible term, once and for all, he said of the Republican efforts.

He also added that he had heard reports of child minors being put on suicide watch after having crossed the border and entering the custody of under-resourced federal agencies.

For the last three months  illegal alien minors have arrived at our border, Trump said. These are, in many cases, wonderful kids and they are coming in at levels that weve never seen, and they are sent all around our country. I heard, for the first time, theyre on suicide watch, so many of these young kidsall because of this stupid policy that youve been watching over these months.

The Epoch Times has reached out to the Department of Health and Human Services for a response to Trumps comments.

Trump touched on a number of other topics, such as the need to allow independent audits to secure Americans trust in election systems, the need to ban critical race theory in the military, the weaponizing of law enforcement under Biden to go after Republicans, and the poor ratings of legacy media since he left office.

Trump also claimed the Democratic Party used COVID to its favor in the 2020 elections, pointing to the extended mail-in voting measures rolled out in the name of the pandemic and now-contested media coverage of his claims that COVID-19 may have come from a Wuhan lab, which greatly shaped public opinion on how well Trump responded to the health crisis.

He earlier teased the audience with a possible presidential run in 2024.

Its possible we will have to win it a third time, its possible, he said, as the crowd chanted USA, USA, USA.

Endorsements

Trump used the rally to restate his endorsement of Mike Carey as his preferred Republican candidate for an upcoming special primary election on Aug. 3 for Ohios 15th Congressional District.

The seat was recently vacated by former U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers who is going on to serve as president and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce.

Candidates for the Democratic primary are state Rep. Allison Russo of Upper Arlington and Greg Betts.

Trump also reiterated his support for Max Miller, a Marine veteran who served as Trumps White House adviser, for the 16th Congressional District seat. He told the rally that Miller has a passion for this country like you wouldnt believe.

Miller played a key role in the Trump administrations denuclearization negotiations with North Korea as well as negotiations for the Middle East peace deal.

Thank you to the greatest President this country has ever had #45. You have been the best mentor, teacher, and boss Ive ever had. Now, lets put an America First fighter into Congress who actually represents the people and get #TurnCoatTony out! pic.twitter.com/lDl0Tij9nm  Max Miller (@MaxMillerOH) June 27, 2021

Trump was critical of Millers competitor, Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, who he called a RINO and a candidate of Liz Cheney.

Gonzalez, who claimed that Trump helped organize and incite a mob at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, was censured by the Ohio Republican Party in May for voting for Trump to be impeached.

Miller told the rally that if successful, he will protect and prioritize American jobs and fight for the same kind of trade deals that President Trump fought for, the same ones that the Biden administration is trying to undo.

Trump thanked the crowd, some who had been lining up days before the event, for their support of his America First agenda, saying that he was proud to be the first Republican since President Ronald Reagan to win Lorain County in 2020.

With a Republican Congress, we will fight for more jobs for Ohio families, fair trade for Ohio workers, and more Ohio factories forging more products stamped with that beautiful, beautiful phrase, Made in the USA,' he said. We will stand up to China, make them pay trillions in reparations, and ensure that America, not China, dominates the future.

He also thanked Ohio Sen. Jim Jordan, Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, South Dakota Gov. Kristy Noem, and Mike Lindell the pillow man, who were in attendance, and gave special mention to Mike Gibbons, Jane Timken, Bernie Merino, and Josh Mandel who are running in 2022 to represent Ohio in the U.S. Senate.
Vatican Foreign Minister: Church Sees No Positive Contribution to Make in Hong Kong

VATICAN CITYA senior official at the Vatican says that the Secretariat of State isnt yet persuaded that speaking out about political unrest in Hong Kong would make any difference whatever.

At a press conference held on June 25 that was focused on the Vaticans upcoming Day of Prayer and Reflection for Lebanon, The Epoch Times asked British Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Holy Sees secretary for relations with states (equivalent to a foreign minister) to comment on similar unrest in Hong Kong.

The Epoch Times asked, With the financial and political upheavaland especially the popular unrest against political corruption we have seen in Lebanon and the greater regionwhat makes this situation different to the Holy See and the Secretariat of State (outside, of course, the strategic location) from the popular uprisings in Hong Kongwhere Catholic leaders have been incarcerated, and a request for support has been personally brought by Cardinal Joseph Zen over two years ago?

The English archbishop responded, Well, obviously Hong Kong is an object of concern for us. Lebanon is a place where we perceive that we can make a positive contribution. We do not perceive that in Hong Kong. One can say a lot of, say, appropriate words that would be appreciated by the international press, by many countries in the world, but Iand I think many of my colleaguesare yet to be convinced that it would make any difference whatever.

I think that here [in Lebanon] we have an opportunity, but in Hong Kong, we have a very different situation altogether.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni added, Remaining open, of course, to the workings of the Holy Spirit.

Gallagher nodded in agreement and said, Yes, and we hope that the new bishop will do a lot of good work there as well. Thank you.

Since the renewal of the SinoVatican agreement last October, Pope Franciswho has been extremely outspoken on other human rights and ecological criseshas been silent on China and Hong Kong. The Chinese Communist Partys brutality and human rights violations both in mainland China and in Hong Kong have caused world leaders such as former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to call for the Vatican to end its preliminary deal with China.

Pompeo stated in a series of tweets in September 2020, shortly before the agreement was set to be renewed, that the Vatican endangers its moral authority, should it renew the deal.  Catholics are among Hong Kongs strongest voice for human rights, including Martin Lee and Jimmy Lai.  The Vatican should stand with fellow Catholics and the people of Hong Kong.

The Vatican announced last week that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be meeting with Pope Francis along with Gallagher and other Vatican officials on June 28. It isnt known whether China will be a topic of the meetings.
REDDING  Easton-Redding-Region 9 Superintendent Rydell Harrison is resigning from his position overseeing the school district, ending a tumultuous 10-month tenure for the veteran educator.

The district announced his departure late Friday in a news release shared on Facebook and it comes less than two weeks after agreeing to a new contract with Harrison.

Rather than continuing forward as the superintendent, I have decided to pursue opportunities outside of a traditional K-12 setting that will allow me to fully engage my passion for education and commitment to improving outcomes for all students without the heavy burdens of district administration, Harrison said in the release.

Harrison took over the district in August 2020, arriving amid the COVID-19 crisis. He drew attention from the community in January, when he commented on the riots at the U.S. Capitol in a post on his personal Facebook page. He garnered national attention in February when a video of his snow day song went viral, but he was also at the center of a controversy surrounding a diversity, equity and inclusion survey that stirred reaction from the community.

As he announced his departure, the tri-board chairmen expressed feeling disheartened over Harrisons decision.

Jon Stinson  the Easton Board of Education chairman  said though deeply saddened, and that the board recognized the immense challenges of the past year, Harrison faced while wishing him success in his next chapter.

Todd Johnston, the Region 9 chairman, cited an action-packed first year during which Harrison dealt with navigating the pandemic landscape while dealing with the retirement of several building heads. Johnston also referenced the launch of a diversity, equity and inclusion program, along with the challenge of simply managing the three district model.

We thank him for his leadership and unwavering focus on the students, teachers, administration and parents throughout it all, Johnston said.

The boards plan to discuss the process of appointing a new superintendent at a special meeting on June 30. Harrison was unavailable for comment Saturday.

While this past school year has been challenging for all educators, I have been faced with a number of unique challenges as ER9s superintendent that led me to question whether or not the role was a good fit for me, Harrison said in his statement. Throughout my leadership career, I have worked hard to approach my work as an student-centered educator first and an administrator second. Unfortunately, ER9s structure made it more difficult than I anticipated for me to strike the right balance between advancing my aspirational goals for education and handling the administrative tasks of three separate school districts.

News of Harrisons resignation comes less than a year after he stepped into the role and days after the school board approved a contract extension.

Harrison agreed to stay on through June 2023 in his previous contract, which was set to be extended.. His annual base salary was listed at $225,000 with additional benefit allotments for health and dental in addition to life insurance. The contract also permitted Harrison 20 sick days and 25 vacation days a year with stipulations that he did not take off more than one week at a time without notifying the board or five consecutive days while the boards were in session.

The longtime educator has 20-plus years of working in schools under his belt. Harrisons career, which he began as a music teacher, evolved as he worked his way up the ranks and through various states including New York, New Jersey and North Carolina. He eventually landed in Connecticut as the Watertown superintendent of schools, a position he had held from 2018 until he was hired by Easton-Redding-Region 9 in August 2020

He experienced both backlash and praise during his months-long tenure with Easton-Redding-Region 9.

In January, some community members criticized Harrison after discovering a post on his personal Facebook page in which he condemned those that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Some described feeling targeted by the post and Harrison apologized multiple times over Zoom meetings.

But the issue lingered. One Facebook commentator on Saturday said they were not surprised by Harrisons resignation and that he alienated half of the families and should have kept his personal politics and strong liberal ideologies to himself.

In February, some community members applauded the superintendent when he appeared on Good Morning America debuting a snow day song and music video he had put together for students.

Still, Harrison faced even more opposition as he and other board members led efforts to spearhead an optional survey about diversity, equity and inclusion. Residents and parents rebelled against the survey, taking issue with questions around identity and sexuality, and questioning discussion of such topics in schools.

Despite months of pushback, the survey was passed and recently distributed to school community members. Though the resistance over a survey and his Facebook post were just the beginning of tough circumstances he navigated.

Harrison has also had to steer through the removal of the Pamela Goodpaster honoraria following an investigation that discovered she had inappropriate conduct with a student in the 1970s, as well as the pending resignation of Charles Schaub, a Joel Barlow English teacher who was arrested and charged with public indecency in April.

There was also the lengthy budget process the school board endured this year.

As comments about Harrisons exit surface online, most community members expressed sadness on social media. One commentator who also mentioned not being surprised said it was too much adversity to overcome, while others described Harrison as a gem, great leader and huge loss to Easton and Redding.

Correction: This article has been updated to reflect Harrisons extension was approved by the school board but not signed by him.
WESTPORT  It was smaller in scale this year, but the 56th annual jUNe Day celebration still offered a special message to the community and its international visitors.

Some employees of the United Nations came out to town to enjoy a day in the suburbs, taking their families to the beaches, Earthplace, and other favorite spots around Westport.

Organized by the United Nations Association of Southwestern Connecticut in conjunction with the town and U.N. itself, this annual event was the brainchild of the late Ruth Steinkraus Cohen.

She was a force, remembered event Chair Michaela MacColl, who had worked with Cohen, after whom the Post Road bridge was named. She said, I started in the sixties and seventies by inviting the ambassadors. but, she said, Michaela, we needed to do something for the people who work do the work. 

The opening ceremony featured remarks by guest of honor Christian Saunders, the U.N. assistant secretary-general for supply chain management in the Department of Operational Support.

I know from personal experience that you sacrifice tremendously for the U.N., he said, commending the families who lend their support to those who work there. I think the pandemic has made this worse because people have been able to work 24 hours a day.

Saunders also spoke about the darker side of the pandemic.

Were all had an incredibly stressful last 15 months, he said. Many people have died. Many people have lost loved ones.

While he told the crowd the United States has able to get access to vaccine, people have not been as lucky in other parts of the world.

Nine out of 10 people still dont have access, he said, noting that the virus  in whatever form  is not just going to go away.

I dont think the virus is done, Saunders said. I think its important to maintain the preventative measures.

State Sen. Tony Hwang, a first-generation immigrant from China, praised the United Nations work. Maybe because youre so close to it you dont recognize the unique influence you have in the world, he told the crowd.

We believe in the U.N., said Bernard Nieuwenhuis of Weston, who has volunteered for the event for several years now along with his wife.

What they try to do is keep peace in the world, he said, and help people out, which a lot of countries dont believe in.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  Home schooling nearly doubled in New Mexico last year as thousands of parents opted out of virtual learning programs offered in public schools.

The unprecedented defection from the public school system is putting a strain on school budgets, which are rooted in student enrollment.

Parents with the time and patience to school at home said they love the flexibility of home school and have learned how to give their children a more tailored education.

We had no interest in doing virtual learning through a public or charter school, said Jennifer Fischer, 43, who moved with her partner and two sons from Los Angeles to Albuquerque during the pandemic in August.

Raised by school teachers and experienced in teaching media classes, the filmmaker couple were unintimidated by prospect of teaching their fourth-grade and fifth-grade boys.

For others, there was a learning curve.

It was a little bit tough at first just trying to get the schedule and the routine down, said Albuquerque homemaker Cynthia Sanchez, who home-schooled her four children, who range in age from kindergarten to seventh grade.

Both parents joined the Facebook group Homeschool Homies last summer to see what other home-school families were doing. They werent alone.

I went from getting, you know, maybe 10 requests a week to getting maybe 25 to 30 requests a day, said Sarah Candelaria, 35, who administered Homeschool Homies and a few other homeschool-focused groups.

She fielded some of the same questions over and over again: What curriculum should we use? Do we have to register with the state?

The number of children registered with the state as home schoolers nearly doubled from around 8,800 before the pandemic to around 15,400 this past school year, according to Public Education Department data. K-12 enrollment was already shrinking by around 1.1% each year following a decade of decreased births and more childbearing-aged people moving out of the state than moving to it.

The home-schooling data validates a Census survey that found home schooling doubled in New Mexico and across the U.S.

Because federal and state education funding is pegged to student enrollment, a retreat from public school systems will hit budgets. In Albuquerque Public Schools, officials anticipate a loss of as much as $53 million because of the decline in enrollment.

Home schooling increased in all but the tiniest New Mexico school districts, according to additional home-schooling data obtained by The Associated Press in a public records request.

Statewide, the increase in home schoolers accounts for more than half of the 4% decline in public school enrollment in New Mexico last year, an AP analysis shows. Thousands of students left the system by transferring to a private school. An unknown number moved out of state.

Federal pandemic aid is boosting school budgets for the next two years. But long term, enrollment is declining.

Candelaria, the Facebook group administrator, said lots of parents will stick with home schooling even as the pandemic wanes.

Sanchez is one of them. She said her children have been learning more at home than at public school.

They didnt have the time catered to them to make sure they understood the material before moving ahead, Sanchez said. I had the time available to give to the kids.

Her two daughters asked to go back to school this year so that they could be around friends. She compromised with them by allowing them to play group sports.

Fischer, the filmmaker, said her family is ready to send the kids back to public school this year assuming there are not variants or a spike in numbers.

But she hopes school districts draw on the lessons of the pandemic to offer more tailored learning to students, and more programs where students attend three days per week and home school the other two days, Fischer said.

We can expand and say even a public system needs to be more customizable and meet the needs of different learners, she said.

___

Cedar Attanasio 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 under-covered issues. Follow Attanasio on Twitter.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg came to the Lower East Side this morning to announce that the Seward Park project, delayed for four decades, was finally a done deal.

Standing in an abandoned building of the Essex Street Market with some of the citys biggest developers, community partners and neighborhood activists, he called Essex Crossing (the official name of the project) a wonderful thing that will bring the new housing, jobs and open space Lower East Siders want and need and deserve.

Word got out yesterday that the residential, commercial and community-oriented complex would be built by L+M Development Partners, BFC Partners, and Taconic Investment Partners. Theyre paying the city $180 million for the site and investing a total of $1.1 billion to build the new community at the base of the Williamsburg Bridge over the next decade. Groundbreaking is expected in the spring of 2015; the first buildings are projected to open in the summer of 2018. The architectural team is being led by ShoP Architects and Beyer Blinder Belle.

The developers and city officials are expected to provide Community Board 3 with a full breakdown of the plan next month. Heres what we know so far:

HOUSING

1000 apartments, half of which will be permanently affordable to low and middle income families and individuals.

Approximately 155 apartments will be condos located in four buildings, most of them north of Delancey Street.

20% of the condos will be available to middle income residents (maximum income about $94,000 for a family of four)

There will be 580 apartments built in the first phase of construction (completion expected Summer 2018)

316 of those apartments will be designated as affordable

CULTURAL/COMMUNITY FACILITIES

Grand Street Settlement will develop supportive housing for low income seniors on Site 6, east of Clinton Street. There will also be a preschool for special needs students and a community center.

Educational Alliance will operate the nations first dual generation school on Site 5 for 100 kids and 200 adults. We wrote about this program earlier today.

Also on Site 5, the city is setting aside space for a new public school, if the Department of Education decides the LES needs one.

A 20,000 square foot annex of the Andy Warhol Museum will open on Site 2, at Broome and Essex streets.

ESSEX STREET MARKET

The market will be moved to a new 30,000 square foot facility on the south side of Delancey Street, doubling its size. its expected to open in 2018 and will include all of the vendors in the current market who wish to make the move, plus quite a few new ones.

An adjacent concourse called the Market Line will run from Essex to Clinton Street and will include 40 micro retail stalls as well as a culinary incubator and a version of the Smorgasburg, which is part of the Brooklyn Flea. The Market Line will be big, consuming 90,000 square feet.

OTHER FEATURES

A large grocery store

A movie theater

A bowling alley

250,000 square feet of office space

An enhanced pedestrian plaza on Delancey Street

A rooftop urban farm

During todays press conference, Mayor Bloomberg noted that the project will create 4400 construction jobs and 1600 permanent jobs. He said Essex Crossing would respect and complement the Lower East Sides history and traditions. Like many other speakers today, he asserted that  after 45 years of failed development efforts  progress was finally being made because the city made one basic decision letting the community take the lead in shaping this proposed development. The basic contours of the plan closely follow a Community Board 3 compromise that was hashed out during three years of painstaking negotiations.

The three real estate developers have formed a firm called Delancey Street Associates to build Essex Crossing. First up at the podium today was Ron Moelis, CEO of L+M Partners. He praised the communitys collaborative process and said the new project would shape the next chapter of one of New Yorks most historic and significant neighborhoods. Moelis said hes looking forward to continuing to work with the community and added, it is a life goal of mine and I think my partners to do this kind of community work I hope it will be a model for other communities.

Charles Bendit of Taconic Investment Partners made reference to his own familys immigrant roots on the Lower East Side, adding, this is an incredible chance to create a 21st century addition to an historically significant and diverse neighborhood, bringing both amenities that the residents need and attractions that will bring visitors from throughout the city and the country. Noting that entrepreneurship had thrived for generations in the neighborhood, he promised, Essex Crossing will transform one of the citys few remaining underutilized spaces into an incubator for economic growth.

In his remarks, the mayor thanked Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, among other elected officials, for helping to bring the project to fruition. For years, Silver was seen as an impediment to developing the former urban renewal site, but got behind Seward Park redevelopment after the Community Board struck a deal. During todays event, City Council member Margaret Chin said, people put aside their differences and were willing to compromise. Referring to protests from some community groups, she said, Mr. Mayor people were criticizing me because we asked for 100% affordable housing and we only got 50. 50% permanent affordable housing I think its very good!

Chin also called on Bloomberg to support the communitys campaign for a new school on the Seward Park site. Although space is set aside for one, the School Construction Authority insists theres no need for more classroom seats on the Lower East Side. And addressing the developers she raised the issue of union labor to build Essex Crossing. I expect you to work with the labor unions because the jobs were going to create here, I want to see those as middle class jobs, good paying jobs for the neighborhood, she said. So I challenge you, sit down, work with our community.

Later, during a brief question and answer period, Kyle Kimball, head of the citys Economic Development Corp., said theres fair labor language in the contract signed by developers this week, covering jobs within the project once it is built. Ron Moelis of L+M Partners added that its our intention to engage as soon as possible with the (trade unions) This is really a collaborative effort with the community and with government and we would hope to collaborate with the trades to (create) fair and good middle income wages.

Union representatives were present at todays news conference. While they might be somewhat encouraged by what they heard, a statement landed in our in-box this afternoon questioning the commitment of the development team to fair wage jobs. The statement from the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York and 32BJ SEIU, read, in part, we have serious concerns about the labor records of the developers selected Its bad for all New Yorkers that a developer that pays substandard wages was selected over three other experienced developers that have a proven track record of commitment to creating good jobs.

Other speakers today included Margarita Rosa, the executive director of Grand Street Settlement, the lead community partner. The longtime LES social service agency will be involved in creating 100 units of low income housing, providing training programs and for running a special needs school on the site. During her remarks, she said, we really believe the Essex Crossing Project is reflective of the values that we hold dear: inclusiveness, a belief in the value of diversity, an understanding that a diverse community made up of immigrants and others is what America is all about and Im very appreciative to Mayor Bloombergs commitment to that vision of the city.

Gigi Li, the chairperson of Community Board 3, praised the city for collaborating with LES stakeholders to come up with a plan most constituencies could accept. She thanked, Dominic Berg, her predecessor as chair, who guided the Seward park process until last year. He was instrumental in creating a community task force, which helped city planners choose the development team. Li also thanked David McWater and Linda Jones, the co-chairs of CB3s land use committee.

As he began the news conference, Bloomberg said it would be hard to find anyone against the Seward Park plan. Later on, a reporter questioned this assertion, noting opposition among several groups, and she asked whether Bloomberg could be sure the project would not be derailed by the next mayor. In response, he said:

Everything is a compromise. People want different things. Everybody gets something. I guess if any one person gets everything we didnt try hard enough but I think this is exactly the right thing for the neighborhood. Theres enormous support for this in the neighborhood and weve signed contracts so this is a done deal It really is a wonderful thing that was done here and I think the community board and everyone else who is here deserve an enormous amount of credit.

The community task force will continue to be involved in the planning process. The developers have agreed to meet with them at least quarterly.
Girls star Lena Dunham and award-winning director Spike Jonze were the center of attention as co-hosts of last nights benefit dinner in support of the proposed Lowline underground park. But it was Alicia Glen, New York Citys deputy mayor for housing and economic development, who may very have stolen the show.

During remarks at the Lowlines third annual anti-gala, held at the Skyline Modern event space on West 27th Street, Glen made it clear the de Blasio administration is fully in support of the project, which would bring a 60,000 square foot park to an abandoned trolley station below Delancey Street. It was the first time any official representing the mayor had publicly endorsed the initiative.

Glen oversees the Economic Development Corp., as well as the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the two agencies responsible for managing the redevelopment of the former Seward Park Urban Renewal Area. The Lowline is adjacent to the Seward Park site, where private developers are completing plans for a nearly two-million square foot residential and retail complex. Glen said the project, known as Essex Crossing, is a model of the kind of equitable and sustainable development that the mayor seeks to create throughout the city. Half of the apartments to be built are defined by the city as affordable.

Glen asserted that its her job to unlock the creative potential in the city, embellishing New Yorks reputation as a worldwide center of commerce, culture and innovation. She said the Lowline could become the citys next great public space and suggested that, along with Essex Crossing, it could help advance what she called the revitalization of the Lower East Side. Its a message that the Seward Park developers, in attendance last night, were very likely delighted to hear. During an interview with The Lo-Down last month, they were not shy about expressing support for the Lowline and argued that it could energize their own retail plans for Delancey Street.

While the citys support is significant, the Lowline team still lacks what it needs most: approval from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which controls the site, and from Governor Cuomo. Last night, Lowline founders Dan Barasch and James Ramsey said they are still pressing the MTA for access to the site.

During the anti-gala, guests feasted on dishes from LES caterer Neumans Kitchen, sipped cocktails from Lower East Side-based chef Dave Arnold and took part in a live auction. Among the items sold: Lena Dunhams Lowline-inspired dress from designer Rachel Antonoff. The after-party featured James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem and a performance by Bleachers, the side project of Jack Antonoff.
Salida, CO (81201)

Today

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 56F. S winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 56F. S winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Moscow COVID deaths spike as Asia-Pacific countries lock down

WORLD: Moscow today (June 27) recorded the worst daily coronavirus death toll so far for a Russian city, as countries across the Asia-Pacific region extended or reimposed restrictions to tackle fresh waves of infections.

ChineseCoronavirusCOVID-19deathVaccineRussian

By AFP

Sunday 27 June 2021, 11:45PM

Moscow recorded 144 COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, a day after Saint Petersburg set the previous highest figure. Photo: AFP

The pandemic has now killed close to four million people across the world but vaccination drives have brought down infection numbers in many wealthy countries, though the Delta strain of the virus remains a concern.

The variant is now in 85 countries and is the most contagious of any COVID-19 strain identified, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Still, in much of Europe and the United States curbs on daily life are easing as vaccination programmes bear fruit, although Russia is grappling with a deadly third wave.

The Russian capital today recorded 144 COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, a day after Saint Petersburg set the previous highest figure.

Saint Petersburg has hosted six Euro 2020 matches and is due to host a quarter-final on Friday, with spectator numbers capped at half but still upwards of 26,000 people.

Russia as a whole has seen an explosion of new infections since mid-June driven by the Delta variant.

The dramatic rise in cases comes as officials in Moscow are pushing vaccine-sceptical Russians to get inoculated after lifting most anti-virus restrictions late last year.

To stop the pandemic, one thing is needed: rapid, large-scale vaccinations. Nobody has invented any other solution, Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin told state-run television yesterday.

Up in smoke

The Delta variant is also feeding fresh outbreaks in Southeast Asia and Australia where authorities have brought back or prolonged restrictions.

More than five million Sydney residents endured their first full day of a two-week lockdown today to contain an outbreak of the strain.

Restaurants, bars and cafes were shuttered and stay-at-home orders were issued, leaving the city centre virtually deserted.

Given how contagious this strain of the virus is, we do anticipate that in the next few days case numbers are likely to increase even beyond what we have seen today, New South Wales state Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.

More than 110 COVID-19 cases have been reported in Sydney since a driver for an international flight crew tested positive in mid-June for the Delta variant.

The flare-up has been a shock for a place that had returned to relative normality after months with few local cases.

Professional musician Blain Cunneen, 27, said his work - performing gigs, studio sessions and teaching students - had gone up in smoke overnight.

All that was starting to operate again almost as normal... very suddenly overnight I got a bunch of emails and texts about everything being cancelled, he told AFP.

Australias northern city of Darwin also entered a separate snap 48-hour lockdown today after a handful of cases were linked to a coronavirus outbreak on a remote gold mine.

The Northern Territory is now facing its biggest threat since the COVID crisis began, Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner said.

Restrictions reimposed

Similar spikes in infections have recently been seen across Southeast Asia.

Thailand will reimpose restrictions on restaurants, construction sites and gatherings in the capital Bangkok from tomorrow as it tries to contain a wave of infections.

The countrys latest wave kicked off in April when a cluster was found in upscale Bangkok clubs.

Premier Prayut Chan-o-cha has said he plans to fully reopen the country by October, but this would require hitting a target of vaccinating 50 million Thais in four months.

In neighbouring Malaysia, the prime minister announced that a nationwide lockdown in place for about a month already will continue, and he gave no date for the lifting of restrictions.

His government had previously said the strict curbs would be eased in stages, as long as there was a drop in infections, intensive care bed use and a rise in vaccination rates.

Bangladesh also said it would impose a new national lockdown from tomorrow, with offices shut for a week and only medical-related transport allowed.

Indonesia set a new record for daily coronavirus cases today with more than 21,000, as hospitals are flooded with patients in Jakarta and other COVID-19 hotspots across Southeast Asias hardest-hit nation.

The figure brings the countrys tally for the pandemic to more than 2.1 million coronavirus cases with 57,138 deaths.
Thai Health Authorities warn against antibody test kits

THAILAND: The national Department of Medical Sciences (DMS) is advising people against buying antibody testing kits to test themselves after getting a COVID-19 vaccine, because the result could be inaccurate and lead to misunderstandings.

CoronavirusCOVID-19healthVaccine

By National News Bureau of Thailand

Sunday 27 June 2021, 01:00PM

Photo: NNT

DMS Director-General Dr. Supakit Sirilak said the department already has an immunity tracking system for vaccine recipients, so people need not perform the tests on themselves.

He added that the antibody efficient at preventing COVID-19 is called a neutralising antibody, while the antibody testing kits, which are currently available in the market, can only test general antibodies and cannot accurately measure the level of neutralizing antibody in the body.

Dr. Supakit said it is highly recommended that only antibody testing kits which have been approved by Thailands Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) be used and that it be done under supervision of doctors or other medical professionals, as the results require interpretation alongside the patients symptoms and other test results.
Please note The Sun Chronicle is providing this story and all of our local coronavirus coverage for free so that all readers have access to this important information about the pandemic. Please visit our dedicated coronavirus coverage page for more stories. If you'd like to support our mission, please subscribe.
This is my fourth update to the citizens of the 111th district, as your state representative.

There is so much to cover, as the Spring legislative session came to a close on May 31. I delayed writing this report as I wanted to discuss the comprehensive energy legislation that I expected to be voting on, but that legislation did not come to fruition. We closed out the session on May 31 without energy legislation, and then were called back to Springfield on June 16, expecting to vote on an energy package, but again no progress was made.

At this time, I am unclear when or if we will be called back to vote on energy issues such as the Clean Energy Jobs Act, the nuclear subsidies requested to keep two northern Illinois nuclear plants open, the solar cliff, and other related issues. Some of these matters are time-sensitive and need to be handled very soon.

In my last monthly update, I warned that the last days of May are traditionally when controversial bills are pushed through without support from Republicans, and unfortunately, this session was no different. Most notably, the fiscal year 2022 budget bill was filed on May 31, had multiple amendments throughout the day, was called to be heard on the House floor at 11:35 p.m., and then called for a vote at 11:55 p.m.

Republicans were allowed one speaker to ask questions and debate was wrapped up quickly.

There is no way that members of either party can truly read and review a 3,000-plus page document in that short amount of time, and I voted no. This is a $42.3 billion budget which includes an undeserved pay raise for legislators and unnecessarily doubles our office budgets. While some social service agencies may receive increases, some will not.

The sham budget process was truly a disappointment and is an embarrassment for a CPA like me to witness. No business, no non-profit, and certainly no local government could nor should do a budget in this manner.

Another matter of great importance that was quickly voted on and signed into law by the governor is the legislative maps. Every ten years the maps have to be redrawn based on information from the census. Although the census data is not yet available, the Democrat-controlled legislature pushed through their maps for the state legislature, the Illinois Supreme Court and the Cook County board of review.

These maps were apparently drawn using American Community Survey data, election data and various other unknown sources. Once the maps were signed into law by Governor J.B. Pritzker, lawsuits were promptly filed challenging these maps, and therefore, more is expected to come on the outcome of these maps.

An election-related bill passed that extends the 2022 primary date to June instead of March, therefore, there is time to get this all sorted out through the court process.

One of the bipartisan bills that passed the House and Senate and is awaiting the governors signature relates to the inflated trailer plate fees. SB58 finally reduces the trailer plate fees from $118 down to $36 (although not to the original price of $18). I believe that this is only fixed due to the outcry from people throughout the state who pushed back on this, loudly and often, and really made their voices heard, and I thank you for that.

One of the bills I am most proud of working on this session is HB1975, which is a comprehensive bill to prevent sexual abuse of students by school personnel. The bill passed the House unanimously, but unfortunately did not get called for a committee hearing in the Senate.

It could still be voted on in the fall veto session and I am working with the bill advocates to bring attention to the bill and to contact Senators. The crime of sexual abuse of students still happens, and we will not stop fighting for our students.

I am pleased to report that the road naming resolutions for two roads in Godfrey passed both the House and Senate. Roads will be named for Capt. Jake Ringering and Eldon Twirp Williams. Special thanks goes to Godfrey Mayor Mike McCormick for spearheading this effort.

In addition, two good-government bills I chief-sponsored passed unanimously and will go to the governor for signature. SB85 requires fire districts to use competitive bidding for leases over $20,000, and SB2172 gives additional time to implement a required pharmacy tech training program throughout the state.

Looking ahead to the summer, I am back in the district and doing tours of local non-profits, businesses, farms, and governmental agencies. We continue to work with constituents on a wide variety of matters, including FOID and CCL card problems, unemployment issues, state agency issues, and much more.

We are always happy to help in any way. Please dont hesitate to call my office at 618-433-8046 if we can be of help.

State Rep. Amy Elik, R-Fosterburg, represents the 111th Legislative District in Illinois.
SPRINGFIELD  Fitch Ratings, one of three credit rating agencies that grade Illinois bonds, last week upgraded its credit outlook for the state from negative to positive.

Although the states overall rating remains at near-junk status at BBB-, the agency said the states economic outlook coming out of the pandemic, combined with the recently-enacted budget, are moving the state in the right direction.

The Outlook Revision to Positive from Negative, reflects Illinois preservation of fiscal resilience given the quick and sustained economic recovery since the start of the pandemic, coupled with the states unwinding of certain nonrecurring fiscal measures, the agency said in a statement Wednesday. Recent fiscal results and the enacted fiscal 2022 budget suggest further improvements in operating performance and structural balance in the near and medium-term that could support a return to the pre-pandemic rating or higher.

State Sens. Rachelle Aud Crowe, D-Glen Carbon, and Christopher Belt, D-Swansea, said the bond upgrade was a direct result of responsible state spending.

Over recent years, Illinois has made strides toward fiscal responsibility by including cost-saving initiatives in our budget, such as reducing the bill backlog, Crowe said. While our state continues to progress to a more financially stable position, this outlook upgrade ensures we are on a path to a brighter future.

The change in outlook is not the same as a change in the states immediate credit worthiness, but instead reflects the agencys view of its credit trajectory, indicating the possibility of a credit upgrade in the future.

The continuing BBB- rating is the result of what Fitch called a long record of structural imbalance and irresolute fiscal decision making that has resulted in a credit position well below what the states broad, but slow-growing economy would otherwise suggest. It also reflects the states large, long-term liabilities such as pension obligations that will continue to put stress on the states finances.

But the agency also said that the states revenue base, primarily income and sales taxes, are expected to grow as the states economy grows, while recent improvements, such as paying down the states bill backlog and its plan to pay off its federal pandemic borrowing early, are signs of improved budget management.

The action by Fitch follows similar moves earlier this year by the states other two rating agencies, Moodys and S&P, which revised their outlooks from negative to stable.

Democratic leaders in Illinois, including Gov. JB Pritzker, quickly seized on the news

Fitchs improved outlook for Illinois is yet another sign of positive momentum for our states fiscal condition, a testament to strong financial management and responsible actions by the General Assembly and my administration, and a product of the states economic resilience, Pritzker said in a statement Wednesday. The story of Illinois in 2021 is that in the face of a crisis, fiscal discipline and smart economic policy pays off.

House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch, D-Hillside, called the revised outlook proof we can support families, invest in underserved communities, and be fiscally prudent at the same time, while Comptroller Susana Mendoza said the move vindicates her offices effort to pay down the states bill backlog.

My administration has been committed and vocal about the need to show fiscal discipline and accountability, Mendoza said in a statement. Fitch notes the responsible approach we have taken with the General Assembly and the Governors office to target better-than-expected revenues to paying down debt.

In its announcement, Fitch listed a number of things Illinois could do that might lead to a credit upgrade. Those include continuing to pay down the bill backlog, continuing the recent pattern of passing balanced budgets on time and narrowing what Fitch called a structural budget gap by matching recurring revenues with recurring expenses, including funding its pension obligations at actuarially determined levels.

Recent budgets have included the pension payments required by statute that are otherwise short of the actuarially determined payments that would prevent the states unfunded liability from increasing. The states statutory pension payment, which it made in full for the upcoming fiscal year, was about $9.8 billion, or 23 percent of the states General Revenue Fund budget for the year.

However, the agency also noted factors that could lead to a credit downgrade, such as failing to follow through on plans for early retirement of federal pandemic loans and repayment of interfund borrowing, or using one-time federal aid for recurring expenses in the future.

Meanwhile, Fitch said, Build Illinois bonds continue to be rated BBB+, a slightly higher rating than the states general obligation bond rating.

Carol Knowles, a spokesperson for the Governors Office of Management and Budget, said in an email Friday that Build Illinois was a program created by former Governor James R. Thompson in the1980s and the bonds still sold by the state today.

Fitch was distinguishing between General Obligation (GO) bonds and Build Illinois (BI) bonds. GO bonds are secured by general tax revenues and guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the state. BI bonds are direct, limited obligations of the state, secured by an irrevocable first-priority pledge on moneys in the Build Illinois Bond Retirement and Interest Fund, Knowles said in an email.

The Telegraph contributed to this story.
EDWARDSVILLE  A Missouri man was indicted Thursday on multiple drug and weapons charges in two separate incidents in Alton.

Demontez L. Spruill, 19, of Maryland Heights, Missouri, was indicted June 24 with armed violence, a Class X felony; aggravated discharge of a firearm, a Class 1 felony; unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver, a Class 3 felony; and aggravated unlawful use of weapons, a Class 4 felony.

The cases were originally presented by the Alton Police Department and charges filed June 17.

According to court documents, on June 13 Spruill allegedly fired a handgun in the direction of another person.

On June 15 Spruill allegedly was found to be in possession of a loaded and accessible Glock 19X 9 mm handgun in his vehicle without a valid Firearm Owners Identification Card or concealed carry license, and more than 30 grams of cannabis with intent to deliver.

Other indictments from the Madison County grand jury on June 24 include:

 Antonio M. Brown, 20, of Alton, was indicted for aggravated unlawful use of weapons and unlawful possession of a controlled substance, both Class 4 felonies. The case was originally presented by the Alton Police Department and charges filed June 17. On June 15 Brown allegedly was found to be in possession of a loaded and accessible Keltec PMR 30 .22 caliber handgun in a vehicle without a Firearm Owners Identification Card or concealed carry license; and less than 15 grams of oxycodone.

 Joseph M. Rabus, 34, of Wood River, was indicted for aggravated battery, a Class 2 felony. The case was originally presented by the Wood River Police Department. On June 3 Rabus allegedly bit a Wood River police officer.

 Tyler M. Welch, 27, of Alton, was indicted for burglary, a Class 2 felony; and offenses relating to motor vehicles, both Class 2 felonies. The burglary case was originally presented by the Granite City Police Department, the motor vehicle case the Metro East Auto Theft Task Force. On Dec. 23 Welch allegedly entered the Granite City Labor Temple, 2014 State Street, Granite City, to commit theft. On June 6 he allegedly was found to be in possession of a stolen GMC UHaul Box Truck.

 Michael D. Moll, 62, of Alton, was indicted for unlawful failure to register as a sex offender (second subsequent offense), a Class 2 felony. The case was originally presented by the Collinsville Police Department. According to court documents, on Feb. 17, 2020, Moll allegedly failed to register with the Collinsville Police Department. Moll is listed as a non-compliant sexual predator, with a prior conviction for criminal sexual assault out of Missouri.
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.
Allied Integrated Health System





Cathy Guzzi, PT, DPT, was named assistant vice president of Rehab Services. In her new role, Guzzi will oversee physical rehabilitation services for patients at the nationally ranked Allied Services Wilkes-Barre Rehab Hospital. Additionally, she will continue to have oversight of the nonprofit health systems 14 outpatient rehab centers throughout Northeast Pennsylvania. In her new role, Guzzi will provide leadership to maintain quality patient care and outcomes, implement leading treatment protocols, support staff development, and seek cutting-edge technology to advance the rehabilitation process.

Diana Pope-Albright, PT, DPT, WCS, was named assistant vice president of Rehab Services. In her new role, Pope-Albright will oversee physical rehabilitation services for patients at the nationally ranked Allied Services Scranton Rehab Hospital. Additionally, she will continue to have oversight of the nonprofit health systems 14 outpatient rehab centers. In her new role, Pope-Albright will provide leadership to maintain quality patient care and outcomes, implement leading treatment protocols, support staff development, and seek cutting-edge technology to advance the rehabilitation process.

Linda Lamparter, CPHQ, CMC, was named outpatient case manager and Rehabilitation Medicine Center manager. Lamparter has been with the health system since 1994 and has served as the manager of outpatient case management since 1996. A graduate of Millersville University, Lamparter received her Bachelor of Arts in psychology in 1990.

Jennifer Lutkowski, PT, DPT, was named director of rehabilitation at Allied Services Rehabilitation Hospital Wilkes-Barre. Lutkowski graduated with a doctorate in physical therapy from Misericordia University in 2007.

Since joining the health system in 1998, Lutkowski has held several positions, including senior staff, supervisor, assistant director and director of physical therapy. Along with helping patients regain their independence following an injury or illness, Lutkowskis new role includes overseeing the day-to-day operations of the physical, occupational and speech therapy departments.

Christine DeGrazia, RN, joined as the new director of nursing at the integrated health systems Skilled Nursing Center in Scranton. DeGrazia became a registered nurse graduating from the Pennsylvania State University with an Associate in Applied Science degree.

In this role, DeGrazia will be directly responsible for the clinical oversight of staff along with ensuring they are continuously educated on the most advanced nursing practices to ensure the highest quality of care is provided. DeGrazia brings more than 17 years of nursing experience to her new role, specializing in geriatrics, case management and utilization review, critical care and wound care.

Distasio & Kowalaski LLC

Attorneys Daniel J. Distasio and Michael J. Kowalski, partners in the Wilkes-Barre personal injury firm, have been named Pennsylvania Super Lawyers for the 13th consecutive year. Both have been top rated in the category of Personal Injury Attorney.

Super Lawyers rates lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high level of peer recognition and professional achievement. The objective is to create a comprehensive and diverse listing of outstanding attorneys. Selections are made on an annual state-by-state basis via a rigorous evaluation process. Each year, no more than 5% of the lawyers in the state receive this honor bestowed by Super Lawyers magazine. The annual selections are made using a multiphase process that includes nominations, independent research, peer reviews, and evaluation by practice area. Attorneys are evaluated based on peer recognition and achievements including verdicts/settlements, representative clients, experience, honors/awards, pro bono and community service and other outstanding achievements among other criteria.

The personal injury firm specializes in auto and truck accidents, medical malpractice, birth injury and wrongful death.

Munley Law

Two of the firms partners, Marion Munley and Daniel Munley, have been named to the 2021 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiffs Consumer Lawyers list.

Lawdragon is a legal media company that provides industry news, editorials and resources including annual guides of the top lawyers in various areas of practice. The Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers list is an elite group of plaintiffs attorneys from all over the United States. The law practice is the only Scranton firm to make the 2021 list.

Marion Munley has been practicing personal injury law for more than 30 years. She is triple board-certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in civil trial, civil practice and truck law. Marion has earned an AV-Preeminent designation from Martindale-Hubbell, the industrys highest ethical and client satisfaction rating.

Daniel Munley has been practicing personal injury law for more than 25 years. He is board certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in both civil trial and truck law. He has earned an AV-Preeminent designation and a Platinum Level Client Champion rating from Martindale Hubbell.

University of Scranton

The University of Scranton has named David Marx, Ph.D., associate provost of academic affairs, concluding a national search for the position. A longtime chemistry faculty member at Scranton, Marx currently serves as the interim associate provost.

As associate provost, Marx will oversee the universitys Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, Office of Institutional Reporting and Data Analytics, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, Office of Educational Assessment, Office of Graduate Academic and Student Services, the Office of Global Education and the Office of Planning and Institutional Effectiveness.

Marx joined the faculty at Scranton in 1987.

SUBMIT PEOPLE ON THE MOVE items to business@timesshamrock.com or The Times-Tribune, 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503.
Wilkes-Barre Councilwoman Beth Gilbert McBride is pushing for banks to refund overdraft fees they collected during the pandemic and to scrap them forever.

There is no reason why big banks should have profited off of the American people during this time, McBride said.

Banks charge overdraft fees when a payment or withdrawal from someones bank account exceeds the available balance. The bank covers the transaction but then charges the fee.

What we all experienced during the pandemic was an unprecedented level of collective trauma, McBride said. Unemployment was at a record high, and prior to the government finally stepping in to provide relief, people were struggling just to put food on the table.

McBride said she believes overdraft fees punish the working class. She doesnt think overdraft fees are effective in encouraging people to spend less or keep more money in their checking accounts.

You can only cut corners so much, she said. The only people who benefit from overdraft fees are big banks and their only purpose is to make the rich even richer. I would be in favor of scrapping overdraft fees forever and having banks provide financial literacy material to people if they so desire it.

Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren has been pushing for federal regulators to be more aggressive in policing bank overdraft charges.

Overdraft fees generated an estimated $31.3 billion in 2020 when including big banks, community banks, savings banks, credit unions and fintech firms, according to financial research firm Moebs Services Inc.

Urging financial responsibility

FNCB, which has 17 locations in Lackawanna, Luzerne and Wayne counties, charges a $15 overdraft fee for each item less than $15 and $36 for each item more than $15, said Michael Cummings, vice president and marketing manager for FNCB.

At FNCB, we do not encourage overdrafts, Cummings said. We encourage our customers to manage their finances responsibly, including setting up alerts to notify them when their account balance falls below a certain amount.

To help consumers avoid these fees, he said FNCB offers several options including Overdraft Service, automatic savings account transfers and a line of credit tied to accounts.

While there are costs associated with each, they provide a safety net for customers in good standing, Cummings said. If customers do not want these services, they can choose to opt out at any time.

Sean McAndrew, partner with I&M Wealth Advisors in Dunmore, said overdraft fees have been the subject of a highly contentious debate for many years and 2020 was no different.

While steps are being taken to protect consumers, McAndrew said the truth is the responsibility of budgeting and account monitoring ultimately falls on the individual.

The days of checkbooks and monthly statements have been replaced by instantaneous account balances and text alerts when our balances get too low, he said. Do extenuating circumstances exist? Of course. But the reality is consumers need to bear the responsibility of their own financial actions.

While some in Congress are pushing for legislation to ban overdraft fees, he said the answer most likely is not that simple.

The truth is free overdrafts are free loans, McAndrew said. In lieu of overdraft fees, banks may be inclined to impose higher minimum balances or even decrease the thresholds or even decrease the thresholds for declining transactions.

McAndrew said consumer protections always need to be in place, but they will most likely be instituted in a way that benefits customers when they overdraft their accounts occasionally rather than habitually.

With competition greater than ever, he said consumers will have a choice of which bank to use depending on their needs and if that includes the reduction or elimination of overdraft fees. He expects online banks likely will be the first to make a shift or outright elimination of overdraft fees.

Ally Bank recently eliminated overdraft fees because it found the charges hurt its more financially vulnerable customers.

While we are still in the early stages of this, once the domino falls, most banks will follow suit, McAndrew said. No bank wants to be the last with overdraft fees.

Banks offer other alternatives

Customers at Wells Fargo are generally charged $35 for each overdraft, said Wells Fargo spokesman Jim Baum.

Wells Fargo offers customers a low-cost, no overdraft-fee account called Clear Access Banking and several customer-friendly automatic features that help customers manage their accounts including Overdraft Rewind, Baum said.

Overdraft Rewind, an automatic look-back service, helps customers who have direct deposit avoid certain overdraft charges, he said.

Additionally, Wells Fargo sends automatic zero-balance alerts that notify online banking customers by email if their account balances drop to zero or below which Baum said helps them avoid overdraft fees.

Since the start of the pandemic, Wells Fargo has helped more than 3.7 million consumer and small business customers by deferring payments and waiving fees, Baum said. Wells Fargo continues to assist customers who are facing hardships after a review of their individual circumstances, which includes providing fee waivers.

Earlier this year, PNC Bank launched Low Cash Mode, a patent-pending technology available to Virtual Wallet customers that helps them avoid overdraft fees, said Katie Kirby, vice president and retail communications manager for PNC Bank.

Low Cash Mode gives customers payment controls, including the power to determine whether certain checks and transactions are processed that otherwise might result in overdrafts. It provides alerts and at least 24 hours of extra time to fund their account before fees are assessed, Kirby said.

Virtual Wallet with Low Cash Mode does not charge NSF fees and charges a $36 overdraft fee, capped at one item per day, if the customer is not able to cure their account within the extra time period, she said.

Heather Murray, manager of community relations at Advantage Credit Counseling Service, said consumers have the option to control whether or not they are charged overdraft fees.

A consumer must opt into overdraft protection, meaning they permit the bank to process payments even if there isnt enough money in their accounts to cover the charge and they incur the fee, she said. Consumers can opt out of this coverage, she said.

Opting out would result in bounced checks or declined transactions if the money to cover the amount is not in the consumers bank account, Murray said. Most consumers do opt into overdraft protection to avoid the embarrassment of bounced and declined transactions.

If consumers routinely overdraft their accounts, Murray said its a good idea to connect their checking accounts to savings accounts or a line of credit as a backup to avoid overdraft charges. She said consumers also may want to consider a bank account that allows a 24-hour grace period before charging an overdraft fee.

The grace period allows the consumer to refund the account before the fee is processed, she said.
COVID-19 shots for children are crucial to achieving broad immunity and returning to normal school and work routines. But although the vaccines have been authorized for children as young as 12, many parents, worried about side effects and frightened by the newness of the shots, have held off from permitting their children to get them.

A poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that only 3 in 10 parents of children ages 12-17 intended to allow them to be vaccinated immediately. Many say they will wait for long-term safety data or the prod of a school mandate. But with many teenagers eager to get shots they see as unlocking freedoms denied during the pandemic, tensions are crackling in homes in which parents are holding to a hard no.

Forty states require parental consent for vaccination of minors under 18, and Nebraska sets the age at 19. Now, because of the COVID crisis, some states and cities are seeking to relax medical consent rules, emulating statutes that permit minors to obtain the HPV vaccine, which prevents some cancers caused by a sexually transmitted virus.

Last fall, the District of Columbia City Council voted to allow children as young as 11 to get recommended vaccines without parental consent. New Jersey and New York legislatures have bills pending that would allow children as young as 14 to consent to vaccines. Minnesota has one that would permit some children as young as 12 to consent to COVID shots.

But other states are marching in the opposite direction. Although South Carolina teenagers can consent at 16, a bill in the legislature would explicitly bar providers from giving the COVID shot without parental consent to minors. In Oregon, where the age of medical consent is 15, Linn County ordered county-run clinics to obtain parental consent for the COVID shot for anyone under 18. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, some states are working on legislation to prevent public schools from requiring COVID shots.

Frustrated teenagers are searching for ways to be vaccinated without their parents consent. Some have turned to VaxTeen.org, a vaccine information site run by Kelly Danielpour, 18.

The site offers guides to state consent laws, links to clinics, resources on information about COVID-19 and advice for how teenagers can engage parents.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
1910: In 1894, the Delaware & Hudson built this imposing brick passenger station at the western end of downtown Scranton, at 39 Lackawanna Ave., replacing smaller stations on Bridge Street and Vine Street. In 1901, the company purchased the Weston Mill building next door to serve as their freight office. Passengers, mostly traveling to and from Carbondale and Midvalley towns, emerged in the heart of Scrantons busy wholesale and theater district. The DL&W, the Central New Jersey and Erie railroads had passenger and freight depots nearby as well.

2021: The D&H ceased passenger service in January 1952, and the station building was sold to an investment company for $42,000 five months later. The building was remodeled as county and state offices and torn down in 1972. From the mid-1970s until 2016, passengers returned to the site, this time to board Greyhound and Martz buses. Today, it is the site of additional parking for workers in the state office building.

Photo and research courtesy of Lackawanna Historical Society

JAKE DANNA STEVENS / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
It was early Wednesday evening at the adoration chapel at St. Clares Convent, home to the Sisters of Life in northeast Washington, D.C. Light streamed through the blue and yellow glass windows, fading in and out with the clouds.

On the altar, before pink hydrangeas, stood a liturgical vessel shaped like a golden sunburst. And inside the sunburst, called the monstrance, was the Blessed Sacrament, the consecrated Eucharist bread that Roman Catholics believe to be the body of Jesus.

A young woman stepped into the utter stillness and knelt low. Hannah Hembree, 23, has been coming to Eucharistic adoration, the practice of revering the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, almost daily since she quit her job two weeks ago. She came to adore Jesus, just to talk with him, she said afterward.

People can get wrapped up in the political stuff, but it all comes back to prayer, she said of the Eucharist. Prayer is about relationship. It is about spending time with our Lord.

For the past week, one of the most ancient and sacred rituals of Christianity has become the focus of a high-stakes showdown between conservative Catholic clerics and the nations political leaders as well as a proxy battle in the abortion wars. This month, the U.S. Catholic bishops voted to draft a statement on the theology and practice of the Eucharist, which some hope to use as theological justification to deny Communion to President Joe Biden and other Catholic politicians who publicly advance policies that are not aligned with the churchs.

But for many Catholics across the United States, the Eucharist, also called Holy Communion, is something wholly apart from partisan skirmishes. It is quite literally about God.

In the celebration of Mass, Catholics remember the life and death of Jesus on earth. The priest presides over the rite of the Eucharist in which bread, called the host, and wine become consecrated, or holy. Catholics then partake of the bread and wine, which they believe have been transformed into Jesus body and blood. Between Masses some Catholics also honor the consecrated bread, now the body of Jesus, in adoration chapels.

The sacrament is a holy mystery. It is the most personal and intimate way Catholics connect with God and one another, part of the weekly or even daily routine.

Ultimately, the Eucharist is considered the path to salvation: Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever, Jesus told his disciples in the Gospel of John.

Looming behind the U.S. bishops plans to issue new guidance on the sacrament is declining Mass attendance and the sense that many Catholics have lost a spiritual connection with the ritual and may not even understand the churchs teachings about it. Only about 30% of U.S. Catholics believe the core church teaching that the bread and wine become the literal body and blood of Christ; about 70% believe they are mere symbols, according to a Pew poll from 2019.

The sacrament is more than a set of theological beliefs. It wraps the divine and the human all into one, connecting the church and God across time and space.

Jennifer C. Reid, 50, recently rediscovered the altar candles from the day she received her first Communion at St. Columbanus, one of the oldest Black parishes in Chicago, which she still attends. More than four decades later, the faded white taper candles, with wicks slightly burned, were still carefully stored in a long rectangular box with her initials on the bottom.

I was sitting there holding them, flooded with those memories, she said, remembering receiving the sacrament for the first time with her two sisters, in their little white veils, white dresses and white patent leather shoes.

Now Reid works at the church as a pastoral associate and distributes the bread to others at Mass after the priest has consecrated it. I always look people in the eye before they receive Communion because it means that much to me, she said.

The Rev. Tulio Ramirez, a missionary priest from Colombia with the Yarumal Mission Society who works with Latin American immigrants in the Bronx, remembered celebrating Mass under a tree in Kenya. As the sun moved across the sky, people rose to carefully move the altar table, holding the bread and wine, to keep the Eucharist in the shade.

They wanted to show the reverence and respect to Jesus, he said.

The church has seven sacraments, but the Eucharist is the sacrament of sacraments, said the Very Rev. Aquinas Guilbeau, a Dominican friar and assistant professor of moral theology at the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C.

The church has been devoted to the sacrament for 2,000 years, Guilbeau said, since the night of the Last Supper when Jesus himself left the ritual as a memorial of his suffering and death. Justin Martyr, an early defender of Christianity, wrote in the second century of the church partaking of the bread and wine. As the centuries went on, theologians debated the finer points of the sacrament as the faithful designed Eucharistic liturgies, towering Gothic cathedrals and beautiful altars to honor it.

When the Protestant reformers in the 16th century rejected the Catholic teaching that the bread and wine substantively became the body and blood of Jesus, Catholic Church leaders affirmed the teaching, called transubstantiation.

It is the devotion that is driving the theology, Guilbeau said.

The sacrament has inspired countless accounts of miracles, and grand acts of heroism. Saint Clare of Assisi is said to have turned away a military attack in the 13th century simply by showing invaders the host. More recently, priests and nuns have rushed into burning buildings to save the consecrated hosts from fire. A scene in a 1989 movie about martyred priest Oscar Romero depicts him walking past armed soldiers to rescue the host that had fallen to the ground, bullets spraying above him.

The sacrament can also prompt dramatic gestures of devotion by lay Catholics. Oscar Delgado was living in Mexico City in 1992 when he bought a lottery ticket on a whim and won $4.2 million. It was Holy Week, and Delgado knew he did not want to spend the money on himself.

Within a few years, he began funding the construction of a series of adoration chapels, where worshippers come to pray in the presence of the host. In Chicago Heights, Illinois, for example, he installed a small chapel at St. Agnes Parish with a special focus on prayer for the sick and dying.

If youre receiving the Eucharist, youre saying, I believe this is the true presence, said Delgado, who now lives in Minnesota. This is for us the apex.

Across the world, in different churches and cultures, the Eucharist and its ritual practices can look and sound similar, signaling the shared Communion of saints. But local approaches to access can vary widely, even between parishes that are geographically close.

In southeast Louisiana, Katie Corkern grew up in a parish in which it seemed that everyone received Communion every week, no matter what. Divorced and remarried in her 20s, she began attending a new parish 30 minutes away with her second husband. There, the priest emphasized the importance of being worthy: Those who are not Catholic or are in a state of grave sin, for example, are discouraged from partaking.

Corkern, 38, took those admonitions seriously. Ineligible for the sacrament because of her divorce, she abstained from receiving Communion for almost a decade. Every time I would go to Mass, I would feel this deep, deep sorrow, she recalled.

In 2017, with the help of her priest, she finalized the annulment of her first marriage and went through the official sacrament of matrimony with her second husband, to whom she had been legally married for years. Recalling her first return to the Eucharist still makes her tear up.

Theres that special sweetness, and it keeps drawing you in, she said.

Five years ago, Amanda Ramthun was 19 weeks pregnant when she learned she had a miscarriage. On the way home from a hospital, she and her husband stopped at their church. The Sunday cry room for infants doubled as the adoration room during the week, and they went in, with no words, thoughts or prayers.

We were only there 10, 15 minutes maybe, but just to really feel like you were just sitting at the feet of Jesus, and just pouring it all out  I really felt the Come to me all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest, said Ramthun, quoting Jesus promise in the New Testament.

That comfort is a reason people return to the sacrament, over and over.

Back in Washington at the Sisters of Life adoration chapel, Sister Mary Rose Beck rang a small bell. The hour had come to repose the Blessed Sacrament, to move it from exposition to rest.

Increase my faith, dear Jesus, in thy real presence here, and make me feel most deeply, that thou to me art near, the sisters sang into the quiet.

Beck walked up to the altar and knelt low. She turned to the tabernacle, a brass vessel behind the monstrance, and opened its small doors carved like a cross.

She then carefully removed the consecrated host from the sunburst at the center of the altar. She placed it in the tabernacle, knelt once more, and turned the monstrance to face the side, signaling that Christ was now reposing.

She closed the tabernacle and locked its door.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Clean-up in aisle tree!

In my Wednesday column, I reported on the restoration of sugar maples at a family syrup business in Susquehanna County. The new plants replaced more than 500 hardwoods sacrificed on the sulfurous altar of corporate greed and complicit government.

It was a feel-good story for tree-huggers, property rights advocates and other sleepy sheeple, but the seeds of a sinister, more sensational narrative were already germinating in the fever swamps of antisocial media.

On Monday afternoon, Dickson City police were called to the Home Depot on Commerce Boulevard to cast out two suspects attempting to free the splintered spirits of fallen trees trapped in 2x4s.

The bizarre incident  which caused a stir in the store and may have exposed unsuspecting shoppers to infernal termites  somehow warranted just two sentences buried near the bottom of the daily police blotter on the departments Facebook page:

3:26pm Commerce Blvd. @ Home Depot for disorderly people having an exorcism in the lumber aisle for the dead trees. They were escorted out of the building.

Picked up by local media, the suspiciously brief account immediately went viral, prompting stories in state and national newspapers and Newsweek, which still publishes a magazine printed on dead trees.

The stories contained few details beyond the cryptic blotter entry, and hundreds of cries for more information on the departments Facebook page went unanswered. I smelled a cover-up and reached out to Dickson City Police Chief William Bilinski to demand the answers a paranoid public deserves.

Its absolutely crazy, the chief said. I have the Philly Voice calling, I have Newsweek UK calling, and Im like, Really? Its such a stupid story. I guess the more stupid something is, the more people are entertained by it.

Message received, Chief. I stupidly pressed Bilinski for the real story behind the deliberately vague official account. He said he was reluctant to share more because no charges were filed and he didnt want to cause undue embarrassment to the suspects, a telltale tactic of secretive bureaucrats who hide the truth behind the high wall of official authority.

Im really trying to be low-key about it, Bilinski said. I dont want us to become an attraction, you know, like Florida. Weird (stuff) happens here, but Dickson City isnt Florida.

Thats geographically true, but I kept whittling and the chief eventually relented. He said two men dressed in black were observed moaning and chanting in the lumber aisle, which is a pretty insensitive way to say tree mausoleum. One of the suspects sported a hot pink Mohawk and laid his head in the lap of his companion to perform the arcane ceremony, the chief said.

The suspects were all bark and no bite and threw no shade when asked to leave. The chiefs summary seemed legit, but I asked for documentation to support his version of events.

There is none, according to Bilinski. No police report. No body cam footage. No investigation into the brutal (ritualistic?) murder of helpless trees. No public identification of the suspects and no full accounting for a media machine that needs stupid stories to survive.

Not one shred of empirical evidence to prove the lumber aisle exorcism ended with no physical or spiritual injuries  or that it happened at all.

What is Chief Bilinski trying to hide?

He assured me there was nothing more to the story, an obvious dodge which at one time I might have accepted as objective truth and moved on. That was before I began researching conspiracy theory websites and online communities in the Qniverse. There, I learned never to trust the official record, or let myself be fooled by facts, science and common sense.

Thats not to say Ive been red-pilled  the Qniverse version of wokeness as described in The Matrix film franchise. Red-pilled folk see the world as a rigged, demonic horror show where Satanic vampires chug the blood of babies and vote for Democrats. Blue-pilled folk are sheeple being led to slaughter as soon as the righteous, Christian, Republican red-pilled folk take over. Praise God and pass the ammunition.

Its surprisingly easy to get red-pilled. I turned hot pink in a matter of hours. Its insidiously alluring to reject disappointing facts as malicious fictions, especially when in the company of others as happily divorced from objective reality as you are.

The election was rigged.

Joe Biden is a clone.

Donald Trump will be reinstated as president any minute now.

Or later. Or later than that. In the Qniverse, patience isnt a virtue  its a disability. No matter how many prophecies come and go unfulfilled, some red-pilled folk are as immune to exorcism as 2x4s. They reflexively fight any attempt to free them from the infernal termites making a meal of their trust, time, finances and relationships.

Like hardwoods that happily fall for the saw, they wait patiently in the lumber aisle in hopes that a moaning, chanting stranger with a bad haircut will come to tell them theyre still trees.

The stranger and his disciple are escorted out by the authorities, another stupid story goes viral and a police chief keeps the details under his hat.

Almost like it never happened.

CHRIS KELLY, the Times-Tribune columnist, see sees the forest and the trees. Read his award-winning blog at timestribuneblogs.com/kelly.
Lackawanna Countys decision to split an unwarranted legal fee with a favored vendor does not mitigate the bad governance inherent in the deal.

After Scranton turned over delinquent property tax collection to the county Tax Claim Bureau in 2020 and agreed to pay the standard 5% fee, the county added a 10% legal fee. That money, $287,626 in April and May alone, went to a law firm including Joseph Joyce, who was acting director of the bureau and, later, its solicitor.

The countys own ethics rules require employees to be at least a year removed from their positions before doing business with the government.

Democratic majority Commissioners Jerry Notarianni and Debi Domenick didnt bother seeking bids for the legal services, contending that tax collection is a professional service that does not require bids. But the law does not preclude bidding, and given the potential conflicts of interest present, they clearly should have sought proposals. The objective of governance is not to achieve mere legality  the minimum requirement  but to do the right thing for the public, transparently.

Taxpayers with delinquencies must add the unwarranted 10% to their payments when they pay their bills. Outside the city, the typical legal fee attached to payments is as little as 1%. The 10% fee substantially adds to the financial burden for many city residents, many of whom accrued delinquencies in the first place due to financial problems.

After Scrantons Cognetti administration complained about the excessive fee, county solicitor Frank Ruggiero and Joyce decided that Joyces firm and the county would split the fee.

Ruggiero claimed the Scranton collections put a heavy administrative burden on county offices, which is risible. The offices exist for that purpose and if they are underfunded, the commissioners should increase their funding from general county revenue. Scrantonians are no less county residents than anyone else.

Meanwhile, county Controller Gary DiBileo and Treasurer Ed Karpovich should pretend to be watchdogs. Instead of blithely signing off on payments to the firm, the supposedly independent financial officers should ask local law firms what they would charge for routine work associated with delinquent tax collection, and challenge the amount being extracted from Scrantonians for the benefit of a favored county vendor with an unbid contract.
In ruling Wednesday that Brandi Levy was protected by her constitutional free speech rights when she profanely condemned the Mahanoy Area School District, the U.S. Supreme Court rendered a Solomonesque decision.

The district disciplined Levy for a profane rant she posted on social media after being cut from the junior varsity cheer squad. The high court, affirming a decision by the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals, ruled that public school students speech rights are protected so long as the speech does not risk substantial disruption of or material interference with school activities.

That mirrors the courts decision in a 1969 case in which it overturned an Iowa school districts disciplinary action against students who wore black arm bands to protest the Vietnam war.

Levys rant was more personal than a protest of public policy, but the biggest difference is that it was on social media. The justices, in their 8-1 decision, were careful to note that the decision in Levys case does not preclude districts from acting when students use social media in ways that can harm other students or the school.

Justice Stephen G. Breyer wrote that whereas courts must be skeptical of a schools efforts to regulate off-campus speech, there might well be cases in which a school legitimately can intervene, such as cases of severe bullying or harassment targeting particular individuals.

Thats far from distinct guidance that school administrators might prefer, but its impossible to draw a bright line around the vagaries inherent in speech. In this case, while acknowledge students free speech rights, the justices also acknowledged that limits on it  especially on social media  are a moving target.
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
Today

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds light and variable.

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds light and variable.

Tomorrow

Cloudy in the morning, then thunderstorms developing later in the day. High near 90F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Fraud victim Catriona Oliphant is one of the lucky ones. Through steely determination  and help from The Mail on Sunday  she recently managed to get her bank to reimburse 239,000 scammed from her account.

But Catriona, a highly-regarded lawyer, was not content. Outraged by the complacency shown by Action Fraud  a national hub for reporting fraud  over investigating her case she vowed to take matters into her own hands. Last week, she decided to track down the scammers with The Mail on Sunday alongside her.

Although Catriona was thwarted at the last moment by a desperate plea from Action Fraud not to interfere in an ongoing investigation  a request we felt we could not ignore  the ease with which we tracked down those involved in the scam raises serious questions over Action Fraud's willingness and ability to tackle the rising tide of financial crime.

Investigation: The MoS's Rachel Rickard Straus and fraud victim Catriona Oliphant find where the crooks live

Scandalously, only 4 per cent of reported fraud cases are passed to law enforcement agencies to look into.

Professor Mark Button, director of the Centre for Counter Fraud Studies at the University of Portsmouth, told The Mail on Sunday: 'Action Fraud is in reality a call centre and has no capacity to investigate. When potential leads are identified they are sent to the relevant police force to investigate, but in reality many don't have the resources  and cases are filed away.

'Victims face a postcode lottery. If you are lucky enough to live in an area where fraud is taken seriously, you might stand a greater chance of your case being investigated. But in reality few cases are.'

His sentiment was echoed by Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis. He described Action Fraud as a 'flaccid organisation that does little and is woefully under resourced'.

HOW WE MANAGED TO FIND THE FRAUDSTERS

Tracking down the scammers was not hard. Like thousands of victims of bank transfer scams, Catriona knew their names.

That's because when they tricked her into transferring money to seven individuals, they had to provide account numbers, sort codes and names.

We went through the list of seven payees to find out as much as we could about them. We then searched Google, social media, and Companies House for more details.

We found three payees were listed on Companies House as directors of new building firms. All three were registered at residential addresses within a few miles of each other in East London.

Of course, there is a chance our suspects were not Catriona's payees and just shared their names, or had their addresses used by someone else, but it would be an astounding coincidence.

Next, we went to their addresses. Before going, we asked Action Fraud if it had done this. It did not answer the question. We said we were willing to confront the suspected scammers and invited Action Fraud to accompany us.

It declined  and urged us not to go. We went anyway, but we did agree not to approach the suspected scammers.

WHAT WE FOUND AT THE CROOKS' HOMES

The homes did not look like those of the recipients of windfalls of hundreds of thousands of pounds, as we believe they are. They were not luxurious houses with expensive cars parked outside. A recipient of 60,000 of Catriona's stolen money had a home with peeling paintwork, located metres from a motorway.

The one who got 100,000 had a home with rotten window frames while the individual who received 10,000 had a home which was the most poorly maintained among the terrace it was part of.

By visiting their homes, more pieces fell into place. We now suspect these three criminals are money mules  caught up in the scam, but not masterminding it.

We had started to join the dots. It wasn't hard, so imagine what Action Fraud could have achieved had it tried, with its resources and expertise. Prof Button says: 'There are clearly lines of inquiry that could be checked out. These may well be money mules. I can understand why Catriona is frustrated.

'The truth is police forces have limited resources to investigate. Fraud may also not be a priority  most forces are more likely to prioritise crimes such as child sex abuse and terrorism, and so fraud cases fall way down the list.

'Even if there are lines to pursue, the police are more likely to prioritise cases where there is the greatest chance of a result.'

PUTTING A FACE TO THE SCAMMER...AND VICTIM

Catriona may have had her money reimbursed by her bank, HSBC. But the scammers are still out there enjoying her life savings. We asked HSBC how much it had managed to claw back from the scammers' accounts. The answer? A pitiful 7.65.

As we drove past one of the three houses we spotted a woman whom we believe received 100,000 of Catriona's money walking up to her front door with three school children in tow, blithely swinging their book bags.

It took all the willpower and professional training Catriona could muster not to approach her.

'I want her to know that what she was part of had an impact on a real person's life,' she said, her hand reflexively moving towards the car door handle.

'I want her to see my face. And I want to ask her what kind of example she thinks she's setting for her children.'

2.4BN LOST IN A YEAR - WE NEED ACTION NOW

Scam victims have lost 2.4billion in the past 12 months. Cases have escalated during lockdown as fraudsters have taken advantage of people spending more time indoors near their landline and online.

It would be unsurprising to learn that scammers have been emboldened by the knowledge that there is only a minuscule chance they will face justice.

Most victims will never see their money again. And it's terrifying to think what criminal activities their life savings will go on to fund.

Fraud expert Richard Emery, from consultancy 4Keys International, based in Bracknell, Berkshire, said: 'It shouldn't be down to individual citizens such as Catriona Oliphant to investigate scammers. Fraud makes up around 30 per cent of all crime in the UK, yet the police budget to fight it is just 1 per cent.'

Prof Button adds: 'It's sad that victims who have worked hard all their lives to build up their savings lose all their money and are told their case won't be investigated.

'Fraudsters are literally getting away with it. It's appalling.'

On Friday, The Mail on Sunday asked Action Fraud to confirm its advice that we should not approach the people whom we believe to be involved in Catriona's scam.

The agency would only say: 'If anyone has information which they believe could be pertinent to a police investigation, it should be immediately passed on to the police, who can examine and fully verify it as part of their lines of enquiry.'
There are two stories embedded in the continuing chaotic disruption to global travel. One is that Britons are in danger of losing another summer of foreign holidays, with traditional destinations losing a large chunk of their business.

The other is that the world's largest industry, travel and tourism, is taking a huge and to some extent unnecessarily large hit, leaving wounds that will take several years to heal.

For many British families this is misery. How on earth do you plan a foreign holiday when our own rules keep on changing and other countries open and shut their doors at every new story about the advance or retreat of the virus? The result is that many people won't get the holidays they were looking forward to at all.

Up in the air: Why are governments, including our own, not more determined to find a way to open borders?

But why are governments, including our own, not more determined to find a way to open borders? It is an easy political decision to shut them, but a much harder one to manage the reopening. There are obvious reasons why this should be so, but behind the reluctance is a sense that somehow foreign travel is a frippery, a luxury that we don't really need.

Grandees have to travel of course, be it to the G7 meeting in Cornwall or the Euro 2020 final in Wembley. But the rest of us are urged to stay at home.

Yet travel and tourism are not frothy unnecessary sectors of the economy at all. Getting them going again is just as important as, for example, getting the motor industry back up to its earlier output.

If people want to spend their earnings on a foreign holiday rather than buying a new car, or indeed saving more for their pension, that is absolutely their right to do so. Surely an outward-looking attitude to the world is something to be celebrated.

The sad thing is that as far as travel to Europe is concerned, this has become yet another skirmish in the ongoing tussle between the UK and the EU.

So Angela Merkel puts pressure on the rest of Europe to force UK visitors to go into quarantine, a suggestion that has not gone down well in Greece or other popular tourist destinations.

There are sensible straightforward ways of speeding the reopening of travel, including fewer restrictions on people who are fully jabbed. But the politicians are not really trying to find them.

If this is tough on families it is tough on the world. Combine travel and tourism and it was the world's biggest industry at 10.4 per cent of global GDP in 2019. (It was 10.9 per cent in the UK.)

It generates jobs across the entire skills spectrum, from students doing gig work in the hospitality industries to airline pilots and aircraft engineers.

And it brings employment to some of the job-hungry parts of the emerging world.

Last year however its share of GDP fell to 5.5 per cent of world GDP. That compares with an overall contraction of the world economy last year of 4.5 per cent.

Other industries have been gravely damaged by the pandemic while some have boomed, but by far the largest burden has been carried by travel and tourism. That is why it matters to the entire world that we get it moving again. This is not just about who gets first to the sun-loungers on the beach by the Med. Before Covid struck the industry was growing faster than the world economy as a whole. It needs to get back to that position.

So what's to be done? Well, the first thing is to listen to the travel industry. Airlines don't want a reputation for passing on illnesses between their passengers and have a lot of sensible ideas about testing prior to flights and vaccine certificates. Hotels need to give confidence to their guests and most have worked hard at improving their hygiene standards.

Governments should seek to cooperate rationally and professionally, instead of suddenly making new edicts based on dodgy data. It is depressing seeing leaders trying to score points, presumably for political reasons.

I don't think it helps to trot out all the silly things they have said in recent weeks, though it does stick in the craw to see how freely they travel abroad while the rest of us are told to stay home.

So let's just note here that the vaccines work and since they work that shows the path back to normal human activity.

Finally, let's cherish the freedom to visit other countries. Let's celebrate it. And let's get that freedom back as fast as we possibly can, for our own good but also the good of the world.
When Augmentum Fintech listed on the stock market in March 2018, chief executive and founder Tim Levene found it hard to persuade big City institutions to back the business.

The idea, Levene explained back then, was to build a company that invested in fast-growing financial technology firms and reap the rewards as these acorns developed into oaks. The flotation eventually got away, raising 90million  less than Levene had hoped for  at 1 a share.

Midas recommended the stock from the start and investors who subscribed to the flotation are glad that they did. The shares have risen to 1.40 and the business has grown rapidly.

New wave: Augmentum, led by Tim Levene, invests in fintech firms such as Tide

In 2018, there were just five businesses in Augmentum's portfolio  including online share service Interactive Investor, precious metals specialist Bullion Vault and Seedrs, the crowdfunding group.

Today, Augmentum has investments in 22 businesses, from digital wills and funeral firm Farewill to SME challenger bank Tide to alternative mortgage provider Habito.

Augmentum's businesses are making strong progress. Annual results to March 31 this year showed that the portfolio is now valued at more than 180million, up from 136million in 2020. Looking ahead, Levene expects to make at least one exit every year, selling individual investments and either reinvesting the cash or returning some to shareholders.

At the same time, the group is on the lookout for new deals and has amassed a rich potential pipeline collectively valued at about 200million.

Most of these transactions will fall by the wayside but Levene believes the time is right to pick up some attractive businesses and he is looking to shareholders to help finance his plans.

Augmentum launched a fundraising on June 17, offering new and existing investors shares at 1.35, a discount to the current price.

The offer is open until July 8 and the firm hopes to raise at least 40million to buy new businesses.

Levene, a 2.5 per cent shareholder, intends to participate in the deal.

Midas verdict: Financial technology is a specialist field, but it is growing fast and the pace of change is likely only to increase over the coming years.

Augmentum Fintech allows individual investors to access the sector, and the broad sweep of businesses in its portfolio means that the group is not reliant on any one type of firm or technology.

Existing shareholders have seen a 40 per cent rise in their shares. At 1.40, they should stick with the business. For new investors, the current fund raising provides a good opportunity to acquire stock at a discount.

Traded on: Main market Ticker: AUGM Contact: augmentum.vc or 020 3961 5420
The Government has held private talks over plans to channel tens of billions of pounds of pension money into infrastructure and start-up companies to boost the economic bounceback.

The Mail on Sunday can reveal that Treasury officials have met with senior figures in the pensions industry over the controversial scheme that would unlock some of the UK's 2.2trillion retirement pots and parcel it out to fast-growing businesses, transport projects, real estate and carbon-friendly investments.

Industry sources said the Government and regulators had discussed how a portion of workplace pension schemes  those which staff are compelled to join  would go into a fund set for launch this year.

Rishi's mission: The Government has held private talks over plans to channel tens of billions of pounds of pension money into infrastructure and start-up companies

The Long Term Asset Fund, which was announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in November, will pump money into parts of the economy and long-term projects that are usually inaccessible to pension savers  such as building projects and private companies.

Sources said workplace pension funds could invest a portion of employees' savings in the new fund through a 'default' investment option  the standard choice which many select when enrolling in their company pension.

It would be possible to opt out but in reality most workers would contribute as a consequence of signing up to the default scheme.

This could mean that billions of pounds are automatically channelled into the fund.

The plan emerges as the Government searches for alternative sources of cash to help the economy rebound following the global pandemic.

It would provide vital backing for British start-ups so they do not look abroad for investment.

Pension fund bosses have begun to signal their support for the plan which they believe will give savers another source of income instead of relying on traditional stocks and bonds.

However, the plan is set to spark debate after the downfall of high-profile fund manager Neil Woodford, who came unstuck after making bets on private companies.

Critics warn that pension savers will be pushed into investments that are hard to sell or 'illiquid'. The Investment Association, a powerful industry body, has warned that savers 'understand that they are making a long-term commitment to invest' and that 'they may not be able to get their money back quickly.'

A string of property funds has been closed during the pandemic, trapping thousands of investors because fund managers could not sell investments in time to meet withdrawal requests.

One pension boss warned last night that it could be tough for retirees to quickly access their money. He said: 'If we're going to invest in HS2, for example, it's not anticipated that we can sell a bit of HS2 to take out our money tomorrow if we retire.'

One big hurdle is a limit on the fees that workplace retirement schemes can charge. Last week, the Government revealed it will relax a limit on workplace pension charges from October, so that workplace default funds can more easily invest in illiquid assets like infrastructure and private equity, which are costlier to manage. Some experts have hit back saying this will increase the charges on pensions.

Sunak said last year that the fund would 'encourage UK pension funds to direct more of their half a trillion pounds of capital towards our economic recovery'. But he did not detail how contributions would be made.

Workplace schemes are designed by companies such as Legal & General, Royal London and Phoenix Group. Trustees sign off on pension investments and whether they are suitable for members.

Nigel Wilson, chief executive of Legal & General, said opening access to private assets could 'deliver better returns' for pension savers while helping the economy.

He said the Long Term Asset Fund 'may evolve into a useful instrument for doing this, but we also need a change in mindset and some powerful nudges  possibly even soft compulsion  to ensure pension trustees and their advisers engage with productive finance and inclusive capitalism'.

Michael Eakins, chief investment officer of Phoenix Group, the UK's largest retirement company, said: 'When we engage with our policyholders, they quite like the idea of their pension savings being deployed in a way which is good for local economies.'

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: 'We are passionate about making sure people can get the best outcomes from their pension investment and we are gathering views to deliver this.
Major oil and gas firms including BP and Shell could face fresh legal action by activist groups as investors demand stock market-listed firms align with Paris climate goals.

The wave of potential lawsuits could also target Chevron and Exxon and other heavy industry majors such as Ineos, the petrochemicals giant controlled by billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, and biomass power firm Drax.

Amsterdam-based environmental group Fossielvrij NL has told The Mail on Sunday it is preparing to sue ABP  the Dutch Government's giant pension fund and one of the world's largest pension investors  to force it to sell its stakes in fossil fuel companies.

Fight: Friends of the Earth Netherlands won a landmark legal battle against Shell in The Hague, and said it is looking to target other major fossil fuel companies

Fossielvrij director Liset Meddens said potential legal action would be filed jointly with the pensions scheme's members.

It is understood a lawsuit would explore how they could take legal action to allow them to leave the fund in protest over its investments in firms such as Shell, Exxon, Chevron, BP and Glencore. Meddens said: 'We are talking to international law funds and lawyers about preparing a potential lawsuit.'

ABP has offices in the Netherlands, Brussels, New York, Hong Kong and China. As of the end of May, it managed 509billion on behalf of 2.9million civil servants and teachers. It has already stopped investing in firms that make landmines, nuclear weapons and tobacco products  and is aiming for a fifth of its assets to make a 'measurable contribution' to sustainable development goals by 2025.

But since October, more than 16,000 of ABP's members have backed a petition, launched by Fossielvrij NL, to divest its fossil fuel investments, and hundreds protested at its offices in Amsterdam and Heerlen on Friday.

That follows court action by Friends of the Earth Netherlands, which won a landmark legal battle against Shell in The Hague last month, and said it is looking to target other major fossil fuel companies, focusing on Dutch firms.

Environmental group ClientEarth also told the MoS it is exploring legal action to potentially challenge energy companies that 'greenwash' their climate change claims. ClientEarth lawyer Johnny White called the Shell case  where the court ordered the firm to cut carbon emissions by 45 per cent by the end of 2035 compared to 2019 levels  a 'game-changer for climate litigation'. He said: 'Given this result, we can expect further legal challenges to fossil fuel companies that refuse to meaningfully transition their businesses with the urgency needed.'

Since the May ruling, Friends of the Earth has been contacted by groups around the world looking to make similar claims and has shared information with others keen to target large polluters.

ClientEarth filed a legal complaint against BP in 2019 over greenwashing in its corporate advertising. Its next targets could include Shell, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Total, Drax, Ineos, Aramco, Equinor and RWE.

The nine firms were named in ClientEarth's 'greenwashing files', published in April, which alleged they had used advertising to 'greenwash' their contribution to tackling climate change. White said this research put the firms 'on notice' of litigation, adding: 'Fossil fuel firms need to stop suggesting wrongly they are part of the solution, otherwise they leave themselves open to challenge.'

A spokesman for Shell said: 'We agree urgent action is needed on climate change and while we expect to appeal the ruling [in The Hague] we want to rise to the challenge and accelerate our existing strategy.'

French group Notre Affaire A Tous is leading a lawsuit against Total in France and there is speculation BP could be the next major UK target. One activist source said: 'I am pretty sure BP will be targeted by someone sooner or later, based on this verdict.'

Mark Van Baal, founder of the activist shareholder group Follow This, said: 'Young people in their 20s are saying, 'I need this money 50 years from now and I don't want it invested in companies...who leave me with a world that is devastated by climate change.'
The head of the Chartered Management Institute has warned that Britain's Covid recovery is at risk without Government intervention to get women into fast-growing industries.

Ann Francke, who runs the body that has more than 132,000 managers and business leaders as members, said just 17 per cent of staff in the technology sector are female, and 11 per cent in engineering. She said: 'These areas face huge skill shortages. If we don't get women in these areas we won't be able to build back better.'

Moving forward: Ann Francke has warned that Britain's Covid recovery is at risk without Government intervention to get women into fast-growing industries

Francke argued that, as bosses determine how and when to return office staff to desks, the Government should introduce legislation enshrining the right to flexible working. She said if that didn't happen, women will be disproportionately affected, adding: 'If it isn't an employee's right to work flexibly, the ones that will be more likely to be able to go back into the office are those with fewer caring responsibilities. Those tend to be men. Those who want to work flexibly are likely to be women and those with disabilities.'

She added: 'I'm in favour of making these things Government policy, not only with regard to flexible working but to have a concerted effort between Government and industry getting women back into technical and engineering roles. It's imperative.'

The American, who has run the CMI since 2012, is a veteran of corporate Britain, having held senior roles at Yell, Boots, Mars and Procter & Gamble. She said she had endured an environment 'all about presenteeism' as a director.

'I was basically expected when I had these big, regional roles for global companies to sort of leave the house on a Sunday and fly all over the place and come back on Friday evening,' she said. 'I was a divorced single mom, that clearly was not going to work for me.'
An official report paving the way for the wider use of alcohol-free hand sanitiser has given a 'powerful' boost to British firm Byotrol, its directors said.

A Government task force said earlier this month that guidance on the use of non-alcohol sanitisers was 'confusing' and should be reviewed to provide 'a level playing field' with alcohol-based products.

AIM-listed Byotrol, which is advised by Tory MP Iain Duncan Smith, said official guidelines had put off potential customers.

Rubbing its hands: Byotrol, which is advised by Tory MP Iain Duncan Smith, said official guidelines had put off potential customers

Hand sanitiser makes up a third of Byotrol's business, with the remainder coming from surface cleaners. It provides the NHS with 92 per cent of its non-alcohol sanitiser under its label Invirtu and also makes Boots own brand.

Alastair Demick, head of business development, said: 'Reviewing [the guidelines] and providing clarity for consumers and businesses required to provide hand sanitiser across education, workspaces and retail is powerful. People pay attention to it. It is a positive move.'

Byotrol, which has a turnover of 11million a year and employs 35 staff, provides an alternative for those who find that alcohol-based products cause skin irritation, people who prefer to avoid alcohol on religious grounds and those in secure units where alcohol is restricted.

David Traynor, chief executive, said: 'The global hand sanitiser market is north of $2billion (1.5billion) a year of which alcohol-free is a tiny percentage. We do informal surveys that lead us to believe probably a quarter of people would prefer not to use alcohol on skin.'
Accounting giant PwC is to allow its employees paid time off for fertility treatment, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The big four auditor is rolling out a new policy next month that will give employees eight days of annual paid leave for fertility consultations and appointments.

Any employee whose partner is having fertility treatment will be allowed two days off to provide support. Sally Cosgrove, a partner at PwC, said: 'One of the things that is common to a lot of people going through this experience is that it can feel very lonely.

Sign of the times: The big four auditor is rolling out a new policy next month that will give employees eight days of annual paid leave for fertility consultations and appointments

'It can be such a rollercoaster of hope, treatment and then disappointment. It can really take its toll on your well being.

'It's not something we openly discuss  especially in the workplace. It's one of those issues that feels taboo to talk about.'

PwC said: 'In response to feedback from our people, this policy will be put in place alongside additional support measures  like a new fertility support network  and building awareness within our firm about fertility.'

Last week, The Mail on Sunday revealed that British Gas owner Centrica and state-backed bank NatWest are offering staff access to discounted fertility services from IVF to sperm and egg freezing. A total of 80,000 employees stand to benefit.
Savvy: Sian Gabbidon bought her first home, a flat in Leeds, when she was 21

Sian Gabbidon, winner of The Apprentice in 2018, bought her first property when she was 21, using a 13,000 deposit from savings she had accumulated as a teenager.

In the wake of her win, Gabbidon, 28, expanded her swimwear and fashion brand, Sian Marie, with the financial backing of Lord Sugar. That year was the best of her life financially, she told DONNA FERGUSON.

Her latest collection of hand-designed clothing can be viewed at sianmarie.com.

What did your parents teach you about money?

Quite a lot  to be savvy, sensible and save. I'm from a humble working-class background. My mother is a homecare nurse for the NHS while my dad is a factory manager for Unilever who worked his way up through the business. My mum used to work in the factory too  they met on the production line.

I wouldn't say we struggled when I was growing up or that money was tight. My parents have always been financially sensible  they never borrowed any money so did not get into debt  and they worked every hour God sent to provide for me. Often, my dad worked nights and my mum days.

They instilled in me that you have to work hard for money and save for a rainy day. As a result, I have always been sensible with money.

Have you ever struggled to make ends meet?

No. Ever since I can remember, I've wanted to be able to earn money and be self-sufficient. I got my first job when I was 14 and I've worked ever since.

I couldn't afford to pay myself a wage when I was setting up my Sian Marie fashion brand in 2016, so I did it in my spare time while working full-time in marketing.

I ended up working pretty much every hour I possibly could and reined in my spending as well so that I could invest in my business. But I always covered my bills  and I was always comfortable.

Have you ever been paid silly money?

Yes. When The Apprentice finished, I had opportunities left, right and centre  and it was all a little bizarre.

As a normal person, I wasn't used to being offered money to do things. I was used to grafting nine to five every day.

I was recently paid thousands of pounds to judge a business competition for half an hour over Zoom.

It was crazy to earn what some people get paid in a month to sit in front of a camera and give my opinion.

What was the best year of your financial life?

Without a doubt 2018, the year I won The Apprentice. Having a quarter of a million pounds transferred to your bank account is mind-blowing. For me, it was also life-changing. I could afford then to leave my job and take a salary from the business using Lord Sugar's investment, without worrying about how I would pay the bills every month.

What is the most expensive thing you bought for fun?

It was a Mercedes C class that cost 25,000. I bought it five years ago because I wanted to treat myself. It was white with black wheels and had a panoramic roof. I absolutely loved that car.

What is your biggest money mistake?

Buying that car. I probably had it for two years and then I sold it for about 12,000. The value of a new car just goes down so quickly.

The best money decision you have made?

Buying property when I was young. I was 21 when I bought my first home  a two-bedroom new-build apartment in Leeds, with a 13,000 deposit.

I rented it out for most of the time that I owned it and when I sold it recently, I made about four times what I had initially paid.

The 13,000 deposit was all my money. I got it together by saving up the money I earned working part-time after school and during university, and investing it in some Unilever shares.

It was an investment scheme my dad could participate in through his work  he could get his children involved. I paid in a little bit every month and it proved lucrative.

Do you save into a pension?

Yes, I do. I started when I won The Apprentice. Before then, my plan was to invest in property and sell it when I was old. But now that I've got my own business, I save into a pension through the business. It's tax efficient.

Do you invest directly in the stock market?

Not at the moment. My main focus is my business. I think investing in the stock market is also a bit of a gamble right now, when everything is a bit up in the air due to Covid. But investing in stocks such as Unilever has worked well for me in the past and I want to do it again soon.

Do you own any property?

Yes, I own a three-bedroom apartment in a converted mill in Leeds with my boyfriend Clint, who is a builder. We bought it recently and renovated it during last year's lockdown. I'd rather not say how much it is worth but I reckon we added about 20,000 of value to it in just four months.

What is the one little luxury you treat yourself to?

Prada bags that cost 1,500 and designer shoes that cost between 800 and 1,000. My shoe and handbag collection is worth between 20,000 and 30,000 and it's growing because I definitely need more shoes  always. I probably buy a new pair every couple of months depending on the events I have got coming up.

If you were Chancellor what is the first thing you would do?

I would give more support to small businesses and the self-employed. Some people who have been running small businesses and paying their taxes throughout their lives have been wiped out by this pandemic.

The amount of financial support on offer has not been enough to get some of them through it and I think we will probably see a lot more businesses crumble in the future as the economy opens up.

What is your number one financial priority?

When my boyfriend and I eventually have children, I want to be in a position where I am able to provide for them.

I would still want to ensure they were humble and worked hard, rather than being given everything on a plate.

But I'd like to make sure they have a nice life.
Jim and Ann Country will host First Saturday Community Coffee House on July 3 at Southwest Virginia Museum.
Tennessee should allow public review of redistricting maps before finalizing them
Larry Elder is a bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio talk show host. His latest book, The New Trump Standard, is available in paperback from Amazon.com and for Nook, Kindle, iBooks and GooglePlay.
Egypts President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and Jordans King Abdullah met in Baghdad on Sunday during the first visit by an Egyptian head of state to Iraq since Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990.

The first Gulf War ruptured diplomatic relations between Iraq and Egypt, but these have improved in recent years with many senior officials from both countries exchanging visits.

The United States has been urging Iraq to boost ties with Arab nations to counter Irans influence and Sisis visit is for a third round of talks between Egypt, Jordan and Iraq aimed at closer security, economic, trade and investment cooperation.

In recent years, Iraq had signed cooperation deals in the energy, health and education sectors with both countries.

On Sunday, the three leaders discussed several areas of regional interest, including the recent development on the Palestinian issue, combating terrorism and economic cooperation, an Egypt presidency statement said.

The leaders stressed the need to intensify consultation and coordination between the three countries on the most important regional issues, it added.

Kadhimi, Sisi and Abdullah held a summit in Amman last year and were due to hold another in Baghdad in April, but this was delayed after a deadly train crash in Egypt.

Egypt signed 15 deals and memoranda of understanding in sectors including oil, roads, housing, construction and trade in February after Iraqs cabinet in December approved renewing its contract to supply the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) with 12 million barrels of Basra light crude for 2021.

Iraq is also planning to build a pipeline that is meant to export 1 million barrels per day of Iraqi crude from the southern city of Basra to Jordans Red Sea port of Aqaba.

There is genuine economic benefits that come from the Arab Alliance for all three partners, notably on energy diplomacy, Hafsa Halawa, non-resident scholar at the Middle East Institute, said, adding that there was an expectation that stronger relationships could reinvigorate U.S. engagement in the region.

The hope remains that certain aspects of this alliance can pull Iraq slightly out of Irans orbit of influence, but not by rushing back into U.S. arms and falling into the binary of being stuck between Washington and Tehran, she added.

SOURCE: REUTERS
About 5,000 Afghan families have fled their homes in Kunduz after days of fighting between the Taliban and government forces, officials said Saturday, with the insurgents continuing to surround the key northern city.

The Taliban briefly seized the city twice in recent years but have now captured the surrounding districts and a nearby border crossing with Tajikistan.

About 5,000 families have been displaced by the fighting, Ghulam Sakhi Rasouli, director of the Kunduz Refugees and Repatriation Department, told AFP.

He said up to 2,000 of those families had fled to Kabul and other provinces.

Many people took refuge in a school in the city and had been provided with food and other relief items, Kunduz provincial council member Ghulam Rabbani Rabbani said.

Video footage taken by AFP showed dozens of people, many of them women and children, sitting inside tents set up in a school compound.

We are six families living together here for three days you can see my children are sitting on the ground, Juma Khan, who fled with his family, told AFP.

We have still not received any help. A team came today to survey some families but after a few minutes they left, said Akhtar Mohammad, who has also taken refuge in the school.

Another 8,000 families have been displaced across the province of Kunduz following a month of sporadic clashes between the insurgents and government forces, Rasouli added.

He said authorities were unable to provide relief items to all the displaced families across the province.

Kunduz citys public health director Ehsanullah Fazli said that since the fighting erupted more than a week ago, 29 civilians have been killed and 225 wounded.

Fighting has raged across Kunduz province for days, with the Taliban and Afghan forces engaged in bloody battles.

On Tuesday the insurgents captured Shir Khan Bandar, Afghanistans main border crossing with Tajikistan, in one of their most significant gains in recent months.

Since early May, the Taliban have launched several major offensives targeting government forces across the rugged countryside and say they have seized nearly 90 of the countrys more than 400 districts.

Many of their claims are disputed by the government and difficult to independently verify.

Violence surged after the US military began the withdrawal of its last remaining 2,500 troops from the country to meet the September 11 deadline announced by President Joe Biden to end Americas longest war.

Peace talks between the two warring sides remain deadlocked in Qatar.

SOURCE: AFP
ALBANY - Combine a bishop, a cathedral, and a priest who majored in theater and you might just get a performance of Murder in the Cathedral.

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany will be the host Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. to a free staged reading of the T.S. Eliot play. It is produced and performed by priests, including Albany Diocese Bishop Edward Scharfenberger.

The bishop hopes it will be the first of many.

The Catholic Church has a long history of plays, partly as outreach, but acting is good for priests too, he said.

It helps you understand people, he said.

Pope John Paul II ran theater groups early in his life as a way of outreach to young people, Scharfenberger noted.

I think the church should do more of that, he said. Maybe well inspire more of this.

The Rev. Daniel Quinn, who is producing the play, never intended to be in charge of the venture.

But at dinner with the bishop one night, he waxed eloquently about the power of theater. The bishop said they should do one.

Quinn, pastor of Blessed Sacrament in Albany, decided a staged reading would be doable.

Its a simple production. Its in the cathedral. You dont need to build any scenery and the lights are the lights, he said.

He majored in technical theater, learning to build scenery and hang lights at SUNY Fredonia. That was long before seminary, but hes never stopped loving theater.

You know, the Greeks saw theater as moral training, he said. Look at this person who made this decision and heres what happens.

The Eliot play was a particularly good choice from that perspective, Scharfenberger said.

T.S. Eliot wrote this because he wanted people to think. He wanted people to reflect, he said. Religion and politics, church and state: the issues are somewhat like ours.

The play is about the political reasons leading to the killing and martyrdom of Archbishop Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170. It is based on historical events.

Other priests who will perform include the Rev. Anthony Barratt, pastor of Holy Trinity in Hudson; the Rev. Anthony Ligato, pastor of St. Michael the Archangel in Troy and St. Jude the Apostle in Wynantskill; and the Rev. Chris Welch, pastor of St. Cecelia in Fonda and Sacred Heart in Tribes Hill.

Brian Gurley, director of music and organist for the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, will provide the music.

No tickets are required for the free staged reading, which will be held Wednesday at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 125 Eagle St., Albany. Donations will be collected to support future art programs at the cathedral.
ALBANY  The early election returns were coming in and John Sweeney knew they had a problem. In the war room, they decided to spend the rest of the money in the suburbs.

We said, Well, youre not going to make payroll next week, Sweeney said. "Take it all and dump it into Suffolk County."

As the evening wore on, and organizers continued to press on in the suburbs around New York City, the three-term reign of Gov. Mario Cuomo was coming to an end. Sweeney, the future congressman and then-campaign director for Republican George Pataki, saw the farmer from Peekskill win by less than 200,000 votes on a strategy known as ABC,  anyone but Cuomo.

Nearly 27 years later, Republicans are attempting to capture a similar magic as they look to usurp another Cuomo who may seek to win a fourth term to the states highest office.

On Monday, the state GOP is scheduled to take a straw poll and may nominate Suffolk County U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin as its presumptive nominee. The Republican Party hopes it can avoid a costly primary and let its candidate of choice build a base, both politically and financially, 17 months from the gubernatorial election.

Although Zeldin is the early GOP front-runner, a primary could unfold with others still pursuing the nomination, including Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino and Rudy Giulianis son, Andrew.

The path forward, while it has its similarities to the 1994 election, is mired in many factors, from a shifted political landscape to scandals that are engulfing Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo; that makes pundits cautious to predict an outcome and Republicans confident that the situation before them is a perfect storm for a GOP win.

On one hand, there is Cuomo, who may seek another term with at least $16.8 million in his campaign war chest. The governor has the baggage of investigations from the FBI, a Democratic-led Assembly and the state's attorney general. He has received accolades and criticism for his response to the coronavirus pandemic and, like many other states, is seeing skyrocketing levels of violent crime, especially in cities, that for New York followed a series of sweeping criminal justice reforms.

On the other hand, the state has shifted even more Democratic than it was in 1994, when Pataki defeated Mario Cuomo and went on to serve three consecutive terms as governor.

There are 2.6 million more Democrats today in New York than there were in 1994. There are 206,000 more Republicans. The voter registration gap between the two major parties is now 3.8 million, more than 2.5 times the margin in 1994, according to a Times Union analysis of voter registration data from the state Board of Elections.

If Republicans captured every independent or third-party voter in addition to their own party, there would still remain more than 100,000 votes shy of the total number of registered Democrats in New York, 6.75 million. Those figures are one reason Republicans would need to sway some Democrats to break ranks from party-line voting.

And the deficit Republicans are facing in party registration is not limited to New York City voters. Vital suburban communities like Long Islands Suffolk and Nassau counties have about doubled the number of registered Democrats since 1994, adding more than 401,000 Democrats. As for Republicans added since 1994: Suffolk County added 52,000 and Nassau County added 911.

Lower Hudson Valley counties like Westchester, Dutchess and Putnam all saw substantial gains in Democratic registration, nearly doubling the totals there. Westchester County saw a 12 percent reduction, losing 17,400 Republicans since 1994. Nineteen counties lost Republican registration since 1994 compared to 13 that saw a dip among Democrats, according to the analysis.

The issue we have here is not so much about registration numbers, its about the political climate and the recognition that the policies being extolled by the Democratic majority, whether it was in 1994 or today in 2021, are having a dramatic and drastic impact on the survivability of the New York taxpayer family, said Jesse Garcia, chairman of the Suffolk County GOP.

Republicans interviewed for this story focused on the issues of crime, high taxes and education as what they view as lanes forward for their gubernatorial candidate.

They view Cuomo as weak, given his scandals and his record. And they believe that the suburban Democrat could be swung toward a candidate like Zeldin, who they view as someone who transcends partisan politics despite his perceived coziness toward former President Donald J. Trump. Zeldin was one of four New York representatives to vote against the certification of the 2020 election.

Most acknowledge the voter registration gap is steep, but feel that with crime on the rise and issues like bail reform pushed by the Cuomo administration, it gives a very winnable path for a Republican to the governorship.

The reality is that the data, voter enrollment, shifting in population frankly has never been more challenging for Republicans statewide, said Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, the 2018 GOP candidate for governor. But whats matched by that is the opportunity has never been greater.

Molinaro echoed a similar sentiment to his fellow GOP members, that there is exhaustion around Cuomo, albeit a different one that was felt by voters in 1994 with his fathers fourth-term attempt. Molinaro alleged Cuomo is running a criminal enterprise in the most corrupt state in the country. Cuomo has denied wrongdoing in the face of mounting investigations, including an FBI probe of his administration's reporting on deaths in nursing homes.

Investigations aside, and regardless of who the Democratic nominee is, the concern over public safety is at the forefront, Molinaro said; it's an issue that he believes could swing enough voters to at the very least narrow the race.

Im telling you, suburban families feel it, urban families see it and it will absolutely have an impact and the ability to turn a voter, even if its just for one election, Molinaro said.

The Republican platform is not about achieving some right-wing agenda, New York GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy said, but about kitchen-table issues, particularly for suburban voters, like taxes, businesses, schools and crime.

Donald Trump is not on any ballot in 2022, but the future of New York is, Langworthy said.

He pointed out the Democratic candidate who won the most first-place votes in the New York City mayoral election was Eric Adams, a former police captain, who pushed against calls to substantially restructure or "defund" the New York Police Department.

Isnt it amazing that the law-and-order candidate came out on top and somehow the progressives dont get it, Langworthy said. Its proof to him that the issue of crime is important to Democrats also, which is what gives him comfort despite the 2.8 million GOP deficit in voter registrations.

A lot can change in a year, though, Siena College Research Institute pollster Steve Greenberg noted. Fifty-one months ago, Cuomos polling was through the roof and there were national murmurs he should run for president. Fifteen months from now, Cuomo may be facing a Democratic primary and Zeldin may be fending off his own primary challenger.

Crime may or may not still be a central issue then. But the issue of public safety has not been a part of polling recently, Greenberg said, because it has only recently emerged as a main talking point.

A Republican will have to win the vast majority of its party's voters, independents and some Democrats, while turning out its base in high numbers, Greenberg said. Regardless of the formula toward a win, the path is a complicated one at this moment. He pointed to the outcome of a pending sexual harassment investigation of Cuomo by state Attorney General Letitia James as a potential major factor. Last week, James declined to specify when her office's investigation may conclude.

You have to be in a position when luck strikes that you can seize on it, Greenberg said. Its a long shot, but long shots do happen.

Part of the maneuvering Zeldin or another GOP candidate will have to do is figure out how to defend any attack ads that tie them to Trump, Rockland County Executive Ed Day said.

If the candidate has aligned themselves with the former president, that candidate is going to have to somehow make the case that whatever they agreed with federally has next to nothing to do with local, Day said. Thats a challenge and I dont know how to do it, frankly.

Sweeney, in an interview with the Times Union last week, recalled that the keys to success in 1994 were to start early, fundraise heavily and lean on the support of Republican county executives across the state to hone their ground game. That bottom-up approach was used by Pataki's team to focus on local issues and help them to better avoid the debate on a level of Democrat vs. Republican.

Once they had a stable campaign base, they heavily focused on securing the vote of suburban women, which they knew would be essential to victory. Turnout of suburban Republican voters and swinging disaffected Democratic voters, Sweeney said, was important then and vital now.

Langworthy and the GOP hope that by its early, preliminary nomination process, the party can give a candidate like Zeldin the head start needed to build enough support in those suburban counties they would need to swing. Zeldin has already visited every county in New York, according to his campaign.

In Zeldins Suffolk County, Garcia sees the strengths of the congressman  a veteran and a former state senator  as someone who excites his base and is willing to listen to a room full of people, including Democrats. He pushed back on labeling him as a moderate or conservative, but offered that he is effective.

He noted that Zeldin would be giving up a safe Republican seat in Congress with the potential that the House flips back to the GOP in 2022, which could mean forgoing a position in leadership. He believes Zeldin, whose team did not return requests for comment, is committed to the race for governor out of a sense of calling and duty.

Its Zeldin, Garcia believes, who can overcome the fact that a place like Long Island has doubled its Democratic registration since 1994 and is now majority blue. That can be done, he added, by shifting the focus to issues people care about, like crime and taxes.

He has a reputation of being a Democrat incumbent slayer, Garcia said.
SCOTIA  Seventeen years after the disappearance of a local teenager, authorities are investigating a new lead they hope will help solve one of the villages most painful mysteries.

Craig Frear disappeared June 27, 2004. The last information police had was that the 17-year-old soccer player left his car and walked into the woods behind a friend's apartment in the Cambridge Manor Apartments on Washington Avenue.

Now State Police are investigating another possible sighting between June 27 and when Frear was reported missing to authorities on July 2, 2004, police said on Sunday. Police released the details about the new tip on the anniversary of Frear's disappearance, but it's unclear when investigators received this most recent information - and why it hadn't been revealed by the witness before. State Police said no one was available to comment further Sunday.

A co-worker believes he saw Frear in the passenger seat of a vehicle stopped at the traffic light at state Route 50 and Sheffield Road in Glenville during that time period, police said.

The vehicle was traveling north on state Route 50, stopped at the intersection and then turned left onto Sheffield Road, authorities said. The witness could not remember vehicle specifics.

State Police, who are the lead investigators, are attempting to determine the sighting's validity and are asking anyone with more information to call 1-800-448-3847 or send an email to crimetip@troopers.ny.gov.

Authorities have conducted nearly 70 searches for Frear, a junior at Scotia-Glenville High School, over the years, typically in early spring or late fall when there is the least amount of snow and brush on the ground.

Just prior to his disappearance, Frear had just gotten off the phone with his mom, Veronica Frear, who asked him to come home after learning that he hadn't shown up to his Price Chopper job for a few weeks.

As that call ended, Frear's dad arrived at the complex and saw the teen's car parked outside.

Frear didn't have much cash on him and his Social Security number has never been used. His family and friends had no reason to believe he'd take his own life or run away, though police haven't been able to rule anything out. An accident or foul play are also among many working theories.

Investigators have sent troopers and police dogs out on foot to search the route Frear would have taken home, places he was known to frequent and the woods behind Cambridge Manor. They've also used divers and boats to examine local waterways.

Frear is a white male with red hair and brown eyes. He was 5 foot 11 inches tall and weighed approximately 190 pounds.

Veronica Frear could not immediately be reached for comment on Sunday about the State Police's announcement concerning the new information.

"All the time, I think about it: What would he be doing?" Frear said in 2016. "The worst part is, for all of us, for his family, is we just miss him. Horribly."
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.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  Gov. Andrew Cuomo's political star was dimmed by allegations he sexually harassed women and misled the public about COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes.

But will that hurt him with campaign donors?

Some of the Democrat's most reliable political contributors  including unions, wealthy executives and Democratic Party officials  say they still plan to give money to his expected campaign for a fourth term in office.

The governor is planning a $10,000 per-person fundraiser for June 29 in New York City. It will be one of his first big, in-person events to raise money for his campaign since the coronavirus pandemic began. Hes also hosting a $25 per-person virtual fundraiser in July.

The full picture of whether the allegations hurt Cuomo with contributors might become clearer on July 15, when his campaign has to disclose donations made since January.

At least some donors say they are sticking with him.

Yes I am, said Larry Rockefeller, the Republican nephew of former Gov. Nelson Rockefeller and great-grandson of Standard Oil founder John D. Rockefeller. He has donated nearly $166,000 to Cuomo since 2009. Rockefeller cited Cuomo's leadership during the pandemic, on the environment and on public works like the redevelopment of Penn Station, and LaGuardia Airport.

We have due process in this country, Rockefeller said, referring to allegations made against Cuomo.

State and federal investigators are probing allegations that Cuomo sexually harassed employees and other women, groped a current female aide, unlawfully used state resources for a $5.1 million book deal and minimized the states toll of COVID-19 deaths among nursing home residents to suggest that New Yorks crisis wasnt as bad as other states.

Cuomo has denied any wrongdoing. Hes questioned the motives of his accusers and some of his investigators, including Attorney General Letitia James.

A request for comment was left with his campaign.

Polling suggests Cuomo lost some support from Democrats this year but he resisted numerous calls for his resignation last March from a majority of state and federal Democratic lawmakers.

Many Democratic politicians and the leaders of New York institutions and companies have continued to appear with him at events.

Ed Christian, business manager of Local 1414B, a Flushing chapter of the International Union of Operating Engineers, said Cuomo has been a tremendous advocate" who the union would continue to support financially.

Yeah, absolutely, Christian said, citing, like Rockefeller, the rebuilding of Penn Station and LaGuardia Airport.

Its construction projects that will allow for us to feed our families, he said. Chapters of the union, whose members operate heavy equipment at construction sites, have donated over $145,000 to Cuomo's campaigns in past years.

Scott Rechler, a donor who was appointed by Cuomo to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board and as vice chair of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, plans to give again, too, according to his spokesperson David Garten.

He didn't know if Rechler would withdraw support if the investigations of Cuomo substantiate wrongdoing.

Thats a bit of a hypothetical, Garten said. We have no idea what the report says. Well see what it says and go from there.

Cuomo had a campaign war chest of $16.8 million going into 2021, built over the years from donors like real estate titan Dan Tishman, hedge fund manager James Simons, Walmart heir Jim Walton, fertilizer tycoon-turned-investor Alexander Rovt and Estee Lauder magnates William and Leonard Lauder.

Simons, Walton, Rovt and both Lauders didnt respond to repeated requests for comment on whether they would keep giving. Tishman  whose construction company won a $35 million state contract last year  declined comment through a spokesperson.

James, the attorney general, hasn't said when she expects her team of investigators to complete their investigation of Cuomo's treatment of women. She has vowed to issue a public report when their work is done.

The state Assembly's committee is also investigating whether there are grounds to impeach Cuomo. Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn, meanwhile, are examining how the Cuomo administration mishandled data related to deaths in New York nursing homes.

Longtime Cuomo ally and state Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs in early March called sexual misconduct allegations against Cuomo upsetting, but he has also called for party members to withhold judgment until James' office completes its probe.

With the assumption that these results dont cause a cataclysmic result, and if the governor then chooses to run for re-election, my guess is that most if not all of the people whove been with him before will be with him again, Jacobs said in an interview this week.

The nations largest labor union for property service workers, SEIU 32BJ, which has contributed $95,000 to Cuomo through its American Dream Fund in the past five years, hasnt ruled out contributing to Cuomos reelection campaign.

Union spokesperson Carolina Gonzalez said it has been focused on New York City's mayoral primary and doesnt plan to make a decision on the governors race until later this year.

Cuomos still the governor, and he will continue to be the governor until hes not by whatever reason, she said. The investigations that are happening still havent finished. Theres really nothing for us to say until that process is done.
Earlier this year, the playground at the Setauket Elementary School in the Three Village Central School District on Long Island was vandalized by anti-Semitic graffiti. The police were contacted, the graffiti was quickly cleaned up and parents were informed that the school district does not condone the use or promotion of hateful messages or references.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo directed the states Hate Crimes Task Force to support the Suffolk County Police Department Hate Crimes Unit in its investigation.

Was that enough?

Schools are not only targets of hate crimes, but also one of the sources. In the case of the anti-Semitic hate crime, it appears two students in the district may have been responsible. This is not uncommon  according to the FBIs 2018 statistics, juveniles committed one in seven of the reported hate crimes.

The police can do the policing, but schools must do more educating. Otherwise, we are just addressing the crime in hate crimes  not the hate.

Most school administrators would likely rather have a root canal than draw attention to such incidents at their own school, but thats exactly what they need to do, to acknowledge, Yes, folks, it happened here. It might even have been one of us. Think of the future individual suffering and institutional damage that could be avoided.

Perhaps the schools clean-up, done by maintenance staff, should not have been done out of sight from the community but rather by Three Village residents and students themselves. It was an attack on their community, their values, and their space. In fact, its likely that very few students ever saw the graffiti and therefore have little sense that it really happened, never mind of how hateful it was.

Protecting the students from seeing the hate also prevented them from understanding its power and from experiencing their own power to do something about it.

Whats more, acts like that typically dont come out of nowhere. If someone writes, Gas the Jews on a wall, he or she learned it from someone elsevery likely in their own family or peer group. An act like that is therefore a wake-up call that reveals tension in the community.

But alarms only work if you hear them. What Three Villages didand its entirely typicalis hit the snooze button and hope it never goes off again

There are more constructive paths forward. In Cayuga County, students and adults came to together to plant a sapling from the Anne Frank tree on their school campus the horse chestnut that she could see from the attic in which she and her family hid and which served her as a profound symbol of hope. Were just a little school district that nobody knows, the teacher who spearheaded the project noted, and weve got something that is really special. For the students, he observed, it has become a source of pride.

Schools must use hate incidents as an opportunity for citizenship education by matching the act of hatred with one of unity, not just a criminal investigation.

I am reminded of an incident in Michigan when co-owners of a restaurant, bar, and community gathering place frequented by many gay patrons learned that their business was going to be the target of aggressive anti-gay demonstrations. Rather than organizing a counter demonstration, these men initiated a quick email campaign, and invited people from across the communityof all sexual orientationsto pledge any amount they wished for each minute the demonstration lasted.

The longer the hate-filled demonstration, the more money was raised for a local community center. They seemed to have understood intuitively that leadership in such cases is leading toward more ambitious community, instead of trying to fight hate to a draw, and instead of simply trying to erase hate.

Schools are so worried about bias that they often fail to realize that they offer an ideal environment in which to counter bias. Despite the media focus on the pressure on kids to fit in, most children actually tend to be interested in and curious about difference and people who are different.

When we clean up hate crimes too quicklywhen we try to erase them to protect the childrenwhose children are we protecting? Not the ones who have to live in this world and need to know their own individual and collective powers to counteract the hate thats in it.

Todd L. Pittinsky is a professor at Stony Brook University, a fellow of the Hannah Arendt Center at Bard College, and a Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County.
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How first American in space brought a newspaper to the moon
The Kansas City homicide count has now spiked to #73 so far in 2021.



Last year at this time the deadly marker was #90 as KCMO achieved a historic rate of killing and set an all-time record with 178 total homicides.

Nevertheless . . . Each deadly act of violence impacts the entire community and takes a horrific toll on families & neighborhoods.

Here's the first report . . .

This morning about 12:15 am officers were dispatched to the apartment complex at 80th and Campbell on a disturbance call.



Multiple callers heard the sounds of a disturbance outside one of the apartment buildings. When officers arrived they located an adult male victim unresponsive outside one of the buildings with unknown injuries. He was transported to the hospital by EMS where he was declared deceased.



Detectives are canvassing the area for any witnesses as well as talking to several people who were present when officers arrived.



Crime scene personnel are processing the scene for any evidence.



If anyone heard or saw anything or has any info they are asked to call detectives at 234-5043, or the TIPS hotline anonymously at 474-TIPS, there is a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to arrest in this case.

The second deadly shooting . . .

This morning right at 2:30am officers were dispatched to Independence Avenue and Lawn on a shooting call.



When they arrived they located an adult male shooting victim in a vehicle at that location.



The victim was transported to the hospital where he was declared deceased.



Preliminary information is the victim was shot inside his vehicle by an unknown suspect outside the vehicle.



Detectives are interviewing people who were at the scene when officers arrived and Crime Scene personnel will be processing the scene for evidence.



If anyone heard or saw anything or has any info they are asked to call detectives at 234-5043, or the TIPS hotline anonymously at 474-TIPS, there is a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to arrest in this case.



A link roundup of news coverage . . .

Man found dead at Waldo Heights Apartments KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City, Missouri Police are trying to figure out how a man died early Sunday morning. Police received calls saying there was a fight happening between two buildings at the Waldo Heights Apartments near 80th and Campbell around 12:15 Sunday morning. Police found a man on the ground.

Homicide, Independence and Lawn One man is dead following an early morning shooting on Independence Avenue. Sunday morning at 2:30 a.m., Kansas City, Mo. Police Department (KCPD) officers were dispatched to the area of Independence Avenue and Lawn on a reported shooting. When they arrived they located an adult male victim in a vehicle at that location.

KCPD investigating after man is fatally shot inside vehicle early Sunday KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- The Kansas City, Missouri Police Department is investigating after a man was shot inside a vehicle early Sunday and ultimately died. According to the police, officers went to the are of Independence Avenue and Lawn Avenue around 2:30 a.m. after someone called 911 saying there was a shooting.

KCPD investigate second Sunday morning homicide KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City, Missouri Police are investigating a deadly shooting at Independence Avenue and Lawn. Officers arrived shortly after 2:30 a.m. and found a man shot inside a vehicle. The man was taken to the hospital, where he died. Police believe the suspected shooter was outside the vehicle at the time of the shooting.

KCPD investigating 2 overnight homicides Kansas City, Missouri police say they're investigating two homicides early Sunday morning. First, officers were called to an apartment complex at 80th and Campbell around 12:15 a.m. There, they found a man unresponsive outside. He was taken to the hospital, where he died.Then, officers were dispatched to Independence and Lawn Avenue for a shooting around 2:30 a.m.

Kansas City Police respond to two homicides early Sunday morning KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Detectives with the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department are investigating two killings that occurred early Sunday morning. The first incident was reported just after midnight at an apartment complex at 80th and Campbell. Multiple callers heard the sounds of a disturbance outside one of the apartment buildings.

Developing . . .
A brief off-record conversation is worth sharing tonight because if offers a BIG PICTURE look at local fortunes and municipal policy.

Knowing that nothing lasts forever and eventually the "stimmy" will run out . . . We asked insiders about the future of government largess, free homeless housing, reparations funding and so much federal cash handed out freely by local officials.

Here's the word . . .



"I get it, you want to know the plan . . ."

"There is no plan."

TKC paused in astonishment . . .

"All of these efforts are designed to fail, they are ghost towns in the making and cash that will leave people out in the cold when the money runs out. And it will."

"It's not rocket science and the 'cruelty' of it all will be blamed on someone else."

"I encourage other people to ask about 'sustainability' for any of these efforts coming out of City Hall or Jackson County . . . Any honest answers will be truly frightening. But overall the 'plan' depends on an endless supply of money that does not exist."

Link reference for edification . . .

EVERYBODY WANTS STIMMMY!!!

Fourth stimulus check update: $2,000 monthly payment petition hits 2.4 million signatures A petition for monthly stimulus checks surpassed 2.4 million signatures on Thursday, putting it only about 600,000 signatures away from its target goal of 3 million. Stephanie Bonin, a Denver restaurant owner, started the petition last year when the pandemic forced the closure of businesses across the country.

More Money, More Problems

What's behind the push for a fourth stimulus check The IRS has issued almost 167 million payments in the third round of direct stimulus aid, with another 1.8 million people last week receiving the $1,400 checks. But some lawmakers are pushing for a fourth round of stimulus aid that would effectively send recurring payments until the pandemic ends.

STIMMY FOREVER!?!

Next stimulus payments start July 15: $300 payments could be permanent, White House says The next round of stimulus payments is targeted at families in the form of monthly payments from a newly expanded child tax credit. On July 15, "nearly all" working families will start seeing $250 to $300 per child automatically deposited into their bank accounts or sent to their mailboxes, the White House said.

And all this inspires our playlist tonight . . .

Possibly the retro anthem for this current giveaway epoch . . . Or at least a trip down memory late for a song I really liked when I was 10-years-old.

A cringe-y but nice musical moment regarding the blues over being broke . . .

As always, thanks for reading this week and have a save & fun Saturday night.
If you go ...

What: "Hometown Heroes  Steve Ditko Exhibit."

Where: Bottle Works, 411 Third Ave. in the Cambria City section of Johnstown.

When: July 15 through Sept. 11.

Admission: Free.

Information: 814-535-2020 or www.bottleworks.org.

Special activities

The following activities will be held in conjunction with the Hometown Heroes  Steve Ditko Exhibition:

 Ditko Inspired Exhibition will be showcased with the main exhibit and feature pieces from local and regional artists who have been inspired by Ditko. It will include a 1- to 2-minute video or written testimonial, explaining how Ditkos works influenced them. The testimonials will be combined with interviews from Ditko family members and industry professionals that will run on a loop during the exhibit.

 A public art piece will be installed honoring Ditkos legacy. Murals will appear at the Stone Bridge Brewing Company, downtown Johnstown, and the Tulip Building at Bottle Works. Public painting dates will be announced when plans are finalized.

 Ditko, a play chronicling the life and times of Ditko, will be presented at 1 p.m. July 25 at the State Theater, located inside Conemaugh Health Systems Lee Campus on Main Street in downtown Johnstown. Tickets are $18 for Bottle Works members and $20 for nonmembers and can be purchased online at www.bottleworks.org.

 Additional activities include comic book workshops on learning how to develop your own comic book on July 31, Aug. 7, 14, 21 and 28 and Sept. 11; a showing of the movie Doctor Strange on the Bottle Works lawn on Aug. 6; and Ditko Con 2021 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sept. 11 that will feature comic book creators and lectures.
This is a new feature that will appear regularly in The Tribune-Democrat and at www.tribdem.com. Tell us what you think by emailing: tribdem@tribdem.com.
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Photo at left, fireworks found in Troy. Photo at right, damage left by fireworks at Frear Park Golf Course last year,
Tigran Mehrabyan/AP

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP)  Armenias national elections commission on Sunday denied a claim by major opposition groups that the parliamentary election results that gave an overwhelming victory to the acting prime ministers party are invalid.

The June 20 election gave 71 seats in parliament to the party of the acting prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan; 29 to a bloc headed by former President Robert Kocharyan and seven to a bloc headed by another former president, Serzh Sargsyan.
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The government plans to eventually liberalise the cost of fuel at the pumps, which has been on the cards for some-time now.

It has stated that a zero-tolerance approach to market monopolisation would be taken.
South Australia is set to beef up local Covid-19 restrictions after closing its borders to five jurisdictions to help prevent the virus spreading further.

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Authorities are looking at both lowing capacity numbers at venues and home gatherings and also at mask-wearing rules after what Premier Steven Marshall described as a "significant deterioration" in Australia's fight against the pandemic.

On Sunday, SA closed its border to Queensland, WA, the NT and the ACT effective immediately after previously locking out travellers from NSW.

Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier said officials were particularly concerned that the cases of community transmission in other parts of the country involved the more transmissible Delta variant of the disease.

"This one is passing like wildfire," she said.

"At the moment we would say our community is a bit of a tinderbox and we are very concerned that if we get undetected cases it will take off very rapidly.

"This is an enormous wake-up call. This is the biggest threat in South Australia since the first wave."

Professor Spurrier said officials were considering revising the density requirement for venues such as restaurants, cafes and pubs and would also look at patron caps for particular events.

Man wearing face mask in Australia. Source: 1 NEWS

As well as the border closures, all Victorians will now need to be tested for the virus on the first day they arrive in SA.

However, there remain no restrictions for travellers from Tasmania.

Prof Spurrier urged anyone with even the mildest symptoms to get tested, with hopes of a significant increase in checks in the coming days.

She also called on everyone eligible to get vaccinated to make an appointment.

"If you had been sitting on the fence a bit about whether to get your vaccine or not, it is the time to get off that fence and roll your sleeve up and get vaccinated," she said.
Is Uganda President YOWERI MUSEVENI battling COVID-19 at a Nairobi hospital?  Here is the painful truth





HABARI HIZI ZINAPATIKANA KWENYE APP YA UDAKU SPECIAL, BONYEZA HAPA KUIDOWNLOAD KWENYE SIMU YAKO BURE

On Saturday, a military chopper belonging to Uganda President, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, was spotted landing in Nairobi, raising speculations that the Uganda strongman has been airlifted to Nairobi after testing positive for Covid -19.





Uganda has been in the last three weeks facing a Coronavirus storm especially after the Indian variant was detected in the country.





The military chopper had men wearing gowns meaning that a senior Uganda state official was being flown to a Kenyan hospital for specialized treatment.









Museveni is very ill and admitted in a hospital here in Nairobi. On Friday, he promoted his firstborn son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, as the commander of land forces in the army. What shall we then say? One Kenya Twitterati identified as Wahinya revealed.





Though his illness has been kept secret by his close aides, impeccable sources said the President is stable and is responding well to treatment.





Here is a photo of Musevenis military chopper landing in Nairobi.




For a year and a half of its existence, the Ukrainian Startup Fund has financed about 200 business projects to the tune of almost $5 million.

"The Ukrainian Startup Fund is a comprehensive approach to the development of startup ecosystem. These are funds for the implementation of promising projects, mentorship, acceleration programs, and the professional IT community. For a year and a half of the Fund's activity, more than 3,000 applications have been processed, and almost 200 startups received funding to the tune of almost $5 million. Nine well-known Ukrainian and international accelerators have been accredited to help our startups make a great product," Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine for IT Development Oleksandr Bornyakov said, the Ministrys press service informs.

According to Bornyakov, in order for startups to be able to actively develop in Ukraine and attract investment, the Ministry of Digital Transformation is creating a special legal and tax regime "Diia City". Startups that meet the following criteria will be able to become residents of "Diia City": implementation of activities defined by the legislation on "Diia City"; 90% of income must proceed from these activities; registered not earlier than 24 months before the application date; annual income does not exceed UAH 7 million. There will also be no admission criteria on the number of employees and average salary introduced for current players.

"We want more funds from international investors to come to Ukraine, so we need to show more details about the Ukrainian startup market and promote Ukrainian companies for potential partners, customers, and funds," Bornyakov said.

As reported, the Ukrainian Startup Fund is a state fund established on the initiative of the Cabinet of Ministers. The fund started accepting grant applications on December 2, 2020. The mission of the fund is to promote the creation and development of pre-seed and seed technology startups to increase their global competitiveness. Candidates for grants are selected on a competitive basis by a board of independent investment experts.

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THE OTHER DAY I mentioned to a guy I know that some Buddhist monks in Nepal are fans of my song Slow Days of Summer, according to their ESL teacher Jennifer who stopped me on the street to tell me, and I said (which is the truth) that I felt enormously honored, whereupon the guy said that 
Some New Hampshire Republicans (and not a few Democrats) are already suffering angst at the possibility that Gov. Chris Sununu may set his sights on a U.S. Senate seat next year. What will become of New Hampshire if the young man opts to save Washington from the clutches of Maggie Hassan and
To the Editor: In reply to Sens. Becky Whitley and Rebecca Perkins Kwoka on their desire to veto the abortion bill, now in consideration in the House, they noted several reasons for their stand on pro-choice for reasons such as rape or incest and women's health, but one that struck me as od
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 27th Jun, 2021) The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has announced inflows of deposits through Roshan Digital Account (RDA), an initiative of the government of Pakistan to increase overseas remittances, crossed $1.5 billion mark on Friday, with investment in Naya Pakistan certificates surpassing $1 billion, Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.

RDA is a major initiative of the central bank in collaboration with commercial banks operating in Pakistan. These accounts provide banking solutions for millions of Non Resident Pakistanis (NRPs), including Non-Resident Pakistan Origin Card (POC) holders, seeking to undertake banking, payment and investment activities in Pakistan.

In a tweet, Prime Minister Imran Khan Sunday expressed his satisfaction with the Roshan Digital Account achievement and posted an index of SBP showing cumulative inflows of deposit in the Roshan Digital Account, terming it good news.

He further said that accounts and deposits had set new records since $1 billion inflow was recorded two months ago.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Saint Petersburg, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Jun, 2021 ) :Australia's largest city Sydney entered a two-week lockdown Saturday to contain a sudden coronavirus surge and Russia's Saint Petersburg announced a record death toll, as several European nations lifted restrictions despite the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant.

Britain's health minister meanwhile resigned after revelations that he had broken the government's own coronavirus restrictions during an affair with a close aide.

While vaccination drives have brought down infections in wealthy countries, the Delta strain, which first emerged in India, has fuelled fears that the pandemic may be far from over, having already claimed nearly four million lives.

Bangladesh announced that it would impose a new national lockdown from Monday over the variant, with offices shut for a week and only medical-related transport allowed.

Sydney's normally bustling harbourside centre was nearly deserted after people were ordered to stay home except for essential trips to contain on outbreak of the variant.

And New Zealand, citing "multiple outbreaks" in Australia, announced a three-day suspension of its quarantine-free travel arrangement with its larger neighbour.

The Sydney lockdown, affecting more than five million people in the city and nearby towns, was met with dismay after months of very few cases.

"Today just feels like another kick while you're slowly getting up," said Chris Kriketos, 32, who works at a bakery in central Sydney.

The Delta variant has also been fuelling rising case numbers in Russia, where Saint Petersburg on Saturday reported the country's highest daily Covid-19 death toll for a city since the start of the pandemic.

Russia's second city, which has hosted six Euro 2020 matches and is due to host a quarter-final next Friday, recorded 107 virus deaths over the last 24 hours.

- Europe unmasks - Globally the pandemic is still slowing down, with the World Health Organization reporting the lowest number of new cases worldwide since February and decreasing deaths attributed to Covid-19.

But there is rising concern over the Delta variant, which has now spread to at least 85 countries and is the most contagious of any Covid-19 strain identified, according to WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

In Britain, Portugal and South Africa, the authorities have said the Delta variant has become the dominant coronavirus strain on their territory.

Portugal reintroduced restrictions in the worst-hit areas, including the Lisbon region, cutting back the opening hours of shops and restaurants and lowering the maximum numbers permitted there.

Some European countries are nonetheless easing restrictions as mass vaccination campaigns continue.

Spain brought an end to mandatory outdoor mask-wearing on Saturday, although many residents in Madrid, where a major coronavirus cluster has been discovered, are keeping their faces covered for now.

The Netherlands also ended its rules on outdoor mask-wearing, while easing restrictions on indoor dining and reopening nightclubs to people who have tested negative.

And Switzerland scrapped most of its remaining restrictions after Health Minister Alain Berset said that the country's use of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines gave adequate protection against the Delta variant.

In Britain, meanwhile, as anti-lockdown protesters staged another demonstration in London against the existing restrictions, Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced he was stepping down.

Days after newspaper revelations of his affair with an aide -- which breached social distancing rules he himself had promoted -- Hancock submitted a letter of resignation to Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

"We owe it to people who have sacrificed so much in this pandemic to be honest when we have let them down as I have done by breaching the guidance," he wrote.

- South African warning - The Delta variant is so contagious that experts say more than 80 percent of a population would need to be jabbed in order to contain it -- a challenge even for nations with significant vaccination programmes.

Israel, which has one of the world's most successful vaccination campaigns, has had to reimpose its requirement to wear masks in enclosed public places after four days of more than 100 new cases a day.

The variant is also fuelling an alarming rise in infections in several countries across Africa, where cases as a whole jumped 25 percent over the past week.

South Africa, the continent's hardest-hit country, warned on Saturday that soaring caseloads driven by the Delta variant were forcing authorities to consider tighter restrictions.

"We are in the exponential phase of the pandemic with the numbers just growing very, very, extremely fast," warned top virologist Tulio de Oliveira.

In India, where the Delta variant was first detected around April, seasonal flooding of the Ganges river flushed out shallow graves where hundreds were buried at the peak of the crisis.

Neeraj Kumar Singh, an official in the northern city of Allahabad, said almost 150 bodies had had to be cremated after resurfacing from the river in the past three weeks.
Jakarta, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Jun, 2021 ) :Indonesia set a new record for daily coronavirus cases on Sunday with more than 21,000, as hospitals are flooded with patients in Jakarta and other Covid-19 hotspots across Southeast Asia's hardest-hit nation.

The figure brings the country's tally for the pandemic to more than 2.1 million coronavirus cases with 57,138 deaths.

But the real number is believed to be much higher due to low testing rates for the deadly respiratory illness.

Indonesia's Covid-19 case rates have soared in recent weeks after millions travelled at the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in May, and as authorities identified the presence of highly infectious newer virus strains.

"We predicted there would be a surge in the number of cases," said Covid-19 taskforce spokeswoman Siti Nadia Tarmizi.

"The peak is expected in the next two to three weeks," she added.

Fears are growing that Indonesia's creaky health system could collapse and there are reports of some overflowing hospitals being forced to turn patients away.

Hospitals in the hard-hit capital Jakarta as well as West and Central Java have been flooded with patients, including those infected with the highly transmissible Delta variant, first identified in India.

Indonesia's government, widely accused of responding inadequately to the pandemic, has moved to temporarily beef up restrictions on movement, but it has so far held off imposing strict lockdowns seen in some other virus-wracked nations.

The country is aiming to inoculate more than 180 million of its 270 million people by early next year, but only about five percent of the population has so far been fully vaccinated.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

BUENIOS AIRES (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th June, 2021) Peru's prosecutor general office launched an investigation against former senior military officers due to a possible insurgency or sedition.

"The Prosecutor General Office has launched a 30-days preliminary investigation against individuals [who held high-ranking positions in the armed forces] due to alleged crimes concerning insurgency, sedition, conspiracy," the statement read, published on Saturday.

The prosecutor's general office added that the group of former senior officers made a public statement in order to exert pressure on the election bodies.

As Peruvian radio channel RPP reported, 23 retired generals, 22 former navy vice-admirals and 18 retired air force lieutenant generals called into question the work of the national election committee and urged it to act following the trustworthy order.

Peru held the presidential election on June 6. Left-wing candidate Pedro Castillo won the election with 50.125% of the votes, while his right-wing opponent Keiko Fujimori got 49.875%. The election committee is currently considering appeals and requests for recognizing several election acts invalid to summarize the final results.
Bishop Ollo Modeste Kambou of the Diocese of Gaoua, this week, ordained 31 seminarians from different dioceses of Burkina Faso.

English Africa Service, Jean-Pierre Bodjoko, SJ and A. Paul Dah - Vatican City

The diaconate ordinations took place at Saint John the Baptist Seminary of Ouagadougou on the Solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist.

During the ceremony, the new deacons expressed their desire to carry out the responsibilities of their new ministry with diligence. They resolved to do this with charity and simplicity of heart, be faithful to the mystery of the faith, cultivate a spirit of prayer, be conformed to Christ, and live in communion with the Bishop in a spirit of obedience.

Emulate the Cure d'Ars

Bishop Kambou urged the deacons to guard their dalmatic robes jealously. He encouraged them to emulate the "Cure d'Ars" (i.e. the parish priest of Ars), also known as John Vianney. The latter is revered as Saint John Mary Vianney. He was a French Catholic priest, renowned for his many virtues and as a renowned confessor and the patron saint of parish priests.

"My dear sons, in your ministry as deacons, always invoke the Holy Spirit with his many gifts. Always ask for the grace of humility. This virtue is vital. The Cure of Ars used to say that humility is the virtue of virtues," said the Bishop.

Pray for the new Deacons

Bishop Kambou then asked the congregation present and relatives of those ordained to always pray for the deacons.

"And all of you, brothers and sisters, beloved from different dioceses, from different horizons, pray for these chosen ones that God will grant them the grace to give of themselves entirely to His service and to that of humanity, following the example of the first martyr, Saint Stephen. May they be living signs of Christ the Servant in their ministry of service," he said.
Altar inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem (AFP or licensors)

Pope Francis writes a letter to the Catholic Patriarchs of the Middle East, as they join spiritually in celebrating the Divine Liturgy for peace in the region.

By Devin Watkins

As Catholics across the Middle East took part in Divine Liturgies on Sunday to pray for peace, Pope Francis sent a letter to their Pastors, thanking them for the initiative.

The Catholic Patriarchs of the Middle East also consecrated the region to the Holy Family.

Speaking at the Sunday Angelus, the Pope urged Christians throughout the world to pray for peace in the region.

May the Lord sustain the efforts of those who work for dialogue and fraternal coexistence in the Middle East, where the Christian faith was born and is alive, despite the sufferings, he said. To those dear people, may God always grant strength, perseverance, and courage.

Separately, in his letter to Catholic Patriarchs, the Pope recalled his Apostolic Visits to the Middle East, starting with his pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Iraq.

Ever since the beginning of my pontificate I have sought to be near to your sufferings, he said, pointing out that he has often invited the Church to pray and assist Syria and Lebanon.

Holy Family: identity and mission

Pope Francis then reflected on the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, to which the Middle East was consecrated on Sunday.

He said the Holy Family represents Middle Eastern Catholics identity and mission. Above all, it safeguarded the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God, and was built around Jesus and lived for Him.

The Pope called the Holy Family a mystery of humility and submission, which was widely recognized by the great and small alike, but which was persecuted by those who seek only worldly power.

Vocation inspired by the Spirit

Pope Francis urged all Catholics in the Middle East to rediscover how each community can fulfill its vocation in the consecration to the Holy Family.

He said this entails not only asking for the just recognition of your rights as citizens of that beloved land, but also living your mission to take care of and witness to your apostolic origins.

The Pope lamented the violence that often plagues the region, recalling that human projects for peace must rely on the healing power of God.

Do not try to slake your thirst at the poisoned wellsprings of hate, he said, but let the fields of your hearts be irrigated by the rays of the Spirit, as the great saints of your respective traditions have done: Copts, Maronites, Melkites, Syriacs, Armenians, Chaldeans, and Latins.

Light of faith

The Pope concluded his message recalling the many civilizations which have been born and died in the Middle East.

However, starting with our father Abraham, the Word of God has remained as a lamp which has illumined and illuminates our steps, he said.

And he urged Middle Eastern Catholics to persevere in the faith and in their prayers for peace, under the banner of the prophecy of human fraternity.

May you truly be salt for your lands, he said. Give flavor to the life of our societies, seeking to contribute to building up the common good, according to the principles of the Social Doctrine of the Church.
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I am a born and bred Texan hailing from Goliad, but have spent the past 10 years in Austin, Italy, Botswana and everywhere in between. I love having the opportunity to reconnect with my roots to tell important stories in the crossroads region.
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Hollywood actress and special envoy for the UN's refugee agency Angelina Jolie on Sunday praised Burkina Faso's efforts in helping people displaced by Islamist militants. But rights activists say Burkinabe authorities have also been fueling the conflict
Harris Visit: U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to El Paso, Texas, on her first official visit to the U.S. southern border on Friday. Her focus  following up on her Guatemala and Mexico trips and seeing firsthand the detention centers that hold migrants.
North Korean state television has acknowledged Kim Jong Uns apparent weight loss, even admitting that the leaders health is a subject of concern in Pyongyang.

The admission was broadcast during an interview with a North Korea resident on state-run Korean Central Television, according to South Koreas Yonhap news agency.

"The people were most heartbroken to see the respected general secretary looking thinner," the resident said in the interview broadcast Friday. "Everyone is saying that they are moved to tears.

The comments were included in an unrelated KCTV report featuring street interviews with residents expressing opinions on a variety of topics, including a recent cultural performance.

The report did not mention what, if any, health issues Kim was experiencing. Analysts said, though, that it still appears important that Pyongyang is acknowledging his changed appearance.

Minimally, someone decided that Kims visible weight loss would be the elephant in the room  the now palpably much slimmer elephant in the room  if they DIDN'T mention it, as everyone is talking about it. You can't not notice it, Aidan Foster-Carter, a veteran, Britain-based Korea specialist, told VOA in an online message.

The 37-year-olds health has often been the subject of intense speculation, most recently after he appeared on state TV looking much trimmer than he had several weeks before.



Though Kims new physique was apparent in his thinner face and baggier clothes, one news outlet found a way to possibly confirm the weight loss by comparing state media images of the leader's $12,000 IWC Portofino Automatic watch.

NK News, a Seoul-based news outlet, concluded that the length of the watch's strap past the buckle was longer in recent state media images than those published in November.

Rumors about Kims health intensified last year after he skipped a major public birthday celebration for his late grandfather, North Koreas founding leader.

Since then, Kim has been absent from state media for several extended periods of time without explanation.

Kim, a frequent cigarette smoker, appears much heavier than when he took power in 2011. Last year, South Koreas spy agency reported Kim weighed over 136 kilograms.

Rumors about Kims health also circulated in 2014, when he was absent from public view for several weeks. He eventually resurfaced using a cane; state media cryptically said he had experienced discomfort, but did not elaborate.

Kim is the third generation of his family to rule North Korea. His father, Kim Jong Il, died of a heart attack in 2011 at the age of 69. Although his death was unexpected, he had appeared sickly at the end of his life.

There is a big difference between how his dad looked in his final years  clearly shrunken in a not good, ill sort of way  and the new svelte Kim Jong Un. From what I've seen he looks better than before, Foster-Carter said.

Although media discussion about Kims weight often takes a light-hearted or mocking tone, his health situation is important, since he exercises authoritarian rule over a nuclear-armed country that may not have a succession plan in place.

Kim Jong Uns younger sister, Kim Yo Jong, appears to have gained influence in recent years, but it is not clear whether she would be a part of any succession plan.

Earlier this month, the Souths Yonhap news agency reported that the ruling North Korean Workers Party recently created a de facto second-in-command position. It reported that Jo Yong Won, a close aide to Kim, appears to have been elected to the position.

The developments come amid tough times in North Korea. Earlier this month, Kim acknowledged his country faces a tense food situation.

North Korea went into a severe coronavirus lockdown in January 2020, cutting off almost all contact with the outside world and even restraining trade with its economic lifeline, China.

The KCTV comments about Kim's health could be part of a domestic propaganda campaign designed to show that Kim is tightening his belt during hardship, says Peter Ward, a Seoul-based Korea specialist and PhD candidate at the University of Vienna.

But I doubt he lost weight because of that, Ward added.

The fact that the media is talking about it means the authorities understand its a major story inside the country, he says. And they want the people to speak in specific ways about it. Call it the North Korean version of message discipline, if you will.
Zimbabwes Lands and Agriculture Minister, Anxious Masuka, has distanced himself from the seizure of a farm belonging to government critic Siphosami Malunga and his business partners, according to an online publication, The NewsHawks.

Masuka is quoted by the publication as saying he is not aware of the seizure of the land belonging to Charles Moyo, Zephania Dhlamini and Malunga, son of the late national hero and PF Zapu stalwart, Sydney Malunga.

The NewsHawks also quoted Lands and Agriculture spokesperson, Barbara Machekano, shifting the farm saga to Matabeleland North provincial minister, Richard Moyo, who said the government should have utilized the farm a couple of years ago.

Moyo told The NewsHawks that President Emmerson Mnangagwas government is determined to subdivide the farm and allocate it to some landless Zimbabweans.

That land does not belong to the Malunga family. It was acquired by the government and belongs to the government. They are claiming to have bought shares to the property, but you cannot buy shares to a land that has been acquired by government.

There is no going back on that farm seizure. We should have taken the farm a long time ago. Besides, they do not have any documentation showing that they own the property. Dhlamini and (Charles) Moyo came to my offices to explain themselves, but failed to provide any papers. We have given beneficiaries, 14 of them, offer letters to occupy that farm. They also claim that their documents were stolen. Documents of the property stay with the owner of that property, they cannot be kept at the offices. It is clear that they want to raise dust to tarnish the image of the government.

Malunga, who is the executive director of the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa, insists that he co-owns Kershelmar Farms (Pvt) Ltd with businessman Moyo and Dhlamini, a scientist working at the National University of Science and Technology.

He claimed recently on Twitter that documents containing details of the ownership of the farm were stolen from the Deeds Office.

Indications are that the farm seizure is being spearheaded by Moyo, Central Intelligence Organization co-deputy director general Gatsha Mazithulela and Zanu PF secretary of administration Obert Mpofu.

Mazithulela and Mpofu were unreachable for comment as they were not responding to calls on their mobile phones.

The government claims that it acquired the farm in 2004 Nyamandlovu from a white commercial farmer in 2004, seventeen years before it was bought by Malunga and his partners.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  Gov. Tim Walz says he will relinquish the special powers that he has used to manage the COVID-19 pandemic by Aug. 1, ending a peacetime state of emergency that has been in effect since last March.

Thats when the toolbox will close, everything will be done, itll be done in an orderly fashion, Walz told reporters Friday. At this point in time, its turning off the lights and sweeping the floor.

About three dozen states still have a state of emergency, Walz said, calling his plan the responsible way to close this up.

But that wasn't assurance enough for Republicans who control the Minnesota Senate and complain that the Democratic governor has repeatedly cut them out of major pandemic decisions. They approved a state government budget bill Friday that would end the state of emergency on July 1. The Democratic majority in the House has repeatedly blocked such moves.

Hes proposing Aug. 1, were saying, look, 15 states have already done it, we dont need to wait any longer. This is time to close the chapter and move towards the future, Republican Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, of East Gull Lake, said.

Walz has already allowed many of his most contentious pandemic executive orders to expire, such as the mask mandate and restrictions on businesses.

But Minnesota's director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Joe Kelly, said the governor needs to hold on to his remaining emergency powers through next month.

Kelly said in a letter to lawmakers that the peacetime emergency allows the state to process unemployment insurance claims more quickly, and maintains Minnesotas ability to tap into $90 million in federal emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program food benefits for the needy for August and September. He also said it will take all of July to move 500 state employees back to their traditional roles after they were reassigned to help respond to the pandemic.

We have a handle on this. We have the long-term ability to be able to manage COVID, Walz said.
Myanmar's military junta is using torture to extract information from detainees on the whereabouts of senior opposition members and activist leaders, according to an American citizen and journalist who was recently released from a Yangon prison.

Nathan Maung, 44, was detained for more than three months in Myanmar before being deported to the United States on June 15. During that time, he said he endured two weeks in a secretive military-run interrogation center in the country's biggest city Yangon.

Speaking to CNN Business on Wednesday from Washington, DC, Nathan Maung described his time in the facility as "hell" and said he prepared himself to die there, believing the soldiers would kill him.

He is one of more than 6,200 people arrested since Myanmar's military, led by Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, seized power in a coup on February 1, according to advocacy group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. The military overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and embarked on a bloody crackdown on dissent and on any perceived opposition to its rule. Mass street protests have been suppressed with deadly force.

Former inmates, lawyers and family members of those held have previously told CNN the detainees have been subjected to torture during interrogation and held out of contact from loved ones. Some  including members of the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) Party  have died while in custody, their bodies showing signs of brutal torture.

CNN Business has reached out to Myanmar's military for comment.

Despite months of escalating violence, the junta has said it is using restraint against what it called "riotous protesters," who it accuses of attacking police and harming national security and stability.

Nathan Maung is co-founder and editor in chief of the Myanmar online news site Kamayut Media. He was arrested on March 9 alongside co-founder and news producer Hanthar Nyein, 39, as security forces raided their office.

Though now living in the United States, Nathan Maung said he is "not happy" and feels an overwhelming guilt he was released because of his American citizenship, while his friend and colleague Hanthar Nyein, a Myanmar national, remains incarcerated in the notorious Insein Prison.

"We've been through the hell together. So, we should be released together," Nathan Maung said, his voice cracking with emotion. "I really want him to know that we are not forgetting him. He's not alone."

Danny Fenster, another American journalist who was prevented from boarding a flight out of Myanmar on May 24, remains in detention, also in Insein Prison.

Weeks of 'hell'

Nathan Maung knew something was wrong when a convoy of military trucks full of soldiers pulled up outside Kamayut Media's office in Yangon. Security forces barged through the door and raided the office, seizing equipment and taking Nathan Maung and Hanthar Nyein with them as they left.

"They sent us to the interrogation center in Mingaladon," he said, referring to a suburb of Yangon.

There, Nathan Maung said they were beaten, denied water for two days and food for three. They were handcuffed and blindfolded nearly the entire two weeks they were there, he said.

"They started with a blindfold and handcuffs and then started questioning. They kicked our face, hands and shoulder, all the time. For every answer, they beat us. Whatever we answered  whether correctly or incorrectly  they beat us. For three days, non-stop," he said.

Nathan Maung said the facility had five houses and one big office. Within the buildings, he said, there were four interrogation cells. He said his blindfold was removed on his final day there so he got a look at the room and the buildings.

"In the room there is a CCTV camera, there's no bed, only a small table and a chair so you sit all day and night," he said. "You are blindfolded and there is no time to sleep. They won't let you. They put the handcuffs in front so you can try and sleep like that, but every five minutes they show up and start the questioning."

This torture carried on for eight days, during which the detainees would be moved between the houses and cells.

His colleague Hanthar Nyein bore the brunt of the torture, Nathan Maung said.

"Hanthar was badly treated because he was Burmese national. He had to kneel down on the ground for like two days. His skin was burnt with a cigarette," he said.

Nathan Maung believes the soldiers were pressuring Hanthar Nyein to hand over his phone password, which would give them access to his encrypted communications and phone records with high profile opposition and activist leaders.

For days, Hanthar Nyein held out from revealing the password, offering them false numbers in the hope his phone would automatically lock anyone out of using it. But the final straw came when the guards threatened to rape him.

"Hanthar couldn't stand for this and so he surrendered his password and they stopped beating," Nathan Maung said.

Nathan Maung's phone broke during the arrest. The beatings stopped for him on the fourth day, he said, when the soldiers discovered he was a US citizen.

"They stopped beating me and started asking questions about why the US government sent me and were giving me US funding, if I was working for the CIA  those kind of stupid questions," he said. "I said no, I'm a journalist, no one gave me money."

So, the line of interrogation focused instead on his media company Kamayut Media. He said the soldiers asked about budgets and finances. "They are looking for any fundraising or where we got it," he said.

Nathan Maung believed he would die in the interrogation cell.

"I thought, if we survived for two days at the beginning, we'll be alive ... but after that then nobody knows," he said. "When they started giving us drinking water I thought, OK, we won't die, we'll live."

Nathan Maung said he meditated to help get through the mental and physical trauma. "That's the only thing that saved us from the hell," he said.

But his ordeal was not over.

After 15 days, Nathan Maung said he was transferred to a detention center adjoining Myanmar's Insein Prison, an overcrowded penitentiary of about 10,000 inmates that has a reputation for ill-treatment and terrible conditions. For two more weeks, he was kept in a large cell with about 80 other people  all student activists, protesters, and NLD members, he said. Then he was moved to solitary confinement, where he stayed until his release on June 14.

Stopping the junta's violence

Nathan Maung and Hanthar Nyein's treatment in detention are not isolated incidents.

On Tuesday, Human Rights Watch reported that many of the thousands of people arbitrarily detained by the military have been subjected to torture, routine beatings and other ill-treatment since the coup.

"Myanmar's military and police often hold detainees in custody for extended periods, in overcrowded and unhygienic interrogation centers and prisons. Those detained are frequently kept incommunicado, unable to contact relatives or legal counsel," the organization wrote in the report. It added the victims "described beatings, burnings from lit cigarettes, prolonged stress positions, and gender-based violence."

Manny Maung, HRW's Myanmar researcher and no relation to Nathan Maung, said in a statement that since the coup, authorities have been using torture "without fear of repercussions."

"The sheer brutality of the beatings and abuse shows the lengths to which Myanmar's military authorities are going to silence anyone opposing the coup," she said.

Nathan Maung said he believes he was arrested because the military saw him "as an enemy."

He was one of at least 88 journalists arrested since the military takeover as part of a crackdown on independent media. Many media workers have been forced into exile abroad or have fled to rebel-controlled areas in the jungles. Those who remain in the cities have gone into hiding, and swap safe houses every few days to avoid arrest.

"They tortured me because I believe in democracy and human rights and freedom of expression," Nathan Maung said.

The military junta has struggled to consolidate its power over the whole country, as it continues to face mass public opposition. Large-scale nationwide protests seen in the months following the takeover were brutally suppressed. In their place, local militia groups have formed to defend towns and villages from military violence and battles between junta forces and armed resistance groups are being waged on multiple fronts around the country.

"Civil war is happening now, it's already a failed state," Nathan Maung said.

Nathan Maung said the international community cannot stand by while the junta continues to operate with impunity and lawlessness against its people and called for "aggressive action" against the military.

"We don't have time to wait and see. There are thousands refugees going to flee to the border, a humanitarian crisis happening now," he said.

Standing in a park, surrounded by beech trees in Washington, DC  thousands of miles away from the cells, the torture, and the violence  Nathan Maung feels torn, but says he plans to return to Asia and base himself in neighboring Thailand to continue fighting for a democratic Myanmar.

"Sometimes, I dream I really went back to prison, because my body is here but my mind is with my friends, my journalists, my country," he said.

"All my life, I have been working for a free Burma, as citizen and as a journalist. Until I die, I have to work for that. I have to take care of my people. They deserve democracy and human rights," he said.

-- Caitlin Hu contributed to this report.
CINCINNATI (AP)  Atlanta Braves right-hander Mike Soroka is facing season-ending surgery after again tearing his right Achilles tendon.

The Braves said Saturday Soroka suffered the new tear on Thursday while walking to the clubhouse at Truist Park, where he was continuing his rehabilitation while the team is at Cincinnati.

It was his first day out of the boot, manager Brian Snitker said before Saturdays game at Great American Ball Park. He was just walking. I hate it for him. All signs were a go, until he took that step and felt that pop.

Soroka now faces his third surgery on the Achilles. The team says the procedure will be scheduled within a week.

There was no timetable for Sorokas return prior to this latest setback, although Snitker said he was hopeful that he could return by the end of this season. Soroka had not yet started throwing off the mound.

Snitker texted Soroka on Saturday morning after hearing the news and later spoke with him by phone.

Hes put things in perspective, Snitker said. Hes ready for this next journey hes going to be on. The day it happened, it really punched him in the gut.

Soroka, who was Atlantas opening day starter in 2020, first tore the Achilles in a game against the New York Mets on Aug. 3, 2020. He had season-ending surgery and was working to return this season when he suffered a setback in May which led to a follow-up procedure.

Soroka was again working to return this season before tearing the same Achilles. The Braves say an MRI confirmed the new tear.

Soroka emerged as one of the foundations of the Braves rotation in 2019, when he went 13-4 with a 2.68 ERA. The Canadian earned a spot in the All-Star Game, finished second in NL Rookie of the Year balloting and sixth for the Cy Young Award.

News of Sorokas setback spread through the Braves clubhouse on Saturday.

Theyre all sick for him, Snitker said.
One Decatur native wanted to show the LGBTQ+ community how much they are loved by holding a prom for them to attend.

WAAY-31 spoke to the organizer about the importance of events like this one.

June is Pride month across the country and Saturday night, at Urban Atlas, the owner, Lynsey Staggs put on her annual LGBTQ+ prom.

She said in Decatur she has seen the support grow but feels they still have a long way to go.

"Oh we can't go to prom with who we want to, the school won't allow it or things like that and I was like oh, we'll just have one," Staggs said.

So, Lynsey Staggs has been putting on this prom at her storefront, Urban Atlas, for anyone to join and have a good time.

"We're here to represent because we're out there knowing Alabama is such a country town that nobody even wants us to be involved with anything. They think we're not even around. We're here, we're queer and we're here to stay," Brian Gilreath said.

Brian and Jonathan Gilreath have been married for 12 years and they say they love to see small towns come together like this.

The event was filled with streamers, balloons, and pride gear.

Throughout the night, many say they just hope people like Staggs will continue to push for LGBTQ+ rights.

"We're here and we're no different than anybody else. Our love is the same as anybody else's love and we deserve this like anyone else," Gilreath said.

Just showing up Saturday night is a huge step for many. Staggs hopes if you don't identify within this community, you recognize the message she wants to get across.

"As long as you're caring for one another it doesn't matter what you believe in... Right or left, if you love each other and you care about how other people feel, that's the mainline, the goal," she said.

Staggs hopes to continue to bring awareness to the LGBTQ+ community and all proceeds from the prom are going to the Human Rights Campaign.

Saturday night's prom also falls on the anniversary of when same-sex marriages became legal in the United States.
I applied that advice more than a year ago, when New York reported its first coronavirus case. I remember the shock and disbelief in my daughters eyes as I explained that her school was closing due to the pandemic. As my grandparents had done for my mother, I tried to convey that we would be okay. I focused on what we could control; how we would occupy ourselves over the coming days (cooking meals, watching movies, reading books) and ignored what we could not control.
Toward the end of the book, Chenoweth argues we journalists may be part of the problem. Chicago newspapers were full of skilled reporters who failed to see much news in that districts recent gains. A Stanford University team provided data on student achievement and socioeconomic standing in U.S. districts. The analysis showed that while a Chicago cohort of third-graders was well below the national average in reading, when they reached eighth grade they were at about the national average. The Stanford team found that no other large or even medium-sized district was able to grow student achievement by that much. Chenoweths reporting revealed this to be the result of significant changes in the ways Chicago children were taught, but the story did not catch fire in the local press.
Mr. Rzewski provided a fitting epitaph in 2003: I wanted to find ways of writing that were chaotic, that bore some kind of relation to real subjective experience, and worked on various ways of writing down everything that was coming into my head. This was not so easy, because there are these mechanisms of censorship at work which tell you what to write, and what not to. Much of my work is incoherent, but systematically incoherent  a phenomenon that is familiar in literature and other artistic fields, but not in music. There were no surrealist composers.
After about three hours of nonstop reading, shortly after 1 a.m., he reached an emotional crescendo with his own brief speech against the war: Arms are being severed. Metal is clashing through human bodies because of the public policy this government and all its branches continue to support. He then broke down in tears of exhaustion and sorrow and stopped, saying he was physically incapable of continuing any longer.
Rieman said she never felt like she had what it took to be a dancer, which was only emphasized when she began using her wheelchair in 2018 after a car accident. When she learned about the class, she felt it would be a great opportunity to get out of her comfort zone.
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The U.S. Embassy in Havana is down to a skeleton crew, and the consulate remains closed, with Cuban visa seekers required to travel to a third country. With political repression on the upswing and the economy in dire straits, more Cubans have set sail for Florida in rafts and small boats. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection figures, 35,738 Cubans attempted to cross U.S. land borders during the first five months of this year, compared with fewer than 20,000 in the 12 previous months.
Heading the agenda for their hour-long discussion, conducted behind closed doors after introductory remarks in the presence of reporters, were U.S. negotiations with Iran over a return to the Iran nuclear deal, signed under the Obama-Biden administration and jettisoned by Trump. Israel, under Netanyahu and the new government, strongly opposes a U.S. return to the agreement, arguing that it was naive in conception and that Iran cannot be trusted not to build a nuclear weapon.
It was unclear if Bidens statement would revive momentum behind the fragile deal that he outlined triumphantly on Thursday, flanked by five Democrats and five Republicans who had hammered it out. Many liberal Democrats have said they would support the bipartisan deal only if the other, bigger spending package was passed at the same time. Some Democrats are especially concerned that the bipartisan package does not do more to take on climate change.
A health volunteer uses a swab to collect a sample from the nose of a Richmond-area resident on April 28. (John McDonnell/The Washington Post)

Doctors say they are taking this moment to process the trauma of the last 16 months.
Fischetti, who took part in the Thursday meeting, said Friday that prosecutors are going forward with a case against the company because Weisselberg wasnt cooperating and saying what they want him to say with respect to whether Trump had personal knowledge about his CFOs alleged use of cars, apartments and other compensation that prosecutors think may not have been reported properly to tax authorities, according to people with knowledge of the case.
This may sound simplistic, but its the way I read the Gospel, he said. Jesus went after all kinds of people, people that were broken and hurt and sad and lost and grieving. I think the church has to do the same. The church is for all of us who are, lets face it, messed up in our own ways. It should say, Come in, well figure it out together. All are welcome. 
I go back to that beautiful discourse in John Chapters 13 to 17, which is Jesus last time with his disciples. Hes turning over the whole thing to them. And they havent really proven themselves. In fact, theyve proven themselves unreliable. So, what did he do? He washed their feet. And he said to them, this is your stance in the world. Youre a servant, youre not the leaders. Then he said, you should be known by your love. And you should be known by your unity. Those three things.
Russia was the first country to authorize a coronavirus vaccine when it approved Sputnik V for mass use last August. But although the vaccine has been authorized by more than 60 countries, 62 percent of Russians polled in April said they would not take the vaccine, according to the Levada Center, an independent polling and research institute. Meanwhile, in a May survey by Levada, 55 percent of Russians who participated said they were not afraid of contracting the coronavirus.
Getting Prayuth ousted is a common demand of all groups. If Prayuth is still in power, it is impossible to accomplish other demands, Jatuporn said. We dont care who will be the next prime minister, but Prayuth must get out. The only condition for the next prime minister is that the person must be capable enough to solve the current problems.
Charles L. Riney, 86, of Washington, went home to be with our Lord and Savior on Sunday, June 27, 2021, at 7:25 a.m. He was born in Washington on Nov. 3, 1934, to Thomas and Ann Marie (Smith) Riney. He loved gardening and spending time with his beloved dog. He is survived by one sister, Paul
The Vintners Federation of Ireland has said that "any delay to reopening will devastate pub sector."

"The scheduled full reopening of the hospitality sector on July 5 will mean a return to work for over 25,000 staff and the opportunity for pubs to trade during a busy summer season," the VFI said.

"The eight weeks until the end of August is a vital period for publicans as it remains the only realistic opportunity to salvage something from 2021 and tide them over until next year.

"Therefore, todays briefing there is only a 50-50 chance of reopening proceeding as planned is causing huge concern and stress to publicans and the 25,000 staff who are planning on returning to work in early July."

NPHET has urged caution because of the Delta variant of Covid-19, stressing that the reopening of indoor hospitality on July 5 would be a "recipe for problems." The government will have to now review the NPHET advice before deciding whether or not to stick to the plan in place for July 5 or delay that reopening.

Padraig Cribben, VFI Chief Executive, says: The comments from Government ministers that July 5 reopening may be delayed is causing huge upset and concern in the hospitality sector. With only two weeks to go its not acceptable to treat our members in this manner.

There are just eight weeks in the summer season for pubs to recoup some of the massive losses accumulated over the past 15 months, so to tell publicans they may lose any of those weeks will devastate the trade. The business generated in July and August will sustain most pubs through the winter and into next year so for Government to delay reopening during the summer will impact the sector to a much greater degree than, for instance, a delay in January.

Publicans are busy rehiring staff and ordering stock so this new uncertainty places them in an impossible position. They need immediate confirmation that reopening on 5th July will proceed as planned. The fact Government will not make a final decision until Friday 2nd July  just three days before reopening  illustrates how detached Ministers are from the realities of running a business. The mental stress this uncertainty is placing on our members cannot be overstated.

The easing of restrictions and reopening of society has been a relatively smooth process that publicans support, including the resumption of outdoor trade on 7th June. Its beyond belief we are now thinking of going backwards while the rest of Europe moves forward. Pubs in England reopened indoors on 17th May while pubs in Northern Ireland have been fully open for over four weeks. Denmark is allowing 40,000 spectators attend Euro 2020 matches.

We are also facing the resumption of unrestricted travel to EU countries from July 19. Is the Government seriously suggesting that people can travel to Spain for a pint while pubs back home remain shut?

Were already lagging behind the UK and mainland Europe when it comes to reopening. July 5th must proceed as planned, says Mr Cribben.
Luke Toebelmann is sometimes asked whether he is paid for his work in the charity sector.

Not only is he paid, but he is developing skills that are favoured in the corporate sector as well.

Working for a cause is still a profession and a real job, he said.

Fundraiser of the year Luke Toebelmann

Gary Johns, commissioner at the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, says law and accounting firms value prospective employees who have work experience in the not-for-profit sector. He says this experience suggests to employers that a job candidate has a broader outlook and that they offer more than just a toolkit of skills.
The nations principal opera company and a convicted child sex offender are being sued for the sexual abuse of a former member of the childrens choir, the Supreme Court has heard.

Now in her early 40s, the woman was aged 14 and 15 when she was a member of the childrens chorus for Opera Australia in the mid-1990s.

David Lewis was released from jail after serving a two-year sentence for two counts of sexual intercourse with a person aged between 10 and 16. Credit:Facebook

Opera tenor David Lewis, then 34, befriended the teenager who confided in him about her traumatic childhood. He then proceeded to groom the girl and to sexually abuse her.

The singer was released from jail in December last year after serving a two-year sentence for two counts of sexual intercourse with a person aged between 10 and 16 and three charges of aggravated indecent assault.
More than a quarter of Australias top 20 listed companies will not fund the superannuation increase for all employees from July 1 but will instead deduct it from take-home pay.

ANZ, Wesfarmers, Macquarie Group, Telstra, Goodman Group and Transurban are among the biggest companies relying on clauses that specify total remuneration package or total package value or remuneration inclusive of superannuation to avoid forking out an extra 0.5 per cent in superannuation to workers on individual agreements.

The Superannuation Guarantee - compulsory superannuation paid on top of ordinary earnings - goes up from 9.5 per cent to 10 per cent on July 1. For most workers, including those on awards and enterprise agreements, this will mean an increase in total remuneration because their base salary will remain the same, while the superannuation component will increase.

Superannuation Minister Jane Hume said the government always knew there was a trade-off between super and wages. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

But for the 40 per cent of Australian workers on individual agreements, it will depend on the wording of the contract and the discretion of their employer. Many will see an immediate reduction to take-home pay to fund the super increase without increasing total remuneration, though they may be compensated down the track in the next annual pay review.
A younger generation of philanthropists is driving a surge in donations to climate change charities, with the countrys biggest environmental advocacy groups almost doubling their revenue in a year.

Analysis by Groundswell Giving and the Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network found the top six environmental charities increased their revenue to $163.5 million in the 2020 financial year, from $93 million the previous year.

Most of this came from bequests and donations. For example, Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission records show donations to the World Wide Fund for Nature skyrocketed from $24 million in 2019 to $54 million last year.

Bella Wiggs, daughter of Archer Capital founder Peter Wiggs, is using her family trust to fight climate change. Credit:Janie Barrett

The Climate Councils revenue almost doubled in that time, while Sunrise Project Australia, the local arm of a global network of changemakers against fossil fuels, nearly tripled its revenue to $28.1 million.
Well, I nev-ah! This week your humble correspondent received a call from the National Crime Authority advising that it had observed unusual activity on my bank account, but felt sure it could sort it out for me if I would hand over my bank details. This seemed more than passing odd, given it already knew that swarthy thugs from drug cartels in polka dot bikinis had been riding camels through my account, or engaged in some equally unusual activity? I declined. But mentioning it on Twitter brought forth a deluge of similar stories. Right now, it seems, such calls are the equivalent of the old Nigerian email scam. People purporting to be from variously, the ATO, Microsoft, Telstra, Amazon, NBN, Australia Post and myriad others, do cold calls and use any number of ruses to extract bank details. Some people have fun with it with one woman advising: I usually say What a coincidence! My husband works for your organisation. Ill just put him on the phone and you can talk to him. They cant hang up quickly enough. Newsreader Jim Dolan is regularly called by the tax office in Byron Bay. I ask if they will take cash to settle my debt . . . and offer to meet them on the town hall steps at 10am. Wearing a red hat. Yes, yes, yes, a whole lot of fun. Until someone loses an eye! As a public duty, surely we all need to warn some of the older and potentially more vulnerable citizens that these kinds of scams  which they can read about at scamwatch.gov.au  are about?

And we also need to have a gentle word with the bone-stupid and highly gullible, who will believe anything. Just no one tell Craig Kelly or Clive Palmer, ok? They deserve it . . . If not racism, what was it? Our erstwhile prime minister John Howard was on the ABC on Monday evening, being interviewed by Annabel Crabb and Nazeem Hussain when the subject turned to racism. I dont think there is underlying racism in Australia. Hussain: You dont think theres racism in Australia?

Mr Howard: No, I dont. Hussain: On reflection, would you characterise the Cronulla riots as racist? Mr Howard: No, I dont. A point of order, Mr Speaker, if I may? Over here, the Member for Bleeding Bloody Obvious. Mr Howard, if the Cronulla riots were not driven by racism, what, pray tell were they driven by? Its a serious question Mr Speaker, and I think it important that Mr Howard answer it in the public domain. If not racism, what? And if not racism, why did the NSW Administrative Decisions Tribunal hold that in whipping up the mob at Cronulla, broadcaster Alan Jones had incited hatred, serious contempt and severe ridicule of Lebanese Muslims by his on-air comments, describing them a vermin who rape and pillage a nation thats taken them in.

If that wasnt racism, Mr Howard, what was it? Former Prime Minister John Howard has a rosy view about the Cronulla riot. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Brain Teaser of the Century Friends? This is nothing less than the best brain teaser I have ever seen, and it originally appeared in Marilyn vos Savants column, Ask Marilyn in Parade magazine in 1990: Suppose youre on a game show, and youre given the choice of three doors: Behind one door is a car; behind the others, goats. You pick a door, say No. 1, and the host, who knows whats behind the doors, opens another door, say No. 3, which has a goat. He then says to you, Do you want to pick door No. 2? Is it to your advantage to switch your choice?

Answer next week. (And youre on your honour. Youre allowed to ask smart and mathematical friends  even those with PhDs  because they will probably get it wrong in any case. But NO Googling!) Quotes of the Week I prepared myself for every argument that Barnaby might put against gay marriage and then he said some middle eastern countries would see it as Australian decadence and cancel cattle orders. He stumped me.  Barrie Cassidy, recalling Barnaby Joyce 1.0. Message to the Nats  not even the Americans would vote for Trump twice.  Former Liberal leader John Hewson, after the National Party gave their own answer to a souffle never rises twice, by rewarming a meat pie with tomato sauce, putting Barnaby Joyce back in the role of Leader, replacing the hapless, hopeless, but decent, Michael McCormack. Change the channel! -The federal Member for Bruce, Labors Julian Hill, interjects during PM Morrisons televised answer during question time, from the Lodge, where is serving out his quarantine stint.

Oh my God, whats happened?  Former Parisian fire chief Sgt. Xavier Gourmelon tells the Daily Mail of Princess Dianas last words after her fatal road crash in Paris in 1997. You have to say theres a fair bit of public outrage about it.  A restrained NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller about the idea that the limo driver who caused Sydneys latest COVID outbreak was unvaccinated despite regulations. Maggoted.  A fellow senator describing the, at best, tired and emotional condition of Northern Territory senator Samantha McMahon in the chamber on Tuesday evening. Senator McMahon denies this, and insists her demeanour was caused by receiving some sad personal news. When you leave your home, at any time of the day, you have to assume that you, or somebody in close proximity, has the virus.  Premier Berejiklian, at the beginning of the week, trying to keep everyone focussing on not spreading COVID. I really want the public to be prepared and to know this is an evolving situation and the NSW government will not hesitate to go further and harder.  Premier Gladys Berejiklian as the COVID outbreak got worse and more restrictions came in.

It is very difficult for Australians overseas to get home right now because our government has pushed a politics of paranoia over any sort of policy. The government has shown time and again how little it cares about us.  Anne Walsh of the Aussies Stranded in the UK Facebook group at the news that Scott Morrisons office spent weeks planning a G7 side trip to explore his convict family roots while the Prime Minister publicly argued Britain was too risky for Australian travellers. The Australian press was not told about the St Keverne trip and Morrisons official photographer, Adam Taylor, did not publish any images from the pilgrimage even though he was there. Nothing was mentioned on Morrisons Facebook page or Twitter account. While we see that more capital works will go into our health system, all of that lovely bricks and mortar does nothing to save lives, its actually the people inside and were not seeing that issue addressed at all in this budget.  NSW Nurses and Midwives Association secretary Brett Holmes about the state budget. Morrisons poor judgment, the debacle of the vaccination rollout, the failures on quarantine, the monumental debt created by the monumental spending, his intolerance of criticism will all catch up with him eventually, most likely not until after the election, when he will reap what he has sown.  Nikki Savva, in her last column for The Australian, before resigning over the arrival of Peta Credlin as a fellow columnist. At the time Juanita disappeared it was rumoured she was costing developers millions per day. Her disappearance without trace was devastating for all the family. We were worried that we might be targeted. She couldnt be buried with her family and for many years there was not even any memorial to Juanita in the family burial ground, her father had died of a broken heart. Margaret Foy, speaking on behalf of husband Francis Foy, Juanita Nielsens cousin, as a reward of $1 million was offered by police for new evidence leading to a conviction and discovery of Juanitas remains. I acknowledged my faults, and I resigned, as I should and I did. I spent three years on the backbench. I hope I come back a better person. I dont walk away from the fact that you have to have time to consider not only the effect on yourself but more importantly the effect on others. Ive done that, I dont want to dwell on the personal.  Barnaby Joyce after barging, in a very Barnaby way, back into the leadership of the National Party.
Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan has increased border controls as he again chooses a safe and sensible response to community cases of COVID-19, saying that other states delaying action was a problem.

The new border arrangements come on the back of current Phase 1 restrictions in the Peel and Perth regions.

Mr McGowan upgraded border controls with the Northern Territory, Queensland and the ACT, which come into effect at 6pm WST Sunday.

Arrivals from these locations must now complete 14 days self quarantine and be tested upon arrival in Perth.
London: The most senior minister in charge of battling the coronavirus pandemic in Britain has quit after pictures and video emerged showing him flouting social distancing rules while conducting an affair with a senior aide.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock resigned from the cabinet on Saturday afternoon, local time, with an apology for breaching the same rules he had spent months asking the public to comply with.

I understand the enormous sacrifices that everybody in this country has made and those of us who make these rules have got to stick by them and thats why Ive got to resign, he said.

Matt Hancock was pictured leaving Downing Street with Gina Coladangelo on May 1. Credit:Getty

Hancock had tried to cling onto his job after the Sun newspaper on Friday published images and footage of Hancock locked in an embrace with Gina Coladangelo, a friend from university who was this year appointed as a non-executive director at the Department of Health and Social Care.
Rescue workers remove a body from the rubble where a wing of a 12-story beachfront condo building collapsed, Thursday, June 24, 2021, in the Surfside area of Miami.
Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media

An American Airlines flight that departed from Bradley International Airport had to return to the landing strip after reporting a mechanical issue.

The plane  American Eagle flight 6037 headed to Philadelphia  landed safely without incident at the airport around 1:45 p.m., according to the Connecticut Airport Authority and American Airlines.
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Beth Lane is the author of "Lies Told Under Oath," the story of the 1912 Pfanschmidt murders near Payson, Illinois and the former executive director of the Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County.

The Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County is preserving the Governor John Wood Mansion, the History Museum on the Square, the 1835 Log Cabin, the Livery, the Lincoln Gallery displays, and a collection of artifacts and documents that tell the story of who we are. This award-winning column is written by members of the Society. For more information visit hsqac.org or email info@hsqac.org.
Have you ever jotted something down on a piece of paper, and then used that same piece of paper as a bookmark? Its a common enough phenomenon, and whether whats on there is a sketch, a list or a reminder, it might end up lost for years or decades until you revisit the same book. As you stash your scribbling between two pages, rest assured that youre part of a long and storied tradition. A new find, now on display at Amsterdams Van Gogh Museum, suggests that Vincent van Gogh engaged in that very same practice.



To put things another way: for us, the prospect of a newly-discovered series of van Gogh sketches is a landmark event. For van Gogh himself, however, those sketches made a perfectly serviceable bookmark.



Writing at The Art Newspaper, van Gogh expert Martin Bailey offered an in-depth look at this new find. Bailey offers a succinct description of the sketches, which focus on a trio of peasants. Discoveries of totally unknown Van Gogh drawings are now rareperhaps once or twice in a decade, Bailey writes. What led to the discovery of this new work?

Adventures with Van Gogh | A once-in-a-decade discovery: we reveal a drawing by Vincent, found hidden in a book @vangoghmuseum https://t.co/cchgoXeXRR  The Art Newspaper (@TheArtNewspaper) June 25, 2021

In 1883, van Gogh sent a copy of Emile Erckmann and Alexandre Chatrians Histoire dun Paysan, a novel about the French Revolution, to his friend Anthon van Rappard. The sketches were found inside, and are stylistically similar to work van Gogh was doing in 1881  suggesting that he may have used the sketches as a bookmark and then forgot about them.



After van Rappards death, his wife held on to the book and the sketches, and they stayed in her family until 2019; at that point, they sold both to the Van Gogh Museum. These early works give a fuller sense of van Goghs evolution as an artist  and offer a glimpse of his friendships and literary enthusiasm as well.
BETHEL  A state police trooper arrested last week became the latest member of his agency to be charged with driving under the influence in recent years.

Andrew Murphy, 33, a state trooper out of Troop A in Southbury, was accused of repeatedly ignoring a Bethel police officers commands when he was found struggling to keep his balance in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven near his home last Sunday, according to an incident report.

Murphy, who is free after posting $500 bond, is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in state Superior Court in Danbury on charges of DUI, disobeying the signal of an officer and interfering with an officer.

Murphy is at least the third Connecticut state trooper to be arrested on a DUI charge in the past two years.

In 2019, state police arrested Sgt. John McDonald, a member of the Western District Major Crimes Squad, after they said he drove through a stop sign and crashed into a car carrying a woman and her daughter.

Police said McDonald, who like Murphy worked out of the Troop A barracks in Southbury, downed eight drinks at an Oxford brewery during a retirement party for another officer before getting behind the wheel.

State police said McDonald remains on administrative suspension. Last month, he pleaded nolo contendere to two counts of second-degree reckless endangerment as part of a plea deal allowing him to avoid jail time. He is also being allowed to take a pretrial alcohol education program to have the DUI charge dismissed.

Last March, state police said they arrested Trooper Shaquille Williams, a patrol officer out of Troop I in Bethany, on a DUI charge after they found his cruiser pulled off the side of Interstate-84 in Waterbury. A 911 caller spotted the vehicle and reported the car had its hazard lights on and the driver was either asleep or unresponsive, police said.

State police said Williams failed a field sobriety test. In body-cam footage of the arrest, Williams admitted he messed up to the officers who arrested him. He was charged with illegal operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs and released on bond.

A spokeswoman for the states judiciary system said the case against Williams was nolled on Dec. 3, 2020.

State police said last week that Williams remains on administrative suspension.

Bethel police do not have body cameras and a Hearst Connecticut Media request was denied for dash cam footage of Murphys arrest last week. Bethel police Lt. George Bryce said the dash cam footage is is not releasable, citing an exemption in a state statute regarding public records.

The exemption allows law enforcement to withhold information or materials that an agency reasonably believes may prejudice a pending prosecution or a prospective law enforcement action, the statute reads.

According to a police incident report of the arrest, Murphy was off-duty when he told an officer who instructed him to not get behind the wheel to watch this, before getting into his car and driving about a mile to his house, traveling around 10 mph and swerving.

Police detained Murphy in his driveway and conducted a field sobriety test. The report said Murphy repeatedly identified himself as a state trooper and told the arresting officer that he was hurting one of your own.

Editors note: We have updated the sequence of the photo gallery in this story to reflect the most recent incident first.
In 1933, a group of workers were building a bridge over the Songhua River near Harbin, China, when they made an unexpected discovery: a fossilized human skull that appeared to be very, very old. One of the workers hid the skull in an abandoned well, worried that it might be taken away by invading Japanese forces. The man who hid it died in 2018, but not before telling his grandson the whole story. So writes Ian Sample at The Guardian, and what follows offers an even more compelling narrative.



Professor Qiang Ji led a group of scientists at the Hebei Geo University in China in investigating the skull and its origins. They concluded that it was at least 146,000 years old and possibly even older. And where, exactly, the skull fits in the span of human history has sparked a debate among scientists. As Sample notes, the Harbin skull and a handful of others from China formed a new branch closer to modern humans than Neanderthals.

Dragon Man: is he a new species of human, or the face of Denisovans discovered at last? Heres my @nytimes story on a gorgeous skull that was hidden in a well for 85 years. https://t.co/10ZAo07kXF pic.twitter.com/1khAgRdm8u  Carl Zimmer (@carlzimmer) June 25, 2021

In their report on the findings, the BBC notes that the skull has been nicknamed Dragon Man. And it also quotes one of the researchers who examined the skull to give a sense of what this means as far as our understanding of prehistory is concerned.



In terms of fossils in the last million years, this is one of the most important yet discovered, said Professor Chris Stringer of the Natural History Museum in London. Given what it has to say about the evolution of humanity, its hard to disagree.
BANGKOK (AP)  Faced with a sharp rise in coronavirus cases, the Thai capital on Sunday announced a ban on indoor dining and gatherings of more than 20 people, in addition to the closure of construction sites and the sealing off of workers' quarters in Bangkok and nine other provinces.

A health worker administers a dose of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine to a disabled person in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, June 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

BANGKOK (AP)  Faced with a sharp rise in coronavirus cases, the Thai capital on Sunday announced a ban on indoor dining and gatherings of more than 20 people, in addition to the closure of construction sites and the sealing off of workers' quarters in Bangkok and nine other provinces.

The measures will remain for 30 days.

Thailand reported 3,995 confirmed cases and 42 dead in the last 24 hours. The numbers have doubled recently, and health officials blame a lack of cooperation from migrant workers employed in construction and in factories.

Camps were closed but workers sneaked out to markets and communities, and spread the disease," Apisamai Srirangson, spokesperson for the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration, said Friday. She said that bubble and seal disease control measures had proved successful within 28 days in handling clusters in Samut Sakhon province, south of Bangkok, but not in the capital.

The situation has become critical as the number of hospital beds in Bangkok for seriously ill COVID-19 patients is running short despite the creation of several field hospitals. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said Friday that a proposal for a seven-day curfew for all of Bangkok has been rejected for the time being.

Under the new restrictions, construction workers will be isolated in camps in Bangkok and five neighboring provinces, and in the countrys four southernmost provinces, all virus hotspots.

Department stores and malls in Bangkok can stay open until 9 p.m., but food and drinks in restaurants are allowed only for takeaway. Seminars, meetings and parties are canceled. If more clusters are discovered, the governor can seal off those communities.

Travelers from the 10 provinces, including Bangkok, will be isolated and quarantined.

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.

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.
BARCELONA, Spain (AP)  Supporters of independence for Catalonia protested Sunday against a visit to its regional capital Barcelona by Spains King Felipe VI, as high-level efforts to allay tensions there gain new momentum.

BARCELONA, Spain (AP)  Supporters of independence for Catalonia protested Sunday against a visit to its regional capital Barcelona by Spains King Felipe VI, as high-level efforts to allay tensions there gain new momentum.

The king was in Barcelona to help mark the opening of a major international wireless trade fair, called Mobile World Congress, which begins Monday.

Demonstrations against visits to Catalonia by the monarch, who is a symbol of rule from Madrid and who has criticized separatist movements, are common.

But despite the entrenched and confrontational positions, recent developments have raised the possibility that senior officials might find a path to some degree of compromise. Scores turned out for Sundays demonstrations  a number far lower that in some protests in recent years.

The Catalan regional president, Pere Aragones, who supports Catalan independence, is due to meet in Madrid on Tuesday with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. It will be their first encounter since Aragones became regional chief earlier this year.

The talks come exactly a week after Sanchezs government pardoned nine Catalan separatists who were in prison because of their attempts to break their region away from Spain.

The pardons were seen as a goodwill gesture by Sanchez as he seeks a breakthrough on an issue that has dogged Spain for decades.

Catalonias separatist movement, which is supported by roughly half the 7.5 million residents in the region, wants to create a republic for the wealthy northeast corner of Spain.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP)  Many Americans aching for normalcy as pandemic restrictions end are looking forward to traditional Fourth of July fireworks. But with a historic drought in the U.S. West and fears of another devastating wildfire season, officials are canceling displays, passing bans on setting off fireworks or begging for caution.

Bobbie Uno displays photographs of burnt brushes outside her home Thursday, June 24, 2021, in Clearfield, Utah. July Fourth fire works are a mainstay summer tradition for Americans aching for normalcy as pandemic restrictions ease, but the megadrought gripping the West means the colorful sparklers and exploding bottle rockets could be seriously dangerous. They also carry risk, starting thousands of fires a year - including one that burned Uno's home on the holiday last year. "Within five seconds my house, from the bushes to the rooftop, it was burning," she said. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

SALT LAKE CITY (AP)  Many Americans aching for normalcy as pandemic restrictions end are looking forward to traditional Fourth of July fireworks. But with a historic drought in the U.S. West and fears of another devastating wildfire season, officials are canceling displays, passing bans on setting off fireworks or begging for caution.

Fireworks already have caused a few small wildfires, including one started by a child in northern Utah and another in central California. Last year, a pyrotechnic device designed for a baby's gender reveal celebration sparked a California blaze that killed a firefighter during a U.S. wildfire season that scorched the second-highest amount of land in nearly 40 years.

Some regions of the American West are experiencing their worst drought conditions in more than a century this year, said Jennifer Balch, director of Earth Lab at the University of Colorado. People setting off fireworks at home is a concern because of both the tinder-box conditions ripe for starting wildfires and the threat of injuries. Last year, injuries spiked to their highest level in 15 years after the pandemic canceled large gatherings, federal data shows.

As a fire scientist, Im bracing myself for this fire season because of how dry and hot it is already, Balch said. I think fireworks right now are a terrible idea.

Fireworks industry professionals, who also stressed caution in drought-prone areas, expect strong sales despite a shortage caused by pandemic-related manufacturing slowdowns and trade disruptions.

Boxes for fireworks are shown in fireworks vendors tent Thursday, June 24, 2021, in Sandy, Utah. Many Americans aching for normalcy as pandemic restrictions end are looking forward to traditional Fourth of July fireworks. But with a historic drought in the U.S. West and fears of another devastating wildfire season, officials are canceling displays, passing bans or begging for caution. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

We think we're going to have a tremendous year, said James Fuller, a fireworks safety expert with Alabama-based TNT Fireworks.

While fireworks are integral to the country's Independence Day celebrations, they ignite thousands of fires a year  including one that burned Bobbie Unos home in Clearfield, Utah, on the holiday last year. She had to jump out of the way before it struck the side of her house.

Within five seconds, my house, from the bushes to the rooftop, it was burning, Uno said. The blaze caused $60,000 in damage and forced her family out of their home for weeks.

A "UTAH is TINDER" sign is placed on the side of a fireworks vendor tent Friday, June 25, 2021, in Centerville, Utah. Many Americans aching for normalcy as pandemic restrictions end are looking forward to traditional Fourth of July fireworks. But with a historic drought in the U.S. West and fears of another devastating wildfire season, officials are canceling displays, passing bans or begging for caution. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

I want everyone to be aware of the danger, because its scary even in a small cul-de-sac, Uno said.

Several Utah cities are banning people from setting off their own fireworks this year during the record drought, but many Republicans are against a statewide prohibition. GOP Salt Lake County Councilwoman Aimee Winder Newton supports restrictions but thinks this year is a bad time for a blanket ban.

Were just coming out of this pandemic where people already felt like government was restricting them in so many ways, she said. When you issue bans arbitrarily, we could have a situation where people who werent going to light fireworks purposely go and buy fireworks to just send a message to government.

A box of fireworks is shown in a fireworks venders tent Thursday, June 24, 2021, in Sandy, Utah. July Fourth fireworks are a mainstay summer tradition for Americans aching for normalcy as pandemic restrictions ease, but the megadrought gripping the West means the colorful sparklers and exploding bottle rockets could be seriously dangerous. Some state and local leaders are banning them or pleading with people to skip lighting them at home this year. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

State fireworks laws vary considerably across the U.S., but local bans on personal fireworks are popping up from Montana to Oregon, which was stricken by massive wildfires last year.

In Arizona, which already is being scorched by more than a dozen wildfires, many cities have canceled their public fireworks shows. The Yavapai-Apache Nation typically hosts a display outside its casino near the central Arizona city of Camp Verde.

This year, with conditions being worse than last year, we decided in May that we would not have fireworks, said James Perry, a spokesman for the tribes Cliff Castle Casino Hotel. Based on the large fires currently burning in and around our community, were happy with our decision.

Ben Laws, manager of Pyro City fireworks stands in front of shelves of fireworks sold at his store near Cheyenne, Wyo., Tuesday, June 22, 2021. People from states with fireworks restrictions often travel to state-line stores to stock up for the July 4th holiday. (AP Photo/Mead Gruver)

It's a similar story in Colorado, where dozens of shows have been scuttled, including in Steamboat Springs, a ski town where firefighters are already spread thin.

The grass always catches on fire ... why are we doing something that causes fire when fires our biggest issue? said Winnie DelliQuadri, town special projects manager.

But in neighboring Wyoming, business is booming at fireworks stores, including sales of products prohibited elsewhere. The parking lots fill on weekends, and many cars have out-of-state plates.

Fireworks are shown in a fireworks vendor's tent Thursday, June 24, 2021, in Sandy, Utah. Many Americans aching for normalcy as pandemic restrictions end are looking forward to traditional Fourth of July fireworks. But with a historic drought in the U.S. West and fears of another devastating wildfire season, officials are canceling displays, passing bans or begging for caution. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Its not just Colorado, said Ben Laws, manager of Pyro City. We see people from Nebraska, we see people from Montana, we see people from all over coming to buy.

Other cities, including Boise, Idaho, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, are working to ban personal fireworks while keeping their public displays, where safety precautions are often stronger and firefighters are on alert.

In North Dakota, where more than two-thirds of the state is in extreme or exceptional drought  the two worst categories  some areas are passing local bans. In South Dakota, where conditions are somewhat less dire, the governor is fighting the federal government to hold a fireworks display at Mount Rushmore.

A sign advertising fireworks is shown on Wednesday, June 23, 2021, in American Fork, Utah. July Fourth fireworks are a mainstay summer tradition for Americans, many of whom are aching for normalcy as pandemic restrictions ease. But with a megadrought gripping the West and heightening fears of another devastating wildfire season, officials across the region are enacting bans, canceling displays or begging people to be careful. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP)

A show that draws tens of thousands of people to Lake Tahoe, Nevada, near the California state line, was originally canceled for the second year in a row, but organizers later decided to mount a smaller, safe fireworks experience." Holding fireworks shows over water is one of the safer ways to celebrate, said Balch, the professor.

The industry urges people lighting their own fireworks to follow local restrictions, pick a flat location a safe distance from homes, have a water source at hand to douse used products and dispose of them carefully.

Some safety officials would rather see people avoid lighting their own fireworks all together. Michele Steinberg with the National Fire Protection Association pointed to federal data showing 15,600 Americans went to emergency rooms for fireworks-related injuries last year, thousands more than the year before.

I love watching the fireworks displays, but theyre honestly not safe in consumer hands," she said. Even a sparkler can get up to 1,200 degrees, which is actually how hot a wildfire burns.

Associated Press writers Felicia Fonseca in Flagstaff, Arizona; Mead Gruver in Cheyenne, Wyoming; Cedar Attanasio in Santa Fe, New Mexico; Scott Sonner in Reno, Nevada; and Associated Press/Report for America corps member Patty Nieberg in Denver contributed to this report.
BAGHDAD (AP)  Iraq, Egypt and Jordan took a step toward deepening a regional alliance by holding tripartite talks in Baghdad on Sunday, in a first visit by an Egyptian head of state to the country in 30 years. Talks ranged from trade to Mideast crises.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, center, arrives at an airport in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, June 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)

BAGHDAD (AP)  Iraq, Egypt and Jordan took a step toward deepening a regional alliance by holding tripartite talks in Baghdad on Sunday, in a first visit by an Egyptian head of state to the country in 30 years. Talks ranged from trade to Mideast crises.

Abdel Fattah el-Sissi was greeted by Iraq's President Barham Salih upon arriving Sunday morning. It marked the first time an Egyptian president paid an official visit to Iraq since the 1990s when ties between both countries were severed after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait.

Jordan's King Abdullah II arrived shortly afterwards, he and el-Sissi then met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi for a third round of tripartite talks. The meetings are seen largely as an attempt to neutralize Iran's influence across the region and have been welcomed by the U.S.

Al-Kadhimi also aims to shore up regional alliances and bolster Iraq's standing in the Middle East as a mediator capable of bringing even the staunchest of foes to the negotiating table. Baghdad recently hosted talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia focusing on the war in Yemen.

This visit is an important message to our people that we are mutually supportive and unified to serve our people and the people of the region, al-Kadhimi said, according to a statement from his office.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said in a press conference following the meeting that a wide range of topics had been discussed, including economic and political cooperation, large-scale industrial projects, and trade in medicine and agricultural pesticides.

The talks also covered regional issues including the Syria crisis, the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, and the conflict in Yemen.

Ethiopias Grand Renaissance Dam project, which Egypt fears will imperil its water supply, was also discussed with Iraq and Jordan siding with Cairo, he added, and all three countries agreed that a political solution and the return of refugees was needed to end the Syrian crisis, said Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.

The message from the leaders is we stand together in the face of these challenges, he said.

A statement issued after the meeting said the three sides also agreed on the importance of security and intelligence coordination to combat terrorism, drug trafficking and cybercrime.

Cooperation in the energy sector was also discussed, including the possibility of linking gas transmission networks between Iraq and Egypt through Jordan. To date, Iraq is highly reliant on Iranian gas and electricity imports to meet domestic demand.

They also highlighted the importance of re-opening borders to encourage more trade in light of the economic crises brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

No tangible new agreements were signed on Sunday following the summit. But the event is considered an important step for Iraq in particular to moderate neighboring Iran's sway over internal state affairs. Political parties and militia groups friendly with Iran are entrenched within the state, its security institutions and the parliament.

Iraq must be isolated from regional interventions Jordans Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi told reporters after the meeting, in an apparent reference to Irans powerful influence.

Iraq has previously signed key economic and trade agreements with both Jordan and Egypt.

In November, Egypt signed 15 memoranda of understandings that spanned sectors from oil to construction and trade. Jordan imported 10,000 barrels a day of oil from Iraq, but this was halted due to coronavirus restrictions. The two countries were also in talks to build an oil export pipeline from Basra to the port of Aqaba.
JOHANNESBURG (AP)  Battling a fast-increasing surge of COVID-19 cases, South Africa has reintroduced tough restrictions including a ban on alcohol sales and an extended nightly curfew.

JOHANNESBURG (AP)  Battling a fast-increasing surge of COVID-19 cases, South Africa has reintroduced tough restrictions including a ban on alcohol sales and an extended nightly curfew.

The delta variant, first discovered in India, appears to be driving South Africas new increase, President Cyril Ramaphosa said Sunday night, announcing the return to strict measures.

South Africa recorded more than 15,000 new cases Sunday, including 122 deaths, bringing its total fatalities to near 60,000.

Gauteng, the countrys most populous province which includes the largest city Johannesburg and the capital Pretoria, has the brunt of the current surge, accounting for about 66% of new infections.

Health authorities are concerned that the countrys eight other provinces are likely to soon see spikes in cases to match those in Gauteng, where hospitals are running short of COVID-19 beds and patients are being taken to health facilities in other provinces.

Neighboring Zimbabwe, Namibia and Mozambique are also fighting growing numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

A third wave is gathering in strength and force, Ramaphosa said in an address broadcast nationally in which he said all public gatherings would be banned for two weeks, except for funerals which can only be attended by 50 people.

Once again, we find ourselves at a defining moment in our fight against this disease, he said, urging all to continue wearing masks and keeping a distance from others.

Let us call on every bit of strength we have, let us summon our reserves of courage, and hold firm until this wave, too, passes over us," a somber Ramaphosa said. "We have climbed many hills before, and we will climb this one, too.

South Africa's vaccination rate is slowly picking up speed. By Sunday, 2.7 million people had received a least one jab. More than 950,000 of South Africa's 1.25 million health care workers have been vaccinated, said Ramaphosa.

Deliveries of the Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer vaccines are increasing, he said. South Africa aims to vaccinate 67% of its 60 million people by February 2022.

As a new surge of the disease sweeps across Africa's 54 countries, about 1% of the continent's 1.3 billion people have received at least one vaccine dose, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

South Africa's rampant corruption has also become a factor as the health minister has stepped down because of reports his family members benefitted from inflated payments on contracts related to COVID-19.
WASHINGTON (AP)  A closely watched voting rights dispute from Arizona is among five cases standing between the Supreme Court and its summer break. But even before the justices wrap up their work, likely later this week, they could say whether theyll add more high-profile issues to what already promises to be a consequential term, beginning in October.

WASHINGTON (AP)  A closely watched voting rights dispute from Arizona is among five cases standing between the Supreme Court and its summer break. But even before the justices wrap up their work, likely later this week, they could say whether theyll add more high-profile issues to what already promises to be a consequential term, beginning in October.

This month, the court has already issued big decisions on health care and religious freedom. And next term, the high court has agreed to take on cases about abortion and guns. The court could say as soon as Monday what it will do about these issues awaiting action:

TRANSGENDER RIGHTS

A Virginia school board is asking the court to uphold a policy, struck down by lower courts, that prohibits transgender students from using school bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity. The case has been around for six years, since then-high school student Gavin Grimm filed a federal lawsuit over the Gloucester County board's refusal to allow him to use the boys bathroom.

RELIGION

The justices just wrapped up a case involving a church-affiliated foster care agency that declined to work with same-sex couples, ultimately siding with the agency. Now they'll have to decide whether to hear other cases involving religious freedom claims. Alternately, they could send the cases back to lower courts for review in light of their recent decision.

The pending cases include a dispute out of Washington state involving a florist who refused to provide arrangements for a same-sex wedding. The Supreme Court already sent that case back once to lower courts to be revisited after the court's 2018 ruling involving a Colorado baker who declined to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple.

Also waiting is a case involving a Catholic hospital in Maryland sued by a transgender man who sought to have a hysterectomy. The hospital canceled the procedure, saying it was contrary to its Catholic faith, after learning the reason for it.

ABU GHRAIB

Seventeen years after shocking photographs of prisoners being abused at the U.S.-run prison in Abu Ghraib were first made public, Iraqis who claim they were victims of torture are still seeking their day in court against a U.S. defense contractor that supplied the military with interrogators. The company, CACI Premier Technology of Arlington, Virginia, is appealing to the court on a technical legal issue that could delay or even prevent a trial. The inmates say they were beaten and tortured by military police officers who were acting at the direction of civilian interrogators who wanted the inmates softened up for questioning. CACI says none of its interrogators is linked to the abuse suffered by the men who are suing.

PROPERTY RIGHTS

A chocolate companys expansion plans are at the heart of what could be the courts biggest case about property rights in years, if the justices take it. The case involves a property the city of Chicago took by eminent domain in order to allow the Blommer Chocolate Company to expand.

Agreeing to hear the case would give the court the opportunity to overturn a 2005 case that has been roundly criticized by conservatives. In that case, the court divided 5-4 to say that the city of New London, Connecticut, could use eminent domain to take private property and then sell it to private developers as part of an attempt to revitalize the city. The decision was written by Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, who acknowledged it was the most unpopular opinion he ever wrote. Justice Antonin Scalia, who dissented, ranked it among the courts biggest mistakes. Only two justices who decided the case remain on the court: Justice Clarence Thomas and Justice Stephen Breyer. Stevens died in 2019 and Scalia in 2016.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

A book that became the Hollywood movie War Dogs is at the center of what could become a landmark First Amendment case. Shkelzen Berisha, the son of the former prime minister of Albania, says the book harmed him by falsely linking him to would-be arms dealers from Miami.

He sued for defamation and wants the justices to revisit the high bar the court has set for public figures to win defamation lawsuits. Berisha's complaint stems from a landmark civil rights-era case, New York Times v. Sullivan. As a result of Sullivan and cases that followed, public figures can win defamation lawsuits only if they can prove that the person publishing the falsehood knew the statement they made was false or made it with reckless disregard for the truth. Former President Donald Trump has complained about the high bar, and Thomas has said the court should consider overturning the case.
LONDON (AP)  Britains health secretary has resigned after a tabloid splashed photos and videos of him kissing an aide in his office  breaking the same coronavirus social distancing rules he imposed on the nation.

Former Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid puts on a face mask to get into a vehicle, after he was appointed as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, following the resignation of Matt Hancock, in London, Sunday June 27, 2021. Hancock resigned a day after apologizing for breaching social distancing rules with an aide with whom he was allegedly having an affair. (Aaron Chown/PA via AP)

LONDON (AP)  Britains health secretary has resigned after a tabloid splashed photos and videos of him kissing an aide in his office  breaking the same coronavirus social distancing rules he imposed on the nation.

While Matt Hancock was swiftly replaced, the scandal was another blow to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Conservative government, which has repeatedly come under criticism for incompetence and hypocrisy in its handling of the pandemic over the past year.

People have made huge sacrifices to beat the pandemic and what riles them is the whiff of hypocrisy that people make the rules and dont stick to them themselves, Conservative lawmaker Andrew Bridgen told the BBC on Sunday.

Hancock announced his resignation Saturday, a day after apologizing for breaching social distancing rules after the Sun tabloid published images showing him and senior aide Gina Coladangelo embracing and kissing in his office. The Sun said the images were taken on May 6, before lockdown rules were eased to allow hugs and physical contact with people not in ones own household.

Hancock, who is married, wasnt the first senior British politician caught red-handed for breaking the governments own COVID-19 rules.

Johnsons former top aide, Dominic Cummings, was accused of undermining the governments stay home message during Britains first lockdown in 2020 when he broke a travel ban and drove across England to his parents home. The breach caused a furor and was widely seen to erode public trust in Johnsons government.

And Neil Ferguson, a leading government scientific adviser who advocated for strict lockdown rules, quit his position in May 2020 after it emerged he didnt practice what he preached and allowed his girlfriend to visit him at home. At the time, Hancock remarked that the social distancing rules in place are there for everyone and are deadly serious.

On Sunday, many questioned why Johnson publicly stood by Hancock after evidence of the latest rule breach emerged. Johnson had expressed confidence in the health minister, and his office said he had considered the matter closed after Hancock's apology, despite widespread calls to fire him.

Boris Johnson should have had the guts, the spine, the awareness, the judgment, to sack him on Friday, said Jonathan Ashworth, the opposition Labour Partys health spokesman.

Hancock had come under fire for his leadership in the government's response to the pandemic long before the publishing of the intimate photos.

He was accused of cronyism for hiring his friend, businesswoman Dido Harding, to run the much-criticized national test and trace system. Questions were also raised after the government awarded a lucrative coronavirus testing contract to a company run by a pub landlord near Hancocks former constituency home. Hancock has denied involvement in the contract.

Some are now also asking how Coladangelo, a close friend of Hancocks from university, landed her job as a non-executive director at the Department of Health.

The scandal came on the back of wider accusations from the opposition about sleaze in the Conservative party. Last month, former Prime Minister David Cameron was called before lawmakers to answer questions about lobbying work he did to win government funds for a now-bankrupt financial services company.

Lucy Powell, a Labour lawmaker, said the fact that Hancock wasn't fired reflected poorly on Johnson's judgment.

Im afraid it feels to me that the prime minister has a very dangerous blind spot when it comes to issues of integrity and conduct in public life, she told Sky News. "Thats a really big problem and its an even bigger problem when youre in the middle of a pandemic and youre asking the public to also have integrity and conduct in the way that they go about with their own lives.
At least four Canadians from three different families are unaccounted for after the deadly collapse of a Miami-area condo building, the federal government said Sunday as the official death toll in the incident rose to nine.

Workers search in the rubble at the Champlain Towers South Condo, Saturday, June 26, 2021, in Surfside, Fla. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Gerald Herbert

At least four Canadians from three different families are unaccounted for after the deadly collapse of a Miami-area condo building, the federal government said Sunday as the official death toll in the incident rose to nine.

Global Affairs Canada had said earlier on Sunday that four Canadians affected by the tragedy were from two families, but clarified the facts later in the day. The department had also previously declined to share the Canadians' official status, but now say they are among the roughly 150 still missing days after the Champlain Towers South came crashing down three days ago in Surfside, Fla.

It said the information about the four Canadians comes from "preliminary reports."

"Canadian consular officials in Miami are in contact with local authorities to gather additional information," Ciara Trudeau, a spokeswoman for Global Affairs wrote in an email. "Canadian consular officials are also in contact with the affected families."

Global Affairs Canada offered no additional details, citing the privacy act.

The news came as rescue efforts continued at the wreckage of the 12-story tower north of Miami. Authorities and loved ones expressed fears that the death toll, which climbed after more bodies were discovered on Sunday, could rise much higher.

"We were able to recover four additional bodies in the rubble as well as additional human remains," Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said at a morning press conference. "As of today, one victim passed away in the hospital, and we've recovered eight ... victims on site."

The remains are being sent to the medical examiner, and authorities are gathering DNA samples from family members to aid in identification.

Miami-Dade Fire Chief Alan Cominsky said his department is continuing to conduct a search and rescue operation and has no plans to give up the search for survivors.

"Hope, that's what I'm focusing on," he said.

Cominsky said rescue teams are searching aggressively, but the search remains a slow process.

"What we're encountering here is a very extreme, challenging situation, this type of collapse is difficult," he said.

Days after Thursday's collapse, 156 people remain unaccounted for.

Dogs, cameras and sonar are being used in the search through piles of rubble, Cava said.

The additional bodies were found as workers dug a large trench in the wreckage, she said. The trench is more than 12 metres deep, six metres wide and 38 metres long.

Teams from Mexico and Israel have been brought in to support the rescue operation.

Three years ago, an engineering firm said the building needed major repairs to fix damaged concrete in columns, beams and walls.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said rescue and recovery operations are the first priority, followed by helping the survivors.

"Then, the next most important thing is why did this happen?" he said Sunday. "I do think it's important that we get a definitive explanation."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2021.

 With files from The Associated Press

This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
GRAYSON, SASK.John Mock had been a pastor in the pretty roadside town of Grayson, Sask., for just a couple of months when the nearby historic Catholic Church in Cowessess First Nation caught fire around 2 a.m. one night and burned to the ground before sunrise.

GRAYSON, SASK.John Mock had been a pastor in the pretty roadside town of Grayson, Sask., for just a couple of months when the nearby historic Catholic Church in Cowessess First Nation caught fire around 2 a.m. one night and burned to the ground before sunrise.

That morning, Mock drove the 17 kilometres down a gravel road and into the valley, to stand before a pile of ashes surrounding a basement  all that was left of the church connected to the residential school where priests had once abused their young charges, and near which hundreds of unmarked graves have now been found.

ALEX BOYD - TORONTO STAR Rev. John Mock is the pastor in Grayson, Sask., which is just down the road from Cowessess. He is going through his own records and hopes his community can help with the work required to memorialize the recently announced unmarked graves.

Although an investigation was launched, First Nation officials say the results were inconclusive, a finding that hasnt stopped speculation that the blaze was connected to the crimes of its former stewards.

Reflecting on that late fall morning two and a half years ago, Mock, who is originally from Regina, a city two hours away, remembers feeling conflicted. As a priest, it was sad to see a church destroyed. But at the same time, if the fire was set in retribution, he grasped that anger.

"Personally, can I understand why people who have been hurt by us would want a symbol of our oppression off of their land? Yes."

The revelation that there are as many as 751 unmarked graves outside the residential school in Cowessess  so far, the largest discovery of its kind in the country  has shone a spotlight on the suffering of those who attended the network of schools designed to assimilate Indigenous children.

That suffering was at the hands of priests and nuns. The Catholic Church, in particular, was a central player in the story of colonization on the Canadian Prairies and often operated the government-funded schools designed to force "savages" to learn the "habits and modes of thought of white men," as then prime minister John A. Macdonald put it.

Those schools have inflicted trauma on many of the children and grandchildren of those who attended. But after their truths are spoken, the onus will pass to their listeners, meaning the rest of Canada, who must now reckon with what has long been ignored.

For the spiritual descendants of those Catholic priests it may be a particularly existential crisis  where do they go from here?

The specific religious order that operated 48 schools in Canada, including the one in Cowessess and the one in Kamloops, B.C., has said they plan to disclose all records.

Regina Archbishop Don Bolen also said in a statement provided to the Star on Friday that it is his "desire" to make any documents available that could help in identifying unmarked graves, "and to assist in the healing process."

But in this corner of southeastern Saskatchewan, where its possible to drive for kilometres between vast fields of durum, wheat and canola before seeing another person, the global headlines and national debate get distilled into a story of neighbours, raising questions of accountability, and of who knew what when.

After the church burned in Cowessess, Mocks church was suddenly among the closest to the First Nation. Although not formally connected to the residential school, the two decades-old communities are close neighbours, and in some records, including those of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the Merieval School was referred to as the Grayson school.

The stretch of gravel between the two is ruler-straight most of the way.

"I know it sounds really weird," Mock says. "Its like 17 kilometres. Youd think thered automatically be a relationship, but there isnt."

Despite the traumatic history Mock has visited the unmarked graves and says hes hopeful that the work that will be required to honour them could be a tentative step toward a bridge between the two communities.

"Id like to think that this could be a way where we could work together as a parish, even to have people to go down there and help with things like cleanup, or putting up fences or whatever," he says.

While residential school survivors have been clear that these new graves are not a surprising discovery at all  in fact, theyve been talking about the violence they experienced for years  Mock says this is still new for his congregation, who are mostly settlers and mostly older adults.

"I grew up in the 60s, and the history that we were taught in school? None of this was part of the curriculum," he says.

"So, most of my people, even though they grew up 17 klicks from Cowessess would have been raised with a history that said, oh, those heroic nuns and priests who are down in the valley! "

"So mostly what Im hearing is still the first stages of grief. Denial. Like, how can this be? Or, I cant believe this is happening. "

Canadian scholars like to talk about the two solitudes occupied by English and French Canada, but Mock argues that doesnt have anything on the gulf between settlers and Indigenous people.

"Its like the Berlin Wall, its almost as if there was a wall around First Nation reserves and there was no communication."

Because of their experience in residential schools, many Indigenous people do not want anything to do with the church. Cowessesss church is not the only one on First Nation land to meet a mysterious end. At least four have been burned down in British Columbia in recent days alone.

Prime Minster Justin Trudeau has asked the Pope to apologize on Canadian soil.

Mock says recent news has presented a struggle for him as a man of faith, who still believes in an institution he describes as a dysfunctional family.

"I have a very simple faith, despite all the ritual and everything else. And I honestly believe God is good, and that somehow, in becoming a priest, I was going to be helping people," he says, before a long pause.

"But when youre confronted with your history? The history of Canada? The history of the church from the time Europeans arrived here? And the role we played in genocide? I mean, dear God, did they really think they were doing this for the highest of motives?"

With files from Brendan Kennedy

Alex Boyd is a Calgary-based reporter for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @alex_n_boyd
EDMONTON - Every time Sana Chaudhry's daughter sees her father getting up to pray, the two-year-old toddler picks up a scarf and waddles behind him to the prayer mat.

Aruba Mahmud pauses on Tuesday, June 15, 2021, at the memorial for four members of a Muslim family who were run down in an attack in London, Ont. While discrimination against Muslim women who wear a hijab is not a new phenomenon, Mahmud and other Canadian Muslim women say they're fearful as violent attacks and Islamophobia take increase in the country. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Geoff Robins

EDMONTON - Every time Sana Chaudhry's daughter sees her father getting up to pray, the two-year-old toddler picks up a scarf and waddles behind him to the prayer mat.

As she watches her little girl wrap the hijab around her head, Chaudhry says she prays she will be able to practise her faith the same way when she's older.

"I wish this girl could go out in the world and be this carefree about her religion and her culture," the 31-year-old psychotherapist said in an interview from her home in Oakville, Ont.

"And then I feel bad because I know that's not going to be the case."

Discrimination against women who wear a hijab isn't new, but Chaudhry and others say they are more fearful as Islamophobia and attacks against Muslim women increase across the country. They say they are navigating between their safety and their faith.

A spokesman at an Edmonton mosque says he's been having more conversations with women who are trying to find ways to be more vigilant against attacks.

"There's been an increase (in conversations about) 'how do (I) continue to be who I am and what are some supports that we can put in place for me to continue to be,'" said Jamal Osman, vice-president of the Muslim Community of Edmonton Mosque.

"I've had a lot of conversations with other brothers as well. Their wives, their daughters, their mothers have been exposed to various expressions of hatred. But we're not going to sit idly by and continue to be victimized."

For example, he said, more women are taking self-defence classes.

Chaudhry said wearing the hijab is a form of worship in Islam. It signifies modesty and beauty.

She made the difficult decision to remove hers in 2016 after twice being assaulted. In the first case, a man ripped off her hijab when she was shopping. In the second, a man came from behind and tried to close a door on her hand as she unloaded groceries in her car.

Chaudhry said she wantsto wear her hijab, but her experiences and reports of violent attacks on Muslim women  including at least 10 in Edmonton in the last six months  continue to deter her.

That fear was heightened when four members of a family in London, Ont., was killed in a targeted attack. Two of the women were wearing hijabs when a 20-year-old man drove into the family with his truck. Only a nine-year-old boy survived.

"It's underlying subconscious fear that seeps into every aspect of your life and it's really hard to feel safe," said Chaudhry.

Her friends who do wear hijabs feel the same, she said. "Some of them have told me, 'When we embrace our hijab, we embrace death.'"

"We live in a society that doesn't truly accept Islam or this decision to wearahijab," added Nadia Mansour, 18, of Prince George, B.C.

While reports of attacks against Muslim women have scared some, Mansour said they haven't deterred her from her religious conviction.

Mansour points to a Quebec court ruling in April that upheld the province's decision to ban government workersin positions of authority  including police officers and judges  from wearing religious symbols, including hijabs and turbans, on the job.

"It's a huge indication for Muslim women who choose to weara hijab that they are not accepted in our society and that they are different.

"People stare at you. I've been bullied in high school for wearing a hijab. I even took it off for a short period of time. But honestly I'm tired of hearing the crap. I actually feel more unafraid. This is my religion and I will defend it."

Aruba Mahmud, an artist based in London, Ont., said all women are feeling the effects of the recent attacks.

"I am more vigilant. I have fear that's not going to go away, but I don't want that fear to start dictating major decision," she said. "I'm sick of just explaining my existence"

Osman said he's angry because it shouldn't be the responsibility of Canadians to keep themselves safe.

"It is frustrating that we have to take things into our own hands and push our so called representatives to meet their commitment to the safety of Canadian citizens," he said.

"It boils down to the law and, if the law is not able to defend its own citizens, then what kind of a social contract is that?"

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2021.

This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
Manitoba nurses have agreed to step back from the brink of strike, but binding arbitration is still on the bargaining table.

Manitoba nurses have agreed to step back from the brink of strike, but binding arbitration is still on the bargaining table.

The Manitoba Nurses Union thanked nurses in a bargaining update on its website Saturday and told its members, "...if bargaining is unsuccessful, we have recourse at arbitration to obtain a fair and reasonable contract."

It said additional dates have been scheduled to continue bargaining.

The Manitoba Nurses Union and health care employers reached an agreement to continue negotiations, with the added condition the parties can initiate binding arbitration if bargaining fails.

"The professional bargaining teams have come up with a solution that is truly the best approach for everyone and that sets the stage for ongoing focus on working through the issues that remain on the bargaining table," said Lanette Siragusa, chief nursing officer for Shared Health, in a news release.

If the two sides go to arbitration, a mediator would intervene to iron out the details of a new bargaining agreement, which would be legally binding.

"This is an immense relief for nurses and Manitobans. It means that nurses can continue to provide the highest standards of care and not worry about being unable to receive a fair and reasonable contract. In fact, this is the consideration nurses asked for and have more than earned through the pandemic," said Manitoba Nurses Union spokeswoman Brandi Johnson.

Johnson said scheduled talks will continue in the upcoming week, "and an arbitrator will be determined in the next seven days, in the event an agreement cannot be reached."

Manitoba nurses have been without a contract for more than four years.

On June 10, nurses voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike, with 98 per cent of 11,954 votes backing the action. The union has about 12,000 members.

As essential workers, nurses wouldve stayed on the job to continue essential services, but they threatened to stop completing non-essential tasks such as answering phones or transcribing doctors orders.

After the vote, union president Darlene Jackson said the union may wait until the end of June to see if the employer would voluntarily agree to arbitration. Entering the final week of the month, thats exactly what happened.

This came after a difficult year for nursing staff. COVID-19 ripped through the province, leading many nurses to speak out about physical, emotional and mental stress and fatigue.

"We all want our nursing colleagues to have the comfort and security of a new, fair and long-term collective agreement," Siragusa said in the news release.

Shared Health said the union agreed to a "customized arbitration process, with specialized rules that are not part of conventional arbitration," but declined to comment on the specifics of the rules.

cody.sellar@freepress.mb.ca
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.

"I'm proud to be an out Black Queer woman and I have been for quite some time," she wrote. "I'm 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.
CHEER: To all of the winners and runners up in the various categories of Steamboat Days. What a community celebration it was.

CHEER: To the Minnesota Legislature for approving nearly $1 billion in tax cuts over the next four years, including about $650 million in tax relief on federal Paycheck Protection Program loans received by businesses. Its important that we empower Minnesotans and spark economic growth, and thats what this tax bill does, and thats why I think it came together, said Republican taxes committee chair Sen. Carla Nelson, of Rochester.

CHEER: To the work of the La Crosse Jail Ministry, a leader in the state for programming aimed at rehabilitating inmates. All of the programs are working to equip inmates with the tools they need to be resilient and not return to criminal activity. La Crosse is one of the few counties with a full-time chaplain, and it is effective.
Columbus Area Historical Society

1971

Robert Anacker, a graduate of Columbus High School, was selected as one of three vice-presidents for Wisconsins Future Farmers of America.

The 1971 Swimming Pool staff included Craig Jones, Barbara Rennock, Joyce Bublitz, Amy Lueders, Mara Belville, Jeff Venden, Jack Sanderson, Ed Bublitz and Nic Jahnke.

1981

Retailers selling beer and liquor appeared before the City Council to protest the doubling of license fees from $100 to $200.

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Melissa Packel, a senior at Columbus High School competed at the 22nd annual Wisconsin High School Rodeo at Baraboo. She competed in the Poles, Barrels, and Goat Tying events.

1991

The oldest monument at Hillside Cemetery was repaired after vandals had broken the gravestone. The monument was for the burial of Hiram L. Allen, which took place in 1845 and was the first interment at the cemetery.

Andrea Lewke won first place in the Intermediate Showmanship at the Valley Beef Premier Show.

2001
UTICA, NY - As pride month winds down the celebrations are still continuing.

On Saturday a small crowd gathered at Oneida Square in Utica to show their support of the LGBTQ community. They wore rainbow face paint, carried signs, and proudly waved rainbow flags as passing motorists honked their horns in support.

Carter Klumbach, one of the organizers of the event, says they wanted to hold a pride celebration here because there are many who were unable to travel to larger pride events in places like New York City.

We just want to get our voices heard, especially for the LGBTQ+ youth in Utica. We just want to make sure everyone here feels loved. Everyone here feels accepted. Everyone feels welcomed here with open arms. There's a lot of hate in the world, and if we can just make the world a better place, just one step at a time, then we've reached the ultimate goal."

Klumbach says hes looking forward to an even bigger pride celebration next year.
VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) -- The Home Builders Association of Greater Terre Haute is hosting a home and outdoor living expo this weekend at the Wabash Valley fairgrounds.

Saturday and Sunday, local vendors will showcase ways to help fix, remodel, and design your future home renovations. Team members say these fixes and renovations are important to look for, especially with the storms the area has seen recently.

The weekend event will also feature live music, food vendors, and fun activities for kids. Officials say they are looking forward to a big turnout!

"Its our larget fundraiser," Jeff Martin, the Chairman of the Home Expo Committee, said. "We are a nonprofit entity. We focus on keeping affordable housing in the greater Wabash Valley. A lot of that goes behind the scenes, so this is our main event. We are doing this for the community."

"A lot of that goes behind the scenes so this is our main event but we are really doing it for the community."

The event will run from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM Sunday, June 26. The cost is $2, and children under the age of 18 are free. Half of the proceeds from the event will go to the Vigo County School Corporation Vocational Trades.
BRAZIL, Ind. (WTHI) - Many extracurricular activities in schools lost funding last year.

Now, community members are stepping up in order to help with fundraising events. The Northview High School Band spent the morning cleaning up along some roads in Clay County. It'll leave a lasting impact while also helping the band.

Dominic Thompson is the Band Director at Northview High School. He told News 10 that last year, his band lost $30,000 in fundraising because of the pandemic. Now, they're trying to get that money back, fundraise for this year, and lend a helping hand.

Thompson said, "We're having fun picking up trash. We're trying to find some interesting trash to at least put stuff in categories. You know biggest piece of trash, the most unique piece of trash, so we keep it lively. "

More than 100 students happily wore the brightly colored vests as they covered more than 20 miles of roads in Clay County.

A partnership with the Brazil Rotary Club is helping make this two-fold. The Brazil Rotary Club applied for a district grant on the school's behalf.

In exchange for their efforts, the band will be getting $6,000 in order to help with costume expenses, travel costs, and upgrading some equipment.

Mary Jo Alumbaugh is the Co-Chair of the Foundation Committee for the Brazil Rotary Club. She said she's always been a lifelong supporter of the Northview Marching Knights since the early '90s. So, when the band needed help fundraising this year, she couldn't say no to finding a grant that could help.

She said, "When they stepped up and said 'no we want to do that,' my heart just grew 10 sizes because that's the kind of kids we want. That's the kind of people we want teaching our kids. Is people that step up and do a little bit more."

Both Thompson and Alumbaugh told News 10 they're extremely grateful for this opportunity, and all of its payoff.

Thompson said, "I feel like the community really gives back to the band and guard by coming to our performances and supporting us, so this is an opportunity for us to turn it around and say thank you."

Thompson said he's grateful to the Brazil Rotary Club for making this opportunity available to them. He hopes that this will be a long-time fundraiser and is looking forward to picking up trash once more.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Amateur radio operators gathered today at the United Steelworkers Grounds on East Quinn Avenure in Terre Haute to partake in the National Amateur Radio Field Day.

Members of the Wabash Valley Amateur Radio Association are participating in the Field Fay exercise. During the event, operators are learning the science, skill, and service of being a ham radio operator.

News 10 spoke with David Brown, the Chairman of the Field Day event, and he says this is a great event to practice real-life operations but they are also doing this for a little fun!

"This is something that happens once a year all over the country. So we're competing with other local ham radio clubs to see who can contact the most people."

This is a 24-hour event that started at 2:00 PM Saturday afternoon on June 26. They are welcoming anyone who is interested in becoming a ham radio operator.

If you want to visit anytime during the 24-hour period, you can go visit them at the United Steelworkers Grounds on East Quinn Avenue in Terre Haute, Indiana. This event will end on June 27 at 2:00 PM.

For more information about the Wabash Valley Amateur Radio Association, you can visit their website here.
Triennial Review of the TBT Agreement

The Chair Mr. Laurence Sandral (Australia) commended members for their active engagement, which has resulted in 31 proposals submitted by Brazil, Canada, Colombia, the European Union, the Philippines, Singapore, Chinese Taipei and the United States.

The review process helps the Committee set out its workplan for 2021 to 2024. It starts with members submitting ideas on new work for the Committee. The second phase is to develop a set of recommendations for the new areas of work. Members are expected to finalise this review by the last Committee meeting of the year in November 2021.

The proposals submitted by WTO members address various issues, with transparency featuring strongly across many members' proposals. Other areas include conformity assessment, accreditation policies, the impact of standards on micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), e-commerce and online shopping, cybersecurity and digital products (including artificial intelligence), the use of international standards for food regulation, lessons learned from COVID-19, and climate change.

Members discussed several new proposals in depth at informal meetings on 11 May and 1 June that preceded the TBT Committee meeting. More information on the Triennial Review can be found here.

COVID-19 related TBT notifications

The WTO Secretariat reported that 153 TBT-related notifications have been submitted to the WTO since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 42 of these notifications were submitted this year. The main objectives of these notifications were to streamline certification procedures to facilitate access to essential medical products; to ensure that medical goods are safe; to make food readily available by relaxing technical regulations; to address COVID-19 risks from international trading of live animals and of animal products; and to provide implementation delays for other regulations due to the constraints imposed by COVID-19.

Most of the TBT measures notified were temporary and trade facilitating. They were mostly related to conformity assessment procedures, such as the use of remote assessment technologies or electronic certification. More information on COVID-19 and trade can be found here.

Specific trade concerns

Members discussed 86 specific trade concerns, of which 19 were discussed for the first time. The full list of trade concerns discussed can be found here.

Several of the new concerns address issues related to the environment, with a focus on carbon footprint, the use of recycled input materials, the classification of hazardous chemicals, and plant protection. The products covered include batteries, biofuel, chemicals and pesticides.

On batteries, members discussed how requirements to include recycled materials in battery manufacturing would affect trade, whether businesses should disclose data related to carbon emissions during production, and how the carbon footprint would be calculated.

Members also discussed how biofuel blends and emission limits would affect vehicle exports. Questions were posed on the use of science in classifying hazardous chemicals and concerns were raised that certification procedures to regulate harmful substances in leather products may be burdensome. Members also explained that restrictions on the use of a pesticide may affect the sustainability of agricultural production, exports and farmer income.

Update on ePing

The Secretariat reported that there are now around 14,000 subscribed users to the TBT/SPS notification alert system ePing. In addition, the Secretariat has been carrying out a range of training activities to respond to requests for capacity building, some in collaboration with ePing partners International Trade Centre and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Recent virtual training programmes have targeted stakeholders in the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Bhutan, St Lucia, South Africa, Vanuatu and Viet Nam.

Viet Nam shared information on the launch of ePing in Vietnamese in April 2021, with the participation of government agencies, associations, MSMEs, universities and related organizations. The initiative aims to facilitate MSMEs' access to information on product requirements in their export markets. More information can be found here.

Technical assistance

The WTO Secretariat piloted its first virtual TBT regional roundtable on 27 May 2021. This event, for English-speaking Africa, attracted 70 participants from 19 countries. Topics covered included transparency, the triennial review, ongoing work on conformity assessment, COVID-19 and health.
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Staff Writer JoAnn Snoderly can be reached at 304-626-1445, by email at jsnoderly@theet.com or on Twitter at @JoAnnSnoderly.
e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia is a project of the West Virginia Humanities Council. For more information, contact the West Virginia Humanities Council, 1310 Kanawha Blvd. E., Charleston, WV 25301; (304) 346-8500; or visit e-WV at www.wvencyclopedia.org.
Andy Kniceley is publisher of WV News digital and print products. He can be reached at (304) 626-1468 or by email at akniceley@wvnews.com
Ellen Fike is a freelance writer living in Cheyenne. She can be reached at elfylucille@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter at @EllenLFike.
Editorial roundup

Editorial roundup for June 27, 2021: Nuclear plant proposal is cause for optimism, but we need details
The royal feud will be on display later this week as Prince William and Prince Harry reunite to honor their late mother, Princess Diana, with the unveiling of the commissioned statue. But a new report seems to put the blame for the lack of reconciliation squarely on Williams shoulders  he apparently has a major problem with sister-in-law Meghan Markle.

Royal author Robert Lacey wrote a scathing column in the Daily Mail that points out the searing animosity boiling between the brothers without any peace on the horizon. Sources told Lacey that the rage and anger cuts incredibly deep because of the harsh and wounding words that have been exchanged. The source of irritation between them is a love versus duty battle with even a few Sussex insiders saying its Meghans love for never-ending PR that William finds so American.

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But a lot of that press has been positive for the Sussexes, especially in the U.S., and that created sparks of jealousy on the Cambridges side. That resulted in sharp-elbowed tactics by William and Kate Middleton to reportedly keep Harry and Meghan in their place, according to a source. Oof. That validates a lot of what Harry and Meghan were saying during their interview with Oprah Winfrey  and it targets a woman of color, which isnt a good look for anyone in the palace.

Click here to read the full article.

The Battle of Brothers author explains that its Prince Williams temper that often gets him into these sticky situations anytime Harry and Meghan have aired the royal familys dirty laundry to the public. But one senior source believes that there is sharing and then there is over sharing, which is a fair assessment about the Sussexes, but Williams reaction helped fuel the situation. What makes the feud so odd to watch from an outsiders perspective is that both sides enjoy the media attention, and sometimes, they even steal a play from each others PR playbook.

Story continues

Prince Harry is apparently open to reconciling, but William is going to have to lay off his war against Meghan  and maybe the Sussexes can take some of their grievances offline. Their voices have been heard and now its time to find a way to broker peace. Can it be done?

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Click here to see Meghan Markle and Prince Harrys complete relationship timeline.



Meghan Markle, Prince Harry

Launch Gallery: A Look Back at Prince Williams Sexiest Photos in Celebration of the Future King

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Healthcare workers get the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination at the Legacy Emanuel Medical Center on December 16, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. Paula Bronstein/Getty Images

More than 99% of those hospitalized for COVID-19 are unvaccinated, the Associated Press reported.

Fully vaccinated people accounted for .8% of COVID-19 deaths in May.

Experts are urging Americans to get vaccinated as the more transmissible Delta variant spreads.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Almost all of the COVID-19 deaths in the US are among those who are unvaccinated, an Associated Press analysis found.

While over 853,000 were hospitalized for COVID-19 in May, less than 1,200 of them or about 0.1% were people who were fully vaccinated, the AP found using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Of the 18,000 COVID-19 deaths, only 150 were people who were fully vaccinated or only 0.8%.

"They are [vaccines] nearly 100 percent effective against severe disease and death, meaning nearly every death due to COVID-19 is particularly tragic because nearly every death, especially among adults, due to COVID-19 is, at this point, entirely preventable," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said during a press briefing on Tuesday.

More than 45% of all Americans are fully vaccinated against, CDC data shows, but The Washington Post reported vaccination rates have been on the decline, with fewer Americans signing up to get the shot.

This comes at a time when top health officials are urging Americans to get vaccinated as the more transmissible Delta variant - which originated in India - becomes a growing concern. It may also be able to evade protection from existing vaccines, as Insider's Aria Bendix reported.

Walensky told NBC News that data so far shows that two doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines should work really well against the Delta variant, and she is encouraging people to get their second doses if they haven't.

She is however concerned about pockets across the country that are less vaccinated than others. There's a stark vaccine rate disparity amongst counties across the US with some at only 0.1% and others near 100%.

Story continues

Those that have lower vaccine rates are at a higher risk of an outbreak as a result of the variant. Experts told Insider's Aria Bendix and Joanna Lin Su that they ideally want a community to have at least a 75% vaccination rate so the virus is less able to pass from person to person.

"Some places are above 60%, so there are some pockets that are pretty protected," Lisa Lee, an epidemiologist at Virginia Tech, recently told Insider. "We have to understand, though, that it just takes a couple of cases, a couple of people coming into a community, to pass this along."

Read the original article on Business Insider
President Joe Bidens domestic agenda appears back on track in Congress, with Republicans praising his newly clarified approach to their bipartisan infrastructure plan and a key Democrat endorsing work on a separate, larger spending package.

Two GOP negotiators on the bipartisan infrastructure deal said Sunday that they were mollified by Biden's Saturday statement vowing to support the bipartisan framework on its own merits, rather than withholding his signature until he also received a larger, partisan proposal. Many Republicans interpreted his remarks in the aftermath of their deal on Thursday as an implicit veto threat.

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said on CNNs "State of the Union" that the waters have been calmed by Bidens statement Saturday that clarified he supports the bipartisan plan without reservation.

Romney predicted the proposal, which has not been drafted but aims to provide nearly $600 billion in new spending on roads, bridges and broadband, would have sufficient support to pass the Senate. It will need at least 60 votes, including at least 10 Republicans. Some of those needed GOP votes wavered on Friday after Biden said if the bipartisan bill is the only one that comes to me, Im not signing it.

I am glad they have now been de-linked and we can move forward with a bipartisan bill, said Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), the lead GOP negotiator, on ABCs This Week. He said Republicans were glad to see them disconnected. And now we can move forward.

Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), a member of the group, said on CBS News' "Face the Nation" that he believed the legislation "will get far more than 60 votes in the end." Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) even predicted that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell could come on board. McConnell criticized Biden's comments last week as "completely caving" to the party's left wing and has repeatedly emphasized his commitment to derailing Biden's progressive agenda.

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"If we can pull this off, I think Mitch will favor it. Now he didn't like the president throwing the wrench in there saying, 'Listen, the two are tied together,'" Cassidy said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

The warm Republican comments on Sunday signal that over the two-week July Fourth recess, negotiators can start drafting legislation that provides the largest investments in physical infrastructure in U.S. history. While there are more opportunities for that effort to be derailed, Bidens work to reassure Republicans to stay on board and his acknowledgment Saturday that they were understandably upset with him seems to be paying off.

At the same time, the larger Democratic spending bill on child care, climate change, Medicare expansion and other progressive priorities is also being shaped by party leaders  and a certain swing vote from Appalachia.

West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, Democrats most elusive vote for that plan in an evenly split Senate, indicated on Sunday that he would join in that work on a bigger, separate "human infrastructure" measure. He also said he would support raising the corporate tax rate to 25 percent and increasing capital gains taxes to 28 percent to help pay for the bill, compromise positions that will nonetheless elate Democrats who want to raise taxes on corporations and the wealthy.

But he brushed back on Senate Budget Chair Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) proposed $6 trillion price tag and said hed like to avoid deficit spending on that proposal. Manchin suggested Sanders ambitions could be cut by 75 percent or more in order to earn his vote.

If they think in reconciliation Im going to throw caution to the wind and go to $5 trillion or $6 trillion when we can only afford $1 trillion or $1.5 trillion or maybe $2 trillion and what we can pay for, then I cant be there, Manchin said on This Week.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he wants the Senate to consider the bipartisan infrastructure plan in July, as well as pass a budget resolution setting up the separate, partisan bill. Set for advancement using the procedural protections of budget reconciliation, that second bill needs lockstep Democratic support in the Senate but can avoid a GOP filibuster.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said her chamber wont take up the bipartisan bill without Senate passage of the reconciliation bill.

Its very important for the president to know that House progressives and the Democratic caucus are here to ensure he doesn't fail," said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on "Meet the Press." We can welcome this work and welcome collaboration with Republicans  that doesnt mean that the president should be limited by Republicans."

Democrats will first have to settle on a price tag for their budget bills. At the same time, Biden will have to keep Republicans on board with the bipartisan plan.

Its a convoluted congressional strategy but reflects Bidens approach in Congress, balancing his desire to cut deals with Republicans alongside his stewardship of a party that is much more progressive than it was a decade ago. He made clear on Saturday that he views his infrastructure agenda as two separate pieces of legislation and predicted both will come to his desk for his signature.

Some other Democrats have said they might oppose the infrastructure plan because it omits items they think are important: that is a mistake, in my view. Some Republicans now say that they might oppose the infrastructure plan because I am also trying to pass the American Families Plan: that is also a mistake, Biden said on Saturday. I intend to work hard to get both of them passed.
A new statue of Princess Diana, to be unveiled at Kensington Palace in London on Thursday (what would have been Diana's 60th birthday), will honor a woman whose charisma, compassion and rebellious streak revolutionized royal affairs.

It will also be just the second time that her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, have been seen together since Harry and his wife, Meghan, began publicly criticizing the royal family from their new home in California.

The first time was a stilted-looking encounter at the funeral of their grandfather, Prince Philip, on April 17.

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge; Peter Phillips; Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, walk in the procession. / Credit: Gareth Fuller / Getty Images

Correspondent Holly Williams asked, "How difficult is it for Harry to make these return visits to the U.K. following the interview that he and Meghan did with Oprah?"

"Oh, it's incredibly difficult," said Ayesha Hazarika, a journalist and former political advisor. "They are like pariahs in this country. They are treated abysmally by the press. They are criticized left, right and center."

Hazarika said the royal family has been damaged by the couple's allegations of racism: "There's a lot of younger people, a lot of people in Black and Asian communities, that look at that. They took that very, very personally. They felt really ashamed of the royal family and quite embarrassed about Britain."

She said the royal family is desperately missing Harry and Meghan's star power.

"William and Kate are really being pushed to the fore in terms of publicity, particularly Kate Middleton," said Hazarika. "I think what the PR machine behind the royal family is trying to do is turn William and Kate into the new Meghan and Harry. They're trying to make them a bit sort of rock star-like."

Kate and William released a Hollywood-style video to mark their 10th wedding anniversary; the royal family has never done anything like it before:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@dukeandduchessofcambridge)

Story continues

It was Kate who appeared with first lady Jill Biden on her visit to the U.K. this month:

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and first lady Jill Biden chat with children during their visit to Connor Downs Academy in Hayle, Cornwall, on the sidelines of the G7 summit, June 11, 2021. / Credit: DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

And Kate who's become prolific on Zoom calls with members of the public:

Joining conference now: Kate Middleton on Zoom. / Credit: CBS News

"Harry and Meghan were very, very popular and they sucked up an awful lot of the oxygen," said Jonny Dymond, a royal correspondent for BBC News. "And so, with them off the scene, there is certainly more attention paid to William and Kate."

Earlier this month Dymond reported on Harry and Meghan's decision to name their newborn daughter Lilibet, a private royal family nickname for the Queen. The couple said the Queen supported it  but were publicly humiliated when a palace source told Dymond she hadn't been asked.

"When I first reported on it, I said, 'That is a mark of great love and respect,'" Dymond said. "Then, I was told a slightly different story from the palace. It has not made people feel any better, I think, on either side of the Atlantic."

While the vast majority of British citizens still support the monarchy, younger people are much more sympathetic to Harry and Meghan. But even more strikingly, more than 40 percent of those aged 18-24 now say they'd prefer an elected head of state, according to a recent YouGov poll.

Jane Wilson is one of the Queen's subjects who says she could do without her. "I'm pretty agnostic about the royals," she told Williams. "I appreciate some people love them, and they're here. But I don't personally see the need for them, or think Britain would be a lesser country without them."

Williams asked Wilson, a public relations guru, to analyze Kate and William's new video. "It was like an ad for an insurance company or some country living company," she said.

Williams asked, "Do you think it was at least in part explicitly done to counter the narrative pushed by Harry and Meghan?"

"I think almost certainly," Wilson replied. "I think it started a sort of soft-power charm offensive for the family, for Kate and Will in particular."

A family argument has exposed the challenges faced by a 1,000-year old institution in the modern world.

Dymond said, "I don't think there's any doubt that there is debate in the palace about the future of the monarchy."

Are they worried? "I don't know if they're worried," he said. "They know they have no God-given right to survive. They know that they are here with the forbearance and with the support of the British people. I don't think they're terrified, but yeah, without a doubt they think about it."

For more info:

royal.ukPrince Harry, the Duke of SussexPrince William, the Duke of Cambridge

Story produced by Erin Lyall. Editor: Mark Ludlow.

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Armed homeowners Mark and Patricia McCloskey, standing in front their house along Portland Place, confront protesters marching to St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson's house in the Central West End of St. Louis. Laurie Skrivan/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP

Mark and Patricia McCloskey pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges after they waved guns at protesters in 2020.

Patricia McCloskey pleaded guilty to misdemeanor harassment and was fined $2,000.

Mark McCloskey admitted to misdemeanor fourth-degree assault and was fined $750.

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Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the St. Louis couple that infamously pointed guns at demonstrators who were marching past their house last summer, have pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges in the incident.

Patricia McCloskey pleaded guilty to misdemeanor harassment and was fined $2,000, while Mark admitted to misdemeanor fourth-degree assault and was fined $750.

The McCloskey's also agreed to surrender the firearms they used in the confrontation.

"This particular resolution of these two cases represents my best judgment of an appropriate and fair disposition for the parties involved as well as the public good," special prosecutor Richard Callahan said in the statement, BuzzFeed News reported.

After the plea deal, Mark McCloskey - who has announced he is running for an open Senate seat in Missouri - was the opposite of contrite, telling reporters of the incident that he would "do it again," according to the Associated Press.

Last summer, police executed a search warrant on the McCloskey's estate, seizing a semi-automatic .223 caliber rifle matching the description of the one wielded by Mark McCloskey. An attorney for Patricia McCloskey later provided police with the handgun she pointed at demonstrators.

In a statement released by his Senate campaign, McCloskey claimed he had confronted an "angry mob" that had "crashed through my gate, and threatened my wife, my family, and my home." But authorities flatly disagreed: no protester was prosecuted in connection to the incident.

"There was no evidence that any of them had a weapon and no one I interviewed realized they had ventured into a private enclave," Callahan said, per BuzzFeed. The prosecutor noted that protesters complied with a request to leave the property.

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The June 28, 2020, incident sparked a national outcry, with demonstrators decrying the couple's actions and Republican politicians, including then-President Donald Trump, defending the couple.

The two spoke at the Republican National Convention in August 2020.

Read the original article on Insider
Jun. 27Daphne Rice was one of about 10 people who donned a blue Waikiki citizen patrol vest and joined Honolulu police officers on a weekly stroll designed to take back the neighborhood.

The group looked small Thursday as it jostled for positioning on the sidewalks, where high volumes of tourists have returned. They passed Waikiki's iconic hotels and places with beautiful Diamond Head vistas and ocean views, as well as rundown parts of the bustling district.

Rice nodded and smiled at those she passedvisitors, residents and homeless people alike.

"My goal is to say hello to as many people as I see, " she said. "This is our neighborhood. We have to connect on a personal level if we want to solve the big problems."

A renewed emphasis on improving public safety in Waikiki began earlier this month, when concerns about serious crimes increased in the state's top tourism district, where two men were stabbed in separate incidents within hours of each other.

The citizen patrol is part of a multi-pronged approach to address crime and other hazards as tourism comes back and the densely populated neighborhood gets even more congested.

Waikiki is the first police district to restart citizen patrols since the pandemic, and on July 9 it will be the first district to relaunch the "Coffee with a Cop " program, where residents may meet the command, ask questions and voice concerns, Honolulu Police Department District 6 Maj. Mark Cricchio said. The coffee event is scheduled for 5 :30-7 :30 p.m. at the Starbucks at 2255 Kuhio Ave.

On Wednesday, Waikiki stakeholders participated in the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association's fourth Waikiki Public Safety Conference.

Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association president and CEO Mufi Hannemann said officials held the last Visitor Public Safety Conference as recently as March but decided to hold another this year "because of some recent incidents that have occurred and our need to be proactive and to work with public safety and other officials to try and resolve some of these issues collaboratively."

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Cricchio called the stabbings "isolated incidents, " and praised police for quickly apprehending the suspects in both crimes.

Public safety But there's a general perception among Waikiki residents and business stakeholders that the neighborhood is changing after a noticeable drop in crime during the pandemic.

Law enforcement and other officials now are bracing for more calls for service, especially as the summer rush replaces the ghostly quiet of last year with a Roaring'20s-like pent-up demand for freedom and travel.

The return of tourism typically means more crime since visitors are easy prey because they are more likely to let their guard down and less likely to participate in prosecution. Also, it is difficult to send a message that crime has consequences in the COVID era of early-release programs aimed at reducing overcrowding in jails and prisons.

Jessica Lani Rich, president and CEO of the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii, which assists visitors in crisis, said "one of the things that I've noticed as COVID has opened up is that the criminals coming into Waikiki are now bringing weapons with them."

Police and security officials say they are responding to more calls for service related to domestic violence at Waikiki hotels and thefts of visitor property from beaches, parks and other tourist attractions. There are partiers on the beach, and more trash. Rescues are up. Nuisance complaints about homeless individuals and panhandlers are on the rise.

Public safety has again moved to the forefront of community concerns. Nationally crime is rising, and it continues to be a hot topic at Waikiki Neighborhood Board meetings.

Crime also is a key focus of the state's visitor industry, which depends on Hawaii's reputation as a safe destination. That's why HLTA, the Hawaii Tourism Authority, the Waikiki Improvement Association, the Waikiki Business Improvement District, and the Hawaii Hotel Visitor Industry Security Association are working together to make Waikiki safer.

HTA Chief Administrative Officer Keith Regan said the agency is in the process of encumbering $650, 000, which will fund 2022 visitor assistance programs on Oahu, Maui, Hawaii island and Kauai.

"We plan to look for the low-hanging fruit and take action, " Hannemann said.

HPD Interim Chief Rade Vanic participated in Wednesday's conference, which was his first public community appearance outside of a press conference. He was flanked by HPD Deputy Chief of Field Operations Lisa Mann, Acting Assistant Chief Glenn Hayashi, and Cricchio.

The event also drew Honolulu Prosecutor Steve Alm and Senior Advisor Cheryl Inouye.

A host of city officials also came, including Honolulu City Council Chairman Tommy Waters ; city Managing Director Michael Formby ; Office of Housing & Homelessness Executive Director Anton Krucky ; and Emergency Services Department Director Dr. Jim Ireland.

Vanic told conference attendees, "I look around the room and I see the people at the table here and it just shows the level of commitment.

"We come here for just a small part on the southern coast, but that small part is such a vital key part of what Honolulu is about, " he said. "It's about people coming and experiencing the best that Hawaii has to offer. It's about one of our economic centers and hubs. It's about making sure that as we start to reopen as a city that we make sure that not just our residents but our visitors feel safe."

Forming partnerships Vanic said HPD's budget took a $13 million hit because of COVID, but said the agency understands that it has a job to do and will get it done, especially if it is supported.

"We are doing our part solving and preventing crime. But even if we are solving and preventing crime, we need to make sure that people feel safe and that there's a perception of safety. It's not something that the police can do by ourselves."

He said he's "super excited " to partner with the Honolulu prosecutor on Weed and Seed. As part of the program, law enforcement officers would weed violent criminals from the streets, while working with the community to reduce crime. Prevention, intervention, treatment and neighborhood restoration are the focus of the seeding part of the program.

Vanic said HPD also is working with the city's Office of Housing & Homelessness, which is bringing new programs like Crisis, Outreach, Response and Engagement to urban Honolulu, including Waikiki.

CORE, which falls under the city Emergency Services Department, works to divert 911 calls with the goal of getting homeless people into services that are appropriate to their struggle so they aren't tapping police, ambulance services and emergency rooms when they don't need them.

Krucky said he expects CORE will begin setting up its offices in the old fire department in Iwilei in July, and hopes to have "wheels on the street " in September. Krucky said the program, which will kick off with about eight employees, is expected to cost about $3.5 million the first year, which will be paid for through the American Rescue Plan Act and possibly other sources.

The city is hoping the launch will help mitigate an increase in homelessness and mental health challenges due to pandemic-related fallout. Krucky said CORE cannot force homeless people into stabilization beds or shelter, but hopes to build enough trust that they will want to go.

The state's moratorium on evictions ends on Aug. 6 and there are thousands of people who are struggling to pay their rent or mortgage. Honolulu also is still grappling with a high unemployment rate, which was 6.7 % on a non-seasonally adjusted basis in May.

Waters put restricting 4 a.m. cabaret liquor licenses to hotels and resorts in the district back on the table. The issue came up in 2018 during HLTA's inaugural public safety conference, which was held when the military was considering placing parts of Waikiki off limits due to violent crimes against the military.

"Bar owners will be very upset. But I'd like some feedback, " Waters said, adding that a 2017 shooting that killed one and injured two others was outside of a 4 a.m. bar on Kuhio Avenue.

Waters said he wants to see increased police visibility in Waikiki and may propose using federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to beef up HPD's budget, especially if it helps the department with recruitment to fill shortfalls in its ranks.

Alm said Waikiki is the next logical area to bring Weed and Seed after proof of concept is established in Kalihi-Palama-Chinatown-Ala Moana-Sheridan, Waipahu, and Ewa-Ewa Beach. He'd like to start Waikiki planning efforts by year's end.

"(Waikiki ) is a lot bigger area than Chinatown or Kalihi and densely populated, but things like sex trafficking of juveniles, a lot of it that takes place here, " Alm said. "And I don't think that there's a homeless kid on this island that hasn't spent time in Waikiki."

Cricchio said Weed and Seed is very promising.

"In my 31-year career, that's where I see the problem prosecutors and courts. We are doing our job. We are arresting them, but it's got to continue, " he said.

Still, Cricchio said that police must prepare for the possibility that concentrated crackdowns in new Weed and Seed areas could push criminals into other districts like Waikiki, where the program has not started.

Rep. Adrian Tam (D, Waikiki-Ala Moana-Kakaako ) and Sen. Sharon Moriwaki (D, Kakaako-McCully-Waikiki ) are among those who want to make it tougher for criminals to frequent Waikiki. They joined Waikiki residents Thursday on the HPD guided citizen patrol.

Moriwaki said she supports Weed and Seed and will work with Waters on the possibility of placing some restrictions on late-night liquor licenses. She also plans to propose another Safe Neighborhoods bill that would ban repeat offenders during certain hours from business and resort districts unless they live or work there.

Tam said he is considering legislation that would allow visitors who have been victims of a crime to testify in court via teleconference.

"People don't always think it's worth it to come back, " he said.

Cricchio was enthusiastic about their proposals and others that he heard at Wednesday's public safety conference, and hopes that the timing is right to make a difference.

"No one can do it alone, it's got to be collaborative, " Cricchio said. "People are fed up with it and want something done. Everyone is very gung ho right now, but I want to see it come to fruition."Citizen patrols restartWaikiki Community Center Citizen Patrol meets Tuesdays at 4 :30 p.m. at the Waikiki Community Center, 310 Paoakalani Ave.Waikiki West Citizen Patrol meets Tuesdays at 6 :30 p.m. at Eaton Square, 438 Hobron Lane.Waikiki East Citizen Patrol meets Thursdays at 4 :30 p.m. at the big banyan tree on Kalakaua Avenue near Uluniu Avenue.Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor Citizen Patrol meets by the harbor master's office Thursdays at 7 p.m.

For more information, visit or contact HPD Officer Stephanie Virardi at 723-3349 or svirardi @honolulu.gov.
Jun. 27The state's high school mascots include the questionably inappropriate: the "Warriors" of Canton, Windsor, Wilton, and Wamogo Regional.

And then there are those that are clear cultural appropriations: the "Indians" of Montville, North Haven, Wilcox Tech, the "Chiefs" of Nonnewaug High, and "Chieftains" of Conard High in West Hartford.

Finally, there are mascot names and symbols so highly offensive there can be no excuse for allowing them to continue. We're talking about you Derby and Torrington Red Raiders (seriously?) and Killingly Redmen, which has the dubious distinction of being both racist and sexist.

What these mascots have in common is that they stereotype a people. They are rooted in a school's competition on the athletic field, built on the Hollywood-cast image of the "savage" Native American to be feared. They are inappropriate. There are many better options.

What many of these communities where these schools are found also have in common is that some of their state funding is now at risk.

As a result of some political hardball by Sen. Cathy Osten  a Democrat whose 19th District includes the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Tribal Nations, and who also happens to co-chair the Appropriations Committee  towns will forfeit their allotments of slot-machine revenue if their sports teams use "any name, symbol or image that depicts, refers to or is associated with a state or federally recognized Native American tribe or a Native American individual, custom or tradition."

Some of these communities receive small shares, or no share, of the funds generated by slot machines at the tribal casinos. For others, it is significant. Montville High is scheduled to receive nearly $1.5 million in slot machine revenue this year for example. Killingly is looking at a $94,000 loss in aid.

There is logic behind the state senator's approach. If these communities continue to use school mascots that the federally recognized tribes consider inappropriate and demeaning, why should they continue to receive funding generated by tribal businesses?

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Osten's methods, however, were less noble than her goal. During the regular session she did not get the same proposal out of the Education Committee. Having failed to succeed through the normal legislative process, Osten inserted the provision into the massive implementer bill  837 pages  which contains the language implementing the technical details of the spending decisions already approved in the budget.

It's a backdoor means to get things done, skirting the debate and adjustments that are part and parcel of normal legislating. We can't approve. But we hope it works. The funding at risk goes to the towns and not directly to the schools.

This move can restart the discussion, which had seemed to lose momentum after several Connecticut high schools abandoned their Native American-linked mascots over the past couple of years, including some following last year's demonstrations for racial justice.

Osten said discussions have continued between Montville schools and the Mohegan tribe about ending the use of "Indians" as the high school mascot. She expects an announcement sooner than later. Communities have a year to end the use of such logos or get the tribes to sign off on their continued use. Funds would be cut starting with the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2022.

While originally a sign of respect tied to the town's connection with the Mohegan Tribe, Chief Lynn Malerba announced early last year the tribe no longer saw "Indians" and other such mascots as acceptable and that they "should not be allowed to continue."

Most disheartening is the situation in Killingly, where largely as the result of a grassroots effort by students, the Board of Education in 2019 replaced the Redmen mascot with Red Hawks. Running on a platform to restore the offensive symbol, Republicans captured the school board in November 2019 and proceeded to bring back "Redmen."

And, please, spare us the talk of school traditions and memories tied to these names. Neither are endangered by doing the right thing. But now some of your town funding will be endangered by persisting in the wrong thing.

(This corrects the spelling of "Conard" from an earlier version.)

The Day editorial board meets regularly with political, business and community leaders and convenes weekly to formulate editorial viewpoints. It is composed of President and Publisher Tim Dwyer, Editorial Page Editor Paul Choiniere, Managing Editor Izaskun E. Larraneta, staff writer Erica Moser and retired deputy managing editor Lisa McGinley. However, only the publisher and editorial page editor are responsible for developing the editorial opinions. The board operates independently from the Day newsroom.
The times, and the show, they are a-changing.

A lot has happened since Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa last performed the hit Springsteen on Broadway on stage in December 2018. A worldwide pandemic, a national reckoning on race, a failed insurrection of the U.S. Capitol, and one of the stars of show was arrested, to name a few.

On Saturday, Springsteen and Scialfa delivered an energetic, poignant and reflective restaging of Springsteen on Broadway at the St. James Theatre, with new dialogue and new songs, too.

American Skin (41 Shots), originally written about 1999 shooting death of Amadou Diallo, a 23-year-old unarmed immigrant from Guinea by four New York City plain-clothes police officers, was added to the show. Its performance invoked the May 2020 death of George Floyd at the hands of four officers in Minneapolis.

We are living in troubled and troubling times, said Springsteen in the lead up to American Skin. I don't believe I've seen another moment, certainly not in my lifetime, where the survival of democracy itself, not just who's going to be running the show for the next four years, but the survival of democracy itself, is deeply threatened.

Protesters demonstrating outside the theater against the shows vaccine requirement contributed to a collective moment on the edge. About three dozen vocal anti-vaccine protesters voiced displeasure that the show would seat only fans who have been vaccinated for the novel coronavirus.

I'm frightened for us, Springsteen said. I understand those folks out in the street. It's scary, scary times filled with confusion.

A group of anti-vaxxers also protested the Foo Fighters show at Madison Square Garden last Sunday. The show had a similar vaccine requirement for fans.

Anti-vaccine protesters outside the St James Theatre in New York City on Saturday, June 26, 2021.

Thankfully for Springsteen, his own arrest is now fodder for one of the shows funniest moments.

I was handcuffed and thrown in jail  that took some doing, said Springsteen in his first public statement on the arrest. It wasn't easy. I didn't wake up one morning, get on my motorcycle and say, 'I think I'll drive to jail.' 

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The Boss was arrested after he took shot of Patron tequila on Sandy Hook beach in New Jersey, and then got on his Triumph motorcycle in November 2020. Drunk and reckless driving charges against him were dropped as it was revealed his blood-alcohol content was 0.02, well beneath New Jerseys 0.08 threshold indicating intoxication. Springsteen, who lives in Colts Neck, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to consuming alcohol in a closed area.

My case was the United States of America vs. Bruce Springsteen, Springsteen said. That's always comforting to hear  the entire nation is aligned against you.

Springsteen delivered this new segment not far from where New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy was sitting at the show.

My hometown, New Jersey, Springsteen said. They love me there.

Springsteen also spoke about his mom's battle with Alzheimer's disease in one of the night's most moving moments.

Patti Scialfa and Bruce Springsteen in "Springsteen on Broadway" June 26, 2021 at the St. James Theatre.

She can't speak. She can't stand, but when she sees me there's a smile and there's still a kiss and there's a sound she makes and I know it means I love you, said Springsteen in new dialogue about his mom, Adele Springsteen. When I put on Glenn Miller she starts moving in her chair, reaching out for me to take her in my arms once more and dance. I love her.

Springsteen has broadened the spectrum in the restaging. The funny moments are funnier and the sentimental moments are more sentimental. So much so that the Boss appeared to wipe away tears several times during the show.

I'm glad to be doing this show again this summer because I get to visit with my dad every night that I'm here, said Springsteen of his late father, referred to as both his hero and his enemy in the play. It's a lovely thing.

Springsteen is singing better than ever. His Roy Orbison-ian coos at the end of Thunder Road were impressive. Also a treat was Springsteen and Scialfa's teaming for Fire, a new addition to the show.

Bruce Springsteen in "Springsteen on Broadway" on June 26, 2021 at the St. James Theatre.

Their COVID cohabiting chemistry was on full display.

Springsteen on Broadway, scheduled to run through Sept. 4, is the first full-capacity show on Broadway since it was shut down due to the coronavirus outbreak in March 2019. In addition to Murphy, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, musician Jack Antonoff, Springsteen manager Jon Landau and Little Steven Van Zandt were also in attendance.

Van Zandt's arrival was greeted by cheers from the audience and he took a bow. Gov. Murphy went over to say hello.

They then took their seats for the big show and Springsteen and Scialfa delivered.

Springsteen on Broadway setlist

Growin Up

My Hometown

My Fathers House

The Wish

Thunder Road

The Promised Land

Born in the USA

Tenth Avenue Freeze-out

Tougher Than the Rest (with Patti Scialfa)

Fire (with Patti Scialfa)

American Skin (41 Shots)

The Rising

Dancing in the Dark

Land of Hope and Dreams

Ill See You in My Dreams

Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; cjordan@app.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Bruce Springsteen on Broadway delivers big on opening night: Review
British Union Jack flags are seen on the desks of Members of the Brexit Party during a debate on the last European summit, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain and Singapore will on Monday start negotiations on a new digital trade agreement that could remove barriers, part of London's push to become what it calls a "global tech powerhouse" post-Brexit.

Since completing its exit from the European Union at the end of last year, Britain has been pressing ahead with new trade deals especially with countries in the Indo-Pacific region, with the most recent agreement signed with Australia.

Digital trade is seen as key by the government to support British tech companies in capitalising on investment opportunities abroad to try to help a post-COVID recovery.

The government said any agreement with Singapore could remove barriers to digital trade and enable British exporters to expand into high-tech markets. The talks will be kicked off in a video call.

"A cutting-edge deal with Singapore will keep us at the forefront of the technological revolution, ensuring we lead the way in digitally delivered trade and industries like fintech and cybersecurity," British trade minister Liz Truss said.

"The UK will be the first European country to ever negotiate a Digital Economy Agreement, which shows what we can do as a sovereign trading nation," she said in a statement.

(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
In recent months, a vocal and growing group of medical providers have criticized Yakima Valley Memorial. They say the hospital is not doing enough to stem a local decline in some health care specialties and isn't communicating its plans.
Four retired physicians voice their concerns regarding health care services in Yakima County on Wednesday, May 26, 2021, at Franklin Park in Yakima, Wash. Dr. Sam Booth, a retired emergency physician; Dr. Richard Twiss, a retired cardiologist; Dr. John Boucher, a retired surgeon; and Dr. James Haven, a retired orthopedic surgeon, represent a retired medical community whose sole purpose is to improve the direction and quality of specialty and total care in the Yakima Valley.

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Today

Mostly clear. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 82F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight

Mostly clear. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 82F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.

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New Delhi: Actress Alia Bhatt posted a long emotional note along with a string of behind the scene photos from the set of her upcoming Sanjay Leela Bhansali directorial Gangubai Kathiawadi on Instagram, after completing shooting for the film.

Alia in her post, reminisced the two year long journey and the various obstacles that the film had to go through. She calls her journey a gigantic life changing experience!

We started shooting Gangubai on the 8th of December 2019 .. and we wrapped the film now 2 years later! This film and set has been through two lockdowns.. two cyclones.. director and actor getting covid during the making!!! the troubles the set has faced is another film all together! But through all that and more.. what I take away is the gigantic life changing experience, wrote the actress.

Expressing her feelings on collaborating with Sanjay Leela Bhansali for the first time, Alia continued, Being directed by sir has been a dream all my life, but I dont think anything would have prepared me for the journey I was on for these two years.. I walk out of this set a diff person today! I love you sir! Thank you for being you .. there is truly NO ONE like you.

Badrinath Ki Dulhania actress paying homage to her character in the film wrote, When a film ends a part of you ends with it! Today Ive lost a part of me.. Gangu I love you! You will be missed

Lastly, the actress thanked the crew of her film. P.S - special mention to my crew - my family and friends for these two years! without you nothing would have been possible! Love you guys, wrote Alia.

Gangubai Kathiawadi is based on a chapter from Hussain Zaidi's book Mafia Queens of Mumbai and chronicles the story of an influential prostitute from Kamathipura called Gangubai Kothewali who later becomes a politician.
New Delhi: There has been a lot of debate around the gender wage gap and whether it exists in Bollywood. One viewpoint leans towards the argument that female actors are paid significantly lesser than their male counterparts. However, the other argument believes this isn't always true and that people are paid on merit rather than based on their gender. In 2018, during an interview with director Shoojit Sircar, Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan decided to weigh in on this debate and revealed a shocking fact about pay difference between him and his wife Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

He revealed that Aishwarya was actually paid more than him in eight out of the nine films they worked together for. He also said that the pay is dependent on your saleability as an actor and not on one's gender.

He said, "Theres a huge debate on gender parity in the film business and in other industries. Ive worked in nine films with my wife and in eight of those, shes got paid more than I have. The highest-paid actor in Piku was Deepika. Its a business and if you are a saleable actor, you get paid accordingly. You cant be a new actress and demand to be paid the same as Shah Rukh Khan.

Together Abhi-Ash has featured in several hit Bollywood films such as Guru, Dhoom 2, Kuch Na Kaho, Dhai Akhsar Prem Ke, Sarkar Raj, Bunty Aur Babli and Umrao Jaan among others.

Aishwarya and Abhishek Bachchan got married on April 20, 2007. The duo has a daughter named Aaradhya Bachchan. In 2009, they appeared together on The Oprah Winfrey Show and hogged all the attention, with comparisons being drawn with Brangelina (Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie).
New Delhi: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is looking to recruit for posts of Assistant Commandant. The CRPF has invited applications for 25 posts of Assistant Commandant (Civil/Engineer) in the organisation. Interested candidates can apply for the posts through the official site of CRPF on crpf.gov.in.

How to apply:

The interested candidates will have to send the application form with photocopies of all required documents, two latest passport size photographs and two envelopes along with the correspondence address of applicant with requisite stamps to DIG, Group Centre, CRPF, Rampur, District-Rampur, U.P.-244901.

Eligibility criteria:

Candidates must have a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from a recognised University.

Age limit:

The candidate should not be more than 35 years of age.

Selection process:

Candidates will have to undergo Physical Standard Test (PST) and Physical Efficiency Test (PET). The selection will also depend on written examination, documentation followed by Detailed Medical Examination (DME) and Interview.

Exam fees:

Male candidates from the Unreserved/EWS/OBC category are required to deposit Rs 400 as examination fee. While no fees have to be paid by female candidates and aspirants from Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes category.

For more details, candidates are advised to read the official notification on the CRPF website.

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New Delhi: Inching a step closer to the privatisation of two public sector banks, a high-level panel headed by the cabinet secretary recently held a meeting to thrash out various regulatory and administrative issues so that the proposal could be placed with the group of ministers on disinvestment or Alternative Mechanism (AM) for approval.

Pursuant to the announcement made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her 2021 budget speech, the NITI Aayog has suggested a couple of bank names for privatisation to the Core Group of Secretaries on Disinvestment headed by Cabinet Secretary in April, sources said.

The meeting of the high-level panel deliberated on the recommendation of the NITI Aayog on Thursday, June 24, sources said, adding the panel would after tying up all loose ends will send the names of the shortlisted PSU banks to AM for consideration.

Headed by the cabinet secretary, the members of the panel include secretaries in the departments of Economic Affairs, Revenue, Expenditure, Corporate Affairs and Legal Affairs, as well as the secretary of the administrative department. The panel also has the Department of Public Enterprises, Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) Secretary as its member.

According to sources, the panel also examined issues pertaining to the protection of interests of workers of banks which are likely to be privatised.

Following clearance from AM, it will go to the Union Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister for the final nod. Changes on the regulatory side to facilitate privatisation would start after the cabinet approval.

Central Bank of India and Indian Overseas Bank are reported to be probable candidates for privatisation.

The government has budgeted Rs 1.75 lakh crore from stake sale in public sector companies and financial institutions, including two PSU banks and one insurance company, during the current financial year. The amount is lower than the record budgeted Rs 2.10 lakh crore to be raised from CPSE disinvestment in the last fiscal.

In her Budget Speech on February 1, Sitharaman had announced that the government proposes to take up the privatisation of two public sector banks (PSBs) and one general insurance company in the year 2021-22.

"Other than IDBI Bank, we propose to take up the privatisation of two public sector banks and one general insurance company in the year 2021-22," she had said.

The government last year consolidated 10 public sector banks into four and as a result, the total number of PSBs came down to 12 from 27 in March 2017. The government has merged 14 public sector banks in the last four years. Also Read: Love making videos on Instagram Reels? Heres how to increase your followers

Last year in April, the government effected the biggest-ever consolidation exercise in the public sector banking space when six PSU lenders were merged into four in a bid to make them globally competitive. Also Read: Syndicate Bank IFSC code will change from July 1, heres how to get new one
New Delhi: The Andhra Pradesh government on Saturday (June 26, 2021) issued a formal order dispensing with the process of interviews for all future recruitments into government service, including for Group-I Services. According to the notice the order was issued in an attempt to maintain utmost transparency and to ensure the complete trust of the competing candidates in the entire selection process.

The order, which was issued by chief secretary Adityanath Das, said that the government after careful examination of the matter, with a view to maintaining utmost transparency and in order to ensure the complete trust of the competing candidates in the entire selection process, hereby order to dispense with interviews for all Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission exams under all categories.

The order to dispense with interviews is applicable for all the recruitments notified on or after June 26, the order said.

The reforms were implemented as per the recommendations of a high-level committee headed by the then Special Chief, Secretary J Satyanarayana.

However, at a review meeting conducted to introduce reforms in recruitment in October 2019, it was proposed to abolish interviews for recruitment of any posts notified by the APPSC, the chief secretary said. He also added that the government has decided to implement it from now after careful examination of the proposal.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: Hours after BSP supremo Mayawati said that she would not align with Asaduddin Owaisis All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) for the upcoming assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, the latter said that his party would contest 100 seats across the state.

Owaisi said that he would fight the state elections in alliance with Om Prakash Rajbhar-led Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) and Bhaagidaari Sankalp Morcha.

"Regarding Uttar Pradesh elections we have decided to field our candidates in 100 seats. The party has started the process of selecting the candidates and has also released the candidate/aspirants application forms," Owaisi tweeted.

"We are with OP Rajbhar Sahab 'Bhaagidaari Sankalp Morcha'. We did not have any talks with any other party regarding elections or tie-up, he wrote in another tweet.

AIMIM had a decent performance in the Bihar assembly elections in which he won five seats out of the 20 contested. Owaisi is now looking to make inroads into UP.

Earlier today, Mayawati refuted the reports that BSP will tie up with AIMIM in the elections and said that the party will fight alone.

"This news is being broadcast in a media news channel since yesterday that the AIMIM and BSP will fight the upcoming assembly elections in UP together. This news is completely false, misleading and factless, she said in a tweet.

The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister added that except Punjab, BSP will not come into any alliance with any party in UP and Uttarakhand.

https://zeenews.india.com/india/uttar-pradesh-assembly-elections-2022-ma...
New Delhi: In order to stem the spread of COVID-19 cases, the Assam government on Saturday (June 26) issued new guidelines that will come into effect from Monday (June 28). "The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) has issued a revised and consolidated directive today containing directives to further contain the spread of COVID-19 in the districts. Today`s order will be applicable across the State w.e.f. 5 AM of June 28, 2021, and will remain in force until further order," ANI quoted the order as saying.

The government has decided to divide the state on the basis of caseload and positivity rate according to which the restrictions and relaxations will be applicable. High positivity districts include Morigaon, Biswanath, Goalpara and Bokakhat (Civil) Sub Division under Golaghat District. Moderate positivity districts comprise Dhubri, Kokrajhar, Barpeta, Nalbari, Baksa, Bajali, Kamrup, Darang, Sonitpur, Nagaon, Hojai, Golaghat and Sarupathar Sub Division, Jorhat, Sibasagar, Tinsukia, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Cachar, Karimganj, Karbi Anglong and Dibrugarh. While districts showing improvement include Kamrup(M), South Salmara, Majuli, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Udalguri, West Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, Charaideo and Hailakandi.

Here are the new guidelines issued by the state:

The curfew time for high positivity districts will be round the clock, for the moderate positivity districts it will be 2 PM to 5 PM and 5 PM to 5 AM for districts showing improvement.

Workplace, business/commercial establishments, shops will be shut in high positivity districts, will open up to 1 PM for moderate positivity districts and up to 4 PM for districts showing improvement.

Shops dealing with groceries, fruits and vegetables, dairy and milk booths, animal fodder will be open up to 5 PM in high positivity districts, up to 1 PM for moderate positivity districts and up to 4 PM for districts showing improvement.

All Government servants (including contractual and fixed pay) who have been administered at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine shall attend office except in total containment areas. Private sector entities may take their own decision about the attendance of their employees on this account.

Employees who have not taken the vaccine will have to attend office as and when their services are required by respective authorities.

Employees engaged in emergency / essential services shall attend their duty without any restrictions at any place.

A complete ban has been imposed on the movement of all public and private transport in the total containment districts. However, the movement of goods shall continue. While Inter-district passenger transport shall remain suspended across the State, Intra-district transport with 50 percent seating capacity and observance of COVID appropriate behaviour may be allowed.

Teachers and Faculty members need not attend their respective institutions but if District Administration engages them in COVID-19 or flood relief-related emergency duties, they will have to attend their assigned duties.

Other restrictions including odd- even formula for plying of vehicles etc. and exemptions as notified in the Order of June 4, 2021 and June 21, 2021 shall continue to remain in force except those specifically modified by this order.

On Saturday, 2,640 people tested positive for COVID-19, pushing the caseload to 4,99,121 in the state. With 33 new fatalities, the death toll reached 4,403, as per the National Health Mission (NHM) bulletin. The state currently has 27,565 active COVID-19 cases, while 4,65,806 people have recovered from the disease, it added.

(With agency inputs)

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Bengaluru: SOG team associated with Karnataka State Police on Friday (June 26) in an exercise apprehended eight females suspected Bangladeshi nationals in a ladies PG Banaswadi (Banaswadi Police Station limits) along with two males (Indian nationals) namely Anand and Anil. Anil is married to Pooja aka Pinky (Bangladeshi national) and she returned to Bangladesh in April 2021 along with one Kamal Hassan (Bangladeshi national).

During a brief questioning, both Anand and Anil @ Sunil identified the photographs of one Manjunath @ Vishwanath @ Keshav (Mob no. 7338155287), kingpin of the prostitution / human trafficking racket in Bengaluru and Anil's wife Pooja @ Pinky. Manjunath is yet to be apprehended. Both Anil @ Sunil and Anand admitted to have been running the racket under Manjunath @ Vishwanath @ Keshav.



Continuing the operation, seven other females (suspected Bangladeshi nationals) were apprehended from Soumya PG, 2nd Cross, Vinayaka Nagar, HSR Layout 6th Stage, Bengaluru (HSR Layout PS limits) and taken into custody by HSR Layout PS authorities. During brief preliminary questioning, it was found that the majority of those apprehended had Bangladeshi contact numbers saved on their mobile handsets and claimed to be natives of Kolkata, but possessed Aadhaar Cards issued from Mumbai and Gujarat.

According to Banaswadi PS authorities, all eight individuals apprehended from the PG in Banaswadi have admitted to be natives of Bangladesh and provided their addresses in Bangladesh. Identity documents of the apprehended proving their identity are with the jurisdictional Police.

Detailed questioning of the apprehended individuals is proposed to be undertaken in due course, after Police formalities are completed, to ascertain more details including any other activity/angle (narcotics, weapons or communal angle).

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Patna: BJP president J P Nadda on Sunday (June 27) look a veiled dig at opposition leaders such as RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, saying that "our workers" were out on the streets helping people distressed by the recent COVID-19 surge, unlike "many others who remained active only on Twitter".

Nadda, who attended the BJP's state executive meeting in Bihar over a video conference, also said that the saffron party members live by the motto 'seva hi sangathan hai' (service being equivalent to the organisation). Yadav often takes to Twitter to criticise the Nitish Kumar government.

The 31-year-old opposition leader, who keeps facing accusations of absenteeism, returned to the state last week after spending close to a month in the national capital, where, he claimed, he was looking after his ailing father Lalu Prasad, the RJD national president.

"We live by the motto of service being equivalent to the organization. Our workers helped the needy during the second wave without any trepidation. Many others chose to remain active only on Twitter, quarantining themselves at safe places," said Nadda.

The BJP leader who relishes his connections with the Bihar capital, where he was born and spent his early years, also reiterated the need for reminding the younger generation of excesses committed during the Emergency imposed by the Congress government and the lawlessness that kept Bihar in the news when Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi ruled the state for 15 years together.

"During Emergency, a mere visit to Jayaprakash Narayan's house in Kadam Kuan could invite arrest. Our comrades like Ashwini Kumar Choubey (Union minister) faced untold brutalities while in jail. Youngsters of today do not know all this. They should be told about these things, about the sacrifices our generation made for preserving democracy," said Nadda, who was an active member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad in the 1970s.

"They must also be reminded of the days under Lalu when people feared to venture out after sunset and medical practitioners and professionals had begun to migrate out of Bihar fearing the rampant extortion rackets and kidnappings for ransom," he said.

Notably, the RJD and the Congress are old allies and have shared power in the state as well as at the Centre.

Mocking the agitations against the new farm laws, the BJP president said, "Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar had shared an anecdote that when asked to point out which provisions they find objectionable, the protesters could lay their fingers on none. But they have launched a movement."

He also urged party leaders to appraise the common public of the work done by the Narendra Modi government for the betterment of farmers, small- and medium-scale industries and every section of the society.

He exhorted party workers to put in efforts to ensure the success of the universal vaccination programme against COVID-19 and work with the motto "mera booth- corona mukt, vaccination yukt" (my booth free from corona, fully vaccinated).

(Inputs from agency)

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Washington: Calls for a fresh investigation into the origins of the novel coronavirus, which has killed millions of people and shattered the global economy, continue to grow with China`s Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) at the centre of global scrutiny.

A Wall Street Journal (WSJ) investigation had found that China resisted international pressure for a probe that it saw as an attempt to assign blame. China delayed the probe for months, secured veto rights over participants and insisted its scope cover other countries as well. Moreover, the World Health Organization (WHO)-led the team that travelled to China in early 2021 to investigate the origins of the virus struggled to get a clear picture of what research China was conducting beforehand, faced constraints during its visit and had little power to conduct thorough, impartial research without the blessing of China`s government.

Furthermore, Chinese authorities refused to provide WHO investigators with raw data on confirmed and potential early COVID-19 cases that could help determine how and when the coronavirus first began to spread in China. Chinese researchers also directed a US government archive to delete gene sequences of early COVID-19 cases, removing an important clue.

The WHO team found no proof of live mammals being sold at the Wuhan market, which was linked to early COVID-19 cases, and quoted market authorities saying that there was no illegal trade of wildlife there. A study later suggested that the Wuhan market was the site of widespread trading in illegal caged wildlife, providing evidence that the virus could have jumped naturally from market animals to humans.

The WHIO-led team had initially declared that a lab accident was an extremely unlikely cause of the pandemic. However, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus later called for further investigation into the lab-leak hypothesis.

In an earlier report, the WSJ had revealed that a disused copper mine area in southwest China had become the subterranean home of the close known virus to the one that causes COVID-19. In April 2012, six miners fell sick with a mysterious illness after entering the mine to clear bat guano, out of which three died. Unanswered doubts about the miners` illness, the viruses found at the site and the research done with them elevated into the mainstream an idea that was once dismissed as a conspiracy theory, that the SARS-COV-2 might have leaked from a lab in Wuhan. China has vehemently denied that the virus came from Wuhan.

Now, the WHO-led investigators have pushed for the second phase of research into the origins of the virus, warning that the time was running to examine blood samples and other important clues in China. Meanwhile, the WSJ disclosed a US intelligence report asserting that three WIV researchers became sufficiently ill in November 2019 to seek hospital care.

In late May, US President Joe Biden ordered that US intelligence agencies report to him within 90 days on how the virus emerged, with a focus on two scenarios--whether the coronavirus came from human contact with an infected animal or from a laboratory accident.

In the meantime, scientists around the world and organizations such as the American Red Cross and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are looking for new clues in frozen blood, searching for COVID-19 antibodies or signs of infection.

Other independent scientists are also trying to piece together a picture of how the virus could have been evolving before it exploded in late 2019. A new report recently revealed that China deleted early coronavirus data in a possible bid to conceal its origins -- hence impeding the WHO`s probe of the virus.

At least four recent studies have identified coronaviruses closely related to the pandemic strain in bats and pangolins in Southeast Asia and Japan, a sign that these pathogens are more widespread than previously known and that there was ample opportunity for the virus to evolve, according to WSJ. Last month, an explosive study has found that Chinese scientists created the virus in a lab in Wuhan, then tried to cover their tracks by reverse-engineering versions of the virus to make it look like it evolved naturally from bats.

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 virus has no "credible natural ancestor" and was created by Chinese scientists who were working on a `Gain of Function` project in a Wuhan lab, according to a report by British professor Angus Dalgleish and Norwegian scientist Dr Birger Sorensen.

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New Delhi: The Congress is a national party with a pan-India presence and it is quite natural that it should be the fulcrum of any national coalition against the BJP-led NDA, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said on Sunday (June 27).

In an interview with PTI, he also said that Congress is in a direct fight with the BJP on more than 200 Lok Sabha seats and should focus on them while allowing regional parties to be in the driver's seat in the other constituencies.

Asked about the meeting of Opposition leaders and several civil society members at Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Shared Pawar's house here last week, the RJD leader said he was not aware of what transpired in the meeting.

However, the former Bihar deputy chief minister asserted that definitely, all like-minded parties should come together with a common minimum programme to defeat "this most oppressive, divisive, authoritarian and fascist government".

"Our leader Lalu (Yadav) Ji had forewarned in the run-up to 2014 election- 'Ye chunaw tay karega ki desh tootega ya bachega (this election will decide whether the country will remain or be divided)', and I think most of the parties and citizens of our country have realised this today like never before," Yadav said.

On the Congress not having a presence at the meeting and whether the grand old party should be part of a national alliance to take on the BJP, he said the Congress is a national party with a pan-India presence and quite naturally it "should be the fulcrum of any national coalition against the BJP-led NDA".

The Congress is in a direct fight with BJP on more than 200 seats, not the regional parties, Yadav said.

"From past experiences, I think the Congress must focus on those seats wherein it is in a direct fight with the BJP and on remaining seats with an open heart and mind it should let regional parties be in the driving seat in their respective strongholds to root out the BJP," he argued.

His remarks assume significance as they come just days after Pawar said the Congress will need to be taken along if any alternative alliance is to be formed.

Significantly, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday had also said that work is on to bring all opposition parties together at the national level, and this alliance will be incomplete without Congress.

He had said that Congress will play an important role in the alliance that aims to provide a strong alternative to the present dispensation.

NCP chief Pawar on Friday had claimed that the formation of any national alliance was not the topic of discussion at the meeting of eight opposition parties hosted by him, but also said that if any such coalition emerges, its leadership will have to be "collective".

He had told reporters that the aim of the meeting at his Delhi residence last Tuesday was to discuss how they can support the ongoing farmers' agitation.

Speculation was rife that the agenda of the meeting, where no Congress leader was present, was to discuss a possible alliance that could be an alternative to the BJP.

Asked what would be the form of any future alliance against the BJP and what would be the Congress's place in it, Pawar had said, "There was no discussion on this, however, in my view the Congress will be needed to be taken along if any alternative alliance is to be formed."
New Delhi: The COVID-19 third wave will not be as severe as the second wave that hit the country in May, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) found out in a study. The study titled Plausibility of the third wave of Covid-19 in India: A mathematical modelling based analysis, was published in Indian Journal of Medical Research.

The study analysed mechanisms which could trigger a substantial third wave while also illustrating that it is unlikely for any such resurgence to be as large as the second wave. Preparedness planning for any potential future wave will benefit by drawing upon the projected numbers based on the present modelling exercise," the study said, as per a report in Times of India.

The researchers emphasised that ramping up daily vaccinations is the only way to mitigate against any eventuality.

Meanwhile, AIIMS Chief Dr Randeep Guleria said, "Making COVID-19 vaccine available for children will be a milestone achievement and pave the way for reopening of schools and resumption of outdoor activities for them."

He said the data of phase two and three trial of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin on two to 18 years age group is expected by September.

"If the Pfizer vaccine gets approval before that, then it can also be an option for children," Dr Guleria told PTI on Saturday.

The vaccine can be available for children in India around that time following approval from the drug regulator.

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New Delhi: After the first case of Delta Plus variant was found in Haryanas Faridabad, state Home and Health Minister Anil Vij assured that the government is ready to tackle the new COVID-19 mutant. "The government is prepared. We have given orders that 100 per cent of the contacts of the person be tested and genome sequencing be done, Vij was quoted as saying by ANI. India has so far reported around 51 confirmed cases of Delta Plus variant which has been described as a variant of concern.

Dr Raman R Gangakhedkar, former Head Scientist of Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases, ICMR said on Saturday, Although there is no data as of now which shows that the Delta Plus variant of COVID-19 is spreading faster than Delta but the former should also be treated as a "variant of concern.

States which have reported Delta Plus cases so far include Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir and Karnataka. One each in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu and two in Madhya Pradesh have also succumbed to the new COVID-19 mutant.

The Chief Secretaries of these states have been asked by the Centre to implement containment measures on a priority basis.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan wrote in his letter, You are requested to take up immediate containment measures in these districts and clusters including preventing crowds and intermingling of people, (conducting) widespread testing, prompt (contact) tracing as well as (increasing) vaccine coverage on a priority basis.

The B.1.617.2 Plus or Delta Plus variant has increased transmissibility, stronger binding to receptors of lung cells and potential reduction in monoclonal antibody response.

On Saturday, the first cases of Delta Plus variant of coronavirus were detected in Ludhiana and Chandigarh.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (June 27, 2021) addressed the nation through 'Mann Ki Baat' and urged everyone to overcome the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.

During the monthly radio programme, PM Modi talked to a group of people from a village and asked them to dispel any fear they have regarding getting a vaccine jab.

"Darr hai toh nikaal dijiye (dispel fear, if any)," the Prime Minister told them.

"I have taken both doses. My Mother is almost a hundred years old, she has taken both vaccines too. Please do not believe any negative rumours relating to vaccines," PM Modi stated.

The Prime Minister also urged people to trust science and Indian scientists.

He said that those who are spreading rumours on vaccines, 'let them be'.

"We all will do our work and ensure people around us get vaccinated," he added.

PM Modi said that the threat of coronavirus remains and that everyone has to focus on vaccination as well as follow COVID protocols.

The Mann ki Baat radio address comes a day after India's cumulative vaccination coverage exceeded 32 crores.

So far, the country has witnessed a total of 32,17,60,077 vaccine doses being administered through 42,79,210 sessions, as per the provisional report till 7 am today. As per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, more than 64 lakh vaccine doses were administered on Saturday.



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Leh: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on his visit to Ladakh will take stock of the situation at the Line of actual control (LAC) and will inaugurate a new bridge made by the BRO on Monday, June 28.

This will be the main programme of the Defence Ministers visit and will begin at 8 am.

On Saturday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was briefed about the security situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in Eastern Ladakh on Sunday (June 27) by the senior officials of Army's Northern Command.

Singh, who is currently in Leh for a three-day visit to Ladakh, also met elected representatives of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDC), Kargil.

Earlier in the day, the Defence Minister met Army veterans in Leh.

Addressing them on the first of his three-day trip, the Defence Minister said, "Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi fulfilled the commitment given to the Armed Forces veterans by providing for one rank one pension."

During his visit, Singh is scheduled to inaugurate infrastructural projects constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and will also interact with troops deployed in the region.

Meanwhile, earlier this week, India and China had 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.

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Surat: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday (June 27) said that the 2022 Gujarat Assembly polls will be a straight contest between the ruling BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party.

In Surat to welcome businessman Mahesh Savani into the AAP fold, Sisodia said the BJP was in power for over two decades in the state but had failed to bring about any change, whereas his party has emerged from the people, stood by them and was synonymous with "good governance", according to news agency PTI.

"The trust and faith of the people in AAP is growing. The 2022 Gujarat Assembly polls will be between the party that has been ruling without bringing about any change and the party that has emerged from the people," Sisodia said.

He claimed people like Savani joining his party was a sign that the business community as well as common citizens wanted change in Gujarat.

Savani, who belongs to the politically influential Patidar community, is known for organising mass marriages for orphaned women and also runs hostels for HIV positive girls.

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New Delhi: India recorded 50,040 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed on Sunday (June 27, 2021) morning.

With this, the country's active caseload has declined to 5,86,403 and the active cases now constitute 1.94% of the total infections. India's weekly positivity rate currently stands at 2.91%, while the daily positivity rate has come down to 2.82%.

The country also saw 1,258 fresh COVID-19-related fatalities and the death toll has now jumped to 3,95,751.

On the other hand, nearly 58,000 people also recovered between Saturday and Sunday morning that took the total number of recoveries to 2.92 crores. India's recovery rate has now increased to 96.75%.

Earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with top officials to review the COVID-19 situation in the country and the progress of vaccination. he directed officers to work with the states to ensure that the pace of testing does not go down as it remains a very important weapon to track and contain rising infections in any region.

PM Modi was informed that over 3.7 crore doses have been administered in the last 6 days which is more than the entire population of countries like Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Canada.

According to the Prime Minister's Office, it was also discussed that 128 districts in the country have vaccinated more than 50% of the 45+ population and 16 districts have vaccinated more than 90% of the 45+ population.

PM Modi expressed satisfaction at the rising speed of vaccinations this week and stressed that it is important to carry this momentum forward.

Meanwhile, India's cumulative COVID-19 vaccination coverage has crossed the 32-crore landmark as more than 58.10 lakh vaccine doses were administered across the country on Saturday.

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New Delhi: In a big revealtion on the Jammu drone attack incident, sources from Intelligence agencies have claimed that the Air Traffic Control (ATC) building and MI 17 helicopters were the targets of the bombings at the Indian Air Force base, but both drones missed their targets.

Two drones carried out an attack inside Jammu's Air Force base in the early hours of Sunday. The explosions took place in the intervening night of saturday and Sunday at around 1.40 am six minutes apart.

One of the two drones had a 5 kg TNT bomb while the other had a slightly lower payload, sources said. The bomb unit of the National Security Guard (NSG) and experts from other agencies are further investigating the explosives used.

In the attack two Indian Air Force personnel have reportedly been injured. The Indian Air Force said in its statement that both the soldiers are under observation and are fine.

The Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria spoke to the injured soldiers on the phone. Air Chief Marshal is currently in Bangladesh.

The first blast ripped off the roof of a single-storey building at the high security technical area of the airport while the second one took place at a distance of 100 meters from ATC.

Following the attack, a red alert has been sounded on the J&K border with Punjab and Himachal and patrolling has been intensified at all the checkpoints, sources said.

Jammu and Kashmir Police DGP Dilbag Singh told Zee News that an IED weighing 5 to 6 kg has been recovered by the Jammu Police in the city. The IED was recovered from a Lashkar operative who was preparing to install the explosives in any congested area in the city. With this recovery a major attack was thwarted.

The police is interrogating the arrested Lashkar operative. It is expected that J&K Police will nab some more Lashkar operatives till the completion of the interrogation.

Dilbagh Singh said that the Jammu and Kashmir Police is working in collaboration with other agencies on the Jammu airfield blast. Police have registered an FIR in this matter and investigation is still on.

Meanwhile, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Vice Air Chief, Air Marshal HS Arora regarding todays incident at Air Force Station in Jammu. Air Marshal Vikram Singh was at the incident site to take stock of the situation.

This is the second such terrorist attack on an Air Force Station in the forward area after Pathankot.

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New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modis Mann ki Baat address on Sunday (June 27, 2021). The former Congress chief took it to his Twitter account to share a video that showed a graph titled 'truth about vaccination rate'. The tweet comes minutes before Prime Minister started his monthly radio address to the nation.

The former Congress chief posted this video with the caption: "Just deliver the COVID-19 vaccine to every citizen of the country then tell your 'Mann Ki Baat'."

Take a look at the tweet here:

Meanwhile, PM Narendra Modi in his 78th episode of Mann Ki Baat said that the country has achieved an extraordinary milestone on June 21, when the next phase of COVID-19 vaccination started.

The battle we the countrymen are fighting against corona is continuingbut in this fight, together, we've achieved many an extraordinary milestone! Just a few days ago, our country accomplished an unprecedented feat, said PM Modi.

In his monthly address, PM Modi also urged everyone to overcome the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.

"Darr hai toh nikaal dijiye (remove any fear you have)," the Prime Minister told some people from Dulariya village, Betul district in Madhya Pradesh.

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New Delhi: A few weeks ago, in a sober and low-key ceremony on account of the pervasive and raging Wuhan Virus, Penpa Tsering was sworn in as the democratically elected Sikyong or the President of the Dharamshala based Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), the Tibetan government in exile.

From the time results of the elections were declared in mid-April 2021 to the swearing-in ceremony on May 27 and even thereafter, messages of felicitations have poured in from parliamentarians across the world, Tibet support groups, international bodies and institutions. Notably, the US State Department, parliamentarians from EU countries, Canada and from Japan and Australia - 3 of the 4 Quad member countries- and Taiwan`s Foreign Minister sent congratulatory messages to the new Sikyong.

However, there was no official media reportage on the election, the swearing-in ceremony, or message of felicitation to the new democratically elected Sikyong from political leaders, officials or organizations affiliated to the Indian government.

The conspicuous silence is evidently in line with the classified directive issued by GOI in a letter dated Feb 22, 2018, that was circulated to all offices in the Central and State governments. The letter imposed restrictions in the form of an "advisory" to all Ministries/Departments of the Government of India as well as State Governments not to accept any invitation or participate in any function organized or hosted by the CTA.

It was issued on the eve of the then Foreign Secretary`s visit to China citing the reason to be a "very sensitive time in India-China relations". Speculations on the underlying reasons for the issue of the referred letter made by a stunned CTA, Tibetan community in exile and many China/Tibet experts varied. Some believed that it was a condition to pave the way for Prime Minister Narendra Modi - President Xi Summit in Wuhan that followed in April 2018.

Some said that it was to persuade the Chinese to change their position on Masood Azhar being listed as a terrorist by the UN. A few opined that it was to get China`s nod on India`s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. One assessment suggested that it could have been a mere pique at the undisclosed visit of a senior representative from the Dalai Lama set up to China ostensibly as part of their back-channel negotiations for the resumption of dialogue between the two sides.

Whatever the considerations at that time were, the revised policy guidelines were in line with India`s genuine desire to continue to build on the goodwill generated during Xi`s parleys with PM Modi in Ahmedabad. It was a significant step taken by India to bridge the "trust deficit" coming in the way of improvement in bilateral relations. However, India`s efforts to build mutual trust were brutally undermined in May 2020 by the pre-meditated and brazen display of deceit and deception when an aggressive and expansionist China diverted troops to occupy territory previously not under its control in Eastern Ladakh.

It blatantly violated painstakingly negotiated bilateral agreements, confidence-building measures, protocols and understandings. The "trust deficit" which India sought to bridge actually widened due to Chinese duplicity.

Meanwhile, the international situation has also undergone significant changes. The Biden Administration has signalled its inclination to abide by the Tibet Policy and Support Act. It made an unprecedented gesture in publicly extending greetings to the CTA on the occasion of the Tibetan New Year. It has indicated a steady and firm resolve to reconfigure its relations with China to one of "strategic competition".China is viewed as being bent on disrupting and defying the rules-based international order and threatening peace and stability. The Quad has galvanized. The EU has frozen a massive investment agreement with China.

Internal repression in China is getting more focus than ever in the recent past. Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Hong Kong and Taiwan are gradually gaining renewed global attention for a variety of political and strategic reasons.Under these circumstances, an urgent need is felt for a substantive reappraisal of India`s relations with China across the board and with Tibet in particular.

Many ideas have been mooted in the strategic community as a befitting political riposte. These range from India abandoning the One China policy, to awarding the Dalai Lama with the highest civilian honour, to the Indian government expressing support for all the decisions taken by the Dalai Lama in the matter of his reincarnation, to welcoming the 15th Dalai Lama as an honoured guest of India.

While all such suggestions can be discussed on their merit and efficacy, the lowest hanging fruit is the quiet unpublicized burial of the February 22, 2018 directive and return to status quo ante in relation to interaction with the CTA as it prevailed since 2011.

At that time, in an astute and far-sighted move, the Dalai Lama approved the devolution of all the administrative and political powers vested in him to democratically elected Tibetan leaders. The Government of India viewed this in a positive light. The former Sikyong, Lobsang Sangay, was invited to attend PM Modi`s oath-taking ceremony in May 2014 along with other Heads of Government. Contacts and interaction with the Dalai Lama and Sikyong at the highest political levels, albeit unofficial, continued.

This was despite China conveying her objections to India for permitting the CTA to carry out their legitimate functions and pursuit of religious activities. A return to the pre-February 22, 2018 policy will send the right signal about India`s determination to shun any notion of appeasement in its relations with China as the latter continues to play hardball on border negotiations.

It will be a small but significant step to bring the Tibet issue back on the table. It will have the desired effect in the Tibetan community in exile and within Tibet in the form of tacit support to the CTA`s international advocacy efforts to resume Sino-Tibet negotiations. It will also indicate India`s willingness to join the call from the wider comity of democratic countries in this respect.

The time to shed any perceived ambivalence on the Tibet issue is now. The time to restore the status quo ante on India`s policy towards the CTA, and the Tibetan community is here. The author of this Opinion article is Krishan Varma, who is former Director ARC and Special Secretary, Government of India, Cabinet Secretariat.

(Inputs from agency)

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New Delhi: Hours after two explosions rocked the Indian Air Force station in Jammu airport which is being termed a terror attack, the investigative agencies have intensified their probe into the blast. According to sources, the central government is preparing to handover the investigation to National Investigation Agency (NIA). The Jammu and Kashmir Police is working on the case alongwith other agencies.

The drones were launched from a few kilometers away from the airbase, although it is also being investigated whether the drones were sent from across the border. As per experts, the terrorists wanted to target the Air Force helicopter which was present at the air station but they missed the target, had the terrorists found the target then it could have caused a lot of damage.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Police thwarted a major terrorist attack as it recovered 5-6 kgs of explosives from a crowded area in Jammu. Police is interrogating a Lashkar terrorist who allegedly received the explosives and was going to plant it at some crowded place.

The suspect is being interrogated. More suspects likely to be picked up in this foiled IED blast attempt.

While, the Jammu & Kashmir Police has registered an FIR under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, a high-level meeting was underway at the Air Force station with senior police and Indian Air Force officials in attendance, PTI reported.

On the intervening night of June 26-27, two explosives-laden drones reportedly crashed into the high-security Indian Air Force station at Jammu airport. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has launched an investigation into the attack that injured two IAF personnel.

The first explosion took place around 1.40 am and ripped off the roof of a single-storey building at the technical area of the airport while the second one was on the ground, officials said.

This is the second such terrorist attack on an Air Force Station in the forward area after Pathankot.

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has fulfilled the commitment made to armed forces veterans by providing the one rank one pension scheme, said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday (June 27, 2021).

Addressing army veterans in Leh on the first of his three-day trip, the Defence Minister said: "Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi fulfilled the commitment given to the Armed Forces veterans by providing for one rank one pension."

Speaking on the problem of resettlement after service, he said the problem still persists. "Along with this, job fairs are also organised by the Directorate General Resettlement from time to time, in which a large number of veterans are given employment. We are trying to speed up this work."

He asserted that the aim of the ministry is that personnel are taken care of the same way they took care of the county. "Our aim is that all of you should be taken care of in the same way you all have taken care of the security of the country. Despite this, if you people have any problem somewhere, then a helpline has also been arranged for that," he said.

The minister also lauded the soldiers saying, "The dedication of our soldiers and veterans towards the country is exemplary. I express my gratitude from the bottom of my heart to all." Singh also met with Army veterans in Leh.

The Defence Minister, army personnel and veterans also chanted `Bharat Mata ki Jai` slogan.

Singh is currently in Leh for a three-day visit to the region. He is scheduled to inaugurate infrastructural projects constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and will also interact with troops deployed in the region.

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Kanpur Dehat: President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday (June 27) visited his native village Paraunkh and in a heart-warming and emotional gesture, bowed and touched the ground to pay obeisance to the land of his birth.

While addressing a Jan Abhinandan Samaroh in his village, the President remembered his background and said that Paraunkh was not just a village, but was his motherland, from where he drew inspiration.

"I had never imagined even in my dreams that an ordinary boy like me from the village would get the privilege of discharging the responsibilities of the highest office of the country. But our democratic system has shown this by doing it," he said.

In a rare emotional gesture, after landing at the helipad near his village, Paraunkh of Kanpur Dehat district of Uttar Pradesh, President Ram Nath Kovind bowed and touched the soil to pay obeisance to the land of his birth. pic.twitter.com/zx6OhUchSu  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) June 27, 2021

"The credit for where I have reached today goes to the soil of this village and the love and blessings of this region and all of you... The smell of the earth of my village and the memories of the residents are always present in my heart. For me, Paraunkh is not just a village, it is my motherland, from where I have always been inspired to go ahead and serve the country," he added.

The President further said that it was this inspiration of his motherland that took him from High Court to Supreme Court, from Supreme Court to Rajya Sabha, from Rajya Sabha to Raj Bhavan and from Raj Bhawan to Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Some moments of President Kovind visiting his native village Paraunkh in Kanpur Dehat. The President paid tributes to Babasaheb Dr B.R. Ambedkar, visited Milan Kendra & Veerangana Jhalkari Bai Inter College and addressed a Jan Sambodhan Samorah. pic.twitter.com/FQkuh7Aqy7  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) June 27, 2021

Kovind, along with his wife Savita Devi, chose to travel to their hometown in a special train from Delhi to connect with people - the first rail journey by an incumbent President in 15 years.

He arrived at his native village on a helicopter and landed near his village. Governor of Uttar Pradesh Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath received the President on his arrival at Kanpur Central Railway Station on Friday.

                                        pic.twitter.com/5adPWYymsA  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) June 25, 2021

Speaking about the Indian culture of `Matri Devo Bhava` (Mother is God), `Pitru Devo Bhava` (Father is God) and `Acharya Devo Bhava` (Teacher is God), he said that he was glad to see people in the village respecting parents and gurus.

"It has been a tradition in my family to give the status of mother to the oldest woman in the village and father to the elderly man, irrespective of caste, class or sect. Today I am happy to see that this tradition of our family of respecting elders continues even now," he said.

With the trip taking place amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the President told the people that vaccination is like a shield to protect from the coronavirus and urged people to get vaccinated. The President is scheduled to return to New Delhi on a special flight on June 29.
Lucknow: A farmers' organisation in Uttar Pradesh has warned of an agitation if dues of sugarcane farmers are not paid on time.

In a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, convenor of Rashtriya Kisan Majdoor Sangathan V M Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 2017 UP Assembly elections had said the payment to the sugarcane farmers will be done in 14 days, or interest will be given if the amount is not paid on time.

But despite the passage of four-and-half years, the promise has not been fulfilled, he said, adding farmers had voted for the BJP in the election in the hope that their problems will be solved.

If the promises are not fulfilled, the farmers will stage a protest from July 6-12 at the offices of district magistrates, sub-divisional magistrates and tehsil offices. After this, on July 15, there will be an agitation at the cane commissioner's office, Singh said.

Also Read: Asaduddin Owaisis AIMIM to contest 100 seats in Uttar Pradesh assembly polls 2022

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New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh on Sunday (June 27) termed the twin explosions at the Indian Air Force station in Jammu airport a terror attack, PTI reported. Two explosives-laden drones reportedly crashed into the high-security Indian Air Force station at Jammu airport on the intervening night of June 26-27. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has launched an investigation into the attack that injured two IAF personnel.

The first blast which took place around 1.40 am ripped off the roof of a single-storey building at the technical area of the airport while the second one was on the ground, PTI quoted the officials as saying. The possibility of a terror attack has not been ruled out. The investigators are trying to ascertain the flight path of the two drones.

Taking to Twitter on Sunday morning, IAF wrote, Two low intensity explosions were reported early Sunday morning in the technical area of Jammu Air Force Station. One caused minor damage to the roof of a building while the other exploded in an open area. There was no damage to any equipment. Investigation is in progress along with civil agencies.

Citing sources, PTI reported that a high-level meeting was underway at the Air Force station with senior police and Indian Air Force officials in attendance.

The Jammu & Kashmir Police has registered an FIR under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Earlier today, a team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrived at the Air Force Station to take stock of the situation.

#UPDATE | FIR registered under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act after two low-intensity explosions were reported earlier today at Jammu Air Force Station. Investigation underway: Jammu & Kashmir Police  ANI (@ANI) June 27, 2021

IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, who is in Bangladesh on official visit, is constantly monitoring the situation. Necessary instructions passed for probe into the matter. Western Air Commander Air Marshal VR Chaudhari is at Jammu Air Force Station, Senior IAF officials were quoted as saying by ANI.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's office said he spoke to Vice Air Chief, Air Marshal H S Arora, over the incident.

Meanwhile, Jammu Airport director Pravat Ranjan Beuria told PTI that there was no disruption in flight operations due to the explosions. "Flights to and from Jammu airport are operating as per schedule," he said.

Jammu airport is a civil airport with the runway and the ATC (air traffic control) under the IAF.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: Twitter's interim resident grievance officer for India has stepped down, leaving the micro-blogging site without a grievance official as mandated by the new IT rules to address complaints from Indian subscribers, according to a source.

The source said that Dharmendra Chatur, who was recently appointed as interim resident grievance officer for India by Twitter, has quit from the post.

The social media company's website no longer displays his name, as required under Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021.

Twitter declined to comment on the development.

The development comes at a time when the micro-blogging platform 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.

The new rules which came into effect from May 25 mandate social media companies to establish a grievance redressal mechanism for resolving complaints from the users or victims.

All significant social media companies, with over 50 lakh user base shall appoint a grievance officer to deal with such complaints and share the name and contact details of such officers.

The big social media companies are mandated to appoint a chief compliance officer, a Nodal Contact Person and a resident grievance officer. All of them should be resident in India.

Twitter in response to the final notice issued by the government on June 5 had said that it intends to comply with the new IT rules and will share details of the chief compliance officer. In the meantime, the microblogging platform had appointed Chatur as interim resident grievance officer for India.

Twitter now displays the company's name in the place of grievance officer for India with a US address and an email ID. Also Read: Unlock 5.0: Park, gym and bar will open in Delhi from tomorrow

According to a government official, the company has lost legal protection as an intermediary and will be legally held responsible for all content posted by its users on the platform. Also Read: Asaduddin Owaisis AIMIM to contest 100 seats Uttar Pradesh assembly polls 2022
Bareilly: A private hospital in Aonla here has been sealed by a team of the district administration and the medical department for alleged irregularities, officials said on Sunday.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Parul Tarar said that Dharamdas, a resident of Dhakora, had demanded an inquiry after his wife died at the hospital during treatment.

In his complaint, Dharamdas said that on June 10, his wife, Somvarti, was admitted for an abortion procedure at the New Bharat Hospital, but owing to negligence of the doctor, she died on June 13.

Based on the complaint, the SDM along with Dr Intzar Hussain from the local community health centre, raided the hospital, the officials said.

The staff at the hospital could not produce any documents related to registration, they said.

According to the SDM, a BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) doctor, Ashok Kumar, was present at the hospital and he said that he had come here three days ago and has no information about the hospital.

The person operating the hospital, Ibne Ali, was not present there.

Tarar also informed that expired medicines were found at the medical store of the hospital, and hence, the hospital was sealed on grounds of irregularities.
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is going to win 17 seats unopposed in the elections of the Uttar Pradesh Zila Panchayat chairpersons. The BJP candidates for the Zila Panchayat chairman post are all set to be declared winners unopposed as no other candidate filed nomination papers. The deadline for filing nominations ended on Saturday evening.

The Samajwadi Party (SP), in a reaction, has sacked presidents of 11 districts, mostly the ones where the BJP candidate has been elected unopposed.

The move is being seen as an attempt to send out a stern message to the party leaders and cadre that the party means business.

The SP state President Naresh Uttam Patel, late on Saturday evening announced that district presidents of the party units in Gorakhpur, Moradabad, Jhansi, Agra, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Mau, Balrampur, Shravasti, Bhadohi, Gonda and Lalitpur have been removed from their post on the directions of the national president Akhilesh Yadav.

No reason was, however, cited in the letter issued by the party, announcing the removal of the district presidents with immediate effect.

The Samajwadi Party has also sacked one Sachin Yadav from the party for six years for indulging in anti-party activities in Farrukhabad and issued a stern warning to all party cadres that any move which happens to be against the interest of the party will be dealt with in a similar manner.

In the political circles, the move is being seen as an attempt by the party leadership to ask office bearers to adopt result-oriented strategies and make the party`s presence felt in the democratic process of the state.

Party sources said there were reports that in some of the districts where action had been initiated, SP candidates were unable to file their nominations owing to issues like incomplete documentation despite the district presidents having assured the party-state chief that everything was in place.

"However, these are merely allegations which are being verified and appropriate action would be initiated against anyone found guilty," said a senior SP leader.

The counting in the remaining seats where the number of candidates is more than one will be held on July 3.



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New Delhi: India is about to get a new COVID-19 vaccine developed by Indian pharmaceutical company Zydus Cadila, the Centre has informed the Supreme Court on Saturday (June 26, 2021). The pharmaceutical company Zydus Cadila has concluded its clinical trial and will soon be available for those between 12-18 years of age. This development comes as a huge relief as the country is anticipating the possible third COVID-19 wave to affect the children primarily.

It is submitted that Zydus Cadila which is developing DNA vaccines has concluded its clinical trial for between the age group of 12 to 18 years of age and subject to the statutory permissions, the same may be available in near future for children in the age group of 12 to 18 years of age, the Centre told the apex court in an affidavit on Saturday.

In its 375-page affidavit, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said the government is making efforts towards procuring 135 crore doses of the various COVID-19 vaccines, including 50 crore doses of Covishield, 40 crore doses of Covaxin, 30 crore doses of BioEs jab, 10 crore doses of the Sputnik V vaccine and 5 crore doses of Zydus Cadilas DNA vaccine, between August and December of this year.

Walk in vaccinations have been allowed for all ages and digital divide is not a constraint for access to vaccines anymore, the affidavit added.

The 375-page affidavit was a reply to a slew of questions raised by the top court on May 31. A bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud had slammed the Centres COVID-19 vaccination policy on May 31 and has stated that the policy was prima facie arbitrary and irrational.

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Kolkata: Kolkata Police on Saturday included the charge of an attempt to murder along with other sections of the IPC against a man who allegedly impersonated as an IAS officer and organised COVID-19 vaccination camps together with three of his associates, officials said.

Debanjan Deb, 28, and his accomplices have also been charged with criminal conspiracy, forgery and cheating.

He was arrested on Wednesday for masquerading as a joint commissioner of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and operating an immunisation camp in the Kasba area, where actor and Trinamool Congress MP Mimi Chakraborty had also got her jab.

According to a top source in the state government, the decision to include the attempt to murder charge against all the four was taken at the "direction of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee".

The West Bengal government has also set up an expert committee to examine the effect of fake vaccination administered to people at the camp and take corrective action, a senior police officer said.

The four-member panel will be submitting a detailed report very soon, a health department official said.

Health camps were also organised by the government for those who had been given the shots at the camps run by Deb.

"Initial findings suggest that people were administered antibiotic Amikacin instead of Covid vaccines, and it had no major impact on their health," a health department source said.

The department also released a set of SOPs for operating COVID-19 vaccination centres or camps under the non-government initiative.

Earlier in the day, Kolkata Police arrested the three associates of Deb. Two of them were found to be signatories to a fake bank account that was registered against the name of Kolkata Municipal Corporation, officials said.

The third was on the payroll of Deb and had actively taken part in the vaccination camps, they said.

"One is a resident of Salt Lake while another is from Barasat. Both were called for questioning before they were arrested," a senior police officer said.

The "employee" of Deb hails from Taltala.

All four of them were produced in a local court on Saturday.

Three more cases have been registered against Deb at Kasba Police Station, he said.

The TMC MP, who was invited to attend the camp, was the first to raise alarm after she did not receive the customary message sent to those who are inoculated.


New Delhi: Bollywood actor Aparshakti Khurana and his wife Aakriti Ahuja are expecting their first baby. Actor Ayushmann Khurrana along with his wife and author Tahira Kashyap shared the pictures from their baby shower ceremony, which was attended by only close friends and family.

Sharing the pictures in the Instagram story, Ayushmann wrote, @tahirakashyap is also taking a pic.

In the picture, Aparshakti and his wife can be seen cutting the cake while the celebrity couple turned professional photographers for the beautiful couple.

Tahira also shared her photo in her Instagram story and wrote, "These two (sic)," followed by an awestruck emoji.

Recently, the Luka Chuppi actor took to his Instagram handle and shared a picture of himself along with his wife to announce that they are expecting their first child together.

Expressing his happiness over Instagram, he wrote,                  #PreggerAlert

@taniaabroll @taniagrewalphotography..

The duo got married in 2014.

On the workfront, Aparshakti was last seen in Remo D'Souza's dance drama Street Dancer 3D alongside Varun Dhawan and Shraddha Kapoor. He will be next seen in Satram Ramanis Helmet, and in Vikramaditya Motwanes upcoming web show, Stardust and it marks the actors debut in the OTT world.
New Delhi: If you are a customer of Syndicate Bank, then there is important news for you, as the IFSC codes of all the branches are all set to change. Syndicate Bank was merged with Canara Bank with effect from 1st April 2020, according to Reserve Bank of Indias (RBI) orders. However, to provide a buffer time to customers, the banks IFSC code remained the same for over a year. But thats going to change, as Syndicate Banks older IFSC Code will work only till 30 June 2021.

The new IFSC codes of the bank will be applicable from July 1, 2021. Customers should note that they have to get the details of the new IFSC and MICR codes to facilitate banking transactions without running into any troubles.

Since Syndicate Banks customers are now Canara Banks customers, the latter has also issued an advisory about the formers IFSC code updation. From July 1 onwards, Syndicate Bank customers wont be able to use the IFSC codes starting with SYNB.

The bank has said that customers should inform all money senders that now while using NEFT / RTGS / IMPS, they should use only the new IFSC starting with CNRB, which belong to Canara Bank.

Canara Bank has also said to add 10000 to the erstwhile IFSC of Syndicate Bank. For example, if the old IFSC was SYNB0003687, now the new IFSC will be CNRB0013687 in its place.

How to get new IFSC code:

Existing customers of Syndicate Bank can get the details of the new IFSC and MICR code from Canara Banks official website (http://www.canarabank.com/). Also Read: Love making videos on Instagram Reels? Heres how to increase your followers

Go to 'What's New' and click on 'KIND ATTN eSYNDIATE CUSTOMERS: KNOW YOUR NEW IFSC'. You can also contact the customer care of Canara Bank on 18004250018 to get the details. Also Read: IL&FS gets Rs 1925 cr from Haryana in Gurgaon Metro Project case

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#mute
New Delhi: Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has ratcheted up the heat on U.S. ecommerce giants like Amazon and Walmart, accusing them of arrogance and of flouting local laws by indulging in predatory pricing practices. Goyal said companies were using their scale and access to large pools of low-cost capital to indulge in predatory pricing practices "to the detriment of mom-and-pop stores." "A number of these large ecommerce companies have come into India and very blatantly flouted the laws of the land in more ways than one," he told a virtual event late on Saturday.

"I`ve had several engagements with these large companies, particularly the American ones, and I can see a little bit of arrogance," he said.

Goyal did not directly name Amazon.com or Walmart Inc`s Flipkart - the two dominant ecommerce players in India - or specify which laws had been flouted. But his comments come at a time of growing clamour from small Indian traders and retailers, who accuse the U.S. giants of circumventing Indian consumer protection laws and competition laws.

Amazon and Flipkart did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Goyal`s scathing criticism.

The two companies have denied the allegations levelled against them by the traders.

Goyal also criticised companies for indulging in "forum shopping" in courts and failing to comply with an investigation launched by the Competition Commission of India (CCI).

Flipkart and Amazon have appealed against the CCI`s bid to restart an investigation into their business practices, after a judge this month dismissed the companies` original pleas.

"To my mind, if they have nothing to hide, if they are doing honest business practices, why don`t they respond to the CCI?" Goyal said at the virtual event organised by the Stanford India Policy and Economics Club.

His comments came days after India unveiled a new set of ecommerce regulations that could dent both Amazon and Flipkart`s ambitions in India, and force the duo to review certain business structures.

Separately, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, the Confederation of All India Traders, accused ecommerce companies of treating India like a "banana republic" with weak laws.

The body urged the government to ensure that the proposed e-commerce rules were not diluted, despite the lobbying efforts of ecommerce giants. Also Read: Mobile World Congress 2021 starts tomorrow: What we know so far

The U.S.-India Business Council, a top U.S. lobby group, described India`s proposed new ecommerce rules as concerning in an internal memo this week. Also Read: Income Tax Return deadline extension: Important things you need to know before ITR filing
New Delhi: Tech geeks around the waiting are impatiently waiting for the Mobile World Congress 2021 or MWC 2021, one of the largest tech events in the world. Hundreds of tech firms including tech titans such as Google and Samsung also take part in the tech feast every year in Barcelona to showcase their upcoming telecom technologies, products or ideas. However, Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), which organises Mobile World Congress, had cancelled last years event due to the COVID-19 situation.

When is MWC 2021?

GSMA has decided to bring back the event starting from June 28 in Barcelona. MCW 2021 is all set to take place in a hybrid form. The four-day event will start on Monday (June 28) and will end on Thursday (July 1).

What to expect from MWC 2021?

So far, Goggle, Nokia, Xiaomi, Samsung, Facebook and Sony have decided not to attend the physical edition of MWC 2021. Many of them are yet to confirm whether theyll either showcasing their products or technologies virtually or will completely skip the mega event. However, a few brands have confirmed their virtual event dates, but dont expect a lot of new launches this year.

Which brands are participating at MWC 2021?

Samsungs MWC 2021 virtual event will take place on Monday (June 28), which happens to be the first day of the function. The Korean electronics giant had also rolled out a video hinting towards the speculated launches. However, its very unlikely that Samsung will launch a new smartphone at the event.

Meanwhile, Intel and Lenovo have confirmed their participation at MWC 2021. The chipset giant might launch products and technologies related to 5G and AI while the Chinese tech firm is expected to showcase its new laptops and accessories which were launched before MWC. Lenovo might launch more new devices at MWC 2021. Also Read: Twitter interim grievance officer for India quits amid IT Rules row

Important keynotes at MWC 2021

Some of the notable speakers that will be sharing their thoughts on new-age technologies or the companys new products include SpaceXs CEO Elon Musk, AWS CEO Adam Selipsky and IBM CEO Arvind Krishna, among others. Also Read: Income Tax Return deadline extension: Important things you need to know before ITR filing
New Delhi: Ahead of 2022 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party released its election slogan which seems borrowed from Trinamool Congress' Khela Hobe slogan but with a Bhojpuri twist.

The Akhilesh Yadav-led party is confident that it will be successful in defeating the incumbent BJP in the state polls. The Khela Hobe slogan was heard during the West Bengal elections, the Khela Hoi a Bhojpuri version of Khela Hobe.

According to a report, SP leader and former MLA Abdul Samad Ansari has written this slogan, a report by News 18 stated.

Meanwhile, the SP on Saturday sacked presidents of 11 district units with immediate effect, though no reason was cited for the reports suggest that the party's nominees in many places did not turn up to file their nomination papers for the post of zila panchayat chairman.

The Bharatiya Janata Party won 17 seats unopposed in the elections of the Uttar Pradesh Zila Panchayat chairpersons. Uttar Pradesh SP chief Naresh Uttam issued a statement here, saying the presidents of the party's Gorakhpur, Moradabad, Jhansi, Agra, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Mau, Balrampur, Shravasti, Bhadohi, Gonda and Lalitpur district units have been removed on the direction of party president Akhilesh Yadav.

Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav has said he is confident of winning UP. Further, he accused the BJP of using fear and greed and dreaming of grabbing the posts of Zila panchayat chairpersons and kshetra panchayat chairpersons.

The Assembly elections will be held in the state in February 2022.

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London: Free Balochistan Movement (FBM) UK Branch on Saturday (June 26) held a protest in front of the British Parliament against Pakistani atrocities. The demonstration was held on June 26 to commemorate the "International Day in Support of Torture Victims".

Baloch activists and FBM members from the UK took part in the protest and highlighted Pakistan`s ongoing human rights violations against Baloch. They shouted slogans like, "Stop funding Pakistan", Freedom for Balochistan", "We want Freedom", "Terror state Pakistan", "Stop supporting Pakistan", and "Baloch want Freedom."

"The protesters said that thousands of Baloch are abducted and illegally held in the Pakistani military`s torture cells without any crime. The abducted persons are subject to inhuman and brutal torture by state forces. They are kept in appalling conditions for years and not allowed to see the sun even."

ALSO READ: COVID-19 cases spread in China earlier than recorded, claims new study

"The illegally detained persons are neither provided with any legal representatives nor allowed to have contact with their families. The loved ones of disappeared Baloch suffer even more than the disappeared persons because they don`t know anything about their relatives` condition and well-being."

Such degrading and appalling treatment of the disappeared persons come under crimes against humanity as per United Nations conventions and international laws. Free Balochistan Movement activists have requested the civilised world and western democracies to help stop the ongoing genocide of Baloch people by Pakistan.

They also urged the international media to play their role to report the Pakistani state brutalities against Baloch people and the illegal occupation of Balochistan.

ALSO READ: Joe Biden administration faces growing calls from health experts to embrace vaccine passports

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British health minister Matt Hancock quit on Saturday after he was caught breaking COVID-19 rules by kissing and embracing an aide in his office, enraging colleagues and the public who have been living under lockdown.

In the latest scandal to rock a government that has overseen one of the highest official death tolls from the pandemic, Hancock wrote to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign, saying he had let people down.

I have resigned as Health Secretary pic.twitter.com/eyWi1AA19i  Matt Hancock (@MattHancock) June 26, 2021

An increasing number of his fellow Conservative lawmakers had privately called for him to go after the Sun newspaper published photos on Friday of the married minister embracing a woman whom he had appointed to a taxpayer-funded role to scrutinise his department.

"Those of us who make these rules have got to stick by them and that`s why I`ve got to resign," the 42-year-old said in a video on Twitter.

Hancock had been at the centre of the government`s fight against the pandemic, routinely appearing on television to tell people to follow strict rules and to defend his department against criticism of its response to the crisis.

He will be replaced by Sajid Javid, a former finance minister with widespread government experience but new to health. Javid was forced out of the Treasury in early 2020 when he lost a power battle with Johnson`s then most senior ally, Dominic Cummings.

He will be tasked with helping the state-run health service recover from the pandemic and to deal with any future infection waves. Cases have started to rise in the last month.

Hancock`s departure also marks an embarrassment for Johnson after he said on Friday that he had accepted Hancock`s apology and considered the matter to be closed. He said on Saturday he was sorry to receive the resignation.

"You should be immensely proud of your service," he wrote in reply to Hancock. "I am grateful for your support and believe that your contribution to public service is far from over."

The Sun had shown Hancock kissing the aide in his office last month, at a time when it was against the rules for people to have intimate contact with a person outside their household.

Conservative lawmakers said many of them had told the party they could no longer support him.

The opposition Labour Party had also questioned whether Hancock had broken the ministerial code: the woman, a long-time friend, was appointed as a non-executive director to scrutinise the running of his department.

Media reports said on Saturday she had now quit.

Labour leader Keir Starmer said on Twitter that Hancock was right to resign, but added: "Boris Johnson should have sacked him."

With 128,000 deaths and one of the deepest economic contractions on record, Britain has been convulsed by the pandemic and Hancock had been heavily criticised. In the early months, his department struggled to deliver testing and protective equipment for hospital staff treating patients.

However, the government has been boosted by a rapid rollout of vaccines, with 84% of adults having had one dose and 61% both, well ahead of most countries.

While cases have started to rise - up 18,000 on Saturday - vaccines appear to have weakened the link between infections and deaths and most restrictions could be dropped by July 19.

Despite the improving situation, the revelations around Hancock had sparked accusations of hypocrisy. They also reignited the charge that Johnson`s government is beset by cronyism.

Hancock had last year welcomed the resignation of a senior scientist who broke restrictions in a similar manner. He had also been faulted for awarding COVID contracts to companies with close ties to the government. He had said there was a need to act fast.

His case also had echoes of an incident last year when Cummings broke lockdown rules. Johnson`s decision to retain him sparked fury across the country and damaged the government`s standing.

On that occasion, ministers and lawmakers voiced their support for Cummings in a coordinated effort. In contrast, few if any defended Hancock on Saturday.

A source in Downing Street said Hancock had not been pressured to resign. He said in his letter to Johnson he wanted to apologise to his family and spend time with his children.
New Delhi: Former Nepalese Ambassador to China, Leela Mani Paudyal on Saturday (June 26) said Nepal rejects Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) and highlighted the importance of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Nepal's foreign policy. The Ambassador was speaking at a Nepal Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement (NIICE) Global Conclave, a three-day event organized by Nepal Institute for International Cooperation that will host 220 speakers from 41 countries.

"There is a huge gap in Nepals development financing that BRI can supplement the other source of financing. Nepal expects to develop physical infrastructure like road, railways, transmission line, power, air connectivity. It also expects to revive culture heritage sites, promote tourism and conserve biodiversity, promote trade and investment. Air connectivity has been enhanced," the Ambassador said during the "Nepal-China relation" session.

According to Leela Mani Paudyal, China is the largest source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) of Nepal.

In his address, Paudyal said, "We have received substantiate help from China to fight COVID without which it would have been impossible to treat the virus. There are a lot of development and cooperation activities. Both the counties have reached to several agreements , MoUs and understandings that provide better framework, platforms and guidelines for fostering cooperation."

"Our foreign policy rejects Indo-Pacific and accepts BRI because it is under the UN charter and Principle. As a non-aligned country we can accept BRI. There has to be political commitment to implement BRI projects," he added.

Recently, Nepal and China joined hands to develop three separate hydropower projects on Marsyangdi river in western Manang and Lamjung districts of Nepal.

However, Dai Yonghong, a distinguished Professor of Shenzhen University questioned the implementation of BRI projects in Nepal and believes it is relatively low.

Stating some reasons for the low implementation of the projects, Prof. Yonghong said, "Nepalese Government is hesitating to decide whether to continue to implement the joint agreement between China and Nepal since 2017. There have been many agreements between Nepal and China in terms of infrastructure, cultural, tourism development but why is the implementation relatively low."

Nepal is confused whether it should completely accept the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) or go towards the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact (MCC) or some other agreement, he added.

Nepal had earlier signed the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a US governments grant worth $500 million to develop its hydroelectricity transmission infrastructure.

Secondly, Yonghong said political instability is the reason for less implementation of BRI projects.

There is a political instability in Nepal and political policies are not consistent in the country, Prof. Yonghong said.

He emphasized on the faster implementation of the existing agreements and said the most important thing for the government is to focus on the economic needs of Nepalese people and to implement the BRI agreements.

To counter Chinas BRI, the seven richest economies in the world, known as G7, arrived at a consensus and offered developing nations an infrastructure plan, The Build Back Better World (B3W) initiative.

The infrastructure plan will be led by United States president Joe Biden. The leaders hope that this will provide a transparent infrastructure partnership to help narrow the $40 trillion.